Pars 7, Cap. 7
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/7/q/bon-brev-p7-c7
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### Chapter VII. *On the glory of paradise.*

Concerning the *glory of heaven*, however, this must be held in summary: that in it there is a *substantial*, a *consubstantial* and an *accidental* reward. The *substantial* reward, I say, consists in the vision, the fruition and the holding of the one highest good, namely of God, whom the Blessed will see

*face to face*, that is, nakedly and without a veil; whom they will enjoy avidly and delightfully, whom they will also hold everlastingly, so that thus that saying of Bernard may be verified, that « God will be to the reason a fulness of light, to the will a multitude of peace, and to the memory a continuation of eternity ». — But the *consubstantial* reward consists in the glory of the body, which is called *the second robe*; and when this has been resumed, the blessed soul tends more perfectly « into the highest heaven ». And this robe consists in the fourfold dowry of the body, namely in the dowry of *clarity*, of *subtlety*, of *agility* and of *impassibility*; which will be according to more and less, according to the greater and lesser degree of the charity previously had. — But the *accidental* reward consists in a certain special comeliness superadded, which indeed is called the *aureole*; and according to the opinion of the doctors it is owed to a threefold kind of works, namely to *martyrdom*, to *preaching* and to *virginal continence*. And in all the aforesaid there will be preserved degree and distinction according to the requirement of merits.

Now the reason for the understanding of the aforesaid is this: that the first principle, by that very fact that it is first, has the highest unity, truth and goodness; by that very fact it is to place in it the highest power, wisdom, clemency and justice. And since it is fitting that these invisible things of God be made manifest through his works, therefore God, in giving a beginning to this sensible world, so *produced* it, so *governs* it, so *repairs* it, so *rewards* and *consummates* it, that in the production the highest *power* is manifested, in the government *wisdom*, in the reparation *clemency*, and in the retribution *justice* consummated. In order, therefore, that *power* might be made manifest, he produced all things from nothing unto the praise, glory and honour of himself, making something near to nothing, namely bodily matter, and something near to himself, namely spiritual substance, and joining these together at once in one man in a unity of nature and of person, namely a rational soul and bodily matter. — In order that *wisdom* might be made manifest, he himself indeed most providently and orderly governs all things. For he rules the highest part of man through himself, namely the mind, which he illumines, and the lowest, namely the body, through the free choice of the will, so that thus the body and bodily things may as to their rule lie subject to the spirit, and the spirit to God. — In order that *clemency* might be made manifest, he repaired fallen man by assuming man's nature, by taking on its penalties and at last by enduring its punishment, so that thus the highest mercy might make the merciful one conformed to the wretched for the relief of his wretchedness, not only in the dignity of the nature as founded, but also in the defects of the nature as set in wretchedness. — In order, finally, that *justice* might be made manifest, he will render to each one according to the requirement of merits, not only punishment to the wicked, but also everlasting glory to the just. For thus do an *equal retribution* and a *gratuitous reparation* and an *ordered government* and a *virtuous production* require. For the consummation of all these is in the end.

First, therefore, since the rewarding of all the just ought to come about according as *just retribution* and also *virtuous production* require; and since the production of God made the rational spirit near to God, capable of God — capable, that is, according to the power of the image of the most blessed Trinity implanted in it, to which image in the just the whole spirit of man according to the integrity of that image has done service: hence it is that by nothing less than God can the rational spirit be rewarded or filled, nor can its capacity be bounded; and therefore there is given to it as a reward the *deiformity of glory*, through which, made conformed to God, it may both by reason *see* him clearly and by will *love* him fully and by memory *retain* him unto eternity; so that thus the whole soul may live, the whole be endowed in the three powers of the soul, the whole be configured to God, the whole be united to him, the whole rest in him, finding in him as in every good peace, light and everlasting sufficiency — through which, established « in a state made perfect by the gathering together of all goods » and living an eternal life, it may be called *blessed* and also *glorious*.

