Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacraments in General · Book II: On the Effect, Number, and Ceremonies of the Sacraments
Chapter 4: The second class of testimonies: the predictions of the Prophets and the figures of the Old Testament
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramentis in Genere, Book II: On the Effect, Number, and Ceremonies of 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).
The second class of testimonies: the predictions of the Prophets. First, Isaias chapter 1, where, when he had said, To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full. I desired not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves and of lambs and of goats, he subjoins: Wash yourselves, be clean. Which words St. Jerome and St. Cyril in their commentaries, and Cyril of Jerusalem in the first Catechesis, and Theodoret on Psalm 50, and Basil oration 13, which is On Baptism, expound to the letter of Baptism, which succeeds those old expiations. And that Baptism has the power of cleansing is plain from those words, Wash yourselves, be clean. For it is as if he said: Be baptized, and in that manner you shall be clean. Whence St. Jerome thus expounds this place: “In place of the former victims and holocausts, the religion of the Gospel pleases me, that you be baptized in my blood through the laver of regeneration, which alone can remit sins.” So he; where that word, “alone,” excludes not God, the merit of Christ, faith, and other things of that kind, but the Jewish sacrifices and ceremonies.
Second, Ezekiel chapter 36: I will pour upon you clean water, he says, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I will give you a new heart, etc. This place Jerome and Theodoret understand of Baptism in their commentaries, and Cyprian book 1 last epistle and book 4 epistle 7, where St. Jerome notes that by the sprinkling of the water of Baptism not only are sins cleansed, but also a new heart and a new spirit are given.
Third, Micah chapter 7: “Of the grace of Baptism,” says Jerome in epistle 83 to Oceanus, “he prophesies: He will cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea.” In which way also Rupert expounds this place in his commentary, and Augustine in the commentary on Psalm 113. But what is plunged into the sea is not only signified to be extinguished, but is in fact extinguished by the force of the waters.
Fourth, Zachary chapter 13: In that day there shall be a fountain open to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean woman. This place too Jerome and Rupert in their commentaries expound of Baptism, which has the power of purging sins. Fifth, David Psalm 50: Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with hyssop, etc. But of this we shall speak a little below, in the explanation of the sixth figure.
The figures of the Sacraments. The first is Genesis 1: The Spirit of the Lord moved over the waters. In the Hebrew it is expressed to what end it moved over the waters, namely to make them fruitful; for thence fishes and birds were to be procreated, as is had below: it “brooded,” after the manner of a hen cherishing her nest, and by the warmth of the living creature quickening the eggs, says Jerome in the Questions on Genesis. And that this was a figure of Baptism, which consists of water and the Holy Spirit, teach Tertullian in the book On Baptism and Jerome in epistle 83 to Oceanus. As, then, water at the beginning of the world received from the Holy Spirit a certain vital force, to procreate animals, so also Baptism received from the Holy Spirit the force of procreating new men: “Let it be no marvel,” says Tertullian, “in Baptism, if waters can give life.” And there he calls Christians little fishes, because they are born from the waters. For which cause also the capital letters of the Sibylline verses make [ichthys], that is, fish, and signify “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” Which Augustine noted, book 18 of the City of God chapter 23, and Prosper book 2 On the predictions chapter 29, and before both Optatus of Milevis book 3 against Parmenian: “Hence,” he says, “is the fish, which in Baptism is set by invocation into the waters of the font, so that what had been water is from the fish called also a fish-pool; whose fish-name, according to the Greek appellation, in one name through the several letters contains the throng of holy names, [ichthys], which in Latin is Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” And alluding to this, St. Jerome in epistle 43: “Bonosus, like a son of the fish, seeks the watery places.”
