Dist. 4, Part 1, Dubia
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 4
## DUBIA CIRCA LITTERAM MAGISTRI.
Dub. I.
In parte ista sunt dubitationes circa litteram, et primo dubitatur de hoc quod dicit Augustinus: Nisi poeniteat eum veteris vitae, novam non potest inchoare. Videtur enim male dicere, quia, si hoc verum esset, tunc poenitentia deberet praecedere baptismum: ergo baptismus non est primum inter Sacramenta; quod est contra Magistrum3 et communem opinionem.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod Augustinus non loquitur de poenitentia-Sacramento, sed de poenitentia-virtute tantum, cuius actus praecedit in adultis baptismi Sacramentum; nec tamen oportet, quod actus poenitentiae formatae, qui dicitur contritio, praecedat; sed sufficit, quod actus informis, utpote attritio; atteri enim poenitere est4.
Dub. II.
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit Magister, quod nec parvulis sine fide aliena, qui propriam habere nequeunt, datur in baptismo remissio. Videtur enim male dicere, quia secundum hoc, si parentes sint infideles, tunc videtur, quod parvulus damnetur; hoc autem est inconveniens et contra Augustinum. Nam, sicut dicit Augustinus ad Bonifacium5, esto quod parentes ducant filios suos per ignem, nihil obest parentum infidelitas. Si tu dicas, sicut dicit Augustinus ad Bonifacium, quod habet virtutem a fide Ecclesiae, quia adest; esto tunc, quod nullus sit fidelis, videtur, quod Sacramentum nullam habeat virtutem; sed hoc falsum est, quia baptizatus est et nullam fictionem habuit: ergo recipit effectum baptismi.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod ad salutem parvuli requiritur virtus passionis Christi cum fide proximi, sicut dicit Augustinus, et supra6 ostensum fuit. Sed tamen non oportet, quod sit fides offerentium, sed sufficit, quod sit fides Ecclesiae, quae est; vel si haec defecerit, sufficeret meritum fidei, quod fuit in Ecclesia. Sicut enim orationibus Sanctorum in via Deus reconciliatur multis peccatoribus, sic meritis Sanctorum, qui sunt in patria, multa remittuntur nobis, quia prius meruerunt nobis. Et hoc dicit Augustinus ad Bonifacium7: «Offeruntur parvuli ad percipiendam gratiam non tam ab eis quorum gestantur manibus, quamvis et ab ipsis, si ipsi fideles sunt, quam ab universa societate Sanctorum atque fidelium. Ab omnibus namque offerri intelliguntur, quibus placet, quod offeruntur, et quorum sancta atque individua caritate ad communionem sancti Spiritus adiuvantur»; et ita offerentes possunt intelligi Sancti, non solum qui sunt in Ecclesia militante, sed etiam qui sunt in triumphante.
Nihilominus tamen verum est, quod Sacramentum baptismi prodest parvulis merito fidei Ecclesiae militantis, quae, quamvis possit deficere in aliquibus personis specialiter, generaliter tamen nunquam deficit nec deficiet, iuxta illud Matthaei ultimo1: Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi. Unde sicut species semper salvatur in aliquo individuorum, sic fides in aliquo fidelium, et hoc, divina providentia faciente. Nec unquam fuit, postquam incepit Ecclesia, quin semper esset aliquis, qui Deo placeret; sic nec unquam erit2.
Dub. III.
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit, quod tunc valere incipit etc., cum illa fictio veraci confessione recesserit a corde: quia videtur secundum hoc, quod confessio expellat fictionem; sed hanc non potuit expellere baptismus3: ergo maioris virtutis est confessio sive poenitentia quam baptismus.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod confessio, in quantum est sacramentalis, non expellit fictionem, sed in quantum est actus voluntarius, recedens a malo volito vel proposito; et ita non expellit per naturam Sacramenti, sed per naturam libertatis voluntatis cum Sacramento poenitentiae; quae voluntas si adesset in baptismo, omnem culpam deleret: et ita ex hoc non sequitur, quod poenitentia sit maioris virtutis.
