Opusculum
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/7/d/1/q/bon-red
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1. *Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights*, James in the first chapter of his Epistle. In this word is touched the origin of all illumination, and together with this is intimated the liberal emanation of the manifold light from that fontal light. Now although every illumination of cognition is interior, we can nevertheless reasonably distinguish, so as to say that there is an exterior light, namely the light of the mechanical art; an inferior light, namely the light of sensitive cognition; an interior light, namely the light of philosophical cognition; and a superior light, namely the light of grace and of Sacred Scripture. The first light illumines with respect to the artificial figure, the second with respect to the natural form, the third with respect to intellectual truth, the fourth and last with respect to saving truth.

2. The first light, therefore, which illumines toward artificial figures — which are as it were exterior and were devised for supplying the body's need — is called the light of the mechanical art; and this, because it is in a certain way servile and falls away from the cognition of philosophy, can rightly be called exterior. And it is made sevenfold according to the seven mechanical arts which Hugh assigns in the *Didascalicon*, namely: cloth-making, armament, agriculture, hunting, navigation, medicine, and the theatrical art. — Their sufficiency is taken thus. Since every mechanical art is either for solace or for advantage; that is, it is either for excluding sadness or for excluding need; that is, it either profits or delights, according to that word of Horace:

> Poets wish either to profit or to delight.

And again:

> He has carried every vote who has mingled the useful with the sweet.

If it is for solace and delight, thus it is the *theatrical art*, which is the art of games, containing every manner of playing, whether in songs, or in instruments, or in figments, or in the gesticulations of the body. — But if it is ordered to advantage or benefit with respect to the exterior man, this can be either as to covering, or as to nourishment, or as to the support of both. — If as to *covering*, either it is of a soft and smooth material, and thus it is *cloth-making*; or of a hard and strong material, and thus it is *armament* or the smith's art, which contains every armament fabricated whether of iron, or of any metal whatever, or of stone, or of wood. But if it helps as to food, this can be in two ways: since we are fed on vegetable things, or on sentient things. If as to vegetable things, thus it is agri-

culture; if as to sentient things, thus it is *hunting*. — Or otherwise: if it helps as to food, this can be in two ways: either it helps as to the begetting and multiplying of foods, and then it is *agriculture*; or as to the manifold preparation of food, and thus it is *hunting*, which contains every kind of preparing foods and drinks and flavours, which pertains to bakers, cooks and innkeepers. But it is named from one part of itself alone, on account of a certain excellence and courtliness.

But if it is for the support of both, this is in two ways: either by supplying what is lacking, and thus it is *navigation*, under which is contained all commerce, whether of things pertaining to covering or to nourishment; or by removing hindrance and harm, and thus it is *medicine*, whether it consists in the compounding of electuaries, or of potions, or of ointments, or in the curing of wounds, or in the cutting off of members, as is surgery. — But the theatrical art is unique. And thus the sufficiency is clear.

3. The second light, which illumines us toward apprehending natural forms, is the light of sensitive cognition, which is rightly called inferior, because sensitive cognition begins from what is lower and comes about by benefit of corporeal light. And this is made fivefold according to the five senses. — Augustine takes their *sufficiency* according to the nature of the light of the elements, in the third book on Genesis, in this way: because the light or brightness which makes for the distinguishing of corporeal things either is in the eminence of its own property and in a certain purity, and thus it is the sense of *sight*; or is mingled with air, and thus it is *hearing*; or with vapour, and thus it is *smell*; or with moisture, and thus it is *taste*; or with the thickness of earth, and thus it is *touch*. For the sensible spirit has the nature of light, whence it thrives in the nerves, whose nature is clear and pervious; and in these five senses it is multiplied according to a greater and a lesser purification. And so, since there are five simple bodies of the world, namely the four elements and the fifth essence, in order that man might be able to perceive all corporeal forms, he has five senses corresponding to them; because no apprehension comes about except through some likeness and agreement of the organ and the object, for the reason that sense is a nature determined to something. — There is also another way of taking the sufficiency of the senses, but Augustine approves this one, and it seems reasonable, because for this sufficiency there concur together the correspondences on the part of the organ, of the medium and of the object.

