Dist. 22, Art. 3, Q. 1
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 22
Articulus III. De poenitentia, prout habet rationem fundamenti.
Consequenter ad intelligentiam omnium eorum, quae dicta sunt in hoc tractatu de poenitentia, quaeritur de poenitentia, secundum quod habet rationem fundamenti. Et circa hoc duo quaeruntur. Primo quaeritur de ratione fundamenti in se. Secundo vero, in relatione ad rationem tabulae.
Quaestio I. Utrum poenitentia habeat in se rationem fundamenti.
Quantum ad primum ostenditur, quod poenitentia teneat rationem fundamenti.
1. Ad Hebraeos sexto1: Non rursus iacientes fundamentum poenitentiae ab operibus mortuis.
2. Item, Glossa2: «Quod prius dixit inchoationis sermonem nunc vocat fundamentum»; sed in sermone, quo eruditur veniens ad Christum, poenitentia est fundamentum; quod patet per illum excellentem doctorem Ioannem, qui praedicavit poenitentiam; patet etiam per Doctorem doctorum qui incepit praedicationem suam ab hoc verbo, Matthaei quarto: Agite poenitentiam; Glossa: «Poenitentia est prima virtus», quia ibi dicitur: «Prima virtus est per poenitentiam perimere veterem hominem».
3. Item, impossibile est domum Dei aedificare in corde, nisi destruatur aedificium satanae, et ipse expellatur; sed hoc primo fit per introductionem poenitentiae3: ergo videtur, quod poenitentia primo sternitur: ergo ipsa est fundamentum.
Contra: 1. Primae ad Corinthios tertio4: Fundamentum aliud nemo ponere potest praeter id quod positum est, quod est Christus: ergo si Christus solus est fundamentum; et poenitentia non est Christus: patet etc.
2. Item, ad Hebraeos undecimo5: Fides est substantia sperandarum rerum; Glossa: «Est fundamentum omnium bonorum»; sed non sunt duo fundamenta: ergo etc.
3. Item, poenitentia et impoenitentia sunt opposita; sed impoenitentia est consummatio aedificii diabolici: ergo non fundamentum: ergo per oppositum videtur, quod poenitentia sit consummatio aedificii Iesu Christi, non fundamentum.
Item, quaeritur de numero et ordine eorum quae ponuntur in fundamento ab Apostolo. Ponit enim duas virtutes, cum dicit6: Non rursus iacientes fundamentum poenitentiae ab operibus mortuis et fidei ad Deum; tangit enim duo Sacramenta, cum dicit: Baptismatum doctrinae, impositionis quoque manuum; duos articulos fidei, cum dicit: Resurrectionis mortuorum et iudicii aeterni. Cum multo plures sint virtutes, et multo plura sint Sacramenta, et etiam articuli; quaeritur: quare haec tantum enumerat?
Item, quaeritur iuxta hoc, cum fundamentum dicatur Christus, primae ad Corinthios tertio7: Fundamentum nemo aliud etc.; dicatur etiam poenitentia in auctoritate praedicta; dicatur etiam fides, ad Hebraeos undecimo, in textu et Glossa; dicatur caritas, ad Ephesios tertio: In caritate radicati et fundati; dicatur humilitas, secundum Gregorium, qui dicit in Moralibus: «Totum ruinae crescit quod aedificas, si ante molem fabricae humilitatis fundamenta non curas»8; dicatur patientia, secundum Prudentium dicentem:
Nam minor est virtus, quam non patientia firmat;
secundum quam communem naturam in his repertam dicitur potius fundamentum de his quam de aliis?
Conclusio. Poenitentia habet rationem fundamenti, secundum quod peccatori accedenti ad Christum removet prohibens.
Respondeo: Ad illud ultimum quaesitum intelligendum notandum, quod fundamentum dicitur
dupliciter: uno modo locus, in quo aedificium stabilitur, et hoc modo dicitur Christus fundamentum; et hoc bene notatur in Glossa, primae ad Corinthios tertio9, ubi dicitur, quod sicut totum aedificium materiale tendit deorsum, quia locus fundans est deorsum; sic spirituale aedificium tendit sursum, quia Christus Dominus, qui fundamentum est spiritualis aedificii, est sursum. — Alio modo dicitur fundamentum illud, secundum quod res locatur et stabilitur in suo sustentaculo; et hoc potest esse tripliciter: aut illud, per quod prohibens removetur; aut illud, per quod ibi locatur; aut illud, per quod confirmatur et stabilitur. Si est illud, per quod removetur prohibens; sic est poenitentia, quae removet peccati immunditiam, super quam erat constructa machina diabolica. Si autem sit ut collocans; sed duo sunt in nobis, per quae nati sumus locari et tendere ad locum nostrum, scilicet intellectus et affectus: intellectus locatur in Christo per fidem, et affectus locatur et conglutinatur per caritatem; et ideo non tantum dicit Apostolus: In caritate fundati, verum etiam radicati. Si autem sit ut defendens et roborans; aut contra ventum prosperitatis, aut contra ventum adversitatis: si contra ventum prosperitatis, est humilitas; si contra ventum adversitatis, est patientia sive fortitudo. Et sic per hoc fundatur supra firmam petram10 ipsa anima. Et sic patet, quod ratio fundamenti de omnibus dicitur secundum quandam analogiam, quae ortum et radicem habet in Christo.
