Dist. 7, Art. 2, Q. 1
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 7
Articulus II. De confirmatione quoad efficaciam.
Quantum ad secundum articulum quaeritur de virtute sive efficacia Sacramenti confirmationis, et circa hoc tria quaeruntur. Primo, supposito quod det gratiam, cum sit Sacramentum novae legis, quaeritur, utrum det gratiam gratum facientem. Secundo, utrum eadem gratia detur in baptismo et confirmatione. Tertio, utrum copiosius munus gratiae conferatur in confirmatione quam in baptismo.
Quaestio I. Utrum confirmatio conferat gratiam gratum facientem.
Et quod conferat gratiam gratum facientem ostenditur:
1. Primo per auctoritatem Rabani1: «Per impositionem manus summi sacerdotis Spiritus sanctus traditur baptizato»; sed non dicitur dari Spiritus sanctus, nisi quando datur gratia gratum faciens: ergo in Sacramento confirmationis gratia gratum faciens datur.
2. Item, ratione videtur: quia hoc Sacramentum confirmat in bono; sed sicut solius gratiae gratum facientis est revocare a malo, ita et confirmare in bono: ergo etc.
3. Item, gratia collata in hoc Sacramento est completiva et confirmativa et augmentativa gratiae baptismalis, sicut dicit Magister2, quia «maius augmentum virtutum praestat»; sed gratia gratis data nec complet nec confirmat nec auget gratum facientem: ergo non confertur in Sacramento confirmationis talis gratia, sed potius gratum faciens.
Contra: 1. Habens gratiam gratum facientem, accedens ad baptismum, ipsam non suscipit: ergo si omnis accedens digne ad confirmationem habet gratiam gratum facientem: ergo non dat eam confirmatio.
2. Item, esse spirituale potest esse sine esse robusto, sicut et naturale esse potest esse sine robusto esse, quia hoc est bene esse; sed omne illud, sine quo potest stare esse spirituale, est gratia gratis data, non gratum faciens; ergo cum confirmatio conferat tale esse, non confert nisi gratiam gratis datam.
3. Item, inter hanc gratiam et illam hoc interest, quod gratia gratis data respicit poenam, sed gratum faciens culpam; sed confirmatio est contra poenam3: ergo etc.
4. Item, videmus Christum libere confiteri multos in mortali peccato, actus ergo ille potest esse a gratia gratis data: si ergo ad hoc confertur confirmatio, non est necesse, quod det gratiam gratum facientem.
Conclusio.
Confirmatio gratiam gratum facientem confert, scilicet secundam.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod, sicut innuit Rabanus, et Magister dicit, et communiter concordant doctores, confirmatio dat gratiam gratum facientem. Sed notandum, quod gratia gratum faciens dupliciter dicitur: aut gratum faciens de non grato, et talis est gratia baptismalis et poenitentialis; aut magis gratum faciens de iam grato, et talis est gratia confirmationis, quae gratiam acceptam ampliat et confirmat.
Ad 1. Et per hoc patet responsio ad primum obiectum in contrarium: quia, quamvis baptizatus habeat gratiam gratum facientem, non tamen habet ad illum effectum nec in illo statu, in quo habet post confirmationem; et ideo recipitur hoc Sacramentum ad perfectionem illius gratiae et confirmationem, et hoc per gratiam in hoc Sacramento collatam, quae nondum habetur. Non sic est de gratia baptismali, quia baptismus flaminis dat primam gratiam iustificantem, sicut baptismus fluminis. Nihilominus tamen non est negandum, quod in baptismo fluminis tribuatur gratia gratum faciens etiam prius grato, non ad iustificandum, sed ad augendum4; et hoc principaliter est in confirmatione.
Ad 2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod esse spirituale est sine gratia confirmationis; dicendum, quod gratia augmentans utique gratum faciens est; et tamen sine ea est esse spirituale: et ideo illa propositio5 est falsa: omne illud etc.
Ad 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod gratia gratum faciens est contra culpam; dicendum, quod non tantum est contra culpam, sed etiam contra poenam, eatenus qua ordinata est ad culpam; et talis est pusillanimitas.
Ad 4. Ad ultimum dicendum, quod quamvis possit aliquis Christum confiteri sine gratia confirmationis, non tamen ita faciliter nec ita utiliter nec ita salubriter, sicut cum gratia gratum faciente, quoniam ex ipsa est confessio laudabilis et Deo accepta.
[De 1. quaestione.] In solvendis tribus huius articuli quaestionibus auctores nunc satis conveniunt. — De charactere indelebili, quem confirmatio imprimit, cfr. supra d. 6. p. I. q. 1–5. — Gratia confirmatione collata est sanctificans, sed secunda, quae praehabitam auget et specialiter confortat. — Quoad seq. (2). quaestionem cfr. supra d. 1. p. I. q. 6. De utraque quaestione antiqui Scholastici plerumque simul agunt. Cfr. Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. 9. m. 3. a. 2. § 1. —
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Article II. On confirmation as regards its efficacy.
As to the second article, inquiry is made concerning the power or efficacy of the Sacrament of confirmation, and concerning this three things are asked. First, supposing that it gives grace, since it is a Sacrament of the new law, it is asked whether it gives sanctifying grace. Second, whether the same grace is given in baptism and in confirmation. Third, whether a more copious gift of grace is conferred in confirmation than in baptism.
