Dist. 49, Part 1, 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/4/d/49/q/bon-sent-IV-d49-p1-a1-q6
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### Question VI. *On the differing participation in beatitude, namely whether all have equal beatitude.*

Sixth, the question is asked concerning the differing participation in beatitude; and it is asked whether all have equal beatitude. And that they do, it seems:

1. From the text of Matthew, chapter twenty; for there it is said that all received their several denarii, and that the Lord gave as much to the last as to the first. And the Gloss says, on First Corinthians fifteen, upon that text: *Star differs from star*: « The same denarius the Householder gave to all who worked in the vineyard; by which surely something is signified that all will have in common »; but that is nothing other than beatitude: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, Augustine: « In unequal brightness there will be equal joy »; but beatitude is joy by essence: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, it seems *by reason*: because beatitude consists in God, who is the highest good in the end and altogether invariable, not admitting of more and less: therefore neither does beatitude admit of more and less. — *If you say* that it consists in participation of God, which does admit of more and less; *on the contrary*: each one will participate God in glory to just such a degree that he will neither will nor be able to participate more: therefore each one is at the highest; but what is highest is at the term, and what is at the term does not admit of more and less: therefore etc.

4. Likewise, each man will love his neighbour as much as himself: therefore Linus will rejoice as much over Peter's glory, and will will it for Peter as much, as for himself; and if this is so, he will rejoice as much over Peter's glory as if he had it himself; but if he had it, he would rejoice as much as Peter rejoices: therefore etc.

**On the contrary:** 1. John, chapter fourteen: *In my Father's house there are many mansions*; Augustine: « There will be many mansions in one life, because the dignities of the rewards are various ».

2. Likewise, the Apostle, First Corinthians fifteen: *Star differs from star in brightness*: if therefore the brightness of knowledge generates joy and delight, and is differing, then the joy will be differing.

3. Likewise, it seems *by reason*: because the reward answers to the merit; but it is established that some are of greater merit: therefore also of greater reward.

4. Likewise, Augustine: « If they were equal, they would not be all things »: order therefore makes for perfection; but the heavenly city is most perfect: therefore etc.

### Conclusion

> *As beatitude, so the reward: taken as object, it is altogether one; but taken formally, it is one by the unity of conformity and of connexion, yet differing in the quantity of joy and of remuneration.*

**I respond:** It must be said that there is diversity and distinction in the *rewards* according to more and less, just as there was in the *merits*.

But for the understanding of the objections it must be noted that, just as *beatitude*, as was said above, is spoken of in two ways — either as satisfying *effectively*, like an *object*, or as satisfying *informatively*, like a *perfection* — so also is the *reward* or *gift*. For if it be spoken of as *object*,  the wage is altogether one, one God, one beatitude, one reward. But if it is spoken of *formally*, beatitude is *one* by the unity of conformity and by the unity of connexion, yet is nevertheless *differing* in the quantity of joy and of remuneration. For one sees God more clearly than another, and rejoices more over him, and holds him more closely.

*To 1 and 2.* And thus the first, about the denarius, is clear. The second is also clear, namely in what way the joy is called *equal*: not, I say, *intensively*, but *extensively*, because one rejoices over the same things and over as many things as the other rejoices over.

*To 3.* To that which is objected, that each one participates God at the highest; it must be said that there is a highest *simply* and a highest *for this one*. No one participates at the highest *simply*, but at the highest *for himself*; for each participates only so much — not that it could not be participated more, but not more *by him*, because he cannot advance further and is altogether content with the state he has.

*To 4.* To that which is objected, that he rejoices as much over his neighbour's good as over his own; it must be said that this is true; whence Peter rejoices more over Linus's good than Linus himself does; but from this it does not follow that he rejoices as much as if he had it, because, if he had that good, he would have a greater charity and a greater power of rejoicing more intensely. — These things being seen, what could be said concerning the letter is sufficiently clear.

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