Dist. 40, 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/40/q/bon-sent-I-d40-divisio
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## Commentary on Distinction XL.

#### *On predestination and reprobation with regard to active causality.*

> *"Predestination, however, [is] of saving goods etc."*

### Division of the text.

This is the third part, in which the Master treats of the divine knowledge as contracted to special effects. And this part is divided into two parts. In the first he treats of predestination and reprobation with regard to active causality. In the second he inquires whether they have passive causality — that is, whether they are from our merits — below in the next distinction: *"But if we ask the merit of hardening"* etc.

The first part has two [divisions]. In the first he treats of predestination; in the second of reprobation, there: *"And since predestination is a preparation of grace"* etc.

The first part again is divided into two. In the first he treats of the quiddity of predestination; in the second he inquires concerning its necessity, there: *"But of those predestined none seems to be able"* etc.; in which part first he raises a doubt and objects, and then resolves [it], thirdly objects against the response, and finally resolves [it]. The parts appear plainly in the letter [of the text].

*"And since predestination is a preparation of grace."* This is the second part of the distinction, in which the Master treats of reprobation, and this part has two [divisions]. In the first he shows what it is and what it connotes inasmuch as [it is] foreknowledge. In the second [part] he shows of what it is the cause, or what is its effect, and this [is] there: *"And just as the effect of predestination is the bestowal of grace"* etc.

### Treatment of the questions.

For the understanding of the present distinction, [the matters] principally asked are:

First it is asked concerning predestination.

Second concerning election.

Third concerning reprobation.

The first article has two [questions]:

For first it is asked concerning predestination as to entity.

Second, as to necessity.

Concerning entity, two [questions] are asked.

First it is asked, whether predestination is something eternal or temporal.

Second, what predestination is according to the thing (*rem*).

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