Coll. 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/12/d/5/q/bon-don-c5
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### COLLATION V.
#### *On the gift of fortitude, first collation.*

### Summarium

*Introduction,* 1. — *Exposition of the text; the Virgin Mary is commended from three things,* 2. — *First, from fortitude,* 3. — *Fortitude is a gift of God; the threefold division of the argument,* 4. — Part I. On the gift of fortitude on the side of the giver. *It is given by God under a threefold account: by God protecting, redeeming, indwelling,* 5-7. — *A figure of this in Samson,* 8. — Part II. On the same on the side of the one who receives. *A threefold disposition,* 9. — *First the soul is disposed through the unassailable shield of faith,* 10. — *Secondly, through the untroubled solace of hope,* 11. — *Thirdly, through the unquenchable burning of charity,* 12. — Part III. On the same on the side of the work that follows. *It is given for three things: first, for the perfecting of manly works,* 13. — *Secondly, for the casting down of the powers of the air,* 14. — *Thirdly, for the enduring of worldly tribulations,* 15.

1. *Who shall find a valiant woman? Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands*. — *Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks; a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armour of valiant men.* This last word is written in the Canticle of Canticles and was said to the bride, that is, to mother Church, whose neck is like *the tower of David; a thousand bucklers* etc. It is called *the neck,* because from it the teaching of truth goes forth. The neck serves us for two things, namely for taking in food and for uttering words. So mother Church is called *the neck,* because from her the teaching of truth goes forth; whence it says: *a thousand bucklers hang upon it.* Likewise, from her proceeds the whole company of words for the strengthening of souls; whence it says: *all the armour of valiant men.* There is nothing that avails for the having of spiritual fortitude which sacred Scripture does not set forth. — We are to speak of the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit, namely of the gift of *fortitude.* At the outset we shall pray the Lord, etc.

2. *Who shall find a valiant woman,* etc. This word is written in Proverbs; without doubt it was said in commendation of mother Church, and especially in commendation of the glorious Virgin. In this word she is commended from three things: first, from *the strengthening of spiritual fortitude;* secondly, from *the fruitfulness of a supernatural conceiving;* and thirdly, from *the discernment of saving counsel.* The first is noted when he says: *Who shall find a valiant woman,* etc. The second, when he says: *Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.* The third he adds: *She hath sought wool and flax,* etc. — Of the gift of fortitude we shall speak now; of the privilege of fruitfulness tomorrow morning, and of the gift of counsel tomorrow evening.

3. First, I say, she is commended from *the strength of spiritual fortitude,* when he says: *Who shall find a valiant woman?* He asks not in despair, but in confidence. Who then shall find her? Surely he who *reacheth from end to end*; he shall find her, and he sent to her a bridal envoy, that is, Gabriel the Archangel. Gabriel is interpreted *the fortitude of God,* and he was sent to find *the valiant woman.* Without doubt Solomon willed to rest in her as in a place of safety; but this could not be unless she were valiant, because it is said in the Canticle that *threescore valiant ones surround the bed of Solomon.* Solomon is interpreted *the desirable king;* and his bed is surrounded by

threescore valiant ones. — The number sixty is perfect and arises from the multiplying of the number six by ten, and so by it is signified the whole of works; or it arises from the multiplying of the number ten by six, and by it is signified the whole of the ten precepts of the decalogue. In the measure that a man is strong and ready according to the dictate of the laws and of the precepts of the decalogue, so far is he strong, so that he cannot be harmed from without. Whence in Proverbs: *Fortitude and beauty are her clothing.* As the body is adorned by its dress, so the soul is adorned by fortitude; therefore it is called the clothing of *the soul;* nor is fortitude the clothing of *the soul* only, or of *the glorious Virgin,* but rather of *mother Church.* Whence Isaiah: *Arise, arise, O daughter of Sion; put on the garments of thy glory.*

4. Our discourse is about the habit of fortitude, and how we may be clothed with it. If we would rightly describe fortitude, we must attend to this, that it is from heaven. Whence in the book of Maccabees: *The victory of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.* The Psalm: *God is wonderful in his saints; the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people.* Therefore fortitude is a gift of God. And that we may better know the gift of fortitude, we mean to say three things about this gift. First I mean to describe it on the side of *the giver;* secondly, on the side of *the one who receives;* and thirdly, on the side of *the work that follows.*

5. First, I say, I mean to describe it on the side of *the giver;* and I say that it is given by God *protecting,* by God *redeeming,* and by God *indwelling.* — First, I say, the gift of fortitude is given by God *protecting.* For God protects us according to the hierarchical ordering, fortifying us within and without. It is written in Proverbs: *The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted;* and in the same book: *The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.* Fortitude is from God as from a principle solid, sublime and strong; and God, who is eternal, is the origin of fortitude in all things, because nothing is powerful or strong except through the fortitude of the first principle. Therefore this fortitude descends from God protecting us, as from the first principle, according to the hierarchical dispositions; and this fortitude makes every man rich and safe and powerful and confident.

