Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Extreme Unction
Chapter 8: On the Effect of This Sacrament; On the Minister and the Recipient; and On the Ceremonies
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Extremae Unctionis, the fifth 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).
It is agreed among the theologians that there are two effects of this sacrament: one, that it heals the body, if this be expedient for the salvation of the soul; the other, that it wipes away the remains of sins. It is agreed also among all that this sacrament does not have a character for its effect, and therefore that it can be repeated, when anyone falls more than once into a dangerous sickness.
There is only one question among the theologians. For what the remains of sins are, all do not explain in the same way. Some will have them to be venial sins, but improbably: for these can be blotted out without a sacrament, nor is a new infusion of grace, which is the effect of all the sacraments, required to take them away. And so, if this were the proper and chief effect of this unction, we could not rightly prove it to be a sacrament; nor would James say, “If he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.” For all have venial sins; for, as the same James says in chapter 3, “In many things we all offend.” Lastly, it is not safe to restrict to venial sins what James calls sin in general, and what is said in the form: “Whatever thou hast sinned.”
Others understand by the name of remains the proneness, or the habit, left behind by sin. But these speak still more improbably: for that saying of James, “If he be in sins,” cannot fitly be understood of such a habit; nor that of the sacramental form, “Whatever thou hast sinned.” Lastly, such habits do not seem to be taken away by this sacrament: for it often happens that those who recover feel the same proneness to sin which they felt before; and not without reason, for habits contracted by repeated actions are not taken away except by the repetition of the contrary action.
I say, therefore, that the remains of sins are of two kinds, and that the wiping away of both belongs to the effect of this sacrament properly so called. For, first, those sins are called remains which sometimes remain after all the other sacraments, whether they be mortal or venial. For it can happen that someone, after confession and communion, falls into a mortal sin and does not know that he is held by that sin; whence he will not be able to expiate it by a new confession. For it can happen that he has not rightly performed his confession and communion, and does not know this very thing. These, then, are the true remains which are taken away by this sacrament, unless someone puts an obstacle. And this James indicates when he says, “And if he be in sins”; and the Council of Florence, when it says that the effect is the healing of the soul; and that of Trent, when it says, session 14, chapter 2, “If any offences remain still to be expiated, it wipes them away”; and the sacramental form, “Whatever thou hast sinned by sight, by touch,” and so on. Lastly, the five senses are anointed because they are as it were five doors through which sins enter the soul, so that there may be a kind of general cleansing of all the sins that remain. From which we understand how far this sacrament is from being despised, since it can sometimes happen that through this sacrament he is saved who otherwise was plainly to be damned.
Someone will say: this seems common to all the sacraments, that they take away mortal sins, if they find any, provided an obstacle is not put, because all the sacraments confer grace, which cannot stand together with mortal sin; this therefore is not proper to this sacrament. I answer: all the sacraments do indeed effect this, but by accident; but this sacrament does it of itself and properly, because it was instituted especially for this at the end of life.
Second, under the name of the remains of sin there comes also a certain torpor, and sorrow, and anxiety, which is wont to be left behind by sin, and which can most of all trouble a man near to death; of which the same Council of Trent speaks in the place cited above, and St. James, when he says, “The Lord shall raise him up.” For St. James most briefly embraces all three effects of this sacrament, and begins first from the lightest, that is, from bodily health, when he says, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick man.” Second, he adds concerning one kind of remains: “And the Lord shall raise him up.” Third, he adds concerning the other kind: “And if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Chapter 9. On the Minister, and on Him Who Receives the Sacrament of Extreme Unction
That the minister is the presbyter, that is, the priest, and in consequence the bishop, if he wishes, all the councils and Fathers cited above teach. This is also plainly gathered from James: “Let him bring in the priests of the church.” For although that Greek word presbyteros is ambiguous, and can signify one older in age as well as in dignity, yet according to the usage of the Scripture of the New Testament and of the Church it signifies nothing but priests. Hence that of 1 Timothy 4: “With imposition of the hands of the priesthood.” Even the adversaries understand it of ecclesiastical ministers, not of lay elders.
There is only one doubt in this place: because Innocent I, in letter 1, chapter 8, says that the holy oil may be used not only by priests but also by lay people, in their own needs and those of their own. This sentence Bede also recites in as many words, on chapter 6 of Mark, and the Council of Worms, canon 72.
Thomas Waldensis answers, in book 2 On the Sacraments, the next-to-last chapter, that the words of Innocent are to be understood of a place and time where no priests are present; for then it is lawful even for lay people to minister this sacrament. But this exposition is rejected by all, and deservedly. For there is no sacrament which does not essentially require a priest as minister, except Baptism, on account of its supreme necessity, and Matrimony, because it consists in the mutual contract of those who marry.
