Dist. 4, Part 1, Art. 2, 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/4/q/bon-sent-IV-d4-p1-a2-q3
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### Question III. *Whether the feigner receives the reality after the Sacrament, when the feigning departs.*

Thirdly it is asked whether the feigner receives the reality after the Sacrament, when the feigning departs. And that he does, seems to be the case:

1. Because Augustine says, and it is contained in the text [of the Master]: «Then baptism begins to avail unto salvation, when that feigning has withdrawn from the heart through a truthful confession».

2. Likewise, the feigning was the sole cause why the Sacrament did not have efficacy: therefore, that being removed, it has its effect.

3. Likewise, if it did not have its effect; since the Sacrament cannot be repeated, and no one can be saved without the efficacy of baptism, there would lie open no way [of salvation] for such a one.

**On the contrary:** 1. Dead works are not brought to life; but this man receives baptism outside of charity; and so it is a dead work.

2. Likewise, it is necessary that the cause be conjoined to its effect, otherwise, if the cause passes away and is not, then it does nothing; but so it is in this case: therefore, etc.

3. Likewise, if someone receives the body of the Lord unworthily, when the unworthiness departs, he does not on that account effect anything: therefore, etc.

4. Likewise, what will be the case of him who has sinned in the meantime? For if, when it remits all guilt, the feigning and the other sins are remitted; but this would not happen to him, unless he had been a feigner: therefore he draws a benefit from his malice.

> **Conclusion.** The character impressed in baptism, when the feigning departs, remits preceding sins as to guilt and punishment.

**I respond:** It must be said briefly that the Sacrament of baptism, since it is not repeatable, impresses a character; and that [character] has every efficacy, when the feigning departs, which it would have had before, whence it remits as to punishment and guilt those sins which preceded; but those which he committed afterward are remitted by the power of penance, and for those penance is to be imposed. — From these things all is plain.

1. To that, then, which is first objected, that *dead works* etc.; it must be said that baptism is not a work of man, but of God, and therefore can never be dead. But what is said of dead works is understood of our works.

2. To that which is objected, that the cause ought to be conjoined to its effect; it must be said that the character always remains and effects that which grace would effect, when the feigning departs.

3. To that which is objected concerning the Sacrament of the eucharist, the answer is plain, that it does not hold: both because it passes away and leaves nothing freely given that disposes toward sanctifying grace, and also because it is repeatable.

4. To that which is objected concerning him who has committed [sin] in the meantime; it must be said that all things are remitted to him: but he does not draw a benefit, since penance is to be imposed on him both for the feigning and for the sins afterward perpetrated. — And so the whole is plain.

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