Dist. 14, Part 1, Dubia
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/4/d/14/q/bon-sent-IV-d14-p1-dubia
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### DOUBTS CONCERNING THE TEXT OF THE MASTER.

### Doubt I

In this section there are doubts concerning the text, and first about this, that Jerome says: *The second plank after shipwreck is penance.* For since "second" is said with respect to "first," and the first plank is baptism, and the second penance; then it seems that the second Sacrament is penance: therefore the Master orders it badly in the fourth place. — Likewise, I ask of you: in what sense is penance called a *plank?* and what is *shipwreck? If you say* that it is a fall into mortal sin; then it seems that it is the first plank, because, if anyone has fallen through mortal sin, he must have recourse to penance.

**I respond:** It must be said that the sea is this world, according to that of the Psalm: *This great sea* etc. The *ship,* by which man crosses over the waves of this sea, is the grace of the Holy Spirit; or the ship is the Church, which is joined together by the glue of charity, according to that of the last [chapter] of Proverbs: *She has become like the merchant's ship.* The *shipwreck,* however, was the corruption and breaking in Adam, in which breaking all his sons were cast upon the waves of this sea through concupiscence and through punishment. — From this shipwreck man is first freed through baptism, which restores the innocence and grace that were lost; and therefore it is the *first plank.* And because many often abandon baptismal grace and that plank, by which they are freed amid the waves of the sea; and by it can no longer defend themselves: therefore they need a *second,* and this is penance. Yet both are called a plank, because each holds up, lest anyone be wrecked through fault; yet it does not set [him] in safety just as man was in the state of innocence.

As for what he objects, that it is the *second plank:* therefore the second Sacrament — it does not hold; because not every Sacrament is a plank, since not every one frees from shipwreck. And there is a parallel: this man is the second archdeacon: therefore he is the second person in this church.

As for what is asked: what is called shipwreck? some say that it is any fall into mortal sin; and because the difference of mortal sin is twofold, namely original and actual; therefore the plank is twofold, namely baptism and penance. — Yet it can better be said that human nature suffered shipwreck in Adam; but there has been given to us the plank of baptism, which sustains us through innocence; and because this Sacrament cannot be repeated, therefore another Sacrament is given, and this is penance.

### Doubt II

Likewise it is asked about this, that the Master says: *Penance is called a Sacrament and a virtue of the mind.* For penance is interior and exterior: therefore likewise baptism is a virtue and a Sacrament, since there is an interior and exterior baptism. — Likewise, interior penance is the *res* of this Sacrament; but no virtue is the *res of a Sacrament,* because the grace of the virtues and the grace of the Sacraments are distinguished: therefore etc.

**I respond:** It must be said that this is not the whole account, that *interior* penance is a virtue, but rather because it is *interior* penance, which not only states grace or the act of grace, but concerns the act of free choice, and therefore is a virtue; not so baptism; but interior penance differs, as it is a virtue and the *res* of a Sacrament. For in the first way it is against the disabling caused by fault, in the second against the wounding of nature.

### Doubt III

Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: *From penance John's preaching began.* For it seems that it ought to have begun from baptism, because penance is the second plank, but baptism the first.

**I respond:** It must be said that he began his preaching from penance-as-virtue, not the Sacrament; and penance-as-virtue in adults precedes baptism; and because he was preaching to adults, therefore he rightly began from penance. His objection runs of the Sacrament of penance.

### Doubt IV

Likewise it is asked about this definition of Ambrose which is set in the text: *Penance is to lament past evils and not to commit again those to be lamented.* For it seems not to be fitting: because the Philosopher says that «he sins who defines that which is at rest by that which is in act and motion»; but penance states a habit, *to lament* an act: therefore etc. — Likewise, an objection is raised about the other member, which says: «*not to commit again those to be lamented*»; for either it refers to the *same* time, or to *another.* If to the *same;* then it is superfluous, because no one, while he laments his sins, at the same time commits sins together and at once. If to *another:* therefore penance excludes the repetition of fault, therefore also the repetition of penance.

In connection with this it is asked: since many definitions of penance are assigned, and «of one thing there is one definition»; how are they assigned differently?

**I respond:** To the first it must be said that, as the Philosopher holds, «habits are known through their acts»; and since penance is a habit; therefore it is rightly defined through an act, both through the act which is of its *being* and which is principal, and this is *to lament things committed;* and through the act which is of its *well-being* or of its *perfect being,* and this is *not to commit things to be lamented;* or through a twofold act, principal and annexed.

As for what is then objected, that it is badly defined through an act; it must be said that the act is not taken as in motion, but as at rest. For penance is said to be *to lament,* not because penance is always in the act of lamenting, but because it is apt for lamenting; and so it is taken as at rest.

To the other it must be said that it can be referred to the *same time,* or to *another.* If to the *same time;* then it does not stand for the *act* of not committing, but for the *affection,* namely that, when we do penance, we should will not to commit again, or should not will [it], like those who do penance for one sin and do not do penance for another; and so it does not exclude the *subsequent fall,* but the present evil will. — But if it be referred to the *future;* thus penance is defined not as just any penance, but as *perfect* and according to the state of perfection and usefulness.

To that which is asked about the definitions, it must be said that penance can be made known in three ways, namely through the *principal act,* through the *principal and annexed act,* and through the *effect.* — According to the first way three definitions are given, differing only in wording or in fuller expression. The first is in the Gloss on Matthew the third: «*The first virtue is through penance*» etc.; whence such a notification is handed down: «Penance is the first virtue, destroying the old man». — The second is Ambrose's in a certain sermon: «Penance is the grief and bitterness of the soul over the sins which each has committed». — The third Augustine's in the book *On Penance*: «Penance is a kind of vengeance of one grieving, always punishing in himself that which he grieves to have committed». In all these accounts it is clear that it is a definition through the *principal act,* which is to grieve over what has been committed.

As for the *second way* others are given, which are had in the text, differing likewise according to fuller expression. The first is Ambrose's in a sermon: «Penance is to lament past evils and [not to commit] things to be lamented» etc. — The second is Gregory's: «Penance is to bewail evils done beforehand» etc. — The third the Master's: «Penance is the virtue or grace by which evils committed [are bewailed] with the purpose of amendment» etc. In all these accounts there is set not only the principal act, which is *to lament* and to hate the fault perpetrated, but also the *annexed* act, namely to be unwilling to perpetrate another.

As for the *third way* three others are given, differing likewise according to fuller expression. The first from Damascene: «Penance is a conversion from that which is beside nature into that which is according to nature». — The second the Gloss on Matthew the fourth: *Do penance:* «Penance is the correction of an evil mind». — The third Augustine's in the book *Of Five Responses*: «Penance is a certain most excellent and perfect thing, recalling all defects to the perfect». — In all those accounts there is touched, according to more and less, the *effect* of penance, which is to repair the soul. — And thus what was sought concerning the difference of the definitions which are given of penance is clear.