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Dist. 12, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 3

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 12

Textus Latinus
p. 292

Quaestio III. Quae sit efficacia huius Sacramenti.

Tertio quaeritur, quae sit efficacia huius Sacramenti. Et dicit Magister1, quod est venialium remissio et augmentatio virtutum. Et quod ita sit, videtur.

1. Innocentius2: « Eucharistia liberat a malo et conservat in bono, delet venialia et cavet mortalia ». « Huius etiam virtute Sacramenti universae virtutes augentur, et omnium gratiarum fructus exuberant ».

2. Item, ratione videtur: quia hoc dicitur esse Sacramentum unionis; aut ergo quia de novo unit, aut quia magis unit. Non quia de novo unit3: ergo quia magis unit; sed si magis unit: ergo auget virtutes.

3. Item, si magis unit, ergo repugnat ei quod minus; sed hoc est veniale, quia Augustinus4: « Minus te amat qui tecum aliquid amat », et hoc dicitur de veniali: ergo etc.

4. Item, « caro Christi est sicut carbo ignitus5 »; sed carbonis igniti est pellere frigus et intendere calorem: ergo hoc Sacramentum reprimit motus frigidos culpae et intendit motus vivos gratiae: ergo delet et auget.

5. Item, hoc Sacramentum quotidie offertur: ergo si non frustra est, dat ergo aliquid quo quotidie indigemus; sed illud quo quotidie indigemus, est liberatio a veniali malo et profectus in bono, quia caritas aut deficit, aut proficit6: ergo etc.

Contra: 1. Unius Sacramenti unus debet esse effectus praecipuus: ergo non est ad hos duos effectus praedictos.

Item, quod non sit ad remissionem venialium, contra ostenditur:

2. Primo: quia qui accedit ad hoc Sacramentum aut accedit contritus, aut non. Si contritus: ergo remissa est sibi culpa; si non contritus: ergo remanet culpa: ergo nullum habet eucharistia effectum super venialia. Si dicas, quod contritio non semper sufficit; esto quod tanta sit, quod sufficiat, tunc non habebit hoc Sacramentum effectum, et tamen melius est dispositus.

p. 293

3. Item, si effectus huius Sacramenti est deletio venialium: ergo qui peccat venialiter irritat effectum eius, sicut qui peccat mortaliter irritat effectum baptismi; sed homo habet necesse peccare venialiter7, ergo et hoc Sacramentum irritare: ergo nunquam accipi debet, quia nunquam debet quis contumeliam huic Sacramento inferre.

Item, quod augmentum virtutum non sit effectus huius Sacramenti, videtur:

4. Quia, si hoc, tunc ergo valde cito fieret aliquis perfectus, qui hoc Sacramentum quotidie recipit; sed hoc videmus esse falsum: ergo etc.

5. Item, augmentum virtutum est effectus baptismi et confirmationis, sicut supra dixit Magister8, et similiter remissio venialium: non ergo huius Sacramenti.

Conclusio. Efficacia huius Sacramenti est unitos magis unire triplici modo.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod cum hoc Sacramentum sit unionis, effectus eius primus aut est unire, aut magis unire; sed non de novo unire, ut supra9 ostensum est, sed iam unitos magis unire. Magis autem unire est tripliciter: aut quia quis unitur maiori vinculo, ut ille magis unitur, qui maiorem habet caritatem; aut quia eodem vinculo unitur strictius, ut ille qui secundum eundem habitum ferventius amat; aut quia eodem firmius, ut ille qui in eodem habitu est magis radicatus10. — Dicitur ergo hoc Sacramentum magis unire, quia digne accedentem reddit ferventiorem, ut carbo ignitus; et iterum, reddit fortiorem, ut bonus cibus. Et ex hoc, quod reddit caritatem magis ignitam, adiuvat ad consumendam peccati venialis rubiginem; ex hoc quod magis firmat, adiuvat ad vitandum omnia scelera; et ratione utriusque valet ad augmentum virtutum, et maxime caritatis, quae est vinculum11, non quantum ad essentiam, sed quantum ad fervorem, vel radicationem. Fervor enim minuitur quotidie per venialia et radicatio; ideo oportet, per hunc cibum restaurari deperditum. — Ex his patent obiecta. Nam rationes ad primam partem sunt concedendae.

