Collation 4

COLLATION IV.


On the gift of knowledge.

Summary.

Introduction, 1.

Exposition of the text. Two antecedents to the gift of knowledge, and two consequents, 2.

There are four clarities or kinds of knowledge, all of which are gifts of God: their definitions, 3-5.

Part I. On philosophical knowledge. It is the certain knowledge of searchable truth. Its threefold principal division is confirmed, 6.

Solomon possessed these three, 7-11.

These same sciences are easily eclipsed; therefore a further light is required, 12.

Part II. On theological knowledge. It is the pious knowledge of credible truth: it is founded upon the articles of faith: Scripture is compared to the waters of the sea for a threefold reason, 13.

First, on account of the profundity of its mysteries, 14.

Second, on account of the multiplicity of its senses, 15.

Third, on account of the establishment of the Churches, 16.

When the knowledge of faith fails, the Church is shaken: this knowledge is necessary for pontiffs: moreover, the fulfillment of works is required, otherwise it is harmful: therefore a further knowledge is necessary, 17. 18.

Part III. On gratuitous knowledge. It is the holy knowledge of credible and lovable truth. It is called the knowledge of the Saints for a threefold reason. 19.

First, because it is given by the Holy Spirit, 20.

Second, because it has nothing of vice, 21.

Third, because it has a zeal for holiness; exhortation, 22.

Gratuitous knowledge teaches how to know and the true mode of knowing, 23.

Charity must be joined to knowledge, 24.

Glorious knowledge, 25.

1. God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, has himself shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.

He who chastises the nations, shall he not rebuke, he who teaches man knowledge? The Psalm of David says that the great teacher of knowledge is God. You know that if someone must draw water, he more willingly draws it from its original source than from a rivulet. Therefore, if the Lord is the great teacher and giver of the gift about which we intend to speak, it is necessary that we have recourse to that font in order to obtain illumination. Thus did the Psalmist, thus did Solomon, and he became a great scholar. In the beginning it is necessary that we lift up our souls and beseech the bestower of gifts, because we do not seek temporal things, but the benefit and salvation of our soul; and this is pleasing to God, just as Solomon did, who sought wisdom from the Lord. Let us therefore beseech the Lord, that he himself may open the eyes of our mind and grant me the light of knowledge, so that I may be able to say something concerning the gift of knowledge, which may be to the honor of God, etc.

2. God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, etc. This word is written in the second Epistle to the Corinthians, in which the Apostle Paul, the great doctor, explains the gift of knowledge itself; and he explains the gift itself with respect to its antecedents and consequents. Two things precede the gift of knowledge: one is like an innate light, and the other is like an infused light. The innate light is the light of the natural judicatory or of reason; the superinfused light is the light of faith. With respect to the first he says: God, who commanded light to shine, that is, he impressed the light of the natural judicatory upon the rational creature, that is, not only the possible intellect, but also the agent intellect. With respect to the superinfused light of faith he says: He has shone in our hearts, etc., namely through the infusion of the light of faith. God established the rational nature and superadded grace. Therefore there are two antecedents.

The consequents are also two, namely clear knowledge of the Creator, and revealed knowledge of the Savior. With respect to the antecedents he says: God, who commanded, etc.; with respect to the consequents he says: For the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God, where clear knowledge of the Creator is touched upon; in the face of Christ Jesus, where revealed knowledge of the Savior is touched upon.

The Apostle gives us to understand that the soul possesses a manifold clarity and ascends from one to another. Whence the Apostle to the Corinthians: But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are transformed into the same image from clarity to clarity, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The clarity of the soul is knowledge; on the contrary, the darkness of the soul is ignorance. He says: we are transformed from clarity to clarity.