Again, since that retribution ought to come about according as there require it not only *just retribution* and *virtuous production*, but also an *ordered government*; and since God in the production bound the body to the soul and coupled them to each other by a natural and mutual appetite, and subjected the one to the other for the sake of government and made them in the state of merit, so that the spirit might condescend and attend to the governing of the body for the sake of exercise in meriting: neither does the natural appetite suffer that the soul be fully blessed unless the body be restored to it, for the resumption of which it has an inclination naturally implanted; nor does the order of rule

allow that the body be restored to the blessed spirit unless it be in all things conformed and subject to it, so far as a body can be conformed to a spirit. Since, therefore, the spirit has been made bright by the vision of eternal light, therefore in its body a very great *clarity* of light ought to result. And since by the love of that highest Spirit it has been made supremely spiritual, therefore in the body it ought to have a corresponding *subtlety* and *spirituality*. Since by the holding of eternity it has been made wholly impassible, therefore in its body there ought to be an *impassibility* of every kind, both within and without. And since from all these things the spirit is most ready for tending into God, therefore in the glorified body the highest *agility* ought to be found. Since, therefore, by these four properties the body is made conformed and also subject to the spirit, hence it is that in these four chiefly it is said to be *endowed*, by reason of which it may have the fitness to follow the spirit in the heavenly region, which is the *region of the Blessed*. For in these properties it is likened to the heavenly bodies, by which the heavenly body stands as it were by degrees apart from the four elements; and thus the fourfold dowry of bodies renders the body both perfect in itself and conformed to the heavenly habitation and to the blessed spirit — through which, from the highest head, God, even to *the hem of the garment*, namely of the body, a fulness of sweetness and an inebriation of beatitude overflows, and, so far as is possible, is derived.

Lastly, since that rewarding ought to come about according as there require it *just retribution* and *virtuous production* and *ordered government* and also *glorious reparation*; and since in the diverse members of Christ there are diverse charisms of graces, not only as to interior gifts, but also as to exterior exercises; not only as to habits, but also as to states; not only as to the perfection of charity in the mind, but also as to the comeliness and beauty of perfection in bodily work: hence it is that to certain members there is owed not only *the robe of the soul* with its three dowries and *the robe of the body* with its four, but also a certain excellence of comeliness and joy, on account of the pre-eminence of the perfection and comeliness had in virtuous work. Since, therefore, there is a threefold kind of work pre-eminently perfect and beautiful and beautified with a special beauty according to the threefold power of the soul — according to the rational, *the preaching of truth* that leads others to salvation; according to the concupiscible, *the perfect turning away from concupiscences* through the perpetual integrity of virginal continence; according to the irascible, *the suffering of death* unto the honour of Christ: hence it is that to these three kinds of just men, namely to *preachers*, to *virgins* and to *martyrs*, there is owed that excellence of the *accidental* reward which is called the *aureole*; which makes for the comeliness not only of the soul but also of the body, because it is not rendered to the will alone but to the extrinsic work, laying under itself the merit and the reward of charity, which consists in a sevenfold dowry, threefold of the soul and fourfold of the body, in which are enclosed the consummation, the integrity and the fulness of all the goods that pertain to the completion of glory.

But of what sort and how great these things are, let not my words be set down, but blessed Anselm's. For he says at the end of the *Proslogion*: « Rouse thyself now, O my soul, and lift up thy whole understanding, and consider, as much as thou canst, *of what sort* and *how great* that good is. For if particular goods are delightful, consider attentively how delightful is that good which contains the pleasantness of all goods — not such as we have experienced in created things, but as much differing as the Creator differs from the creature. For if the *created life* is good, how good is the *creating life*? If the *salvation that has been made* is pleasant, how pleasant is *the salvation which makes all salvation*? If *wisdom in the knowledge of founded things* is lovable, how lovable is *the wisdom which founded all things out of nothing*? Finally, if there are many and great delights in delightful things, of what sort and how great is the delight in him who made those delightful things themselves »?

