Dist. 4
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/4/q/bon-sent-IV-d4-littera
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### DISTINCTION IV.

#### Part I.

### Chap. I. *On those who receive the Sacrament and the res, and the res and not the Sacrament, and the Sacrament and not the res.*

Here it must be said that some receive the Sacrament and the res, some the Sacrament and not the res, some the res and not the Sacrament. The Sacrament and the res together all little ones receive, who in baptism are cleansed from original sin, although some deny that to those little ones who are to perish sins are forgiven in baptism, relying on that saying of Augustine: «The Sacraments effect in the elect alone what they figure»; not understanding that it is to be taken thus: that, although in others they effect remission, they do not do this for them unto salvation, but only for the elect. For that to all little ones sin is remitted in baptism, Augustine plainly says: «From the newborn infant, he says, even to the decrepit old man, just as no one is forbidden baptism, so there is no one who does not die to sin in baptism; but little ones only to original sin, the greater ones also to all those things which by living ill they have added to it», unless the enormity of his life impede. Adults too, who are baptized with faith, receive the Sacrament and the res.

### Chap. II. *On those who approach feignedly.*

But those who approach without faith or feignedly receive the Sacrament, not the res. Whence Jerome: «There are washings of the gentiles, of the heretics, but they do not wash unto salvation. In the Church too those who receive baptism without full faith receive the water, but not the Spirit». Augustine also says: «To all the Jews the Sacraments were common, but the grace was not common, which is the power of the Sacraments; so also now baptism is common to all the baptized, but not the power of baptism, that is, grace itself». The same: «Everyone who has now been constituted master of his own will, when he approaches the Sacrament of the faithful, unless he repent of his old life, cannot begin a new one. From this repentance, when they are baptized, only little ones are exempt». — By these and other testimonies it is plainly shown that to adults without faith and repentance the true grace of remission is not conferred in baptism, since neither to little ones without another's faith — who cannot have their own — is remission given in baptism. If anyone, therefore, approach feignedly, not having true contrition of heart, he receives the Sacrament without the res. — Augustine, however, seems to say that even to one approaching who also has fraternal hatred, in the very moment in which he is baptized, all things are forgiven and after baptism soon return; but he does not say this by way of assertion, rather by setting forth this opinion alongside the foregoing judgment. For he says thus: «To those who are baptized with a feigning heart, either sins are in no way forgiven — because the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit — or in the very point of time, by the power of the Sacrament, the sins remitted are by the feigning repeated again; so that even this be true: *As many of you as have been baptized in Christ* etc., and that: *The Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit*; so that the holiness of baptism clothe him with Christ, and the ruin of feigning strip him of Christ». «For that remitted sins return, where fraternal charity is not, the Lord plainly teaches in that servant from whom the Lord had exacted the debt, who, the debt forgiven him, demanded it, because that man would not forgive his fellow servant».

«Thus the grace of baptism is not impeded, but that all sins are remitted, even if fraternal hatred persist in the mind of him to whom they are remitted. For yesterday is loosed, and whatever remains; the very hour and moment before baptism and in baptism is loosed also. But thereafter he at once begins to be guilty, not only of consequent, but also of past days, hours, moments, all those things that were remitted returning». But this, as we said before, he did not say by way of assertion; which is shown from the fact that he says in the same book thus: «If a feigned man approach baptism, his sins are either remitted, or are not remitted; let them choose which they will». — Behold, you plainly perceive, if only you attend, that Augustine said this not by asserting, but by inquiring and reporting the opinion of others. For the same says: «Then does baptism begin to avail unto salvation, when that feigning has departed by truthful confession, which, the heart persevering in malice, did not allow the washing-away of sins to be done». Therefore to one approaching feignedly sins are not remitted.

### Chap. III. *How that saying is to be understood: As many of you as have been baptized in Christ, you have put on Christ.*

It is asked, therefore, how that saying is to be taken: *As many of you as have been baptized in Christ, you have put on Christ*. — It can be said that those who are baptized in Christ, that is in conformity to Christ, namely that they die to the oldness of sin, just as Christ to the oldness of punishment, put on Christ, whom they have through indwelling grace. It can also be solved otherwise: For in two ways are we said to put on Christ: either by the assumption of the Sacrament, or by the perception of the res. Whence Augustine: «Men put on Christ sometimes as far as the perception of the Sacrament, sometimes as far as the sanctification of life; and the former can be common to the good and the wicked, but the latter is proper to the good and the pious». All, therefore, who are baptized in the name of Christ, put on Christ either according to the perception of the Sacrament, or according to sanctification.

