Coll. 15
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/11/d/15/q/bon-hex-c15
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### Collation XV.
#### *On the third vision: the third treatment, which, continuing the preceding one, first shows how in the twelve principal mysteries antichrist too is displayed; then begins to treat of the infinite heavenly contemplations sprouting from the seeds and fruits of Scripture.*

### Summarium

*Introduction. Part I. By way of opposition antichrist too is displayed in those twelve principal mysteries. The first mystery, 1. — The second, 2. — The third, 3. — The fourth, 4. — The fifth and sixth, 5. — The seventh and eighth, 6. — The ninth and tenth, 7. — The eleventh and twelfth, 8. — Epilogue of Part I, 9. — Part II. He begins to treat of the third primary part of the third vision, namely of the heavenly contemplations sprouting from Scripture. Introduction, 10. — Infinite contemplations arise from the consideration of the Old and the New Testament, which two shine back upon one another, and according to the diverse fittings-together of the times, 11. — First, these seed-beds are considered absolutely. The seven ages of the Church answering to the seven days of creation; the first age, 12. — The second age, 13. — The third, 14. — The fourth, 15. — The fifth, 16. — The sixth, 17. — The seventh runs together with the sixth; on the eighth, 18. — According to others the times are distinguished according to five callings, 19. — They are also distinguished according to three times; the appropriations of this threefold distinction, 20. — On the mystery of the number fifteen resulting from the addition of those, 21. — Second, they are considered in comparison to their unfolding; the comparison of the two Testaments is made in six ways, 22. — First, the comparison of the two Testaments according to the reckoning of unity, 23. — Second, according to the reckoning of duality, 24. — The final conversion of the Jewish people, 25. — Third, according to the reckoning of the ternary, 26. — Fourth, according to the reckoning of the quaternary, 27. — Fifth, according to the reckoning of the quinary, 28.*

1. *The earth brought forth the green herb, and such as yieldeth seed according to its kind*. It has been said that in the twelve principal mysteries Christ is displayed; and by way of opposition antichrist is displayed, which is shown thus. — The first is the mystery of *the founding of things;* and there he is displayed through *Lamech*, who first introduced bigamy and was a transgressor of the law of nature and was most lustful; and then *the sons of God, seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took to themselves wives of all which they chose.* On account of which the flood was brought in. And from this it is gathered what sort antichrist will be, namely *most unclean;* and from this his *signification* is displayed, because he will kill him upon whom *the sign was set,* namely the Jews, who are signified through Cain. And therefore *vengeance shall be taken for Lamech seventy times sevenfold,* because his sin will be greater than the sin of the Jews.

2. In the second mystery, namely of *the punishment of crimes,* he is signified through *Nimrod*, who first made himself emperor, by whose authority also was built

the tower that was to touch heaven; in which it is understood that antichrist will be *most proud,* so that he will be *lifted up above all that is called God.*

3. In the third mystery, namely of *the calling* or *the election of the Fathers,* he is signified through *Dan;* and some are willing to say that he will be literally of the tribe of Dan. Whether it be so, however, I would not dare to affirm; nevertheless in the Apocalypse the tribe of Dan is not sealed. Of this Dan it is said in Genesis: *Let Dan be a snake in the way, a serpent in the path,* who hides himself in the sand, that he may catch the birds flying about him; and in this it is displayed that he will be *most fraudulent.* But he bites *the horse's heels, that his rider may fall backward.* It is certain that by the *horse* is signified the preacher of truth, and by the *hoof* is signified evangelical perfection, which antichrist will assail. For a horse, if it does not have a firm hoof, is of no worth. Joseph therefore was with the sons of the handmaids, who sold their brother; and Dan was the firstborn of the handmaids.