Dominic Soto, distinction 23, question 7, article 1, understands Innocent of the use of holy oil outside the sacrament to heal diseases. But this seems to be against the practice of the Church; for holy oil is not usually given to lay people for them to use. And the examples which are read of the miracles which holy hermits did with holy oil do not prove that they used that oil which is blessed by the bishop with solemn ceremony to be the matter of this sacrament; for they could use oil which they themselves blessed with the sign of the cross.
Others more rightly, as Jansenius on chapter 6 of Mark, say that Innocent speaks of the one receiving, not of the minister; and that he means to say that it is lawful for all Christians to use the holy oil in their own needs and those of their own, namely by calling the priests and receiving that sacred unction, not by ministering it.
Now concerning him who can receive this sacrament, it is certain that he ought to be, first, a Christian: for James says, “Among you.” Second, sick, because he adds, “Is any man sick,” and so on. For those who are in good health can do Penance; but extreme unction is a special mercy which is shown to the sick, who can no longer do Penance, as we said above. Third, gravely sick, so that his life is in danger, as the councils teach and as we showed above. Fourth, an adult, and one who has had the use of reason: for infants, and those who have always been without their minds, have no remains of sins to be wiped away, nor are they capable of the gladness and relief which the sacrament brings; and the sacrament would not be ministered to them without irreverence. Fifth, not excommunicated, nor before confession and absolution, if it is certain that he is held by a sin from which he has not yet been absolved. So Innocent I teaches, in letter 1, to Decentius, chapter 8.
Chapter 10. On the Ceremonies
There are two ceremonies in use in this sacrament. The first, that the litanies and certain other prayers be recited before the unction. The second, that seven parts of the body be anointed: namely, the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth and hands, on account of the five senses; then the loins, where is the seat of concupiscence; and lastly the feet, on account of the power of moving and of carrying out. So the Council of Florence prescribes.
But of these unctions some think that none is of the essence, but that it is enough, as to the essence of the sacrament, that the sick man be anointed in any place; the rest belong to the rite and solemnity. Yet this opinion is singular, and therefore less safe. Some, on the other hand, think that all those unctions are of the essence.
But the more common opinion, which St. Thomas also follows, is that only the unction of the five senses belongs to the essence. For there is the origin of all sins: for the appetitive power depends on the cognitive, and the power of moving, or of carrying out, depends on both. And surely the reason of decency seems to require, in women, that the loins not be anointed. And so the council does not prescribe that all those parts be anointed, but only enumerates all the parts which are usually anointed according to the varying rite of the Churches.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VIII. De effectu hujus sacramcnti. Convcnit intcr thcologos, duos csse cflcolus hu- jiis sacramenli, Dniim. (IiumI saiiat corpus, si ila cvpcdil animae saluli. Allcniin, (piod abslcrgit re- liipiias peccatorum. Convcnit eliani inlcr omnes, nun liabcrc hoc sacramcntnm pro cffccUi chara- clcrcm. «;l ideo rcpeti possc, quando sacpius quis incidit in morbuin pcriculosuin. Una lanlum esl inler Ihcologos quacslio. Nam (piac sint pcccatorum rcliquiac. non codcm modo :go iii<: kxthimma lnciiom: nmnes evplifnnl. V"'!'"" •-'^^'i' voluiil pi'cc;ila vc- nii»lin;siHl impii)l);>bilil(;r: n;iin e;i [)ossunl sine sa- iTani»Milo