Dist. 6, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 6
Quaestio II. Utrum sanctificatus in utero debeat baptizari.
Secundo quaeritur circa hoc, utrum sanctificatus in utero debeat baptizari, cum natus est. Et quod sic, videtur:
1. Quia talis per sanctificationem non habet characterem2; sed debet signo Christi consignari, quod fit in baptismo: ergo debet baptizari.
2. Item, baptizati baptismo flaminis baptizantur aqua et tenentur baptizari, ut patet de Cornelio, Actuum decimo3; sed sanctificari non est aliud quam gratiam Spiritus sancti recipere: ergo sanctificati tenentur baptizari.
3. Item, nullus quantumcumque magnus absolvitur a divino mandato; sed Dominus mandatum dedit de suscipiendo baptismum4: ergo ita tenetur ad hoc sanctificatus, ut alius.
Sed contra:
1. Vigor singularis privilegii5 semper transcendit beneficium commune: ergo in sanctificatione datur gratia curans, sicut in baptismo, et maior et efficacior; sed ordo non est a maiori perfectione ad minorem, sed e converso: ergo sanctificatus non tenetur baptizari.
2. Item, si sanctificatus baptizatur, videtur, quod sit vanitas, quia quod potest sufficienter fieri per unum frustra fit per duo in natura6: ergo si «natura non facit frustra», multo minus nec gratia; sed gratia sanctificans sufficit ad curationem, alioquin Deus agit imperfecte: ergo etc.
3. Item, videtur, quod sit ibi contemptus: quia qui baptizatus est, si iterum baptizetur, facit contumeliam Sacramento, quia primum remedium reputat insufficiens7: ergo pari ratione qui baptizatur post sanctificationem iniuriatur sanctificationi.
Conclusio
Sanctificatus in utero debet baptizari.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sanctificatus baptizari debet baptismo aquae, sicut baptizatus baptismo flaminis8 — Et est ratio triplex: prima propter bonum obedientiae, quia Deus praecipit, ut omnes qui nascuntur, renascantur aqua; secunda propter humilitatem, quia debet se reputare peccato1rem et indigere Christi redemptione; tertia propter unitatem, ut ab aliis membris Christi non discordet. Non ergo baptizatur propter hoc, quod sanctificatio non sufficiat, sed propter rationes praedictas. Propter quarum exempla danda Christus fuit circumcisus: ut scilicet obediret Legi, subiecit se signo peccatoris, quo non ipse se peccatorem, sed alios se peccatores profiteri doceret; postremo, ut Patribus non esset dissimilis9.
Patet igitur responsio, quod sanctificatus non recipit baptismum in remedium — quod si faceret, p. 152 esset inordinatio, vanitas et contemptus — sed in signaculum, quod habet tria bona coniuncta, scilicet obedientiam, humilitatem et unitatem, quantum ad unitatem characteris.
Ad oppositum:
1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod sanctificatio transcendit; dicendum, quod quamvis hoc verum sit quantum ad gratiam, quae delet culpam et habilitat ad bonum; tamen non transcendit quantum ad characterem, quia illum non imprimit; et ideo ratione illius adhuc baptismus debet recipi.
2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod superfluit; patet responsio: quia non recipitp1 ad idem, ad quod praecessit sanctificatio.
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod rebaptizatusp2 iniuriatur baptismo; dicendum, quod hoc verum est, quia iterat idem remedium et ad idem; non sic est in proposito. Et sic patet totump3.
II. De sequenti (2.) quaestione cfr. lit. Magistri, d. IV. c. 6. Item: Alex. Hal., loc. cit. § 6. — Scot., loc. cit. q. 6. — S. Thom., IV. Sent. d. 4. q. 2. a. 2. quaestiunc. 2. — Petr. a Tar., hic q. 2. a. 1. quaestiunc. 3. — Dionys. Carth., IV. Sent. d. 4. q. 7.
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Question II. Whether one sanctified in the womb ought to be baptized.
Secondly it is asked concerning this, whether one sanctified in the womb ought to be baptized once he has been born. And that he ought, it seems:
1. Because such a one does not, through sanctification, have the character2; but he ought to be marked with the sign of Christ, which is done in baptism: therefore he ought to be baptized.
2. Likewise, those baptized by the baptism of the Spirit are baptized with water and are bound to be baptized, as is plain in the case of Cornelius, in the tenth chapter of Acts3; but to be sanctified is nothing other than to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit: therefore the sanctified are bound to be baptized.
3. Likewise, no one however great is released from the divine commandment; but the Lord gave the commandment about receiving baptism4: therefore one who has been sanctified is bound to this just as another is.
On the contrary:
1. The force of a singular privilege5 always transcends a common benefit: therefore in sanctification a healing grace is given, just as in baptism, and greater and more efficacious; but order does not proceed from greater perfection to lesser, but the reverse: therefore one sanctified is not bound to be baptized.