6. Secondly, this fortitude is from God *redeeming,* through the incarnation of the divine Word. Whence Isaiah: *The Lord is my fortitude and my praise, and he is become my salvation; you shall draw waters with joy out of the Saviour's fountains.* These are the waters in which the soul is made strong, is purified, is redeemed, is sanctified, and is snatched from the power of the demons. By what is the soul redeemed? It is said in Habacuc: *His brightness shall be as the light; horns are in his hands; there is his fortitude hid.* Likewise it is written: *When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth; but if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.* This stronger one is *God,* because *the weakness of God is stronger than men.* The Son of God was made weak for our sake.

7. The third account of the inflowing of fortitude is from God *indwelling.* Whence in Micheas: *I am filled with the fortitude of the Lord, with judgment and with power.* The human body, when it has not the spirit, has no power, even were it a giant's body; so if God is not in the soul, then it has no power. Of our strongest one, that is, of Christ, it is said: *The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of piety,* etc.; and he sets *fortitude* in the middle, because Christ does not dwell in us unless we have these two, namely the Spirit of the Lord and fortitude; and therefore he set *fortitude* in the middle. Peter denied at the voice of a maidservant, and stood against Caesar; because without the Spirit of the Lord the soul is feeble, and with the Spirit of the Lord it is strong. He stood against Caesar, because then, with the Spirit of the Lord, he was strong.

8. For the marking of this mystery it is said that Samson, according to the Angel's instruction, did not allow a razor to come upon his head; but his locks grew, and he was made the strongest of men. It was a marvel that with his hair he was strong, and without his locks was made weak. Dalila the harlot deceived him; she asked him where his fortitude lay. Four times she asked him, and the fourth time he told her the truth, but the first three times he hid the truth from her. The first time he said: *If I be bound with seven cords made of sinews, I shall be like other men;* and when he had been

bound, and the Philistines came to him to take him, at once he broke the cords. Again she asked him where his fortitude lay; and he said: *If I be bound with seven new cords that have not yet been used,* I shall be like other men. The third time he said to her: *If thou fasten seven hairs of mine to the ground with a nail,* I shall be like other men. The fourth time he revealed the truth to her and said: *If thou shave off the seven hairs of mine that are on my head, I shall be like other men;* and then the Philistines took him. What is this? — I say that the shaving of the hair signifies the withdrawal of the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit. Of all the Saints it is plain that, so long as the grace of the Holy Spirit remained with them, they were strong. — Why did he not tell her where his fortitude lay? See, in the losing of the Holy Spirit this is the process; by this road the Holy Spirit is lost. There are four allurements of the senses, namely *occupation, thought, the bending in of the inward affections,* and *the assailing of the divine laws.* At the last the Holy Spirit is lost; in the others a man is being disposed for this. First the devil offers *the delights of sense;* and this is to be bound *with seven cords made of sinews.* Afterwards, when a man lingers in thought upon the delight offered him, then he is bound *with seven new cords that have not yet been used.* Then follows *the bending in of the affections:* as from a multitude of rays heat is generated, so, when there is manifold thought in the soul, then the soul is bent in toward that thing; and this is what *the fastening of the locks to the ground with a nail* signifies. Thus far a man does not lose the Holy Spirit. But in the fourth place follows *the assailing of the divine laws,* when the locks of the head are shaved off, that is, when the grace of the Holy Spirit is withdrawn. — We now have from whom the gift of the Holy Spirit proceeds, namely from God *protecting,* from God *redeeming,* and from God *indwelling.* Through the grace of the Holy Spirit nature keeps the origin of life, and we ought to keep the spirit of life. What would a man be worth if he had not the Holy Spirit?

9. You will say now: by what is the soul disposed for *the receiving* of the inflowing of this gift? I say that fortitude, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, comes into us first through *the unassailable shield of faith;* secondly, through *the untroubled solace of hope;* and thirdly, through *the unquenchable burning of charity.*

10. First, I say, the soul is disposed for the gift of fortitude through *the unassailable shield of faith.* Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: *Who by faith conquered kingdoms,* etc.; *they were made strong in battle;* to the Ephesians: *In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one;* and in Esdras: *Wine is strong, the king is stronger, women are stronger still,* said the third; and the fourth said: *Truth is strongest of all.* — He shows how a man can conquer the fortitude of the devil. The devil draws a man to the concupiscence of the flesh, to the concupiscence of the eyes, and to the pride of life. The concupiscence of the flesh makes men very strong; men suffer many things that they may fulfil the lust of the flesh. Likewise, ambition makes men strong; for the ambition of honours many men suffer many things. Likewise the concupiscence of the eyes, which is the fuel of concupiscence and of pride, makes men strong, because men suffer many things that they may acquire temporal goods. By *the king* is signified *pride;* by *wine,* which makes a man drunken and makes him bold, is signified *the concupiscence of the eyes.* It is written: *Look not upon the wine when it grows yellow* in the cup. By *women* is signified *the concupiscence of the flesh.* What is the means of resisting these? How can wine and the other two be conquered? I say: by *truth.* The Psalm: *His truth shall compass thee with a shield,* namely through *faith* dwelling within, *thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night,* etc. And blessed Peter said: *Your adversary goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist ye, strong in faith.* If we loved truth, we should not fear the devil, because it is written: *The eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give fortitude to them that with a perfect heart believe in him.*

11. The second disposition for the inflowing of the gift of fortitude is through *the untroubled solace of hope.* Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: *We have a most strong solace, who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us.* And in Isaiah: *They that hope in the Lord shall change their fortitude; they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.* A man would gladly carry a great burden for a mark of gold. If a mere fly refreshes so much, then you ought to be moved much more to endure for the hope of the reward to come and everlasting. In God we ought to trust, because *he giveth fortitude to the weary*. The Philosopher holds that magnanimity is one of the cardinal virtues; but it need not be in you, rather this magnanimity, which is a virtue, is in God.