4. In the fourth mystery, namely of *the giving of the Law,* he is signified through *Balaam*, who gave the worst counsel, who was an idolater, and though he said many good things, yet he built altars and sought auguries. And in this it is signified that he will be *the worst idolater* and an invoker of demons; in Daniel: *But he shall worship the god Maozim in his place.*

5. In the fifth mystery, namely of *the overthrow of enemies,* he is signified through *Achan*, who stole *of the anathema* and died excommunicate; and in this it is signified that he will be *most avaricious* and *most rapacious.* — In the sixth mystery, namely of *the constituting* or the promoting of *judges,* he is signified through *Abimelech*, who killed seventy brothers better than himself; and in this it is signified that he will be *most cruel.*

6. In the seventh mystery, namely of *the anointing of kings,* he is signified through *Goliath in arms*, who reproached the ranks of the sons of Israel. For he will be *magnificent* in outward things, and he will also speak blasphemy against the people of God. — In the eighth mystery, namely of *the revelation of the Prophets,* he is signified through *the shameless king*, because he will know arguments and reasonings beyond the human measure, since he will be *one understanding propositions* and *most cunning.*

7. In the ninth mystery, namely of *the restoring of princes,* he is signified through *Antiochus*, which is interpreted *the silence of poverty,* who destroyed all *laws* universally, wishing to make one; who killed those seven brothers. He also did what no one had dared, namely to destroy *the law of the Jews* — it is true that Aman attempted *to destroy the Jews,* but he did not prevail — in which it is signified that he will be *the destroyer of the law* of the Gospel and the slayer of Christians. — In the tenth mystery, namely of *the redemption of men,* he is signified through *Judas the traitor*. For he will be *most malignant.*

8. In the eleventh mystery, namely of *the diffusion of the charisms,* he is signified through *Simon Magus*, who wished to buy the Holy Spirit and ascended on high and afterward fell, who invoked demons. For he will be *most lying,* so that he may come in lying signs and wonders. — In the twelfth mystery, namely of *the unlocking of the Scriptures,* he is signified through *the beast of the abyss* or *ascending out of the abyss*, which tramples all things down. For he will be *consummate in all malice.* For he will have *seven heads,* that is, every kind of tempting and every manner of it, now through riches, now through false miracles, now through fear, and so on. Whence in Job: *He draws up his tail like a cedar,* because in him all malices are fused together; and just as Christ had all the charisms, as the assumed nature was able to receive; so he will have all the malices.

9. Thus therefore Scripture unfolds, proceeding little by little, how antichrist will be first *most unclean,* and so on. Whence beside *the tree of life* there was *the tree of the knowledge of good and evil*; because this one will promise goods and will give evils. Whence he will be made *a serpent, a dragon* and *a beast.* — In all these mysteries there is a correspondence to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, because the Trinity ought most of all to shine back in all the works of these mysteries.

10. There follows the matter of the *seeds* and the *fruits: The earth brought forth,* he says, *the green herb, and such as yieldeth seed according to its kind.* For just as in the *gathering of the waters* is signified the manifoldness of the *understandings,* and in the *sprouting of the earth* the multiplicity of the *sacramental figures;* so in the *seeds* he shows that it holds a certain infinity of *heavenly contemplations,* which are signified through the *seeds.* For the principal *understandings* and the *figures* are within a certain fixed number, but the *contemplations* are as it were infinite: because, as the shining back of a ray and of an image from a mirror comes about in ways as it were infinite, so it is from the mirror of Scripture. Who can know how many means there are between a right angle and an obtuse one, between an obtuse angle and an acute one? For just as in *seeds* there is multiplication unto infinity, so the contemplations are multiplied. Whence in Daniel: *Many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold,* because this man and that man look in the mirror in diverse ways.

11. This consideration of the contemplations is between the two mirrors of the two Cherubim, that is, of the two Testaments, which shine back upon one another, so that *man is transformed from brightness into brightness*. And this sprouting of the seeds gives one to understand diverse contemplations according to the diverse fittings-together of the times; and he who is ignorant of the times cannot know them. For he cannot know things future who is ignorant of things past. If indeed I do not know of what tree the seed is, I cannot know what tree ought to come from it. Whence the knowledge of things to come depends upon the knowledge of things past. For Moses, prophesying of things to come, narrated things past through revelation.

12. But it is to be noted that, just as God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh, so the mystical body of Christ has six ages and a seventh, which runs together with the sixth, and an eighth. These are the seminal reasons for knowing the Scriptures. — The first age is as it were *infancy,* from Adam unto Noah. For God in the beginning set as it were in a seed what afterward budded forth in mystical deed or work. The first day signifies the first time, in which light and knowledge are given to man; and this is *infancy,* which is blotted out by forgetting; so whatever was done up to that time, when by the flood every living thing was blotted out save those which were with Noah.

