Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Confirmation
Chapter 6: The Same Is Proved from the Latins
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Confirmationis, the second general controversy on the sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
First, Tertullian, in the book On the Resurrection of the Flesh, seems to take in the whole rite very briefly, that is, the anointing, the sign of the cross and the laying on of the hand: “The flesh,” he says, “is anointed, that the soul may be consecrated; the flesh is signed, that the soul may be fortified; the flesh is overshadowed by the laying on of the hand, that the soul may be enlightened by the Spirit.” And in the same place he joins this sacrament with Baptism and the Eucharist: for he had said before, “The flesh is washed, that the soul may be cleansed of stain”; and after all those he adds, “The flesh feeds on the body of Christ, that the soul may be fattened on God.” The same, in book 1 against Marcion, not far from the end, again joins the anointing with oil with the water of Baptism and the bread of the Eucharist; and likewise in the book On the Prescription of Heretics. Lastly, in the book On Baptism he says this: “Then, having come out of the laver, we are anointed with a blessed anointing.” And a little after: “In us the anointing runs bodily, but profits spiritually.” And a little after: “Next the hand is laid on, calling and inviting the Holy Spirit through the blessing.”
Second, St. Cyprian, book 1, the last letter: “He who has been baptized must also be anointed, so that, having received the chrism, he may be the anointed of God and have in himself the grace of Christ.” And book 2, letter 1: “Then at last can they be fully sanctified and be sons of God, if they are born by each sacrament.” See: Confirmation is called a sacrament, and is compared with Baptism. Likewise in the letter to Jubaianus: “Which is now also done among us, that those who are baptized in the Church are brought to the prelates of the Church, and through our prayer and the laying on of hands obtain the Holy Spirit and are perfected with the Lord's seal.” If anyone objects that Cyprian in all these places is pleading the cause of rebaptism, it must be answered that that indeed is true, but that what he says of the rite and effect of the holy chrism is not therefore false. For the Catholic Church always marked Cyprian's error on rebaptism; she never marked as an error what he wrote on Confirmation. And St. Augustine, in book 5 On Baptism, refutes Cyprian's arguments for rebaptism, and yet never, by one little word even, condemns what Cyprian wrote so splendidly on this sacrament.
Third, the author of the sermons On the Cardinal Works of Christ, which are had among the works of Cyprian, although in truth he is not Cyprian, is yet ancient and learned, and most openly ascribes to consecrated chrism the power of sanctifying, in the way we heard Cyril speaking. For so he speaks in the sermon on the anointing of chrism: “Today in the Church the sacred chrism is made, for sanctifying the purchased people in the sharing of dignity and name; in which the balsam mixed with oil expresses the union of royal and priestly glory, for the beginning of which dignities the anointing was instituted by God.” And below, speaking of chrism: “When the elements are sanctified, it is no longer their own nature that gives the effect, but the divine power works more mightily; and the truth is present to the sign, and the Spirit to the sacrament.” And below: “And by the benefit of this anointing both wisdom and understanding are given us from God; counsel and fortitude glide down from heaven; knowledge and piety and fear are poured in by heavenly inspirations. Anointed with this oil we wrestle with the spirits of wickedness.”
Fourth, Eusebius of Emesa, or whoever was the author (for without doubt he was a Latin, and a notable one), in the sermon on Pentecost: “What the laying on of hands now gives to each,” he says, “in confirming the newly baptized, this the descent of the Holy Spirit then gave to all in the people of believers.” And below: “Therefore the Holy Spirit, who came down upon the waters of Baptism with a saving descent, in the font gives fullness for innocence; in Confirmation gives increase for grace.”
Fifth, Prudentius, in the Psychomachia, when he describes the fight of lust and sobriety, says:
After the signs traced on the forehead, by which
the royal ointment was given, and the everlasting chrism.
And in the hymn before sleep:
Worshipper of God, remember
that you went under the holy dew
of the font and of the laver,
that you were marked with chrism.
Sixth, Pacian, in the book On Baptism: “By the laver,” he says, “sins are cleansed; by chrism the Holy Spirit is poured upon us; and both of these we obtain by the hand and mouth of the bishop.” Likewise in letter 1 to Sympronian the Novatian: “If then the power both of the laver and of chrism, gifts far greater, came down from there (according to the pattern of the apostles) to the bishops, the right too of binding and loosing was present.” Where you see chrism not only joined with the sacraments of Baptism and Penance, but even put before the sacrament of Penance: for he says that to be able to anoint with chrism is a power of greater gifts than to loose or bind; and from this he proves that the bishop can loose and bind, because he can baptize and seal with chrism, which are greater offices. The same in letter 2: “Your people,” he says, “whence do they have the Spirit, whom an anointed priest does not seal?”
