Bonaventure — Opera Omnia

Dist. 1, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 3

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 1

Textus Latinus

p. 35

Quaestio III. Utrum in adultis requireretur virtus sacrificii in remedium originalis.

Tertio quaeritur, utrum requireretur virtus sacrificii in remedium originalis in adultis. Et quod sic, videtur:

1. Per Gregorium in littera¹, qui dicit, quod maioribus necessaria erat non tantum fides, sed virtus sacrificii: ergo cum Gregorius loquatur praecise, determinat, quod est necessarium. Si dicas, quod loquitur sine praecisione, ut tangat, quid sit congruum; tunc nulla esset differentia, quia similiter congruebat, pro parvulis offerri sacrificium.

2. Item, plus poterat adultus quam parvulus, et maius debitum peccati habebat: ergo et plus tenebatur facere quam parvulus.

Contra: 1. Tempore legis naturae non fuit praeceptum nisi naturale; sed Sacramenta non sunt naturalia, ut supra² patuit: ergo nullum fuit ibi sub praecepto, nullum fuit ergo necessitatis: ergo sine sacrificio poterat esse salus adulto.

2. Item, Hugo de Sacramentis³ dicit, quod remedium contra originale fuit decimatio; Gregorius dicit, quod sacrificium. Sed contra: unius generis morbi unum debet esse remedii genus.

3. Item, morbus originalis peccati non iteratur⁴: ergo debet habere remedium non iterabile; sed tam sacrificium quam decimatio sunt iterabilia: ergo non sunt convenientia remedia contra originale.

Item, quae erat ista virtus sacrificii? et videtur, quod nullius utilitatis⁵, quia huiusmodi oblatio non erat praeceptum, quia bonum, quia tunc semper esset praeceptum: ergo erat bonum, quia praeceptum; sed non erat praeceptum: ergo non erat bonum. — Si tu dicas, quod valet ad fidem, quae erudiebatur in illo signo; contra: ibi fiebat oblatio et fumus materialis: ergo si credebat fumum acceptum a Deo, credebat, Deum odorare⁶ materialiter: ergo credebat, eum esse corporeum: ergo videtur, quod potius esset in nocumentum fidei. — Si dicas, quod valebat ad excitationem devotionis; contra: omnis devotio, quae est contra pietatis opus, non potest esse accepta: unde dona iniquorum non probat Altissimus⁷; sed ista erat contra pietatem, quia consumebat frustra quod erat utile pauperibus: ergo etc.

Conclusio. Sacrificia legis naturae nullam de se habebant efficaciam curandi vel iustificandi, sed solum ratione fidei Redemptoris.

Respondeo: Ad horum intelligentiam est praenotandum, quod, sicut dicit magister Hugo⁸ «in lege naturae tria fuerunt Sacramentorum genera, scilicet decimationes, oblationes et sacrificia». Ad quorum notitiam tria sunt notanda: primo, quae sit ratio instituendi illa Sacramenta; secundo, quis modus; tertio, quae efficacia.

Prima ratio est Dei honorificatio. — Notandum ergo, quod fides in iustis omni tempore cucurrit, et nullus nisi in fide salvatus est. Tempore igitur legis naturalis haec fides erat, quae fideles illuminabat ad hoc, quod crederent, quod Deus erat creator, quod redemptor, quod remunerator¹⁰. Ideo fides illuminabat, et dictamen naturae consonabat, ut homo Deo serviret, et sua ab ipso recognosceret, et hoc quod credebat, signo visibili etiam quodam modo manifestaret. Ideo signa fuerunt tempore legis naturae, in quibus Deus ut creator¹¹ honorabatur, qui omnia creaverat, ut in oblatione; similiter honorabatur ut redemptor, ut puta in sacrificio; ut perfectus remunerator, in decimatione. — Denarius enim est numerus perfectissimus, quia tres perfectiones habet in se: prima est unitatis, secunda ternarii, tertia senarii, quae simul iuncta¹² faciunt denarium; et ideo ibi status est. Propter hoc honorabatur Deus ut perfectus remunerator. Unitas est enim perfecta, quia est omnis numeri perfectio;

p. 36

ternarius, quia constat ex omnibus partibus suis, ex parte aliquota et non aliquota; senarius vero, quia constat ex omnibus partibus aliquotis.

