Dist. 16, Divisio Textus
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-divisio
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### COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XVI.

*On the mission of the Holy Spirit specifically, and indeed on its visible [mode].*

> *Now we must consider, concerning the Holy Spirit, beyond that ineffable* etc.

### DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

This is the second part of that part in which [the Master] treats of mission with respect to *mode*. In this part he treats of the mission of the Holy Spirit specifically. And since the mission of the Holy Spirit is in two ways — namely visible and invisible, just as the mission of the Son [is] — therefore this part has two [sub]parts. In the first the Master

treats of the visible mission of the Holy Spirit. In the second he treats of the invisible mission, and this below in distinction seventeen: «*Now then let us approach the assigning of the mission of the Holy Spirit*».

The first [part] in turn has two. In the first the Master explains the visible mission of the Holy Spirit. In the second, for the sake of fuller explanation, he raises and settles a certain doubt, at: «*But first it must be asked, since the Son is said to be lesser than the Father*» etc.

The first [part] in turn has two. In the first the Master assigns a twofold mode of mission of the Holy Spirit corresponding to the twofold mode of mission of the Son. In the second he pursues the other, namely the visible mission, at: «*And first let us treat of that mode of mission which is made visibly*» etc., where he says that the visible mission is an appearance made in an external sign, by which the interior mission is shown forth.

«*But first it must be asked, since the Son is said to be lesser than the Father*» etc. This is the second part of the distinction, in which the Master raises a doubt — and this doubt has its origin in the comparison of the mission of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For since the Holy Spirit is sent visibly just as the Son [is], the question is why he is not called lesser than the Father, as the Son is. And this part, in which he pursues this question, has three parts. In the first he objects and determines that the Holy Spirit ought not to be called lesser on account of [his] mission, as the Son [is], because the Holy Spirit is not united. Secondly, on this occasion he adjoins a certain truth annexed to it, namely that the Son by reason of his mission is called lesser than himself, at: «*It must be noted, however, that the Son, according as he was made man*». Thirdly he teaches how to understand soundly a certain doubtful word which is joined to the present consideration — what Hilary says, namely that the Father according to divinity is greater than the Son, and [yet] the Son according to divinity is not lesser, at: «*Hilary, however, seems to say that the Father is*» etc.

### TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

For the elucidation of this part three [questions] are asked concerning the visible mission:

First it is asked, *what it is*.

Second, *to what it is useful*.

Third it is asked, *in what ways it has been made*.

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