4. Response to the Second Objection

110. To the second [n.105] it can be said that although all the mortal sins are present after baptism, yet none of them was the cause that they had not already been deleted in baptism. But the remaining seventh one was the cause why neither it nor the others have been deleted; and therefore it is rational that with respect to it baptism has no efficacy, but that it does have effect with respect to the others, because it has formally prevented the effect of baptism while the others have not. And then the proposition ‘mortal sin is not destroyed after baptism save through penance’ [n.105] must be understood of sin committed after baptism, or of sin altogether inherent, namely such that there was no contrition or attrition about it in baptism or after baptism.

111. It can be said in another way that when he now truly repents of his pretense, a grace is infused into him more perfect than would be the grace that would be infused precisely by virtue of penitence, so that it includes in itself the perfection of penitential and baptismal grace; and in this way baptism has its effect because it gives to someone who is repentant for his pretense a grace equivalent to baptismal grace, together with the grace that is merited from repenting.

a. Objection to this Response

112. But against this it is argued that then he would gain an advantage from this pretense, more than if he had not then been pretending and afterwards had fallen into a sin similar to the pretense; for if he had fallen into pretense in this way and were now repentant, he would not now have grace save by virtue of penance alone. But you [sc. Scotus] say that he who then was feigning in baptism has as it were a double grace in repenting [n.111].

b. Triple Response to the Objection

113. Here it can, in one way, be said that he does not gain an advantage but rather a loss; because at the time of baptism, and in the subsequent time up to penitence, he is a son of Gehenna [Matthew 23.15], and also all his works are dead. But if he had not been feigning, he would then, and afterwards up to his fall, have been a son of the Kingdom, and his works would have been alive, whereby he would have merited increase of grace and glory.

114. It can in another way be said that if he had not been feigning and if, having lapsed later, he were truly to do penance, he would, in doing penance, receive as much grace as he does now when doing penance for his pretense, because by rising through penance from mortal sin he recovers all the grace from which he fell, and some grace through penance in addition, and this either in reality or in divine acceptation; but about this below in the matter on penance [Ord. IV d.14 q.4].

115. It can in a third way chiefly be said that he who does penance for his pretense alone receives grace by virtue of the penance, and does not in this way receive a greater grace than if he had not been feigning in baptism and if, falling after baptism, he were now to rise again through penance. For it is not likely that equal grace not be given to someone equally penitent and about an equal or lesser sin. But he who has lapsed after baptism, although he has in some respect sinned more gravely than he who feigned, yet he who feigned has sinned more gravely in some other respect, because he has done irreverence to the sacrament.

116. And then the words that are said about the effect of baptism (which effect he obtains who does penance for his pretense) are to be taken to mean, not that in that penance he receive some grace by virtue of baptism (because his receiving of baptism was dead, and the dead cannot revive), but because he is absolved from the precept about receiving baptism, because he has fulfilled that precept. But the fulfilling of it was of no value to him for salvation before the penance. He receives the grace of baptism, therefore, when he repents, because he is a son of the Kingdom; nor is he obligated to receive baptism for the purpose of being a son of the Kingdom, because he has fulfilled that precept. And here note that someone actually sinning mortally in some act can fulfill in that act an affirmative precept.