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Pars 3, Cap. 7

Breviloquium · Pars III: De corruptela peccati

Textus Latinus
p. 236

Capitulum VII. De originalis peccati curatione.

Postremo, modus curationis originalis hic est1, quod sic curatur culpa, quod remanet poena temporalis, sicut patet in parvulis baptizatis; sic curatur quantum ad reatum poenae aeternae, quod remanet quantum ad actum et motum concupiscentiae; sic curatur in parente, quod nihilominus ab eo qui curatus est per baptismum, transmittitur in prolem originale peccatum; sic tollitur originalis peccati macula, quod remanet sequela, cum qua oportet pugnare, quamdiu vivimus in hac vita, quia in nullo prorsus exstinguitur concupiscentia per gratiam communem; quod dico propter beatissimam Virginem, in qua in conceptione Filii Dei exstincta fuit per gratiam singularem2.

Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, sicut infectio derivatur in omnes a principio creato, a quo fit corporum propagatio, et hoc a parte inferiori, scilicet carnis; sic curatio fieri habet a principio increato, a quo fit animarum infusio, et hoc a parte superiori, scilicet mentis. Quoniam igitur ex parte mentis distinctio est in hominibus, ita quod secundum illam non propagatur unus ab alio, sed immediate exit a Deo3; gratia curativa, menti nostrae a Deo infusa respicit unumquemque, in quantum tenet rationem personae singularis et individuae, non in quantum tenet rationem productivi secundum virtutem naturae. Quia ergo originale est morbus inficiens personam pariter et naturam, personam in voluntate, naturam in carne; ideo sic curatur macula originalis in mente, quod remanet infectio et sequela in carne.

Et quia homo generat, non secundum quod curatus in mente, sed secundum quod corruptus in carne, non secundum quod spiritualis, sed secundum quod carnalis; hinc est, quod quamvis sit baptizatus et sic ab originali mundatus in se, transmittit tamen originale in prolem.

Rursus, quia reatus poenae aeternae respicit deformitatem mentis et personae, motus autem respicit inclinationem carnis et naturae; ideo transit originale per baptismum quantum ad reatum et remanet quantum ad actum4.

Postremo, quia temporalis afflictio conditionem respicit ex parte carnis; cum caro remaneat semper subiecta cuidam infectioni, remanere debet semper subiecta poenalitati: et ideo, sicut poenalitas et corruptio per gratiam non aufertur a carne; sic sequela illa sive concupiscentia et languor membrorum simul stare potest cum gratia curativa. Et ideo, quamvis paulatim minuatur, quia tamen radix non tollitur, nunquam omnino aufertur in viatore nisi in beatissima Virgine per gratiam singularem. Quia enim Virgo concepit eum qui erat expiatio omnis culpae, ideo data fuit ei gratia singularis, qua exstincta fuit in ea radicitus omnis concupiscentia, ad concipiendum Dei Filium absque omni5 peccati labe et corruptela. « Nempe decens erat, ut ea puritate, qua maior sub Deo nequit intelligi, Virgo illa niteret, cui Deus Pater unicum Filium, quem de corde suo genitum sibi aequalem tanquam se ipsum diligebat, ita dare disponebat, ut naturaliter esset unus idemque communis Dei Patris et Virginis Filius; et quam ipse Filius substantialiter facere sibi matrem eligebat, et de qua Spiritus sanctus volebat et operaturus erat, ut conciperetur et nasceretur ille, de quo ipse procedebat6 ».

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English Translation

Chapter VII. On the healing of original sin.

Lastly, the manner of the healing of original sin is this1: that guilt is so healed that a temporal punishment remains, as is clear in baptized infants; it is so healed as regards the liability to eternal punishment that it remains as regards the act and motion of concupiscence; it is so healed in the parent that nonetheless from him who has been healed through baptism original sin is transmitted into the offspring; the stain of original sin is so taken away that the sequel remains, with which we must fight so long as we live in this life, because in no one whatever is concupiscence utterly extinguished by common grace; which I say on account of the most blessed Virgin, in whom, in the conception of the Son of God, it was extinguished by a singular grace2.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since, just as the infection is derived into all from a created principle, from which comes the propagation of bodies, and this on the lower side, namely that of the flesh; so the healing has to be effected from an uncreated principle, from which comes the infusion of souls, and this on the higher side, namely that of the mind. Since, therefore, on the side of the mind there is distinction among men, in such wise that according to it one is not propagated from another, but goes forth immediately from God3; the healing grace, infused into our mind by God, regards each one insofar as he holds the account of a singular and individual person, not insofar as he holds the account of something productive according to the power of nature. Because, therefore, original sin is a disease infecting the person equally and the nature — the person in the will, the nature in the flesh — therefore the original stain is so healed in the mind that the infection and the sequel remain in the flesh.

