Cap. 11, Vers. 1-10
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/15/d/11/q/bon-eccl-c11-v1-10
----------------------------------------
### Chapter XI.

#### Secondly a remedy is given against the vanity of security arising from the defect of the retribution of justice.

*Cast thy bread* etc. He set down above a remedy against this, that the government of providence seemed to fail through the disorder of prelacy; here, secondly, he sets down a remedy against this, that *the retribution of justice* seemed to fail, on account of which a man was made secure in evil and grew sluggish toward good. Now this remedy consists in the consideration of future retribution; and since God bestows good things on those who do well and repays evil things to those who do evil: therefore, first, from the considera-

tion of reward *he invites to good;* secondly, from the consideration of punishment *he calls back from evil,* there: *If a man live many years.*

#### First he invites to good by the consideration of reward.

Now the good to which he invites is the good of piety, which « is profitable to all things », and on account of which the just are most of all saved, as is plain in Matthew, the twenty-fifth, where the works of mercy alone are numbered. Therefore he exhorts here to works of mercy and of almsgiving on account of retribution.

And first he exhorts that they be done *willingly;* secondly, that they be done *abundantly,* there: *Give seven parts;* thirdly, that they be done *unceasingly,* there: *He that observeth the wind never* etc. — Since, then, he exhorts that they be done voluntarily and *willingly,* he sets down first *the exhortation* and adds *the reason.*

(Vers. 1.). *He exhorts,* then, to giving alms *willingly;* therefore he says: *Cast thy bread,* that is, give willingly and liberally, not through extortion and as though compelled; the second to the Corinthians, the ninth: « Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver ». *Thy bread,* not another's; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-fourth: « He that offereth sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrificeth the son in the presence of his father ». *Upon the passing waters. Waters* that are many are many peoples, Apocalypse, the seventeenth; *passing waters* are those who pass from nation to nation and from kingdom to another people; such are pilgrims and strangers; to these alms are to be given; Isaiah, the fifty-eighth: « Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house ». Or: the *waters* are present tribulations, according to that of the Psalm: « The waters are come in even unto my soul »; *the passing waters* are the poor and afflicted, because through tribulations they pass over to rest; to such alms are to be given; Luke, the fourteenth: « When thou givest alms, call the poor and the feeble, the blind etc. And the reason is given: *For after many times thou shalt find it,* that is, the retribution for it; retribution therefore does not fail, but is deferred; Ecclesiasticus, the twelfth: « Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense; and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord »; likewise Luke, the sixteenth: « Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity » etc.

(Vers. 2. 3.). *Give seven parts* etc. Here, secondly, he exhorts to giving *abundantly;* and he sets down first *the exhortation* and adds *the reason. He exhorts,* then, to abundance, saying: *Give seven parts, and also eight,* that is, according to the possibility of thy strength give alms, so that, whether thou be poor or rich, thou give a seventh and an eighth of thy goods, that is, make the part of the poor a good one; the second to the Corinthians, the eighth: « That your abundance may supply their want »; and Luke, the eleventh: « Give alms of that which remaineth ». Therefore he says: *Give seven parts;* for by the number seven we understand as much as suffices to supply one's own need; whatever is beyond that is called *seven and eight;* and this is to be distributed to the poor, it is not to be gathered into earthly treasuries, but heavenly ones; whence Matthew, the sixth: « Lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither the rust nor moth doth consume »; and Tobias, the fourth: « If thou have much, give abundantly; if little, take care even so to bestow that willingly ». And *the reason* of this largesse is given, when it is inferred: *For thou knowest not what evil* etc. And a manifold reason is given, namely on account of *caution against evil;* whence he says: *Thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.* Since, then, thou art not certain, thou must needs provide for thyself, lest thou fall into danger; and the best remedy is abundant alms; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-ninth: « Shut up alms in the bosom of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee and shall deliver thee from all evil ». — On account of *the amplification of merit* he says: *If the clouds be full,* namely by God, *they will pour out rain upon the earth,* on account of which rain the earth bears fruit; Osee, the sixth: « He will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth »; and this for bearing fruit and multiplying the goods of the earth by the merit of alms. For as full clouds inebriate the earth with rain, so multiplied alms inebriate the soul with grace; the second to the Corinthians, the ninth: « And he that ministereth seed to the sower, will both give you bread to eat, and will multiply your seed, and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice ». On account of *the stability of the reward,* which will not be able to be varied or lost; on account of which he says: *If the tree fall to the south; the tree,* this is man; of whom Job, the fourteenth: « A tree hath hope, if it be cut, it groweth green again ». And *the south* gives to understand the heat of charity and the state of glory; the Canticle, the fourth:

« Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind; blow through my garden » etc. For the tree to fall to the *south,* then, is for a man in death to be brought into glory; and then *there shall it be,* that is, it will never be able to be moved; Apocalypse, the third: « He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more ». *If it fall to the north, there shall it be,* that is, if to infernal punishment; Jeremiah, the first: « From the north shall every evil break forth »; he who falls into hell *shall be there,* because he will never be freed thence. For to the just it is said in Isaiah, the last: « Their fire shall not be quenched, and their worm shall not die ». *In what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be,* whether good or evil; to the Galatians, the sixth: « What things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap ».

*He that observeth the wind* etc. Here he exhorts to giving *unceasingly;* and first he teaches that *times* are not to be observed; secondly, that *the divine works* are not to be searched out; thirdly, that *the works of mercy* are to be continued.

(Vers. 4.). As to the first he says: *He that observeth the wind shall not sow,* because frequently the wind comes which one does not want, and the wind does not come which would please. *And he that considereth the clouds shall never reap;* and therefore it is fitting that, when it is the time for reaping, he reap, and for sowing, he sow, and not wait. So also in the matter at hand, while he has time, let him do good; Ecclesiasticus, the fourth: « Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress »; and Proverbs, the third: « Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give to thee, when thou canst give at present »; and so he ought not to delay.

(Vers. 5.). *As thou knowest not what is the way* etc. Above he said that times are not to be observed; here, secondly, he teaches that *the divine works are not to be considered* or searched out, because we cannot; therefore he says: *As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit.* The Spirit which is *God,* because this we do not know; whence John, the third: « The Spirit breatheth where he will, and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not » etc.; and Job, the ninth: « If he come to me, I shall not see him; if he depart, I shall not understand ». *The spirit* which is *the soul* or the spiritual creature, whose *way,* that is, rising, is not known, nor yet its setting; above, the third: « Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward »? *The spirit* which is *the wind,* whose *way* is not known, that is, its origin; whence in the Psalm: « Who bringeth forth winds out of his stores »; Exodus, the fifteenth: « Thy wind blew, and the sea covered them ». He says, then: *As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, and by what means the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child,* that is, how they are compacted and distinguished; since even Avicenna himself says that the formative power of the members is a divine power; the second of Machabees, the seventh: « I know not how you were formed in my womb; for I neither gave you breath nor soul, nor was it I that joined the members of every one of you »; but he joined them, to whom Job, the tenth: « Thou hast put me together with bones and sinews ». As thou knowest not these things, which are carnal, *so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of all; the works,* that is, the hidden judgements, of which in the Psalm: « Great are the works of the Lord, sought out according to all his wills ». These works we do not know; to the Romans, the eleventh: « O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgements, and how unsearchable his ways »!

*In the morning sow* etc. Here, thirdly, he exhorts to *doing good unceasingly;* and first *the exhortation* is set down; secondly *the reason of the exhortation* is added, and thirdly *the remuneration.*

(Vers. 6.). He *exhorts,* then, to doing the works of mercy *unceasingly,* when he says: *In the morning sow thy seed,* that is, in the time of youth, because, Lamentations, the third, « it is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke from his youth ». *And in the evening let not thy hand cease,* that is, in old age, as if to say that at every time and age good works are to be done without ceasing; to the Galatians, the last: « And in doing good let us not fail; for in the time accepted we shall reap, not failing ». Therefore one must sow continually, because, according to what is said in the second to the Corinthians, the ninth, « he who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap of blessings ».

