Coll. 23
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/23/q/bon-hex-c23
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### COLLATION XXIII.
#### *On the fourth vision: the fourth treatment, which continues to treat of the third object of this vision, which is the soul itself made hierarchic.*

### Summarium

*Introduction; repetition; twelve illustrations and considerations, 1. — The soul made hierarchic is the city of God described in the Apocalypse, 2. — Three passages of the Apocalypse concerning this city and the sealing of the soul; on the sixth Angel and the sixth time, in which is the contemplative Church, 3. 4. — Part I. On the threefold vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, which the contemplative soul ought to have, that it may be the city of God answering to the city above. It sees the heavenly Jerusalem standing, descending, ascending, 5. — In the first vision, that of the standing city, four attributes of God are considered, and the soul becomes a city with four sides, 6. — Likewise in the second vision, that of the descending city, if the rising, setting, ascent and return of the assumed humanity are considered, 7. 8. — Likewise in the third vision, that of the ascending city, if the bond, the gift, the fire, the comfort of charity are considered, 9. 10. — The signs of these four are impressed on the soul, 11. 12. — On the fourth sign specially; which was in those sealed on the mountain and is in the contemplative soul; it is necessary that this soul have a manner of living consonant with this sign of charity, 13. 14. — Part II. On the perfection of life necessary, that the soul be sealed and answer to the city above. According to the four sides of the city, each of which has three gates, four virtues are necessary, each of which has three exercises; first is required a perfect worship of God with three exercises, 15. — These answer to those sealed from the tribes of Judah, Reuben and Gad, 16-18. — Second is required a perfect bond with God with three exercises, which answer to those sealed from the tribes of Asher, Naphtali and Manasseh, 19-22. — Third is required a perfect zeal for God with three exercises, which answer to those sealed from the tribes of Simeon, Levi and Issachar, 23-26. — Fourth is required a perfect sense of God with three exercises, which answer to those sealed from the tribes of Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, 27-29. — The epilogue, 30.*

1. *God made two great lights, the greater light, to rule the day; and the lesser light, to rule the night, and the stars*. It has been said how the soul is made hierarchic in the consideration of the light of the sun,

secondly according as that sun is *vigorous, resplendent, warm;* the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is the origin of all illuminations or irradiations under the ground of excellence, influence, presiding; and secondly according as the soul is likened to the sun by conformity, by reason of the integrity of the hierarchic disposition and by reason of the threefold aspect; and these are six considerations. It is also made hierarchic in the consideration of the Church militant, in which there is a distinction according to the ground of processions, of ascents and of exercises, because the Church is considered in this way, and not otherwise, in which there is one head, one body, one food. Of her Paul speaks much, who was exercised in that consideration. Likewise the Psalter speaks much of her; and sometimes it speaks in the person of the one, sometimes in the person of the other. Whence in the Psalm: *The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty,* he touches on the head of the Church and its four orders. — Afterward it was said how the soul is made hierarchic in the contemplation of itself according to ascent and descent and re-ascent. And when the soul has these, there are and there come to be in it wonderful theories. Now it has twelve ninefolds: three *exemplary* ones in the sun, three *exemplated* ones in the heavenly hierarchy, and three in the *sub-heavenly,* and three in *itself.* These are the twelve *illustrations,* to which are added twelve *considerations* as it were twelve stars, namely of bodily natures etc.; so that the soul is always in the light; since it cannot stand still in one; and in the last is rest, namely in the ground of the exemplar in the homeland. — These, however, are not all at once in the way, but in the homeland all will be seen in one regard. Now all these twelve considerations are free and have infinite branches, of which a great book could be made.

2. Now if twelve be multiplied by twelve, there will be a hundred and forty-four, the number namely of the city of Jerusalem. For the soul thus made hierarchic is the *city* in which God dwells and is seen; of which John says: *He took me up in the spirit onto a great and high mountain;* and: *I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem.* And in the same place he says that *it was measured, twelve thousand furlongs;* and afterward, that *the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal,* and that *the measure of the walls thereof is a hundred and forty-four cubits.*

3. How can this be? See that which is said at the end of the Apocalypse; but about the middle it is said: *I saw upon mount Sion a Lamb standing, and with him a hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.* And at the opening of the sixth seal it is said in the Apocalypse: *I saw another Angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living God, and he cried to the four Angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying: Hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the trees, till we seal the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred forty-four thousand were sealed, of every tribe of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were twelve thousand sealed* etc. Now the tribe of Dan is not set down, but Manasseh is set down for Dan, and Joseph for Ephraim. In Deuteronomy Simeon is not set down.

