Dist. 6, Part 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/6/q/bon-sent-IV-d6-p1-littera
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### DISTINCTION VI.

### Part I.

### Chapter I. *To whom it is permitted to baptize.*

Now let us add concerning those to whom it is permitted to baptize. On this Isidore says: «It is established that baptism was handed over to priests alone, and that its ministry is not licit even for deacons themselves to fulfill without a bishop or presbyter, unless, these being far absent, the extremity of sickness compels by necessity; which is also permitted to lay faithful». Likewise, from the fourth Council of Carthage: «A woman, however holy, may not presume to baptize, unless compelled by necessity».

### Chapter II. *Whether those baptized by heretics are to be rebaptized.*

Concerning those, however, who are baptized by heretics, whether they are to be rebaptized, is wont to be asked. — To which we say briefly, that whoever it be who baptizes, if the form handed down by Christ is preserved, he gives a true baptism; and therefore he who receives it ought not to be rebaptized. Hence Beda: «Whether a heretic or a schismatic or any criminal baptizes in the confession of the holy Trinity, he who has been baptized is not validly rebaptized by good Catholics, lest the confession and invocation of the Trinity seem to be annulled». Likewise Augustine: «Although the baptism both of heretics — namely of those who baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit — and of the catholic Church is one; nevertheless those who are baptized outside the Church do not receive baptism unto salvation, but unto perdition, having the form of the Sacrament but denying its power; and therefore the Church does not rebaptize them, because they have been baptized in the name of the Trinity, and that itself is the form of the Sacrament». Likewise: «To rebaptize a heretic, who has received these signs of holiness, is altogether a sin; but to rebaptize a Catholic is a most monstrous crime». — From these it is plainly gathered, that those also who have been baptized by heretics, the character of Christ being preserved, are not to be rebaptized, but only to be reconciled by the imposition of the hand, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, and in token of detestation of the heretics.

There are nevertheless some of the doctors, such as Cyprian and certain others, who seem to say that baptism cannot be conferred by heretics, and that those are to be rebaptized, when they come to the Church, who are said to have been baptized by them. — But this is true of those who presume to baptize outside the form of the Church. Cyprian nevertheless seems there to have deviated from the truth, who says concerning the heretic: «How can he sanctify the water, when he himself is unclean, and with whom the Holy Spirit is not; when the Lord says in the Law: *Whatsoever the unclean shall touch, shall be unclean?* Who can give what he himself does not have»? But that he said this out of ignorance, Augustine intimates, saying: «The glorious martyr Cyprian, who was unwilling to acknowledge the baptism conferred among heretics or schismatics, while he detested them too much, was followed by such great merits even to the triumph of martyrdom, that both that shadow was put to flight by the light of the charity in which he excelled, and, if anything needed purging, it was removed by the sickle of his passion. Nor are we, who acknowledge the truth of baptism and the iniquity of the heretics, on that account better than Cyprian, just as neither than Peter, because we do not compel the Gentiles to judaize».

### Part II.

### Chapter III. *That no one is baptized in the maternal womb.*

This too is to be known, «that although one is immersed three times on account of the mystery of the Trinity, nevertheless it is reckoned one baptism». — This also is not to be left unknown, that no one can be baptized in the maternal womb, even if the mother is baptized. Hence Isidore: «Those who are in maternal wombs cannot be baptized, because he who is not yet born according to Adam is not according to Christ, cannot be reborn, nor can a regeneration be spoken of in him, in whom generation has not preceded». Likewise, Augustine: «No one can be reborn before he is born».

But if it is objected concerning Jeremiah and concerning John the Baptist, who are read to have been sanctified from the womb, which some think also of Jacob; we say, if sanctification there is taken as an interior cleansing, it is to be held among the miracles of the divine power, as Augustine says, speaking ambiguously on this: «If, he says, the use of reason and of will was so far accelerated in that child, that within the maternal viscera he could already recognize and believe what in other little ones the age is awaited that they may be able, it is to be held among the miracles of the divine power, not to be drawn to an example of human nature. For when God willed, even a beast of burden spoke». The same: «Of Jeremiah it is read: *Before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you;* yet that sanctification, by which we are made the temple of God, belongs only to the reborn». «*For unless one be reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.* But no one is reborn, unless he is first born». «Hence that sanctification can be taken according to predestination». — Behold, he seems to speak doubtfully, who also says in the same place: «It is not said, that the infant *believed* in the womb, but *exulted;* nor does Elisabeth say: he exulted in faith, but, he exulted in my womb. And this could have been an indication of so great a thing to be recognized by one greater, not recognized by the little one». — He speaks without assertion concerning this sanctification, not defining how that sanctification is to be understood, whether a sign of a future thing, or the truth of a justification made through the Spirit. But it is better that we say, that those, beyond the common law, were justified in the wombs and prevented by grace, all their sins being remitted; which is also taught by many testimonies of the Saints.

### Chapter IV. *Whether there is baptism, when the words are pronounced corruptly.*

It is also wont to be asked, if those words are pronounced corruptly, whether there is baptism. — On this Zacharias writes to Boniface: «Your messengers reported to me, that there was a priest in the same province, who was utterly ignorant of the Latin language, and while he was baptizing, unskilled in Latin speech, mangling the language, said: I baptize you in the name of the Father (Patria) and of the Daughter (Filia) and of the Holy (Spirit) (sancta); and on account of this you considered rebaptizing. But if he who baptized, not introducing error or heresy, but out of mere ignorance of Roman speech baptizing by mangling the language, had so spoken; we cannot consent that he be baptized anew».