delerijioc iid e;j loJUMitia roiiiiirilur iiov;i i(ifu>ii) j;iMli:io, qiiac osl onVclus oiniiiutu s;u'.r;i- inouloruiii. Il;n|ii'' si is ossol ollVclus pr()|)nusi'l praecipuus hujus Unclionis.non nicilo proUaro pos- scinus cani ossc sai-r;iinoiiluiiK noc J;icol)us ilico- rei: Si in peccalis fucrit, reiiiiltcntur vi. Pocc,il;i cnioj voniali;) onint^s liahiMil: nam ul iiloiu ;iil cap. 1. Ininulis of]ontlinius onines. Donique nou esl tulum roslrini^.MO ;i(l voiii;ilia, (|U(i(l J;icol)iis ;^ouo- r.ilim V()o;il poociiluui; ol quod in ronua diciuiub: Quidquid dcliquisti. Alii noininc roliquiarnm intellij,nint pronilalom, sivc h;ibiliiin cx pocc;ilo roliclum.Sod ii ailluio im- prohahilius loqiiunlur: nam do cjusmodi hiihilu non polesl oominodo inlclligi illud Jacohi: Si in ■jiprcali< fncrit. iNcquc illiid fonnae sacr;unei)laiis: Quidquid dcliqiiisti. Doiiuie iioii videiilur lolli o- jiismodi liahilns por lioc sacrainenlum:saepe cniin arcidil, nt qni oonv;ilescnnl. eandom pronitatem sonlianl ad peccandum, quam anlea senliebnnl, .>cc iin norilo: habiliis enim conlracti per aclionos rrequenl;U;is non lollunlur,nisi frequentalione con- trariac actionis. Dico ijiilur: lleliquias peccalornm dupliccs esse, et ulrannnque abstersionem ad cfTeclum hujus sa- rramenli proprie dictum perlinere. Primuni cniin reliquiae dicuntur peccata, qiiae inlerdum rcina- nent pnst omuia alia sacramenta, sive morlalia, si- ve vcnialia sint, Polesl enim lieri,ut quis postcon- fcssionem ct communionem. in peccalnm niorlale incidat et ignorel se eo peccalo teneri; nnde non poterit illud nova confcssione cxpiare: potcst cnim fieri ul confessinnem et communionem non rite pcregeril, ct lioc ipsum ignoret. Islae igilur sunt verae reliquiae, qiiae hoc sacramento lollunlur,ni- si quis obicem ponat. Et hoc indicat Jacobus,cum ail: Et si in peccalis fuerit. Et coucilium llorenti- num cum dicit, elTectum esse animae sanalionem. El iridenlinum cum ait sess. 14. cap. 2. Si quae delicta sinl adliuc expianda, abslcrgit. Et forma sacramentalis: Quidquid deliquisliper visum, ta- ctum etc. Denique ungunlur quinque sensus, quia illa snnl quasi quinque ostia, unde peccala inlrant ad animam, ut nimirum fiat generalis quaedam ex- purgatio omnium, quae remaneant peccalorum.Ex quo intelligimus, quam sit hoc sacramentum non conlcmnendum. cum aliquando fieri possit, ut per hoc sacramentum saivetur is, qui alioqui plane «himnandus crat. Dicet aliquis; Id videlur commune omnibus sa- cramenlis, ut peccata mortalia tollant, si quae in- veniant. raodo non ponatur obex, quia omnia sa- cramenla conferunl gratiam, (juae non potcst cum peccato morlali consistcre:non igitur id est proprium hujus sacramenti. Respondeo: Omnia quidem sa- cramenla id enicere, sed per accidens, hoc autem sacramenlum per se, et proprie hoc facit, quia ad hoc peculiariler esl institulum in fine vitae. Secundonomine reliquiarumpeccati.venit cliam quidam torpor el moeror el anxietas, quae ex pcc- cato rehnqui solel.etquae maxime hominem morti vieinum vexare potesl: dc quibus loquilur idem couciliuiu Irideiitiuum .supni cil;iluin,et s.Jacohus. cuiii ;iit: .\llcviat)it (tuin Ihiininus. l>aiii s. Jacobus hrcvissiiiie omnes Ires elVectus sacnimcnti linjus coiiiplecliliir. ;ic rrimo iucipil ;i lcvissiiiio, id(!sl, ; ;i s,uiil;ile c(Upor;ili, cum ail: Oratio fulc.i salrabil infirinum. Secnndo addil de uno genere reli(|nia- ruiii: lU. (dlcviahil cnm Ihnninus. Tiu-tio addit de alio genere^/i^t siin pcccalis fucrit remillcnlur ei. C.\PUT IX. Dc minislro, et eo qui suscipil sacramenluin extremae Vnclionis Minislriim esse preshytcruni, idest, sacerdolem, el consequenter episcopus, si is velit, doceni om- ni;i concilia, ct P;ilres supra cil;iti. Id quod etiam a- piMte colligilur ex Jacobo:/;u^ucat p?'csft]/(f;ros Kc- clcsiae. Nam clsi vox ill;i graec;i -pcC^j-Epo; am - higna sil , et lam seniorem aelate , quam digni- tiile siguificare possil, tamcn secundum usum Scri- l)lurae Teslamenti novi ct Ecclesiae non signitical nisi saccrdotes. Unde 1. Tim. 4. illud: Cum impo- silione manuum presbylerii. Etiain advers;irii iri- lclligunl de minislris ecclcsiaslicis, non de senio- rihus laicis. Una esl tantum hoc loco dubitalio. quia Innocen- lius I. in episl. 