4. First he sets down those sealed, who were *upon mount Sion,* and afterward, that one Angel of those pouring out the vials, who must be the sixth, shows him the city, whose measure was *a hundred forty-four cubits.* Near the beginning of the Apocalypse it is said to the sixth Angel, namely of Philadelphia: *He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and I will write upon him my name and the name of the city of the new Jerusalem,* of which he had spoken only at the end. — There are six ages, of which the sixth age has three ages together with the rest. And as Christ came in the sixth age, so it is fitting that the contemplative Church be brought forth at the end. For the contemplative Church and the soul do not differ, save that the soul has in itself as a whole what the Church has divided among many. For every contemplative soul has a certain perfection, that it may see the visions of God.

5. It is lifted up, that it may see Jerusalem in a threefold way: *standing* in heaven, *descending* from heaven, *ascending* to heaven. Otherwise it is not a contemplative soul. — Of the first, Isaiah: *Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem;* and afterward: *Thy sun shall no more*

go down,

and thy moon shall not decrease: for the Lord shall be unto thee for an everlasting light.*

6. For when the soul is lifted up by an influx of vigour, brightness, ardour granted to it, it piously venerates, clearly contemplates, holily enjoys, and thereby comprehends, according to its measure, the long *eternity,* the broad *charity,* the sublime *power,* the deep *wisdom* of the Principle, about which it ought to be occupied, that it may be Rachel first, that is, *the sight of the Principle*; when it considers these things, then it is the *city,* having the four sides of the city, by considering how that Principle originates all things by sublime power, governs all things by deep wisdom, restores all things by broad charity or benevolence, rewards all things by long eternity. Thus it understands the *sun* itself as to substance, power and operation, and sees all things brought back to the law eternally existing.

7. Secondly it is lifted up to gaze upon the city *descending from heaven,* that is, *the assumed humanity.* For the Son of God descended to our humanity, and this is *the Jerusalem that descends;* for souls do not descend. *I am,* he says, *the living bread which came down from heaven*, and with him all the charisms of graces; in Wisdom: *All good things came to me together with her.* When, then, the soul is lifted up by an influx of vigour, brightness, ardour granted it from on high, it piously worships, clearly beholds and holily enjoys, and thereby comprehends the assumed humanity's wondrous *rising,* wondrous *setting,* wondrous *ascent* or mounting-up, wondrous *return;* then it has the four sides of the city descending from heaven. Wondrous, I say, *rising* in the nativity, *setting* in the crucifixion, *mounting-up* in the resurrection and ascension, *return* at the judgment.

8. These four Ecclesiastes shows, saying: *The sun riseth and goeth down, and returneth to his place; and there arising again, it compasseth by the south, and turneth to the north.* Wondrous was the *rising,* by which the supersubstantial ray was united to humanity in the womb, went forth from the womb, and how he lived in the world, vigorous, shining, kindling; in death, how he deigned to die; and afterward from the world below ascended to the body and afterward into heaven; and how he shall return to judge. — Wondrous was the *length of eternity* in the union of the Godhead to the manhood. For separation was a greater impossibility than that *God should not be,* since it would be easier for an Angel to be separated from its *being.* The *breadth of charity* was in his death; wondrous the *sublimity of power* in the ascension, wondrous the *depth of wisdom* will be in the judgment. These are the wonders by which the soul is set as it were outside itself.

