Pars 6, Cap. 7
Breviloquium · Pars VI: De medicina sacramentali
Capitulum VII. De constitutione et integritate baptismi.
Iam nunc septimo loco restat videre de integritate uniuscuiusque5 Sacramenti; quae cum sint in numero septiformi, primo dicendum est de integritate baptismi, qui est ianua aliorum Sacramentorum.
De integritate igitur Sacramenti baptismi hoc tenendum est, quod ad hoc, quod aliquis baptizetur vere et plene, requiritur expressio formae vocalis, a Domino institutae6, quae est haec: Ego te baptizo in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti, Amen; absque omissione vocabuli et sine interpositione vocabuli, absque praeposteratione ordinis supradicti et sine commutatione nominis praenotati. — Requiritur etiam mersio vel ablutio per elementum aquae in toto corpore, vel saltem in digniori parte, ita quod expressio et mersio fiat ab uno et eodem et in eodem tempore. — Quibus concurrentibus, si non sit fictio in baptizando, datur ei gratia regenerans, rectificans et purificans ab omni culpa. — Quod ut efficacius fiat, catechismus et exorcismus tanquam praeparatorii praemittuntur tam in parvulis quam in adultis; ita tamen, quod in adultis requiritur fides propria, in parvulis autem sufficit fides aliena7.
Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, cum principium nostrum reparativum, Verbum scilicet incarnatum, tanquam perfectissimum et sufficientissimum principium reparare habeat genus humanum per medicamenta Sacramentorum, ita quod nihil sit in eis superfluum, nihil inordinatum, nihil etiam diminutum8; ita disponere debuit, quod Sacramentum baptismi et alia integrarentur, secundum quod exigebat sua virtus, nostra salus et etiam noster morbus. — Quoniam ergo virtus nos p. 272 reparans est virtus totius Trinitatis, quam sancta mater Ecclesia credit in animo, confitetur in verbo et profitetur in signo, sub trium personarum distinctione et proprietate, ordine et origine naturali; est etiam virtus passionis Christi, qui mortuus et sepultus fuit et die tertia resurrexit1: hinc est, quod ad horum expressionem in Sacramento, quod primum omnium Sacramentorum est, et in quo primo et principaliter haec virtus operatur, debuit fieri expressio Trinitatis in distincta, propria et ordinata nominatione, quantum est de forma communi, licet in tempore primitivae Ecclesiae potuerit fieri in nomine Christi2, in quo intellectus clauditur Trinitatis. Debuit etiam fieri propria et ordinata nominatio verbi baptizandi cum trina mersione ad expressionem mortis Christi et sepulturae et resurrectionis post triduum factae, quantum est de congruitate. Et quia simul operatur utraque virtus et in uno Christo Salvatore, utrumque horum debet fieri ab uno et eodem simul et in eodem tempore, propter servandam unitatem in Sacramento et significandam unitatem in nostro Mediatore3.
Rursus, quoniam salus nostra requirebat inchoari per regenerationem seu renovationem in esse gratiae conferentis spirituale esse, abstergendo immunditiam, effugando tenebras et refrigerando concupiscentiam, quae universaliter labefactat4 omnem hominem descendentem seminaliter ab Adam; hinc est, quod Sacramentum primum, quod est regenerativum, debuit fieri in elemento, quod haberet conformitatem ex naturali repraesentatione ad triplicem effectum praedictum gratiae inchoantis nostram salutem. Quoniam ergo aqua sua puritate mundat, sua pervietate luminis est delativa, sua frigiditate refrigerat; et maxime communis est omnibus inter omnia liquida: hinc est, quod Sacramentum regenerationis nostrae perfici debuit in elemento aquae indifferenter; quia « omnis aqua omni aquae est eadem specie5 », et etiam, ne aliquis propter defectum elementi periculum salutis posset incurrere.
Postremo, quoniam morbus noster, contra quem principaliter est baptismus, est originale peccatum, quod animam privat vita gratiae et omnium virtutum rectitudine habilitante et pronam quodam modo reddit ad omne genus culpae, et traducitur aliunde et « parvulum facit concupiscibilem et adultum actu concupiscentem », redigit etiam in diabolicam servitutem et in potestatem principis tenebrarum6: hinc est, quod ad hoc, quod per illud Sacramentum per contrarium sufficiens adhibeatur remedii medicamentum, congruit, in eo dari gratiam regenerantem contra privationem vitae gratuitae, gratiam rectificantem in septiformi virtute contra privationem virtutis habilitativae, gratiam purificantem ab omni culpa contra pronitatem ad omnem deordinationem vitiosam.
