Bonaventure — on Wis 4:3 (Commentary on Wisdom, Chapter 4)

“But of manifold kind etc., as if to say: such is the beautiful and chaste generation of the just. But (in the sense of "however"): the manifold multitude of the impious, etc.; Ecclesiastes 1: "The number of fools is infinite." Here he touches upon a threefold plurality or multitude of the impious in three words, namely because it is scattered through diverse errors with respect to the rational power, against which James 3: "Do not become many masters"; likewise, through diverse appetites with respect to the concupiscible power: Hosea 10: "Their heart is divided, now they shall perish"; likewise, through diverse hatreds with respect to the irascible power: Micah 3: "Jerusalem shall be a heap of stones," that is, without the cement of charity. He touches upon or indicates the first through what he says: Of manifold kind, that is, generating many errors: the second, through what he says: Multitude, as if without the unity or bond of charity: the third, through what he says: Of the impious, in the plural, that is, without piety, but with much cruelty. The manifold, I say, multitude of the impious will not be useful, "indeed harmful," as the Gloss says; Isaiah 30: "They were not for help or for any usefulness, but for confusion and for reproach." But on the contrary: "Because, as Augustine says, if there were fewer wicked than good, they would not dare to try the good"; but this trial is useful for the good, because Gregory says that "he cannot be Abel whom the malice of Cain does not try." Likewise in the Psalm: "Upon my back sinners have wrought," namely, a perpetual crown for me. But it must be said that the just will not obtain this benefit from the intention of the wicked, because they do not intend to benefit them, but from their own goodness, or from their own good will, making good use of their evils. And spurious shoots shall not take deep root, etc. So reads the text of Rabanus and all the ancients; likewise Ambrose in a certain letter says to certain persons: "You are noble shoots," that is, noble plantings. But Augustine says that it would be better said adulterous plantings; and on account of this adulterous plantings remained in the text in the newer Bibles. It should be noted, however, that shoots are fruitless plants which grow beside the trunk of the vine, whence vitulamen is said from vitis (vine); or according to some it is said from vitulus (calf), because such a plant grows in land plowed by calves or oxen. Spurious, however, means the same as ignoble or degenerate; whence spurious shoots, that is, degenerate or unnatural plantings, and adulterous plantings, that is, impious generations, born from spiritual adultery, namely, multiplied through the propagation of impiety: Matthew 12: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign." They shall not take deep root, in themselves, that is, thoughts and affections reaching toward heaven, but fixed in the earth. For man according to the Philosopher is an inverted tree; whence he ought to send and fix his roots upward, namely, his intellect and affection; whence in the Psalm: "The meditation of my heart is always in your sight"; likewise: "Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem"; likewise: "Lord, before you is all my desire"; likewise Colossians 3: "Seek the things that are above," namely, by searching with the intellect; "savor the things that are above," by savoring with the affection; the Psalm: "Taste and see." Nor shall they establish a stable support, or foundation, namely of right faith toward God: for faith is as it were the foundation of the spiritual edifice; whence Hebrews 11: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for," etc.; 1 Corinthians 3: "No one can lay another foundation besides that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus," that is, faith concerning Christ Jesus. Otherwise, according to the Gloss, it is expounded concerning heretics and their disciples.”