9. Thirdly, that it may be hierarchic, it is necessary that it see the city *ascending into heaven.* And this is when, through the vigour, brightness, ardour infused into it from on high by the eternal sun, it piously venerates, most clearly beholds, holily enjoys, and thereby comprehends the indissoluble *bond* of divine charity, the unconfinable *gift* of divine charity, the unconquerable *fire* of divine charity, the incomprehensible *comfort* of divine charity; then it sees the *city of God,* namely itself, and has four sides, of which to the Ephesians: *Being rooted and founded in charity, that you may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth* etc.

10. For you are not yet the *city of God* nor *sealed,* unless you are sealed with the Holy Spirit unto pious veneration, and thereby can comprehend what things are in God and through God and with God: the indissoluble *bond* under the ground of predestination, whereby he loves always and always loved and always will love the predestined with an eternal charity; unless you comprehend the unconfinable *gift* in the founding of all things universally, which he freely created and adorned and gave to each its measure, kind and order; thirdly, the unconquerable *fire* of charity in the handing over of the Son; fourthly, the incomprehensible *comfort,* when you consider that God will glorify body and soul, that they may be absorbed and inebriated with the dew of heaven.

11. But it is fitting that the sign of truth be impressed on the soul, whereby the soul also becomes *a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up*. — The first sign, that it have the indissoluble bond of charity, namely when the soul so loves that it says: *Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine* etc.; not that a man cannot fall from charity, but when it is such that it thinks it will never sin. — Secondly, that it have the unconfinable gift of divine charity, that it love all that God loves, both friends and enemies and strangers and kin. Whence: *The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts*. For by this the soul spreads itself abroad to love every good, and only the good.

12. Further, this charity gives the soul a *fire;* whence in the Canticle: *Put me as a seal*

upon thy heart, for love is strong as death,* when it loves in such a way that it is borne wholly toward the supremely desirable, and counts prosperity as nothing, adversity as nothing, so that all things are as it were one splinter in the furnace; *if a man should give all the substance of his house for love,* he shall almost despise it as nothing. — The fourth signing is in this, that the soul feel an *incomprehensible comfort,* which so spreads abroad in itself that it can neither comprehend it itself nor explain it to others. Of which in the Canticle: *Eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved.* She, being inebriated, says: *The king brought me into the wine cellar;* and before: *The king brought me into his storerooms,* when she is carried out of herself, like a man who is drunk, who knows not what he does; whence Paul did not know whether he was in the body, or out of the body. — Of this sign the Psalm: *Show me a sign for good, that they who hate me may see and be confounded.*

13. Of this sign Paul says: *You are sealed with the spirit of adoption.* By this sign friends are discerned from enemies, the free from slaves, the heavenly from the earthly. This sign is impressed on the forehead of the contemplative soul and on the foreheads of the elect. This sign was in *those sealed upon mount Sion*; in the second to Timothy: *The sure foundation of God standeth firm;* this is the sign, by which *the Lord knoweth who are his;* he knows by the expressed sign, by which the soul calls upon the name of the Lord from its inmost parts.

14. So the contemplative soul is sealed by God. Whence under the sixth Angel it is said that there appeared an Angel having the *sign of the living God*, and this was in the assigning of Jerusalem as standing in heaven. To this Angel appeared an expressive sign, as to the manner of living consonant with this sign, which is, that which is sealed: *Of the tribe of Judah were twelve thousand sealed* etc.; and this is: whoever has this threefold light lifting him up must have a threefold perfection, answering to charity. Whence to seal in this way is by profession to bind oneself to this and to imprint the sign, that it may answer to that sign of charity.

15. Now this perfection consists in the description of the *city,* namely that the soul have in itself the divine *worship* of God, the divine *bond* with God, the divine *zeal* for God, the divine *sense* of God. *Worship* is in the east, the *bond*

in the south, *zeal* in the north, *sense* in the west. And there are three gates to the east, three to the west, three to the south, three to the north. — *Worship* has two companions: one preceding, the other following. For perfect *worship* three things are necessary, namely a truthful profession of eternal truth, a humble veneration of the supernal majesty, a manful guarding of interior holiness. Whence three gates are set to the east.

16. *Of the tribe of Judah were twelve thousand sealed.* For these are not ordered according to carnal generation, since Judah was not the first son, but they are ordered according to the spiritual. For Judah is interpreted *confession*; and this is the foundation, since the spiritual foundation is faith, upon which the Church is founded. This, then, is the first thing, that with you there be an entire confession of truth, a perfect belief and assent.