Et quoniam originale peccatum trahitur aliunde et parvulum facit concupiscibilem et adultum actu concupiscentem, necessaria est adulto fides propria et poenitentia, sed parvulo sufficit aliena, quae scilicet est in universali Ecclesia. Quia vero baptismus debet eruere de servitute diaboli et de potestate principis tenebrarum7 tam parvulos quam adultos; hinc est, quod utrique exorcizari debent ad expulsionem potestatis contrariae, utrique etiam catechizari: adulti, ut, expulsa caligine erroris, informentur ad fidem; parvuli vero, ut sciant patrini, quid eos debeant edocere, ne pro humano defectu impediatur baptismatis Sacramentum, quominus habeat finem suum.
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Chapter VII. On the constitution and integrity of baptism.
Now in the seventh place it remains to see concerning the integrity of each5 Sacrament; and since these are seven in number, first it must be said concerning the integrity of baptism, which is the gate of the other Sacraments.
Concerning the integrity, therefore, of the Sacrament of baptism this must be held: that for this, that anyone be baptized truly and fully, there is required the expression of the vocal form instituted by the Lord6, which is this: I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen; without the omission of a word and without the interposition of a word, without the inversion of the aforesaid order and without the alteration of the name prescribed. — There is required also immersion or ablution through the element of water upon the whole body, or at least upon the worthier part, in such wise that the expression and the immersion be done by one and the same person and at the same time. — And when these concur, if there be no feigning in the one being baptized, there is given to him grace regenerating, rectifying and purifying from every fault. — And that this may be done the more efficaciously, catechism and exorcism are sent before as preparatory, in infants as much as in adults; yet in such wise that in adults there is required one's own faith, whereas in infants the faith of another suffices7.
Now the reason for the understanding of the aforesaid is this: since our reparative principle, the Word namely incarnate, as a most perfect and most sufficient principle, has to repair the human race through the medicaments of the Sacraments, in such wise that there be in them nothing superfluous, nothing disordered, nothing also diminished8, he must needs have so disposed that the Sacrament of baptism and the others should be made entire according to what his own power, our salvation and also our disease demanded. — Since therefore the power p. 272 repairing us is the power of the whole Trinity, which holy mother Church believes in mind, confesses in word and professes in sign, under the distinction and property of the three persons, under their natural order and origin; and is also the power of the passion of Christ, who died and was buried and on the third day rose again1: hence it is that, for the expression of these in the Sacrament which is the first of all the Sacraments, and in which first and principally this power works, there had to be made an expression of the Trinity in a distinct, proper and ordered naming, so far as pertains to the common form — although in the time of the primitive Church it could be done in the name of Christ2, in which the understanding of the Trinity is enclosed. There had also to be made a proper and ordered naming of the word of baptizing with a threefold immersion, for the expression of the death of Christ and of the burial and of the resurrection made after three days, so far as pertains to congruity. And because both powers work at once and in the one Christ the Saviour, both of these ought to be done by one and the same person at once and at the same time, for the preserving of unity in the Sacrament and for the signifying of the unity in our Mediator3.
Again, since our salvation required to be begun through a regeneration or renewal in the being of grace conferring spiritual being, by wiping away uncleanness, by putting to flight the darknesses and by cooling concupiscence, which universally weakens4 every man descending seminally from Adam; hence it is that the first Sacrament, which is regenerative, had to be made in an element which should have a conformity, by natural representation, to the aforesaid threefold effect of the grace beginning our salvation. Since therefore water by its purity cleanses, by its transparency is a bearer of light, by its coldness cools; and is most of all common to all men among all liquids: hence it is that the Sacrament of our regeneration had to be accomplished in the element of water indifferently; because « all water is of the same species with all water5 », and also lest anyone, on account of a defect of the element, should be able to incur peril of salvation.
Lastly, since our disease, against which baptism is principally directed, is original sin — which deprives the soul of the life of grace and of the enabling rectitude of all the virtues, and in a certain manner renders it prone to every kind of fault, and is drawn from elsewhere and « makes the infant concupiscible and the adult concupiscent in act », and reduces him also into diabolical servitude and into the power of the prince of darkness6 — hence it is that, in order that through that Sacrament a sufficient medicament of remedy might be applied by way of the contrary, it was fitting that in it there be given grace regenerating against the privation of the gratuitous life, grace rectifying in the sevenfold power against the privation of the enabling virtue, grace purifying from every fault against the proneness to every vicious disorder.