4. The third light, which illumines toward searching out intelligible truths, is the light of *philosophical* cognition, which is therefore called interior, because it inquires into interior and hidden causes, and this through the principles of the disciplines and of natural truth, which are naturally implanted in man. And this is made threefold: *rational*, *natural* and *moral*. — And the sufficiency can be taken thus. For there is the truth of discourse, the truth of things and the truth of morals. *Rational* philosophy considers the truth of discourse, *natural* the truth of things, *moral* the truth of morals. — Or otherwise: just as in the most high God it belongs to consider the account of the efficient cause, of the formal or exemplar cause, and of the final cause, because he is « the cause of subsisting, the ground of understanding and the order of living »; so also in the illumination of philosophy itself, since it illumines either toward knowing the causes of being, and thus it is *physics*; or the grounds of understanding, and thus it is *logic*; or the order of living, and thus it is *moral* or *practical* philosophy. — In a third way, thus: because the light of philosophical cognition illumines the intellective power itself; and this can be in three ways: either inasmuch as it governs the motive power, and thus it is moral; or inasmuch as it governs itself, and thus it is natural; or inasmuch as it governs the interpretative power, and thus it is discursive; so that man may thus be illumined

toward the truth of *life*, toward the truth of *knowledge* and toward the truth of *doctrine*.

And since a man can in three ways express through *discourse* what he has within him — namely, so as to make known the conception of his mind, or so as to move another further to belief, or so as to move him to love or to hatred — therefore discursive or rational philosophy is made threefold, namely into *grammar*, *logic* and *rhetoric*; of which the first is for expressing, the second for teaching, the third for moving. The first regards reason as *apprehensive*; the second, as *judicative*; the third, as *motive*. And because reason apprehends through congruous discourse, judges through the true, and moves through ornate discourse: hence it is that this threefold science considers these three properties about discourse.

Again, since our intellect has to be directed in judging according to formal grounds, and these can be considered in three ways — either in comparison to matter, and thus they are called *formal* grounds; or in comparison to the soul, and thus *intellectual*; or in comparison to divine wisdom, and thus *ideal* — therefore natural philosophy is made threefold: into *physics* properly so called, into *mathematics* and into *metaphysics*; so that physical consideration is about the generation and corruption of things according to natural powers and seminal grounds; mathematics is about the consideration of abstractable forms according to intelligible grounds; metaphysics, about the cognition of all beings, which it leads back to one first principle from which they came forth according to ideal grounds, or to God inasmuch as he is principle, end and exemplar; although among the metaphysicians there has been no little controversy concerning ideal grounds of this kind.

Lastly, because the government of the motive power has to be attended to in three ways, namely with respect to *one's own life*, with respect to *the family* and with respect to *the multitude subject to one*; therefore moral philosophy is made threefold, namely into *monastic*, *economic* and *political*; which are distinguished according to the aforesaid threefold manner, as appears from the very names.

5. Now the fourth light, which illumines toward saving truth, is the light of Sacred Scripture, which is therefore called superior, because it leads to higher things by manifesting what is above reason, and also because it comes down not by discovery but by inspiration *from the Father of lights*. And although it is one according to the literal understanding, it is nevertheless threefold according to the mystical and spiritual sense. For in all the books of Sacred Scripture, besides the literal sense which the words outwardly sound, there is conceived a threefold spiritual sense: namely the *allegorical*, by which we are taught what is to be believed concerning Divinity and humanity; the *moral*, by which we are taught how we are to live; and the *anagogical*, by which we are taught how we are to cleave to God. Hence all Sacred Scripture teaches these three things, namely Christ's eternal generation and incarnation, the order of living, and the union of God and the soul. The first regards faith, the second morals, the third the end of both. Upon the first the study of the doctors ought to labour, upon the second the study of the preachers, upon the third the study of the contemplatives. The first Augustine teaches most of all, the second Gregory teaches most of all, the third Dionysius teaches — Anselm follows Augustine, Bernard follows Gregory, Richard follows Dionysius, since Anselm is in reasoning, Bernard in preaching, Richard in contemplation — but Hugh, in all of these.

6. From what has been said it is gathered that, although by the primary division the light coming down from above is fourfold, there are nevertheless six differences of it: namely the light of Sacred Scripture, the light of sensitive cognition, the light of the mechanical art, the light of rational philosophy, the light of natural philosophy and the light of moral philosophy. And therefore there are six illuminations in this life, and they have their evening; because *all knowledge shall be destroyed*; and therefore there succeeds to them a seventh day of rest, which has no evening, namely the illumination of glory.

