Wisdom's Way

Quaestiones. I. Quaeritur hic primo de hoc quod dicit: Quid est homo, ut sequi possit Deum? Contra: 1. Ecclesiastici vigesimo tertio: Magna gloria est sequi Dominum. 2. Item, lob vigesimo tertio: Vestigia eius secutus est pes meus. Respondeo: dicendum , quod est sequi per aequiparantiam; et hoc nulli datum est creaturae; et quia satanas hoc voluit , ideo corruit. Est iterum sequi per subiectionem et obedientiam ; et hoc quidem potest homo, sed non quilibet, sed quibus datum est a Deo per gratiam, et quem ipse trahit; et ideo nullus potest per se sine Dei auxilio. II. Quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Quid mihi prodest, quod maiorem sapientiae operam dedi? Quia secundum hoc videtur, quod dissuadeat studere, cuius contrarium saepe hortatur; et Proverbiorum vigesimo septimo: Stude sapientiae, fili mi, etc. Respondeo: dicendum , quod dare operam sapientiae, hoc potest esse dupliciter: propter commodum praesentis vitae, vel propter remunemtionem gloriae aeternae. Propter commodum praesentis vitae prodest sapientia ante mortem, quia dirigit hominem in suis operibus; sed in morte nihil, eo quod ita moritur doctus ut indoctus, nec protelatur ei vita. Si autem propter commodum aeternae vitae, sic non moritur, immo vivit. Est utilis ad operationem boni; Ecclesiastici vigesimo primo: Ornamentum aureum prudenti doctrina etc. Est utilis ad declinationem mali; Ecclesiastici tertio: Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis. Est utilis ad augmentum gratiae; Proverbiorum quarto: Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum. Est utilis ad augmentum gloriae; Proverbiorum tertio: Gloriam sapientes possidebunt. Sic igitur dehortatur, quod non est studendum in sapientia propter praesens commodum et curiositatem, sed propter aeternam sahitem; et ideo se ipsum reprehendit, quia ipse laboraverat propter curiositatem et mundanam vanitatem. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Ecclesiasten, Cap II Source: Here, p 25-26

Questions 1. One may ask question of this which he says, 'What is a man that he is able to follow God?' 1 Against it, in the twenty third chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'It is a great glory to follow the Lord.' 2 Likewise in the twenty third chapter of Job: 'My feet have followed His path.' 3 I respond that it must be said that to follow as an equal is not given to any created thing, and because Satan wanted this, he fell. But there is a following as a subject and in obedience, and this is certainly possible for a man, but not as he will, but as it is given to him by God through grace, even him who he draws to Him, 4 and therefore no one is able to follow without the help of God. 2 One may ask question of this which he says: 'How does it profit me, that I have given myself to the great work of wisdom?' 5 According to this it seems he would dissuade one from such application, but against it the contrary is often exhorted, as in the twenty seventh chapter of Proverbs: 'Apply yourself to wisdom, my son,' 6 etc I respond that it must be said that it is possible to give onself to the work of wisdom in two ways, on account of advantage in this present life, or for the reward of eternal glory. Wisdom for advantage in this present life profits before death, because it directs a man in his works, but in death it is nothing, since the wise man and the fool perish, and life is not prolonged. But if wisdom is for the gain of eternal life, so he does not die, but rather he lives. It is useful for good work. In the twenty first chapter of Ecclesiasticus 'Teaching to a wise man is a golden ornament.' 7 It is useful for the avoidance of evil. In the third chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'The wise and prudent heart withdraws itself from sin.' 8 It is useful for the increase of grace. In the fourth chapter of Proverbs: 'It shall give to your head an increase of grace.' 9 It is useful for the increase of glory. In the third chapter of Proverbs: 'The wise shall possess glory.' 10 Thus it is exhorted not because it is an application in wisdom for advantage in the present and curiosity, but for eternal salvation, and therefore he reproves himself here because he has laboured for the sake of curiosity and worldly vanity. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 1 Eccl 2.12 2 Sirach 23.38 3 Job 23.11 4 cf Jn 6.44 5 Eccles 2.15 6 Prov 27.1 7 Sirach 21.24 8 Sirach 3.32 9 Prov 4.9 10 Prov 3.35