*For thou knowest not* etc. Here the second is noted, namely *the reason of the exhortation:* because a man does not know when and which works God accepts, as one who sows does not know which seed bears fruit. Therefore he says: *For thou knowest not which may rather spring up; this,* that is, the late one, *or that,* that is, the early one; above, the ninth: « Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred ». *And if both together, it shall be the better,* because « more goods are to be chosen rather than fewer »; Isaiah, the thirty-second: « Blessed are ye that sow upon all waters ».

(Vers. 7.). *Sweet is the lumen* etc. Here the third is noted, namely *the remuneration;* and this is the beholding of the lumen and

of the eternal sun, in which is the highest sweetness, and so it is a great remuneration. And therefore he says: *Sweet is the lumen,* to behold. Of this sweetness in the Psalm: « How great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord » etc. *And it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun,* that sun of which Malachias, the fourth: « Unto you that fear God the sun of justice shall arise ». *This sun it is delightful to see;* therefore the first of Peter, the first: « On whom the Angels desire to look ». And because those alone will see that lumen who will be on the right hand; therefore in the Psalm: « At thy right hand are delights even to the end ».

These things can also be expounded briefly of *spiritual alms,* which consists in the instruction of one's neighbour; to which he likewise exhorts, to giving *willingly* or liberally, *abundantly* and *unceasingly:* *willingly* or liberally, when he says: *Cast thy bread* etc., that is, give freely; Matthew, the tenth: « Freely have you received, freely give »; *bread,* namely of teaching, of which it is said in Lamentations, the fourth: « The little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them ». *Upon the passing waters,* that is, those who despise temporal goods, to whom alone it is to be given; Matthew, the seventh: « Give not that which is holy to dogs ». Or: *upon* those of whom in the Psalm: « We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out » etc.

*Abundantly* also it is to be dispensed; therefore he says: *Give seven parts; by seven parts* we understand the teaching of Christ of the old testament, because there the seventh day was commanded to be kept. By *eight* we understand the teaching of the new testament, because the eighth day is commanded to be observed. And because a man cannot communicate teaching abundantly unless he be filled from above, he says: *If the clouds be filled, they will pour out rain upon the earth. The clouds* are good preachers, who fly to the heights through contemplation; Isaiah, the sixtieth: « Who are these, that fly as clouds, and as doves to their windows »? These are filled by the Lord with knowledge; Isaiah, the eleventh: « The earth is filled with thy knowledge, as the covering waters of the sea »; and this through the Holy Spirit; Wisdom, the first: « The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world ». These clouds, filled, *pour out rain,* that is, the teaching of the divine word; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-ninth: « He shall pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers »; Isaiah, the fifty-fifth: « As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and soak the earth, and water it; so shall my word be », upon the earth of the heart, for bearing fruit; to the Hebrews, the sixth: « The earth that drinketh in the rain which cometh upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet » etc.

*Unceasingly* also it is to be dispensed; therefore he says: *He that considereth the wind shall not sow. To sow* is to preach the word of God; Matthew, the thirteenth: « The sower went forth to sow his seed »; and afterwards he expounds: « The seed is the word of God ». *This wind* is the wind of detraction, of which Job, the first: « A wind came from the side of the desert, and shook the four corners of the house ». He who observes this wind of detraction never sows, because he who fears the words of detracting men does not preach to fruit, but rather is shaken like a reed; Matthew, the eleventh: « What went you out to see? A reed shaken with the wind »? *And he that considereth the clouds shall never reap. The cloud,* as the Gloss says, is the blandishment of flattery, which he who desires to have never reaps eternal life, because « he hath received his reward », Matthew, the sixth; and he sows in the flesh, and therefore will reap corruption to the Galatians, the last: « He that soweth in the flesh » etc. And therefore these things are to be despised, but one must preach morning and evening; the second to Timothy, the fourth: « Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season »; Acts, the twentieth: « For three years I ceased not, night and day, with tears to admonish every one of you ».