1. Quod vero obiicit, quod unius Sacramenti12 unus est effectus; dicendum, quod verum est, primus; et ille est magis unire, et per illum habet hos duos consequentes.

2. Ad illud vero quod obiicitur, quod venialia delentur in contritione; dicendum, quod iste non est effectus primus, sed ex consequenti fit, quando homo indiget; ut puta quando fervor caritatis per se non est ita intensus, quod peccata venialia deleat, adiungitur carbo divinus, per quem vigoratur, et vigorata delet venialia; nihilominus tamen, si non habet venialia, caritatis fervor vigoratur.

3. Ad aliud dicendum, quod non irritatur huius Sacramenti effectus per aliquod veniale: quia veniale non tollit gratiam, sicut mortale tollit; et possibile est, unum veniale remitti, altero non remisso13. Unde veniale nec irritat antecedenter faciendo fictum, nec consequenter evacuando fructum; nec oportet, alia venialia deleri, sed secundum quod homo melius se disponit, et caritas contra illa vigoratur; unde plus et minus in diversis.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur de augmento, dicendum, quod augmentum intelligitur quantum ad fervorem, non quantum ad essentiam. Et quantum ad fervorem non omnes ita procedunt propter multa venialia, quae committunt, quae illum diminuunt.

5. Ultimum manifestum est, quia neuter horum est primus et proprius effectus huius Sacramenti, sed magis unire, ut visum est14.

Scholion

Cf. the scholion rendered with Articulus I, Quaestio I (`bon-sent-IV-d12-p2-a1-q1`), which covers the questions of this article together. Footnote 8 of p. 293 above expressly refers the reader there: Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.

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English Translation

Question III. What is the efficacy of this Sacrament.

Thirdly it is asked what is the efficacy of this Sacrament. And the Master says1 that it is the remission of venial sins and the augmentation of the virtues. And that it is so, it seems.

1. Innocent2: "The Eucharist frees from evil and preserves in good, blots out venial [sins] and guards against mortal [ones]." "By the power of this Sacrament also all the virtues are increased, and the fruits of all graces abound."

2. Likewise, by reason it seems so: because this is said to be the Sacrament of union; either therefore because it unites anew, or because it unites more. Not because it unites anew3: therefore because it unites more; but if it unites more: therefore it increases the virtues.

3. Likewise, if it unites more, then that which [unites] less is repugnant to it; but this is venial [sin], because Augustine [says]4: "He loves you less who loves anything together with you," and this is said of the venial: therefore, etc.

4. Likewise, "the flesh of Christ is like a burning coal5"; but it belongs to a burning coal to drive away cold and to intensify heat: therefore this Sacrament represses the cold motions of fault and intensifies the living motions of grace: therefore it blots out and augments.

5. Likewise, this Sacrament is offered daily: therefore, if it is not in vain, it gives therefore something of which we have daily need; but that of which we have daily need is liberation from venial evil and advance in good, because charity either falls away or advances6: therefore, etc.

On the contrary: 1. Of one Sacrament there ought to be one principal effect: therefore it is not [ordered] to these two aforesaid effects.

Likewise, that it is not [ordered] to the remission of venial [sins], is shown on the contrary:

2. First: because he who approaches this Sacrament either approaches contrite or not. If contrite: then the fault has been remitted to him; if not contrite: then the fault remains: therefore the Eucharist has no effect upon venial [sins]. If you say that contrition is not always sufficient; granted that it be so great that it suffices, then this Sacrament will have no effect, and yet he is better disposed.

