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Coll. 6

Collationes de decem praeceptis · Collatio VI: De quinto, sexto et septimo praecepto

Textus Latinus
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1. Non occides. Non moechaberis. Non furtum facies4. — Tunc non confundar, cum perspexero in omnibus mandatis tuis. Beatus Iacobus dicit: Qui totam legem servaverit, offendat autem in uno, factus est omnium reus; non quod pro una transgressione tantum puniatur poena sensus, quantum pro transgressione omnium; sed punietur tantum poena damni, non tamen ita acriter pro uno, sicut pro omnibus. Ideo, si quis vult pertingere ad veram vitam, oportet, quod perspiciat in omnibus mandatis Dei corde, ore et opere. Et ideo dicit: Cum perspexero, id est, perfecte spexero et consideravero et iuxta hoc egero, non timebo confundi. Non est magnum confundi in praesenti, sed confundi aeternaliter. Talis confusio valde est abhorrenda. Sed non possumus evadere istam confusionem, nisi perspiciamus in omnibus mandatis Dei. Ideo in principio rogemus Deum, ut revelet oculos nostros ad consideranda mandata.

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2. Non occides etc. Dicebam1 vobis, quod mandata Dei distinguebantur in duas tabulas. In prima continentur mandata secundum legem iustitiae ordinantia nos ad Trinitatem, qua continentur tria mandata secundum tria appropriata tribus personis. In secunda tabula continentur mandata ordinantia nos ad proximum, et hoc secundum duplicem partem iustitiae, scilicet beneficentiae et innocentiae. Reducitur autem tota iustitia ad tria: quia Deo debemus exhibere debitam reverentiam per orationem, per confessionem et per satisfactionem; patri debemus exhibere beneficentiam, et omnibus aliis innocentiam. — Dictum est de tribus mandatis, quae nos ordinant ad Deum; dictum est etiam de quarto mandato, quod accipitur penes partem iustitiae, quae est beneficentia; in quo praecipitur, quod debemus exhibere honorem patri et matri.

3. Sequitur de sex aliis mandatis, quae pertinent ad innocentiam, in quibus praecipitur, ne quis noceat proximo suo. Nocet autem quis proximo suo tripliciter: perversitate operis, falsitate sermonis et improbitate voluntatis; et secundum hoc Legislator primo prohibet nocumentum, quod provenit ex perversitate operis. Perversitas autem operis, qua quis alii iniuriatur, est triplex: aut enim iniuriatur quis alii in persona propria, aut in persona coniuncta, aut in temporali substantia; et secundum hoc sunt tria mandata, quae pertinent ad innocentiam. In primo prohibetur nocumentum in propria persona, ibi: Non occides. In secundo prohibetur nocumentum in persona coniuncta, ibi: Non moechaberis. In tertio prohibetur nocumentum in substantia temporali, ibi: Non furtum facies.

4. Primo, dico, in isto mandato: Non occides, prohibetur ira prorumpens in iniurias peremptivas vitae naturalis sive substantialis et vitae incolumis et vitae honorabilis. « Natura enim appetit quod melius est2 », et ideo non sufficit sibi, quod habeat vitam stantem, immo cum hoc vult vitam salubrem et incolumem et honorabilem; et secundum hoc Legislator in isto mandato: Non occides, prohibet primo iras prorumpentes in iniurias peremptivas vitae naturalis; secundo, vitae incolumis, scilicet, quando fit iniuria per verbera, vel vulnera; tertio, vitae honorabilis, sicut est iniuria, quae fit per contumeliam apertam vel occultam, sicut illa quae fit per signum. — Unde in Evangelio3: Audistis, quia dictum est antiquis: Non occides; qui autem occidet reus erit iudicio. Ego autem dico vobis, quia omnis, qui irascitur fratri suo, reus erit iudicio. Qui autem dixerit fratri suo: raca, reus erit concilio. Qui autem dixerit: fatue, reus erit gehennae ignis. Ergo planum est, quod tribus modis facit homo contra illud mandatum: Non occides, scilicet quando quis irascitur fratri suo, vel quando dicit: raca, vel quando dicit: fatue. Et quando hoc facit ex deliberatione animi, tunc dicit, quod reus est gehennae ignis. Et quia vita naturalis est fundamentum aliarum, ideo sub isto modo: Non occides, Legislator expressit mandatum.

