Dist. 7, Art. 2, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 7
Quaestio II. Utrum eadem gratia conferatur in baptismo et in confirmatione.
Secundo quaeritur circa hoc, utrum eadem gratia conferatur in baptismo et confirmatione. Et quod alia, videtur:
1. Quia baptismus et eius effectus praecedit Sacramentum confirmationis tempore et natura; sed quod praecedit alterum tempore et natura differt ab eo essentialiter: ergo differens gratia confertur in hoc Sacramento et in illo.
2. Item, signa sunt similia et proportionabilia signatis: sed aliud signum est in baptismo et alius in confirmatione character1: ergo alius effectus et alia gratia.
3. Item, si omnino daretur eadem gratia, ergo qui haberet baptismum haberet confirmationem: ergo ulterius frustra confirmaretur.
Contra:
1. Utraque gratia est gratum faciens2; sed in una anima est una gratia gratum faciens, quia duo accidentia et maxime accidentia simplicia in eodem subiecto esse non possunt, cum sunt eiusdem speciei: ergo constat, quod una numero.
2. Item, eadem per essentiam est virtus debilis et robusta: ergo gratia baptismalis similiter et gratia confirmationis eadem.
3. Item, gratia praeveniens et subsequens, sicut dicit Magister, secundi libri distinctione vigesima septima3, est eadem per essentiam; sed sic se habet gratia baptismalis et confirmationis, quia baptismalis praevenit, ut homo iuste velit, confirmationis confirmat, ne frustra velit: ergo etc.
Conclusio.
Gratia baptismi et confirmationis est una, in quantum gratum faciens, sed diversa respectu effectus.
Respondeo: Cum quaeritur, utrum gratia, quae datur in Sacramento baptismi et confirmationis, sit eadem, vel alia; ista quaestio dupliciter potest intelligi: vel quod in Sacramento confirmationis non conferatur aliqua gratia nec aliquis character, sed solum baptismalis confirmetur sine alicuius appositione; et hoc quidem est quaerere, utrum in confirmatione conferatur aliqua gratia. Si enim confertur; cum non conferatur quod collatum est, patet, quod ista quaestio ex praecedenti quaestione soluta est: quia ibi datur gratia, ut dicit Rabanus, Hugo et Magister4, cum dicunt, ibi gratiam augeri, ac per hoc et novam conferri. Quidquid enim voluerunt aliqui dicere, credo illud verum. — Vel potest quaeri, utrum sint eaedem; esto quod in utroque detur gratia, ita quod ex his una gratia per essentiam fiat, sicut fit de eo quod auget, et eo quod augetur. Et hic5 sunt tres positiones.
Quidam enim dicunt, quod differunt essentialiter virtutes et dona; quia in baptismo datur gratia, quae influens in potentias facit virtutes, in confirmatione gratia, quae influens in potentias facit dona, in ordine, quae facit beatitudines. — Etsi pulcra videatur haec positio, tamen veritatem non habet, quia in virtutibus et donis ponit gratiam essentialiter differre6. Rursus, connexionem illorum dissolvit; in Sacramentis enim non est connexio, ut in virtutibus et donis.
Alia positio est, quod gratia haec et baptismalis, etsi sint gratum facientes, differunt tamen essentia, sicut morbi, contra quos ordinantur; et distinguuntur in subiecto, quia in diversis partibus animae potentialibus7: ut, sicut partes animae partes corporis, sic partes gratiae partes animae sive potentias perficiant. Unde dicunt, quod distinctae manent in anima, nec una auget aliam nec confirmat nisi per accidens, scilicet quia confirmat hominem.
Tertio modo potest dici, quod gratia gratum faciens in anima est una, quia una est anima, quae gratificatur et uni8; et rursus, tota gratia tollitur unico peccato. — Propter hoc dicendum aliter, sicut in virtutibus gratuitis, quod est ibi gratia et habitus substratus, et gratia una in omnibus, sed habitus substrati alii et alii; sic in sacramentali etiam gratia et est gratia gratum faciens et effectus specialis, quem habet virtute Sacramenti. Et in quantum gratum faciens, una est, sed ratione effectuum distinguitur9; et quia Sacramentum significat gratiam ut in tali effectu, ideo signa et Sacramenta sunt diversa. — Concedendum est ergo, quod gratiae baptismali superadditur gratia confirmationis, quae habet alium effectum, scilicet ablationem pusillanimitatis; et hoc probant tres primae rationes. Concedendum est etiam, quod cedit in unam, sicut probant tres sequentes rationes. — Quamvis enim gratia per essentiam sit eadem, tamen effectus, ad quem ordinatur, est alius et alius; et ideo non est repugnantia inter rationes illas. Gratia enim in anima una est gratum faciens, sed effectus sunt multi et varii; et quoniam signa sacramentalia ordinantur ad gratiam secundum effectus curationis: ideo sunt varia signa et Sacramenta. et non solum signa exteriora et visibilia, sed etiam interiora, ut puta sunt characteres, qui sunt signacula distinctiva10.
