Dist. 23, Art. 1, Q. 3
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/23/q/bon-sent-II-d23-a1-q3
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### Question III. *Whether the assault of temptation ought to be desired by a just man.*

Thirdly it is asked whether the assault of temptation ought to be desired by a just man. And that it ought, seems [to follow].

1. James 1: *Count it all joy, brethren, when you fall into various temptations.* If therefore temptation, when it is present, is matter for rejoicing, then when it is absent it seems that it ought to be affectionately desired.

2. Likewise, in the Psalm: *Prove me, O Lord, and try me.* This holy soul was asking this, and rightly so; but a man ought to ask nothing of God except what he ought to desire: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, this seems [to follow] by reason. For everything that contributes to the exercise of virtue is to be sought; but temptation is of this kind; whence Gregory: «A holy man desires to be tempted after [acquiring] virtues, lest from confidence in his virtues he grow sluggish». If therefore temptation exercises the virtues, it is plain, etc.

4. Likewise, everything that contributes to the advancement of grace is to be sought; but temptation is of this kind; whence 1 Corinthians 10: *He will make with the temptation also an outcome* etc. If therefore temptation promotes the good, it seems that the desire of the just ought to pant after it.

5. Likewise, everything that is a work and effect of divine acceptance is to be sought; but temptation is of this kind; whence in Tobit, in the last [chapter]: *Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary* etc.

6. Likewise, everything by which one arrives at the consummation of merits is to be sought; but temptation is of this kind — which is plain, since there is no greater temptation than that which comes through scourges; *and tribulation works patience, and patience a perfect work* — therefore it seems that whoever wishes to be perfect ought to seek the assault of temptation.

**On the contrary:**

1. Nothing is to be desired whose contrary one must continually pray for; but all just men ought to make that petition: *And lead us not into temptation*: therefore no one ought to seek to be tempted.

2. Likewise, nothing is to be sought which must be diligently guarded against; but temptation must be diligently guarded against, as the Lord warns, Matthew 26: *Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation*: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, nothing is to be sought to which a man ought not to offer himself willingly; but a man ought not to offer himself willingly to temptation, as is said upon that text of Matthew 4: *Jesus was led* etc., the Gloss: «it records that Jesus was led, in order to instruct us that one ought not to leap willingly into temptation».

4. Likewise, nothing is to be sought which the adversary of our salvation wishes; but the devil desires to tempt us: therefore it seems that no one ought to seek temptation.

### Conclusion.
> By a twofold response it is declared how some temptations can be desired by the just who are strong in virtue.

**I respond:** It must be said that to the aforesaid question there can be a twofold response, and each one quite probable.

*In one way*, thus: that we say that, since temptation is threefold, or [arises] from a threefold source — one namely from God, another from the flesh, another from the devil — the first temptation is to be sought simply, since God does not tempt us except unto good. But the second temptation, namely that which is from the flesh, is to be fled simply, since it cannot be without sin, as the Master said above in distinction twenty-one. But the third, which is from the devil, is to be fled by some and to be sought by others. For by those who are strong in virtue and cannot easily be led into temptation, even if they are tempted, it is desirable to be tempted for the exercise of their virtue and the heaping-up of merits. But by the weak, by no means, since they can fear lest from the assault itself they be led into temptation, which all ought to flee; for although to be tempted is not an evil, yet to be led into temptation is always an evil, since this is to be overcome by temptation. And this is what Augustine says in book fourteen of *The City of God*: «As stands the strength and the weakness of the elect, so do they fear and desire to be tempted». — And according to this distinction, one can readily respond to the arguments adduced for either side, since they proceed according to diverse ways.

*Another way* of speaking is that there is a twofold way of speaking about temptation. Either under its proper account, and thus temptation is an impulse toward what is illicit, according to which it is spoken of in the present matter. For here we are speaking of the temptation of the devil, which comes through the suggestion of the evil of fault, by which the devil strives to bend man toward evil; not of the temptation of God, which comes through scourging, by which God wishes to approve those whom He accepts and to show them as proved. This temptation, therefore, considered in itself, no one ought to seek, but rather to abhor and to flee, especially considering its end. — In another way temptation is to be considered insofar as it is matter for the exercise of virtue; and thus it can be desired by just men, by those especially who burn so greatly in charity that the fire of their devotion is rather inflamed by the presence of what is contrary [to it] than extinguished. But by those who are of slight charity, it ought not so to be desired. And there is an example: that the wind blowing upon a furnace kindles it more and more, but extinguishes a candle. — And therefore the assault of temptation, although, as far as it is in itself, it must be fled by all and by the weak especially, as the arguments adduced for the second side show; yet insofar as it is matter for the exercise of virtue, it can be sought by the fervent and the perfect, as the arguments which are adduced for the first side show. Yet that kind of temptation just men especially seek, which lies in the endurance of scourges, as Job and Tobit suffered, as also the martyrs suffered from the wicked stirred up by diabolical zeal. And to show this the arguments proceed which are adduced for the first side; therefore they are to be granted.