And because man generates, not according as he is healed in mind, but according as he is corrupted in flesh, not according as he is spiritual, but according as he is carnal; hence it is that, although he be baptized and thus cleansed from original sin in himself, he nevertheless transmits original sin into his offspring.

Again, because the liability to eternal punishment regards the deformity of mind and of person, whereas the motion regards the inclination of flesh and of nature; therefore original sin passes over through baptism as regards the liability, and remains as regards the act4.

Lastly, because temporal affliction regards the condition on the side of the flesh: since the flesh remains always subject to a certain infection, it must remain always subject to penalty; and therefore, just as penalty and corruption are not taken away from the flesh by grace, so that sequel — that is, concupiscence and the languor of the members — can stand together with healing grace. And therefore, although it is little by little diminished, yet because the root is not taken away, it is never wholly taken away in the wayfarer, save in the most blessed Virgin through a singular grace. For because the Virgin conceived him who was the expiation of all guilt, therefore there was given to her a singular grace, by which all concupiscence was extinguished in her at the root, for the conceiving of the Son of God without any5 stain and corruption of sin. « Assuredly it was fitting that that Virgin should shine with a purity than which no greater under God can be understood — she to whom God the Father so disposed to give his only Son, whom, begotten of his own heart and equal to himself, he loved as his very self, that naturally he should be one and the same common Son of God the Father and of the Virgin; and whom the Son himself chose substantially to make his mother; and of whom the Holy Spirit willed and was about to work, that there should be conceived and born he from whom he himself proceeded6 ».

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Edd. Postremo, diligenter attende, quod modus curationis culpae originalis est iste, scilicet.
    The editions have Postremo, diligenter attende, quod modus curationis culpae originalis est iste, scilicet ["Lastly, attend diligently, that the manner of the healing of original guilt is this, namely"].
  2. 2
    Vide III. Sent. d. 3. p. I. per totam. De praecedentibus cfr. II. Sent. d. 32. a. 1.
    See III Sent., d. 3, p. I, throughout. On the things preceding, cf. II Sent., d. 32, a. 1.
  3. 3
    Cfr. cap. praeced. — Inferius pro productivi B producti.
    Cf. the preceding chapter. — Below, for productivi B has producti.
  4. 4
    August., I. de Nuptiis et concupisc. c. 26. n. 29: Sed quomodo manent [peccata actualia], si praeterita sunt, nisi quia praeterierunt actu, manent reatu? Sic itaque fieri e contrario potest, ut etiam illud [originale] maneat actu, praetereat reatu. — Superius edd., excepta 2, pro motus autem substituunt actus autem sive motus, et subinde per baptismum omittitur a pluribus codd.
    Augustine, On Marriage and Concupiscence, bk. I, c. 26, n. 29: "But how do they [the actual sins] remain, if they are past, unless because they have passed away in act, but remain in liability? Thus, then, it can happen conversely, that that other [the original sin] should remain in act, but pass away in liability." — Above, the editions, except 2, substitute actus autem sive motus for motus autem, and thereupon per baptismum is omitted by several codices.
  5. 5
    Ita G K O Q S U et 2, alii codd. et edd. omnis. Paulo ante plures codd. omittunt singularis et omnis.
    So G K O Q S U and 2; the other codices and the editions have omnis. A little before, several codices omit singularis and omnis.
  6. 6
    Anselm., de Conceptu virgin. et orig. pecc. c. 18. Post Filium 1 cum textu originali addit suum, et pro ita dare disponebat I L M V communicavit. Verba Anselmi omittuntur ab E F G H K N O P S.
    Anselm, On the Virginal Conception and Original Sin, c. 18. After Filium, edition 1, together with the original text, adds suum; and for ita dare disponebat I L M V have communicavit. The words of Anselm are omitted by E F G H K N O P S. ---
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