[Solutio oppositorum.]
1. Ad illud tamen quod obiicitur, quod non sunt duo accidentia eiusdem speciei in eodem subiecto; dici potest, quod11, in quantum sunt sacramentalia, non sunt eiusdem speciei, sed diversae.
2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod eadem est virtus debilis et roborata; dicendum, quod non solum differunt per debile et roboratum gratia baptismalis et confirmationis, sed etiam per morbum, contra quem sunt et quem curant.
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de gratia praeveniente et subsequente, dicendum, quod non est simile: quia ad eundem effectum ordinantur gratia praeveniens et subsequens, non sic gratia Sacramentorum istorum; nihilominus tamen concedo, quod illa gratia gratum faciens, secundum quod huiusmodi, cedit in unum cum gratia baptismali et illam auget: ideo prima ratio non valet, quod quae habent ordinem temporis non sunt idem. Illud enim fallit in his quorum unum se habet per additionem ad alterum12.
---
Question II. Whether the same grace is conferred in baptism and in confirmation.
Secondly it is asked concerning this, whether the same grace is conferred in baptism and in confirmation. And that it is a different grace seems to be the case:
1. Because baptism and its effect precede the Sacrament of confirmation in time and in nature; but that which precedes another in time and in nature differs from it essentially: therefore a different grace is conferred in this Sacrament and in that.
2. Likewise, signs are similar and proportionate to the things signified: but the sign in baptism is one thing and in confirmation another, namely the character1: therefore there is a different effect and a different grace.
3. Likewise, if entirely the same grace were given, then whoever had baptism would have confirmation: therefore he would furthermore be confirmed in vain.
On the contrary:
1. Each grace is sanctifying2; but in one soul there is one sanctifying grace, because two accidents — and most of all simple accidents — cannot be in the same subject when they are of the same species: therefore it is established that it is one in number.
2. Likewise, the same virtue by essence is both weak and strong: therefore baptismal grace and the grace of confirmation are likewise the same.
3. Likewise, prevenient and subsequent grace, as the Master says in the twenty-seventh distinction of the second book3, is the same by essence; but so it stands with baptismal grace and the grace of confirmation, since the baptismal grace prevenes, that man may will justly, the grace of confirmation confirms, lest he will in vain: therefore etc.
Conclusion.
The grace of baptism and of confirmation is one, insofar as it is sanctifying, but diverse in respect of its effect.
I respond: When it is asked whether the grace which is given in the Sacrament of baptism and of confirmation is the same or different; this question can be understood in two ways: either that in the Sacrament of confirmation no grace nor any character is conferred, but only the baptismal grace is confirmed without the addition of anything; and this indeed is to ask whether in confirmation any grace is conferred. For if it is conferred — since that which has been conferred is not conferred again — it is clear that this question has been resolved from the preceding question: because there grace is given, as Rabanus, Hugh, and the Master say4, when they say that grace is there increased, and through this also a new grace is conferred. For whatever some have wished to say, I believe that to be true. — Or it can be asked whether they are the same; granted that grace is given in each, such that from these one grace by essence comes to be, as happens with that which increases and that which is increased. And here5 there are three positions.
For some say that the virtues and the gifts differ essentially; because in baptism a grace is given which, flowing into the powers, makes the virtues, in confirmation a grace which, flowing into the powers, makes the gifts, in their order, which makes the beatitudes. — Although this position may seem beautiful, nevertheless it does not hold the truth, because in the virtues and gifts it posits that grace differs essentially6. Again, it dissolves their connection; for in the Sacraments there is no connection, as there is in the virtues and gifts.
Another position is that this grace and the baptismal grace, even though they are sanctifying, nevertheless differ in essence, like the diseases against which they are ordered; and they are distinguished in the subject, because in diverse potential parts of the soul7: so that, just as the parts of the soul perfect the parts of the body, so the parts of grace perfect the parts of the soul, or its powers. Hence they say that they remain distinct in the soul, and the one neither increases the other nor confirms it except per accidens, namely because it confirms the man.