1. cap. 8. dicil: Oleo sancto possc uti non soluin sacerdotes, scd etiam laicos in suis ac suorum necessitalibus . Quarn senlcntiam toti- dem verbis recitat etiam Bedii in cap. 6. Marci, et concilium vvormaliense can. 72. Uespondet Tomas Waldensis lib. 2. de sacramen- lis cap. pcnult. verba Innocentii inlelligenda essc de eo loco et tempore, ubi nulli ;idsinl saccrdotes, lunc eniin licere cliam laicis hoc sacramenlum mi- nistrare. Sed haec exposilio ;ib omnibns rehdlilur, et merilo. Nullum enim esl sacramenlum , qund non requiral essentialiter ministrum sacerdolem, excepto Baptismo, ob summam ejus necessilatem; et Malrimonio, quia in conlraclu mutuo nubentium coiisistit. Don>inicus a Solo dist. 23. quaest. 7. art. 1. in- telligil Innocentium de usu olei sancti extrasacra- mentum ad curandos morbos: sed videtur id essc contra praxim Ecclesiae,non enim dari solet oleum sanctum laicis, ut eo utantur. Exempla vero, quac legunlur de miraculis : quae sancti eremilae oleo sanclo faciebant, non convincunl cos fuisse usos il- lo oleo, quod ab episcopo solemni caeremonia be- nedicilur, ut sit hujus sacramenti maleria: potc- rant enira uli oleo, quod ipsi signo crucis bencdi- cebanl. Alii rectius, ut Jansenius in cap. 6. Marci, dicunt Innocenlium loqui de recipienle, non de rainistro: ac velle dicere, licere omnibus Christianis uti san- cto oleo in suis et suorum necessitatibes, nimirum advocando sacerdotes, el accipiendo Unclionem il- lam sacram, non ministrando. Jam vcro dc eo, qui sacramcnlum hoc suscipcrc potcsl, constal dehere esse Primo,Christianum: di- citenim Jacobus: Invobis. Secun(Jo,infirmum,quia addit: Infirinatur quis etc. Nam qui bene valenl, LIBEU PniMLS 761 possunl Jigere Poenilenliam. Extrema aulem Unclio esl specialis niisericordia.quae exhibelur acgrolis, qui jam noii possunl agere Poenilenliam, utsupra (Jiximus.Tertio, infirmum graviter, ita ut de vila pe- riclilelur, ul concilia docent, et nos supra oslendi- mus. Quarlo,adu]lum, et qui usum ralionis hobue- ril: Infanles enim, el qui semper amenles fuerunt, non habent rcliquias peccalorum, quae abstergan- lur. nec sunl capaces iaeliliae el allevialionis.quam sacramcntum adferl, et non sine irreverentia sa- cramentum eis ministraretur. Quinto, non excom- municalum, nec ante confessionein et absolulio- iiem, si constel eum leneri peccato, a quo nondum sil absolutus. Ita docet Innocentius I. in epist. l.ad Decenlium cap. 8. CAPUT X. Dc caeremoniis. Duac sunt caeremoniac in hoc sacramenlo usita- lae. Prima, ut recilenlur litaniae, et aliae quaedam preces ante Unctionem. Secunda, ul unganturse- ptem corporis partes.nimirum oculi, aures, nares, os et manus, propter quin(|ue sensus: deinde re- nes, ubi est sedes concupiscentiae; et tandem pe- des.ob vim progressivam et exequutionem.Ita prae- scribit concilium florentinum. Sedcx his Unctionibusaliqui putanl.nullam essc deessenlia, sed sullicere, ut quovis loco ungalur aegrotus, quoad sacramenli esscnliam: rcliqua ad rilum et solemnilalem perlinere. Haec tauien o- pinio singularis est, el ideo minus tuta. Quidam vero existimanl omnes illas Unctiones esse de es- sentia. Sed communior opinio, (juam eliam sequilur s. Thomas, esl, ul a(l cssenliam solum perlineat Unctio quinque sensum.lbi enim esl origo omnium peccatorum: vis enim appelitiva pcndet a cogno- scitiva, vis aulcm progressiva sive exccutiva ab ulraque. Et sanc ralio honestalis , in foeminis id poslularc videtur, ut renes non unganlur. Ilaquc concilium non praescribit, ul partes illae omnes ungantur, sed solum enumerat omnes partes,quac inungi solent juxta varium Ecclesiarum ritum. DE SACRAMESTO ORDIPJIS