12. Thirdly, a man is disposed for the inflowing of the gift of fortitude through *the unquenchable burning of charity.* Whence in the Canticle: *Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy hard as hell; the lamps thereof are lamps of fire and of flames; many waters could not*

*quench charity.* Do you think to quench a burning furnace with a drop of water? Every power is like a drop of water beside a loving soul. *Love is strong as death;* death conquers all, and likewise love conquers everything. *Jealousy hard as hell;* hell does not let go what it holds, and so charity conquers all things and holds them fast. Paul, what do you say of charity? *Who,* he says, *shall separate me from the charity of God?* He answers: *Tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?* And he says: *I am sure that neither death nor life nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the charity which is in Christ Jesus.* Chrysostom says that Paul enumerates all creatures and says: *Nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the charity which is in Christ Jesus;* that is, if a creature could be made anew, it could not separate me. — This charity is what draws us to the heavenly nature; it does not allow any alien impression in us; so far as it lies in itself, it is everlasting; unless I give a bill of divorce, God will not take his charity away from us. In the Psalm: *I will love thee, O Lord, my fortitude; the Lord is my firmament and my refuge and my deliverer. The protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?* Catherine and Lucy were strong through the love of God. If we are not bound to the Lord by charity, we easily lose our fortitude. — It is now plain from whom the gift of fortitude has its origin, and by what things we are disposed for this inflowing of the gift of fortitude.

13. But you know that a habit without an act is nothing; therefore it must be known that the gift of fortitude is given for three things: first, for *the perfecting of manly works;* secondly, for *the casting down of the powers of the air;* and thirdly, for *the enduring of worldly tribulations.* — First, I say, the gift of fortitude is given for *the perfecting of manly works;* whence in Proverbs: *The slack hand hath wrought poverty; but the hand of the valiant getteth riches.* And of the valiant woman it is said: *She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.* He is speaking of the Church and of her members. The hand must first be put out to strong things before the fingers take hold of the spindle; that is, a man must first act strongly before he can teach clear-sightedly. In *the spindle,* by which the thread is drawn out of the tow, is signified the diligence by which men receive teaching and unfold it. He who would teach well must put his hand to strong things. In the book of Kings it is said: *Come in, for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tidings;* and in Isaiah: *Get thee up upon a high mountain, thou that bringest good tidings to Sion.* If the arm is feeble, even though the sword be strong and good, the blow will not be good. Some are full of words and have little of works.

14. Secondly, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given for *the casting down of the powers of the air.* Whence in John: *I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.* This fortitude ought to be in every Christian, and especially in the leader of the army of the Christian people. It is written in the book of Maccabees that *Judas is strong in might from his youth up; let him be your prince of the army, and he shall carry on the war of the people.* Everyone who takes up the care of souls is made a prince of the army; and when the prince is not good, then the army is in great danger. Whence Jeremiah complains: *All her beauty,* he says, *is departed from the daughter of Sion; her princes are become like rams that find no pastures, and they are gone away without fortitude before the face of the pursuer.* There were two to whom the Lord gave fortitude, namely Caleb and Josue. Of Caleb it is said: *The Lord gave fortitude to Caleb himself, and unto old age his strength remained with him, that he might go up to the high place of the land.* And likewise it is said of Josue that he was made *valiant in war.* Caleb is interpreted *whole heart,* and Josue is interpreted *salvation.* These two, for the salvation of others, went about to spy out the land of promise.

15. Thirdly, the gift of fortitude is given for *the enduring of worldly tribulations.* Whence it is said in the book of Maccabees that Eleazar, when he departed from life, leaving an example of fortitude to young and old, said: *Willingly do I suffer these things for love of thee.* He could have been set free had he pretended to have eaten swine's flesh; but he would not, and rather chose to die

and to leave to others an example of fortitude. — Who will have that gift? Everyone nowadays runs away for a trifle, for the loss of some small temporal thing, or of some small convenience; and why? Because they have not fortitude. But Job himself says: *The just man shall hold on his way.* The way is Christ's own, that a man should walk cleanly and strongly. *He hath girded,* he says, *his loins with fortitude.* And elsewhere it is said: *He, the conqueror, will lead me upon my high places, singing psalms.* — We shall pray our Lord Jesus Christ that he, in his mercy, may deign so to lead and rule us in this mortal life that we may obtain the aforesaid gifts of the Holy Spirit and come to that unspeakable joy, in which he lives and reigns whom « we shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise », he himself granting it, who is three and one; the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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