#### Part II.

### Chap. IV. *That the passion supplies the place of baptism, and faith and contrition.*

There are also others, as we set forth above, who receive the res and not the Sacrament. For those who pour out their blood for the name of Jesus, although not the Sacrament, yet receive the res. Whence Augustine: «Whoever, the laver of regeneration not having been received, die for the confession of Christ, it avails them as much for the remitting of sins as if they had been washed in the sacred font of baptism». — You have heard that the passion undergone for the name of Jesus supplies the place of baptism. And not only does the passion fulfil the place of baptism, but also faith and contrition, where necessity excludes the Sacrament, as Augustine plainly teaches, saying: «That the passion sometimes fulfils the place of baptism, in that thief to whom, unbaptized, it was said: *Today you shall be with me in paradise*, blessed Cyprian in the fourth book on Baptism takes no slight proof. Which I too, considering again and again, find that not only the passion for the name of Christ can supply what was lacking to baptism, but also faith and the conversion of the heart, if perchance, in the straits of the times, there can be no recourse to the celebrating of the mystery of baptism. For neither was that thief crucified for the name of Christ, but for the merits of his crimes; nor because he believed did he suffer, but while he suffers he believes. How much, therefore, faith may avail even without the visible Sacrament of baptism — which the Apostle says: *With the heart one believes unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation* — was declared in that thief; but then it is fulfilled invisibly, when not the contempt of religion, but the article of necessity excludes the mystery of baptism». «And baptism indeed can be, where the conversion of the heart is lacking; but the conversion of the heart can indeed be present, baptism not having been received, but baptism being despised, it cannot; nor in any way is the conversion of the heart to God to be spoken of, when the Sacrament of God is despised». — Behold, here you have it, that not only the passion, but also faith and contrition confer remission, where the Sacrament is not despised, as is shown in that thief, who was saved not through the passion, but through faith without baptism. — But some say that Augustine retracted this. He retracted indeed the example, but not the judgment. For he says thus: «In the fourth book, when I said that the passion can have the place of baptism, I did not put a sufficiently fitting example, that of the thief, because whether he was not baptized is uncertain». It is established, therefore, that some are justified and saved without baptism. Whence Ambrose concerning Valentinian: «I grieve in my belly, to use the prophetic word, because him whom I was to regenerate I have lost; yet he did not lose the grace which he sought». But to these things there seems to be opposed what the Lord says: *Unless one be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven*. — Now if this is generally true, the things set forth above do not seem to be true. But that is to be understood of those who are able

and despise to be baptized; or it is to be understood thus: unless one be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, that is, by that regeneration which is made through water and the Holy Spirit, he shall not be saved; but that regeneration is made not only through baptism, but also through penance and blood. Whence the authority says that the Apostle therefore «spoke in the plural of the *foundation of baptisms*, because there is a baptism in water, in blood, in penance». But this he does not say for the reason that the Sacrament of baptism comes to be except in water, but because its power and sanctification is given not only through water, but through blood, or penance inwardly. Reason too suggests this. For if for little ones unable to believe baptism suffices, much more does faith suffice for adults willing but unable to be baptized. Whence Augustine: «You ask which is greater: *faith, or water*; I do not doubt that I should answer: faith. If, therefore, that which is less can sanctify, will not that which is greater? that is, faith, of which Christ says: *He who believes in me, even if he be dead, shall live*». — But some say that no adult believes in Christ or has charity without baptism, unless he pour out his blood for the Lord, bringing in testimonies subjoined. Augustine says: «From that time, when the Saviour said: *Unless one be born again of water and the Holy Spirit* etc., apart from the Sacrament of baptism, except those who in the Church pour out their blood, no one can receive eternal life». Likewise: «No catechumen, however dead amid good works, do we believe to have eternal life, except in martyrdom, where the whole Sacraments of baptism are fulfilled». Likewise: «For the baptized alone do we believe there to be a way of salvation». — But what he said less in these, he supplied in other chapters set forth above; and therefore these things are so to be understood that only those who have time be excepted. For if anyone having faith and charity wishes to be baptized and cannot, being prevented by necessity, the kindness of the Almighty supplies what was lacking to the Sacrament. For while he is able to pay, unless he pay, he is bound; but when he is now not able, and yet wills, God does not impute it to him, who has not bound his power to the Sacraments. — But that invisible sanctification without the visible Sacrament is present in some, Augustine plainly teaches, saying on Leviticus: «That invisible sanctification has been present and profitable to some without visible Sacraments; but visible sanctification, which is made by the visible Sacrament, can be present without the invisible, [but] cannot profit. Yet the visible Sacrament is not on that account to be despised, because the despiser of it cannot be invisibly sanctified. Hence Cornelius and those who were with him, already sanctified in spirit, were baptized. Nor is the visible sanctification to be judged superfluous, because the invisible preceded. Without the visible, therefore, invisible sanctification can be and profit; but the visible, which is made only as far as the Sacrament, cannot profit without the invisible, since this is all its utility. To Simon Magus the visible baptism did not profit, because the invisible was not present; but to those to whom the invisible was present, it profited». Nor does another's faith avail a little one as much as his own avails an adult. For to little ones the faith of the Church without the Sacrament does not suffice, who, if they have died apart from baptism, even when they are brought to baptism, will be damned, as is proved by many testimonies of the Saints; for which let this one suffice. Augustine: «Most firmly hold that little ones, who either begin to live in the wombs of mothers and there die, or born of mothers pass from this world without the Sacrament of baptism, are to be punished with eternal punishment, because, although they had no sin of their own action, yet they drew original sin by carnal conception». And just as little ones, who die without baptism, are reckoned in the number of the unbelievers; so those who are baptized are called faithful, who are not separated from the fellowship of the faithful, when the Church prays for the faithful departed. They are faithful, therefore, not on account of virtue, but the Sacrament of faith. Whence Augustine: «A little one, although not yet that faith which consists in the will of believers, yet the Sacrament of that very faith, that is baptism, makes him faithful; just as the answer is that he believes, so also he is called faithful, not by assenting to the thing itself with the mind, but by perceiving the Sacrament of the thing itself».

