Dist. 16, Art. 1, Q. 2
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/1/d/16/q/bon-sent-I-d16-a1-q2
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### Question II. *To what end the visible mission of the Holy Spirit is useful.*

In the second place it is asked, to what end the visible mission is useful; and it is established that it contributes nothing toward effecting [grace], because an exterior apparition operates nothing interior. That neither is it useful for making known, is shown thus.

1. Either it is for manifesting the emanation of some person, or the indwelling. Not the indwelling, because *no one knows whether he is worthy of hatred or of love*, and so no one knows whether God dwells in him. And again, what is the utility? Granted that he knows that God has come, yet since he does not know whether he will remain, no [utility] appears. If for manifesting the emanation of some person: then since that knowledge is necessary at every time, namely in the time of the written Law and now, it appears that both then and now there ought to be a visible mission. It is asked therefore, why only in the time of the primitive Church?

2. Likewise, however much he appears in a creature, he is not made known unless revelation be present; but when revelation is present, one has come to a truer and more certain cognition than that which is from sense: if therefore one having certain cognition does not need to be occupied with imperfect cognition, then it appears that exterior apparition is altogether superfluous.

3. Likewise, it is also proved that it impedes, thus: the affect, occupied with visible goods, rises less to invisible goods, therefore likewise the intellect: therefore if it is to be elevated to the perception of invisibles, the showing of visibles ought not to be made to it; and if it is made, it appears rather to be impeded than helped.

4. Likewise, if mission is for making known, since the cognitive power in us is threefold, namely the exterior sense, imagination, and intellect, and according to this threefold power a threefold prophetic vision is assigned, by parity of reason it appears that a threefold mission ought to be distinguished.

Furthermore, since mission is for the manifestation of indwelling, and the Son indwells just as the Holy Spirit, why is there no visible mission to manifest his [indwelling]?

**On the contrary:**

1. That it is useful for making known, appears, because *our cognition begins from sense*: therefore if we ought to be elevated to the perception of intelligibles, it is fitting and very useful that there be in some way a previous excitation in sense through a sign. And this is what Gregory says: "While we visibly know God, through this [we are caught up into the love] of invisibles etc."

2. Likewise, just as miracles show divine power, so signs show divine presence; but it was useful and most necessary that our faith be led by the hand through miracles to the knowledge of divine power: therefore by parity of reason through certain visible signs to the knowledge of divine presence.

3. Likewise, mission is for the redemption of lost man; but man is lost according to his visible and invisible nature: therefore mission according to both is useful to him.

4. Likewise, he more familiarly offers his presence who offers himself according to sense and intellect than he who [offers himself] according to one only; but this most expediently fitted man, turned away, that he might be converted to God: therefore etc.

### Conclusion.

> *The visible mission of the Holy Spirit was useful, that to persons to be led by the hand through sense there might be manifested the indwelling according to the redundance of plenitude.*

**I respond:** It must be said, that the visible mission of the Son had its proper and greatest utility, as will be clear in the third [book]. But for now concerning the Holy Spirit it must be said, that his visible mission is useful for manifesting both emanation and indwelling, but not just any indwelling, nor in every kind of person.

On account of this it must be understood, that indwelling is twofold, namely *according to the sufficiency of sanctification*, and *according to the redundance of plenitude*. That which is according to the sufficiency of sanctification interiorly and invisibly lies hidden; but that which is according to redundance appears exteriorly; and therefore such an indwelling ought to be manifested in a visible and exterior sign, as was done in the Apostles.

Likewise it must be understood, that the kind of believers is twofold. For some want signs, namely the sensible [type]; some seek understanding, namely those already advanced. Those seeking signs are by these led by the hand to the intelligibles; and for such the visible mission is useful. Therefore the visible mission is useful for manifesting the indwelling of redounding plenitude, and this for persons to be led by the hand through sense.

**To the arguments on the contrary:**

*To 1.* From this the first [point] is clear, namely why there was no visible mission in the time of the written Law; because there was no mission in plenitude, until *the fullness of time* came. It is also clear why now it is not given or sent visibly; because we have already been led by the hand to faith, whence just as miracles have ceased, so [have] exterior signs.

To what is said, that no one knows whether he is worthy of hatred or of love: it is true, unless God deigns to show; and then he was showing, and this was very useful for strengthening faith and exciting devotion.

*To 2.* As to what is objected, that some revelation is necessary; it must be said, that it is true, yet apparition is not superfluous, because it excites the intellect to inquiry, and thus by exciting it prepares for revelation, and after revelation it excites to love. For revelation, even if it is interior cognition, is nevertheless still that of the wayfarer, and therefore does not empty out the cognition of apparition.

*To 3.* As to what is objected, that visibles impede the affect; it must be said, that visibles can be considered in two ways: either as absolute things, or as signs and beckonings leading to something else. In the first way, if they are loved and considered [as such], they retard the intellect and affect; in the second way they help; and so it is in visible apparition, because there a creature is considered as a sign making something else come into the intellect.

*To 4.* As to what is objected: why is there not a threefold kind of mission according to the threefold kind of cognition? it must be said, that even though cognition belongs to the account of mission, yet not [cognition] of any kind whatever, but [the cognition] of one indwelling. And since the mode of indwelling is twofold, as was had before, therefore there are only two modes of being sent, although there are several modes of knowing. — Or it must be said otherwise, that God in this life is known only either in an effect, or in a sign. If in an effect, since that effect is grace making one pleasing, which falls only into the mind, thus there is invisible mission; if in a sign, since a sign is what offers itself to sense, thus there is visible [mission]. Now since [the mode] is imaginary of those things whose images are expressed in the interior sense, but God is not such, therefore no such cognition is to be posited concerning him.

*To the last (Furthermore).* As to what is asked last, why there was no visible mission for manifesting the indwelling of the Son; it must be said, that *the Son's indwelling* is twofold: either through the grace of union, or through the grace of sanctification. In the first mode no manifestation or visible mission was necessary, because he was most fully in the man united to himself, in whom he was working visible works, in which he was manifested; and therefore it was not necessary that other visible signs be applied. But in the second mode he did not have a mission manifesting such an indwelling, because sanctification is appropriated to the Holy Spirit; whence it sufficed that there be a visible mission for manifesting the indwelling of him to whom sanctification is appropriated, since the indwelling of the Son and of the Holy Spirit are undivided. When it is manifested that the Holy Spirit indwells in man, it is sufficiently shown that the Son also [does].