The second figure is Genesis 7, of the flood saving Noe and the rest who were in the ark, which St. Peter explains, epistle 1 chapter 3, as we said a little before. The third figure is Genesis 17, of Circumcision, of which blessed Paul, Colossians 2, thus says: You are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in the despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism. But Circumcision truly and efficiently cut off the flesh, and was not only a testimony of the cutting off. The fourth figure is Exodus 14, the submersion of the Egyptians in the Red Sea and the passage of the children of Israel; of which blessed Paul thus speaks, 1 Corinthians 10: All, he says, were baptized in Moses, in the cloud and in the sea. And below he says: All these things happened to them in figure. And so the Red Sea was a figure of Baptism; but the overshadowing cloud, a figure of the Holy Spirit; and as the Red Sea truly drowned the Egyptians and freed the Israelites, so Baptism truly blots out sins and saves souls. See Cyprian book 4 epistle 7, Augustine tract 11 and 15 on John, and Jerome in epistle 83 to Oceanus. The fifth figure is Exodus 16 and 17, of the Manna raining from heaven and the water gushing from the rock; which were figures of the Eucharist of the body and blood of the Lord, the same Paul explaining it in the same place, 1 Corinthians 10. But that Manna and water truly refreshed and recreated the bodies of the Israelites, and were not testimonies or seals. Therefore the Eucharist truly refreshes souls; otherwise the figure will be better than the thing figured. The sixth is Numbers 19, of the water of purification, which had mixed in it the ashes of a red heifer, which Augustine writes was a figure of Baptism, in the Questions on Numbers chapter 33. Where it is to be noted from the same Augustine that three things were necessary in this expiation: the ashes of the red heifer, the water, and the hyssop with which the water was sprinkled; and the ashes of the heifer signify the death and merits of Christ; the water, Baptism, which applies the merits of Christ; the hyssop, a humble herb having its roots in rock, signifies faith, without which Baptism is not given to adults, and if perhaps it be given, does not profit them. As, then, in that expiation the hyssop did not cleanse, but the water having its power from the ashes of the heifer and sprinkled by the hyssop, so in Baptism it is not faith which properly in Baptism purges sins, but the water having its power from the Passion of Christ and received by faith. To these expiations, both the figuring and the figured, David looked when he said, Psalm 50: Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. For he seeks that purgation which he knew was figured, through the expiation of the water which was sprinkled with hyssop, as Theodoret expounds in the commentary on this place. The seventh figure is Josue 4, of the passage of the children of Israel through the Jordan to the land of promise, Josue leading; which was a figure of Baptism, teach Ambrose on that of Luke 1, He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, and Augustine on that of Psalm 113, And thou, O Jordan, wast turned back. Nor would anyone say that the children of Israel did not pass through the waters of the Jordan to the land of promise, but that the promise of passing was sealed. The eighth is 4 Kings 5, of Naaman the Syrian cured of leprosy by the laver of the Jordan; of which see Ambrose on chapter 4 of Luke and book 2 On the Sacraments chapter 4. And certainly the water of the Jordan, which truly cured that Syrian, was not a seal of a promise. The ninth is John 5, of the pool of Bethsaida, which is a most manifest figure, and celebrated by many Fathers, as Tertullian in the book On Baptism, Ambrose book 1 On the Holy Spirit chapter 7, Chrysostom, Cyril, and Theophylact on this place of John. And indeed Chrysostom most beautifully explains this figure, and adds that God willed by various figures to demonstrate the efficacy of Baptism, lest it seem incredible: “Baptism was to be,” he says, “full of the greatest power and grace, to purge sins, to make of a dead man a living one,” etc. And truly, unless it were as Chrysostom says, the figure would have been more excellent than the thing figured itself. The tenth is John 9, of the man born blind, whom the Lord enlightened through the water of Siloe; of which see Ambrose epistle 75 to Bellicius, and Augustine tract 44 on John.
Now two things are to be noted upon these places of Scripture. First, that although Scripture so often speaks of the Sacraments, both by predictions and by figures and by express words, yet it does not even once say that the force of the Sacraments consists in exciting or nourishing faith, but always explains that it consists in purging sins and cleansing the soul. From which, in truth, if the matter be seriously weighed, it is evidently gathered that the opinion of the heretics is most false. For how is it credible that the immediate and chief end of the Sacraments is nowhere had in Scripture, when the mediate end is so often inculcated? Second, note that if it is lawful to deny that the Sacraments truly and immediately sanctify, when the Scriptures so plainly teach this, by the same reasoning it will be possible to deny that faith justifies, which yet the adversaries everywhere affirm. For the Scriptures attribute nothing to faith which they do not also attribute to the Sacraments. For example, Luke chapter 7 last verse it is said: Thy faith hath made thee safe. And in the first epistle of Peter chapter 3 it is said: Baptism saveth you. Likewise of faith, John 5: He that believeth him that sent me, hath life everlasting. Of the Sacraments, John 6: He that eateth this bread shall live for ever. Of faith, Acts 15: Purifying their hearts by faith. Of the Sacraments, Ephesians 5: Cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life. Of faith, to the Romans 3: We account a man to be justified by faith. Of the Sacraments, to Titus 3: He saved us by the laver of regeneration. Of faith, to the Romans 5: Being justified therefore by faith. Of the Sacraments, John 3: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, etc.
