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Dist. 6, Part 1, Art. 1, Q. 6

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 6

Textus Latinus
p. 146

Quaestio VI. Utrum baptismus possit et debeat iterari.

Sexto et ultimo quaeritur, utrum baptismus debeat iterari. Et quod sic, videtur:

1. Quoniam possibile est, aliquem baptizari, qui nihil gratiae percipit per baptismum1: ergo si non debet esse sibi via salutis praeclusa, debet et potest iterari isti baptismus.

2. Item, duo dantur in baptismo, scilicet character et gratia2; sed quamvis character sit indelebilis, tamen gratia est delebilis: ergo saltem ratione gratiae potest et debet iterari.

Contra: 1. Si baptismus posset iterari: ergo posset quilibet impune peccare, cum ibi fiat remissio culpae et poenae.

2. Item, si effectus non potest iterari, nec causa: ergo si character non potest iterari, nec signum visibile sive baptismus.

Item, multa non debent fieri de iure, quae, si fiunt de facto, facta sunt: ut sacerdos praecisus non debet conficere, sed si conficit, confectum est3; quaeritur ergo, utrum in hoc casu aliquid fiat. Et quod sic, videtur: quia « accedente verbo ad elementum, fit Sacramentum4 ».

Conclusio

Baptismus nec debet nec potest iterari.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod baptismus nec debet nec potest iterari. Quia non potest, ideo qui iterat nihil facit; quia vero non debet, qui scienter iterat gravissime peccat.

Ratio autem, quare non debeat iterari, triplex est. Prima est ratione morbi, quem curat, scilicet peccati originalis, qui non potest iterari5. Secunda est ratione eius quod principaliter significat, ut passionem et resurrectionem, quam impossibile est iterari. Tertia est ratione efficaciae in curando, quia absolvit a poena et a culpa6; et tunc mali non essent puniti, si semper, cum peccarent, deberent baptizari.

Ratio, quare non potest, est characteris impressio, qui, ex quo semel imprimitur, amplius imprimi non potest; et ille est effectus Sacramenti primus, sine quo nihil facit Sacramentum. — Alia est divina institutio, quia Dominus instituit, ut perfectam et unicam haberet efficaciam et semel tantum fieret; si ergo fit secundo, nihil fit in anima, et ita cassatur Sacramentum scienter. — Et propter hoc iterans baptismum nihil facit omnino et magis peccat quam ille qui ficte accedit, quia facit contra ordinationem divinam; facit etiam contumeliam Sacramento; facit et contumeliam Christo, quia, quantum est de se, Filium Dei crucifigit sibi et ostentui habet7, cum unicum sit baptisma et unicam efficaciam habeat perfectam a passione unica. Et ideo sancti Patres gravem poenam imposuerunt rebaptizantibus et rebaptizatis scienter propter gravitatem culpae; quia rebaptizatio aut sapit haeresim, aut si non sapit, gravissimum contemptum Dei et Sacramenti inducit, et ideo graviter debet puniri.

Ad argumenta:

1. Ad illud quod obiicitur de fictione, dicendum, quod fictione recedente, character totum supplet, quod Sacramentum sine fictione faceret8.

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur de gratia, dicendum, quod gratia non est effectus immediatus, sed mediante charactere9; et ideo nihil fit, quando non imprimitur character.

Ad ultimum dicendum, quod qui iterat baptismum nec de facto nec de iure Sacramentum tradit, quia ille non est susceptibilis; sed10 quando exterius abluit, si scienter vel negligenter facit, graviter peccat; si vero diligentia adhibita, etsi nihil faciat interius, tamen non peccat11.

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English Translation

Question VI. Whether baptism can and ought to be repeated.

Sixth and last it is asked whether baptism ought to be repeated. And that it ought, it seems:

1. Because it is possible that someone be baptized who receives no grace through baptism1: therefore, if the way of salvation ought not to be closed off to him, this baptism ought and can be repeated for him.

2. Likewise, two things are given in baptism, namely character and grace2; but although the character is indelible, nevertheless the grace is deletable: therefore at least by reason of the grace it can and ought to be repeated.

On the contrary: 1. If baptism could be repeated, then anyone could sin with impunity, since therein remission of fault and penalty is made.

2. Likewise, if the effect cannot be repeated, neither can the cause: therefore if the character cannot be repeated, neither can the visible sign, that is, baptism.

Likewise, there are many things which by right ought not to be done, which, if they are done in fact, are done: as a suspended priest ought not to consecrate, but if he does consecrate, it is consecrated3; it is asked, therefore, whether in this case anything is brought about. And that it is, it seems: because « when the word is joined to the element, the Sacrament comes to be4 ».

Conclusion

Baptism neither ought to nor can be repeated.

I respond: It must be said that baptism neither ought to nor can be repeated. Because it cannot, therefore he who repeats it brings nothing about; but because it ought not to be, he who knowingly repeats it sins most gravely.

Now the reason why it ought not to be repeated is threefold. The first is by reason of the disease which it cures, namely original sin, which cannot be repeated5. The second is by reason of that which it principally signifies, namely the Passion and Resurrection, which it is impossible to repeat. The third is by reason of its efficacy in curing, since it absolves from penalty and from fault6; and then the wicked would not be punished, if always, whenever they sinned, they ought to be baptized.

