Bonaventure — Opera Omnia

Dist. 3, Part 2, Dubia

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 3

Textus Latinus

p. 89

Dub. I.

In parte ista sunt dubitationes circa litteram, et primo quaeritur de hoc quod dicit Magister: Iam ergo institutus erat baptismus. Videtur enim ex hoc, quod cum institutio baptismi cadat sub praecepto, quod ante passionem tenebantur omnes baptizari: ergo omnes erant transgressores; quod videtur iniquum.

Ad hoc respondet Hugo de sancto Victore¹: « Non est culpandus aliquis, nisi ex culpa sua sit ingratus consilii, aut praecepti; fuit autem Nicodemo revelatum tanquam consilium amico. Cum autem dictum est: Ite, docete omnes gentes baptizantes etc.; omnibus informandis expositum est praecepto. Unusquisque autem ex eo tempore debitor esse coepit, quo ad ipsum per praedicationem institutio pervenit² ».

Dub. II.

Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit, quod baptismus non potest consecrari in alio liquore nisi in aqua. Quaeritur ergo, utrum in omni aqua. Et quod sic, videtur: quia « omnis aqua omni aquae est eadem specie³ »: ergo si data est virtus speciei aquae, non huic vel illi speciali: videtur, quod in omni possit fieri baptismus.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod baptismus institutus est in elemento aquae, quia aqua per suam qualitatem repraesentat gratiam baptismalem⁴. Ad hoc ergo, quod sit baptismus, requiritur, quod salvetur proprietas et species aquae, ut sit aqua naturalis et habens aliquo modo proprietatem lavandi; et hanc etiam habet aqua turbida. Si vero aqua hoc perdat⁵, vel quod miscetur cum praedominante et alterante et ducente in alias proprietates; non est dicendum, tunc in illo liquore tradi baptismatis Sacramentum. Et sic patet quod obiicitur⁶.

Dub. III.

Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit, quod nec baptismus nec circumcisio aditum nobis regni aperuit. Videtur enim male dicere: quia ianuae clausio non fuit nisi per peccatum, et maxime per originale; sed baptismus et circumcisio delebant originale⁷: ergo aperiebant ianuam. — Item, de baptismo videtur dicere falsum, quia super illud Lucae tertio⁸ Apertum est caelum; Glossa Bedae: « Dum ille Iordanis aquas subiit, nobis caeli ianuam pandit; et dum caro innoxia frigentibus aquis tangitur, opposita quondam noxiis romphaea ignea exstinguitur: nec Christus caelum tunc aperire coepit, sed his verbis ostenditur virtus baptismi ».

Quaeritur ergo, quae sit illa ianua, et quomodo sit aperta, et quando. Videtur enim aperta in passione, quia super illud ad Colossenses primo⁹: Pacificans per sanguinem etc; Glossa: « Patet modo introitus in caelum ». Item. — videtur, quod in resurrectione, per orationem, quam cantat Ecclesia¹⁰: « Deus, qui aeternitatis nobis aditum » etc.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod clausio ianuae spiritualis intelligitur prohibentia illa, ob quam nullus poterat ingredi ad Domini aspectum; illa autem prohibentia erat a divina iustitia iuste puniente et a peccato primi hominis promerente¹¹. Merebatur originalis culpa, ut homo non compareret coram Deo propter foeditatem culpae, propter offensam Maiestatis divinae et propter mortalitatem in carne, quia vestitus sacco non debebat ingredi in palatium regis Assueri, sicut dicitur Esther quarto¹². — Istam enim ianuam aperire dicitur illud quod removet ista obstacula. Obstaculum culpae amovebat baptismus; obstaculum debiti ratione offensae amovit passio, ubi fuit facta satisfactio; obstaculum mortis, Christi resurrectio. — Et ita ianuae apertio inchoari dicitur in baptismo et profectum habere in passione, sed com-

p. 90

plementum in resurrectione et manifestationem in ascensione. Et quoniam haec iam facta sunt, ideo virtus baptismi est ianuam aperire, non per¹ se tantum, sed etiam propter hoc, quod iam facta est oblatio hostiae verae. Ideo magis effectus apertionis ianuae attribuitur baptismo quam circumcisioni, licet utrumque Sacramentum deleat culpam. Et sic patet illud².

English Translation

Dub. I.

In this part there are doubts concerning the text, and first it is asked about this which the Master says: Already, therefore, baptism had been instituted. For it seems from this, that since the institution of baptism falls under a precept, that before the Passion all were bound to be baptized: therefore all were transgressors; which seems unjust.

