Pars 6, Cap. 11
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/6/q/bon-brev-p6-c11
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### Chapter XI. *On the integrity of extreme unction.*

Concerning the Sacrament of *extreme unction* this must be held in summary: that it is the Sacrament of those departing from this life, preparing and disposing them to perfect health; it avails also for blotting out venial sins and for recovering present health, if it be expedient for the sick man. — Now for the integrity of this Sacrament there is required oil that is simple, but consecrated, the vocal expression of prayers, the anointing of the sick man in seven determined parts, namely in the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the lips, the hands, the feet and the loins. — Nor ought this Sacrament to be given save to adults and to those requesting it, when the danger of death is imminent, and this through the hand and ministry of a priest. — From which it is gathered that between this Sacrament and confirmation there is a sevenfold difference, namely in *efficacy, matter, form, recipient, giver, place* and *time*.

Now the reason for the understanding of the aforesaid is this: since our reparative principle, the Word namely

incarnate, repairs us inasmuch as he is *the mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus*; and inasmuch as he is *Jesus* it belongs to him to save, but inasmuch as he is *Christ*, the anointed, it belongs to him to derive the grace of unction into others: hence it is that it belongs to him in his Sacraments to bestow upon his members a *saving unction*. But since the soul, in order that it be perfectly healed, needs a threefold kind of health — namely for the strenuousness of *action*, for the sweetness of *contemplation* and for the felicity of *comprehension*; and the first is of those *entering* into the battle-line of the Church, the second of those *presiding* in the same, whose office is to instruct others, and the third of those *departing* from the same through death: hence it is that the Lord instituted not only the *sacramental* unction in *confirmation*, but also the *middle* one in the *pontifical order* and the *last* one, when the *danger of death* is imminent.

Since therefore « the end imposes necessity upon those things which are for the end »; hence it is that according to the exigency of this end this Sacrament ought to *operate*, and ought also to be *made entire*, to be *received* and to be *dispensed*. — First then, since the *operation* of this Sacrament ought to be regulated by the end; and the end is that it was introduced for attaining more easily and more expeditiously the salvation of perpetual felicity; and this comes about through *devotion* lifting upward and through *disburdening* from venial faults and from the other consequences which press downward: hence it is that this Sacrament has efficacy both for *exciting devotion* and for *dismissing venial sins* and for *abolishing more easily the dross of sins*. And because for many sick persons it is expedient to live yet longer for the heaping up of their merits; hence it is that this Sacrament, both by invigorating the soul in good and by disburdening it from evil, frequently also relieves it from disease. And this is what blessed James says: that *the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him*.

Again, since the *institution* of this Sacrament ought to be according to the exigency of the end; and this is the acquisition of spiritual salvation through the remission of faults; and this salvation regards the health and the cleanness of the interior conscience, according to which that heavenly judge judges: hence it is that in this Sacrament there ought to be *simple* and *consecrated oil*, because it signifies sanctity and brightness in the dwelling-place of conscience. — But because over that salvation mortal man has no power; hence it is that the *prayer* and the *vocal form* is expressed through a deprecative word, for obtaining the gift of grace. — And since the soul contracts spiritual infirmities in the body according to the four powers of that body which govern it, namely the *sensitive*, the *interpretative*, the *generative* and the *progressive*; hence it is that the members serving these powers are to be anointed. Since therefore there are five members serving the five senses — namely the *eyes* sight, the *ears* hearing, the *nostrils* smell, the *hands* touch and the *mouth* taste, and also another power, namely the interpretative — and the *feet* serve progression, and the *loins* generation — since it is unworthy and shameful that the genitals be handled and even named — hence it is that the anointing ought to be made in the seven aforesaid places, so that man may thus be disposed through this Sacrament unto the fullness of health through the blotting out of every venial sin.

Lastly, since the *reception* of this Sacrament depends upon the end; and the end is a swifter passage to heaven through *the laying down of the burden* of venial sins and *the conversion* of the mind to God: therefore it ought not to be given save to *adults*, who sin venially; nor to any save to those *asking* for it, who are raised upward by devotion; nor to any save to those *established in danger* and as it were in passage to another state. — And because this Sacrament is of those *in peril*; and yet it has a sacred matter, namely *consecrated oil*: hence it is that, for the sake of *avoiding danger*, it ought commonly to be committed to priests, and, on account of the *consecration* of the oil, it is not to be handled save by *consecrated hands*.

From the variation therefore of the end in *confirmation* and in *extreme unction* there arises a diversity in *efficacy*, in *matter* and in *form*, in *place* and in *time*, in the *recipient* and in the *dispenser*: in *efficacy*, because that Sacrament disposes one to contend better, this one to fly away more swiftly; in *matter*, because that one is in oil mixed with balsam, but this one in pure oil; in *form*, because that one is in the indicative, but this one in the deprecative; in *place*, because that one is on the forehead, but this one on manifold parts; in *time*, because that one is in health, but this one in sickness; in the *recipient*, because that one is not only for adults but also for infants, whereas this one only for adults; in the *giver*, because that one is by bishops, but this one by priests whatsoever. And all this diversity proceeds from the end, because, as has become clear, diversity in proximate ends introduces diversity in those things which have to be ordered finally to those ends.

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