Pars 4, Cap. 5
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/4/q/bon-brev-p4-c5
----------------------------------------
### Chapter V. *On the fullness of Christ's grace as regards the charisms in the affective power.*

After the incarnate Word has become known to us as regards the union of the natures, it must be considered as regards the *fullness of the spiritual charisms*. Concerning which, first there is to be considered the fullness of *grace in the affective power*, then the fullness of *wisdom in the intellect*, and last the fullness of *merit in work* or effect.

Concerning therefore the fullness of *grace in the affective power* in Christ these things are to be held: that in Christ, from his conception, there was the fullness of all grace as regards the grace *of the singular person* and as regards the grace *of the head* and as regards the grace *of union*; in such wise that through the grace *of the singular person* he had immunity from all fault both as regards *act* and as regards *the ability*, since he neither sinned nor could have sin. — But through the grace *of union* he is worthy not only of the happiness of glory, but also of the adoration of latria, which is the worship of reverence owed to God alone. — And through the grace *of the head* he pours motion and sense into all who approach him either through right faith or through the Sacraments of faith, whether they went before his coming or came after it. *For both those who went before and those who followed were crying out: Hosanna to the son of David*.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since reparation is an operation of the first principle, in such wise that it *flows* from him according to liberality and *leads back* to him according to conformity; therefore it must be that it come about through grace and deiformity. For grace both flows from God liberally and renders man deiform. Since therefore the reparative principle repairs through grace, and every thing is more fully and more perfectly in its own source and origin than elsewhere; it is necessary that in our reparative principle, namely Christ the Lord, there should have been the fullness of all grace. And since the reparative principle, in repairing, holds not only the formal character of a *principle*, but also of a *middle* and of an *extreme*, of an *extreme* indeed in making satisfaction, of a *middle* in reconciling, and of a *principle* in superinfluencing: therefore it is necessary that in Christ there should have been the fullness of grace by reason of the *extreme* making satisfaction, of the *middle* reconciling and of the *principle* superinfluencing. Since therefore the extreme, to be fit for *making satisfaction*, must be pleasing to God, and through this immune from all sin perfectly; and this cannot be except through the gift of divine grace in some man: it was necessary to place in Christ the grace sanctifying and confirming him, which we call the *grace of the singular person*.

Again, since a middle suitable for *reconciling* does not exist unless it have in itself both natures, namely the higher and the lower, the adorable and the adoring; and this can in no way come about except through a supremely condescending and gratuitous union; therefore it is necessary to place in Christ a grace above every grace and to be venerated with reverence of every kind, which we call the *grace of union*, by reason of which Christ as man *is over all things God blessed*, and therefore to be venerated with the worship of latria.

Lastly, since a principle efficacious for influencing does not exist unless it have in itself a fontal and original fullness, which is not only a fullness of sufficiency, but also of superabundance; therefore it is necessary that the incarnate Word be *full of grace and truth*, in such wise that all the just may be able *to receive of his fullness*, as all the members receive from the head the influence of motion and sense. And on account of this this grace is called *the grace of the head*, for this reason, that as the head has in itself the fullness of the senses and is conformed to the other members and presides over the rest and bestows on the rest, which are joined to the head itself, the benefit of influence: so Christ, having in himself a superabundance of grace and like to us in nature, holy and just beyond the rest, bestows on the rest, who approach him, the benefit of grace and of spirit, through which sense and motion come to be in spiritual things.

And since to approach him is through faith, or through the Sacrament of faith; and the faith of Christ is the same in those past, present and future: therefore the ground of influencing is placed in Christ with respect to all, as much of those past as of those present as also of those future, believing in Christ and reborn in Christ, who through faith are joined to Christ and through the inflowing grace become *members of Christ* and *temples of the Holy Spirit*, and through this *sons of God the Father*, connected to one another by the indivisible bond of charity. Which, as it is not divided by distance of places, so neither is it separated by length of times; and through this all the just, wherever they be and whenever they shall have been, make up one mystical body of Christ, receiving sense and motion from the one influencing head, according to the fontal, radical and original fullness of all grace dwelling in Christ as in a fount.

---