Dist. 14, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 14
Quaestio II. Utrum perfecta poenitentia restituat in pristinum gradum.
Secundo quaeritur, utrum perfecta poenitentia restituat in pristinum gradum. Et quod sic, videtur:
1. Augustinus in libro Quinque Responsionum4: «Poenitentia est res quaedam optima et perfecta, omnes defectus revocans ad perfectum1»; sed si non revocaret in gradum pristinum, non esset perfecta revocatio: ergo etc.
2. Item, ratione videtur: quia peccator Deum offendit, non tantum quia contra eius imperium facit, sed etiam in hoc, quod se, servum suum et eius imaginem3, deformat
et peiorem reddit: ergo non potest perfecte reconciliari, quamdiu aliquid manet minus bene quam ante, quia non tantum Deo restituit, quantum abstulit.
3. Item, perfectus medicus perfectum largitur antidotum; sed perfectum antidotum non est, nisi pristinam plene restituat sanitatem: cum ergo Dominus sit perfectus medicus animarum, patet etc.
4. Item, Dominus, cum sanavit in corpore, semper restituit sanitatem pristinam perfecte, ergo similiter, cum sanat in spiritu2; sed sanat in spiritu per poenitentiam: ergo poenitentia perfecta restituit in pristinam sanitatem.
Contra: 1. Possibile est, ut dictum est5, resurgere in minori caritate et in eadem suam perficere poenitentiam: ergo poenitentia perfecta non restituit semper in sanitatem pristinam.
2. Item, aliquis per peccatum amisit virginitatem; sed impossibile est, ipsum ulterius virginem fieri: ergo impossibile est per poenitentiam in statum pristinum redire.
3. Item, gloria magna est homini in hoc, quod nunquam offendit Deum; sed eum qui poenitet post peccatum, necesse est Dominum offendisse: ergo nunquam in statum pristinum et gloriam redibit.
4. Item, potentior est baptismus et efficacior quam poenitentia; sed baptismus nunquam reparat omnes defectus, quos incurreramus per originale — quod patet, quia remanet quadruplex poena animae et poena corporis multiplex — ergo nec poenitentia restituet omnia quae incurrimus per actuale.
Conclusio. Poenitentia et in duratione et in fervore perfecta restituit sanitatem, sed tantum quoad substantiam.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod poenitentia perfecta potest considerari dupliciter: aut quantum ad durationem, aut quantum ad durationem et fervorem. Si quantum ad durationem, ut scilicet ieiunet, quamdiu imponitur, et compleat quod sibi imponitur secundum rectam taxationem sacerdotis; non est necesse restitui in statum pristinum, quia ita negligenter potest exsequi, quod non praeparat se ad tantam gratiam quantam amisit. Si autem sit perfecta quantum ad fervorem et durationem; sic dico, quod si ita ferventer poenitet et dolet de culpa, secundum quod congruit ei qui de tanto statu cecidit, credo, quod per hanc redit in pristinam sanitatem. Et de hac intelligit Augustinus, et concurrunt praedictae rationes, quia antidotum illud operatur secundum congruentiam suscipientis. — Intelligendum est tamen, quod dupliciter est loqui de sanitate: aut quantum ad substantiam habituum gratiae et habilitatum naturalium6; et sic restituit in sanitatem pristinam. Est etiam loqui quantum ad aliquem statum sive integritatem vel decorem accidentalem, et quantum ad hoc non est necesse restitui; et haec est continuatio innocentiae et integritatis carnis etc.
1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod potest in minori resurgere et poenitentiam perficere; dicendum, quod si non negligenter perficit poenitentiam, ad ulteriorem gratiam se disponit.
2. 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de virginitate et gloria illa de innocentia; dicendum, quod quantum ad hoc non restituit, sed quantum ad omne quod fuit substantiale circa meritum.
4. Ad illud quod obiicitur de baptismo, quod non restituit; dicendum, quod verum est; et ratio huius est, quia sanat tantum personam; sed originale inficit et naturam et personam: et ideo non omnes poenae tolluntur7. Non sic autem est in poenitentia; ipsa enim sanat morbum personalem tantum, et ideo totaliter et omnino sanat, cum perfecta est8.
Scholion in articulum II (q. 1–3) cum Quaestione I huius articuli editur. — The scholion on this article (covering questions 1–3) is rendered with Question I of this article.
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Question II. Whether perfect penance restores [a person] to the pristine degree.
Secondly it is asked whether perfect penance restores [a person] to the pristine degree. And that it does, seems to be the case:
1. Augustine in the book Five Responses4: «Penance is a certain best and perfect thing, recalling all defects to the perfect1»; but if it did not recall [one] to the pristine degree, it would not be a perfect recalling: therefore etc.