7. Hence very fittingly can these six illuminations be reduced to the six formations or illuminations in which the world was made, so that the cognition of Sacred Scripture corresponds to the first formation, namely the formation of light; and so on in order. — And just as all those had their origin from one light, so all these cognitions are ordered to the cognition of Sacred Scripture, are enclosed in it and are perfected in it, and through it are ordered to the eternal illumination. Hence all our cognition ought to have its stand in the cognition of Sacred Scripture, and most of all as to the understanding of anagogy, through which the illumination is referred back to God, whence it took its rise. And therefore there the circle is completed, the senary is completed, and therefore the stand.

8. Let us see, then, how the other illuminations of the cognitions are to be reduced to the light of Sacred Scripture. And first let us see it in the illumination of sensitive cognition, which is wholly occupied about the cognition of sensible things, where there are three things to consider: the *medium* of knowing, the *exercise* of knowing, the *delight* of knowing. — If we consider the *medium of knowing*, we shall behold there the *Word* eternally generated and incarnate in time. For no sensible thing moves the cognitive power except by means of a likeness which goes forth from the object as offspring from a parent; and this generally, whether really or exemplarily, is necessary in every sense. But that likeness does not effect completion in the act of sensing unless it is united with the organ and the power; and when it is united, a new perception comes about, and through that perception there comes about a leading back to the object by means of that likeness. And although the object is not always sensed, nevertheless, so far as lies in itself, it always begets a likeness, when it is in its completion. — In this way also understand that from the highest mind, which is knowable to the interior senses of our mind, there emanated eternally a likeness, an image and offspring; and he afterwards, when *the fulness of time* came, was united to mind and to flesh and took the form of man, which had never been before; and through him all our minds are led back to God, which receive that likeness of the Father in the heart through faith.

9. But if we consider the *exercise* of the senses, we shall behold there the *order of living*. For each sense exercises itself about its proper object, flees what is harmful to it, and does not usurp what belongs to another. — In this way the sense of the *heart* then lives in an ordered way, when it exercises itself toward that for which it is, against *negligence*; when it flees what is harmful to it, against *concupiscence*; and when it does not usurp for itself what belongs to another, against *pride*. For every disorder comes either from negligence, or from concupiscence, or from pride. For he lives in an ordered way who lives prudently, temperately and obediently, so as to flee negligence in things to be done, concupiscence in things to be desired, and pride in things excellent.

10. But if we consider the *delight*, we shall behold the union of God and the soul. For every sense seeks its own agreeable sensible with desire, finds it with joy, and repeats it without weariness, because *the eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing*. — In this way also the sense of our *heart* ought desiringly to seek, joyfully to find, and unceasingly to repeat, whatever is beautiful, or harmonious, or fragrant, or sweet, or soothing. — Behold how in sensitive cognition divine wisdom is contained hiddenly, and how wonderful is the contemplation of the five spiritual senses according to their conformity to the corporeal senses.

11. In this way it is to be found in the illumination of the *mechanical art*, whose whole intention is occupied about the production of artificial things. In which we can behold these three: namely *the generation and incarnation of the Word*, *the order of living* and *the covenanting of God and the soul*. And this, if we consider the *going forth*, the *effect* and the *fruit*; or thus: *the art of working, the quality of the work made and the usefulness of the fruit drawn from it*.

12. If we consider the *going forth*, we shall see that the artificial effect goes forth from the craftsman by means of a likeness existing in his mind; through which the craftsman thinks it

out before he produces it, and thence produces it as he had disposed. Now the craftsman produces the exterior work made like to the interior exemplar so far as he is better able; and if he could produce such an effect as would love and know him, he would certainly do so; and if that effect were to know its maker, this would be by means of the likeness according to which it proceeded from the craftsman; and if it had the eyes of its cognition darkened, so that it could not be raised above itself, it would be necessary, in order that it might be led to the cognition of its maker, that the likeness through which the effect had been produced should condescend even to that nature which could be grasped and known by it. — In this way understand that from the highest Craftsman no creature proceeded except through the eternal Word, « in whom he disposed all things », and through whom he produced creatures having not only the character of a *vestige*, but also of an *image*, so that they might be made like to him through cognition and love. And since through sin the rational creature had the eye of contemplation clouded over, it was most fitting that the eternal and invisible should become visible and take on flesh, that he might lead us back to the Father. And this is what is said in John the fourteenth: *No man cometh to the Father but by me*; and in Matthew the eleventh: *No one knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.* And therefore it is said, *the Word was made flesh*. Considering, therefore, the illumination of the mechanical art as to the going forth of the work, we shall behold there the Word generated and incarnate, that is, Divinity and humanity and the integrity of the whole faith.