13. The second time answers to the second day and to the age of *boyhood:* because then was made *the firmament in the midst of the waters*; in which time the covenant was made through the *ark,* lest men be destroyed by the waters below, and through the *bow,* lest they perish any further by a flood. And just as in boyhood boys speak and learn to speak, so in the second time the tongues were divided. And this age lasts from Noah unto Abraham.

14. On the third day the earth sprouted, and in the third age, namely *adolescence,* man is able to beget. And in the third age, which lasts from Abraham unto David, the Synagogue then began to flower in Abraham and through the circumcision made in his flesh.

15. On the fourth day were made *the lights of heaven,* and the heaven was adorned; and it answers to the age of *youth,* because that age is fit for wisdom. And in the fourth age or time, which lasts from David unto the transmigration of Babylon, the kingdom and the priesthood flourished and were vigorous as two lights, and the stars were the Prophets.

16. On the fifth day the fishes were made; and it answers to *old age,* where warmth already begins to be diminished; so in the fifth age, namely from the transmigration of Babylon unto Christ, the Synagogue began to fail and grew old and lost its authority.

17. On the sixth day man was made prince of the beasts; and it answers to *ripe age,* which age is mature and fit for wisdom; and it answers to the sixth age, which is from Christ unto the end of the world; and in the sixth age Christ was born, on the sixth day crucified, in the sixth month conceived after the conception of John. Wisdom therefore was incarnate in the sixth age.

18. The seventh age runs together with the sixth, namely the rest of souls after Christ's passion. — Upon these there follows the eighth age, namely of the *resurrect*[?] , of which the Psalmist says: *In the morning I will stand before thee and will see, because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.* And it is a return to the first, because after the seventh day the going back is made to the first. — These are the *seeds* cast for the understanding of the Scriptures, which are produced from those trees according to the common exposition; and thus time is divided into *seven* ages.

19. According to others time is reduced to *five;* and this Christ sets down, who sets down *five callings: The kingdom of heaven is like to a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard,* namely at *the first hour, the third, the sixth, the ninth, the eleventh. The morning* was *the beginning of the creature,* because God set man in paradise and commanded him *that he should dress it and keep it*. Yet he did not as yet have mattock or hoe; but of the trees he was able to

make them, which obeyed him. — The second *calling* was through the scourge, up to the time of Noah, who preached that they should beware further. — The third, under Abraham, who was a worshipper of God and a raiser of altars, and this up to Moses. — The fourth, under Moses through the Law and miracles, and this up to Christ. — The fifth, under Christ and through Christ by penance, to which he called all men, and to the marriage feast.

20. According to the Saints modern and ancient there are distinguished *three times,* namely of the law of *nature,* of the law *written* and of the law of *grace*. — The *septenary* is appropriated to the Holy Spirit on account of the seven charisms of the graces; the *quinary* to the Son, on account of the five spiritual senses — in sign of which the wing of the Cherub had five cubits — the *ternary* to the Father, because the ternary is the principle of things perfect; likewise, every proof necessarily begins from a ternary and is the first; likewise, the Father has three notions; for he is *generating, unbegettable, spirating.* — Threefold is the law: *written within,* as the law of nature; *set forth without,* as the written law; *infused from above,* as the law of grace. These are the seed-beds, and he who is ignorant of them, namely of these times, cannot come to the mystery of the Scriptures.

21. Join *the seven ages, the five callings, the three times,* and you have fifteen, which number holds a mystery, as Jerome shows. Through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the hundred and twenty believers: through these fifteen degrees the sun has to ascend above our hemisphere in one hour; because, if the natural day has twenty-four hours, and each sign thirty degrees, and each day the twelve signs are turned about; it is necessary that in one hour the sun be raised above our hemisphere by fifteen degrees; and that is *the morning of the resurrection,* when we shall be at the end of the age: *In the morning,* he says, *I will stand before thee and will see.* — These seed-beds have been considered absolutely.

22. Likewise, that which arises is *compared* to that from which it arises, as a tree to the *seed* from which it arises, and to the *tree* from which the seed arises. So the New Testament is compared to the Old, as *tree* to tree, as *letter* to letter, as *seed* to seed. And just as a tree is from a tree, and a seed from a seed, and a letter from a letter; so a testament is from a testament. According to this the comparison of the two Testaments is assigned in six ways, according to the difference of unity, duality, the ternary, the quaternary, the quinary and the senary, unity being always added.