Secunda ratio est fidei Redemptoris professio. Sicut enim nullus sine fide potest Deo placere^1b, sic nullus sine fide Mediatoris a peccato resurgere; et sicut fides simpliciter dictabat Dei honorificationem, ita et hanc professionem. Et quia tunc profitetur homo, quando quod interius credit exterius manifestat; ideo tempore legis naturae fuerunt signa ad hoc^2b manifestandum et etiam ad manifestandum Redemptorem. In redemptione autem tria considerantur: redemptum, et hoc per decimationem — homo enim significatur per decimam drachmam perditam^3b — ipse modus redimendi, et hoc per oblationem; ipsum pretium, et hoc per sacrificium, in quo erat sanguinis effusio. Et ista professio in huiusmodi signis maxime necessaria erat pro ipsis imperfectis; perfectis enim Deus revelavit Sacramenta fidei, imperfectis celavit. Unde minores adhaerebant fidei maiorum et credebant implicite; et sicut implicite credebant, sic signa data sunt eis a maioribus, in quibus fidem implicite profiterentur^4b.

Tertia ratio est vitae agendae institutio. Sicut enim aliquis non poterat Deo placere sine fide nec a peccato resurgere sine fide Redemptoris, sic nec in bono stare sine bono opere; et ideo fidei adiecta sunt signa, quae significarent ea quae necessaria sunt cum fide^5b. Haec autem sunt sex, quorum tria sunt in corde, et tria exterius; quae his signantur: in decimatione peccati recognitio et eius dimissio; quia in ea datur Deo quod perfectum et quod bonum est, et remanet nobis quod est imperfectum; unde significatur, quod bona tantum sunt a Deo, sed mala a nobis^6b: rursus, in separatione decimae partis in partem Dei signatur recessus a peccato. — In sacrificio signatur interna contritio — sacrificium enim Deo spiritus contribulatus^7b — et exterior carnis maceratio, quia occidebatur pecus; unde mortificanda sunt membra nostra, ad Romanos duodecimo: Exhibeatis corpora vestra hostiam etc. — In oblatione, mentis devotio et exterior bona operatio, quae, si adsunt cum fide, sufficiunt ad salutem. — Sic igitur patet, quae sit ratio institutionis illorum, scilicet Dei honorificatio, fidei Redemptoris professio, vitae agendae instructio^8b.

Secundo debet attendi modus instituendi; non enim instituta sunt per modum praecepti, ut dicit Hugo^9b: «Primo parvulos consilio nutrivit», loquens pro illis qui fuerunt tempore legis naturae. Et si quaeras: quomodo? dicendum, quod fides dictabat, ut visum est, et natura consonabat, et inspiratio auctoritatem dabat; et ideo per modum consilii data erant, et hoc per superiores, in quibus erat fides explicita.

Tertio attendenda est in his efficacia. Et notandum, quod de se nullam habebant efficaciam curandi vel iustificandi, sed solum ratione fidei Redemptoris; non enim erant instituta ad hoc^10b, sed ad haec quae praedicta sunt. Ex his patent obiecta. —

1. Quod enim obiicit primo, quod non sunt de necessitate, concedendum est.

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur de Hugone, quod remedium erat decimatio; dicendum, quod nec decimatio nec sacrificium erat per se remedium, sed tantum ratione fidei; et quia omnia illa tria erant signa redemptionis, ideo indeterminate fides cum quolibet istorum mundare poterat.

3. Ex hoc etiam patet aliud de iteratione, quoniam ideo poterant iterari, quia non erant medicinae ex se impositae^11b contra morbum non iterabilem.

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Ad illud quod quaeritur de virtute sacrificii, dicendum, quod virtus sacrificii vel dicitur hic fides, quae faciebat sacrificium valere, vel dicitur interna mentis contritio, quae faciebat exterius sacrificium virtuosum; et quia adultis necessaria erat contritio propter actuale, ideo Gregorius dicit, sacrificium curasse maiores.

Quod obiicitur, quod sacrificium erat via erroris; dicendum, quod verum est illis qui accipiebant ipsum ut rem, sed non his qui accipiebant ut signum; et quia fideles accipiebant ut signum, ideo eis non erat via erroris.

Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod erat contra pietatem; dicendum, quod non est verum, quia adeo abundabant animalia, et pauperes ita pauci erant, quod sufficiebant pietati quantum ad cultum Dei et quantum ad sustentationem proximi.

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English Translation

Question III. Whether in adults the power of sacrifice was required as a remedy for original sin.

Thirdly it is asked, whether in adults the power of sacrifice was required as a remedy for original sin. And that it was, seems [to follow]:

1. Through Gregory in the text¹, who says that for the elders not only faith but the power of sacrifice was necessary: therefore, since Gregory speaks precisely, he determines what is necessary. If you say that he speaks without precision, so as to touch upon what is fitting; then there would be no difference, because it was likewise fitting for sacrifice to be offered for children.

2. Likewise, an adult could do more than a child, and had a greater debt of sin: therefore he was also bound to do more than a child.

On the contrary: 1. In the time of the law of nature there was no precept except a natural one; but the Sacraments are not natural, as was shown above²: therefore none of them was there under a precept, none therefore was of necessity: therefore salvation could be had by an adult without sacrifice.

2. Likewise, Hugh in On the Sacraments³ says that the remedy against original sin was tithing; Gregory says that it was sacrifice. But on the contrary: of a disease of one kind there ought to be one kind of remedy.

3. Likewise, the disease of original sin is not repeated⁴: therefore it ought to have a remedy that is not repeatable; but both sacrifice and tithing are repeatable: therefore they are not fitting remedies against original sin.

Likewise, what was this power of sacrifice? And it seems to be of no usefulness⁵, because such an oblation was not a precept, [for if it were a precept it would be] good, because then it would always be a precept: therefore it was good because a precept; but it was not a precept: therefore it was not good. — If you say that it avails for faith, which was instructed by that sign; on the contrary: there an oblation and a material smoke took place: therefore if one believed the smoke to be acceptable to God, he believed that God smelled⁶ materially: therefore he believed Him to be corporeal: therefore it seems that it was rather to the harm of faith. — If you say that it availed for the rousing of devotion; on the contrary: every devotion that is contrary to a work of piety cannot be acceptable: hence the Most High does not approve the gifts of the wicked⁷; but this was contrary to piety, because it consumed in vain what was useful to the poor: therefore etc.

Conclusion. The sacrifices of the law of nature had of themselves no efficacy of healing or justifying, but only by reason of faith in the Redeemer.

I respond: For the understanding of these matters it must be noted beforehand that, as master Hugh⁸ says, "in the law of nature there were three kinds of Sacraments, namely tithings, oblations, and sacrifices." For the knowledge of these, three things are to be noted: first, what is the reason for instituting those Sacraments; second, what is the manner; third, what is the efficacy.

The first reason is the honoring of God. — It must therefore be noted that faith ran among the just in every age, and no one was saved except in faith. In the time of the law of nature, then, this faith existed, which enlightened the faithful to this, that they should believe that God was creator, that He was redeemer, that He was rewarder¹⁰. Therefore faith enlightened, and the dictate of nature was in accord, that man should serve God, and should acknowledge his goods from Him, and should also in some way make manifest by a visible sign that which he believed. Therefore there were signs in the time of the law of nature, in which God was honored as creator¹¹, who had created all things, as in the oblation; likewise He was honored as redeemer, as for instance in the sacrifice; as the perfect rewarder, in the tithing. — For the denary is the most perfect number, because it has three perfections in itself: the first is that of unity, the second that of the ternary, the third that of the senary, which joined together¹² make the denary; and therefore there is a halting-point there. On account of this God was honored as the perfect rewarder. For unity is perfect, because it is the perfection of every number;

the ternary, because it consists of all its parts, both an aliquot part and a non-aliquot part; but the senary, because it consists of all its aliquot parts.

