Pars 6, Cap. 3
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-c3
----------------------------------------
### Chapter III. *On the number and distinction of the Sacraments.*

Concerning the *distinction* and number of the Sacraments of the new law, moreover, this must be held: that they are seven, according to their correspondence to the sevenfold grace which through the sevenfold course of time leads us back to the beginning, to the rest and circle of eternity, as to the eighth day of the universal resurrection. — Now the door of these Sacraments is *baptism*, then *confirmation, the eucharist, penance, extreme unction, order* and *marriage* — which, although it is placed last on account of the annexed disease of concupiscence, was nevertheless itself introduced before all the rest in paradise, even before sin.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since our reparative principle, Christ the Lord, the Word incarnate, is *the power and the wisdom of God* and our mercy; so powerfully, so wisely, so clemently, so becomingly ought he to institute his own Sacraments in the law of grace, that nothing whatever should be lacking to our curing, so far as befits the state of the present life. Now for the perfect curing of sickness these three things concur, namely the *expulsion of the sickness, the introduction of health*, and the *conservation of the health introduced*. — First, therefore, since for a perfect curing a perfect and universal *expulsion of the disease* is required; and the disease is sevenfold, threefold as *culpable*, namely original, mortal and venial fault, and fourfold as *penal*, namely ignorance, malice, infirmity and concupiscence; and « that does not heal the eye which heals the heel », as Jerome says: hence it is that against these it behoved a sevenfold set of medicines to be applied for the fuller expelling of this sevenfold disease, namely against the original *baptism*, against the mortal *penance*, against the venial *extreme unction*, against ignorance *order*, against malice *the eucharist*, against infirmity *confirmation*, and against concupiscence *marriage*, which tempers and excuses it.

Again, since a perfect curing cannot be without the *restitution of entire health*; and the entire health of the soul consists in the use of the seven virtues, namely of the three theological and the four cardinal: hence it is that for the restoring of the sound use of these it behoved a sevenfold Sacrament to be instituted. For *baptism* by healing disposes to faith, *confirmation* to hope, *the eucharist* to charity, *penance* to justice, *extreme unction* to perseverance, which is the completion and sum of fortitude, *order* to prudence, *marriage* to the conserving of temperance, which the infirmity of the flesh most of all pursues, but which the honourableness of the nuptials remedies.

Lastly, since a perfect curing cannot be without the *conservation of the health introduced*; and health once introduced cannot be conserved in the conflict of the struggle except in the battle-line of the Church, which is *terrible as an army set in array*; and this indeed comes about through the armour of sevenfold grace: hence it is that it is necessary that the Sacraments be seven. For that this battle-line may be perfectly and continuously fortified, since it is composed of corruptible parts, it stands in need of Sacraments *fortifying, raising up* and *renewing*: *fortifying* those who fight, *raising up* those who fall, and *renewing* those who die. Now the Sacrament which *fortifies* either fortifies those *entering*, and thus it is *baptism*; or those *standing*, and thus it is *confirmation*; or those *going out*, and thus it is *extreme unction*. — But the Sacrament which *raises up* either raises up from a *venial* fall, and thus it is *the eucharist*; or from a *mortal* one, and thus it is *penance*. — And the Sacrament which *renews* either renews in *spiritual being*, and thus it is

*order*, whose office it is to administer the Sacraments; or in *natural being*, and thus it is *marriage*, which, because it renews the multitude in the *being* of nature, which is the foundation of all things, was therefore first introduced before all the rest; although, on account of the annexed disease of concupiscence, and because it is least of all *sanctifying* — although in *signification* it is *a great Sacrament* — it is placed last among the spiritual medicines and obtains the last place. Hence, since baptism is of those entering, confirmation of those fighting, the eucharist of those recovering their strength, penance of those rising again, extreme unction of those going out, order of those bringing in new soldiers, marriage of those preparing new soldiers; there appears from these the sufficiency and the order of the sacramental medicines and arms.

---