Dist. 25, Art. 2, Q. 2
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/3/d/25/q/bon-sent-III-d25-a2-q2
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### Question II. *Whether faith has progressed as to the fullness of illumination.*

Second it is asked whether faith has progressed as to the fullness of illumination. And that it is so, it seems:

1. *First*, by the authority of Gregory in a certain Homily on that text of Luke: *Blessed are the eyes that see what you see*; there Gregory: «According to the increments of times the knowledge of the Saints and of the spiritual Fathers grew; and the nearer they came to the coming of the Savior, the more fully they perceived the mystery of salvation»; therefore they knew by a fuller light; but they did not know except by faith: therefore faith grew as to the fullness of the light.

2. Likewise, according to the progress of times prophecy grew as to the fullness of illumination: therefore by a like account it seems that this ought to be found in faith itself. The *first* [premise] is proved by what David the prophet says: *I have understood above the aged*; and again: *I have understood above all my teachers*; and in Acts, chapter two, Peter said: *These are not, as you suppose, drunk, but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, I will pour out* etc. If therefore according to a greater outpouring of the Spirit the illumination of the mind increases, it seems that the cognition of faith itself, according to the diversity of time, has grown as to the fullness of the light.

3. Likewise, each thing is seen more clearly in the presence of light than in the presence of shadow; but in the new Law there was the exhibition of truth itself, while in the old

there was the shadowy prefiguration of truth itself: therefore according to the time of the new Law a greater fullness of light comes to be in the cognition of faith.

4. Likewise, the greater illumination of faith takes its origin from a twofold principle, namely from *grace* inspiring within and from *instruction* leading by the hand without; but in the time of the new Law the *outpouring of grace* in the Sacraments is more abundant and the *instruction* in the evangelical and apostolic documents is *clearer*: therefore it seems that in faith itself, according to the time of grace, there is a greater fullness of light.

**On the contrary:** 1. What is above time is not changed nor does it progress nor fail in time; but the illumination of faith rests upon the first Truth for its own sake and above all things, which is altogether above time: therefore it seems that the cognition of faith, according to the diversity of time, neither progresses nor fails as to the fullness of the light.

2. Likewise, it seems that faith not only has not progressed as to the fullness of the light, nay rather has decreased, because that illumination is greater which reveals what is more hidden than that which reveals what is more manifest; but faith before the coming of Christ made [men] know the Redeemer and Mediator, and this indeed was much more hidden than after his coming: therefore it seems that faith itself then flooded the mind with an ampler and more perfect light.

3. Likewise, that illumination is greater which makes [one] foreknow future things than that which makes [one] recall past things; but faith in the ancient Fathers made [them] foreknow future things, in us it makes [us] recall past things: therefore there was an ampler and more perfect light then than now.

4. Likewise, the illumination is so much the ampler and greater the more it communicates its light; but the faith of those who follow is confirmed by the faith of the Fathers who precede: therefore since the prior ones communicate their illumination to the posterior, and not conversely; it seems that the fullness of light was greater in them.

### Conclusion.

> Faith according to the diversity of times has grown as to the fullness of illumination, faith being considered according to the common state.

**I respond:** It must be said that according to the diversity of times faith has grown as to the fullness of light, understanding [this] of faith according to the common state. But this is not on account of any transmutation of the times themselves first and principally, but on account of the *exhibition of truth*, on account of a greater *diffusion of grace*, on account of a plainer *instruction*. For believers now know more clearly the things which they believe than they knew of old, because the truth has now been exhibited through Christ, [and] now also the grace of the Holy Spirit is more amply diffused in the Sacraments of the new Law on account of Christ's merit and the price now paid; now also faith is more openly preached and taught, proved and defended through the evident testimony of the disciples of Christ and of his followers. — Hence the reasons which show this are to be granted.

1. But to that which is objected, that the illumination of faith and faith itself is above time; it must be said that although it is above time as to the *moving ground*, because it rests upon the first Truth for its own sake; yet as to the *believing intellect* itself, voluntarily assenting, it regards the state of the wayfarer, and thus in a certain way the variety of time, because the state of the wayfarer is liable to vary according to the diverse times. And therefore, just as we see that in one man faith grows and progresses little by little, according as the man disposes himself more and more to the reception of faith; so also in the diverse times faith progresses according to the common state, because according to the progress of the times men were made more apt for perceiving and understanding the sacraments of faith.

2. To that which is objected, that the illumination is greater which manifests what is more hidden; it must be said that this holds true other things being equal; but some illumination can illuminate so [strongly] for seeing a manifest thing that it exceeds that which illuminates for knowing a hidden thing, just as the vision of the homeland exceeds faith. — It can also be said otherwise, that something is called hidden in two ways: either on the part of the knower, or on the part of the thing known. When therefore it is said that the illumination is greater which makes [one] know what is more hidden; if it be understood on the part of the knower and on the part of the thing known, then it holds true, as for instance if it makes more manifest that which was hidden. And in this mode it does not hold true in the matter proposed, because the faith of those preceding the coming of Christ did not make of the more hidden the more manifest, nay rather what was hidden in itself remained hidden to the knower himself.

3. To that which is objected, that the illumination is greater which makes [one] foreknow future things than that which makes [one] recall past things; it must be said that this is true of those past things which lie under human consideration; but of those things which are above reason, it does not hold true. For of such things it is wont to be said that there is prophecy not only of future things, but also of past things, as Moses prophesied, when he said: *In the beginning God created heaven and earth*; and Elizabeth in Luke, chapter one: *Blessed art thou that hast believed* etc.; and with respect to such things there is faith. For by faith it is believed that God suffered and died and that he rose on the third day; and this exceeds natural judgment, nor can a man arrive at the knowledge of this through the things which he has known by sense, but through the things which God has inspired. Hence although our faith is of past things, it ought rather to be called a divine illumination than be called a recollection of past things.

4. To that which is objected, that the illumination of those preceding is more communicated than the illumination of those following; it must be said that this happens, just as a lamp set upon a candlestick gives more light than if many were placed under a bushel. In this manner the patience of Job and of Tobias moves and directs more [people] to the truth than the patience of many others, whose virtue shone more before God. And according to this mode the illumination of the preceding Fathers is more derived [to others] than the illumination of those following, because those following receive from the prior ones the example of living and believing well, and not conversely; just as a disciple receives doctrine from a master; who if he is good, can say with David: *I have understood above all my teachers* etc.

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