3. Likewise, if the effect of this Sacrament is the blotting out of venial [sins]: then he who sins venially nullifies its effect, just as he who sins mortally nullifies the effect of baptism; but a man is necessarily bound to sin venially7, therefore [he is bound] also to nullify this Sacrament: therefore it ought never to be received, because no one ought ever to offer insult to this Sacrament.

Likewise, that the augmentation of the virtues is not the effect of this Sacrament, it seems:

4. Because, if this [were so], then someone who receives this Sacrament daily would very quickly become perfect; but we see this to be false: therefore, etc.

5. Likewise, the augmentation of the virtues is the effect of baptism and confirmation, as the Master said above8, and likewise the remission of venial [sins]: therefore not of this Sacrament.

Conclusion. The efficacy of this Sacrament is to unite the already-united more closely in a threefold way.

Respondeo: It must be said that, since this Sacrament is [a Sacrament] of union, its first effect is either to unite or to unite more; but not to unite anew, as was shown above9, but to unite more those already united. Now to unite more is [done] in three ways: either because someone is united by a greater bond, as he is united more who has greater charity; or because he is united by the same bond more closely, as he who according to the same habit loves more fervently; or because [he is united] by the same [bond] more firmly, as he who is more rooted in the same habit10. — This Sacrament is therefore said to unite more because it renders the one who worthily approaches more fervent, like a burning coal; and again, it renders him stronger, like good food. And from this, that it renders charity more enkindled, it helps toward the consuming of the rust of venial sin; from this, that it strengthens more, it helps toward the avoiding of all crimes; and by reason of both it avails toward the augmentation of the virtues, and especially of charity, which is the bond11, not as regards essence, but as regards fervor or rootedness. For fervor is daily diminished through venial [sins], and [so is] rootedness; therefore it is necessary that what is lost be restored through this food. — From these things the objections are clear. For the reasons [adduced] for the first part are to be granted.

1. As to what is objected, that of one Sacrament12 there is one effect; it must be said that this is true [of] the first [effect]; and that is to unite more, and through it [the Sacrament] has these two as consequents.

2. To that which is objected, that venial [sins] are blotted out in contrition; it must be said that this is not the first effect, but comes about as a consequence, when a man has need; as for instance when the fervor of charity is not of itself so intense as to blot out venial sins, the divine coal is joined [to it], by which it is invigorated, and once invigorated it blots out the venial [sins]; nevertheless, even if he has no venial [sins], the fervor of charity is invigorated.

3. To the other it must be said that the effect of this Sacrament is not nullified by any venial [sin]: because the venial does not take away grace, as the mortal takes [it] away; and it is possible for one venial [sin] to be remitted while another is not remitted13. Hence the venial neither nullifies antecedently by producing pretense, nor consequently by emptying out the fruit; nor is it necessary that other venial [sins] be blotted out, but according as a man better disposes himself, charity is invigorated against them; whence there is more and less in different [persons].

4. To that which is objected concerning augmentation, it must be said that the augmentation is understood as regards fervor, not as regards essence. And as regards fervor not all advance in this way, on account of the many venial [sins] which they commit, which diminish it.

5. The last is manifest, because neither of these is the first and proper effect of this Sacrament, but [rather] to unite more, as has been seen14.