Question I. Whether confirmation confers sanctifying grace.
And that it confers sanctifying grace is shown:
1. First, by the authority of Rabanus1: "Through the imposition of the hand of the high priest the Holy Spirit is handed on to the baptized"; but the Holy Spirit is not said to be given except when sanctifying grace is given: therefore in the Sacrament of confirmation sanctifying grace is given.
2. Likewise, it seems by reason: for this Sacrament confirms in the good; but just as it belongs to sanctifying grace alone to call [one] back from evil, so also to confirm [one] in the good: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, the grace conferred in this Sacrament is completive and confirmative and augmentative of baptismal grace, as the Master says2, because "it bestows a greater increase of virtues"; but gratuitously given grace neither completes nor confirms nor augments sanctifying grace: therefore such grace is not conferred in the Sacrament of confirmation, but rather sanctifying grace.
On the contrary: 1. One having sanctifying grace, coming to baptism, does not receive it [there]: therefore if everyone coming worthily to confirmation has sanctifying grace, then confirmation does not give it.
2. Likewise, spiritual being can exist without robust being, just as natural being too can exist without robust being, since this [robustness] is well-being; but everything without which spiritual being can stand is gratuitously given grace, not sanctifying grace; therefore since confirmation confers such being, it confers nothing but gratuitously given grace.
3. Likewise, between this grace and that there is this difference, that gratuitously given grace regards penalty, but sanctifying grace regards fault; but confirmation is against penalty3: therefore etc.
4. Likewise, we see Christ freely confessing many [who are] in mortal sin, therefore that act can be from gratuitously given grace: if therefore confirmation is conferred for this, it is not necessary that it give sanctifying grace.
Conclusion.
Confirmation confers sanctifying grace, namely a second [grace].
I respond: It must be said that, as Rabanus intimates, and the Master says, and the doctors commonly agree, confirmation gives sanctifying grace. But it must be noted that sanctifying grace is spoken of in two ways: either as making pleasing from being-not-pleasing, and such is baptismal and penitential grace; or as making more pleasing from being-already-pleasing, and such is the grace of confirmation, which enlarges and confirms the grace [already] received.
To the first [objection]. And through this the reply to the first objection raised to the contrary is clear: for although the baptized has sanctifying grace, he does not have it unto that effect nor in that state in which he has it after confirmation; and therefore this Sacrament is received for the perfection of that grace and for its confirmation, and this through the grace conferred in this Sacrament, which is not yet possessed. It is not so with baptismal grace, because the baptism of the Spirit gives the first justifying grace, just as the baptism of water does. Nevertheless it must not be denied that in the baptism of water sanctifying grace is bestowed even upon one already pleasing, not unto justification but unto increase4; and this is principally [the case] in confirmation.
To the second. To that which is objected, that spiritual being exists without the grace of confirmation; it must be said that augmenting grace is indeed sanctifying grace; and yet spiritual being exists without it: and therefore that proposition5 is false: "everything without which" etc.
To the third. To that which is objected, that sanctifying grace is against fault; it must be said that it is not only against fault, but also against penalty, insofar as [the penalty] is ordained to fault; and such [a penalty] is faint-heartedness.
To the fourth. To the last it must be said that although someone can confess Christ without the grace of confirmation, yet not so easily nor so usefully nor so wholesomely as with sanctifying grace, since from it confession is praiseworthy and acceptable to God.
[On the 1st question.] In resolving the three questions of this article the authors are now in fair agreement. — On the indelible character which confirmation imprints, cf. above d. 6 p. I q. 1–5. — The grace conferred in confirmation is sanctifying, but a second [grace], which augments the previously possessed [grace] and specially strengthens it. — As to the following (2nd) question, cf. above d. 1 p. I q. 6. On both questions the old Scholastics for the most part treat together. Cf. Alexander of Hales, Summa p. IV q. 9 m. 3 a. 2 §1. —
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- 1Libr. I. de Instit. cleric. c. 30. Vide hic lit. Magistri c. 3, in cuius principio insinuatur etiam maior arg. seq., de qua Hugo a S. Vict., II. de Sacram. p. VII. c. 3: Illic [in baptismo] gratia attribuitur ad remissionem peccatorum, hic [in confirmatione] gratia datur ad confirmationem.Rabanus Maurus, On the Instruction of Clerics Book I, c. 30. See here the text of the Master c. 3, in whose opening the major [premise] of the following argument is also implied, on which Hugh of St. Victor, On the Sacraments II p. VII c. 3: "There [in baptism] grace is attributed to the remission of sins; here [in confirmation] grace is given for confirmation."
- 2Hic c. 4.Here [in the text of the Master], c. 4.
- 3Cfr. infra q. 3. fundam. 1. — Cod. aa addit quae remanet post baptismum.Cf. below, q. 3, first fundamentum. — Codex aa adds: "which remains after baptism."
- 4Vide supra lit. Magistri, d. IV. c. 5. seq.See above, the text of the Master, d. IV, c. 5 ff.
- 5Scil. minor obiectionis.That is, the minor [premise] of the objection. ---