Dist. 8, Part 1, Divisio Textus
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/8/q/bon-sent-IV-d8-p1-divisio
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## COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION VIII.

### Part I. *On the things antecedent to the Sacrament of the Eucharist.*

After the Sacrament of baptism and of confirmation there follows the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

### DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

This is the third part of the whole part on the Sacraments, in which the Master in the third place treats of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Now this part is divided into three parts. In the first he treats of the Eucharist in itself. In the second, by comparison to those who receive or eat it, below in distinction nine: *And just as there are two realities of this Sacrament*. In the third, by comparison to those who dispense or confect it, below in distinction eleven: *But if it is asked what that conversion is like*, etc.

The first part has two [members]. In the first he determines concerning the things that precede the being of this Sacrament. In the second, concerning the things that constitute the being of this Sacrament, namely those which are the form of the word and the element, and this there: *But the form, which he himself set forth in the same place*, etc.

The first part has two [members], since what is antecedent to this Sacrament is twofold: one [kind] which confers nothing toward being, but [only] toward *manifest being*, and this is prefiguration and naming; another which confers toward being, as institution; therefore the first part has two parts and two chapters. In the first the Master determines concerning the prefiguration of this Sacrament. In the second concerning its institution, there: *Here also among other things that must be considered there occur*. In the first part he first set down the reason for naming and the modes of figuring, showing that four figures preceded.

### TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

For the understanding of this part, according to the two things which the Master determines, two things are principally asked.

First it is asked concerning the figure of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Secondly concerning its institution.

Concerning the first, three things are asked.

First it is asked whether the Sacrament of the Eucharist ought to have been prefigured.

Secondly it is asked concerning the number of the figures and their sufficiency.

Thirdly it is asked concerning the preeminence of the figures.

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