Pars 6, Cap. 2
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-c2
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### Chapter II. *On the variation of the Sacraments.*

Concerning the *variation* of the Sacraments, moreover, this must be held: that the Sacraments were from the beginning instituted for the curing of man, and have always run their course together with man's disease, and will endure until the end of the age; but some were under the *law of nature*, others under the *written law*, others under *grace*. And among all these, those which are later are more evident in signification and more worthy in the effect of grace. — For in the law of nature there were *oblations, sacrifices* and *tithings*. In the written law, however, *circumcision* was introduced, *expiation* was superadded, and there was further added the *manifold distinction of oblations, tithings* and *sacrifices*. — But in the new law « the Sacraments have been appointed fewer in number, more powerful in usefulness, more efficacious in strength », and more worthy in preeminence; in which there is at once the fulfilment and the voiding of all the foresaid Sacraments.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since the Word incarnate, which is the principle of our reparation and the fount and origin of the Sacraments, is most clement and most wise; in that it is most clement, it did not permit that the disease of sin should run its course without the remedy of a Sacrament; but in that it is most wise, therefore, according to the dictate of its own unchangeable wisdom that governs all things in the most orderly way, it applied medicines diverse and various, according to the varying change of diverse times. Since therefore « from the beginning, as time ran on and the coming of the Saviour drew nearer and nearer, always more and more the *effect* of salvation grew and the *knowledge* of the truth; it was fitting that the very *signs* of salvation should, through the succession of times, be varied one after another, so that the *effect* of divine grace unto salvation might increase, and at the same time the *signification* itself in those visible signs might appear more evident ». And therefore « first through *oblation* and afterwards through *circumcision*, and at the last through the *baptismal washing*, the Sacrament of expiation and justification was instituted to be formed; because the form and likeness of the same cleansing is in *oblation* indeed found hiddenly, in *circumcision* is expressed more evidently, but through *baptism* is declared more manifestly ». And hence it is that « those Sacraments of the first time, as Hugh says, were as the *shadow* of the truth, those of the middle time as its *figure* or image, those of the last time, namely of grace, as its *body* » — because within themselves they contain the truth and the curing grace which they make present, and they confer in present fact what they promise.

Again, since the presence of truth and of grace, which is exhibited in the law of grace, could not be expressed by one sign as it was fitting, by reason of its excellence and its manifoldness in operation and in power; hence it is that in every time and law there were several Sacraments given for expressing that truth and grace; but chiefly in the time of the law of figure, whose office it is to figure, many and various signs went before, which by their variety might express Christ's grace in manifold ways and commend it more excellently, and by commending it manifoldly might nourish the little ones, exercise the imperfect, and by burdening might break the hard and tame them to the yoke of grace and in a certain manner soften them.

Lastly, since, when the truth supervenes, the shadow ceases, and the foreannouncing figure obtains the end intended, and this once had, its use and

act must cease; hence it is that, when grace supervened, the old Sacraments and signs were at once fulfilled and taken away — because they were signs *prognostic* of things to come and as it were announcing them beforehand from afar; and new ones were nonetheless instituted as *demonstrative* of present grace and in a certain way *commemorative* of the Lord's passion, which is the fount and origin of curing grace both in us and in those who went before Christ's coming; but in those who went before, as a price *promised*, in those who follow, as a price *paid*. And since grace is not owed to the promise of a price except by reason of the payment; and more abundantly is it owed to a price paid than to one promised: hence it is that Christ's passion sanctifies more immediately the Sacraments of the time of the new law, and with fuller grace overflows in them. On account of which those prepared for these and led on to them, as the way to the terminus, as the sign to the thing signified, as the figure to the truth, and as the imperfect leads back and prepares to the perfect.

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