3. Here it must be noted that there is a clarity of philosophical knowledge, of theological knowledge, of gratuitous knowledge, and a clarity of glorious knowledge. The clarity of philosophical knowledge is great according to the opinion of worldly men, yet it is small in comparison to the clarity of Christian knowledge. The clarity of theological knowledge indeed seems small according to the opinion of worldly men, but according to truth it is great. The clarity of gratuitous knowledge is greater, but the clarity of glorious knowledge is the greatest: there lies the final state. The Psalm: Your knowledge is become wonderful beyond me; it is fortified, and I cannot attain to it, namely in this life.

4. All these sciences and their lights are given by God, although in the bestowal of them there is always a greater gift. It is true that philosophical and theological knowledge is a gift of God; but properly speaking, gratuitous knowledge is a gift of God: while glorious knowledge is not only a gift, but also a Reward. In the Canticle of Anna it is said in the book of Kings: Let the old things depart from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of sciences, and to Him thoughts are prepared; not foolish thoughts, which are scattered along the ways of errors, but good thoughts are prepared for the Lord along the ways of truth. Job: Do you know the paths of the clouds, the great paths and perfect sciences? He says great paths, that is, philosophical and theological knowledge, which are called great paths, because they comprehend many sciences; he says perfect paths with respect to gratuitous and glorious knowledge. The paths of the clouds are the sciences of perfect men, because, just as clouds are drawn upward by the power of heat, so perfect men are elevated in the abstraction of the mind.

Concerning these four sciences we wish to speak, so that we may arrive at the third, about which we are speaking here.

5. Philosophical knowledge is nothing other than a certain knowledge of truth as investigable. Theological knowledge is a pious knowledge of truth as believable. Gratuitous knowledge is a holy knowledge of truth as lovable. Glorious knowledge is an everlasting knowledge of truth as desirable.

6. First let us begin with philosophical knowledge. I say that philosophical knowledge is a certain knowledge of truth as investigable. Concerning this knowledge it is said in Proverbs: Behold, I have described it for you in a threefold manner, in thoughts and knowledge, that I might show you the firmness and the words of truth. That word can be the word of Solomon and the word of God. I say that it can be the word of God. For He Himself describes philosophical knowledge in a threefold manner, that is, He describes it according to a threefold account: as natural, as rational, and as moral, namely insofar as it is the "cause of being, the ground of understanding, and the order of living." Insofar as it is the cause of being, it designates natural science; insofar as it is the ground of understanding, it signifies rational science; insofar as it is the order of living, it describes moral science.

7. Nor is that word only of God, indeed it is also of Solomon, who disputed from the cedar of Lebanon down to the hyssop. He himself says: Behold, I have described it to you in a threefold manner, that I might show you firmness, that is, solid and firm truth, and the words of truth: he himself describes it in a threefold manner, namely insofar as it is the truth of things, the truth of words and the truth of morals, according as it is the undividedness of being from existence, and the undividedness of being in relation to existence, and of being from its end. The truth of things is the undividedness of being from existence: the truth of words is the undividedness of being in relation to existence: the truth of morals is the undividedness of being from its end. - The truth of morals is rectitude, according to which a man lives well within and without according to the dictate of law, because law is the rule of rectitude; the truth of words is the adequation of voice and intellect; the truth of things is "the adequation of intellect and thing." And because philosophical science teaches the words of truth ; and truth is threefold: therefore he says that he described it in a threefold manner.

8. Do you not believe that Solomon acquired this threefold knowledge?

Concerning the science of discourse, he says that he possessed it. Whence in the book of Wisdom he says: Give me, O Lord, wisdom, the attendant of your thrones, that I may be worthy of the thrones of my father. There it is written: For God has given me to speak according to judgment and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given to me. In his hand are both we and our words. It is impossible that wisdom should become doctrine except through speech. But speech is not sufficient for teaching unless it is full of meaning. And a man does not speak meaningfully unless his speech is analytical, inquisitive, and persuasive, namely, that he have speech powerful enough to express everything that can be apprehended or known, or toward which the affections can be inclined. Moreover, he fittingly expresses what he says through grammar, rationally investigates through the science of logic, and effectively persuades through rhetoric. This therefore is a part of philosophy, namely the science of discourse, which is threefold, as is evident, which Solomon attained.