Seventh, Ambrose, book 3 On the Sacraments, chapter 2: “There follows,” he says, “the spiritual seal, because after the font there remains that perfection be made, when at the invocation of the priest the Holy Spirit is poured in.” And in the book On Those Who Are Initiated into the Mysteries, chapter 7: “Call to mind that you received the spiritual seal.” And below: “Keep what you received. God the Father has sealed you, Christ the Lord has confirmed you.”
Eighth, Jerome, in the dialogue against the Luciferians, after he had said that bishops give the Holy Spirit to the baptized through the laying on of hands, adds: “You ask where it is written? In the Acts of the Apostles. But even if the authority of Scripture were not beneath it, the consent of the whole world in this matter would hold the place of a precept.”
Ninth, Augustine, book 15 On the Trinity, chapter 26, says that the Church still keeps what the apostles did, Acts 8, that her prelates lay on hands for receiving the Holy Spirit. In the same place he also mentions chrism. Likewise, in the preface to the second sermon on Psalm 26, he says that by this anointing men are perfected spiritually. Likewise, book 3 On Baptism, chapter 16, and tractate 6 on the letter of John, he says that those on whom hands are laid after Baptism do not indeed now speak with tongues, yet in truth receive the Holy Spirit, and that charity is poured in secretly and invisibly. But the chief place is book 2 against the letters of Petilian, chapter 104: “In this ointment,” he says, “Petilian would interpret the sacrament of chrism; which indeed in the class of visible seals is most holy, as Baptism itself is; but it can be in the worst of men.” And below: “Distinguish, then, the visible holy sacrament, which can be both in the good and in the bad, in the one for reward, in the other for judgment, from the invisible anointing of charity, which is properly of the good.”
Tenth, Bede, book 6 on Luke, expounding those words of Luke 22, “And going out, he went, according to his custom, to the mount of Olives”: “He leads the disciples,” he says, “to the mount of Olives, to show that all baptized in his death are to be confirmed with the most high chrism of the Holy Spirit.”
To these let there be added those who treat of this sacrament expressly. Eleventh, Rabanus, book 1 On the Institution of Clerics, chapter 30. Twelfth, Amalarius, book 1 On the Church's Offices. Thirteenth, Hugh, book 2 On the Sacraments, part 7. Fourteenth, the Master with the whole School, book 4 of the Sentences, distinction 7.
To these let there be added three miracles shown by God for the confirmation of this sacrament. The first is extant in Optatus, book 2, where he relates that a flask of holy chrism, thrown out through a window by the Arians [Optatus himself, book 2, chapter 19, says the Donatists], was held up by an angel's hand and could not be broken. The second is extant in the life of St. Rembert, bishop of Bremen, in Surius, volume 1, in the month of February, which was written seven hundred years ago. There we read that St. Rembert, while confirming, gave sight to a blind man. The third is extant in the life of St. Malachy written by St. Bernard: “A boy,” says Bernard, “out of his mind, of those whom they call lunatics, he cured while confirming with the holy anointing.” And he is speaking of Malchus the bishop, the teacher of St. Malachy.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VI.
Idem probalur cx Laiims.
1. Tertullianiis in libr. de resurreclione cnriiis'
videlur lotum ritum brcvissime comprebendere '
idest. unclionem. sipnum criicis, el impositioncm
manus: Caro, inquit. ungitur, ul anima conse-
crelur, caro sifinalur. ul anima muninlnr; cnro
vinnus impusilione adumbraiur. ul anima Spi-
ritu illuminetur. El ibidem conjungil boc sacra-
nicnlum ciim Biif)lismo el Euchnrislia: niim antea
dixeral: Caro abluilur. ul anima emaciUctur. El
)',osl illa omnia subjunfrii: Caro corpore Clirisli
vcscitur,ut animade Deo saginelur. Idem in lib.
1. ronlra Marcionem non procul o line.ilerum con-
jungit olei unctionem cum a(pja Baplismi,et pane
Eucliaristiae: el simililer in lib. de praescriplione
Inerelicoruin. Dcnique in lib. de Biiplismo. sic ;iil:
Exinde cgresside lavacro pcrungimur benedicla
unclionc. Elpaulo posl: //» nobis carnuUicr cur-
ril unctit). scd spirituidilcr profiril.VA p;iulo posl:
Dchinc manus imponilur pcr bcncdiriioncin ad-
vocans. clinvilGiis Sitiritum sanctum.