2. Likewise, if one sanctified is baptized, it seems that it is in vain, because what can be done sufficiently by one is done in vain by two in nature6: therefore if "nature does nothing in vain," much less does grace; but sanctifying grace suffices for healing, otherwise God acts imperfectly: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, it seems that there is contempt there: because one who has been baptized, if he is baptized again, does an outrage to the Sacrament, since he reckons the first remedy insufficient7: therefore by parity of reasoning one who is baptized after sanctification does an injury to the sanctification.
Conclusion
One sanctified in the womb ought to be baptized.
I respond: It must be said that one sanctified ought to be baptized with the baptism of water, just as one baptized with the baptism of the Spirit8 — And there is a threefold reason: the first on account of the good of obedience, because God commands that all who are born be reborn by water; the second on account of humility, because he ought to reckon himself a sinner1 and in need of the redemption of Christ; the third on account of unity, that he not be at variance with the other members of Christ. Therefore he is not baptized on this account, that the sanctification does not suffice, but on account of the reasons aforesaid. For the sake of giving an example of these things Christ was circumcised: namely that he might obey the Law, he subjected himself to the sign of the sinner, by which he taught not that he himself, but that others profess themselves to be sinners; lastly, that he might not be unlike to the Fathers9.
Therefore the response is plain, that one sanctified does not receive baptism as a remedy — for if he did, p. 152 it would be disorder, vanity, and contempt — but as a seal, which has three goods joined together, namely obedience, humility, and unity, with respect to the unity of the character.
To the opposed arguments:
1. To that, then, which is objected, that the sanctification transcends; it must be said that although this is true with respect to the grace, which blots out fault and disposes toward the good; nevertheless it does not transcend with respect to the character, because it does not imprint it; and therefore by reason of that the baptism ought still to be received.
2. To that which is objected, that it is superfluous; the response is plain: because he does not receivep1 for the same end for which the sanctification went before.
3. To that which is objected, that one rebaptizedp2 does an injury to baptism; it must be said that this is true, because he repeats the same remedy and for the same end; it is not so in the present case. And thus the whole is plainp3.
II. On the following (2nd) question, cf. the text of the Master, d. IV, c. 6. Likewise: Alexander of Hales, in the place cited, § 6. — Scotus, in the place cited, q. 6. — St. Thomas, IV Sent., d. 4, q. 2, a. 2, subquestion 2. — Peter of Tarentaise, here q. 2, a. 1, subquestion 3. — Dionysius the Carthusian, IV Sent., d. 4, q. 7.
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- 1Psalm. 76, 10 (cit. q1). — Inferius pro peccatum cod. aa meritum.Psalm 76:10 (cited in q1; the scriptural half of this footer belongs to the preceding question's body). — Below, for peccatum ("sinner"/"sin") codex aa reads meritum ("merit").
- 2Cfr. supra d. I. p. II. a. I. q. 2. in corp. — De minori vide supra p. I. q. 4.Cf. above, d. I, p. II, a. I, q. 2, in the body. — On the minor [premise] see above, p. I, q. 4.
- 3Vers. 22. et 48.Verses 22 and 48.
- 4Ioan. 3, 5: Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto etc.John 3:5: Unless one be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, etc.
- 5Isidor., V. Etymolog. c. 18: Privilegia autem sunt leges privatorum, quasi privatae leges. Nam privilegium inde dicitur, quod in privato feratur. — De recto ordine cfr. tom. II. pag. 330, nota 5. in fine.Isidore, Etymologies V, c. 18: But privileges are the laws of private persons, as it were private laws. For a privilege is so called because it is borne in private. — On right order cf. vol. II, p. 330, note 5, at the end.
- 6Secundum Aristot., de quo vide tom. III. pag. 277, nota 1. — Seq. testimonium est Aristot., I. de Caelo et mundo, text. 32. (c. 4.), et III. de Anima, text. 45. (c. 9.).According to Aristotle, on whom see vol. III, p. 277, note 1. — The following testimony is from Aristotle, On the Heavens and the World I, text 32 (c. 4), and On the Soul III, text 45 (c. 9).
- 7Ut ostensum est supra p. I. q. 6. et dub. 2.As was shown above, p. I, q. 6, and doubt 2.
- 8Cfr. supra d. 4. p. II. a. I. q. I. — Inferius post ut omnes ex codd. FH supplevimus qui nascuntur.Cf. above, d. 4, p. II, a. I, q. I. — Below, after ut omnes ("that all"), from codices FH we have supplied qui nascuntur ("who are born").
- 9Vide supra d. 3. p. II. a. 2. q. I. ad 4. — Inferius pro faceret cod. F fieret.See above, d. 3, p. II, a. 2, q. I, ad 4. — Below, for faceret codex F reads fieret.
- p1Cod. M respicit.Codex M [reads] respicit ("regards"/"looks back").
- p2Cod. E rebaptizans.Codex E [reads] rebaptizans ("rebaptizing").
- p3Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.See the scholion to the preceding question. ---