9. Solomon says that he attained the other part of philosophy, namely that which concerns the truth of things. Whence he says in the book of Wisdom: God gave me true knowledge of the things that are, that I might know the disposition of the whole world and the powers of the elements. It is certain that the knowledge of the truth of things is threefold, according as there are concrete forms, abstract forms, and separate forms. The natural philosopher considers concrete forms, the mathematician abstract forms, and the metaphysician separate forms. Whence he says: God gave me the knowledge of the things that are, that is, of beings principally, which are truly beings, with respect to metaphysical science; that I might know the disposition of the whole world, with respect to mathematics; and the powers of the elements, with respect to natural philosophy. Solomon knew the course of the year from the disposition of the stars, the natures of animals, and the powers of roots; Solomon taught all things.

10. Concerning the third part of philosophy, namely moral philosophy, Solomon also says that he attained it. Whence in Ecclesiastes: I surveyed all things with my mind, that I might know and consider and seek wisdom and reason, and that I might know the wickedness of the fool and the error of the imprudent. He says that he considered many things and ordered all things to morals. — Dearly beloved! The wickedness of the fool consists in thinking wrongly about the cause of causes; the error of the imprudent concerns the governance of the monastic life, or the domestic life, or the political life, that is, concerning the governance of oneself, or of the family, or of the city. Great prudence is required for the governance of oneself, greater for the governance of a family, but the greatest for the governance of a city. It is impossible that the sun should illuminate bodies far from itself and not illuminate those near to it. No one can have a well-ordered family unless he himself is well-ordered. If someone wishes to have chaste servants, and he himself is not chaste, this cannot be. Similarly, unless a man governs his family well, he will not be able to govern a city well, because as is the ruler of a city, so also are its inhabitants.

11. Solomon therefore shows that he arrived at the threefold description of philosophical science, namely at the description of rational, moral, and natural science, and at the threefold description of each of these.

Whoever would possess the description of these sciences according to truth would have the greatest mirror for knowing, because there is nothing in any of these sciences that does not bear a vestige of the Trinity. It would be easy to show this, but it would take too long.

12. The first brightness, namely that of philosophical knowledge, is great according to the opinion of worldly men: but it is easily eclipsed, unless a man guards himself from the head and tail of the dragon. If anything is interposed between him and the sun of justice, he suffers an eclipse of foolishness. Jeremiah: Every man is made foolish by his knowledge, namely occasioned by it, not caused by it. He who trusts in philosophical knowledge and esteems himself on account of this and believes himself to be better, has been made foolish—namely, when through this knowledge without any further light he believes himself to apprehend the Creator: just as if a man should wish to see the heavens or the body of the sun by candlelight.

It is certain that rational philosophy is consummated in rhetoric: since there is a threefold genus of the deliberative, namely when a man deliberates concerning utility, concerning security, and concerning honesty, and their opposites, namely concerning harm, concerning danger, and concerning sin or dishonesty. A man cannot know what is useful and what is harmful except by addition beyond this knowledge. It is said in the Gospel: What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, yet suffer the loss of his own soul? What does it avail that a man know many things, if the true honesty of the soul be abandoned? - It is also certain that according to moral knowledge a man cannot know what is useful and what is harmful except by addition beyond moral knowledge, inasmuch as moral knowledge is the rite of worship, the norm of living, and the standard of judging. Who can know the rite of worship through natural philosophy?

Grant that a man possess natural and metaphysical knowledge, which extends itself to the highest substances, and that a man arrive there so as to rest there: it is impossible that he not fall into error, unless he be aided by the light of faith—namely, that a man believe God to be triune and one, most powerful and most good according to the ultimate outpouring of goodness. If you believe otherwise, you are mad concerning God: what is proper to God you attribute to another, you blaspheme and are an idolater, just as if a man should attribute the simplicity of God or things of this kind to another.