Ad illud ergo quod quaeritur, utrum poenitentia sit fundamentum; dicendum, quod sic, accedenti ad Christum de regione dissimilitudinis sive peccati11.
1. 2. Et patet responsio etiam ad illud quod obiicitur de fide et de Christo.
3. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur de impoenitentia, dicendum, quod quia privative opponitur, et in privative oppositis tenet consequentia e contrario, non in ipso12, sicut patet in compositione rei et resolutione, quia quod est primum in componendo ultimum est in resolvendo; ideo haec ratio potius facit ad oppositum quam ad propositum.
Ad illud quod quaeritur de numero et ordine eorum quae ponuntur in fundamento; dicendum, quod Apostolus, sicut dicit Glossa13, vocat fundamentum sermonem inchoationis, id est sermonem qui debet fieri his qui ad Christum sunt vocandi primo. In hoc autem sermone sex comprehendit, quae habet necessario cognoscere, si quis vult ad legem Christianorum introire et per hanc ad vitam venire. Oportet enim volenti ad Deum pertingere, quod sciat quo debet tendere et adiutorium, per quod potest pervenire; et viam, per quam debet incedere. Terminus est praemium, adiutorium est Sacramentum, via est virtus sive virtutis opus, quod est praeceptum; et haec tria scire oportet volenti ad Deum pervenire, secundum illud Hugonis14, quod tria sunt maxime attendenda: «praecepta, Sacramenta, promissa». — Via igitur est in virtutibus; et quoniam ad hoc, quod recta via procedat, necesse habet declinare a malo et tendere in bonum15; ideo dupliciter ponit virtutem: unam, per quam declinatur a malo, et haec est poenitentia; aliam, per quam tenditur in bonum, et haec est fides tendens in Deum per dilectionem, quae sequitur poenitentiam quantum ad tendentiam, licet antecedat quantum ad cognitionem. — Adiutorium similiter oportet duplex saltem esse: unum, quod liberat a malo, et hoc est Sacramentum baptismi, in quo delentur peccata; alterum, quod confirmat in bono, et hoc est confirmatio sive manuum impositio. — Similiter retributionem duplicem oportet cognoscere, scilicet bonorum et malorum: bonorum, per resurrectionem mortuorum immutandorum16 per gloriam; malorum, per iudicium aeternum.
Haec oportuit primo praedicari, et inter prima haec primo poenitentiam. Et sic patet numerus et ordo; et nostra etiam est instructio, qualiter docere debemus eos qui de novo veniunt ad legem Christi.
I. Duas huius articuli quaestiones pauci explicite tractant. De 1. quaestione: Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 14. m. 4. a. 1. 2. — S. Thom., supra d. 14. q. 1. a. 2. quaestiunc. 3; S. III. q. 84. a. 6. ad 2. — Richard. a Med., supra d. 14. a. 10. q. 1. ad 1.
II. De 2. quaestione cfr. supra d. 14. p. I. dub. 1. — De eadem: Alex. Hal., loc. cit. a. 3. — S. Thom., supra d. 14. loc. cit. quaestiunc. 4; S. art. cit. — B. Albert., supra d. 14. a. 2. — Richard. a Med., supra d. 14. circa lit. — Dionys. Carth., supra d. 14. q. 2. circa med.
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Article III. On penance, insofar as it has the character of a foundation.
Next, for the understanding of all the things that have been said in this treatise on penance, penance is inquired into insofar as it has the character of a foundation. And concerning this two things are inquired into. First it is asked about the character of a foundation in itself. Second, however, about it in relation to the character of a plank.
Question I. Whether penance has in itself the character of a foundation.
As to the first, it is shown that penance holds the character of a foundation.