II. Sanclus Cy|)riiinus lil). 1. episi. ull. Ingi
(liKtijuc ncccssc cst cum.(iu,i baiitizdlus sit. ul ac-
ccptii Chrismatc cssc unclus Dci, cl habcrc in sc
Chrisli graliain ])ossil. El lib. 2. cpisl. 1. Tunc
dcmum iilcnc sanclificari. cl csse Filii Dci po&-
sunl, si sacramriito utnxiuc nascanlur. Vide, s;i-
criimcnltim vociiri Conllriiiiilioiicm, (;l ciiiu Biiplis-
1110 ('onrerri. llem in episl. ad .fubiijiinum: iVmic
(/(/()(/»(? (//)?((/ nos gcritur; ul (jui in Ecclcsia ba-
ptizantur. pcr pnicposilos Ecclesiae ojfcrantnr,
cl pcr noslram oralioneni, el manus imjiosilio-
ncm Siiirilum sanctum conscquantur. et signa-
culo duminico cunsnmmcnlur. Si cjuis objiciiil,
Cypriiinum in liis omuibus locis agere caussam A-
uabaplismi; Uespoudeiidum cM, id (|uidcm esse
vcriiiii, sed non ob id (issc fiils;i, quae de rilu, et
enVctu siicri Chrismalis iil) eo iJicuntiir. IN'am Ec-
clesia calliolic;i sempcr noliivil errorem Cypri;ini
de An;d);i[)tisiiio: numqu;!in not;ivil ulerroremid,
quod illc scripsil de CoiKiriiiiitione: cl sanclus Au-
n;uslinus lib. o. de lJa|)tisiiio refellil argumenla Cy-
priaui pro Anabaplisino, iicc tamen unquam, vel
uiio verbulo diimmit , quae Cy|)rianus do lioc sa-
criimcnlo tiiiu iiiiiiiuilice scripsit.
III. Auclor serinonum de operibus Ciirdinalibus
Chrisli, quae hiibcntiir inler opera Cypriani,tamel-
si r(;vcra non est Cy|)riiinus. esl tiiiucn anliqnus
el doctus, el apertissime Iribuil Chrismati conse-
criitovim sanctificandi eo modo, quo Cyrilluin lo-
([uentem audivimus. Sic eniin loqiiilur in sermono
de unctionc Cbrisiiiiitis: Ilodiein Ecclesia ad po-
pulum acquisitionis sancificandum, in parlici-
patiune dignitatis ct nominis sacrum Chrisma
conficitur,in quo mixtum oleo halsamum regiae,
ct saccrdotaUs gloriae cxprimit unitatem , qui-
bus dignitatibus initiandis divinilus esl unctia
insliluta. Et infra Io([uens de Chrismale: Sancii-
ficatis clcmcntis jam non propria nalura prae-
bel cffcctum. scd vivtus divina polcntiiis opcra-
tur, et adcst veritas signo, el Spiritus sacramen-
lo. El\nk;\; Ethujus unclionis beneficio, el sn-
pienlianob]s, ct intellcctus divinitus dalur; eon-
siUum. ct forliludo coclilus illabitur ; scientia el
pictas, ct iimor inspirationibus superbis infuu'
diiiir. Iloc oleo uncii cumspirituaUbus nequitiis
coUuclainur.
IV. Eusebius emissenns,seu quicumque fiiil au-
chir (nam sine dubio Latinus fuil, el insignis) in
senu. de pentecoste: Quod, inquil, nunc in con-
firmandis neopliylis manus imposiiio tribuit sin-
gidis, hoc tunc Spiriius sancti descensio incre-
dcniium populo donavit univcrsis. El infra ;
Ergo spiriius sancius. qui super aquas Baptismi
saUitifcro desi^oidit iUapsu, in fronte plcnitudi-
ncm tribuit ad iiinoceuUam, in Confirmalione ,
augmcnlum pracstat ad grntiam.
V. l*rudeulius in (|;uy5j;.ayja, cuin pugnam luxu-
riae et sobrielatis describil, inquil:
Posl iii-irripta olo.o fronli-i siriniicula. pcr quae
Ungnenlum reijdle datum esl, el Clirinma pcrenne.
LUiEU SECUNDUS
210
El iii liymmo anle somniim:
CnUor Dei memmlo.
Te l'oiUis, el lavdcri
Rorem subiitise sanclum.
Te Ckrisnialc innolalum.