The second reason is the profession of faith in the Redeemer. For as no one can please God without faith^1b, so no one can rise from sin without faith in the Mediator; and as faith simply dictated the honoring of God, so also this profession. And because man professes when he makes manifest outwardly what he believes inwardly; therefore in the time of the law of nature there were signs for the manifesting of this^2b and also for the manifesting of the Redeemer. Now in the redemption three things are considered: that which is redeemed — and this by tithing, for man is signified by the lost tenth drachma^3b — the manner itself of redeeming, and this by oblation; the price itself, and this by sacrifice, in which there was a shedding of blood. And this profession in signs of this kind was most necessary for the imperfect themselves; for to the perfect God revealed the Sacraments of faith, from the imperfect He concealed them. Hence the lesser clung to the faith of the greater and believed implicitly; and as they believed implicitly, so signs were given to them by the greater, in which they might implicitly profess the faith^4b.

The third reason is the instruction of the life to be led. For as someone could not please God without faith nor rise from sin without faith in the Redeemer, so neither could he stand in the good without good work; and therefore there were added to faith signs that would signify the things that are necessary together with faith^5b. Now these are six, of which three are in the heart and three outward; which are signified by these: in tithing, the recognition of sin and its dismissal; for in it there is given to God what is perfect and good, and there remains to us what is imperfect; whence it is signified that goods alone are from God, but evils from us^6b: again, in the separation of the tenth part into God's portion is signified withdrawal from sin. — In sacrifice is signified inward contrition — for a sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit^7b — and the outward mortification of the flesh, because the beast was slain; whence our members are to be mortified, in Romans twelve: Present your bodies as a sacrifice etc. — In oblation, the devotion of the mind and outward good work, which, if they are present together with faith, suffice for salvation. — Thus, therefore, it is plain what is the reason for the institution of those things, namely the honoring of God, the profession of faith in the Redeemer, the instruction of the life to be led^8b.

Second, the manner of instituting is to be attended to; for they were not instituted by way of precept, as Hugh^9b says: "First He nourished the little ones by counsel," speaking for those who lived in the time of the law of nature. And if you ask: how? it must be said that faith dictated, as has been seen, and nature was in accord, and inspiration gave authority; and therefore they were given by way of counsel, and this through the superiors, in whom faith was explicit.

Third, the efficacy in these matters is to be attended to. And it must be noted that of themselves they had no efficacy of healing or justifying, but only by reason of faith in the Redeemer; for they were not instituted for this^10b, but for the things that have been said. From these the objections are made plain. —

1. For as to what it objects in the first place, that they are not of necessity, it must be conceded.

2. To that which is objected concerning Hugh, that the remedy was tithing; it must be said that neither tithing nor sacrifice was of itself a remedy, but only by reason of faith; and because all those three were signs of the redemption, therefore faith with any one of them could indeterminately cleanse.

3. From this also is made plain the other point concerning repetition, since they could be repeated for this reason, that they were not medicines imposed of themselves^11b against a non-repeatable disease.

As to that which is asked concerning the power of sacrifice, it must be said that the power of sacrifice is called here either faith, which made the sacrifice avail, or the inward contrition of the mind, which made the outward sacrifice virtuous; and because for adults contrition was necessary on account of the actual [sin], therefore Gregory says that sacrifice healed the elders.

As to what is objected, that sacrifice was a way of error; it must be said that this is true of those who took it as a thing, but not of those who took it as a sign; and because the faithful took it as a sign, therefore for them it was not a way of error.

To that which is objected, that it was contrary to piety; it must be said that this is not true, because animals so abounded, and the poor were so few, that they sufficed for piety both as to the worship of God and as to the sustenance of the neighbor.