1. To the Hebrews, chapter six1: Not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works.
2. Likewise, the Gloss2: «What earlier it called the discourse of the beginning it now calls the foundation»; but in the discourse by which one coming to Christ is instructed, penance is the foundation; which is clear through that excellent teacher John, who preached penance; it is clear also through the Teacher of teachers, who began his preaching from this word, Matthew four: Do penance; the Gloss: «Penance is the first virtue», because there it is said: «The first virtue is to destroy the old man through penance».
3. Likewise, it is impossible to build the house of God in the heart unless the building of Satan be destroyed and he himself be expelled; but this is first done through the introduction of penance3: therefore it seems that penance is first laid down: therefore it is itself the foundation.
On the contrary: 1. First to the Corinthians, chapter three4: No one can lay another foundation besides that which has been laid, which is Christ: therefore if Christ alone is the foundation; and penance is not Christ: it is evident, etc.
2. Likewise, to the Hebrews, chapter eleven5: Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for; the Gloss: «It is the foundation of all good things»; but there are not two foundations: therefore, etc.
3. Likewise, penance and impenitence are opposites; but impenitence is the consummation of the diabolical building: therefore it is not a foundation: therefore, by the opposite, it seems that penance is the consummation of the building of Jesus Christ, not a foundation.
Likewise, it is asked about the number and the order of the things that are placed in the foundation by the Apostle. For he places two virtues, when he says6: Not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works and of faith toward God; for he touches on two Sacraments, when he says: Of the doctrine of baptisms, of the imposition also of hands; two articles of faith, when he says: Of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. Since the virtues are far more numerous, and the Sacraments far more, and also the articles; it is asked: why does he enumerate only these?
Likewise, it is asked in connection with this, since the foundation is said to be Christ, first to the Corinthians, chapter three7: No other foundation etc.; and penance too is said [to be a foundation] in the aforesaid authority; faith too is said [to be one], to the Hebrews, chapter eleven, in the text and the Gloss; charity too is said [to be one], to the Ephesians, chapter three: Rooted and founded in charity; humility is said [to be one], according to Gregory, who says in the Morals: «The whole of what you build grows toward ruin if you do not first attend to the foundations of humility before the mass of the structure»8; patience is said [to be one], according to Prudentius, who says:
For that is a lesser virtue which patience does not strengthen;
according to what common nature found in these is it rather called the foundation of these than of others?
Conclusion. Penance has the character of a foundation, insofar as for the sinner coming to Christ it removes what stands in the way.
I respond: For the understanding of that last question, it must be noted that a foundation is spoken of
in two ways: in one way as a place in which the building is stabilized, and in this way Christ is called the foundation; and this is well noted in the Gloss, first to the Corinthians, chapter three9, where it is said that just as the whole material building tends downward, because the founding place is downward; so the spiritual building tends upward, because Christ the Lord, who is the foundation of the spiritual building, is above. — In another way that is called a foundation according to which a thing is set and stabilized in its support; and this can be in a threefold manner: either that by which the impediment is removed; or that by which it is set there; or that by which it is confirmed and stabilized. If it is that by which the impediment is removed, then it is penance, which removes the filth of sin, upon which the diabolical engine had been constructed. If, however, it be as setting in place; but there are two things in us by which we are born to be set and to tend toward our place, namely intellect and affection: intellect is set in Christ through faith, and affection is set and glued fast through charity; and therefore the Apostle says not only founded in charity, but also rooted. If, however, it be as defending and strengthening; either against the wind of prosperity, or against the wind of adversity: if against the wind of prosperity, it is humility; if against the wind of adversity, it is patience or fortitude. And thus by this the soul itself is founded upon the firm rock10. And thus it is clear that the character of a foundation is spoken of all these things according to a certain analogy, which has its origin and root in Christ.
Therefore, to that which is asked, whether penance is a foundation; it must be said that it is so, for one coming to Christ from the region of unlikeness or of sin11.
1. 2. And the response is clear also to that which is objected concerning faith and concerning Christ.
3. Therefore, to that which is objected concerning impenitence, it must be said that, because it is opposed privatively, and in privative opposites the inference from the contrary holds, but not in the thing itself12, as is clear in the composition of a thing and its resolution, because what is first in composing is last in resolving; therefore this argument makes rather for the opposite than for the proposition.
