Dist. 15, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 4
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/15/q/bon-sent-IV-d15-p2-a1-q4
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### Question IV. *By which works satisfaction can be made.*

Fourthly it is asked by which works it comes about that satisfaction is made; and three are assigned, namely fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. And it is objected, first, that they seem superfluous:

1. *First*, by reason of almsgiving, because in Matthew, chapter seventeen, it is said: *This kind of demons is not cast out except by prayer and fasting*; and he makes no mention of almsgiving.

2. Likewise, Jerome says that "by fasting the diseases of the body are healed, by prayer the diseases of the mind"; but every sin is either a defilement of the flesh or of the spirit: therefore every sin is healed by fasting or by prayer, and so forth.

3. Likewise, prayer and fasting seem to be superfluous, because in Luke, chapter eleven: *Give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you*: therefore almsgiving is against every sin: therefore the others are superfluous.

Likewise, they seem to be too few:

4. Because contraries are cured by contraries: but the kinds of sins are far more numerous: therefore the remedies should be far more numerous.

5. Likewise, since a work of fortitude and of patience is of greater penalty, it seems that its work is more satisfactory than these.

Likewise it is asked which of these three is the more satisfactory. It seems to be prayer, because satisfaction reconciles to God;

but prayer is what most of all unites to God: therefore etc. — But it seems to be fasting, because that work is more satisfactory which is more penal; but it is more penal to afflict the flesh: therefore etc. — But that it is almsgiving seems [to follow] from First Timothy, chapter four: *Exercise thyself unto godliness; for godliness is profitable to all things*: therefore etc.

6. Likewise, an objection is raised concerning pilgrimages and divine scourges, which are satisfactory penalties and do not seem to be contained under these.

> **Conclusion.** Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, taken commonly, are the parts of satisfaction, whose distinction and sufficiency is shown in many ways.

**I respond:** It must be said that prayer and fasting and almsgiving — each of these is taken properly, commonly, and most commonly.

*Properly*, prayer is an ascent into God for tasting, or imploring, or paying out something. *Commonly*, prayer is said insofar as it comprehends every act of the contemplative [life] referred to God. *Most commonly*, insofar as it comprehends every good act, according to that saying: "He does not cease to pray who does not cease to do well," in the Gloss on First Thessalonians, chapter five.

Likewise fasting is said *properly* [to be] an affliction of the flesh as to taste. *Commonly*, every affliction of the flesh, which consists in vigils and scourgings and fasts properly so called. *Most commonly*, fasting is said [to be] abstinence from every mortal [sin], in Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight: *This is the fast that I have chosen; loose* etc.

Likewise almsgiving is said *properly* [to be] a work of piety bestowed on a neighbor to relieve bodily indigence. *Commonly*, every work of piety bestowed on a neighbor, whether spiritual or corporal. *Most commonly*, it is said [to be] every work of mercy, whether bestowed on a neighbor or on oneself, according as Augustine says that a man's almsgiving ought to begin from himself, according to that saying of Ecclesiasticus, chapter thirty: *Have pity on thy own soul, pleasing God.*

These things being presupposed, it must be said that, insofar as these three are called parts of satisfaction, they are taken not most commonly, nor properly, but commonly; and then their distinction and sufficiency is manifestly evident. — These things being premised, it must be said that the sufficiency and distinction of these parts can be taken according to *appropriation* and according to *propriety*.

According to *appropriation*: for since the root of sin is threefold, as is said in First John, chapter two: either the concupiscence of the flesh, and against this is fasting; or the concupiscence of the eyes, and against this is almsgiving; or the pride of life, and against this is prayer. This I say according to appropriation, because each one of these avails against all, yet by appropriation they are more [directly] opposed, as has been said. And from this their number and sufficiency is evident.

But by *propriety* thus: a penal work either orders us to God, and so prayer; or to ourselves, and so fasting, which mortifies our flesh; or to a neighbor, and so almsgiving. And thus the sufficiency is evident according to that saying to Titus, chapter two: *Let us live soberly and justly and piously* etc. — Otherwise it can be taken according to reconciliation; for by prayer we are reconciled to God; but, as Augustine says in the *Sermon of the Lord on the Mount*: "If you wish your prayer to fly to heaven, make two wings for it, namely fasting and almsgiving." Tobias, chapter twelve: *Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving.*

Otherwise the sufficiency is taken [thus]: since life is twofold, active and contemplative — as to the contemplative, prayer; as to the active, almsgiving; but that a man may be disposed to both, so there is fasting.

1. 2. 3. From what has been said the objections are clear. For as to what is said, that prayer suffices with fasting; it must be said that there prayer is taken *most commonly*, not insofar as it is a part of satisfaction; likewise, when it is said that almsgiving cleanses all things.

4. To the objection that they ought to be more numerous; it must be said that these, insofar as they are spoken of *commonly*, comprehend many kinds of works, not three only; and so that is clear.

5. To the objection from patience, the response is clear. For patience, insofar as it imports *remission*, is contained under almsgiving; insofar as it [imports] *affliction* and mortification, it is contained under fasting commonly so called, and thus [it is] the other part of satisfaction.

To that which is asked, which of these three is the more satisfactory; it must be said that each of them [is so] according to its own appropriation. Yet if we speak generally; it must be said that in satisfaction there are three things, namely the avoidance of fault, and against this prayer avails most; the second is the increase of grace, and to this almsgiving avails most, because a man makes himself friends, who implore grace for him; the third is the payment of penalty, and this is most in fasting, and this is the lowest in satisfaction; the other two outweigh it.