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• CAPUT IV. Secunda classis testimoniorum, vaticinia Prophetarum. Primo, Isaias cap. I, ubi dixerat : Quo mihi multitudinem victimarum vestrarum , di¬ cit Dominus ? Plenus sum. Holocausta arietum , et adipem pinguium , et sanguinem vitulorum, et agnorum , et hircorum nolui. Subjungit : Lavamini , mundi estote (2). Quae verba S. Hieronymus, et S. Cyrillus in commenta¬ rio et Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus in I. Ca¬ techesi, et Theodoretus in Psalm. L. et Basilius oratione 13. quae est de Bap¬ tismo, exponunt ad litteram de Baptismo, qui succedit expiationibus illis veteribus. Quod autem Baptismus vim habeat mun¬ dandi, patet ex illis verbis : Lavamini , mundi estote. Est enim ac si diceret : Baptizamini, et eo modo mundi eritis. Unde S. Hierony¬ mus hunc locum ita enarrat : « Pro superio¬ ribus victimis et holocaustis Evangelii mihi placet religio ut baptizemini in sanguine meo per lavacrum regenerationis , quod so¬ lum potest peccata dimittere. » Hcecille : ubi illud. Solum, non excludit Deum, Christi me¬ ritum, fidem, et alia id genus, sed sacrificia et caeremonias Judaicas. Secundo, Ezechielis cap. XXXVI : Effun¬ dam, inquit, super vos agnam mundam, et mundabimini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris, et dabo vobis cor novum etc. (3). Hunc locum de Baptismo intclligunt Hieronymus etTheo- doretus in commentar, et Cyprianus lib. I. epist. ult. et lib. IV, ep. 7. ubi notat S. Hie¬ ronymus, per aquae Baptismi aspersionem non solum mundari peccata, sed etiam dari cor novum, et spiritum novum. Tertio, Michaeas cap. VII : « De Baptismi gratia, inquit Hieronymus in epist. 83. ad Oceanum , vaticinatur : Projiciet in profun¬ dum maris omnia peccata nostra. » Quomo¬ do etiam hunc locum exponit Rupertus in comment. et Augustinus in comment. Psal. * CXI1I. At quod in mare mergitur, non solum significatur extirrgui, sed re ipsa vi aquarum extinguitur. Quarto, Zacharias cap. XIII : In die illa erit fons patens domui David, et habitantibus Hierusalem in ablutionem peccatoris, et mens¬ truata: (i). Hunc etiam locum Hieronymus et Rupertus in commentario exponunt de Baptismo , qui vim habet purgandi pec¬ cata. Quinto, David Psal. L : Asperges me Do¬ mine hyssopo etc. (o). Sed de hoc paulo in¬ fra dicemus, in explicatione sextae figurae. Figures Sacramentorum. Prima est Genes. I : Spiritus Domini fere¬ batur super aquas. (6) In Hebraeo exprimitur, quorsum ferretur super aquas , nimirum ut eas foecundas redderet : nam inde procrean¬ di erant pisces, et aves, ut infra habetur : nsma incubabat, more gallinae nidum suum foventis, et ova calore animantis, inquit Hie¬ ronymus in quaest. in Genes. Fuisse autem hanc figuram Baptismi, qui constat ex aqua et Spiritu sancto, docent Tertullianus in lib. de Baptismo. Hieronymus in epist. 