To that which is asked about the number and order of the things that are placed in the foundation; it must be said that the Apostle, as the Gloss says13, calls the foundation the discourse of the beginning, that is, the discourse that must be made to those who are to be called to Christ first. In this discourse, however, he comprehends six things, which one must necessarily know if one wishes to enter the law of Christians and through this to come to life. For it is necessary for one who wishes to reach God that he know whither he ought to tend, and the aid by which he can arrive; and the way by which he ought to proceed. The terminus is the reward, the aid is the Sacrament, the way is virtue or the work of virtue, which is the precept; and these three it behooves one to know who wishes to come to God, according to that saying of Hugh14, that three things are chiefly to be attended to: «precepts, Sacraments, promises». — The way, therefore, is in the virtues; and since, in order that the way may proceed rightly, it must needs turn away from evil and tend toward good15; therefore he places virtue in a twofold manner: one by which one turns away from evil, and this is penance; another by which one tends toward good, and this is faith tending toward God through love, which follows penance as to the tending, although it precedes as to the knowing. — The aid likewise must be at least twofold: one which frees from evil, and this is the Sacrament of baptism, in which sins are blotted out; the other which confirms in good, and this is confirmation, or the imposition of hands. — Likewise, one must know a twofold recompense, namely of the good and of the wicked: of the good, through the resurrection of the dead who are to be changed16 through glory; of the wicked, through the eternal judgment.
These things it behooved to be preached first, and among the first things penance first of all. And thus the number and the order are clear; and it is also for our instruction, as to how we ought to teach those who newly come to the law of Christ.
I. Few treat the two questions of this article explicitly. On the first question: Alexander of Hales, Summa, part IV, q. 14, m. 4, a. 1, 2. — St. Thomas, above, d. 14, q. 1, a. 2, subquestion 3; Summa III, q. 84, a. 6, ad 2. — Richard of Middleton, above, d. 14, a. 10, q. 1, ad 1.
II. On the second question cf. above, d. 14, p. I, dub. 1. — On the same: Alexander of Hales, in the place cited, a. 3. — St. Thomas, above, d. 14, in the place cited, subquestion 4; [Summa,] the article cited. — Bl. Albert, above, d. 14, a. 2. — Richard of Middleton, above, d. 14, near the text [of the Master]. — Dionysius the Carthusian, above, d. 14, q. 2, near the middle.
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- 1Vers. 1. [Hebr. 6, 1.]Verse 1. [Heb. 6:1.]
- 2Glossa est ordinaria apud Strabum et Lyranum. Damasc. in hunc loc. ait: Inchoationem dicit fundamentum... perfectionem vero exstructionem. — Seq. textus est Matth. 3, 2; tertius ibid. 4, 17. De Glossa vide supra pag. 318, nota 1.The Gloss is the ordinary one in Strabus and Lyranus. Damascene on this passage says: he calls the beginning the foundation... but the perfecting the building up. — The following text is Matthew 3:2; the third the same, 4:17. On the Gloss see above, p. 318, note 1.
- 3Cfr. supra pag. 405, nota 8.Cf. above, p. 405, note 8.
- 4Vers. 11. [I Cor. 3, 11.]Verse 11. [1 Cor. 3:11.]
- 5Vers. 1. — Glossa est ordinaria apud Strabum et Lyranum.Verse 1. [Heb. 11:1.] — The Gloss is the ordinary one in Strabus and Lyranus.
- 6Hebr. 6, 1. — Inferius pro tangit enim Vat. tangit etiam.Heb. 6:1. — Below, for tangit enim ("for he touches on") the Vatican [edition reads] tangit etiam ("he also touches on").
- 7Vers. 11. — Seq. locus est Hebr. 11, 1; tertius Eph. 3. [?]Verse 11. [1 Cor. 3:11.] — The following locus is Heb. 11:1; the third, Eph. 3. [?]
- 8Verba Gregor., XXXIV. Moral. c. 23. n. 51, sunt: Soli ergo ruinae crescit quod aedificant, quia ante molem fabricae humilitatis fundamina non procurant (Vat. proiicias). — Versus Prudentii habetur in eius Psychomachia, v. 174 seqq.: Omnibus una comes virtutibus associatur / Auxiliumque suum fortis patientia miscet. / Nulla anceps luctamen init virtute sine ista / Virtus; nam vidua est, quam non patientia firmat. (Alii distinguunt sic: ista. Virtus nam vidua etc.).The words of Gregory, Morals XXXIV, c. 23, n. 51, are: For it grows only toward ruin, what they build, because they do not procure the foundations of humility before the mass of the structure (the Vatican [edition reads] proiicias). — The verse of Prudentius is found in his Psychomachia, v. 174 ff.: One companion is joined as ally to all the virtues, / and brave patience mingles in its help. / No virtue enters the doubtful struggle without her; / for that is widowed which patience does not strengthen. (Others punctuate thus: without her. For that virtue is widowed etc.).
