Testing Pleasure

Dixi ego in corde meo: Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis; et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas. Risum reputavi errorem, et gaudio dixi: Quid frustra deciperis? Tangitur hic tertium, scilicet propter considerationis taedium conversio ad delectationem. Quia enim in considerando erat labor et afflictio, ideo cogitavit hoc relinquere et convertere se ad delicias, in quibus est delectatio. Propter quod dicit: Dixi ego in corde meo, id est, in hanc considerationem deveni propter spiritualem in considerando afflictionem. Unde verbum est et consideratio non sapientiae, sed accidiae, quae, non inveniens quietem interius, quaerit exterius. Dixi igitur: Vadam et affluam deliciis et fruar bonis. Vadam, a bono vero recedendo; Psalmus: Homo factus est. spiritus vadens et non rediens. Affluam deliciis, quantum ad mullitudinem deliciarum, scilicet carnalibus contra spirituales; Cantici septimo: Quam pulcra es, carissima, in deliciis. Ab his recessit ad carnales; Isaiae vigesimo secundo: Vocavit Dominus ad fletum et planctum etc, et post: Ecce gaudium et laetitia iugulare arietes, etc. Et fruar bonis, quantum ad quietem; eo enim fruitur quis, in quo quiescit appetitus; Sapientiae secundo: Venite , fruamur bonis, quae sunt, et utamur creatura tanquam in iuveritute celeriter; et Proverbiorum septimo: Veni fruamur cupitis amplexibus. Sed quia haec consideratio erat culpabilis et reprehensibilis, ideo semetipsum redarguit, quia delectatio praesens non est vera delectatio, sed deceptio; ideo subdit: Et vidi, quod hoc quoque esset vanitas; eo quod non permanet neque reficit, sed deficit et decipit. Propter quod dicit: Risum reputavi errorem, eo quod hominem seducat; et gaudio dixi: quid frustra deciperis? quia scilicet eo gaudens decipitur. Risus est exterius, et gaudium interius. Risus decipit, quia offert bonum et in fine malum; Proverbiorum decimo quarto: Risus dolore miscebitur,et extrema gaudii luctus occupat; et lacobi quarto: Risus vester in luctum convertatur, quia Lucae sexto: Vae vobis, qui ridetis, quia flebitis. Iste risus est risus phreneticorum, quia erroneus et momentaneus. Similiter etiam gaudium interius decipit; lob vigesimo primo: Gaudent ad vocem organi; ducunt in bonis dies suos et in puncto ad inferna descendunt ; et lob vigesimo: Gaudium hypocritae ad instar puncti. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Ecclesiasten, Cap II Source: Here, p 20

I said in my heart, 'I shall go off and I shall abound in pleasures and enjoy good things.' And I saw this was also a vanity. I reckoned laughter an error, and I said to joy: 'Why are you vainly deceived?' 1 This touches on the third thing, that is, because of the weariness of thought the turning to pleasure. Because there is labour and affliction in contemplation, here he thinks to abandon it and turn to pleasures, in which there is delight. On account of which he says: 'I said in my heart,' that is, I have come to this thought because of spiritual affliction in contemplation. Hence this thought is not a matter of wisdom but of acedia, which because it does not find interior rest seeks it outside. Therefore he said: 'I shall go off and I shall abound in pleasures and enjoy good things.' 'I shall go off' by withdrawing from the true good. The Psalm: He made man, 'A spirit going and not returning.' 2 'I shall abound in pleasures,' a great multitude of them, that is, carnal ones opposed to spiritual ones. The seventh chapter of the Song of Songs: 'How beautiful you are, most dearest, in pleasures.' 3 From these he withdraws to the flesh. Isaiah chapter twenty two: 'The Lord called to tears and groaning.' and after, 'And behold there is joy and delight in the slaughter of rams.' 4 'And enjoy good things,' as much as they tend to rest, for in that which someone has enjoyment the appetite finds rest. The second chapter of Wisdom: 'Come, let us enjoy the good things which are, and let us use the things of the world as in swift passing youth.' 5 And in the seventh chapter of Proverbs; 'Come let us enjoy longed for embraces.' 6 But because this thought was faulty and reprehensible, therefore he refutes himself, because present delight is not true delight, but deception. Therefore he adds: 'And I saw that this was also vanity.' Because it is transient and it does not restore one, but it wearies and deceives. On account of which he adds: 'I reckoned laughter an error' because it seduces man, 'and I said to joy: 'Why are you vainly deceived?' Because he who rejoices in it is deceived. Laughter is exterior and joy is interior. Laughter deceives, because it promises good and in the end it is evil. In the fourteenth book of Proverbs: 'Laughter is mixed with sorrow, and the end of joy is occupied by grief.' 7 And in the fourth chapter of James: 'Turn your laughter into sadness.' 8 because in the sixth chapter of Luke: 'Woe to you who laugh because you shall weep.' 9 This laughter is the laughter of madmen because it is erroneous and passes away in a moment. Similarly even interior joy may deceive. In the twenty first chapter of Job: 'They rejoice at the voice of the organ, they spend their days amid good things and in a moment they fall into hell.' And in the twentieth chapter of Job. 'The joy of the hypocrite is only for a moment.' 10 Saint Bonaventura, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 1 Eccles 2.1-2 2 Ps 77.39 3 Song 6.6 4 Isaiah 22.12-13 5 Wisd 2.6 6 Prov 7.18 7 Prov 14.13 8 James 4.9 9 Lk 6.25 10 Job 21.12-13, 20.5