« He who shall enjoy this good — what will be his, and what will not be his? Certainly whatever he shall will, will be; and what he shall not will, will not be. For there will be goods of body and of soul, *such as neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived*. Why then dost thou wander through many things, O little man, seeking the goods of thy soul and of thy body? Love the one good, in which are all goods, and it suffices. Desire the simple good, which is every good, and it is enough. For what dost thou love, my flesh, what dost thou desire, my soul? There is whatever ye love, whatever ye desire. If beauty delights thee — *the just shall shine as the sun*. If swiftness, or strength, or free-

dom of body, which nothing can withstand — *they shall be like the Angels of God*, because *a natural body is sown, and a spiritual body shall rise*, in power indeed, not in nature. If a long and healthful life — there is a healthful eternity and an eternal health, because *the just shall live for evermore*, and: *The salvation of the just is from the Lord*. If satiety — *they shall be filled when the glory of God shall appear*. If inebriation — *they shall be inebriated with the plenty of the house of God*. If melody — there the choirs of Angels sing together without end, *praising God*. If any pleasure not unclean but clean — *thou, O God, shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure*. If wisdom — the very wisdom of God will show them itself. If friendship — they will love God more than themselves and one another as themselves, and God will love them more than they love themselves, because they love him and themselves and one another through him, and he loves himself and them through himself. If concord — for all of them there will be one will, because there will be for them no will save God's will. If power — they will be omnipotent over their own will, as God is over his. For as God will be able to do what he wills through himself, so will they be able through him to do what they will; because just as they will not will anything other than what he wills, so he will will whatever they will; and what he wills will not be able not to be. If honour and riches — God *will set* his good and faithful servants *over many things*; nay, they shall be called *sons of God* and *gods*, and shall be so; and where his Son shall be, there shall they also be, *heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ*. If true security — certainly they will be as certain that never and in no way will these things, or rather this good, be lacking to them, as they will be certain that they will not lose it of their own accord, nor will God, who loves them, take it away from those who love him against their will, nor will anything more powerful than God separate God and them against their will ».

« But *joy* — of what sort or how great is it, where such and so great a good is? O human heart, needy heart, heart that hast known hardships, nay, that art overwhelmed with hardships, how greatly wouldst thou rejoice, if thou didst abound in all these things? Ask thy inmost self whether it can contain its own joy over so great a beatitude of its own. But surely, if some other, whom thou didst love altogether as thyself, had the same beatitude, thy joy would be doubled, because thou wouldst rejoice for him no less than for thyself. And if two, or three, or many more had that same thing, thou wouldst rejoice as much for each of them as for thyself, if thou didst love each of them as thyself. Therefore, in that perfect charity of innumerable Angels and blessed men, where no one loves another less than himself, each will rejoice for each of the others no otherwise than for himself. If, then, the heart of man will scarcely contain its own joy over so great a good of its own, how will it be capable of so many and so great joys? And assuredly, since as much as each one loves another, so much does he rejoice in that other's good, so, just as in that perfect felicity each one will love God beyond all comparison more than himself and all the others with him, so will he rejoice beyond all estimation more over the felicity of God than over his own and that of all the others with him. But if they will so love God *with the whole heart, with the whole mind, with the whole soul*, that nevertheless the whole heart, the whole mind, the whole soul does not suffice for the worthiness of that love, then assuredly they will so rejoice *with the whole heart, with the whole mind, with the whole soul*, that the whole heart, the whole mind, the whole soul will not suffice for the fulness of that joy ».

« Not yet, therefore, O Lord, have I said or conceived how greatly those Blessed of thine will rejoice. Assuredly they will rejoice as much as they will love; they will love as much as they will know. How much will they know thee and how much will they love thee? Certainly *neither hath eye seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it ascended into the heart of man*, in this life, how much they will know thee and love thee in that life. — I pray, O God, that I may know thee, love thee, that I may rejoice in thee; and if I cannot do so to the full in this life, at least may I advance day by day, until that comes to the full; may the knowledge of thee advance here in me and there be made full, may thy love grow here and there be full; that here my joy may be great in hope and there be full in reality. O Lord, through thy Son thou commandest — nay, thou counsellest us to ask, and thou promisest that we shall receive, *that* our *joy may be full*. O truthful God, I ask that I may receive, *that* my *joy may be full*. I ask, O Lord, what thou counsellest through our wonderful Counsellor; may I receive what thou promisest through thy Truth, *that* my *joy may be full*. Meanwhile let my mind meditate thereon, let my tongue speak thereof, let my heart love it, let my mouth discourse of it, let my soul hunger for it, let my flesh thirst for it, let my whole substance desire it, until I *enter into the joy of my Lord*, who is three and one, God *blessed for ever and ever. Amen* ».

### HERE ENDS THE BREVILOQUIUM OF BROTHER BONAVENTURE.

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