- 9Glossam exhibet Petr. Lombard. in explicatione v. 13-15: Sciendum quoque, quod sicut fundamentum corporalis fabricae est in imo, ita fundamentum spiritualis fabricae est in summo; ideoque, sicut parietum pondus tendit ad ima, ubi est suum fundamentum, ita spiritualis aedificatio tendit ad summa, ubi suum est fundamentum. Nam et ponderum gemina sunt genera, quorum alia ima petunt, ut lapis super aquam positus et aqua super oleum; alia vero summa petunt, ut ignis et oleum... Sic Ecclesia nunc in imo posita tendit ad caelum, ubi fundamentum eius est Christus, sedens ad dexteram Patris.Peter Lombard supplies the Gloss in his explanation of vv. 13-15: It should also be known that just as the foundation of a bodily structure is at the bottom, so the foundation of a spiritual structure is at the top; and therefore, just as the weight of walls tends toward the depths, where its foundation is, so spiritual building tends toward the heights, where its foundation is. For there are also two kinds of weights: some seek the depths, as a stone placed upon water and water upon oil; but others seek the heights, as fire and oil... So the Church, now placed at the bottom, tends toward heaven, where its foundation is Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father.
- 10Respicitur Matth. 7, 24. seq. et Luc. 6, 48.Reference is made to Matthew 7:24 f. and Luke 6:48.
- 11Vide supra d. 14. p. I. a. 2. q. 3.See above, d. 14, p. I, a. 2, q. 3.
- 12Explicationem vide tom. I. pag. 822, nota 1, et tom. II. pag. 920, nota 5. — Aristot., III. Ethic. c. 3: Quod extremum est in resolutione in generatione esse primum videtur. — Cum edd. retinuimus in compositione rei, pro quo codd. vel in destructione, vel in definitione, vel in distinctione.For the explanation see tom. I, p. 822, note 1, and tom. II, p. 920, note 5. — Aristotle, Ethics III, c. 3: What is last in resolution seems to be first in generation. — With the editions we have retained in compositione rei ("in the composition of a thing"), for which the codices [read] either in destructione, or in definitione, or in distinctione.
- 13Hebr. 6, 1. (Cfr. fundam. 2.), quae hanc rationem adiungit: eo quod ad christianam religionem venientibus prius proponitur, ut super hoc quod perfectionis est, aedificetur. Hoc fundamentum dividitur in sex, quae sunt: inchoatio seu poenitentia, fides, baptismatum doctrina, impositio manuum, resurrectio atque iudicium. Quicumque aliquos ad fidem convertit, prius facit poenitere, in Deum credere, baptizari in remissionem, confirmari per impositionem, resurrectionem et diem iudicii praestolari. — Inferius pro sex edd. tria.Heb. 6:1 (cf. foundation-argument 2), which adds this reason: because to those coming to the Christian religion it is first set forth, so that upon this which pertains to the beginning what pertains to perfection may be built. This foundation is divided into six things, which are: the beginning or penance, faith, the doctrine of baptisms, the imposition of hands, resurrection, and judgment. Whoever converts any to the faith first makes them repent, believe in God, be baptized unto remission, be confirmed through the imposition [of hands], and await the resurrection and the day of judgment. — Below, for sex ("six") the editions [read] tria ("three").
- 14Libr. I. de Sacram. p. XII. c. 4, ubi docet, legem scriptam tria continere, scil. «praecepta, Sacramenta, promissa. In praeceptis est meritum, in promissis est praemium, in Sacramentis est adiutorium. Per praecepta eundum fuerat ad promissa». Cfr. eiusd. Sum. tr. 4. c. 2. — Cod. aa Augustini. Superius pro virtus multi codd. et ed. 1 veritas, plures codd. caritas, et pro volenti codd. F G volentem.[Hugh of St. Victor,] Book I On the Sacraments, p. XII, c. 4, where he teaches that the written law contains three things, namely «precepts, Sacraments, promises. In the precepts is merit, in the promises is reward, in the Sacraments is aid. Through the precepts one had to go to the promises». Cf. the same author's Summa, tr. 4, c. 2. — Codex aa [reads] Augustini. Above, for virtus ("virtue") many codices and ed. 1 [read] veritas ("truth"), several codices caritas ("charity"), and for volenti codices F G [read] volentem.
- 15Respicitur Ps. 36, 27: Declina a malo, et fac bonum. Cfr. Ps. 33, 15.Reference is made to Ps. 36:27: Turn away from evil, and do good. Cf. Ps. 33:15.
- 16Epist. I. Cor. 15, 51: Omnes quidem resurgemus, sed non omnes immutabimur. — Edd. remunerandorum.First Epistle to the Corinthians 15:51: We shall all indeed rise again, but we shall not all be changed. — The editions [read] remunerandorum ("of those to be rewarded").