And since original sin is drawn from elsewhere and makes the infant concupiscible and the adult concupiscent in act, one's own faith and penance are necessary for the adult, but for the infant the faith of another suffices, which namely is in the universal Church. But because baptism ought to draw both infants and adults out of the servitude of the devil and out of the power of the prince of darkness7; hence it is that both ought to be exorcized unto the expulsion of the contrary power, and both also catechized: adults, that, the mist of error having been driven out, they may be informed unto faith; infants indeed, that the godparents may know what they ought to teach them, lest through human defect the Sacrament of baptism be hindered from having its own end.
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- 5C I K L M O V cuiuslibet. — De unoquoque septem Sacramentorum agitur specialiter capp. seqq.C, I, K, L, M, O, V read cuiuslibet. — Each one of the seven Sacraments is treated of specially in the following chapters.
- 6Cfr. Matth. 28, 19. — Inferius pro mersio A H Q R S et 2 immersio.Cf. Matthew 28:19. — Below, for mersio, A, H, Q, R, S and edition 2 read immersio.
- 7De hoc cap. vide IV. Sent. d. 3-5. et d. 6. p. II. a. 3.On this chapter see IV Sent. d. 3–5 and d. 6, p. II, a. 3.
- 8Aristot., I. de Caelo et mundo, text. 32. (c. 4.) et III. de Anima, text. 45. (c. 9.) docet, quod Deus et natura nihil faciunt frustra neque deficiunt in necessariis.Aristotle, On the Heaven and the World I, text 32 (c. 4), and On the Soul III, text 45 (c. 9), teaches that God and nature do nothing in vain nor fail in things necessary.
- 1Epist. I. Cor. 15, 4. — Inferius post in Sacramento 1 addit baptismi.Epistle I Corinthians 15:4. — Below, after in Sacramento, edition 1 adds baptismi.
- 2Cfr. Act. 2, 38; 8, 12. et 16; 10, 48; 19, 5, et de opinione illa IV. Sent. d. 3. p. I. a. 2. q. 2. scholion. — Mox voci Trinitatis Vat., 1 et 3 praefigunt totius. Subinde pro propria et ordinata nominatio plures codd. expressio, et immersione pro mersione.Cf. Acts 2:38; 8:12 and 16; 10:48; 19:5, and on that opinion IV Sent. d. 3, p. I, a. 2, q. 2, scholion. — Shortly after, before the word Trinitatis, the Vatican edition and editions 1 and 3 prefix totius. Thereafter, for propria et ordinata nominatio, many codices read expressio, and immersione for mersione.
- 3Cfr. IV. Sent. d. 5. a. 1. q. 1. casus 3. — Plures codd. in salvatore nostro et mediatore Christo.Cf. IV Sent. d. 5, a. 1, q. 1, case 3. — Many codices read in salvatore nostro et mediatore Christo.
- 4Plures codd., inter quos B L M P et 2 labefacit, T W labefecerat. Superius pro tenebras non pauci codd. tenebram.Many codices, among them B, L, M, P, and edition 2, read labefacit; T, W read labefecerat. Above, for tenebras, not a few codices read tenebram.
- 5Aristot., I. Topic. c. 6. (c. 5.). — Superius post pervietate, pro quo D F perspicuitate, Vat., 1 et 3 addunt seu diaphaneitate. Mox pro et etiam plures codd., inter quos L M V Z, et similiter.Aristotle, Topics I, c. 6 (c. 5). — Above, after pervietate — for which D, F read perspicuitate — the Vatican edition and editions 1 and 3 add seu diaphaneitate. Shortly after, for et etiam, many codices, among them L, M, V, Z, read et similiter.
- 6Respicitur Col. 6, 12. — Praecedens sententia, quae etiam paulo inferius recurrit, est Magistri Sent., II. Sent. d. XXX. c. 9. Cfr. Hugo S. Vict., Sum. Sent. tr. 3. c. 11. et I. de Sacram. p. VII. c. 31. — Superius pro pronum ex I K L O Q V substituimus pronam, F vero post reddit supplet hominem.Reference is had to Col. 6:12. — The preceding sentence, which recurs also a little below, is the Master of the Sentences', II Sent. d. XXX, c. 9. Cf. Hugh of St. Victor, Summa Sententiarum, tr. 3, c. 11, and On the Sacraments I, p. VII, c. 31. — Above, for pronum, we have substituted pronam from I, K, L, O, Q, V; F, however, after reddit, supplies hominem.
- 7Col. 1, 13: Qui eripuit nos de potestate tenebrarum et transtulit in regnum Filii dilectionis suae.Colossians 1:13: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." ---