5. Manichaei autem obiiciunt nobis et dicunt, quod sibi contradicit Legislator. Dicit enim: Non occides, et alibi4 dicit: Maleficos non patieris vivere. Et hoc est contra principes in christiana lege, qui per sententiam iudiciariam alios occidunt. — Item obiiciunt, quod Dominus dicit: Omnes, qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt: ergo non licet gladium accipere. — Et similiter dicunt, quod non licet, sacerdotem esse occisorem. Et hoc est contra Ecclesiam et ecclesiasticas personas, quae exsequendo iudicium et imperando accipiunt gladium. — Item obiiciunt, quod dicitur5: Ego autem dico vobis, non resistere malo, et hoc est contra Legislatorem.

6. Intelligere debemus, quod prohibetur hic occisio hominis, non bestiarum vel virgultorum, sicut dicebant antiqui Manichaei, qui nolebant comedere de fructibus arborum6. — Occisio autem hominis potest esse a lege, aut ab homine in veritate, aut interpretative. Occisio autem hominis ab homine ut ab homine, non ut a lege, prohibetur; sed Deus, qui conditor est naturae et conservator naturae et legis,

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potest hominem privare vita, quando vult. — Lex autem occidit hominem, quando minister legis occidit, et hoc servato iusto ordine, iusta causa, et iusto animo.

7. Oportet, quod adsit iustus ordo et iusta causa, id est, quod ex iusta causa occidatur, quia lex dicit1: Iuste quod iustum est exsequeris. — Item, oportet habere animum iustum, ut homo, qui est minister legis, ex lege hominem occidat, non libidine vindictae, sed amore iustitiae. Unde Apostolus ad Romanos2, loquens ad principes, dicit, quod princeps non sine causa gladium portat. Dei enim minister est, vindex in iram ei qui male agit. — Quod igitur Dominus dicit Petro: Omnes, qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt; non refertur nisi ad hoc, quod ille qui non est minister legis, non debet occidere. — Et quod dicitur: non licet, sacerdotem esse occisorem, hoc non refertur ad principes. — Primum ergo, quod dicit Dominus: Non occides, verum est, ut homo, sed ut minister legis. Secundum, quod dicit Dominus: Omnes, qui accipiunt gladium, gladio peribunt, verum est, si non praeest reipublicae. — Tertium, quod dicit Dominus: Ego autem dico vobis, non resistere malo, verum est, ultionis libidine; sed amore iustitiae bene licet resistere malo. — Patet modo, quomodo lex occidit hominem.

8. Item, occiditur homo ab homine ut ab homine, et hoc contingit tribus modis: aut casu, aut necessitate, aut voluntate. — Si homo occidit hominem casu; aut adhibet operam rei licitae et adhibet debitam diligentiam; et tunc excusatur a tanto et a toto. Si vero sit homicidium casuale, et homo adhibet operam rei illicitae nec adhibet debitam diligentiam; tunc excusatur a tanto, non a toto3.

9. Si autem fuerit homicidium ex necessitate, hoc est dupliciter: aut ex necessitate evitabili, aut inevitabili. Necessitas evitabilis est, si possum effugere, sed dimitto propter verecundiam, vel aliam causam; et in isto casu excusatur homo a tanto, non ex toto, quia melius esset, quod fugeret. Si autem sit necessitas inevitabilis, scilicet ut homo alium occidat non libidine vindictae, sed amore conservationis vitae et animae, ut non interficiat ipsum ex crudelitate, sed ut impediat ipsum, ne perdat suam vitam et animam, et si hoc fiat cum moderamine inculpatae tutelae; tunc concessum est personis imperfectis, non perfectis — et hoc dicit Augustinus de Libero Arbitrio4 — et excusatur hic a toto et a tanto.

10. Tertio modo fit homicidium ab homine voluntate, et hoc dupliciter: aut libidine vindictae, sicut quando aliquis interficit patrem alterius; aut animi crudelitate, sicut latrones vel irati interficiunt alios; et utrumque istorum est prohibitum, et primum est gravius quam secundum.

11. Item fit homicidium interpretative, et hoc fit tripliciter: primo omittendo in facto; unde Ambrosius5: « Pasce fame morientem; si non paveris, occidisti ». — Secundo modo fit, quando aliquis occidit alium consulendo, vel accusando, vel detrahendo, quando hoc facit ex malignitate animi. — Tertio modo fit homicidium interpretative odiendo in animo; unde in canonica Ioannis6: Qui odit fratrem suum homicida est. — Dico igitur, quod secundum principalem intellectum prohibetur hic occisio, non quae a lege est, sed quae ab homine, et illa quae fit voluntate, aut interpretative; et hoc est quod dicit: Non occides.

Sextum praeceptum.

12. Sequitur: Non moechaberis. Hic praecipitur, quod nemo uxorem proximi sui violet. Et dicit beatus Augustinus7, quod hic prohibetur omnis illicitus usus membrorum generationis, qui fit ad procurationem libidinis cum impugnatione castitatis. Et hoc fit septem modis, scilicet per adulterium, fornicationem, meretricium, stuprum, sacrilegium, incestum et peccatum contra naturam.