13. But if we consider the *effect*, we shall behold the *order of living*. For every craftsman intends to produce a work that is beautiful and useful and lasting; and a work is then dear and acceptable when it has these three conditions. — According to these three, three things must be found in the order of living, namely « *to know, to will* and to work *unchangeably* or *perseveringly* ». *Knowledge* makes the work beautiful, *will* makes it useful, *perseverance* makes it lasting. The first is in the rational power, the second in the concupiscible, the third in the irascible.

14. If we consider the *fruit*, we shall find the *union of God and the soul*. For every craftsman who makes some work either makes it that he may be praised through it, or that through it he may *work* or gain something for himself, or that he may *delight* in it, according to the three things which are in desirable objects, namely the good that is *honourable*, the *advantageous* and the *delightful*. — On account of these three God made the rational soul: that it might *praise* him, that it might *serve* him, that it might *delight* in him and rest in him; and this is through charity, *in which he that abideth in God abideth, and God in him*, so that there is there a certain wonderful union and from the union a wonderful delight; since, according to what is said in Proverbs, *my delights were to be with the children of men*. — Behold how the illumination of the mechanical art is a way to the illumination of Sacred Scripture, and there is nothing in it which does not preach true wisdom. And therefore Sacred Scripture very fittingly makes frequent use of such likenesses.

15. According to this same manner it is to be found in the illumination of *rational philosophy*, whose principal intention is occupied about *discourse*. In which there are three things to consider according to the threefold consideration of discourse itself: namely with respect to the *speaker*, by reason of the *utterance*, and with respect to the *hearer* or by reason of the end.

16. If we consider discourse in respect to the *speaker*, we see thus that all discourse signifies the conception of the mind, and that interior conception is the word of the mind and its offspring, which is known also to the one conceiving it. But in order that it may be made known to a hearer, it puts on the form of the voice, and the intelligible word, by means of that garment, becomes sensible and is heard outwardly and is received into the ear of the hearer's heart, and yet it does not depart from the mind of the speaker. — According to this manner we see in the eternal Word that the Father eternally conceived him by generating, according to that word of Proverbs the eighth: *The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived.* But in order that he might be made knowable to sensual man, he put on the form of flesh, *and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us*, and yet he remained *in the bosom of the Father*.

17. But if we consider discourse by reason of *itself*, we shall behold in it the *order of living*. For to the completion of discourse these three necessarily concur, namely *congruity*, *truth* and *ornament*. — And according to these three every action of ours ought to have *measure, beauty and order*; so that it may be *measured*

by modesty in the exterior work, *beautiful* by cleanness in the affection, and *ordered* and adorned by rectitude in the intention. For then is life lived rightly and in order, when the intention is right, the affection clean and the operation modest.

18. But if we consider discourse by reason of its *end*, thus it is for *expressing*, for *instructing* and for *moving*; yet it never *expresses* anything except by means of a species, never *teaches* except by means of a light that convinces, never *moves* except by means of a power; and it is agreed that this does not come about except through a species and a light and an intrinsic power, *united to the soul* from within: and therefore Augustine concludes that he alone is the true teacher who can imprint the species and pour in the light and give power to the heart of the hearer. And hence it is that « he has his chair in heaven who teaches hearts within ». — As, therefore, nothing is perfectly known through discourse except by means of a power, a light and a species united to the soul; so, in order that the soul may be instructed unto the cognition of God through his interior speaking, it is necessary that it be united to him *who is the brightness of glory and the figure of his substance, upholding all things by the word of his power*. — From which it is clear how wonderful is this contemplation, by which Augustine in many books leads by the hand to divine wisdom.

19. According to this manner also it is to be found in the illumination of *natural philosophy*, whose principal intention is occupied about the *formal grounds* in *matter*, in the *soul* and in *divine wisdom*. These it happens that we consider in three ways, namely according to the *relation of proportion*, according to the *effect of causality* and according to the *medium of union*; and according to these three the three aforesaid things are to be found.

