The Benevolent Spirit And Punishment

Benignus est enim spiritus sapientiae, et non liberabit maledicum a labiis suis; quoniam renum illius testis est Deus, et cordis illius scrutator est verus et linguae ejus auditor. Quoniam spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum; et hoc quod continet omnia, scientiam habet vocis. Propter hoc qui loquitur iniqua non potest latere, nec praeteriet illum corripiens judicium. In cogitationibus enim impii interrogatio erit; sermonum autem illius auditio ad Deum veniet, ad correptionem iniquitatum illius. Quoniam auris zeli audit omnia, et tumultus murmurationum non abscondetur. Custodite ergo vos a murmuratione quae nihil prodest, et a detractione parcite linguae: quoniam sermo obscurus in vacuum non ibit, os autem quod mentitur occidit animam. Benignus enim etc. Hic monet ad iustitiam locutionis, retrahendo a sermonibus malis. Et primo removet ab ipsis male dictis impunitutis confidentiam; secundo praedicit eorum poenam: Propter hoc qui loquitur etc.; tertio monet ad pravarum locutionum cautelam: Custodite etc. In prima primo removet impunitatis confidentiam, quae possit oriri ex iudicis misericordia: Benignus; secundo, ex ejus ignorantia : Quoniam renum etc; tertio, ex eius impotentia: Quoniam spiritus Domini. Dicit ergo: Benignus enim est spiritus etc. Bene dixi , quod corripietur fictus etc; Benignus enim est spiritus sapientiae , scilicet increatae, scilicet Filii, a qua datur Spiritus sanctus; vel creatae, quam ipse dat; infra duodecimo: O quam bonus et quam suavis est, Domine, spiritus tuus in omnibus. Psalmus: Spiritus tuus bonus etc. Et tamen non liberabit maledictum etc, quamvis sit benignus; quia, sicut dicit Gregorius, disciplina et misericordia multum destituitur, si una sine alia teneatur. Vel sic: et quia benignus, non liberabit maledictum etc, quia benignitas malitiae contraria est; ut dicit Glossa: Non liberabit, inquam, maledictum, id est maledicentem, qui maledictus est, quia facit contra Dei mandatum, qui prohibet maledicere; Psalmus: Maledicti, qui declinant a mandatis tuis; ecce , maledictio in praesenti. Item, Matthaei vigesimo quinto: Discedite a me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum etc; ecce, maledictio in futuro. A labiis suis , id est a peccato labiorum suorum, vel a poena, quam meruit peccato labiorum suorum; Matthaei duodecimo: Ex verbis tuis condemnaberis; item in Psalmo: Labor labiorum suorum operiet eos. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Librum Sapientiae, Caput I Source: Here, 361b-d

For the spirit of wisdom is benevolent, and will not acquit the evil speaker from his lips, for God is witness of his soul, and a true searcher of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. Because the spirit of the Lord fills the whole world and that which contains all things has knowledge of the voice. Therefore he who speaks unjust things cannot be hidden, neither shall the chastising judgment pass him by. Investigation shall be made into the thoughts of the unholy man, and the hearing of his words shall come to God for the chastising of his iniquities. Because the jealous ear hears all things, and the tumult of murmuring shall not be hidden. Therefore keep yourselves from murmuring, which profits not at all, and restrain your tongue from detraction, for obscure speech shall not go for nothing, and the mouth that lies kills the soul. 1 This is warning against unjust speech, and for the drawing away from wicked words. Firstly there is the removal of confidence in impunity in speaking evil, secondly punishment is foretold, 'Therefore he who speaks...' Thirdly there is a warning for caution against depraved speaking. 'Keep yourselves...' Firstly, then, confidence in impunity is removed, which arises from the thought of mercy in judgement, 'Benevolent.' Secondly ignorance is removed, because God is witness to it. Thirdly the thought of inability is removed, 'For the Spirit of the Lord fills the whole world.' Therefore it is said that the Spirit is benevolent, and it is well said that He shall correct a lie, 'For the spirit of wisdom is benevolent,' that is the uncreated Spirit, of the Son, from whom the Holy Sprit is given, or the created spirit, which He gives, as it says below in twelfth chapter, 'O how good and sweet is your Spirit in all things, Lord.' In the Psalm, 'Your spirit is good.' 2 And although the Spirit is benevolent He will not pass over the evil speaker, because as Gregory says, 'Many forsake discipline and mercy if they hold to one without the other.' 3 And so because He is benevolent He does not spare an evil speaker, because benevolence is contrary to wickedness, as the gloss says. 'He shall not acquit the evil speaker,' that is, he who speaks evil, because he is cursed who does something against the commandment of God who prohibits us to speak evil.' In the Psalm, 'Those who forsake your commandments are accursed,' note that they are cursed in the present, and in the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew, 'Be gone from me, accursed ones, into eternal fire,' 4 note that they are cursed in the future. 'From his lips' that is, from the sin of his lips and the punishment which the sin of his lips has merited. In the twelfth chapter of Matthew. 'From your words you shall be condemned.' In the Psalm, 'The work of their lips shall cover them.' 5 Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On Wisdom, Chapter 1 1 Wisdom 1.6-10 2 Wisd 12.4, Ps 142.10 3 Greg Moral 20.5.44 4 Ps 118.21, Mt 25.44 5 Mt 12.37, Ps 139.10