13. Notandum, quod est pudicitia coniugalis, communis et privilegiata8. Secundum hoc dico, quod aliquis potest esse impugnator pudicitiae coniugalis, et dicitur adulterium; aut est impugnator castitatis communis, et hoc vel fit cum soluta simpliciter et vocatur fornicatio, vel cum soluta vagabunda et prostituta, et dicitur meretricium. Si quis autem sit impugnator pudicitiae privilegiatae, id est virginitatis, hoc est dupliciter: aut fit cum conditione adiuncta, quae est defloratio, et sic vocatur stuprum; aut fit cum domina Deo consecrata, et sic dicitur sacrilegium, scilicet quando aliquis Domino consecratam violat. — Si autem fit contra fundamentum

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omnium istorum, sic dicitur peccatum contra naturam; et hoc fit dupliciter: aut contra dictamen naturalis rationis, scilicet contra hoc « quod omnia animalia natura docuit1 », et sic dicitur proprie peccatum contra naturam; aut fit contra instinctum naturae, et hoc modo est incestus, scilicet quando quis peccat cum persona sibi coniuncta. — Peccatum contra naturam scelestissimum est et super omnia fugiendum. Et de hoc crimine accusavit Ioseph fratres suos apud patrem suum crimine pessimo2.

14. Dicit igitur: Non moechaberis. Patet primo, quomodo hic prohibetur omnis moechia cum uxore proximi; et secundum Augustinum3 prohibetur omnis illicitus usus membrorum generationis, qui fit ad procurationem libidinis cum impugnatione castitatis. Patet etiam, penes quid accipiuntur septem transgressiones huius mandati: Non moechaberis; et quod peccatum contra naturam super omnia est fugiendum.

15. Narrat Petrus Damianus4, quod duo fuerunt simul in deserto, qui asperrimam fecerunt poenitentiam. Unus illorum fuit idiota et, peccatis suis exigentibus, fuit illusus a diabolo, qui dixit ei, quod peccatum pollutionis contra naturam non esset maius peccatum, quam proiicere muccilagines de naso. Et tunc ille pestifer exercuit se in illa impudicitia. In morte diabolus portavit animam suam. Hoc videns alius miratus est, quod homo tantarum vigiliarum et dolorum esset perditus. Et tunc astitit Angelus Domini, qui narravit ei, quod totum foedaverat per tale peccatum.

16. Omnis igitur actus, qui est in experientia libidinis, qualicumque modo homo peccatum ipsum excogitet5, est prohibitus, nisi fiat in forma matrimonii Ecclesiae. — In somnis patitur homo quandoque pollutiones absque culpa et absque causa. Quidam stultus presbyter confitenti sibi de nocturna pollutione dixit: non potes denarium dare ad explendam libidinem tuam? — Patet modo, quomodo prohibetur hic omnis illicitus usus corporis et libidinis, procuratus extra formam matrimonii.

Septimum praeceptum.

17. Sequitur: Non furtum facies. Furtum est contrectatio rei alienae, invito domino, ex cupiditate. Si fiat non ex cupiditate, sicut filii Israel ex praecepto Domini portaverunt secum de Aegypto vasa argentea et aurea6, vel cum quis alii aufert gladium, ne faciat malum; tunc non dicitur facere furtum.

18. Furtum autem dividitur in partes, quia furtum est contrectatio alienae rei, invito domino; et hoc fit aut per meram fraudem, aut per violentiam, aut per circumventionem. — Si fiat per meram fraudem et furtive, tunc dicitur furtum. — Si fiat per violentiam, aut illa est aperta, et sic dicitur rapina; aut est occulta, et sic dicitur latrocinium. — Si vero fiat contrectatio rei alienae per circumventionem, hoc potest fieri cum pactione adiuncta, et hoc tripliciter: aut cum pactione fraudulenta, aut iniqua, aut profana. Primo modo contingit in negotiationibus, et hoc fit tripliciter, scilicet aut in pondere, aut in numero, aut in mensura7; et de hoc rarissime evadunt mercatores. Si autem fiat cum pactione iniqua, sic est usura, in qua id quod venditur, est commune, scilicet tempus. Si autem fiat cum pactione profana, in qua venditur proprium Dei, sic est simonia.

