Dist. 16, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 1
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/16/q/bon-sent-IV-d16-p2-a1-q1
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### Part II. *On the subjective parts of penance.*

### Article I. *On penance before baptism.*

Concerning the first point, two questions are asked. First it is asked whether one must repent also of original sin. Second, whether for one approaching baptism with penance it is necessary, before the Sacrament, to [perform] penance.

### Question I. *Whether one must repent of original sin.*

Concerning the first point, that it is not necessary to repent of original sin, it seems so:

1. Because the regenerative power of the Sacrament is mightier than the propagative power of corrupt man; but through propagation original sin is transmitted without pleasure: therefore from the opposite cause — indeed much more strongly — through the Sacrament it is wiped away without pain.

2. Likewise, all penance is in respect of something willed, for a man does not repent of what he did not will; but original sin was never voluntary: therefore penance for it is not necessary.

3. Likewise, all penance is in one who is actually willing; but original sin is in an infant, in whom there is the disease and the remedy: therefore there is no need for him to repent of it, since he cannot actually will.

4. Likewise, all penance is in respect of one's own act; for a man repents of what he himself did, not of another's deed; but original sin comes about through another's act: therefore etc.

5. Likewise, baptism is ordained against original sin; but there are not two remedies against the same thing: therefore penance is not a remedy against original sin.

**On the contrary:**

1. Concerning that of which a man is justly accused by another, he is justly accused by himself; but Augustine says in the book *On Correction and Grace* that the sinner is to be accused for original sin: therefore the sinner ought to accuse himself; but a man accuses himself of fault through penance: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, just as by *zealous anger* a man detests every injustice in another, so by penance every injustice in himself; but original sin is an injustice in man: therefore it is to be detested through penance, and so etc.

3. Likewise, everyone who wills to be reconciled to God must necessarily detest everything that separates from God; but original sin separates: therefore etc.

4. Likewise, of the sin for which one is justly punished by God, the penitent ought to punish himself; but for original sin man is justly punished by God with the punishment of privation, which is the greatest punishment, because the greatest loss: therefore he ought to punish himself for it.

> **Conclusion.** As regards adults who know they have original sin, it is fitting that this should actually displease them; nevertheless it is not necessary for them to be contrite over it and to repent.

**I respond:** It must be said that one may speak of original sin in a general way and in a special way. Generally, as it is in all; and thus for its deletion no act is required on the part of him in whom it is, as is clear in the case of an infant. — One may also speak of it specially, as regards adults who do not know they have it; and as regards these there is no need that any act of detestation intervene. — Again, one may speak as regards adults who know they have it; and as regards such it is fitting that it displease them — fitting, I say, that it displease not in particular, but in general, since one ought to be displeased at everything that separates from God; but to be contrite is not necessary.

Now the reason why it is not necessary that one be contrite is that it was not committed by our own act; and so, although in an adult there be such a displeasure at original sin, it is nevertheless not penance, since penance, as has been shown, is properly in respect of something willed.

Therefore the reasons proving that penance is not necessary for the deletion of original sin are true and to be granted. All the reasons proceeding to the opposite prove that it is fitting that original sin displease the adult, lest he wish to remain any longer in it; but that he is bound *to afflict himself* they do not conclude, nor even to repent.

**To the arguments to the contrary:**

*To 1.* As to what is objected, that one is to be accused for original sin; this is not understood to mean because he contracted it, but lest he wish to remain in it.

*To 2.* As to what is objected, that penance is to detest every evil of ours; it must be said that this is true: of *the act*, not of *what is contracted*; the same seems to hold of *zealous anger* toward one's neighbor.

*To 3.* As to what is objected, that one ought to detest every evil that separates from God; it must be said that this is true if that evil has been introduced by one's own will; and granting that he detest it, he is not on that account called a penitent.

*To 4.* As to what is objected, that one ought to punish himself for everything for which he is justly punished by God; it must be said that this would be true if God punished with the punishment of *sense*, or even if baptism did not suffice; but as it is, God does not punish with the punishment of *sense*, and baptism absolves without any satisfactory or assumed punishment, as has better been seen above.