A. Whether and How Certain Words could be the Form of Baptism

41. Here three [four]The Vatican editors note that Scotus wrote ‘four’, but they correct it to ‘three’ because Scotus seems only to deal with three in what follows. However, it may be that Scotus is adverting to the fact that the third (about the words of the sacrament) has two sub-parts, about the non-principal words and about the principal words, which makes four in all. ¹² things need to be considered. The first is whether certain words could be the form of this sacrament.

Here one must note that, when speaking properly of form as it is one of the two parts of a composite thing, the form of a sacrament is the relation of sign, by which relation it is formally such a sacrament; and the matter is the whole that is the foundation of the relation However, if there are in some foundation many things that one sacrament in some way comes to be from, and if these many things are not disposed altogether equally but one of them is as it were prior and a determinable while the other is as it were posterior and a determination of the preceding one, then the first can be called ‘matter’ by a certain likeness to matter, and the second can be called form. For it belongs to matter to precede in origin and to be determined, while it belongs to form to follow and to determine.

42. Likewise, what is more principal and more actual can be called form with respect to what is less principal and more potential.

43. Likewise, what is more spiritual can be called form with respect to what is less spiritual.

44. As to the question at issue, then, cleansing and words come together as foundation of the relation of baptism, either as parts of the foundation, according to one opinion [n.16], or as foundation and circumstances of the foundation, according to the other opinion [n.17].

45. If in the first way, the more principal part in signifying is the words themselves, because according to Augustine On Christian Doctrine 2.3.4, “Words among men have obtained the principality in signifying;” and he says something similar in On the Trinity 15.11.20. So, because of this principality in signifying, words could be called ‘form’ with respect to the other part.

46. But if in the second way [n.44], it is plain that words are the determining elements with respect to cleansing.

47. And whether this way or that, it is plain that words are more spiritual than cleansing.

And so, according to this metaphorical use of the terms, it is plain that where a visible sign and certain words come together at the same time in the foundation of some relation of a sacrament, the words always state the form.