19. Sed quaeritur: quare, si accommodo tibi vestem vel equum vel domum pro denariis, non est usura, sicut est de pecunia8? — Dico, quod in veste vel equo vel domo trahitur usus ex re, non ex pecunia; et ideo non dicitur usura. Quidam credunt, quod usura sit mala, quia prohibita; sed certe est prohibita, quia mala. In mutuo meum fit tuum; et si tu acquiras aliquid per industriam tuam ex illo mutuo, et ego aliquid de illo repeto; vendo tempus, quod est commune, et quod non est licitum vendere. Sed in accommodato non transit res mea in tuam, ut in mutuo pecunia mea fit tua; et non minoratur pecunia nec peioratur, sicut contingit in domo vel veste vel equo, quia oportet pecuniam reddere totam et integram. Et ideo, cum ex usura homo petit aliquid, est ibi perversio ordinis et appropriatio communitatis; et debet quilibet sibi de hoc cavere. Sic igitur, quando fit circumventio cum pactione iniqua, dicitur usura.

20. Si autem fiat circumventio cum pactione profana, sic dicitur simonia9, in qua qui emit nihil acquirit, nec ille qui vendit, aliquid habet, sed solum rem alienam contrectant; et hoc fit, cum res spiritualis venditur tanquam res vilis. Contra quos dicit Dominus1: Nolite domum Patris mei facere domum negotiationis. Sed quidam faciunt eam

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speluncam latronum; unde: Principes eius in muneribus iudicabant, et sacerdotes eius in mercede docebant, et prophetae eius in pecunia divinabant. Rogemus ergo Dominum Iesum Christum etc.

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English Translation
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1. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal4. — Then I shall not be confounded, when I shall have looked upon all thy commandments. Blessed James says: Whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all; not that for one transgression alone he is punished with the pain of sense as much as for the transgression of all, but he shall be punished only with the pain of loss, yet not so sharply for one as for all. Therefore, if anyone wishes to attain to the true life, it behooves him to look upon all the commandments of God with heart, mouth and deed. And therefore it says: When I shall have looked, that is, when I shall have perfectly looked and considered and acted accordingly, I shall not fear to be confounded. It is no great thing to be confounded in the present, but to be confounded eternally. Such confusion is greatly to be abhorred. But we cannot escape this confusion, unless we look upon all the commandments of God. Therefore at the beginning let us ask God that he reveal our eyes to consider his commandments.

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2. Thou shalt not kill, etc. I was telling1 you that the commandments of God were divided into two tables. In the first are contained the commandments according to the law of justice ordering us to the Trinity, in which are contained three commandments according to the three things appropriated to the three divine persons. In the second table are contained the commandments ordering us to our neighbour, and this according to the twofold part of justice, namely of beneficence and of innocence. Now all justice is reduced to three things: because to God we owe the debt of reverence through prayer, through confession and through satisfaction; to a father we owe beneficence, and to all others innocence. — It has been said concerning the three commandments which order us to God; it has also been said concerning the fourth commandment, which is taken under the part of justice that is beneficence; in which it is commanded that we show honour to father and mother.

3. There follow the six other commandments, which pertain to innocence, in which it is commanded that no one harm his neighbour. Now a man harms his neighbour in three ways: by perversity of deed, falsity of speech and wickedness of will; and according to this the Legislator first forbids the harm that comes from perversity of deed. Now perversity of deed, by which one does injury to another, is threefold: for one does injury to another either in his own person, or in a person joined to him, or in his temporal substance; and according to this there are three commandments which pertain to innocence. In the first, harm is forbidden in one's own person, there: Thou shalt not kill. In the second, harm is forbidden in a person joined to him, there: Thou shalt not commit adultery. In the third, harm is forbidden in temporal substance, there: Thou shalt not steal.

4. First, I say, in this commandment: Thou shalt not kill, there is forbidden anger breaking out into injuries destructive of natural or substantial life, and of the life of soundness, and of the life of honour. « For nature desires what is better2 », and therefore it is not enough for it to have a life that merely stands, but along with this it wills a life that is wholesome and sound and honourable; and according to this the Legislator, in this commandment: Thou shalt not kill, forbids first the angers that break out into injuries destructive of natural life; secondly, of the life of soundness, namely when injury is done through blows or wounds; thirdly, of the life of honour, as is the injury that is done through open or hidden insult, such as that which is done through a sign. — Whence in the Gospel3: You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. It is plain, then, that a man acts against that commandment: Thou shalt not kill, in three ways, namely when someone is angry with his brother, or when he says: Raca, or when he says: Thou fool. And when he does this out of deliberation of mind, then it is said that he is in danger of hell fire. And because natural life is the foundation of the others, therefore under this manner: Thou shalt not kill, the Legislator expressed the commandment.