83. ad Oceanum. Ut igitur aqua initio mundi a Spi¬ ritu sancto vitalem quamdam vim accepit, ut animalia procrearet; sic et Baptismus a Spi¬ ritu sancto vim accepit procreandi novos homines : « Ne mirum sit , inquit Tertullia¬ nus, in Baptismo, siaqute animare possunt. » Et ibidem Christianos vocat pisciculos, quod (1) I. Petr. III, 21. — (2) Isai. I , 11 et 16. — (3) Ezech. XXXVI , 25. — (4) Zach. XIII, 1. — (5) Psal. L, 9. — (6) Gen. I, 2. nascantur ex aquis. Qua etiam de causa lit¬ tera; capitales versuum Sybillinorum faciunt iyfo;, id est, piscis, et significant « Jesus Christus Dei Filius Salvator. » Quod annota¬ vit Augustinus lib. XVIII de Civ. Dei c. 23. et Prosper lib. II de praedictionibus cap. 29. et ante utrumque Optatus Milevitanus 1. III. contra Parmenianum : « Hinc, inquit, est piscis, qui in Baptismate per invocationem fontalibus undis inseritur, ut qua; aqua fue¬ rat, a pisce etiam piscina vocitetur, cujus piscis nomen secundum appellationem Grae¬ cam in uno nomine per singulas litteras tur¬ bam sanctorum nominum continet, iyfos, quod est Latine Jesus Christus Dei Filius Salvator. » Et huc alludens S. Hieronymus in epist. 43 : « Bonosus, inquit, tamquam i/Qjb ; Filius aquosa petit. » Secunda figura est Genes. VII. de diluvio salvante Noe, et reliquos, qui erant in arca, quam explicat S. Petrus epist. I, cap. 3. ut paulo ante diximus. Tertia figura est Genes. XVII de Circum¬ cisione, de qua B . Paulus Coloss. II sic ait : Circumcisi estis Circumcisione non manufac- ta , in expoliatione corporis carnis , sed Cir¬ cumcisione Christi consepulli ei in Baptis¬ mo. (I) At Circumcisio vere et efficienter carnem abscindebat, non autem erat solum testimonium abscissionis etc. . Quarta figura est Exod. XIV. submersio iEgypti orum in mari rubro , et transitus fi¬ liorum Israel; de qua sic loquitur B. Paulus I. Cor. X : Omnes , inquit , in Mose baplizati sunt in nube et in mari. Et infra dicit : Hcec omnia contingebant illis in figuram (2). Itaque mare rubrum figura fuit Baptismi ; nubes autem obumbrans, figura Spiritus sancti ; et sicut mare rubrum vere demersit /Egyp- tios, et liberavit Israelitas; ita Baptismus vere delet peccata, et salvat animas. Vide Cy¬ prianum lib. IV, epist. 7. Augustinum tract. 41. et 13. in Joannem, et Hieronymum in epist. 83. ad Oceanum. Quinta figura est Exodi XVI. et XVII. de Manna pluente e coelo, et aqua scaturiente ex petra : quae figurae erant Eucharistiae cor¬ poris et sanguinis Domini, eodem Paulo ibi¬ dem I. Corintb. X. explicante. At Manna et aqua illa vere reficiebat, et recreabat cor¬ pora Israelitarum , et non erant testimonia vel sigilla. Igitur Eucharistia vere reficit ani¬ mas ; alioqui erit melior figura, quam res figurata. Sexta est Numeri XIX. de aqua lustratio¬ nis, quceadmislam habebat cinerem vacca; rufa?, quam fuisse Baptismi figuram, scribit Augustinus in quaistionibus super Numeros cap. XXXIII. Ubi notandum ex eodem Au¬ gustino, tria fuisse necessaria in hac expia¬ tione ; cinerem vaccae rufa;, aquam et hysso¬ pum, quo aqua aspergebatur : et quidem cinis vacca; Christi mortem et merita signifi¬ cat : aqua vero Baptismum, qui Christi me¬ rita applicat : hyssopus herba humilis , ra¬ dices habens in petra, fidem significat, sine qua Baptismus adultis non datur, et si forte datur, non eis prodest. Sicut ergo in illa ex¬ piatione hyssopus non mundabat, sed aqua vim habens ex cinere vaccae et hyssopo as¬ persa : sic in Baptismo non est fides, quae proprie in Baptismo purgat peccata, sed aqua vim habens ex Christi passione, et fide suscepta. Ad has expiationes tum figuran¬ tem, tum figuratam respexit David, cum di¬ ceret Psalm. L : Asperges me Domine hysso¬ po, et inundabor , lavabis me , et super nivent dealbabor (3). Petit enim eam