VI. Pacianus in lib. de Bnpllsmo: Lavacro, in-
quil, peccala parganlur. Clirumate sanctus Spi-
ritus supcrinlundiiur: utraque vero ista, manu
el orc anlislitis inipetramus. Ilem in 1. opisl. ad
Svmpronianuni iXovaliauiun: ^'i erf/o etlavacri, et
Clirismalis poteslas, niajorum longe Cliarisma-
tumad epLscopos indc{ex apostolorum forma)
descendil; et ligandi quoque jus adfuit, alque
solvendi. Ubi vidi-s, Chnsma non solum conjuugi
cum Baplismi cl Puenilenliac sacrainenlo, sed el-
iam antcponi sacramenlo Poenileuliae: dicil piiim
esse poUislalem maiorumCharismalum.posse Cljri-
smale inungere, quam soivere, vel ligare: elinde
probal posse episcopum soivere, elligare,quia pu-
lesl bnplizare, el Clirismale consignare, quae sunl
majora muncra. Idem in episl. 2. \'estrae plcbi,
inquil, unde Spiritus,quam non consignat unctus
sacerdos?
VII. Anibrosius lib. 3. de sacramcnlis, cap. 2.
Sequitur, inquil , spiriluole signaculum , quia
jwsl fontem scquiiur ul perfectio fiat, quando ad
invocalionein saccrdolis Spiritus sanctus infun-
ditur. El lib. dc iis, qui inilianlur mysliirns. cap.
7. Repetc, quia acccpisti signaculum spiriiuale.
El inlra: Scrca quod accepisii, signavii le Dcus
l'o.ler, confirmavii te CUristus Dominus.
Vlil. Ilieionymus iu dialogo conlra Lucif( ria-
nos, poslea(piam dixeral, episcopos bapUzalis per
impositiouem manuu-n dareypirilum sanclum sub-
juiigil: Exigis, ubi scrijitum sHyin Actibus apo-
stolorum. Sed etiamsi Scripturae aactoritas non
subesset. totius orbis in hanc partcm consensus
instar praecepti obiincret.
IX. .\uguslinus lib. 15. Trinit. cap. 20.dicil.Ec-
clesiam adbuc servare, quod fecerunlapusloli Acl.
8. ul ejus praepo^^iti manus imponant ad Spirilum
sanclum accipiendum.Ibidcm eliam meminil Cliri-
smalis. Item iu praefationc 2. cuuciouis iii psalm.
26. dicil, liac unctione spirilualiter liomiiics per-
iici. Item lil). 3. de Baplismo, cap. 10. et Iracl. 0.
in epist. Joan. dicit, nuuc (|uidem nou loiiui liu-
guis, quibus imponuntur manus post Baptismuni,
lamen revera acci|)ere Spiritum sanctum,et lalcn-
lcr, alque invisibiiitcr infuiidi cliaritatcm. Sed
praecipuus locus esl lib. 2. conlra literas Pctilia-
ni, eap. 104. In lioc ungucnto, inquit, s(tcmme?i-
tum Clirismalis vult Petilianus interpretari:quod
quidem in genere visibilium signaculorum sa-
crosanctum est, sicul ipse Bapiismus; sed potest
csse in kominibus pcssimis. Et inlia: Dit^ccrne i-
gitur visibile sanctam sacramentani. (/uod esse
etiii bonis.et in 'inaiis poicst: iUis ad praciniam,
isLis adjadicium, ub invisibiliunctiune ckarita-
lis, qaae proprie bonoram est.
X. Bcda lib. 0. iu Lucam, exponens iila vcrba
Luc. 22. Et cgrcssus ibal secundam consuetadi-
neni in monlcm olivaritm. In montein, inquiL o-
livarum discipulos educil, ut omnes vn nvtrte
sua baptizalos altissimo sancli Spirilus Cliri-
smate confirmandos esse dcsignet.
Ilis acccdanl qui de boc sacramento ox profcs-
so traclant.
XI. Uabanus lib. I.de Inslilul.clericor. cap. 30.
XIT. Amalarius lib. 1. dc ofiiciis ecclosiaslicis.
XIII. Hugo lib. 2. de sacramenlis , parl. 7. (U
XIV. Magisler cum omni ^cliola lib. 4. Scnteni.
(lisliiicl. 7.
Ilis accedanl tria miracula ad bujiis sacramenli
coofirmalionein a Dco ostcnsa. Primum c\slat a-
pud Optaluin lib. 2. ubi rcfert, auqiullam s. Cbri-
smalis ab arianis per fcnestram projcclam angclica
manu suslenlatatn collidi non poluisse. Allcruiii
exslat in vila s.Rembcrli brcmcnsis cpiscopi apud
Suriuin tom. 1. in mcnse februario. quae scripla
est anle annos 700. Ibi legimns s. Ucmbcrlnin iii-
ler contirmaudum cacoum illuiiiinassc. Tcrliuni
exslat in vila s. 31alacliiae a s. Bt>rnardo scripla:
Vaerum, iiiquit Bcriiardus. menlc caplum. cjc liis
lunaticos vocant. inter confirmandumsacraun-
clione cnravii. Lo(piitur aulem de Malclio episco-
po s. Malacbiac praeccplore.