Dist. 21, Part 1, Dubia
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/21/q/bon-sent-IV-d21-p1-dubia
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### DOUBTS CONCERNING THE TEXT OF THE MASTER.

### Doubt I

In this section there are doubts concerning the text, and first about this, that the Master says: *Concerning those also, who build wood and stubble* etc. For it seems through this to understand venial [sins]. But on the contrary: Isaiah five: *Woe to you that join house to house* etc. The Gloss of Jerome: «Heretics join doctrines to doctrines; and those who upon the foundation ought to have built gold, silver, and precious stones, on the contrary build wood, hay, and stubble»; but it is established that heretics in the fabrication of their doctrines sin mortally: therefore that [text] is not understood of venial [sins].

Likewise, it is asked by what trope wood and hay and stubble are called venial [sins]; and since there are many differences of venial [sins], how can they be reduced to three?

And it must be answered to this, that one Scripture can be expounded in many ways; yet there is one principal and literal sense, but there can be several by adaptation. But the literal sense, according to what is clear from the Gloss and the following text, is of venial [sins]; Jerome, however, expounds it by a certain adaptation.

If the ground of this sense be asked; it must be said that the Apostle speaks of venial [sins], inasmuch as they are combustible. But the combustible, which furnishes fuel and is consumed by fire, is of a threefold difference.

For there is something which lasts longer, something which is most quickly consumed, something [which is consumed] in a middle manner. In the first manner it is called wood, in the second manner it is called stubble, and in the third manner it is called hay, which holds the middle between either extreme.

### Doubt II

Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: *Not without reason did the Apostle distinguish those three: the wood and hay and stubble which they build.* For it seems to be said badly, because upon the faith nothing is built except the good: therefore no sin; but venial [sins] are sins: therefore they are in no way built upon [it]. — Likewise, nothing is burned up which is of the spiritual building; but wood and hay and stubble are built upon [it]: therefore they are not burned.

**I respond:** It must be said that wood and hay and stubble are said to be built upon [the foundation] in a twofold way, according as we can expound [it] in two ways. For by wood can be understood a good work, to which nevertheless is annexed some venial sin, as is clear in many acts; and such a work has from one [aspect] that it is of the building, and has from another [aspect] that it is combustible. For it is built upon by that ground by which it is good on account of the principal intention, but it is burned by that ground by which it has love annexed to earthly things; and it scarcely happens, except in the perfect, that in good works something reprehensible does not fall in from the side. — Otherwise it can be expounded, so that by wood, hay, and stubble venial [sins] are rightly understood, and thus they are said to be built upon [the foundation], not as being of the building, but because they do not subvert the foundation of the building, but stand together with it — not so in mortal sins — and to that extent they are said to be built upon, yet nonetheless they will be burned.

### Doubt III

Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: *But those who build gold, silver, precious stones are secure from either fire.* For it seems to be said badly, because in gold is understood the contemplation of God, in silver the love of neighbor, in precious stones good works; but all the just build these: therefore no just one will pass through the purgatorial fire. — If you say that it is understood with precision [i.e. exclusively]; on the contrary: Ecclesiastes seven: *There is none that doeth good and sinneth not*: therefore no one builds these precisely [i.e. exclusively].

Likewise it is asked about the sufficiency of these three, and how they are distinguished. For it seems that gold ought rather to be attributed to love than to contemplation, because love is most precious.

**I respond:** It must be said that the building-up of contemplation, love, and good action is understood through the building of gold and silver and stones with precision, so that the others are not built up. But then venial [sins] are said to be built up not when they are committed, but when they are converted into use and into habit, as in the love of children and of a wife and the like; and without such habit and use a man can well be, although he cannot avoid certain sins as to the act, as for instance those which arise from stealth or ignorance. Therefore to the perfect alone belongs the building of gold etc., and these are secure.

As to what is asked about the distinction of these, it must be said that one may speak of the ordering of the mind as to the superior part, and thus is understood the contemplation of God; and since this names what is eminent in the soul, it is rightly understood by gold. But as to the inferior part, in two ways: either as it directs the will into itself, and thus it is the love of neighbor; or as it happens that the will is directed into a work, and thus it is good operation. And the love of neighbor is compared to good operation as silver to precious stones, for the reason that, just as silver is laid under precious stones and is adorned by them, so love [is adorned] by good effects. — And note that in the contemplation of God love is enclosed. And thus the response to the objections is clear.