Therefore this knowledge cast down and darkened the philosophers, because they did not have the light of faith. Whence the Apostle: Who, when they had known God, did not glorify him as God, or give thanks: but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened: professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And in the book of Wisdom: For if they were able to know so much as to make a judgment of the world, how did they not more easily find out the Lord thereof?

Philosophical knowledge is a way to the other sciences: but he who wishes to remain there falls into darkness.

13. Beyond philosophical knowledge, God gave us theological knowledge, which is the pious awareness of credible truth: because the eternal light, namely God, is a light inaccessible to us as long as we are mortal and have the eyes of a bat. Hence Augustine says: "The weak gaze of the mind is not fixed upon so excellent a light unless it is cleansed through the justice of faith." Therefore theological knowledge is founded upon faith: just as the philosophical sciences are founded upon their first principles, so the science of Scripture is founded upon the articles of faith, which are the twelve foundations of the city. Concerning this knowledge it is said in Isaiah: They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: there follows: because the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters of the sea covering it. Sacred Scripture is compared to the water of the sea on account of the profundity of its mysteries, on account of the manifold variety of its senses and on account of the establishment of the Churches.

14. First, I say, sacred Scripture is compared to the water of the sea on account of the profundity of its mysteries. The sea is deep, nor can a man wade across it: so great is the profundity of the mysteries of sacred Scripture that, however illuminated a man may be and however great his industry, he cannot attain to their depth. Hence Isaiah says: The vision of all things shall be to you as the words of a sealed book, which when they give to one who knows letters, they will say: Read this; and he will answer: I cannot, for it is sealed. And the book shall be given to one who does not know letters, and it shall be said to him: Read; and he will answer: I do not know letters. Neither the learned nor the unlearned will be able to read it. Who then will read it? I say that he who wishes to enter the sanctuary of God with pride will not be able to, even if he is learned; similarly, if a learned man wishes to enter, he would be foolish. It is necessary, therefore, that one have both learning and the spirit.

15. Second, sacred Scripture is compared to the water of the sea on account of the manifold variety of its senses. In the sea there are diverse springs: so in sacred Scripture within a single letter there is a manifold meaning. Hence in Daniel: But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the appointed time: many shall pass through, and knowledge shall be manifold.

Some wonder that in the same Scripture we have so many meanings. Anselm says that in the same earth diverse things can be planted: the earth by divine power produces various sproutings; so by the Holy Spirit within the same letter there are various meanings. Nor is it unfitting to use equivocally what is posited as multiply equivocal. In theology both things and words signify. Therefore, when there are many properties of a thing, then through one thing many things are signified. As many as are the properties of the sun, so many, when the sun signifies the just man, are the properties of the just man.

16. The third reason why sacred Scripture is compared to the water of the sea is on account of the establishment of the Churches. The Psalm says: Upon the seas he founded it; and elsewhere: Who founded the earth upon its own stability.

Some mocked David because he said that God founded the earth upon the waters. The earth, since it is dry, unless there were moisture penetrating it, would be reduced to dust; and just as the human body receives moisture through its veins, so it is necessary that fresh waters come from the sea and hold the earth together. He says that he founded the earth upon the waters on account of the mystery. The earth which the Spirit has filled is the ecclesiastical hierarchy; he who weighs the mass of the earth with three fingers, because he founded the holy Church upon the divine utterances. The sacred utterances are for its stability. The Apostle says to Timothy: I write to you, Timothy, that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth.

17. Where sacred Scripture is lacking, it is necessary that the earth, that is, the Church, be shaken: They neither knew nor understood, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth shall be moved. Arius, who wished to take away the foundation of the Trinity; Nestorius, who wished to destroy the unity of person; and Eutyches, who wished to confuse the natures in Christ: these men shook the foundations of the Church.

Every bishop ought to know this knowledge; whence it is asked of the hierarch: Do you know the Old Testament and the New?

