Dist. 31
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/31/q/bon-sent-III-d31-littera
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### DISTINCTION XXXI.

### Chapter I. *Whether charity once had is lost.*

This too is not to be passed over, that some assert that charity once had by anyone cannot fall away, and that no one to be damned ever has it; and they fortify this tradition for their subjects with testimonies. The Apostle says: *Charity never fails.* Augustine also says: «Charity which can be deserted was never true». Likewise: «Charity is the proper and singular fount of the good, in which no stranger shares.

The strangers are all those who shall hear: *I never knew you.* Of this fount Scripture says: *Let the fount of living water be your own, and let no stranger share it with you*». But if those who shall hear that voice are strangers, then the damned do not share in this fount. Likewise, Augustine on the Epistle of John: «Charity is rooted; be secure, nothing evil can proceed». Likewise, Gregory in the *Morals:* «*Love is strong as death.* For love is compared to the strength of death, because, namely, the mind which it has once seized it utterly slays as to the love of the world». Likewise, Augustine on the Epistle of John: «The invisible anointing is charity, which, in whomever it shall be, will be a root for him, which cannot wither under the burning sun: it is nourished by the heat of the sun, it does not wither». Likewise, Bede on John: «It must be asked how it was a special sign for recognizing the Son of God, that the Spirit descended upon him and remained. What great thing is it for the Son of God, that the Spirit be affirmed to remain in him? It is to be noted that the Spirit remained ever in the Lord, but in the Saints, so long as they bear a mortal body, it partly ever remains, and partly withdraws to return. It remains with them, that they may persist in good acts; but it withdraws for a time, lest they should always have the faculty of healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, or even prophesying. It remains ever, therefore, that they may have the virtues and may themselves live wondrously; it comes for a time, that they may shine forth to others also, by the signs of miracles, as to what they are within». Likewise, Gregory: «In the hearts of the Saints, according to certain virtues the Spirit ever remains, according to certain ones it comes about to withdraw and withdraws about to come. In those virtues, without which life is not attained, it remains permanently in the hearts of his elect; but in those by which the power of sanctity is shown, as in the working of miracles, it is sometimes present, sometimes withdraws itself». Likewise, Ambrose: «That charity is feigned which deserts in adversity».

These things seem to suggest that charity once had is not lost. Hence some have leapt into the aforementioned audacity, saying that charity is not had by the damned, nor, once had by anyone, can it be lost; whom reason and authority overcome. For some are good for a time, who afterward become evil, and conversely. Hence the names of some Christ says are *written in the book of life,* who nevertheless afterward *went back.* But he says they are *written* not according to foreknowledge, but according to the present righteousness to which they were devoted, because they were then worthy of that good, which the foreknown shall have according to foreknowledge. Hence Ambrose: «To some grace was given for use, as to Saul, to Judas, and to those disciples to whom the Lord said: *Behold, your names are written in heaven,* and afterward they *went back.* But he said this on account of the righteousness to which they were devoted, because they were good. For frequently those are evil beforehand who are to be good, and sometimes those are good beforehand who are to be and to remain evil»; according to which they are said to be *written in the book of life* and *blotted out.*

But what the Apostle says — *Charity never fails* — in no way makes for them. For, showing the dignity of charity, he says that it does not fail, because it will be both here and in the future; but faith and hope will be done away, and knowledge. — Likewise, what is said — that the charity which can be deserted was never true — is not referred to the *essence* of charity, but to its *efficacy,* because the charity which is deserted does not make a man truly blessed nor lead him to the true good. — To this fount also strangers, that is, the damned, do not share, namely at the end, because they do not persevere. — Yet this and the rest that have been said of charity can be understood of *perfect* charity, which the perfect alone have, which once had is not lost; but the *beginnings* of charity sometimes grow, sometimes fail. For there are *beginnings* of virtue, and *progress,* and *perfection,* which degrees he discerns who understands that parable: *The kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the earth, and should sleep, and the seed should spring up and grow* etc. If therefore *perfect* charity is so rooted that it cannot be lost, yet the *beginning* and the *advanced* can be lost and are often lost; but while it is held, it does not allow its possessor to sin criminally. This Augustine shows, saying: «Because the root of all evils is *cupidity,* and the root of all goods is *charity;* both cannot be together: unless the one be plucked out by the root, the other cannot be planted. In vain does anyone strive to cut the branches, if he does not strive to pluck out the root».

### Chapter II. *Why faith, hope, and knowledge are said to be done away, and not charity, although it too is in part.*

It must also be observed how faith, hope, and knowledge are said to be *done away*, because they are in part, and not charity, although it too is *in part.* For *in part,* that is, imperfectly, we love, just as *in part* we know, as Hesychius on Leviticus says. Since therefore everything that is *in part* is *done away;* why is charity excepted, which is said *never to fail?* Charity indeed too is *in part,* as the Saints often teach, because we love *in part* now; and therefore it itself will be done away, insofar as it is *in part,* because the imperfection will be removed, and perfection added; and it itself will remain, increased, and its act and the *manner of loving,* so that you love God for his own sake with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself, but the manner of imperfection will be eliminated. *Faith* indeed and *hope* will be done away utterly; but *knowledge,* according to its *act* and *manner* which now is, not according to its *essence,* will be taken away. For the virtue of knowledge itself will remain, but will hold another use and manner.

### Chapter III. *Whether Christ kept the order of loving which we [must keep].*

Now it remains to investigate whether Christ, as he was man, kept the prescribed order of loving. And if so, he loved every man as himself. He therefore wished life for all, *and willed all to be saved;* but not all are saved: and so what he wished was not done. — But it must not be ignored that there was in him charity according to the manner of the fatherland, not of the way, and that he fulfilled that order of loving which is kept in the fatherland, not in the way. For those who are in the fatherland, that is, are already beatified, are so devoted to the justice of God that nothing pleases them except what pleases God; and through this they love and will the salvation of those only whom God wills to be saved, and these alone they love as themselves. So too Christ loved the elect only as himself and wished their salvation.

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