Dist. 2, Art. 1, Q. 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/4/d/2/q/bon-sent-IV-d2-a1-q3
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### Question III. *Whether in the time of grace one Sacrament, or many, ought to have been instituted.*

Thirdly, inquiry is made concerning the number of the Sacraments of the time of the Gospel. And that there ought to have been *but one,* it seems:

1. Because the evangelical yoke is a yoke of sweetness and a burden of lightness; but it is lighter to observe one Sacrament than many: therefore, since God could have given the power of all the Sacraments to one, it seems that there ought to have been but one.

2. Likewise, that the rest besides one are superfluous, seems [to follow]: because in the one Sacrament which is the Eucharist the Passion is signified, from which all the Sacraments have their effect; and again, in that Sacrament Christ is contained, in whom is all the fullness of grace: therefore it seems that it alone could effect all the things for which the others are instituted.

3. Likewise, it seems that one alone may do what all the others do; for baptism wipes out all guilt, and wipes out also all the punishment due to guilt, since the baptized person would fly straight up if he were to die.

4. Likewise, baptism gives grace, which heals the soul and enables all the powers; but the Sacraments do not all exist for any other purpose: therefore baptism suffices.

**But that there ought to have been many, it seems:**

1. Because, as is said in the preceding distinction, «against the wound of sin God instituted the remedies of the Sacraments»; but Jerome says: «What heals the eye does not heal the heel»; since therefore the wounds are diverse: therefore the remedies ought to be diverse: therefore many Sacraments.

2. Likewise, the Sacraments not only heal, but also signify: therefore if signification is from institution, and what is instituted for many things to signify is manifold and ambiguous: therefore if one Sacrament had many efficacies and many significations, it would lead into doubt, not into knowledge.

3. Likewise, it is necessary that a Sacrament have an express likeness; but no visible species is found which has an express likeness with all the effects: therefore there must be many.

Supposing therefore that [there ought to be] *many,* it is asked: why only *seven?*

1. Because, since there are only two wounds, namely of punishment and of guilt; it seems that there ought to have been only *two* Sacraments. If you should say that guilt and punishment are multiplied through their differences; *on the contrary:* then there will be
more than seven, because the kinds of sins are seven. — Likewise, the punishments are many, such as irregularity, such as concupiscence regarding taste and such as regarding touch, against which there are no Sacraments.

2. Likewise, the Sacraments of the Gospel stand by way of addition to the Sacraments of the written law, as those [stand] to the Sacraments which are in the law of nature: therefore since there are more Sacraments in the written law than in the law of nature, there ought to be more in the Gospel than in the Law.

> ### Conclusion.
> The sevenfold number of the Sacraments is fitting.

**I respond:** It must be said that, as has been shown, there must be many Sacraments: many indeed, because they are for exercising, for one alone would breed weariness; many also, because they are for instructing, for one alone would breed ambiguity. But there are *seven* and not more, because they are for healing, since medicine looks to *the wounds which it heals;* and in healing the wounds it aids the virtues; and in aiding the virtues it fortifies and arms against infirmities.

Accordingly, insofar as the Sacraments heal infirmities, their number is taken thus: because there is an infirmity of guilt and of punishment; the infirmity of guilt in general is original sin, against which is baptism; and actual mortal sin, against which is penance; and venial sin, against which is extreme unction. — But the infirmity of punishment is fourfold, namely ignorance, against which is order, in which is handed on the power of discerning; the second, weakness, against which is confirmation; the third is malice, against which is the Eucharist; the fourth, concupiscence, against which is matrimony.

But insofar as the Sacraments are an aid to the virtues, the number is taken thus: because as an aid to faith, thus is baptism, which is the gate of the Sacraments, as faith is [the gate] of the virtues; as a help to hope, thus is extreme unction; as a help to charity, the Eucharist, which unites and incorporates; as a help to prudence, order; as a help to justice, penance; as a help to temperance, matrimony; as a help to fortitude, confirmation.

But insofar as the Sacraments are the arms of the militant Church, the number is taken thus: because, as is said in the sixth chapter of the Canticle, she is *terrible as an army set in array;* terrible, because fortified and strong, and this through confirmation; an army, because joined and united, and this through the Eucharist; set in array, through order. This army is variable, as consisting in this life, whence from it some are withdrawn through death, some are laid low through guilt; therefore a Sacrament is necessary for multiplying offspring unto the divine worship, and this is matrimony; necessary also for rising again after a fall, and this is penance. But in this array alone is salvation; whence into it man enters, that he may do battle, and out of it he goes forth in death, that he may be crowned. But no one is received into the fight unless he has the sign and the arms of Christ; therefore a Sacrament is necessary in which these are conferred, namely baptism, and this is the gate of those entering; likewise, from this array no one goes forth who is received into the triumphant [Church] unless he has the pledge and the unction of the Holy Spirit, in token of which is extreme unction, which is the Sacrament of those departing. — And thus it is clear that there are only seven, whether they be considered as medicines, or as aids, or as arms.

**To the arguments:**

1. To that, then, which is objected, that there ought to be one on account of facility; it must be said that the divine work ought to have *facility* as a sign of power, ought to have also *congruity* as a sign of wisdom, ought also to have *utility* as a sign of goodness. Since therefore, although an easier way would exist in one, yet, because not so congruous as in many; therefore there were many.

2. To that which is objected concerning the efficacy of the Eucharist, it must be said that although in the Eucharist the Passion is signified, and Christ is contained, in whom is the fullness of grace; nevertheless the Passion is not signified according to its every effect, nor is the fullness of grace contained so as to pour out every grace, but specially unto the effect of nourishment.

3. 4. To that which is objected concerning baptism, it must be said that baptism is directly against the original [sin]; whence it is not repeatable, but the wounds of sins are repeatable. Likewise, even if it absolves from the punishment of satisfaction,
not however from the punishment which is the sequel of guilt; and against these punishments are the Sacraments, which are not only for the remission of guilt; and therefore [baptism] does not suffice.

**To the arguments against the sevenfold number:**

1. To that, then, which is objected, that there ought to be only two against two, namely punishment and guilt; the answer is clear. For one must not stop at the *first* differences, which are punishment and guilt, because they are too general, nor must one descend to the *particular* ones; but [stop] at those which have univocity, as for instance the original against all original [sins], and the mortal against the mortal, and the venial against the venial. Likewise, neither at the *differences* of punishment, but at the *principal* ones, which are the ground of leading into guilt. — And thus it is clear concerning irregularity; likewise concerning the appetite of the gullet, because it can be without sin in itself, unless it be disordered through excessive desire; but the concupiscence of the flesh always remains inordinate, unless it be set in order.

2. To the last it must be said that the Sacraments of the written law add over the Sacraments of the law of nature as regards the certitude of signification and the difficulty of the burden; therefore they are more evident and more numerous. But the Sacraments of the Gospel add over the Sacraments of the written law as regards expression and efficacy, and they lessen the harshness of the burden; therefore they are more evident and more efficacious, yet nevertheless fewer.

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