Pars 3, Cap. 2
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/5/d/3/q/bon-brev-p3-c2
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### Chapter II. *On the temptation of the first parents.*

Now, in order to understand how the corruption of sin entered into the world, it is necessary to consider the *fall* of the first parent, the *transmission* of original guilt, and the *rise* or root of actual sin. — Concerning the *fall* of the first parent, therefore, these three occur to us as to be considered, namely the diabolical *temptation*, the *guilt* committed, and the *punishment* inflicted.

Now these things are to be held concerning the *temptation*: that, when God had established man in the happiness of paradise in a twofold sex, namely the male and the female, the devil, envying man, having assumed the appearance of a serpent, attacked the woman, first by *asking: Why has God commanded you, that you should not eat*? second by *asserting: You shall by no means die;* third by *promising: You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil;* wishing by this temptation to cast down the woman as the weaker, and afterwards through her to lay low the male sex; which indeed he did, the Lord permitting it.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since, just as the first principle is most powerful in producing, so also it is most right in governing; and therefore « the things which it has founded it so administers that it nonetheless allows them to perform their own motions ». Since therefore man had been so made that he should come through the victory of the battle to the reward of eternal rest; although God knew that man would succumb to the temptation, he nevertheless had to permit that man be tempted by one who *would know*, *would be able*, and *would will* it. — Since therefore the devil, who before was knowing and upright, by falling through pride became crafty and envious; and therefore through envy he *willed* to tempt and through cunning he *knew* how: therefore he tempted, according as he *was able*, and God permitted it. That, then, in tempting he assumed the appearance of a serpent, this was of the divine dispensation, so that not only might his craftiness be detected, but also that from that likeness the diabolical craftiness in tempting might become known to all the sons of Adam.

Again, that he tempted concerning the precept of *discipline*, this likewise was of the divine dispensation, so that, whether he were conquered or should conquer, the merit of obedience, or the demerit of disobedience, might become known to all. — And that he began from the *woman*, this was of his craftiness, because it is easier to cast down the less strong; whence the craftiness of the enemy attacks the city from the weaker side.

Likewise the *manner* in which he proceeded in the temptation was of great craftiness, because he proceeded by *making trial, by impelling* and *by enticing*. For he took his *trial* in the questioning, he *impelled* in the reassuring, and he *enticed* in the promising. For first he *questioned* concerning the cause of the command, that he might lead reason into doubt; second, once doubt was had — *Lest perhaps we die* — he *reassured*, that he might lead the irascible into contempt; third, he *promised*, that he might lead the concupiscible into appetite, and thus by these three modes might draw the freedom of choice to consent — which faculty is *of reason and of will*, embracing nonetheless the three foresaid powers, the rational, the irascible and the concupiscible; in respect of which the devil enticed the woman through a threefold desirable object, namely through *knowledge*, which is desirable to the rational; through *excellence* after the manner of God, which is desirable to the irascible; through the *sweetness of the tree*, which is desirable to the concupiscible. And thus he tempted everything that was temptable in the woman, through everything by which she could be led into temptation, which is the threefold desirable object of the world, namely *the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life*; according to which three the origin of every temptation is reckoned, whether from the world, or from the flesh, or from the devil.

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