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Apparatus Criticus

1
Hic c. 8. — Voci maioribus cod. Z praemittit pro. Subinde post sed codd. G V cc (bb a secunda manu) non male addunt etiam.
Here ch. 8. — Before the word maioribus codex Z prefixes pro. Then after sed codices G V cc (and bb by a second hand) not badly add etiam.
2
Partis I. q. 2. ad 5. Vide etiam verba Hugonis a S. Vict. allegata in quaest. praeced. circa finem corp.
Of Part I, q. 2, ad 5. See also the words of Hugh of St. Victor cited in the preceding question, near the end of the body.
3
Libr. XI. c. 4. et 6. Cfr. de Sacram. legis naturalis I. p. et scriptae (versus finem). — Mox post remedium cod. H subiungit tunc.
Book XI, ch. 4 and 6. Cf. On the Sacraments of the Law of Nature, Part I, and of the Written [Law] (toward the end). — Soon after remedium codex H adds tunc.
4
Cfr. H. Sent. d. 32. a. I. q. I. et d. 33. a. 1. q. I.
Cf. Hugh, Sentences, d. 32, a. 1, q. 1, and d. 33, a. 1, q. 1.
5
Cod. R brevius Item, videtur quod ista virtus sacrificii nullius erat utilitatis.
Codex R, more briefly: Likewise, it seems that this power of sacrifice was of no usefulness.
6
Permulti codd. et edd. perperam adorare. Mox in codd. desideratur eum.
Very many codices and editions wrongly [read] adorare ["adore"]. Soon after, in the codices eum is lacking.
7
Eccli. 34, 23. — Superius pro excitationem devotionis codd. F G exercitationem devotionis. Cfr. verba Hugonis supra pag. 34, nota 3.
Sirach 34:23. — Above, for excitationem devotionis ["rousing of devotion"] codices F G [read] exercitationem devotionis ["exercising of devotion"]. Cf. the words of Hugh above, page 34, note 3.
8
Libr. I. de Sacram. p. XII. c. 4; cfr. ibid. p. XI. c. 3; et de Sacram. legis naturalis et scriptae.
Book I of On the Sacraments, Part XII, ch. 4; cf. ibid., Part XI, ch. 3; and On the Sacraments of the Law of Nature and the Written [Law].
10
Vide III. Sent. d. 28. a. 1. q. 2. — Superius pro quae fideles illuminabat cod. Z qua fideles illuminabantur.
See III Sentences, d. 28, a. 1, q. 2. — Above, for quae fideles illuminabat ["which enlightened the faithful"] codex Z [reads] qua fideles illuminabantur ["by which the faithful were enlightened"].
11
Ita cod. H (V bb a secunda manu), cod. F omittit Deus, alii cum edd. omittunt ut creator.
Thus codex H (and V bb by a second hand); codex F omits Deus, others with the editions omit ut creator.
12
Cod. bb qui simul iuncti.
Codex bb [reads] qui simul iuncti.
1b
Hebr. 11, 6: Sine fide autem impossibile est placere Deo. — Aliquanto inferius pro ita et hanc, quod habet cod. U (I a secunda manu), cod. A ita et huius, codd. R T ita et eius, cod. X ita etiam fidei, alii codd. et edd. ita et haec.
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please God. — Somewhat below, for ita et hanc, which codex U has (and I by a second hand), codex A [reads] ita et huius, codices R T ita et eius, codex X ita etiam fidei, the other codices and editions ita et haec.
2b
Intellige: nullus sine fide Redemptoris a peccato resurgere potest. — Post hoc manifestandum edd. corrupte sic prosequuntur: Etiam honorabatur ut Redemptor, et hoc modo tria etc. In codd. sunt 9 diversae lectiones corruptae, quae tamen in hoc conveniunt, quod ob homoteleuton transsiliunt verba et etiam ad manifestandum, excepto cod. U; cod. I supplet haec verba sic: ad profitendum etiam Redemptorem tria. Pro In redemptione, quod habent codd. F G H (V a secunda manu) X, alii In Redemptore, et cod. U cum pluribus Inde.
Understand: no one can rise from sin without faith in the Redeemer. — After hoc manifestandum the editions corruptly continue thus: He was also honored as Redeemer, and in this manner three etc. In the codices there are 9 different corrupt readings, which nevertheless agree in this, that on account of homoeoteleuton they skip over the words et etiam ad manifestandum, except codex U; codex I supplies these words thus: ad profitendum etiam Redemptorem tria. For In redemptione, which codices F G H (V by a second hand) X have, others [read] In Redemptore, and codex U with several [reads] Inde.
3b