5. The Manichaeans, however, object against us and say that the Legislator contradicts himself. For he says: Thou shalt not kill, and elsewhere4 he says: Wizards thou shalt not suffer to live. And this is against princes in the Christian law, who by judicial sentence put others to death. — Likewise they object, that the Lord says: All that shall take the sword shall perish with the sword: therefore it is not lawful to take up the sword. — And similarly they say that it is not lawful for a priest to be a slayer. And this is against the Church and ecclesiastical persons, who in carrying out judgment and in commanding take up the sword. — Likewise they object, that it is said5: But I say to you, not to resist evil, and this is against the Legislator.

6. We must understand that what is here forbidden is the killing of man, not of beasts or of plants, as the ancient Manichaeans used to say, who refused to eat of the fruits of trees6. — Now the killing of a man can be by the law, or by man in truth, or interpretatively. Now the killing of a man by man as man, not as the law, is forbidden; but God, who is the founder of nature and the preserver of nature and of the law,

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can deprive a man of life when he wills. — But the law kills a man when the minister of the law kills, and this with a just order, a just cause, and a just intent observed.

7. It is fitting that there be a just order and a just cause, that is, that he be killed for a just cause, because the law says1: Justly shalt thou pursue that which is just. — Likewise, it is fitting to have a just intent, that the man who is a minister of the law kill a man by the law, not from lust of vengeance, but from love of justice. Whence the Apostle to the Romans2, speaking to princes, says that the prince does not bear the sword without cause. For he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. — What the Lord therefore says to Peter: All that shall take the sword shall perish with the sword; refers only to this, that he who is not a minister of the law ought not to kill. — And what is said: it is not lawful for a priest to be a slayer, this does not refer to princes. — The first, then, that the Lord says: Thou shalt not kill, is true of him as man, but not as a minister of the law. The second, that the Lord says: All that take the sword shall perish with the sword, is true, if he be not set over the commonwealth. — The third, that the Lord says: But I say to you, not to resist evil, is true with regard to lust of vengeance; but out of love of justice it is well lawful to resist evil. — It is now clear how the law kills a man.

8. Likewise, a man is killed by man as man, and this happens in three ways: either by chance, or by necessity, or by will. — If a man kills a man by chance, and he was engaged in a lawful act and used due diligence, then he is excused both in part and wholly. But if the homicide is by chance and the man was engaged in an unlawful act and did not use due diligence, then he is excused in part, not wholly3.

9. But if the homicide should be by necessity, this is twofold: either by avoidable necessity, or by unavoidable. Necessity is avoidable if I am able to escape, but I let it pass out of shame, or some other cause; and in this case a man is excused in part, not wholly, because it would have been better that he should have fled. But if the necessity be unavoidable, namely that a man kill another not out of lust of vengeance, but out of love of the preservation of life and soul, so that he does not slay him out of cruelty, but so as to hinder him, lest he lose his own life and soul, and if this be done with the moderation of blameless self-defence; then it is granted to imperfect persons, not to perfect ones — and this Augustine says in the Free Will4 — and here he is excused both wholly and in part.

10. In a third way homicide is done by man's will, and this is twofold: either from lust of vengeance, as when someone kills another's father; or from cruelty of mind, as robbers or angry men kill others; and both of these are forbidden, and the first is more grave than the second.

11. Likewise, homicide is done interpretatively, and this is done in three ways: first by omission in deed; whence Ambrose5: « Feed him who is dying of hunger; if thou hast not fed him, thou hast killed him ». — Secondly it is done, when someone kills another by counselling, or by accusing, or by detracting, when he does this out of malice of mind. — Thirdly, homicide is done interpretatively by hating in the mind; whence in the canonical epistle of John6: He that hateth his brother is a murderer. — I say, therefore, that according to the principal understanding what is here forbidden is not the killing that is by the law, but that which is by man, and that which is done by will, or interpretatively; and this is what it says: Thou shalt not kill.

The sixth precept.

12. There follows: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Here it is commanded that no one violate the wife of his neighbour. And blessed Augustine7 says that here is forbidden every unlawful use of the members of generation, which is done for the procuring of lust with the assailing of chastity. And this is done in seven ways, namely through adultery, fornication, harlotry, rape, sacrilege, incest and the sin against nature.

13. It is to be noted that there is a chastity that is conjugal, common, and privileged8. According to this, I say, one can be an assailant of conjugal chastity, and this is called adultery; or he is an assailant of common chastity, and this either happens with one unmarried simply, and is called fornication, or with one unmarried, roving and prostituted, and is called harlotry. But if one is an assailant of privileged chastity, that is, of virginity, this is twofold: either it happens with an attached condition, which is defloration, and thus it is called rape; or it happens with a woman consecrated to God, and thus it is called sacrilege, namely when someone violates a woman consecrated to the Lord. — But if it be against the foundation

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of all these, thus it is called the sin against nature; and this happens in two ways: either against the dictate of natural reason, namely against this, « that nature has taught all animals1 », and thus it is properly called the sin against nature; or it happens against the instinct of nature, and in this way it is incest, namely when someone sins with a person joined to him. — The sin against nature is most wicked and above all to be fled. And of this crime Joseph accused his brothers before their father with a most wicked crime2.

