Prologus, §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/0/q/bon-brev-prol-s2
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### § 2. *On the length of sacred Scripture.*

This sacred Scripture also has a *length*, which consists in the description both of *times* and of *ages*, namely from the beginning of the world to the day of judgment. Now it describes the world as running its course through three *times*, namely through the time of the law of *nature*, of the *written* law, and of the law of *grace*; and within these three times it distinguishes seven *ages*. Of these the first is from Adam to Noah, the second from Noah to Abraham, the third from Abraham to David, the fourth from David to the transmigration of Babylon, the fifth from the transmigration to Christ, the sixth from Christ to the end of the world; the seventh runs alongside the sixth, and begins from Christ's rest in the sepulchre and lasts until the universal resurrection, when the eighth, that of the resurrection, will begin. — And thus Scripture is of the greatest length, because in its treatment it begins from the beginning of the world and of time at the opening of Genesis, and reaches to the end of the world and of time, namely at the close of the Apocalypse.

And rightly does the whole of *time*, which runs its course according to a threefold law — namely the law implanted within, the law given without, and the law infused from above — run through seven *ages* and reach its consummation at the end of the sixth; so that thus the *course* of the world may answer to its *beginning*, and the course of the *greater* world may correspond to the course of the life of the *lesser* world, namely of man, for whose sake it was made. For the first age of the world, in which took place the formation of the world itself, the fall of the demons, and the confirmation of the Angels, rightly answers to the first day, on which *light was made* and separated *from the darkness*. — The second, in which through the ark and the flood the good were saved and the evil destroyed, answers to the second day, on which through the firmament was made the separation of *the waters from the waters*. — The third, in which Abraham was called and the synagogue begun, which was to bear fruit and beget offspring for the worship of God, corresponds to the third day, on which *the earth appeared and brought forth the green herb*. — The fourth, in which kingship and priesthood flourished, since King David enlarged divine worship, answers to the fourth day, on which was made the formation of the *lights* and of the stars. — The fifth, in which those in the transmigration dwelt among many peoples and were afflicted, answers to the fifth day, on which was made the formation of *the fishes out of the waters*. — The sixth age, in which *Christ* was born in the likeness of man, who is truly the image of God, answers to the sixth day, on which *the first man* was formed. — The seventh, which is the rest of souls having no end, answers to the seventh day, on which *God rested from all the work that he had done*.

And thus these seven ages are distinguished by reason of the notable deeds which occurred at their beginnings, on account of which they answer to the days of the world's formation. Now the first age is called *infancy*, because, as infancy is wholly blotted out by forgetfulness, so that first age was consumed by the flood. — The second, *childhood*; for just as in childhood we begin to speak, so in the second age was made the division of tongues. — The third is called *adolescence*, because, as the generative power then begins to go forth into its act, so then Abraham was called, and circumcision was given to him, and the promise concerning his seed was made. — The fourth is called *youth*, because, as in youth a man's age is in flower, so in the fourth age the synagogue flourished under the kings. — The fifth, *old age*, because, as in old age strength is diminished and beauty falls away, so also in the transmigration it happened to the priesthood of the Jews. — The sixth age is called *decrepitude*, because, as that is the age which is joined with death, yet possesses a great light of wisdom, so the sixth age of the world is brought to its term with the day of judgment, and in it wisdom flourishes through the teaching of Christ.

Thus, therefore, this whole world is described by Scripture as proceeding from beginning to end in a most orderly course, after the manner of a certain most beautiful and ordered poem, where one can contemplate, according to the course of time, the *variety, manifoldness*, and *equity, order, rightness*, and *beauty* of the many divine judgments proceeding from the wisdom of God governing the world. Hence, just as no one can see the beauty of a poem unless his gaze is carried over the whole verse, so no one sees the beauty of the order and governance of the universe unless he contemplates the whole of it. And because no man is so long-lived that he can see the whole of it with the eyes of his flesh, nor can he foresee future things of himself, the Holy Spirit has provided us with the book of sacred Scripture, whose length is commensurate with the course of the governance of the universe.

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