Dub. IV.
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Induunt homines Christum usque ad Sacramenti perceptionem. Videtur enim male dicere, quia nullus induit Christum, in quo non sit renovatio, secundum illud Apostoli ad Ephesios quarto4: Induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in iustitia et sanctitate veritatis. — Item, induitio dicit aliquem habitum5: ergo cum in ficto nullus habitus detur de novo, videtur, quod nihil induat.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod induere Christum est aliquem habitum accipere, per quem homo fiat aliquo modo conformis Christo. Conformari autem Christo est dupliciter: aut exterius, aut interius; et interius dupliciter: aut per caritatem unientem et transformantem in eum qui amatur, et fidem similiter conformantem; aut per aliquid gratis datum ad hoc praeparans et disponens. — Dico ergo, quod viri sancti, qui caritatem habent et bona opera et conversationem sanctam, et Sacramentum perceperunt et Christum induerunt quantum ad Sacramenti susceptionem et conformationem in conversatione exterius, et interius similiter6. Sed ficte accedentes, quia exterius suscipiunt signum, vel quod est signum passionis et mortis et resurrectionis, et interius characterem, qui ad gratiam disponit, Christum aliquo modo induunt, sed imperfecte: quia, quamvis non renoventur, tamen novo homini quodam modo similes fiunt. — Et sic patet utrumque obiectum; procedunt enim secundum quod induitio dicit conformitatem secundum habitum perfectum7.
## DOUBTS CONCERNING THE TEXT OF THE MASTER.
Doubt I.
In this part there are doubts concerning the text, and first it is asked about what Augustine says: Unless he repents of his old life, he cannot begin a new one. For this seems wrong to say, because, if this were true, then penance would have to precede baptism: therefore baptism is not the first among the Sacraments; which is against the Master3 and the common opinion.
I respond: It must be said that Augustine is not speaking of penance-as-Sacrament, but of penance-as-virtue only, whose act precedes the Sacrament of baptism in adults; nor yet is it required that the act of formed penance, which is called contrition, should precede; but it suffices that the unformed act [precede], such as attrition; for to be ground down is to repent4.
Doubt II.
Likewise it is asked about what the Master says, that neither to little children, without another's faith, who cannot have their own, is remission given in baptism. For this seems wrong to say, because according to this, if the parents are unbelievers, then it seems that the child is damned; but this is unfitting and against Augustine. For, as Augustine says to Boniface5, suppose that the parents lead their children through fire, the parents' unbelief is no hindrance. If you say, as Augustine says to Boniface, that it has its power from the faith of the Church, because that is present; suppose then that no one is faithful, it seems that the Sacrament would have no power; but this is false, because [the child] is baptized and had no feigning: therefore he receives the effect of baptism.
I respond: It must be said that for the salvation of the child the power of Christ's passion is required, together with the faith of the neighbor, as Augustine says, and as was shown above6. Yet it is not required that it be the faith of those offering, but it suffices that it be the faith of the Church, which exists; or if this should fail, the merit of faith which existed in the Church would suffice. For just as by the prayers of the Saints in the way God is reconciled to many sinners, so by the merits of the Saints who are in the homeland many things are remitted to us, because they merited beforehand on our behalf. And this Augustine says to Boniface7: «Little children are offered to receive grace not so much by those in whose hands they are carried — although also by them, if they themselves are faithful — as by the whole society of Saints and of the faithful. For they are understood to be offered by all those to whom it is pleasing that they are offered, and by whose holy and undivided charity they are aided unto the communion of the Holy Spirit»; and so by those offering may be understood the Saints, not only those who are in the militant Church, but also those who are in the triumphant.
