Dist. 18, 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/18/q/bon-sent-I-d18-divisio
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### COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XVIII.

#### *On the property of the Holy Spirit, according to which it belongs to Him to proceed in time.*

> *Here it is asked, since the Holy Spirit, through whom gifts are distributed, is Himself a Gift* etc.

### DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

This is the third part of this part, in which the Master treats of the temporal procession of the Holy Spirit. For the principle from which the Holy Spirit proceeds having been determined, and the mode according to which He proceeds also having been determined, the Master here determines the property according to which it belongs to Him to proceed in time; and this property is *Gift*; and concerning this he intends to treat in the whole of the present distinction. This part, moreover, is divided into four parts according to the four questions which he raises.

In the first he asks and determines whether the Holy Spirit is the Gift in which other gifts are given.

In the second he asks whether the Holy Spirit is by the same reckoning *Given* and *Gift*, at: *Furthermore it must be diligently considered, since the Holy Spirit is called Gift and Given.*

In the third he asks, since not only the Holy Spirit but also the Son was given, why the Son is not called *ours*, as the Spirit is called *ours*, at: *Here it is asked whether the Son, since He has been given to us* etc.

In the fourth and last he asks, since the Holy Spirit is *Gift* relatively, how He can be given by Himself; for if He is donated by Himself, the Holy Spirit seems to be said relatively to Himself, and this he does at: *After this it is asked whether the Holy Spirit is referred to Himself.*

The other parts remaining undivided, since [the Master] specifically pursues the aforesaid questions, the middle or second part, which is on the difference between *Gift* and *Given*, has four parts. In the first he asks and determines that the Holy Spirit is not called *Gift* and *Given* by the same reckoning, because He is *Gift* from eternity, but *Given* from time. In the second, however, against this, namely that the Holy Spirit is *Gift* eternally, he raises an objection, at: *But it is asked, donatable to whom — to the Father or to the Son.* In the third, because in the solution he had touched on a certain doubt, he therefore raises and determines it incidentally, at: *Here a question arises, if the Son by being born* etc. In the fourth and last he returns to the first solution, showing that the Holy Spirit is eternally *Gift*, because by the very fact that He proceeds from the Father and the Son, He is *Gift*, and this he does at: *From the foregoing it is clear that the Holy Spirit is eternally Gift.*

### TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

Granted from the foregoing that the Holy Spirit is *Gift* and that He is given, for the understanding of this part six things are asked.

First it is asked whether the Holy Spirit is the Gift by which all other gifts are given.

Secondly, whether the Holy Spirit is *Gift* either from eternity, or from time.

Thirdly, what is more fittingly said of the Holy Spirit — namely, *Gift* or *Given*.

Fourthly, whether *Gift* properly belongs to the Holy Spirit.

Fifthly, whether *Gift* is the distinctive property of the Holy Spirit.

Sixthly, whether by reason of donatability the Holy Spirit is called *ours*.

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