Prologue

Psalm 107 [106]:20

He sent his Word and healed them, and delivered them from all their destructions.

By the sin of the first man, the human race incurred two things, namely, death and infirmity. Death, because of its separation from the principle of life, of which it is said, with you is the font of life (Ps 36 [35]:9); whoever is separated from this principle necessarily dies, and this happened through the first man. Hence it is said, by one man sin entered the world, and by sin, death (Rom 5:12). But the human race incurred infirmity because it forsook grace, which is man’s health. Jeremiah seeks this health when he says: heal me, Lord, and I shall be healed (Jer 17:14); and similarly the Psalm says, have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak (Ps 6:2).

But a sufficient remedy could be obtained for this only from the word of God, which is the font of wisdom on high (Sir 1:5) and, accordingly, the source of life: for wisdom endows its possessor with life (cf. Sir 7). Thus it is said, as the Father raises up the dead and gives life, so the Son also gives life to whom he will (Jn 5:20).

The word is the power of God, by which all things are upheld: upholding all things by the word of his power (Heb 1:3). And this is why it is efficacious for removing infirmity. Thus it is said, by the word of the Lord the heavens were established (Ps 33 [32]:6); and neither herb nor poultice cured them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all things (Wis 16:12). But because the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword (Heb 4:12), for a treatment so violent to be effective for us it was necessary that the infirmity of our flesh might be joined to it, so that it might be more suited to us; therefore, he had to become like his brethren in all things, so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest (Heb 2:17). And for this reason, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14). But because this treatment is so powerful that it can cure all men (for power went out from him and he cured all, as it says in Luke 6:19), therefore from this universal medicine come forth other particular medicines resembling the universal medicine, and by these intermediaries the power of the universal medicine reaches the sick: and these are the sacraments, in which, under the cover of visible things, divine power works our healing in a hidden way, as Augustine says. (This definition is not found verbatim in Augustine; cf. Isidore, Etymologiarum (ed. Lindsay), Bk. 6, ch. 19, par. 40: “Quae ob id sacramenta dicuntur, quia sub tegumento corporalium rerum uirtus diuina secretius salutem eorundem sacramentorum operatur; unde et a secretis uirtutibus uel a sacris sacramenta dicuntur”; and Gratian, Decretum, Pt. 2, causa 1, qu. 1, can. 84: “Sunt autem sacramenta: baptisma, crisma, corpus et sanguis, que ob id sacramenta dicuntur, quia sub tegumento corporalium rerum diuina uirtus secretius salutem eorundem sacramentorum operatur” (ed. E. Friedberg, 388).)

Therefore in this way three things are touched upon in the words above: namely, the preparation of this medicine, healing from infirmity, and liberation from death.

The preparation of the medicine is touched upon when it says, he sent his word. This should be understood as referring to the Incarnation of the Word, who is said to be sent by God because he became flesh: God sent his Son, born of a woman (Gal 4:4). It should also be understood as referring to the institution of the sacraments, in which the word is combined with the element and the sacrament is made; (Augustine, In Iohannis euangelium tractatus (CCSL 36), Tract. 80, par. 3.) so that in this way a sacrament is similar to the Incarnate Word. For sensible creation is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim 4:5).

But healing from the infirmity of sin and all it leaves behind is referred to when it says, and healed them. This healing happens indeed through the sacraments, and so they are themselves the ointments of healing, which Christ, like an apothecary, prepared. Hence it also says, who forgives all your iniquities, as to sin, and who heals all your infirmities, as to the effects of sin (Ps 103 [102]:3).

But deliverance from death is referred to when it says, and delivered them from all their destructions. And since ‘destruction’ suggests violent death, this text can be taken as referring to penal death, for the notion of punishment is that it is against one’s will, just as the notion of fault is that it is voluntary; and thus fault is related to infirmity and punishment to death, for fault is the way to punishment just as infirmity is the way to death. But besides the separation of the soul from the body all the punishments of this present life can also be called death, and therefore it says destructions in the plural, just as it says in 2 Cor 11:23, often in deaths. Therefore, from the death of nature’s corruption the Incarnate Word will deliver us by his resurrection: for in Christ all will be made alive (1 Cor 15:22); and my slain shall rise again (Isa 26:19). But from deaths of punishment the Incarnate Word will deliver us through glory, for then death will be swallowed up by victory (cf. 1 Cor 15); and concerning this the Psalm says, who redeems your life from destruction, with regard to the first (Ps 103 [102]:4); who crowns you with mercy, with regard to the second.

And so from the words quoted we can gather three things concerning this fourth book, which is now at hand. First, the matter: for it is about the sacraments, the resurrection, and the glory of those rising again.

Next, that it is a continuation of the third book: for the third was about the sending forth of the Word in flesh, but this book is about the effects of the Incarnate Word, so that the fourth book corresponds to the third just as the second does to the first.

Lastly, the division of this book, for it is divided into two parts: in the first, the sacraments are examined; in the second, the resurrection and the glory of the resurrected, as it says at Distinction 43: lastly, we must briefly discuss the condition of the resurrection and the manner of the risen. (Sent. IV, 43.1 (244), 1.) Likewise, the first part is divided into two parts. In the first, he defines the sacraments in general; in the second, he moves to the sacraments of the New Law at Distinction 2: let us now proceed to the sacraments of the New Law. (Sent. IV, 2.1 (11), 1.)