purgationem, quam noverat figuratam , per expiationem aquae, qua; hyssopo aspergebatur, ut ex¬ ponit Theodoretus in commentario hujus loci. Septima figura est Josue IV de transitu filiorum Israel per Jordanem ad terram pro¬ missionis, duce Josue; quam fuisse figuram Baptismi, docent Ambrosius in illud Luc. I : Ipse preeibit in spiritu et virtuie Elue , et Au¬ gustinus in illud Psalm. GXIII : Et tu Jorda¬ nis conversus es retrorsum (4). Neque ullus dixerit, per aquas Jordanis, non transivisse filio* Israel ad terram promissionis ; sed ob¬ signatam promissionem transeundi. Octava est IV. Reg. V. de Naaman Syro curato a lepra, lavacro Jordanis : de qua vide Ambrosium in IV. caput Luc. et lib. II. de Sacramentis cap. 4. Etcerte aqua Jorda¬ nis, qua; vere curavit Syrum illum, non fuit sigillum promissionis. Nona est Joan. V. de probatica piscina, quae figura manifestissima est, et a Patribus multis celebrata, ut Tertulliano in lib. de Baptismo, Ambrosio lib. I. de Spiritu sancto cap. 7, Ghrysostomo, Cyrillo, et Theophy- lacto in hunc locum Joannis. Et quidem (1) Coloss. II, 11. — (2) I. Cor. X, 2 et 11. — (3) Psal. L, 9. - (4) Luc. I, 17 ; Psal. CXIII, 5. Tom. III. 28 LIBER II. 431 Chrysostomus pulcherrime hanc figuram ex¬ plicat, et addit : Deum voluisse variis figuris efficaciam Baptismi demonstrare, ne incre¬ dibilis videretur : « Futurum, inquit, erat Baptisma plenum maxima? potestatis et gra¬ tiae, purgaturum peccata, pro mortuo vivum effecturum etc. » Et sane nisi ita esset, ut dicit Chrysostomus, praestuntior fuisset figu¬ ra re ipsa figurata. Decima est Joannis IX. de caeco nato, quem Dominus illuminavit per aquam Siloe, de qua vide Ambrosium epist. 75. ad Belli¬ dum, et Augustinum tract. 44. in Joan- nem. Sunt autem duo notanda ad haec loca Scripturae. Primum, quod cum tam saepe Scriptura, et vaticiniis, et figuris, et expres¬ sis verbis loquatur de Sacramentis, tamen ne semel quidem dicat, vim Sacramentorum consistere in excitanda, vel alenda fide; sed semper explicet consistere in purgandis pec¬ catis, et mundanda anima. Ex quo revera, si res serio perpendatur, evidenter colligi¬ tur, falsissimam esse liEereticorum senten¬ tiam. Nam quomodo credibile est, finem immediatum, et prmeipuum Sacramentorum numquam in Scriptura haberi, cum finis mediatus tam saepe inculcetur ? Secundo nota, quod si licet negare, Sacra¬ menta vere et immediate sanctificare, cum tam aperte Scripturae hoc doceant, eadem ratione negari poterit, fidem justificare, quod tamen adversarii passim affirmant. Nam nihil Scripturae tribuunt fidei, quod non tribuant etiam Sacramentis ; v. gr. Lucae cap. VII. vers. ult. dicitur : Fides tua te sal¬ vam fecit. Et in I. epist. Petri cap. III. dici¬ tur : Vos salvos facit Baptisma. Item de fide Joannis V : Qui credit ei, qui me misit , habet vitam aeternam. De Sacramentis Joannes VI: Qui manducat hunc panem , vivet in aeternum. De fide Act. XV : Fide purificans corda eo- rnm. De Sacramentis Ephes. V : Mundans eam lavacro aquee in verbo vitee. De fide ad Roman. III : Arbitramur hominem justificari per fidem. De Sacramentis ad Tit. III: Salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis. De fide ad Roman. V : Justificati ergo ex fide. De Sa¬ cramentis, Joan III : Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu sancto etc (i).