Respicitur Luc. 15, 8. Cfr. August., Enarrat. in Ps. 103. serm. 1. n. 2. et in Ps. 138. n. 14, ubi haec parabola eodem modo exponitur.
Reference is made to Luke 15:8. Cf. Augustine, Expositions of the Psalms, on Ps. 103, sermon 1, n. 2, and on Ps. 138, n. 14, where this parable is expounded in the same way.
4b
Vide III. Sent. d. 25. a. I. q. 2. et a. 2. q. I. — Pro signa cod. F Sacramenta. Mox pro institutio Vat. cum aliquot codd. instructio.
See III Sentences, d. 25, a. 1, q. 2, and a. 2, q. 1. — For signa codex F [reads] Sacramenta. Soon for institutio the Vatican edition with several codices [reads] instructio.
5b
Hugo a S. Vict., I. de Sacram. p. IX. c. 8: Tria sane sunt, quae ab initio, sive ante adventum Christi sive post, ad salutem obtinendam necessaria fuerunt, id est fides, Sacramenta fidei et opera bona. Quae tria ita cohaerent, ut salutis effectum habere non possint, si simul non fuerint etc. Cfr. de Sacram. legis naturalis et scriptae. — Superius post sine bono opere cod. Z addit subsequenti. Subinde post Haec autem supplevimus ex codd. F H (P bb a secunda manu) verba sunt sex, quorum. Post pauca pro quae his Vat. quae tria in corde his sequentibus.
Hugh of St. Victor, On the Sacraments, Book I, Part IX, ch. 8: "There are indeed three things which from the beginning, whether before the coming of Christ or after, were necessary for obtaining salvation, that is, faith, the Sacraments of faith, and good works. These three so cohere that they cannot have the effect of salvation unless they be together" etc. Cf. On the Sacraments of the Law of Nature and the Written [Law]. — Above, after sine bono opere codex Z adds subsequenti. Then after Haec autem we have supplied from codices F H (P bb by a second hand) the words sunt sex, quorum. After a little, for quae his the Vatican edition [reads] quae tria in corde his sequentibus.
6b
Cfr. tom. III. pag. 84, nota 2, ubi allata sunt verba Hugonis, quibus haec ratio exponitur.
Cf. vol. III, page 84, note 2, where the words of Hugh are cited, by which this reasoning is expounded.
7b
Psalm. 50, 19. — Seq. textus est Rom. 12, 1. Plures codd. Offeratis pro Exhibeatis, cui voci codd. G I praemittunt Obsecro vos, ut.
Psalm 50[51]:19. — The following text is Romans 12:1. Several codices [read] Offeratis ["Offer"] for Exhibeatis ["Present"], before which word codices G I prefix Obsecro vos, ut ["I beseech you, that"].
8b
Cod. K institutio, quae lectio congruit cum praemissis.
Codex K [reads] institutio ["institution"], which reading agrees with what precedes.
9b
Libr. I. de Sacram. p. XI. c. 4, ubi ostendit, quod homo divina inspiratione instructus sit ad decimas [quare decimam, non nonam etc.] offerendas et dicit: Primum igitur ante Legem parvulos consilio nutrivit; postea sub Lege exercitatos praecepto tentavit; novissime sub gratia perfectos in libertate spiritus ambulare permittit. — Pro nutrivit cod. N erudivit, Vat. erudivit vel nutrivit.
Book I of On the Sacraments, Part XI, ch. 4, where he shows that man was instructed by divine inspiration to offer tithes [hence a tenth, not a ninth, etc.] and says: "First, therefore, before the Law, He nourished the little ones by counsel; afterward under the Law He tried the trained by precept; most recently under grace He permits the perfect to walk in liberty of spirit." — For nutrivit codex N [reads] erudivit, the Vatican edition erudivit vel nutrivit.
10b
Cfr. supra p. I. q. 5, ubi simile de Sacramentis veteris legis ostenditur. — Superius ante notandum multi codd. omittunt Et, codd. A G legunt Notandum enim, cod. Z Notandum tamen. Subinde pro curandi codd. K aa et ed. a mundandi, Vat. mundandi seu curandi, et pro iustificandi cod. N vivificandi.
Cf. above, Part I, q. 5, where the like is shown concerning the Sacraments of the old law. — Above, before notandum many codices omit Et, codices A G read Notandum enim, codex Z Notandum tamen. Then for curandi codices K aa and edition a [read] mundandi, the Vatican edition mundandi seu curandi, and for iustificandi codex N [reads] vivificandi.
11b
Codd. F H non erant ex se imposita.
Codices F H [read] non erant ex se imposita.