In a third way it can be said that the sanctifying grace in the soul is one, because the soul which is graced and to which it is given is one8; and again, the whole grace is taken away by a single sin. — On account of this it must be said otherwise, as in the case of the gratuitous virtues, that there is there a grace and an underlying habit, and one grace in all, but the underlying habits are different and different; so also in the sacramental grace there is both sanctifying grace and a special effect, which it has by virtue of the Sacrament. And insofar as it is sanctifying, it is one, but it is distinguished by reason of its effects9; and because the Sacrament signifies grace as in such an effect, therefore the signs and Sacraments are diverse. — It must therefore be granted that to the baptismal grace there is superadded the grace of confirmation, which has another effect, namely the removal of faint-heartedness; and this the first three arguments prove. It must also be granted that it merges into one, as the three following arguments prove. — For although the grace by essence is the same, nevertheless the effect to which it is ordered is one and another; and therefore there is no contradiction between those arguments. For the grace in the soul is one sanctifying grace, but the effects are many and varied; and since the sacramental signs are ordered to grace according to the effects of healing: therefore the signs and Sacraments are varied. And not only the exterior and visible signs, but also the interior ones, as for instance the characters, which are distinctive marks10.
[Solution of the objections.]
1. To that which is objected, however — that there are not two accidents of the same species in the same subject — it can be said that11, insofar as they are sacramental, they are not of the same species, but of diverse species.
2. To that which is objected — that the weak and the strengthened virtue is the same — it must be said that baptismal grace and the grace of confirmation differ not only by weak and strengthened, but also by the disease against which they are and which they heal.
3. To that which is objected concerning prevenient and subsequent grace, it must be said that it is not similar: because prevenient and subsequent grace are ordered to the same effect, but not so the grace of these Sacraments; nevertheless I concede that that sanctifying grace, as such, merges into one with the baptismal grace and increases it: therefore the first argument is not valid, that things which have an order of time are not the same. For that fails in those things of which the one stands by addition to the other12.
---
- 1Ut dictum est supra d. 6. p. 1. q. 1. — Cod. F et alius effectus: ergo alia gratia.As was said above, d. 6, p. 1, q. 1. — Codex F reads and a different effect: therefore a different grace.
- 2Vide quaest. praeced. — Minor ostensa est II. Sent. d. 27. a. 1. q. 1. De ratione minori addita cfr. ibid. pag. 119, nota 8.See the preceding question. — The minor was shown in II Sent., d. 27, a. 1, q. 1. On the minor premise added, cf. ibid., p. 119, note 8.
- 3Cap. 1, ubi etiam dicit, gratia praeveniente voluntatem praeparari, ut bonum velit, gratia subsequente eam adiuvari, ne frustra velit. — Inferius pro confirmationis confirmat cod. U confirmationis gratia subsequitur.Chapter 1, where he also says that by prevenient grace the will is prepared, that it may will the good, and by subsequent grace it is aided, lest it will in vain. — Below, for the grace of confirmation confirms, codex U reads the grace of confirmation follows.
- 4Verba Rabani et Magistri allegata sunt fundam. 1. et 3. quaest. praeced.; verba Hugonis vide supra pag. 168, nota 8.The words of Rabanus and the Master cited are at fundamenta 1 and 3 of the preceding question; for the words of Hugh see above, p. 168, note 8.
- 5Permulti codd. hinc.Very many codices read hence.
- 6De hac et seq. ratione vide supra d. 1. p. 1. q. 6, ubi et de tertia positione. — Mox pro connexionem ed. 1 cum pluribus codd. connexiones.On this and the following reasoning see above, d. 1, p. 1, q. 6, where the third position is also treated. — Soon, for connection, edition 1 with several codices reads connections.
- 7Cfr. II. Sent. d. 24. p. 1. a. 2. q. 1; d. 27. a. 1. q. 2, et ibid. pag. 600, nota 1. — Cod. Z supplet sunt. Subinde post corporis cod. aa bene addit perficiunt. Aliquanto inferius pro quia confirmat ed. 1 cum pluribus codd. qua [codd. F G I in quantum] confirmat.Cf. II Sent., d. 24, p. 1, a. 2, q. 1; d. 27, a. 1, q. 2, and ibid., p. 600, note 1. — Codex Z supplies they are. Then after body codex aa rightly adds perfect. Somewhat below, for because it confirms, edition 1 with several codices reads by which [codices F G I insofar as] it confirms.
- 8In codd. W Y additur scilicet Deo. Cfr. supra d. 6. p. I. q. 2. in corp.In codices W Y there is added namely to God. Cf. above, d. 6, p. I, q. 2, in the body.
- 9Ita codd. E K W, in aliis et edd. distinguuntur.Thus codices E K W; in the others and in the editions, they are distinguished.
- 10Cfr. supra d. 6. p. I. q. 1.Cf. above, d. 6, p. I, q. 1.
- 11Supple: gratia baptismi et confirmationis.Supply: the grace of baptism and of confirmation.
- 12Aristot., II. Topic. c. 4. (c. 11.): Si id, ad quod est appositum aliquid, facit magis tale, quale erat, et ipsum erit eiusmodi. — Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.Aristotle, Topics II, c. 4 (c. 11): If that to which something is added makes [the whole] more such as it was, then it too will be of that kind. — See the scholion on the preceding question. ---