Dist. 24, Part 2, Divisio Textus
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/24/q/bon-sent-IV-d24-p2-divisio
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### COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XXIV.

#### PART II.

#### *On the grades and dignities of the orders.*

*"The ostiaries and the janitors are the same, etc."*

FOR THE TEXT OF THE MASTER, SEE ABOVE, PAGE 603.

### DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

Above, the Master dealt with the things that dispose toward order. Here he deals with the orders themselves. And this part has two [members]. In the first he deals with the grades of the orders. In the second, with the dignities or offices superadded to the orders, at: *Sunt et alia quaedam, non ordinum* etc. ("There are also certain other things, not of the orders").

The first part has three parts. In the first he sets down the grades of the orders, which he distinguishes in the *littera*, and the parts are made manifest in their own places. In the second he assigns the difference of the lesser orders to the greater, at: *Cumque omnes sint spirituales* etc. ("Since all are spiritual"). In the third he determines in what they agree, at: *Si autem quaeritur, quid sit quod hic vocatur ordo* ("But if it is asked what that is which is here called order").

The first of these is divided into seven parts according to the seven orders, which appear in the *littera*, each in its own place.

*Sunt et alia quaedam, non ordinum* etc. ("There are also certain other things, not of the orders"). This is the second part, in which the dignities superadded to the orders are treated; and this part has three [members] according to the three things of which it treats. For some hold the names of offices rather more than of dignities, as cantor and succentor; some [hold] names of dignities, as archbishop, patriarch; some are intermediate, as bishop, which is a name of dignity together with office, as he says in the *littera*. First, therefore, he deals with those things which state office and dignity. Second, with those [which state] dignity, at: *Ordo autem episcoporum quadripartitus est* etc. ("But the order of bishops is fourfold"). Third, with those which state office, at: *Cantor sic vocatur, quod vocem* etc. ("The cantor is so called because... the voice").

### TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

For the understanding of this part, inquiry is made concerning the orders in particular, about which it happens that one may doubt in two ways, toward the unraveling of those things which the Master touches upon in the *littera*.

First, as to the impression of the character.

Second, as to the number and distinction [of the orders].

As to the first, four things are asked.

First it is asked whether in all orders a character is imprinted.

Second, whether one [character] or many.

Third, whether they have an order to one another.

Fourth, inquiry is made as to the exterior sign which corresponds to it.

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