The reason why it cannot be repeated is the impression of the character, which, once it is imprinted, can no longer be imprinted; and that is the first effect of the Sacrament, without which the Sacrament does nothing. — Another is divine institution, because the Lord instituted that it should have a perfect and unique efficacy and be done only once; if therefore it is done a second time, nothing is brought about in the soul, and thus the Sacrament is knowingly annulled. — And on account of this, one who repeats baptism brings about nothing at all and sins more than he who approaches feignedly, because he acts against the divine ordinance; he also does insult to the Sacrament; he does insult to Christ as well, because, so far as in him lies, he crucifies the Son of God for himself and holds him up to mockery7, since baptism is unique and has its unique and perfect efficacy from the unique Passion. And therefore the holy Fathers imposed a grave penalty upon those who rebaptize and those who are knowingly rebaptized, on account of the gravity of the fault; for rebaptism either savors of heresy, or if it does not savor of it, it brings in a most grave contempt of God and of the Sacrament, and therefore ought to be gravely punished.

To the arguments:

1. To that which is objected concerning feigning, it must be said that, when the feigning withdraws, the character supplies the whole of what the Sacrament would have done without feigning8.

2. To that which is objected concerning grace, it must be said that grace is not an immediate effect, but [comes about] through the mediation of the character9; and therefore nothing is brought about when the character is not imprinted.

To the last it must be said that he who repeats baptism delivers the Sacrament neither in fact nor by right, because that man is not capable of receiving it; but10 when he washes outwardly, if he does so knowingly or negligently, he sins gravely; but if it is done with diligence applied, even though he brings nothing about inwardly, nevertheless he does not sin11.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Cfr. supra d. 4. p. 1. a. 2. q. 2. seq. — Post aliquem edd. subiungunt ficte accedentem.
    Cf. above, d. 4, p. 1, a. 2, q. 2 ff. — After aliquem the editions add ficte accedentem ("approaching feignedly").
  2. 2
    Vide supra d. 3. p. 1. a. 1. q. 1. ad 4. — De minori cfr. quaest. praeced.
    See above, d. 3, p. 1, a. 1, q. 1, ad 4. — On the minor [premise] cf. the preceding question.
  3. 3
    Ut ostenditur infra d. 13. a. 1. q. 1.
    As is shown below, d. 13, a. 1, q. 1.
  4. 4
    August., in Ioan. Evang. tr. 80. n. 3.
    Augustine, Tractates on the Gospel of John, tr. 80, n. 3.
  5. 5
    Cfr. II. Sent. d. 32. a. 1. q. 1. in principio corp.
    Cf. II Sent., d. 32, a. 1, q. 1, at the beginning of the body.
  6. 6
    Ut ostensum est supra d. 4. p. 1. a. 1. q. 1. seq. — Mox pro puniti edd. puniendi. Interius post non potest edd. addunt iterari, cod. X. est duplex, una.
    As was shown above, d. 4, p. 1, a. 1, q. 1 ff. — Presently for puniti the editions read puniendi. Within, after non potest the editions add iterari; codex X [reads] est duplex, una ("is twofold, one").
  7. 7
    Respicitur Hebr. 6, 6: Rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis Filium Dei et ostentui habentes. Cfr. Alcuin., in hunc loc., et infra dub. 1. seq. — Canon Apostol. 46: Episcopus aut presbyter, si eum qui verum baptisma habeat, iterum baptizaverit, aut pollutum ab impiis non baptizaverit, deponitor, ut qui crucem et mortem Domini derideat neque descernat etc. — De poenis scienter rebaptizatorum cfr. C. Eos quos (118.), de Consecrat. d. 4.
    Hebrews 6:6 is in view: crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making him a mockery. Cf. Alcuin, on this passage, and below, dub. 1 ff. — Apostolic Canon 46: A bishop or presbyter who shall rebaptize one who has true baptism, or who shall not baptize one defiled by the impious, let him be deposed, as one who derides and does not discern the cross and death of the Lord, etc. — On the penalties for those knowingly rebaptized, cf. the canon Eos quos (118), de Consecrat., d. 4.
  8. 8
    Vide supra d. 4. p. 1. a. 2. q. 3. — Superius pro de fictione edd. de ficte accedente.
    See above, d. 4, p. 1, a. 2, q. 3. — Above, for de fictione the editions read de ficte accedente ("concerning one approaching feignedly").
  9. 9
    Cfr. supra q. 2, et Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 8. m. 12. — Vat. addit infunditur a Deo.
    Cf. above, q. 2, and Alexander of Hales, Summa, p. IV, q. 8, m. 12. — The Vatican edition adds infunditur a Deo ("is infused by God").
  10. 10
    Vat., post tradit, addito vel recipit, hic legit: sed tantum exterius abluit. Et si scienter etc.; cod. F scilicet quando, codd. A H K sed quoniam.
    The Vatican edition, after tradit, having added vel recipit ("or receives"), reads here: sed tantum exterius abluit. Et si scienter etc. ("but only washes outwardly. And if knowingly," etc.); codex F [reads] scilicet quando ("namely when"), codices A H K [read] sed quoniam ("but since").
  11. 11
    Vide scholion ad 4. huius articuli quaest.
    See the scholion to question 4 of this article. ---
Cited by

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

Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. XII, Part II)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 12
supra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. XIV, Part I)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 14
supra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
Whether one can rise again through penance, that is, whether penance is repeated
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 14
supra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
Whether the feigner receives the reality after the Sacrament, when the feigning departs
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 4
infra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
Whether second marriages are sacramental
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 42
supra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
Whether second marriages are honorable
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 42
supra d. 6. p. I. q. 6.
On the iteration of the Sacraments
Breviloquium · Pars VI: De medicina sacramentali
tom. IV. pag. 146, nota 7
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