Scholion

See the scholion rendered with Article I, Question I (`bon-sent-IV-d12-p2-a1-q1`), which treats the questions of this article together. Footnote 8 of p. 293 above expressly refers the reader there: See the scholion on question 1 of this article.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Hic in lit. c. 6.
    Here in the text [of the Master], c. 6.
  2. 2
    Libr. IV. de Sacro Altaris mysterio, c. 44, ubi textus originalis et confirmat pro et conservat. Secundus textus habetur ibid. paulo superius: Per huius ergo Sacramenti virtutem universae... fructus exuberant. — Plurimi codd. exuberat.
    Book IV On the sacred mystery of the Altar, c. 44, where the original text [reads] and confirms for and preserves. The second text is found in the same place a little above: Through the power, therefore, of this Sacrament all... the fruits abound. — Very many codices [read] abounds.
  3. 3
    Vide quaest. praeced.
    See the preceding question.
  4. 4
    Libr. X. Confess. c. 29. n. 40.
    Book X Confessions c. 29, n. 40.
  5. 5
    Ut dicit Damasc., IV. de Fide orthod. c. 13. Cfr. supra pag. 188, nota 4.
    As Damascene says, IV On the orthodox faith c. 13. Cf. above p. 188, note 4.
  6. 6
    Bernard., Serm. 35. de Diversis, n. 2. dicit, quod « unum necesse sit e duobus, aut proficere scilicet, aut prorsus deficere ». Cfr. tom. III. pag. 661, nota 6. De ipso arg. vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 6.
    Bernard, Sermon 35 On Various Subjects, n. 2, says that "one of two [things] is necessary, namely either to advance or to fall away utterly." Cf. vol. III, p. 661, note 6. Concerning this argument see here the text of the Master, c. 6.
  7. 7
    Cfr. infra dub. 4. nec non II. Sent. d. 36. dub. 4, et magis explicite d. 41. a. 2. q. 1. — Finem arg. insinuat August., l. de Baptismo contra Donatistas, c. 1. n. 2: Nulli enim Sacramento iniuria facienda est.
    Cf. below dub. 4, and also II Sent. d. 36. dub. 4, and more explicitly d. 41. a. 2. q. 1. — The end of the argument Augustine intimates, On Baptism, against the Donatists, bk. 1, c. 1, n. 2: For no injury is to be done to a Sacrament.
  8. 8
    Dist. III. c. 9; d. IV. c. 5. et c. VII. c. 4.
    Distinction III, c. 9; d. IV, c. 5, and c. VII, c. 4.
  9. 9
    Quaest. praeced.
    The preceding question.
  10. 10
    Cfr. II. Sent. d. 27. a. 2. q. 2. ad 2.
    Cf. II Sent. d. 27. a. 2. q. 2. ad 2.
  11. 11
    Col. 3, 14: Vinculum perfectionis. — De modo, quo augetur et minuitur, cfr. I. Sent. d. 17. p. II. q. 2. seq.
    Col. 3, 14: The bond of perfection. — Concerning the manner in which it is increased and diminished, cf. I Sent. d. 17. p. II. q. 2 ff.
  12. 12
    Ex codd. F G H U supplevimus unius Sacramenti.
    From codices F G H U we have supplied of one Sacrament.
  13. 13
    Cfr. infra d. 15. p. I. q. 2. ad 3; d. 21. p. I. a. 1. q. 1. et q. 2. ad 5. — In fine solut. cod. II, variata interpunctione, legit: vigoratur secundum plus et minus in diversis.
    Cf. below d. 15. p. I. q. 2. ad 3; d. 21. p. I. a. 1. q. 1. and q. 2. ad 5. — At the end of the solution codex II, with altered punctuation, reads: is invigorated according to more and less in different [persons].
  14. 14
    Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.
    See the scholion on question 1 of this article.
Cited by

9 places in the Opera Omnia citethis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

Whether every priest can confect [the Eucharist]
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 13
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Whether contrition can be intensified
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 16
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
What is to be confessed
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 17
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Whether venial sins can be destroyed by grace without contrition or interior pain
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 21
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Whether the Sacrament of extreme unction is principally ordained to bodily illness or to spiritual
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 23
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. XXIII)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 23
supra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. VII)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 7
infra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Whether the Sacrament of the eucharist ought to have been instituted from the beginning
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 8
infra d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. VIII, Part I)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 8
d. 12. p. II. a. 1. q. 3.

3 further references address the article or printed page this question belongs to, rather than the question itself.

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