Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question IV: On the illumination that wisdom brings
Wisdom is as it were the Sun, bringing a day luminous with knowledge, and fervent with affection. Hence Alan of Lille: Wisdom is the Sun, through whom the light of the mind dawns in darkness, the eye of the heart, the fruit of inward love, the delightful paradise of the soul. It converts the earthly to the heavenly, the mortal to the immortal, man to God, with the authority of deifying transformation. This luminous wisdom he desired, who said, Sap. 7.: I invoked, and the Spirit of Wisdom came into me: and I preferred to have her for light: for her light is inextinguishable. And all good things came to me together with her, for she is the Mother of all these good things. See the Holy Doctor in Diaet; tit. 6. cap. 4., saying wondrous things.
De illuminatione, quam affert Sapientia.
Sapientia est veluti Sol, diem afferens lucentem cognitione, et ferventem affectu. Idco Alanus de insulis: Sapientia est Sol, per quem lumen mentis diescit in tenebris, cordis oculus, fructus internae dilectionis, deliciosa animae paradisus. Haec in caelestem terrenum, in immortalem caducum, hominem in Deum deifica mutationis auctoritate convertit. Hanc luminosam sapientiam desideravit, qui dicebat, Sap. 7. Invocavi, et venit in me Spiritus Sapientiae: et praeposui pro luce habere illam: quoniam inextinguibile est lumen illius. Venerunt autem mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa, quoniam horum omnium bonorum Mater est. Vide S. Doctorem in Diaet; tit. 6. cap. 4. mira dicentem.
Tully first de legibus says: The mother of all good things is Wisdom, than which nothing is more fruitful, nothing more preeminent, for the good of life was given by it. For since it taught all other things, it also taught what is most difficult, that we know ourselves. See St. Bernard sermone 85. in Cant. and serm. 3. de circumcisione, where he shows that from wisdom there arise adornment in the soul, the clarity of conscience, than whose testimony nothing is clearer, since truth shines in the mind, and the mind sees itself in truth. This day, the most serene Sabbath of the mind, he says shines in contemplation, which day indeed, the seventh, namely the seventh gift, has no evening, but here has dawn, and in heaven eternal noon. For the Lord calls it the best part, Luke 10. Hence Anselm lib. de similitudinibus, cap. 131. says: The Gift of Wisdom pertains to the contemplative life, which is the best part, which Mary chose, which shall not be taken from her: But more it shall be perfected in the fatherland. Hence the Gloss there says: The contemplative life here begins, and is perfected in the heavenly fatherland; for love is a fire, which begins to burn, but when it shall see him whom it loves, it shall further glow in love. These things the Holy Doctor, whom see.
Tullius primo de legibus ait: Mater omnium bonorum rerum est Sapientia, qua nihil uberius, nihil praestantius, quia bonum vitae datum est. Haec enim cum caeteras res omnes docuit; tum quod difficillimum est docuit, ut nos nosceremus. Vide D. Bernardum sermone 85. in Cant. et serm. 3. de circumcisione, ubi ostendit, ex sapientia oriri decorem in anima, conscientiae claritatem, cuius testimonio nihil clatius, Cum veritas in mente fulget, et mens in veritate se videt. Hunc diem, serenissimum Sabbathum mentis, in contemplatione ait fulgere, qui sane dies septimus, septimum scil. donum, non habet vesperam, sed hic auroram habet, et in caelo aeternum meridiem. Optimam enim partem vocat eum Dominus, Lucae 10. Unde Anselmus lib. de similitudinibus, cap. 131. ait: Donum Sapientiae pertinet ad vitam complativam, quae est optima pars, quam Maria elegit, quae non auferetur ab ea: Sed magis in patria perficietur. Unde Glossa ibidem dicit: Contemplativa vita hic incipit, et in caelesti patria perficitur; quia amor est ignis, qui ardere incipit, sed cum ipsum, quem amat, videbit, amplius in amore ignescet. Haec S. Doct. quem vide.