14. It says, therefore: Thou shalt not commit adultery. It is clear, first, how here is forbidden every adultery with the wife of one's neighbour; and according to Augustine3 is forbidden every unlawful use of the members of generation, which is done for the procuring of lust with the assailing of chastity. It is clear also, under what head are taken the seven transgressions of this commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery; and that the sin against nature is above all to be fled.

15. Peter Damian4 relates, that there were two together in the desert, who did most severe penance. One of them was unlettered and, his sins requiring it, was mocked by the devil, who told him that the sin of pollution against nature was no greater a sin than casting mucus from the nose. And then that pestilent man exercised himself in that immodesty. At his death the devil carried off his soul. Seeing this, the other was amazed that a man of such great vigils and sorrows should be lost. And then an Angel of the Lord stood by, who told him that he had defiled the whole of it by such a sin.

16. Every act, therefore, that is in the experience of lust, in whatever way a man may devise the sin itself5, is forbidden, unless it be done in the form of the marriage of the Church. — In sleep a man sometimes suffers pollutions without fault and without cause. A certain foolish priest said to one confessing to him a nocturnal pollution: canst thou not give a penny to satisfy thy lust? — It is now clear how here is forbidden every unlawful use of the body and of lust, procured outside the form of marriage.

The seventh precept.

17. There follows: Thou shalt not steal. Theft is the handling of another's thing, against the will of its owner, out of covetousness. If it be done not out of covetousness, as the children of Israel by the Lord's command carried with them out of Egypt vessels of silver and of gold6, or as when someone takes away another's sword, lest he do evil; then it is not said to be theft.

18. Now theft is divided into parts, because theft is the handling of another's thing, against the will of its owner; and this is done either by mere fraud, or by violence, or by circumvention. — If it be done by mere fraud and by stealth, then it is called theft. — If it be done by violence, either it is open, and thus it is called robbery; or it is hidden, and thus it is called brigandage. — But if the handling of another's thing be done by circumvention, this can happen with an attached agreement, and this in three ways: either with a fraudulent agreement, or an unjust one, or a profane one. The first way occurs in trading, and this happens in three ways, namely either in weight, or in number, or in measure7; and from this merchants very rarely escape. But if it be done with an unjust agreement, thus it is usury, in which what is sold is something common, namely time. But if it be done with a profane agreement, in which what is sold is God's own, thus it is simony.

19. But it is asked: why, if I lend thee a garment or a horse or a house for money, is this not usury, as it is with money8? — I say that in a garment or a horse or a house, the use is drawn from the thing itself, not from the money; and therefore it is not called usury. Some believe that usury is evil because it is forbidden; but surely it is forbidden because it is evil. In a loan for consumption my own becomes thine; and if thou shouldst acquire something by thy own industry from that loan, and I should ask back something from it, I am selling time, which is common, and which it is not lawful to sell. But in a loan for use my thing does not pass into thine, as in a loan for consumption my money becomes thine; and the money is neither lessened nor made worse, as happens in the case of a house or a garment or a horse, because it is fitting that the money be returned whole and entire. And therefore, when a man asks something from usury, there is in it a perversion of order and an appropriation of what is common; and everyone ought to beware of this for himself. Thus, therefore, when circumvention is done with an unjust agreement, it is called usury.

20. But if circumvention be done with a profane agreement, thus it is called simony9, in which he who buys acquires nothing, nor does he who sells have anything, but they only handle another's thing; and this happens, when a spiritual thing is sold as though a cheap thing. Against such the Lord says1: Make not the house of my Father a house of traffic. But some make it a