Nevertheless it is true that the Sacrament of baptism profits little children by the merit of the faith of the militant Church, which, although it can fail in some persons in particular, yet in general never fails nor will fail, according to that of Matthew, last [chapter]1: Behold, I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the age. Hence just as the species is always preserved in some one of the individuals, so faith [is preserved] in some one of the faithful, and this, by divine providence working it. Nor was there ever, after the Church began, a time when there was not always someone who was pleasing to God; so neither will there ever be2.
Doubt III.
Likewise it is asked about what he says, that it then begins to avail, etc., when that feigning has by a truthful confession withdrawn from the heart: because according to this it seems that confession expels the feigning; but baptism could not expel this3: therefore confession or penance is of greater power than baptism.
I respond: It must be said that confession expels the feigning not insofar as it is sacramental, but insofar as it is a voluntary act, withdrawing from the evil willed or purposed; and so it does not expel [it] by the nature of the Sacrament, but by the nature of the freedom of the will together with the Sacrament of penance; and if this will were present in baptism, it would blot out every fault: and so from this it does not follow that penance is of greater power.
Doubt IV.
Likewise it is asked about what he says: Men put on Christ up to the reception of the Sacrament. For this seems wrong to say, because no one puts on Christ in whom there is no renewal, according to that of the Apostle to the Ephesians, fourth [chapter]4: Put on the new man, who according to God was created in justice and in the holiness of truth. — Likewise, putting-on implies some habit5: therefore since in the feigned person no habit is newly given, it seems that he puts on nothing.
I respond: It must be said that to put on Christ is to receive some habit, by which a man is made in some way conformed to Christ. But to be conformed to Christ is in two ways: either exteriorly, or interiorly; and interiorly in two ways: either by charity uniting and transforming [him] into the one who is loved, and faith likewise conforming; or by something freely given that prepares and disposes toward this. — I say therefore that holy men, who have charity and good works and a holy manner of life, both received the Sacrament and put on Christ as regards the reception of the Sacrament and conformity in their exterior manner of life, and interiorly likewise6. But those who approach feignedly, because they exteriorly receive the sign — that is, what is the sign of the passion and death and resurrection — and interiorly the character, which disposes toward grace, do put on Christ in some way, but imperfectly: because, although they are not renewed, yet they are made in a certain way similar to the new man. — And so both objections are clear; for they proceed insofar as putting-on implies conformity according to a perfect habit7.
- 3Supra d. II. c. 2. et infra d. XIV, ubi etiam habetur distinctio poenitentiae, prout est Sacramentum et virtus, in qua fundatur solutio huius dubii.Above, d. II, c. 2, and below, d. XIV, where also is found the distinction of penance, insofar as it is Sacrament and virtue, on which the solution of this doubt is founded.
- 4Cfr. infra d. 17. p. I. a. 2. q. — Idem dub. solvit S. Thom., Petr. a Tar. et Richard. a Med., hic circa lit.Cf. below, d. 17, p. I, a. 2, q. — The same doubt is solved by St. Thomas, Peter of Tarentaise, and Richard of Mediavilla, here on the text.
- 5Epist. 98. (alias 23.) n. 2. seqq., ubi ostendit, quod regeneratio parvulorum fit per aquam et Spiritum sanctum, non ex parentum voluntate, aut offerentium fide; deinde dicit, parentes quidem peccare, «offerentes parvulum atque obligare conantes daemonum sacrilegis vinculis», aut ferentes «non ea fide ad baptismum percipiendum parvulos, ut gratia spirituali ad vitam regenerentur aeternam» (n. 3.); eosdem tamen effectum baptismi non posse impedire nec aufferre. — Ibid. n. 5. occurrit etiam sententia mox adducta, quae inferius in solutione ipsis Augustini verbis proponitur. — Aliquanto interius pro quia adest cod. X quae adest, et in fine arg. pro recipit Vat. cum pluribus codd. recepit.Letter 98 (otherwise 23), n. 2 ff., where he shows that the regeneration of little children comes about through water and the Holy Spirit, not from the will of the parents or the faith of those offering; then he says that the parents indeed sin, «offering the child and attempting to bind [him] with the sacrilegious bonds of demons», or bringing «the children to receive baptism not with that faith by which they may be regenerated by spiritual grace unto eternal life» (n. 3); yet [he says] that these same [parents] cannot impede or take away the effect of baptism. — Ibid., n. 5, there also occurs the saying adduced soon after, which is set forth below in the solution in Augustine's own words. — A little further on, for quia adest codex X [reads] quae adest, and at the end of the argument, for recipit the Vatican edition with many codices [reads] recepit.
