Dist. 14, Part 1, Art. 2, 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/4/d/14/q/bon-sent-IV-d14-p1-a2-q3
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### Question III. *Whether penance is the first virtue.*

Thirdly it is asked concerning the order of penance to the other virtues; and that it is the first virtue, seems to be the case.

1. Matthew, chapter three: *Do penance*; the Gloss: "The first virtue is, through penance, to destroy the old man."

2. Likewise, it seems so by reason: because to decline from evil is prior to doing good; but through penance there is a declining from evil, through the others a doing of good: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, "the going-out of vice works the going-in of virtue"; but it belongs to penance to expel sins: therefore etc.

**On the contrary:** 1. Faith is the foundation of the whole spiritual structure, according to the Apostle to the Hebrews; and this is clear by reason, because the act of intellect is prior to that of affection; but faith directs the intellect, penance the affection: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, when penance is called the first virtue, this is either insofar as it is unformed, or insofar as it is formed. Not unformed, because it itself is generated from faith and hope and fear, as has been shown; "for the virtue of penance is conceived by fear." If [it is meant] of [penance] formed; but on the contrary: all [the virtues] are infused together: therefore penance is infused together with the others: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, the first act is to live; but *the just man lives by faith*, or by charity, not properly by penance: therefore charity and faith are prior to penance.

4. Likewise, the offense of someone displeases no one except because he loves him; for if he hated him, it would please him: therefore to love God precedes by nature the hatred of sin; but the first belongs to charity, the second to penance: therefore etc.

5. Likewise, naturally the intention toward the term-to-which is prior to the separation from the term-from-which; but charity directs toward the term-to-which, penance separates from the term-from-which, namely sin: therefore charity is prior.

> **Conclusion. I.** Although the infused virtues are together according to substance, nevertheless according to act, in justification the grace that comes in by way of repairing first regards the act of penance.

**I respond:** It must be said that *prior* is said in two ways: either according to substance, or according to use. According to substance they are all together; according to use a distinction must be made: for either [it is taken] according to the informing of the image, and thus faith is first; or according to the going-back and the reparation, and thus the act of penance is first, because it is more immediate. For although the movement of free choice stands together with contrition — which movement is by many called the movement of faith — nevertheless the grace that comes in by way of repairing and expelling the fault immediately regards the movement or act of penance. For just as grace first expels the fault by nature before it makes [the soul] apt for the good; so it is necessary that man, on his own part, in justification first spurn the fault before he is directed to a good work.

1. 2. By this twofold distinction the solution to the first and second [objections] is clear: the first, because faith is first in informing; the second, because all the virtues are infused together and are together as to substance and essence.

3. To the objection about the act of living, it must be said that the prior act is *to vivify* rather than *to live*; whence, although faith and charity cause one to live, yet it belongs to penance to vivify; and thus it can be called prior.

4. To the objection that the offense displeases on account of love, it must be said that it is not necessary that the love itself *in act* precede the displeasure, but it suffices that it accompany it *in habit*.

5. To the last [objection] it must be said that it is true where by the same movement one withdraws and approaches; but in spiritual matters it does not hold, where by one movement one withdraws from the term and by another is borne toward the term. For then it is necessary that one first leap back, if he wishes to approach; whence one must first leave the house before going to the church.