Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question III: How the gift of wisdom is obtained from God
The Holy Doctor observes that Wisdom is found through cognition; but possessed through love; through cognition, indeed, to be seen; through love, however, to be embraced and tasted. To see pertains to the intellect; but to embrace and taste to the will, as Richard says lib. 4. de contempl. cap. 15.: As God is heard through memory, seen through the intellect: so he is embraced and tasted, or bound, through affection, and thus held: And this indeed is more perfect than merely to see, which St. Augustine shows lib. 9. de Trinitate, cap. 12., where he says that the act of embracing is the proper act of the will.
Qua ratione DONUM SAPIENTIAE A Deo obtineatur.
Observat S. Doctor, Sapientiam inveniri per cognitionem; sed possideri per dilectionem; per cognitionem quidem videri; per dilectionem autem amplexari, et gustari. Videre pertinet ad intellectum; sed amplexari, et gustare ad voluntatem, ut ait Richard. lib. 4. de contempl. cap. 15. dicens: Sicut Deus per memoriam auditur, per intellectum videtur: ita per affectum amplexatur, et gustatur, vel astringitur, et sic tenetur: Et hoc utique est perfectius, quam solum videre, quod ostendit D. August. lib. 9. de Trinitate, cap. 12. ubi ait, actum amplexandi esse proprium voluntatis actum.
Therefore the wise man teaches to seek Wisdom, Prov. 2.: If you shall seek Wisdom as money, and shall dig for her as for treasures: then you shall understand the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Expounding which words Jerome says: He who digs for treasures casts aside the earth, digs a pit deep down, diligently persists, until he finds what he seeks. So he who desires to find the treasures of wisdom, let him cast off from himself every earthly weight, make in himself a pit of humility, and not rest, until he finds. These are his words: For wisdom itself is easily seen by those who seek her: and to think of her is a sense brought to perfection. Wisdom, therefore, is to be sought, for as she herself says, Prov. 8.: He who shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord.
Igitur docet sapiens Proverb. 2. quaerere Sapientiam: Si quaesieris Sapientiam quasi pecuniam, et sicut Thesauros effoderis illam: tunc intelliges timorem Domini, qui est initium sapientiae. Quae verba exponens Hieronymus ait: Qui thesauros effodit, terram reiicit, foveam in altum fodit, sedulus insistit, donec inveniat quod quaerit. Sic qui thesauros sapientiae invenire desiderat, omne pondus terrenum a se reiiciat, in se fossam humilitatis faciat, nec quiescat, donec inveniat. Haec ille: Ipsa enim sapientia facile videtur ab his, qui quaerunt eam: et cogitare de illa, sensus est consummatus. Est igitur quaerenda Sapientia, quia sicut ipsa dicit, Prov. 8. Qui me invenerit; inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino.
But how you may recognize that wisdom has been found by you, St. Bernard teaches in his Sentences: You have plainly found wisdom, if you weep for the sins of your former life, if you esteem lightly the desirable things of this age, if you desire eternal beatitude with your whole desire. You have found wisdom, if each of these things tastes to you as they are, so that these indeed are bitter, and altogether to be fled; those also, as it were falling and transitory, to be despised; but these, as perfect goods, to be desired with the whole desire, which you judge and discern with a certain deepest savor of the soul.
Quomodo autem agnoscas, inventam a te sapientiam, docet S. Bernardus in sententiis: Invenisti plane sapientiam, si prioris vitae peccata defleas, si huius saeculi desiderabilia parvipendas, si aeternam beatitudinem toto desiderio concupiscas. Invenisti sapientiam, si tibi horum singula sapiunt, prout sunt, ut haec quidem amara, et omnino fugienda; illa quoque, velut caduca, et transitoria contemnenda; ista vero ut perfecta bona, toto desiderio appetenda, quae intimo quodam animi sapore diiudices, et discernas.
Therefore this gift, which is a supernatural habit, is to be earnestly asked of God, as James says, cap. 1.: If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.
Igitur hoc donum, quod est habitus supernaturalis, est a Deo enixe postulandum, ut ait Iacobus, cap. 1. Si quis vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat, et dabitur ei. Postulet autem in fide, nihil haesitans.
He adds, however, four conditions: First, indigence in the one asking: If anyone wants. Second, Petition, which is that of sons, as is said Psal. 2.: Ask of me, etc. As asking is of a servant. Hence you have that wisdom is not infused except to sons adopted by grace. Hence Sap. 7. says: God loves no one, except him who dwells with wisdom. Third, the liberality of the giver: Who giveth abundantly to all, whence 3. Reg. cap. 3. it is said to Solomon, who was asking for Wisdom: But even these things, which you did not ask, I have given you, riches and glory. Fourth, the confidence of the one asking: nothing wavering. These things the Holy Doctor says concerning Wisdom. See many Holy Fathers in St. Bonav. lib. 3. Pharetrae, cap. 32.
Quatuor autem conditiones apponit: Primam, indigentiam in postulante: Si quis indiget. Secundam, Postulationem, quae est filiorum, ut dicitur Psal. 2. Postula a me, etc. Sicut rogare est servi. Unde habes, sapientiam non infundi, nisi filiis gratia adoptatis. Idco Sap. 7. dicitur: Neminem diligit Deus, nisi eum, qui cum sapientia habitat. Tertiam, largitatem donatoris: Qui dat affluenter omnibus, unde 3. Reg. cap. 3. dicitur Salomoni, qui Sapientiam postulabat: Sed et haec, quae non postulasti, dedi tibi, divitias, et gloriam. Quartam, postulantis fiduciam: nihil haesitans. Haec S. Doct. de Sapientia. Vide multos SS. PP. in D. Bonav. lib. 3. Pharetrae, cap. 32.