To this Hugh of Saint Victor responds¹: « No one is to be blamed, unless by his own fault he is ungrateful for counsel or precept; but it was revealed to Nicodemus as counsel to a friend. But when it was said: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them etc., it was set forth as a precept for all who were to be instructed. Now each one began to be a debtor from that time at which the institution reached him through preaching² ».

Dub. II.

Likewise it is asked about this which he says, that baptism cannot be consecrated in any liquid except water. It is asked, therefore, whether in every water. And that it can, seems so: because « every water is of the same species as every water³ »: therefore if the power has been given to the species of water, not to this or that particular kind: it seems that baptism could be performed in any.

I respond: It must be said that baptism was instituted in the element of water, because water by its quality represents baptismal grace⁴. To this end, therefore, that there be baptism, it is required that the property and species of water be preserved, so that it be natural water and having in some way the property of washing; and this even turbid water has. But if water loses this⁵, or because it is mixed with something predominating and altering it and leading it into other properties; it is not to be said that in that liquid the Sacrament of baptism is conferred. And thus is clear what is objected⁶.

Dub. III.

Likewise it is asked about this which he says, that neither baptism nor circumcision opened to us the entrance of the kingdom. For he seems to speak ill: because the closing of the gate was only through sin, and especially through original sin; but baptism and circumcision used to blot out original sin⁷: therefore they opened the gate. — Likewise, concerning baptism he seems to speak falsely, because upon that text of Luke, chapter three⁸, Heaven was opened; the Gloss of Bede: « When he went down into the waters of the Jordan, he opened to us the gate of heaven; and when the innocent flesh is touched by the cold waters, the fiery sword once set against the guilty is extinguished: nor did Christ then begin to open heaven, but by these words the power of baptism is shown ».

It is asked, therefore, what that gate is, and how it is opened, and when. For it seems opened in the Passion, because upon that text of Colossians, chapter one⁹: Making peace through the blood etc; the Gloss: « Now the entrance into heaven lies open ». Likewise. — it seems that it was in the resurrection, through the prayer which the Church sings¹⁰: « God, who [has opened] to us the entrance of eternity » etc.

I respond: It must be said that the closing of the spiritual gate is understood as that prohibition on account of which no one could enter to the sight of the Lord; but that prohibition was from divine justice justly punishing and from the sin of the first man deserving it¹¹. Original guilt deserved that man should not appear before God on account of the foulness of guilt, on account of the offense against the divine Majesty, and on account of mortality in the flesh, because one clothed in sackcloth ought not to enter into the palace of king Ahasuerus, as is said in Esther, chapter four¹². — For that is said to open this gate which removes these obstacles. The obstacle of guilt baptism removed; the obstacle of debt by reason of the offense the Passion removed, where satisfaction was made; the obstacle of death, Christ's resurrection. — And thus the opening of the gate is said to be begun in baptism and to have its advance in the Passion, but its com-

plement in the resurrection and its manifestation in the ascension. And since these things have now been done, therefore the power of baptism is to open the gate, not by¹ itself alone, but also on account of this, that the offering of the true victim has now been made. Therefore the effect of the gate's opening is attributed to baptism rather than to circumcision, although each Sacrament blots out guilt. And thus is clear that².