The King of England asked a certain bishop what the two horns on his mitre signified. He replied, and rightly, that they signify the two Testaments, which bishops ought to know. "And what do those two pendants signify, which hang behind the back?" He replied that they signify ignorance of both, "because we know neither the one nor the other, but have cast the whole thing behind our backs." And in this he spoke ill.

18. Because the ecclesiastical hierarchy is founded upon Scripture, which is compared to the water of the sea on account of these three things, therefore sentence has been passed against those who do not possess this knowledge. In Hosea: Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you, that you shall not minister to me as priest. He who knows nothing of governance is driven from the helm of the ship and from the rule of the city. If the foundations of the Church consist in the knowledge of sacred Scripture, therefore he who does not know sacred Scripture must be driven from ecclesiastical office and dignity. If a blind man wished to lead another, it would be the greatest folly. A helmsman is not to be chosen by lot or by friendship. — And it should be known that knowledge is rejected when a man does not take care to learn it. Isaiah: Therefore my people are led into captivity, because they did not have knowledge, namely neither in the head nor in the members.

Likewise, knowledge is repelled when a man possesses knowledge and does not wish to live according to that knowledge nor to fulfill it. Whence the Lord says: Woe to you, Scribes and Lawyers, because you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered, and those who were entering, you have hindered. If a physician eats the food which he forbids to the sick person, the sick person is scandalized and wishes to eat that food. - Wherefore woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees! because to him who knows the good and does it not, it is sin, as blessed James says. From knowledge, guilt is increased and also punishment: whence in Luke: The servant who knew the will of his Lord and did not prepare and did not act according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. If a man does not prohibit evil by example or by counsel, woe to him! You make yourself a teacher of sacred Scripture, but you persuade the contrary of good and truth. If one who ought to proceed by the right way, and another were to tell him that he should proceed by a crooked way: his sin would be inexpiable. By impeding the salvation of another by example, by counsel, or by persuasion, you must give your soul for the soul of that one. Is it not the case that if I can draw another to what is better, and I draw him to what is worse, I do not sin gravely? If I impede the good of another, I do worse than the devil: because the devil acts as an enemy.

This knowledge, if the fulfillment of works is not present, is not useful but harmful. The first brightness can be obscured, but this one can be condemned.

19. Therefore it is necessary to have another brightness, namely that of gratuitous knowledge, which is the form of the two preceding brightnesses. You fail in the third sign if you do not have this knowledge. This knowledge is of truth as believable and lovable, a holy awareness. Of this knowledge it is said in the book of Wisdom: The Lord led the just one through right ways and showed him the kingdom of God, He honored him in his labors and gave him the knowledge of the Saints. Gratuitous knowledge is called the knowledge of the Saints for a threefold reason.

20. First, because it is given by the Holy Spirit: I say by the Holy Spirit moving the soul, inspiring and informing it unto holiness. I say by the Holy Spirit inspiring unto the awareness of holiness, unto the delight in holiness, and unto the guardianship of holiness. Whence the Apostle to the Corinthians: We have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been given to us by God: and in what manner? If we know, we guard and approve the things inspired through the Holy Spirit unto the awareness of holiness, unto the delight in holiness, and its guardianship. Whence in John: Father, sanctify them in truth.

21. In another way, gratuitous knowledge is called the knowledge of the Saints, because it has nothing of vice mixed in, nothing of carnality, nothing of curiosity, and nothing of vanity. Whence in Leviticus: The Lord also said to Aaron: You and your sons shall not drink wine or anything that can intoxicate, so that you may have the knowledge of discerning between the holy and the profane. He who has the knowledge of discerning between the holy and the profane will abstain from everything that can intoxicate, that is, from every superfluous delight in creatures: this is the intoxicating wine. Whether someone on account of vanity, or on account of curiosity, or carnality inclines toward superfluous delight, which is in creatures: he does not have the knowledge of the Saints. It is said in Genesis: Of every tree that is in paradise, you shall eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in whatever hour you eat of it, you shall die the death. Adam with his wife contracted the vice of curiosity, when the devil said to them: You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil: he also contracted the vice of carnality, when he ate of the fruit: he also contracted the vice of vanity, when he wished to be as gods.