- 6Dist. 3. p. I. a. 1. q. 3. — August., l. de Peccat. meritis et remiss. etc. c. 25. n. 38: Quod per Sacramentum baptismatis in parvulis fieri non dubitat mater Ecclesia, quae cor et os maternum eis praestat, ut sacris mysteriis imbuantur, quia nondum possunt corde proprio credere ad iustitiam nec ore proprio confiteri ad salutem [Rom. 10, 10.]. Nec ideo tamen eos quisquam fidelium fideles appellare cunctatur, quod a credendo utique nomen est; quamvis hoc non ipsi, sed alii pro eis inter Sacramenta responderint.Dist. 3, p. I, a. 1, q. 3. — Augustine, On the Merits and Remission of Sins, etc., c. 25, n. 38: What mother Church does not doubt comes about through the Sacrament of baptism in little children, [she] who furnishes them a maternal heart and mouth, that they may be imbued with the sacred mysteries, because they cannot yet believe with their own heart unto justice nor confess with their own mouth unto salvation [Rom. 10, 10]. Nor on that account does any of the faithful hesitate to call them faithful, [a name] which is surely from believing; although it is not they themselves, but others on their behalf, who answered among the Sacraments.
- 7Epist. 98. (alias 23.) n. 5.Letter 98 (otherwise 23), n. 5.
- 1Vers. 20. — De salvatione specierum in individuo cfr. Aristot., II. de Generat. et corrupt. text. 59. (c. 10.), et II. de Anima, text. 35. (c. 4.).Verse 20. — On the preservation of the species in the individual, cf. Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption II, text 59 (c. 10), and On the Soul II, text 35 (c. 4).
- 2Idem dub. solvit Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 8. m. 7. a. 2. § 2.The same doubt is solved by Alexander of Hales, Summa, p. IV, q. 8, m. 7, a. 2, § 2.
- 3Cfr. supra a. 2. q. 2. seq. — De conclusione vide supra a. 1. q. 1. seq.Cf. above, a. 2, q. 2 ff. — On the conclusion see above, a. 1, q. 1 ff.
- 4Vers. 24. — Pro renovatio cod. I remotio, edd. receptio.Verse 24. — For renovatio codex I [reads] remotio, the editions receptio.
- 5Cfr. III. Sent. in lit. Magistri, d. VI. c. 5. verba Augustini.Cf. III Sentences, in the text of the Master, d. VI, c. 5, the words of Augustine.
- 6Secundum August. hic in lit. Magistri c. 3. allegatum. — Superius pro qui caritatem, quod habent codd. F H Q V, alii codd. quia caritatem, cod. W per caritatem, edd. et caritatem. Eaedem edd. inferius pro qui ad gratiam disponit substituunt quae ad gratiam disponunt. Cfr. infra d. 6. p. I. q. 2.According to Augustine cited here in the text of the Master, c. 3. — Above, for qui caritatem, which codices F H Q V have, other codices [read] quia caritatem, codex W per caritatem, the editions et caritatem. The same editions below, for qui ad gratiam disponit, substitute quae ad gratiam disponunt. Cf. below, d. 6, p. I, q. 2.
- 7Idem dub. solvit B. Albert., hic a. 5; S. Thom., hic circa lit.The same doubt is solved by Blessed Albert, here a. 5; St. Thomas, here on the text.