Pars 3, Cap. 7
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/5/d/3/q/bon-brev-p3-c7
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### Chapter VII. *On the healing of original sin.*

Lastly, the manner of the *healing* of original sin is this: 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 grace.

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 God; 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 *act*.

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 any 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 proceeded ».

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