### Chap. V. *What baptism profits those approaching with faith.*

It is also wont to be asked concerning those who, already sanctified in spirit with faith and charity, approach baptism, what baptism confers on them. For it seems to bestow nothing on them, since, their sins being already remitted through faith and contrition, they are justified. — To which it can well be said that they are indeed justified through faith and contrition, that is, purged from the stain of sin and absolved from the debt of eternal punishment, yet still held by temporal satisfaction, because penitents are bound in the Church. But when they receive baptism, both from the sins, if any they have contracted meanwhile after conversion, they are cleansed and absolved from the exterior satisfaction, and helping grace and every virtue is increased, so that he can truly then be called a *new man*. The tinder of sin too is in him further weakened. Therefore Jerome says that the faith which makes the faithful is given or nourished in the waters of baptism; because to one not having it it is sometimes there given, and to one already having it, that he may have it more fully, it is given. So also is it to be understood of other things.

### Chap. VI. *What is forgiven in baptism to the just.*

He, therefore, who approaches clean is there made cleaner, and to everyone who has, there is more given. But that all exterior satisfaction is there relaxed, Ambrose shows, on that passage: *The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance*, saying: «The grace of God in baptism does not require groaning or wailing or any work, and freely forgives all». Which indeed is to be taken of exterior groaning or wailing; for without the interior no adult is renewed; but the exterior satisfactions and afflictions, namely the filth of penitents, are there forgiven. Much, therefore, does baptism confer even on one already justified through faith, because he who approaches baptism is, as it were, like the branch borne by the dove into the ark; before he was within by the judgment of God, but now he is within also by the judgment of the Church. — But since in baptism sin is blotted out, and exterior satisfaction is not imputed; it is asked why the penal liability, to which for sin we are adjudged, is not taken away. The Saints hand down that this is done «because, if men were freed from punishment through baptism, they would reckon that very thing the price of baptism, not the eternal kingdom. Therefore, the guilt of sin being loosed, the temporal punishment nevertheless remains, that that life may be more zealously sought, which will be free from all punishments». It remains also, that there may be for the faithful matter of striving and occasion of conquering, who would not conquer, if he did not fight; nor would he fight, if in baptism he became immortal.

### Chap. VII. *Of what thing baptism, which the just man receives, is the Sacrament.*

If it is asked of what thing that baptism is the Sacrament, which is given to one already just; we say it is the Sacrament both of the res which preceded, that is, of the remission given before through faith, and of the remission of temporal punishment, or of sin, if there be any which is committed meanwhile, and of the newness and of all the grace there bestowed. For everything is the sign of that thing of which it is the cause. And do not wonder that the res sometimes precedes the Sacrament, since sometimes it even follows long after, as in those who approach feignedly, to whom, when afterwards they have repented, baptism will begin to profit, in whom baptism was the Sacrament of this sanctification, which by repenting they have. — But if they should never repent nor withdraw from the pretense, of what thing would the baptism received by them be the Sacrament? It can be said: of the res which would there come to be, if their enormity did not impede.

It is also wont to be asked, whether to little ones grace is given in baptism, by which, when they shall have time to use free will, they may be able to will and to run. For concerning adults, who worthily receive the Sacrament, there is no doubt that they have received operating and cooperating grace, which falls to them in vain, if through free will they afterwards mortally transgress; who by the desert of sin lose the grace bestowed. Whence they are also said to do despite to the *Holy Spirit* and to put him to flight from themselves. — But concerning little ones, who do not yet use reason, there is a question, whether in baptism they have received grace, by which, coming to a greater age, they may be able to will and to work good. It seems that they have not received it, because that grace is charity and faith, which prepares and aids the will. But who would say that they have received faith and charity? But if they have not received grace, by which they can work well, when they shall be adults; therefore the grace given in baptism does not suffice them in this state, nor through it can they now be good, unless another be added; which if it is not added, it is not from their own fault, because they have been justified from sin. — Some think that operating and cooperating grace is given to all little ones in baptism as a gift, not in use, so that, when they shall have come to a greater age, from the gift they may obtain the use, unless through free will they extinguish the use of the gift by sinning; and thus it is from their own fault, not from a defect of grace, that they become wicked; who, being able by God's gift to have the good use through free will, refused it and chose the evil use.