#### Secondly he calls back from evil by the consideration of future punishment.

*If a man live many years* etc. Above he exhorted to good by the consideration of reward; here he intends *to call back from evil* by the consideration of *future punishment;* and this indeed he does in this order. First he says that *memory is to be had of the future time;* secondly he reproves *present gladness;* thirdly he exhorts *to cast away all wickedness* and the abundance of malice.

(Vers. 8.). To *having memory of the future time* he exhorts and admonishes, however much a man

may abound in present prosperity. On account of which he says: *If a man live many years,* because in truth, although they seem many, yet they cannot be many, according to that of Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth: « The number of the days of man at the most are a hundred years ». *And have rejoiced in them all,* according as those of whom it is said in Job, the twenty-first, « take the timbrel, and rejoice at the sound of the organ; they spend their days in good things » etc. *He must remember the darksome time,* that is, the day of judgement, which will be a darksome time; Sophonias, the first: « That day, a day of wrath, a day of darkness and obscurity »; *and the many days.* These are the days or years of eternity; in the Psalm: « Better is one day in thy courts above thousands ». He must remember the day *of judgement,* that he may fear; he must remember *glory,* that he may hope and rejoice, and this according to the alternation of works; whence Ecclesiasticus, the eleventh: « In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils, and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things ». *Of the many days,* I say, *which when they shall come, the things past shall be accused of vanity,* that is, they will be manifestly shown to have been vain; whence Jerome: When the kingdom of Christ shall come, the other kingdoms will vanish. *The things past shall be accused,* namely of the vanity of *mutability;* Wisdom, the fifth: « What hath pride profited us? Or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow ». They will be accused of the vanity of *iniquity;* Ecclesiasticus, the seventeenth: « What is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented »? And these things will be accused; to the Ephesians, the fifth: « For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the lumen ».

(Vers. 9.). *Rejoice therefore, young man* etc. Here, secondly, *he reproves present gladness,* asserting that a man is to be judged for it; whence, speaking ironically, he says: *Rejoice therefore, in young man* [*sic*], *thy youth,* because that age is apt for gladness; whence Wisdom, the second: « Come, let us enjoy the creature as in youth speedily »; as if to say: do not rejoice in youth, lest thou grieve in old age; whence Ecclesiasticus, the fifth: « Follow not in thy strength the desire of thy heart ». And he unfolds the gladness, so that it is complete in *the mind* and in *the work* and in *the sign.* As to the gladness of delight in *the mind* he says: *And let thy heart be in that which is good,* as if to say: do not rejoice in heart, because above, the seventh: « The heart of a fool, where there is mirth ». As to delight in *the work: And walk in the ways of thy heart,* that is, fulfil outwardly in work what thou desirest in heart, as if to say: do not walk so; Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth: « Son, go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will ». As to gladness in *the sign* he says: *And in the sight of thy eyes,* that the eye may behold the things which the heart desires and thy hand works, according to what is said of those of whom the second of Peter, the second: « Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not », as if to say: do not walk so; Isaiah, the third: « Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes » etc. And that this is said ironically is plain, because he threatens evil to those who rejoice so; whence he adds: *And know that for all these God will bring thee into judgement.* And therefore all these things are to be fled; Job, the nineteenth: « Flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquity, and know ye that there is a judgement ».

(Vers. 10.). *Remove anger* etc. Here, thirdly, *he exhorts to cast away all wickedness,* namely *the malice of the heart* and *the uncleanness of the flesh.* As to *the malice of the heart* he says: *Remove anger from thy heart,* that thou be not angry, because anger renders a man wicked; Matthew, the fifth: « But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgement »; and if he is angry, he ought not to persist; whence to the Ephesians, the fourth: « Let not the sun go down upon your anger ». As to *the uncleanness of the flesh* he says: *And put away malice from thy flesh,* and so he excludes all uncleanness of the flesh; James, the first: « Casting away all uncleanness and abundance of malice, with meekness receive the ingrafted word ». He removes malice from the flesh who mortifies it; to the Colossians, the third: « Mortify your members which are upon the earth ». And the reason of this is given: *For youth and pleasure are vain,* because they pass quickly;

the first of John, the second: « The world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof », and therefore Wisdom, the fifth: « What hath pride profited us? Or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow » etc.

---