17. Secondly is required a humble *veneration* of the supernal majesty, and this is when a man considers the enormity of his own wickedness and the immensity of the divine severity. And therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Reuben were twelve thousand sealed*. *Reuben* is interpreted *the son of vision.*

18. Thirdly is required a manful *guarding* of interior holiness, that a man be thus girded, girt against all things, a restrainer of all leakages. Whence also the priests were forbidden to drink wine and anything that could inebriate, when they entered the temple to minister. This is also clear from the prescription of cleanness. Now this cleanness is of the heart. — And therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Gad were twelve thousand sealed*. *Gad* is interpreted *girded.*

19. But true *worship* does not suffice, unless the *bond* also be perfect, since charity teaches us to worship and love God; and this is when the soul despises the lowest things, desires the highest, and is enlarged in the middle, so that in the highest it has exaltation, in the lowest sequestration, in the middle enlargement; and this is the chief desire of everlasting blessedness, the enlarged affection of supernal love, the perfecting contempt of worldly prosperity or possession. These three are understood through the three sealed that follow.

20. It is necessary, then, that there be in the soul a true contempt, that there first be the *desire of blessedness.* And therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Asher were twelve thousand sealed*. *Asher* is interpreted *blessed,* namely *fat bread, affording delights to kings.* Now he is blessed who is transferred into blessedness by the highest love.

21. Then there follows the *enlargement* of supernal love. And therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Naphtali were twelve thousand sealed*. *Naphtali* is interpreted *breadth* and signifies that whoever wishes to have the *bond* of charity must have an ordered affection toward all; but those cannot have this who are private lovers of the good, that is, who love only their own good.

22. Therefore there must be a *contempt of all things.* And therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Manasseh were twelve thousand sealed*. *Manasseh* is interpreted *forgetting.* For some *despise* worldly things but do not *forsake* them; others *forsake* them but do not *despise* them; others *despise* and *forsake* them, but do not *forget* them. When, then, the soul *dismisses* and *forgets,* then there is perfection; and this is placed in the sixth position; the Psalm: *Forget thy people and thy father's house.* Augustine: "He loves thee less who loves along with thee something which he does not love for thy sake." — Manasseh, then, is placed in the sixth position, who was the son of Joseph, who was the eleventh son of Jacob. Whence it is not without a mystery that he is placed in the sixth position.

23. Thirdly, in the contemplative soul there must be a perfect *zeal,* that it so love that it repel every evil. Now there are two companions of the zeal of charity, namely *piety* preceding and *patience* following; for some are *pious zealots,* and afterward turn into a *fury of impatience.* And then there will be three *gates* toward the north, namely the affectionate *condescension* of a kindly compassion, the emulous *rectitude* of a severe strictness, the victorious *endurance* of a bitter or human tribulation; and thus the city is fortified against the north.

24. And therefore there follow three sealed: the first, *of the tribe of Simeon were twelve thousand sealed*. *Simeon* is interpreted *hearing sorrow,* and signifies *compassion toward one's neighbour.* This Simeon is *just and fearful,* receiving Christ between his arms. For unless a man be merciful, he is not worthy to receive him who, for mercy's sake, came down from heaven.

25. Then, because mercy without an *emulous rectitude* avails nothing; therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Levi were twelve thousand sealed*. *Levi* is interpreted *added;* for Levi received the priesthood on account of zeal, whence he slew his idolatrous brethren. Phinehas likewise obtained the priesthood on account of zeal, and Mattathias and his sons on account of zeal obtained the priesthood and the principate and held it down to Herod. *Levi* signifies prelates, who ought to have a spirit of severity and of piety, as Moses, who, though most gentle, broke the tables; and on the contrary Eli, who, because he was remiss, himself died, and his sons. Whence a merciful prelate who casts off all the rigour of discipline does more harm than a rigid prelate without mercy. And so is understood that saying of Ecclesiasticus: *Better is the iniquity of a man than a woman doing a good turn.*