Furthermore it is to be known, that those, «concerning whom no evidence exists among kinsmen or members of the household or neighbors, by whom they may be shown to have been baptized, it is to be acted upon, that they be reborn, lest they perish, in whom, because the act is not shown, reason does not allow that it seem to be repeated. It seems that there should be conferred upon them what is not known to have been conferred, because no rashness of presumption intervenes, where there is diligence of piety».

### Chapter V. *Concerning him who is immersed in jest.*

It is also wont to be asked concerning him who, jesting like a mime, but with commemoration of the Trinity, is immersed, whether he has been baptized. — But Augustine does not define this, saying thus: «If the whole were done in a ludicrous and mimic and jocular manner, whether the baptism which would be so given is to be approved; I should judge that the divine judgment is to be implored in prayer through the miracle of some revelation». It seems nevertheless to the wise that there was no baptism; just as when some are immersed in a bath or in a river in the name of the Trinity, it is nevertheless not baptism, because it is not done with the intention of baptizing. For in this and in the other Sacraments, just as the form is to be preserved, so also the intention of celebrating it is to be had. «Let this also not move you, that some bring little ones to baptism not with the faith that through the Spirit they may be regenerated unto eternal life, but think that by this remedy they may retain or recover temporal health. For not on that account are they not regenerated, because they are not offered by them with this intention».

It is also to be acknowledged, that in the baptizing of the elect two times are to be observed, that is Easter and Pentecost, so that on the Saturday of Easter or of Pentecost the Sacrament of baptism may be celebrated. But those who are pressed by the necessity of death or of danger ought to be baptized at every time.

### Chapter VI. *Concerning the response of godparents.*

Moreover all who come to baptism ought to profess their faith and expound, what they have come to seek from the Church. Hence also the one to be baptized is asked: What have you come to the Church to seek? He who, if he is an adult, responds for himself: faith, that is the Sacrament of faith, and doctrine. So too, interrogated through each particular, he responds, that he believes in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But if he is a little one, not able to believe or speak, another responds for him. Hence Isidore: «Little ones, with another professing, are baptized, who do not yet know how to speak or believe, just as also for the sick, the mute, or

the deaf another professes, while they are baptized». So also is it to be acted concerning penitents. «But if for one who is able to respond, another should respond, it does not equally avail; as it has been said: He has the age, let him speak for himself».

But if it is asked, in what sense it is said for the little one: I believe, or I seek faith; we say, it is to be understood of the Sacrament of faith, that what is answered is, I seek, when he is brought to the Church, and, *to have,* when he is baptized; so that the sense is, when it is said: I seek faith, that is, I am ready to receive the Sacrament of faith; I believe, that is, I receive the Sacrament of faith; which is: this little one is ready to receive the Sacrament of faith. Hence Augustine: «To believe is nothing other than to have faith; and therefore, when it is answered that the little one believes, who does not yet have the affection of faith, it is answered that he has faith on account of the Sacrament of faith, and that he turns himself to God on account of the Sacrament of conversion».

But still it is asked, in what sense it is answered for the little one: I believe in God the Father and in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. Is it of the *Sacrament of faith,* or of the *faith of the mind,* that there is question? If of the Sacrament, why are the persons distinguished by name? But if of the affection of faith, how is it true, when the little one lacks it? Or is it pledged that the little one will do that, when he has believed? as it is also pledged for all to renounce the pomps of the devil; which if, having become an adult, he does not keep, will he himself be held, or the sponsor? — It can soundly be said, that there is pledged for the little one, that, if he comes to greater age, he will both renounce the pomps of the devil and hold the sound faith, whose Sacrament he then receives. But by this pledge the little one, for whom it is made, will be held, not the sponsor; provided nevertheless that, as the pledge is fulfilled, he gives effort, as far as in him lies; for it is required of the godparent, that solicitude be diligent concerning him, for whom he pledged. On this Augustine: «You have given a most certain pledge, by which you have promised to renounce the pomps of the devil».

### Chapter VII. *Concerning catechism and exorcism.*

Now that interrogation and response of faith takes place in catechism; to which exorcism also is added. For before baptism catechism and exorcism take place; after catechism follows exorcism, so that from him who is now instructed, the adversary power may be expelled. Exorcism from the Greek into Latin is called adjuration; catechism, instruction; to catechize is to instruct, as concerning the Symbol and the rudiments of faith; to exorcize is to adjure, as: depart from him, unclean spirit; the Symbol is called a sign, or a collation: a sign, because by it the faithful are distinguished from the unfaithful; a collation, because there the sufficiency and integrity of the whole faith is collated. — Catechism and exorcism belong to neophytes and ought to be called sacramentals rather than Sacraments. Neophyte is interpreted as novice or untrained; and one is called a neophyte who is newly converted to the faith, or untrained in the discipline of religious conversion. — These therefore precede baptism, not because without them there could not be a true baptism, but that the one to be baptized may be instructed concerning the faith and may know, to whom he becomes a debtor thereafter, and that the power of the devil may be diminished in him. Hence Rabanus: «Before baptism the office of catechizing ought to come beforehand in a person, that the catechumen may receive the rudiment of faith and may know, to whom he becomes a debtor thereafter». Likewise, Augustine: «Little ones are breathed upon and exorcized, that the power of the devil may be expelled from them», «lest they still contend to subvert them, that they may not attain baptism». «Not then in infants is the creature of God breathed upon or exorcized, but the devil, that he may withdraw from the person».

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