p. 529

den of thieves; whence: Her princes have judged for bribes, and her priests have taught for hire, and her prophets have divined for money. Let us therefore beseech the Lord Jesus Christ, etc.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 4
    Exod. 20, 13-15. — Seq. locus est Ps. 118, 6; tertius Iac. 2, 10: Quicumque autem totam legem etc. (cfr. III. Sent. d. 36. q. 4. ad 1. et 2; IV. Sent. d. 22. a. 1. q. 2. in corp.).
    Exodus 20:13–15. — The following passage is Psalm 118:6; the third is James 2:10: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, etc. (compare III Sentences, d. 36, q. 4, ad 1 and 2; IV Sentences, d. 22, a. 1, q. 2, in the body).
  2. 1
    Collat. 1. n. 21. 22 et collat. 2. n. 3. 4.
    Collation 1, n. 21 and 22, and collation 2, n. 3 and 4.
  3. 2
    Secundum Aristot., II. de Generat. et corrupt. text. 59. (c. 10.). — Subinde substituimus ex A B C D vitam stantem lectioni Vat. vitam subsistentem.
    According to Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption II, text 59 (c. 10). — We have accordingly substituted, from A B C D, a life that stands for the Vatican codex's reading a life that subsists.
  4. 3
    Matth. 5, 21. et 22.
    Matthew 5:21 and 22.
  5. 4
    Exod. 22, 18. — Seq. locus est Matth. 26, 52.
    Exodus 22:18. — The following passage is Matthew 26:52.
  6. 5
    Matth. 5, 39.
    Matthew 5:39.
  7. 6
    August., de Haeresib. n. 46, refert, quod Manichaei « animas auditorum suorum in electos revolvi arbitrantur, aut feliciore compendio in escas electorum suorum, ut iam inde purgatae in nulla corpora revertantur. Ceteras autem animas et in pecora redire putant et in omnia, quae radicibus fixa sunt atque aluntur in terra. Herbas enim atque arbores sic putant vivere, ut vitam, quae illis inest, et sentire credant et dolere, cum laeduntur; nec aliquid inde sine cruciatu eorum quemquam posse vellere aut carpere. Propter quod agrum etiam spinis purgare nefas habent » etc. Cfr. tom. III. pag. 834. nota 4.
    Augustine, On Heresies, n. 46, relates that the Manichaeans « suppose the souls of their hearers to be turned back into the elect, or, by a happier shortcut, into the food of their elect, so that once purged they may return into no bodies thereafter. But they think that the remaining souls return also into cattle and into everything that is fixed by roots and nourished in the earth. For they think that herbs and trees so live that they believe the life that is in them both feels and grieves when they are hurt, and that no one can pluck or pick anything from them without torment to them. On this account they hold it even a sin to clear a field of thorns » etc. Compare tom. III, p. 834, note 4.
  8. 1
    Deut. 16, 20. Pro exsequeris Vulgata persequeris.
    Deuteronomy 16:20. For thou shalt execute the Vulgate has thou shalt pursue.
  9. 2
    Cap. 13, 4. — Seq. locus est Matth. 26, 52; tertius Matth. 5, 39.
    Chapter 13:4. — The following passage is Matthew 26:52; the third is Matthew 5:39.
  10. 3
    Ita B; sed A D et Vat. nec excusatur a toto nec a tanto (sed D et Vat., inverso ordine verborum).
    So B; but A D and the Vatican codex have he is excused neither wholly nor in part (though D and the Vatican codex reverse the order of the words).
  11. 4
    Libr. I. c. 4. n. 9. seqq. — Superius A B omittunt inculpatae ante tutelae. — Pro lectione codd. A B D personis imperfectis, non perfectis Vat. personis etiam perfectis, non solum imperfectis; quae lectio non est penitus improbanda, sed alia magis respondet eis quae ab Augustino loc. cit. n. 13. 14. docentur; unde etiam dicitur excusatur, non approbatur.
    Book I, c. 4, n. 9 and following. — Above, A B omit blameless before self-defence. — For the reading of codices A B D, to imperfect persons, not to perfect ones, the Vatican codex has to perfect persons also, not only to imperfect ones; which reading is not wholly to be rejected, but the other better answers to what is taught by Augustine in the place cited, n. 13 and 14; whence too it is said he is excused, not approved.
  12. 5
    Gratian. can. (21.): Pasce, d. 86: « Pasce fame morientem. Quisquis enim pascendo hominem servare poteras, si non pavisti, occidisti ». In nota adiecta dicitur: Caput hoc non est inventum apud B. Ambrosium... et Bartholomaeus Urbinas eremita in Milleloquio, quod collegit ex dictis B. Ambrosii, affert hunc locum ex eodem Ambrosio in libro de Alendis Pauperibus, qui liber hactenus desideratur.