26. Thirdly, there must be a *victorious endurance* of worldly tribulation. For he who corrects ought to prepare himself for patience. Whence Christ *overturned the tables* in zeal, and afterward, when they sought him, showed himself; whence: *He that is patient is governed with much wisdom.* There is no doubt that those whose tables he had overturned afterward cried out: *Crucify him.* — Therefore there follows: *Of the tribe of Issachar were twelve thousand sealed*. *Issachar* is interpreted *a strong ass,* and, to the letter, an ass has a cross on its shoulders. This cross it must always be ready to bear. Now its interpretation is not *a strong ass,* but *reward;* and it signifies a man who is armed by *love of reward.* Whence in Matthew: *Blessed are ye when they shall revile you and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake; be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.* — And he said that he once spoke with brother Giles, who told him that we are not wise, as blessed Francis was a wise merchant; but we squander our substance, since we ought to give a single penny, that a man might give us a blow; but we do not even have the wisdom of the *ass,* which carries its own burden, and the more it is struck and the more abuse is heaped upon it, the better it carries it. So an obedient man ought to give up no good, but rather do better, on account of whatever tribulation, nor is he otherwise contemplative.

27. On the side of the *west* is the perfect *sense* of God; and this sense makes us contemplate and has for its companions a quiet state and a joyous transport. For in quiet there can be a state of thinking and contemplating, namely in the west, where there is quiet, reconciliation, mist or entrance into the mist. — For this sense there are required a peaceful state of a sublime dwelling, the clear regard or gaze of a sagacious discretion, the ecstatic transport of a sweet consolation.

28. It behoves one to have the sign of Zebulun, which is *the dwelling-place of strength*, which has the first state; the Psalm: *For thou, O Lord, art my hope;* whence: *The name of the Lord is a strong tower, to it the just man shall flee.* He alone is at peace who fixes himself in him in whom *there is no change nor shadow of alteration.* Whence: *In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded.*

29. Secondly, it behoves one to have the clear gaze of a sagacious desire, that, as the dove sees, resting over the waters, the bird of prey, so a man may see in the Scriptures. And this pertains to Joseph, who is interpreted *growing;* *A growing son is Joseph,* a most beautiful son, the saviour of Egypt, the prince of his brethren, signifies discretion, by which a man is the ruler and instructor of others; and this belongs to sagacity. And it is in the eleventh place, that he may gather grain, not leaves — that is, the documents of truth in the sacred Scriptures — and afterward pour it out for the salvation of the people. — This is the sixth Angel of Philadelphia, *saving the inheritance*. This one provides grain against a future famine.

30. Last is the ecstatic *taste* of sweet contemplation. *Of the tribe,* he says, *of Benjamin were twelve thousand sealed. The son of the right hand,* Benjamin, *the son of sorrow,* in whose birth Rachel died, and yet *Benjamin, most beloved of the Lord, shall dwell all the day long as it were in a bridal chamber, and shall rest between his shoulders*; and this signifies the ecstatic transport of contemplation. Beyond him no son of Jacob is born. This is a slumber accompanied by transport. To this signing no one comes unless he pass through all that go before.

31. These signings consist of a twofold perfection, namely of the *twelvefold,* which is an abundant number, and of the *thousand,* which arises from ten multiplied into itself by a perfect multiplication; for ten times ten is a hundred, and ten times a hundred is a thousand. This signing no one receives, except him who has the *stone, in which is a name that no man knoweth but he that receiveth it*; this is *the tree of life,* here man enjoys life. Whence: *Blessed are they that wash their robes and enter in by the gates of the city, that their power may be in the tree of life.* — And he said: To this *tree of life* I wished to bring you. *King Solomon hath made himself a litter of the wood of Lebanon; the pillars thereof he made of silver, the couch of gold, the going up of purple; the midst he covered with charity*. The *golden couch* is contemplative wisdom. This no one has, except him who has the *pillars of silver,* which are the virtues that establish the soul; the *going up of purple* is charity, which makes one ascend to the things above and descend to the things below.

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**HERE END THE COLLATIONS ON THE HEXAËMERON.**

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