Dist. 14, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 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/4/d/14/q/bon-sent-IV-d14-p2-a2-q2
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### Question II. *Whether perfect penance restores [a person] to the pristine degree.*

Secondly it is asked whether perfect penance restores [a person] to the pristine degree. And that it does, seems to be the case:

1. Augustine in the book *Five Responses*: «Penance is a certain best and perfect thing, recalling all defects to the perfect»; but if it did not recall [one] to the pristine degree, it would not be a perfect recalling: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, it seems [so] by *reason*: because the sinner offends God not only because he acts against His command, but also in this, that he deforms himself, His servant and His image,

and renders [it] worse: therefore he cannot be perfectly reconciled, so long as anything remains less good than before, because he does not restore as much to God as he took away.

3. Likewise, a perfect physician bestows a perfect antidote; but it is not a perfect antidote unless it fully restores the pristine health: since therefore the Lord is the perfect physician of souls, it is clear etc.

4. Likewise, the Lord, when He healed in the body, always restored the pristine health perfectly, therefore likewise when He heals in the spirit; but He heals in the spirit through penance: therefore perfect penance restores [one] to the pristine health.

**On the contrary:** 1. It is possible, as has been said, to rise again in a lesser charity and to complete one's penance in the same [charity]: therefore perfect penance does not always restore [one] to the pristine health.

2. Likewise, someone has lost virginity through sin; but it is impossible for him to become a virgin again: therefore it is impossible through penance to return to the pristine state.

3. Likewise, it is a great glory to a person in this, that he has never offended God; but he who repents after sin must necessarily have offended the Lord: therefore he will never return to the pristine state and glory.

4. Likewise, baptism is more powerful and more efficacious than penance; but baptism never repairs all the defects which we had incurred through original [sin] — which is clear, because a fourfold penalty of the soul and a manifold penalty of the body remains — therefore neither will penance restore all [the things] which we incur through actual [sin].

> **Conclusion.** Penance perfect both in duration and in fervor restores health, but only as to substance.

**I respond:** It must be said that perfect penance can be considered in two ways: either as to *duration*, or as to *duration and fervor*. If as to *duration*, namely that he fast as long as it is imposed, and complete what is imposed on him according to the right assessment of the priest; it is not necessary to be restored to the pristine state, because he can carry it out so negligently that he does not prepare himself for as much grace as he lost. But if it is perfect as to *fervor and duration*; thus I say that if he repents and grieves over the fault so fervently as befits one who has fallen from so great a state, I believe that through this he returns to the pristine health. And of this Augustine understands [it], and the aforesaid reasons concur, because that antidote operates according to the fittingness of the recipient. — It must nevertheless be understood that there is a twofold way of speaking of health: either as to the *substance* of the habits of grace and of the natural capacities; and thus it restores [one] to the pristine health. There is also a way of speaking as to some *state* or integrity or *accidental* beauty, and as to this it is not necessary to be restored; and this is the continuation of innocence and of the integrity of the flesh etc.

1. To the objection, then, that one can rise again in a lesser [charity] and complete penance; it must be said that, if he completes the penance not negligently, he disposes himself toward further grace.

2. 3. To the objection concerning virginity and that glory of innocence; it must be said that as to this it does not restore [it], but [it does] as to everything that was substantial concerning merit.

4. To the objection concerning baptism, that it does not restore [all things]; it must be said that it is true; and the reason for this is that it heals only the person; but original [sin] infects both the nature and the person: and therefore not all penalties are removed. But it is not so in penance; for it heals only the personal disease, and therefore it heals totally and entirely, when it is perfect.