Dist. 3, 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/3/q/bon-sent-IV-d3-p2-a1-q1
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### Article I. *On the institution of baptism.*
### Question I. *Whether the Sacrament of baptism ought to have been instituted in water.*

First, then, it is asked whether the Sacrament of baptism ought to have been instituted in water. And that it ought, the very deed of the Lord shows.

But that it ought not, seems [to follow] from reason:

1. Because baptism is a sign of Christ's burial, as it is said to the Romans, chapter six: *For you have been buried together with him* etc.: therefore
si sepultura Christi fuit in terra, non in aqua — if Christ's burial was in earth, not in water, it seems that baptism likewise ought to have been instituted in earth.

2. Likewise, the Sacraments of the old law were signs of the Sacraments of the new law, and these latter were prefigured in them; but the Sacraments of the old law were performed either in things that had their origin from earth, as sacrifices and tithes, or in something earthen, as circumcision, which was performed with a stone knife: therefore if those were fitting signs of these, then the Sacraments of the new law, especially baptism, ought to have been instituted in earth, not in water.

3. Likewise, suppose you say that it ought to be done in water on account of the express signification of grace; but on the contrary: the liquor of oil signifies grace more expressly than water: therefore it ought rather to have been instituted in oil than in water.

4. Likewise, it is said in the Apocalypse, chapter one: *He washed us from our sins in his own blood*: therefore if in baptism there is a washing from sins, and it signifies that cleansing made through the blood of Christ, then it ought rather to have been instituted in blood.

Likewise, it is asked: when did the Lord institute the Sacrament of baptism?

> **Conclusion.** Baptism was fittingly instituted in water.

**I respond:** It must be said that the Sacrament of baptism is most efficacious and most necessary among the other Sacraments: efficacious, because in it the character is imprinted, which disposes the soul to the reception of the light of grace, as transparency [disposes] glass to the reception of bodily light; there is given also grace cleansing the soul; there is given also to that grace the act of remitting the ardor of concupiscence. But because these things had to be given in that sign which by its manifold property would designate all these; and such is water, because it is transparent and pervious to light, and therefore signifies the character; and again, it washes and cleanses among all liquors, and therefore signifies cleansing grace; likewise it cools, therefore it signifies the remission of the ardor of concupiscence: water therefore was most fitting for the Sacrament of baptism on account of its efficacy.

Likewise also on account of necessity. For since it is a Sacrament from which no one is absolved, and in which all share, it was necessary that it be instituted in a liquor which is common to all, and in which both poor and rich abound; and such a liquor is water: therefore etc.

**To the objections:**

1. To that, then, which is objected, that it signifies burial; it must be said that it signifies not only the Lord's burial, but rather also the grace which it bestows; and since in the immersion into water both are signified, whereas in earth cleansing grace is not signified, since it is the dregs of the elements: therefore etc.

2. To that which is objected concerning the old law, it must be said that, as the Apostle says, all who were under the Law were under a curse until the coming of Christ, who was made a curse for us, that he might free us from the curse; and because the earth was cursed to man, not water (Genesis three); in sign of this those Sacraments were [made] from those things which are from earth; but not so the new Sacraments, because this is the law of blessing. Moreover, the old law, and especially that of Moses, was burdensome for breaking the hard-hearted, and therefore in hard things, as in the stone knife and in the shedding of blood, they had their remedy; but the new law is one of gentleness and love: therefore it was given in water, which yields easily.

3. 4. To that which is objected concerning oil and blood, the response is plain: because they suit neither the signification of the efficacy, since they do not cleanse, nor the necessity, since not all abound in them.

To that which is asked last: when was it instituted? — it can be seen from Scripture, which speaks of this in many places. On account of which it must be noted that the Lord first intimated the Sacrament of baptism as to be instituted, secondly instituted it, thirdly confirmed it once instituted. He intimated it indeed by deed and by word: by deed, when, having been baptized by John in water, he showed that the other believers were to be baptized in water. He intimated it by word, when he foretold to Nicodemus, John three: *Unless a man be born again of water* etc. — He instituted it, however, when he himself began to baptize through his disciples, John three: *After these things Jesus came into the land of Judea and baptized*; and then he instituted [it] by deed and word: because it is said in the same place: *he baptized*,
even if not he in his own person, yet his disciples in his presence, according as he willed; and again, he sent the disciples two by two to preach and to baptize, Luke ten, as the Master says. — He confirmed baptism, however, by deed and by word: by deed, when from his side there flowed not only blood, but also water, in the very consummation of the passion; by word he confirmed it, however, when after the resurrection he sent the disciples to baptize each and all, Matthew the last [chapter]. — And so it is plain how Scripture speaks in diverse ways.