    Gratian's canon (21), Pasce, d. 86: « Feed him who is dying of hunger. For if, being able to save a man by feeding him, thou hast not fed him, thou hast killed him ». In an added note it is said: This chapter has not been found in blessed Ambrose... and Bartholomew of Urbino the hermit, in his Milleloquium, which he compiled from the sayings of blessed Ambrose, brings forward this passage from the same Ambrose's book On the Feeding of the Poor, which book is still wanting.
  13. 6
    Epist. I. 3, 15.
    I Epistle 3:15.
  14. 7
    Quaest. in Exod. q. 71. n. 4.
    Questions on Exodus, q. 71, n. 4.
  15. 8
    Cfr. supra Quaest. disput. de perfectione evangelica, q. 3. per totam.
    Compare above, Disputed Question on Evangelical Perfection, q. 3, throughout.
  16. 1
    Respicitur definitio iuris naturalis: Ius naturale est quod natura omnia animalia docuit. Cfr. tom. II. pag. 901, nota 3. et tom. IV. pag. 748, nota 7.
    The definition of natural law is echoed: Natural law is that which nature has taught all animals. Compare tom. II, p. 901, note 3, and tom. IV, p. 748, note 7.
  17. 2
    Gen. 37, 2.
    Genesis 37:2.
  18. 3
    Vide supra pag. 527, nota 7.
    See above, p. 527, note 7.
  19. 4
    Opuscul. VII. c. 21.
    Opusculum VII, c. 21.
  20. 5
    Ita D, A B modo homo cogitet, Vat. modo fiat. Subinde substituimus matrimonii Ecclesiae pro matris Ecclesiae, sicut paulo inferius legitur extra formam matrimonii; supplendo etiam dici posset sic: a coniugatis in forma Ecclesiae.
    So D; A B have in whatever way a man may devise it, the Vatican codex in whatever way it should happen. We have accordingly substituted of the marriage of the Church for of the mother Church, as is read a little below, outside the form of marriage; by way of supplying the sense it could also be put thus: by married persons in the form of the Church.
  21. 6
    Exod. 12, 35. et 36. Cfr. ibid. 3, 22. et 11, 2. — De definitione furti secundum Iustinian. paulo superius data cfr. tom. III. pag. 835, nota 3.
    Exodus 12:35 and 36. Compare there 3:22 and 11:2. — On the definition of theft according to Justinian given a little above, compare tom. III, p. 835, note 3.
  22. 7
    Cfr. Lev. 19, 35. et 36; Deut. 25, 13-16; Prov. 11, 1; 20, 10. et 23. — Inferius post proprium Vat. et etiam codd. omittunt Dei; sed tunc sensus deficit, cum obiectum simoniae sit aliquid spirituale, vel spirituali annexum et Deo proprium, dicente S. Petro Simoni mago (Act. 8, 20.): Quoniam donum Dei existimasti pecunia possideri.
    Compare Leviticus 19:35 and 36; Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Proverbs 11:1; 20:10 and 23. — Below, after own, the Vatican codex and other codices too omit God's; but then the sense fails, since the object of simony is something spiritual, or annexed to what is spiritual and God's own, as blessed Peter says to Simon Magus (Acts 8:20): Because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
  23. 8
    Vide III. Sent. d. 37. dub. 7. — Accommodare pro commodare occurrit etiam apud Gregorium.
    See III Sentences, d. 37, dubium 7. — Accommodare for commodare occurs also in Gregory.
  24. 9
    De simonia cfr. IV. Sent. d. 25. a. 4. q. 3. 4. et dub. 2-6. — In seqq. in Vat. et codd. locus corruptus est, quem sanavimus transponendo verba emit et vendit. — Sic locus respondet verbis S. Leonis in Decreto Gratiani (c. 1. q. 1. c. 1.): « Simoniaci... gratiam non accipiunt. Si autem non accipiunt, non habent; si autem non habent, nec gratis nec non gratis cuiquam dare possunt » (cfr. IV. Sent. d. 25. a. 1. q. 3. arg. 4. ad oppos.). Et in cit. q. 3. dicitur de mere spiritualibus rebus: Impossibile est pretio comparare nec vendere.
    On simony compare IV Sentences, d. 25, a. 4, q. 3 and 4, and dubia 2–6. — In what follows, in the Vatican codex and other codices the passage is corrupt, which we have healed by transposing the words buys and sells. — Thus the passage answers to the words of St Leo in Gratian's Decretum (c. 1, q. 1, c. 1): « The simoniacal... do not receive grace. But if they do not receive it, they do not have it; and if they do not have it, they can give it to no one, neither freely nor for a price » (compare IV Sentences, d. 25, a. 1, q. 3, arg. 4, ad oppos.). And in the question cited, q. 3, it is said of purely spiritual things: It is impossible to buy or sell for a price.
  25. 1
    Ioan. 2, 16. Cfr. Matth. 21, 13, ubi et dicitur: Vos autem fecistis illam speluncam latronum. — Seq. locus est Mich. 3, 11.
    John 2:16. Compare Matthew 21:13, where too it is said: But you have made it a den of thieves. — The following passage is Micah 3:11. ---