Dist. 49, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 1
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-p2-s1-a2-q1
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### Article II. *On the distinction of the dowries.*

Next, as to the second article, inquiry is made concerning the distinction of the dowries. And concerning this two questions are asked.

*First* it is asked concerning the number and sufficiency of the dowries.

*Second* it is asked concerning their equality.

### Question I. *On the number and sufficiency of the dowries.*

As to the first, then, one proceeds thus. Four dowries of the body have customarily been assigned, namely clarity, impassibility, subtlety and agility. But that they ought to be *fewer*, it seems:

1. Because the dowries are in the body according as it is related to the soul; but the soul is related only in a twofold way, namely as *mover* and as *perfection*: therefore it seems that there are only *two* dowries.

2. Likewise, only three powers are said to exist according to which the soul rules the body both by perfecting and by moving, namely the *natural*, the *vital* and the *animal;* and according to this three spirits are said to be in the body: therefore it seems that they are *only three.*

3. Likewise, the dowries of the soul are three: therefore if the soul is to be endowed with more dowries than the body, if the soul has *only three*, neither does the body.

**On the contrary:** That they are *more*, it seems:

4. Since, just as clarity contributes to beauty, so also does the congruity of the parts; whence Augustine in *On the City of God*: « Beauty is a certain congruity of the parts together with a certain sweetness of color »: therefore just as clarity is a dowry of the body, so also is congruity, and so forth.

5. Likewise, just as the body, in order that it be a fitting organ for the soul, requires a due quality, so also a due quantity: therefore just as dowries are assigned on the side of quality, so also on the side of quantity: therefore they are *more* than the four stated.

6. Likewise, Anselm in the book *On Likenesses* lays down that there are seven conditions by which the soul is glorified in the body: agility, strength, liberty, health, pleasure, longevity, beauty: therefore it seems that they are *far more* than the aforesaid four.

### Conclusion

> *The dowries of the body will be four: clarity, impassibility, subtlety and agility; the sufficiency of which is intimated by a fourfold way.*

**I respond:** It must be said that the number of these dowries, or of the qualities perfecting the body, is taken from the third chapter of Wisdom: *The just shall shine forth, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds:* in the *shining forth*, clarity; in *justice*, impassibility, because *justice is perpetual and immortal;* in the name of *sparks*, subtlety; in the *running to and fro*, agility.

But the ground of this number is taken in many ways by different authors. — And in the first way, according to the *final* cause, in this manner. For they say that the body rises, is disposed and is endowed for the sake of the glory of the soul, which consists in the perfect *knowledge* of the cognitive power and the *union* of the affective. Now for *knowledge* two things are required, namely spirituality and luminosity, because the knower must be spiritual and must have light; and therefore, for the sake of the soul's knowledge, there is in the body *subtlety* and *clarity.* — But the *union* of love is generous and strong: *For love is strong as death*. On account of liberty the body must be *agile*, on account of strength and indissolubility the body must be *impassible.* And so it is clear that the dowries are four.

In the second way it is taken according to the *efficient* cause. For dowries of this kind in the body, as was shown above, have their consummate and perfect *being* from the soul's inflowing into the body. But the soul flows into the body in a twofold manner, namely as *perfection* and as *mover.* As *perfection* the glorious soul flows in by vivifying with *immortal life*, as *mover* by moving with an *untiring motion;* otherwise it would not be glorious, unless it excluded *death* and *punishment.* — Since therefore it vivifies with *life*, it is therefore necessary that there be in the body a disposition to life, and this is abundance of light and *clarity*; but since with *immortal* life, it is necessary that the body have a disposition to immortality, and thus there is *impassibility.* — But since it moves with an *untiring motion*, it is therefore required that nothing *resist*, and therefore *subtlety* is in the body; it is also required that nothing *retard*, and so *agility.* And so likewise it is clear that they are four.

In the third way it is taken according to the *formal* cause. For some say that in our body, since it is a nature *celestial-conciliating* and *elemental*, now the *elemental* dominates, but afterwards the *celestial* nature will dominate, which is the nature of light; this will be as it were the *formal* and completive element of the body. And because light has these four properties, as is clear in a ray, namely *clarity*, because it illuminates; *impassibility*, because nothing corrupts it; *agility*, because it goes instantly; *penetrability*, because it passes through transparent bodies without their corruption: so too the glorious body, in which the nature of light dominates, has four dowries.

In the fourth way it is taken according to the *material* cause, thus. Our body is composed of four elements. And because the elements are imperfect, it has from them a fourfold *defectibility.* From *water*, which is a moist and passible element, it has *passibility* and *corruption;* whence a moist watery humor corrupts the body. From *earth* it has *obscurity*, because it is an opaque element. From *fire*, *animality*, because heat consumes continually; therefore it needs the continual nourishment of food. From *air* it has *infirmity;* for air is most easily altered and yields to whatever impels it. Since therefore these four defects must be removed by opposite goods, in order that the body be perfect with a complete perfection; therefore the dowries are four: against corruption *impassibility*, against obscurity *clarity*, against animality *spirituality*, against infirmity *strength* or penetrability.

And this last reckoning is the more fitting among them all, since it accords with *authority* and with *reason:* with the *authority* of the Apostle, in the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians: *It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption;* behold impassibility. *It is sown in ignobility, it shall rise in glory;* behold clarity. *It is sown in infirmity, it shall rise in strength;* behold penetrability. *It is sown an animal body, it shall rise a spiritual body;* behold agility. Whence the Apostle takes the dowries by comparison to those four defects which they remove. Likewise Augustine, in the twenty-second book *On the City of God*: « There will be absent from our bodies every deformity, every slowness, every infirmity, every corruption ». Every deformity by *clarity*, every slowness by *agility*, every infirmity by *spirituality*, every corruption by *impassibility.* — This reckoning also accords with *reason.* For the dowries of the body do not name all qualities, but qualities *noble* and *principal*, newly superadded to nature. And because things newly superadded must be taken according to the *natural defects*, and these according to the *principal causes*, which are the four elements: it is clear that this way is the more fitting among them all. From these things the objections are clear.

*To 1 and 2.* As to what is objected, that the soul is related only in a twofold or threefold way; it must be said that the soul, according to those two relations to the body, as *mover* and *perfection*, requires in the body four dispositions, as was shown above.

*To 3.* As to what is objected, that the dowries of the soul must be more than those of the body; it must be said that the dowries *of the soul* are reckoned according to the powers, but the dowries *of the body* according to the qualities regarding the elements; and therefore it is clear why those are three and these more.

*To 4 and 5.* As to what is objected concerning the congruity of the parts and quantity, it must be said that it will be the same as it now is, in those in whom it is fittingly present; therefore there is no dowry newly added in respect of it.

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