Apparatus Criticus

1
Libr. II. de Sacram. p. VI. c. 5, pluribus tamen interpositis. Pro expositum est praecepto [cod. O sub praecepto] textus originalis et Vat. expositum est praeceptum. Locus Scripturae est Matth. 28, 19.
Book II of On the Sacraments, p. VI, c. 5, though with much interposed. For expositum est praecepto [codex O, sub praecepto] the original text and the Vatican edition read expositum est praeceptum. The Scripture passage is Matthew 28, 19.
2
Cfr. de hoc dubio Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 8. m. 2. a. 3; B. Albert., hic a. 3; S. Thom., hic q. 1. a. 5. quaestiunc. 3; Petr. a Tar., hic q. 4. a. 1; Richard. a Med., hic a. 5. q. 2.
Compare on this doubt Alexander of Hales, Summa, p. IV, q. 8, m. 2, a. 3; Albert the Great, here a. 3; Thomas, here q. 1, a. 5, little-question 3; Peter of Tarentaise, here q. 4, a. 1; Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 5, q. 2.
3
Aristot., I. Topic. c. 6. (c. 5.). — Inferius pro speciali codd. F H aa specialiter.
Aristotle, Topics I, c. 6 (c. 5). — Below, for speciali codices F H aa read specialiter.
4
Cfr. supra a. 1. q. 1. — Pro suam qualitatem cod. II suam naturam, cod. G suas proprietates.
Compare above, a. 1, q. 1. — For suam qualitatem codex II reads suam naturam, codex G suas proprietates.
5
Codd. G I U Y (F a secunda manu) addunt vel quia [cod. U sive quia] artificialis [cod. F sit aqua artificialis]. Pro hoc perdat edd. has conditiones perdat. Mox pro vel quod cod. Z vel quando. Subinde pro in illo liquore tradi codd. K aa quod in illo liquore tradi possit.
Codices G I U Y (F by a second hand) add vel quia [codex U, sive quia] artificialis [codex F, sit aqua artificialis]. For hoc perdat the editions read has conditiones perdat. Soon after, for vel quod codex Z reads vel quando. Then for in illo liquore tradi codices K aa read quod in illo liquore tradi possit.
6
Idem dub. solvit B. Albert., hic a. 4; S. Thom., hic q. 1. a. 3. quaestiunc. 3; Petr. a Tar., hic q. 3. a. 1. quaestiunc. 2; Richard. a Med., hic a. 3. q. 2.
The same doubt is resolved by Albert the Great, here a. 4; Thomas, here q. 1, a. 3, little-question 3; Peter of Tarentaise, here q. 3, a. 1, little-question 2; Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 3, q. 2.
7
Vide supra d. I. p. II. a. 2. q. I. et 3. ac infra d. 4. p. I. a. 1. q. I.
See above, d. I, p. II, a. 2, q. 1 and 3, and below, d. 4, p. I, a. 1, q. 1.
8
Vers. 21. — Glossa est ordinaria apud Strabum et Lyranum. In ipsa textus originalis substituit tingitur pro tangitur et pro nec Christus caelum tunc aperire coepit ponit nec ibi Christo caelum aperiri coepit, quibus verbis exprimit hanc sententiam Bedae (in hunc loc.): Quid enim, nunquid ei tunc caelum apertum est, cuius oculi caelorum interiora cernebant? — Non pauci codd. pro opposita quondam substituunt opposita commoda, et subinde omittunt tunc, cui cod. Iv praefigit ibi. Pro Christus cod. V Christo.
Verse 21. — The Gloss is the ordinary one in Strabo and Lyra. In it the original text substitutes tingitur for tangitur, and for nec Christus caelum tunc aperire coepit puts nec ibi Christo caelum aperiri coepit, by which words it expresses this opinion of Bede (on this passage): For what — was heaven then opened to him, whose eyes beheld the interior of the heavens? — Not a few codices for opposita quondam substitute opposita commoda, and then omit tunc, to which codex Iv prefixes ibi. For Christus codex V reads Christo.
9
Vers. 20. — Strabus et Lyranus exhibent Glossam ut ordinariam.
Verse 20. — Strabo and Lyra present the Gloss as the ordinary one.
10
In die Paschae, et exhibetur iam in Gregorii libr. Sacrament.
On the day of Easter, and it is already found in Gregory's book of Sacraments.
11
Cfr. III. Sent. d. 18. q. [?]. — Superius pro spiritualis cod. U satis bene spiritualiter, et pro prohibentia Vat. bis prohibitio. Mox post Merebatur in codd. G I additur enim.
Compare III Sentences, d. 18, q. [?]. — Above, for spiritualis codex U reads satis bene spiritualiter, and for prohibentia the Vatican edition twice reads prohibitio. Soon after, after Merebatur, in codices G I is added enim.
12
Vers. 2: Non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare. — Inferius pro ratione offensae codd. F H id est offensae. Subinde post passio cod. Z supplet Christi, et pro ubi edd. substituunt per quam.
Verse 2: For it was not lawful to enter the king's hall clothed in sackcloth. — Below, for ratione offensae codices F H read id est offensae. Then after passio codex Z supplies Christi, and for ubi the editions substitute per quam.
1
Codd. F H propter.
Codices F H read propter.
2
Cfr. supra d. 1. p. II. dub. 2; Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 5. m. 7. a. 5. § 2. ad 1. et 2; B. Albert., hic a. 7; S. Thom. et Petr. a Tar., hic circa lit.
Compare above, d. 1, p. II, dub. 2; Alexander of Hales, Summa, p. IV, q. 5, m. 7, a. 5, § 2, to 1 and 2; Albert the Great, here a. 7; Thomas and Peter of Tarentaise, here on the text.