2. Likewise, it seems [so] by reason: because the sinner offends God not only because he acts against His command, but also in this, that he deforms3 himself, His servant and His image,
and renders [it] worse: therefore he cannot be perfectly reconciled, so long as anything remains less good than before, because he does not restore as much to God as he took away.
3. Likewise, a perfect physician bestows a perfect antidote; but it is not a perfect antidote unless it fully restores the pristine health: since therefore the Lord is the perfect physician of souls, it is clear etc.
4. Likewise, the Lord, when He healed in the body, always restored the pristine health perfectly, therefore likewise when He heals in the spirit2; but He heals in the spirit through penance: therefore perfect penance restores [one] to the pristine health.
On the contrary: 1. It is possible, as has been said5, to rise again in a lesser charity and to complete one's penance in the same [charity]: therefore perfect penance does not always restore [one] to the pristine health.
2. Likewise, someone has lost virginity through sin; but it is impossible for him to become a virgin again: therefore it is impossible through penance to return to the pristine state.
3. Likewise, it is a great glory to a person in this, that he has never offended God; but he who repents after sin must necessarily have offended the Lord: therefore he will never return to the pristine state and glory.
4. Likewise, baptism is more powerful and more efficacious than penance; but baptism never repairs all the defects which we had incurred through original [sin] — which is clear, because a fourfold penalty of the soul and a manifold penalty of the body remains — therefore neither will penance restore all [the things] which we incur through actual [sin].
Conclusion. Penance perfect both in duration and in fervor restores health, but only as to substance.
I respond: It must be said that perfect penance can be considered in two ways: either as to duration, or as to duration and fervor. If as to duration, namely that he fast as long as it is imposed, and complete what is imposed on him according to the right assessment of the priest; it is not necessary to be restored to the pristine state, because he can carry it out so negligently that he does not prepare himself for as much grace as he lost. But if it is perfect as to fervor and duration; thus I say that if he repents and grieves over the fault so fervently as befits one who has fallen from so great a state, I believe that through this he returns to the pristine health. And of this Augustine understands [it], and the aforesaid reasons concur, because that antidote operates according to the fittingness of the recipient. — It must nevertheless be understood that there is a twofold way of speaking of health: either as to the substance of the habits of grace and of the natural capacities6; and thus it restores [one] to the pristine health. There is also a way of speaking as to some state or integrity or accidental beauty, and as to this it is not necessary to be restored; and this is the continuation of innocence and of the integrity of the flesh etc.
1. To the objection, then, that one can rise again in a lesser [charity] and complete penance; it must be said that, if he completes the penance not negligently, he disposes himself toward further grace.
2. 3. To the objection concerning virginity and that glory of innocence; it must be said that as to this it does not restore [it], but [it does] as to everything that was substantial concerning merit.
4. To the objection concerning baptism, that it does not restore [all things]; it must be said that it is true; and the reason for this is that it heals only the person; but original [sin] infects both the nature and the person: and therefore not all penalties are removed7. But it is not so in penance; for it heals only the personal disease, and therefore it heals totally and entirely, when it is perfect8.
The scholion on this article (covering questions 1–3) is rendered with Question I of this article. — Scholion in articulum II (q. 1–3) cum Quaestione I huius articuli editur.
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- 1Rom. 5, 20.Romans 5:20.
- 2Infra q. 3.Below, q. 3.
- 3Ita codd. N aa, alii nobilitatis, Vat. virtutis nobilitatem.Thus codices N aa, others [read] nobilitatis, the Vatican [edition] virtutis nobilitatem.
- 4Sive Hypognosticon III. c. 9. Cfr. supra pag. 320, nota 1.Or the Hypognosticon III, c. 9. Cf. above, p. 320, note 1.
- 5Vide supra pag. 53, nota 4. Cfr. d. 4. p. I. a. 1. — Pro incurreramus plures codd. incurrimus.See above, p. 53, note 4. Cf. d. 4, p. I, a. 1. — For incurreramus several codices [read] incurrimus.
- 6Cfr. II. Sent. d. 35. a. 1. q. 1. in corp. — Edd. cum aliquot codd. ad substantiam et habitum gratiae et habilitatem naturalium. In fine corp. post et haec supple sanitas. Pro integritatis codd. F L O X (bb a secunda manu) integritas.Cf. Sentences II, d. 35, a. 1, q. 1, in the body. — The editions, with some codices, [read] ad substantiam et habitum gratiae et habilitatem naturalium. At the end of the body, after et haec supply sanitas. For integritatis codices F L O X (bb in a second hand) [read] integritas.
- 7Ut dictum est supra d. 4. p. I. a. 1. q. 2. in corp. et ad 3. pro parte negativa.As was said above, d. 4, p. I, a. 1, q. 2, in the body and ad 3, on the negative side.
- 8Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.See the scholion on the preceding question. ---