Dist. 11, Dubia
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/2/d/11/q/bon-sent-II-d11-dubia
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### DOUBTS TOUCHING THE LETTER OF THE MASTER.

### Doubt I.

In this part there are doubts touching the letter [of the Master], and first inquiry is made of this which Jerome says, that *each soul, from the rising of its nativity, has an Angel deputed to it.* For it seems false: since the soul of an infant at the rising of its nativity cannot merit or demerit, nor is it capable of learning, it seems that the Angel busies himself in vain about that one for that time; just as if some teacher should wish to instruct a wailing infant. *And if you say* that the Angel guards not by teaching as regards the spirit, but by defending as regards the body — then it seems that since the unborn and the born child are in equal danger as regards the body, he ought to be guarded before the rising of nativity.

**I respond:** It must be said that, as Jerome's authority says, it is to be understood that an Angel is deputed for the custody of a man from the rising of nativity; *Note.* and he understands [this] not only of nativity *out of* the womb, but also of nativity *in* the womb. For from that time, not before, ought angelic custody be deputed about him who is going to be born, because that custody more principally regards the spirit than the body; and therefore he ought not have a special Angel for his custody before the spirit is infused. Nor ought it be deferred, because from that time [the Angel] can defend and assist, yet more according to diverse times. For while the infant is in the womb, he can be killed and damned; while he is outside the womb before adult age, he can be impeded from baptism; while he is in adult age, he can be drawn to diverse sins. Against all these things, in these three states, angelic custody ought to be deputed to him, that through it he may be rescued from these evils and defended from the adversary. And these effects are plain enough, which consist in *liberation from evil.* — *Whether — incident question.* But whether the infant, so long as he lacks the use of reason, has some hidden effect as to *enabling* and *direction toward the good,* is difficult to assign; but to deny is not safe.

### Doubt II.

Likewise inquiry is made of this which he says: *It is established that all the Angels advanced in the cognition of divine mysteries according to the process of time.* For this seems to be against Gregory, who says in the *Dialogue*: « What is it that they do not see, who see the One seeing all things »? If therefore they saw, as from the beginning of time, the divine exemplar, it seems that in cognition of nothing did they fail. *If you say* that he understands [it] of all those things which are of the necessity of salvation, as the Master says in the text; *it is objected* against this, because one only is that which is of the essence of salvation: therefore he ought not to say, on account of that, that they know *all things,* as though beatitude were in many things. *Furthermore,* if that divine exemplar is the ground of all things, and he who knows the ground of a thing knows the thing itself; it seems that the Angel knows all created things, while he knows that one. — And if they advanced according to the process of time, therefore it seems that their cognition is subject to temporal change; and so they do not seem to be blessed.

**I respond:** It must be said that cognition in Angels is partly *from nature,* partly *from grace.* *Distinction.* But cognition which is *from nature* is twofold. *Sub-distinction 1.* For one is said to be *from nature* because *naturally implanted,* as the cognition of those things which pertain to the first constitution of the world; and as to this, the Angels do not advance nor fail, because as to this they had fully the species of all things. In another way cognition is said to be *from nature* [as] the cognition which is *through natural power,* whether innate or acquired; and as to this, the Angels advanced according to the process of time through manifold experience and turning upon those things which come about anew. — *Sub-distinction 2.* Likewise cognition *from grace* is twofold: one from *fixed* grace, another from *influent* grace. For just as in the bodily members certain *influent powers* are placed, and certain *fixed* ones, or a certain *influent* life and a certain *fixed* life; so it is to be understood also in the spiritual members or angelic spirits. *Fixed grace* is said to be the grace of confirmation. The cognition proceeding from this grace is the vision of the eternal light, in which the Angels neither advance nor decrease. But the cognition which is from *influent grace* is the cognition of revelation, which therefore is called *influent,* because God does not always reveal mysteries, but according to place and time; and according to this the Master understands the Angels to have advanced — not because they saw the Word more openly, but because some revelation was made to them from the Word.

To that, then, which is objected, that they do not advance because they see all things by seeing the Word; it must be said that that saying is not by *propriety,* but by *equivalence* and *sufficiency,* because the cognition of the Word alone so suffices the Angels as if they had the cognition of every thing, even in particular.

To that which is objected, that they see the ground of all things; it must be said that the *eternal mirror* is a *voluntary* mirror, and that exemplar is voluntarily revealing; therefore however much anyone gazes into it, he sees nothing in it except in so far as itself wills to reveal.

But to that which is objected concerning temporal change, it must be said that, although the cognition of beatitude is not subject to time, nevertheless nothing prevents the thoughts and affections and even the cognitions of the Angels concerning these created things from varying through time. For Augustine says in *On Genesis according to the Letter*, that « God moves the spiritual creature through times, not through places ». — And let these things said concerning the Angels suffice.

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