23. According to the reckoning of *unity* there are two Testaments: one *engendering unto bondage,* the other *unto freedom*; one according to *fear,* the other according to *love;* one according to the *letter,* the other according to the *spirit;* one according to *figure,* the other according to *truth;* and thus these two times are distinguished as night and day. Whence in the Psalm: *Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.* In that night the Law was as the moon; the Fathers, as the stars, according to Gregory. But when the sun came, then it was clear day.

24. Another distinction is according to the reckoning of *duality.* The Old Testament has two times, namely the time *before the Law* and the time *under the Law.* — So in the New Testament a twofold time answers to them: the time of the calling of the *Gentiles,* which answers to the first; and the time of the calling of the *Jews,* which answers to the second. This time is not yet, because then will be fulfilled that word of Isaiah: *Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war;* because this has not yet been fulfilled, since both swords are still in force; there are still disputations and heresies. Whence the Jews, because they hope for this, believe that Christ has not yet come.

25. But that the Jews *will be converted* is certain from Isaiah and from the Apostle, who alleges the authority: *If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.* And further: *Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles*

*should come in.* And this Isaiah shows: *The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it lighted upon Israel. The word sent into Jacob;* Jacob is the name of nature, because he was of his seed, but *it lighted upon Israel; Israel,* the *spiritual* name: we are *sons of Israel* and *sons of Abraham* according to the promise, because we are imitators of Abraham's faith. Whence Isaiah: *The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel hath not known me, and my people hath not understood. The ox,* the apostolic order, whence Paul says that he is a Hebrew of the Hebrews; they were the *oxen* breaking up the earth; the *ass* was the gentile people; Isaiah: *Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob.* And there follows: *Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war.* — The Jews contradict this, since it has not yet been fulfilled; but the Prophet is not speaking of the first coming, nor of the first calling, but of the last, when *the day of the Lord* will be *upon every arrogant man;* nor is it to be understood that God so dismisses those *branches.*

26. The third comparison of the Old and the New Testament is according to the reckoning of the *ternary:* because there is the time of the Synagogue *begun, advanced, failing.* — So in the New Testament there is the time of the Church *begun, spread abroad, consummated.* Whence in the Canticle the Church is praised three times, which Church is one only, nor are there nor can there be more. The praise of the Church *begun: Who is she that goeth up by the desert as a little pillar of smoke?* Second, of the Church *spread abroad: Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun?* Third, of the Church *consummated: Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved?* For it is necessary that Rachel bear her sons in the final Church. Whence in the Apocalypse Manasses is set before his father, namely in the sixth place, and Joseph in the eleventh, and Benjamin last, and not without cause.

27. The fourth comparison of the Old and the New Testament is according to the *fittings-together of the times,* because the four times in the Old Testament answer to the four ranks about the tabernacle of the twelve tribes, and answer to the four sides of the city of the Apocalypse and to the four living creatures about the throne. The first time is that of *the calling of the Patriarchs;* the second, of *the instituting of judges;* the third, of *the anointing of kings;* the fourth, of *the illumining of the Prophets.* — To these four in the New Testament answers the time of *the Apostles, of the martyrs, of the pontiffs, of the virgins.*

28. The fifth comparison is according to the reckoning of the *quinary,* so that there is a right hand and a left having five fingers. The first time is that of *the founding of the natures;* the second, of *the inspiring of the Patriarchs;* the third, of *the instituting of the legal observances;* the fourth, of *the illumining of the Prophets;* the fifth, of *the restoring of the ruins.* — In the New Testament there answer *the first hour, the third, the sixth, the ninth, the eleventh*. *The morning* answers to the founding of nature, when *God set Adam in paradise, that he should dress it and keep it.* The first time in the New Testament is that of *the diffusion of the charisms,* which answers to the *being* of the creature; the second, of *the calling of the Gentiles,* which answers to the second; the third, of *the instituting of the Churches* according to laws, which answers to the third; the fourth, of *the multiplying of the religious orders,* which answers to the fourth, and most of all to the Rechabites, who dwelt about the Jordan, who were poor; the fifth, at the end, of *the restoring of the fallen,* because it is needful that *Elias* come, who *shall restore all things;* and with him Henoch too will come. But *the beast will overcome those two witnesses.* Whence it is necessary that they first *fall,* and that there be *a ruin* and afterward *a restoring;* so great will be the *tribulation, that they should be led into error, if it were possible, even the elect*.

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