Dist. 35, Art. 1, Q. 6
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/35/q/bon-sent-III-d35-a1-q6
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### Question VI. *Whether the principal act of piety consists in religion with respect to God, or in compassion with respect to neighbor.*

Sixthly and lastly there is inquiry concerning the act and object of the gift of piety itself, and the question is whether the principal act of piety consists in religion with respect to God, or in compassion with respect to neighbor. And that it consists principally in religion with respect to God, is shown:

1. *First,* by that [word] of the Apostle to Titus, chapter two: *Renouncing impiety, [let us live] soberly and justly and piously* etc.; there the Gloss [says]: "Renouncing, that is, fleeing the impiety of vain worship, let us live soberly in regard to ourselves, and justly toward neighbor, and piously toward God": therefore piety is properly ordered with respect to God.

2. Likewise, Augustine, treating that [text] of Job, chapter twenty-eight: *Piety itself is wisdom, but to abstain from evils is understanding:* "By piety in this place he set down the worship of God, which in Greek is called *theosebia*": therefore etc.

3. Likewise, Augustine in the book *On Christian Doctrine*: "It belongs to piety to honor holy things and not to contradict sacred Scripture": if therefore both of these consist in the worship of God, it seems etc.

4. Likewise, the sin of iniquity and of impiety are distinguished, because iniquity is against neighbor, impiety is against God: if therefore piety is a gift with respect to that [object] with respect to which impiety is a vice and sin; it seems that the act of piety-as-gift is principally attended to in the worship of God.

**On the contrary:** 1. First to Timothy, chapter four: *Piety is profitable to all things;* there the Gloss says: "Piety, which works good things for the brethren, avails to merit God; for the whole sum of Christian discipline is in mercy and piety": therefore according to this Gloss piety is ordered with respect to neighbor.

2. Likewise, Augustine in the book *On Christian Doctrine* says that the gift of piety corresponds to the beatitude of meekness; "for it is a work of piety to grow meek"; but meekness or gentleness is attended to with respect to neighbor: therefore the gift of piety is ordered to neighbor.

3. Likewise, this same thing seems [so] by Gregory on *Job* in the assignment of the gifts, where he says that it belongs to piety to show works of mercy: if therefore this is attended to with respect to neighbor, it seems etc.

4. Likewise, Tully in the first book of the *Rhetoric* says that "piety is benevolence toward parents"; either this is understood of piety-as-gift, or of piety-as-virtue; but of whichever of these it be understood, since they agree in their objects, it seems that the act of the gift of piety is attended to in comparison to neighbor.

5. Likewise, the gift of piety carries out those things to which the gift of knowledge orders; but the gift of knowledge orders toward conversing well with respect to neighbor: therefore it seems that the act of piety-as-gift is attended to with respect to that [neighbor].

Beside this it is asked how piety is distinguished from gentleness and mercy in its act and object.

### Conclusion.

> The gift of piety is principally attended to in benevolence with respect to every neighbor, inasmuch as he bears the image of God.

**I respond:** It must be said that the word "piety" is to be taken in many ways, according as Augustine intimates at the beginning of the tenth book *On the City of God*. For he says thus: "Piety is properly wont to be understood as the worship of God, which the Greeks call *theosebia*; yet it is also said to be had dutifully toward parents; and by the custom of the common people this name is also frequently [used] in works of mercy."

Since therefore piety is so said in many ways, namely toward God and toward parents and toward any man whatsoever; according as it is ordered toward God, it is not a name of a gift, but rather it is the same as *latria* and *theosebia* or *eusebia,* of which Augustine says that "it is true wisdom." — But according as it is ordered toward parents, it still does not hold the character of a gift, but rather is a species of justice-as-virtue, for the reason that it is ordered to this according to the rule of natural law and according to the obligation of necessity. — But according as it is attended to with respect to any neighbor whatsoever, in this way piety is a name of a gift.

Yet piety-as-gift and mercy-as-virtue are attended to toward neighbor in different ways: because mercy-as-virtue regards conformity in nature and need in indigence or misery; but piety attends in the neighbor to the divine image. Whence by the gift of piety a man is benevolent toward any man whatsoever who has in himself the image of God; in such a way that that benevolence, according to place and time, sometimes advances into the affection of compassion, sometimes into the benefit of a deed.

And thus it is clear what is the act and object of piety-as-gift, since it belongs to it to make a man benevolent with respect to every neighbor, inasmuch as he bears the image of God. And since for this it has [need] to be directed by the gift of knowledge, which indeed is founded upon the principles of faith and directs in conversation according to the exemplar of Christ; hence it is that the act of piety, even though it principally consists toward neighbor, nonetheless consists with respect to sacred Scripture, that it may hear it with benevolence, and also with respect to the passion of Christ, that it may recall it to memory with benevolence. Whence the use of the gift of piety is attended to in these three [things] in carrying out, just as the use of the gift of knowledge, which is its directive, [is attended to] in knowing; yet principally, according as it is a gift, it is attended to in benevolence with respect to neighbor, as the reasons show which are adduced for this part.

1. 2. 3. 4. But to that which is first objected to the contrary concerning the Gloss, that piety is ordered to God; and that piety is the worship of God, and to the other authorities that follow; it must be said briefly that all those authorities run concerning piety according to another mode of taking [it], which according to Augustine is the more principal and more proper mode of taking piety, as he himself says in the tenth book *On the City of God*. For first and principally a man ought to be benevolent toward *God,* offering him worship and homage as principal and chief, as to him to whose likeness he was made, and who is the first and principal principle of his creation and condition. — Then indeed, because the earthly father in a certain way bears the image of the heavenly Father, and the begotten son bears the image of the father and takes his origin from him; hence it is that there is another mode of taking piety descending from that [first], which indeed is benevolence toward parents. — Lastly, because every man bears the image of God; hence it is that there is a third and last mode of taking piety, according as it renders [a man] benevolent and beneficent toward every man marked with the divine image. — Now although this is the last and final mode of taking piety, yet, as has been explained, with respect to this mode piety-as-gift is taken properly. — Whence in all those authorities and reasons there is an error as to the process of arguing from the multiplicity of that name; which, even though it is not the multiplicity of equivocation properly so called, is yet a multiplicity of a certain analogy.

But to that which was lastly asked concerning the difference of piety-as-gift itself from mercy and gentleness; it must be said that although it agrees with both — because with gentleness it agrees in affection, with mercy it agrees in effect — yet it differs from both. For it differs from mildness and from gentleness: because gentleness is against the irritation [arising] from the infliction of some injury; but piety is against the hardening by which one does not have affection nor benevolence toward those who bear the mark of the divine image. — Likewise it differs from mercy: because mercy considers in the neighbor conformity in nature and likeness of species; but piety attends in the man to the image of God. Whence some have said that mercy considers misery in the image, but piety considers the image in the miserable [man]. It differs also, because mercy is conformed to the dictate of natural law and according to the rule of prudence; but piety is conformed to the persuasion of divine law, and this according to the rule of the gift of knowledge. — From these things it is clear what is the act of the gift of piety, what also is its object, and how it differs from the other habits.

And according to these three [things] three problems could be formed concerning the gift of piety and concerning any of the other aforesaid gifts; together also with this it could be asked concerning any [of them] what act it has in the fatherland. But this was determined above in general; but the others are touched on implicitly for the sake of avoiding prolixity; yet from these things which have been briefly touched on, the truth of the aforesaid can in some way be had.

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