Hear, brothers: those who have the knowledge of the Saints, namely clerics, let them take heed for themselves, lest they have anything of vice mixed in; because if a man mixes in anything of vice, he loses the knowledge of discerning between good and evil.

22. Third, gratuitous knowledge is called the knowledge of the Saints, because it has a zeal for all holiness.

Whence in the book of Ecclesiastes: In much wisdom there will be indignation; he who adds knowledge adds sorrow. A man knowing his own defects has the sorrow of compunction for himself, the sorrow of compassion for his neighbors, and the sorrow of zeal for the honor of God.

Psalm: O sons of men, how long will you be heavy of heart? Why do you love vanity and seek after falsehood? And know that the Lord has made His Holy One wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I cry to Him. Be angry, and do not sin: for what you say in your hearts, upon your beds be moved to compunction. He who has true knowledge and knows God and sees that he does not walk rightly or perfectly is in continual sorrow, because he sees that his affections and thoughts are scattered. Augustine: "Knowledge begets mourning."

A man sees the slaughter of bodies, he grieves greatly. He therefore who sees the slaughter of souls, how can he restrain himself from tears? This grief is greatly pleasing to God. The Lord says concerning this knowledge: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than holocausts. I know the infirmities of others: I ought to suffer with them. Isaiah: We have seen him, a man of sorrows and knowing infirmity. There is no spirit of the knowledge of God in that member when it sees a member of its head wounded and does not grieve with it. David grieved over the death of Absalom, who nevertheless had persecuted him. There is therefore the grief of compunction for oneself, and the grief of compassion for one's neighbors.

The third grief is that of zeal for the divine honor. Whence in the book of Maccabees: Thou, O Lord, who hast knowledge, knowest that whereas I might be delivered from death, I endure hard pains of body; but according to the soul, on account of thy fear, I willingly suffer these things. Eleazar spoke these words when he preferred to die rather than to make a pretense of eating swine's flesh. Philosophy does not teach this, that for the sake of a conclusion I should expose myself to death.

23. Psalm: I am thy servant: give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. Gratuitous knowledge teaches to know and the manner of knowing. Whence, upon that saying of the Apostle: If any man think that he knoweth anything, he hath not yet known how he ought to know: Bernard says: "You see that the Apostle does not approve him who knows many things, but the manner of knowing: see that he places all the fruit and utility of knowledge in the manner of knowing. What does he call the manner of knowing? To know in what order, with what zeal, and to what end each one learns: in what order, so that one may first learn that which is more conducive to salvation; with what zeal, so that one may more ardently pursue that which more powerfully draws to the love of God; to what end, so that one may learn not for vainglory or curiosity, but for the edification of oneself and one's neighbor. There are those who wish to know only for the sake of knowing, and this is base curiosity. There are those who learn and wish to know in order to be known, and this is base vanity. And there are those who wish to know in order to sell their knowledge for money or honors, and this is base profit. There are those who wish to know in order to edify others, and this is charity. And there are those who wish to know in order to be edified, and this is prudence."

24. Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies; therefore it is necessary to join charity with knowledge, so that a man may have knowledge and charity together, so that what the Apostle says may be fulfilled: Rooted and founded in charity, that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the length, and breadth, and height, and depth, and to know also the charity of Christ which surpasseth knowledge. This is the knowledge which is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

25. Concerning the last knowledge, namely concerning glorious knowledge, I shall say one word. It is said of it in the book of Wisdom: To know you is supreme justice; it follows: and is the root of immortality. This knowledge is initiated in those who contemplate, perpetuated in those who sleep, and consummated in those who rise again. May he who with the Father, etc., deign to grant us this knowledge.