20. If we consider them according to the *relation of proportion*, we shall see in them the *eternal Word* and the *incarnate Word*. The *intellectual* and abstract grounds are as it were midway between the *seminal* and the *ideal*. But *seminal* grounds cannot be in *matter* without there being in it generation and production of form; likewise neither can *intellectual* grounds be in the *soul* without there being a generation of the word in the mind: therefore neither can *ideal* grounds be in *God* without there being a production of the Word from the Father according to right proportion; for this belongs to dignity, and if it befits the creature, it can much more strongly be inferred of the Creator. On which account Augustine said that the Son of God is « the art of the Father ». — Again, the appetite which is in matter is ordered to the intellectual grounds, so that in no way is the generation perfect unless the rational soul be united to corporeal matter. — By a like reasoning, therefore, it can be argued that the highest and noblest perfection cannot be in the universe unless the nature in which the seminal grounds are, and the nature in which the intellectual grounds are, and the nature in which the ideal grounds are, should concur together into the unity of a person — which was done in the incarnation of the Son of God. — All natural philosophy, therefore, through the relation of proportion, proclaims God's Word as born and incarnate, so that he is the same *alpha and omega*, born, that is, in the beginning and before times, but incarnate at the end of the ages.

21. But if we consider these grounds according to the *effect of causality*, we shall weigh the *order of living*: since generation cannot come about in generable and corruptible matter according to seminal grounds except by benefit of the light of the supercelestial bodies, which are far removed from generation and corruption, namely from *the sun, the moon and the stars*. — In this way also the soul cannot do living works unless it receive from the sun, that is, from Christ, the benefit of gratuitous light; and unless it obtain the patronage of the moon itself, that is, of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ; and unless it imitate the examples of the other Saints; from whose concurrence a living and perfect work may be gathered together in it. Hence the order of living depends on three things.

22. But if we consider these grounds according to the *medium of union*, we shall understand in what manner the *union of the soul to God* comes about. For the corporeal nature cannot be united to the soul except by means of moisture, by means of spirit and by means of heat, which three dispose the flesh to receive life from the soul. — According to this it is also understood that God does not bestow life on the soul nor is united to it, unless it be *moist* through the groaning of compunction and piety, unless it be

*spiritual* through contempt of all earthliness, unless it be *warm* through desire of the heavenly fatherland and of the Beloved himself. — Behold in what manner the wisdom of God lies hidden in natural philosophy.

23. In the aforesaid ways it is to be found that in the illumination of *moral philosophy* there is the light of *Sacred Scripture*: since the intention of moral philosophy is principally occupied about rectitude; for it is occupied about general justice, which, as Anselm says, « is rectitude of the will ». Now the right can be made known in three ways, and according to this the three aforesaid things shine out in the consideration of rectitude. In one way that is called « *right* whose middle does not depart from the extremes ». If, therefore, in God there is the highest rectitude both according to himself, and inasmuch as he is the principle, and inasmuch as he is the end of all things; it is necessary to posit in God a middle person *according to himself*, so that one is only producing, another only produced, and the middle both producing and produced. It is necessary also to posit a middle *in the going forth and the return* of things; but the middle *in the going forth* must hold itself more on the side of the one producing, while the middle *in the return* must hold itself more on the side of the one returning: as, therefore, things went forth from God through the Word of God, so for the complete return it is necessary that the Mediator *of God and men* be not only God but also man, that he may lead men back to God.

24. In another way that is called *right* which conforms itself to the one directing it. And according to this, in the consideration of rectitude the *order of living* is descried. For he lives rightly who is directed according to the rules of the divine law. And this is when the will of man assents to the necessary *precepts*, to the salutary *admonitions*, to the perfect *counsels*, so that a man may prove *what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God*. And then there is the right order of living, in which no crookedness can be found.

25. In a third way that is called *right* whose summit is erected upward, as man has an upright stature. And according to this, in the consideration of rectitude the *union of God and the soul* is made manifest. For since God is above, it is necessary that the apex of the mind itself be raised upward. And this comes about when the *rational* power assents to the first truth for its own sake and above all things, when the *irascible* power leans upon the highest bounty, and when the *concupiscible* power cleaves to goodness; then he who cleaves to God in this way *is one spirit with him*.

26. And thus it is clear how the *manifold wisdom of God*, which is lucidly handed down in Sacred Scripture, lies hidden in every cognition and in every nature. It is clear also how all the cognitions are handmaids to theology; and therefore theology takes up examples and uses words pertaining to every kind of cognition. It is clear also how ample is the illuminative way, and how in every thing which is sensed or known God himself lies hidden within. — And this is the fruit of all the sciences: that in all of them faith may be built up, *God may be honoured*, morals may be composed, and consolations may be drawn which are in the union of the bridegroom and the bride — a union which indeed comes about through charity, at which the whole intention of Sacred Scripture terminates, and consequently every illumination coming down from above; and without which all cognition is vain, since one never comes to the Son except through the Holy Spirit, who teaches us *all truth; who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen*.

**EXPLICIT.**

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