Dist. 26, Dubia
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 26
DUBIA CIRCA LITTERAM MAGISTRI.
Dub. I
In parte ista sunt dubitationes circa litteram, et primo quaeritur de situ huius partis. Videtur enim, quod Sacramentum matrimonii deberet primo situari sive primo de eo tractari. Primum quidem, quia prius est quod animale, deinde quod spirituale1; sed matrimonium respicit statum animalem, p. 671 alia spiritualem: ergo etc. — Item, matrimonium est primo inter omnia institutum: ergo primo debuit de eo determinari.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod, sicut tactum est2, Sacramenta non ordinantur secundum statum perfectionis, vel imperfectionis, nec secundum tempus institutionis; sed ordinantur secundum comparationem ad statum hominis indigentis his Sacramentis. Et quoniam quinque prima Sacramenta respiciunt indigentiam in se3 principaliter, sed duo ultima sunt ad alterum, scilicet ordo et coniugium; coniugium inter cetera minus habet de proprietate Sacramentorum novae legis et minus de perfectione, cum nunc temporis sit indulgentia4: ideo recte post alia determinatur de ipso. Et sic patet responsio ad obiecta.
Dub. II
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Sub praecepto dictum est hominibus: Crescite et multiplicamini etc. Cum illud idem dictum sit bestiis5, quae non sunt rationis capaces, quomodo tale praeceptum potuit dari?
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod homini fuit et benedictio, et praeceptum et6 morale et sacramentale: benedictio ratione potentiae in generando, sed praeceptum ratione capacitatis in ratiocinando, sed praeceptum sacramentale ratione coniunctionis indivisibilis in significando. Ex hoc patet, quod bestiis solum fuit benedictio illud verbum, quia non sunt rationis capaces; patet etiam, quod non fuit sacramentale nisi ratione institutionis matrimonii in coniunctione Adam et Evae, quae postmodum est secuta7.
Dub. III
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: De minoribus bonis est coniugium, quod non meretur palmam. Videtur enim falsum, quia omne quod fit ex caritate, meretur palmam; sed aliquis potest ex caritate contrahere et uxorem cognoscere: ergo etc.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod illud verbum aut intelligitur solum, quando quis utitur coniugio ad vitandam fornificationem, aut intelligitur de palma, secundum quod dicit quandam superexcellentiam ad meritum quantum ad aureolam, sive quantum ad fructum sexagesimum8.
Dub. IV
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: De minoribus malis, id est venialibus, est coitus, qui fit causa incontinentiae. Videtur enim falsum dicere: quia incontinentia est peccatum mortale: ergo et concubitus, qui fit propter incontinentiam, est mortale peccatum.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod concubitum fieri causa incontinentiae dupliciter potest intelligi: aut ut incontinentia9 intelligatur ut aspernanda, aut ita ut intelligatur ut assequenda sive prosequenda; et primo modo intelligit Magister, secundo modo opponit. — Utrum autem sit peccatum in eo qui sic coire intendit, infra10 melius patebit.
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DOUBTS CONCERNING THE TEXT OF THE MASTER.
Doubt I
In this section there are doubts concerning the text, and first it is asked about the placement of this section. For it seems that the Sacrament of matrimony ought to be placed first, or to be treated of first. First indeed, because that which is animal is prior, then that which is spiritual1; but matrimony regards the animal state, another [Sacrament regards] the spiritual: therefore etc. — Likewise, matrimony was instituted first among all things: therefore it ought first to have been determined concerning it.
I respond: It must be said that, as has been touched upon2, the Sacraments are not ordered according to a state of perfection, or of imperfection, nor according to the time of institution; but they are ordered according to comparison to the state of the man needing these Sacraments. And since the first five Sacraments regard need in itself3 principally, but the last two are for another, namely order and matrimony; matrimony among the rest has less of the property of the Sacraments of the new law and less of perfection, since at the present time it is an indulgence4: therefore rightly it is determined concerning it after the others. And thus the response to the objections is clear.
Doubt II
Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: Under a precept it was said to men: Increase and multiply, etc. Since the same thing was said also to the beasts5, which are not capable of reason, how could such a precept be given?
I respond: It must be said that to man there was both a blessing, and a precept both6 moral and sacramental: the blessing by reason of the power in generating, but the precept by reason of the capacity in reasoning, but the sacramental precept by reason of the indivisible conjunction in signifying. From this it is clear that to the beasts that word was only a blessing, because they are not capable of reason; it is also clear that it was not sacramental except by reason of the institution of matrimony in the conjunction of Adam and Eve, which followed afterward7.
Doubt III
Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: Of the lesser goods is matrimony, which does not merit the palm. For it seems false, because everything that is done out of charity merits the palm; but someone can out of charity contract [marriage] and know his wife: therefore etc.
I respond: It must be said that that word is either understood only when someone uses matrimony to avoid fornication, or it is understood of the palm, according as it denotes a certain super-excellence with respect to merit as regards the aureole, or as regards the sixtyfold fruit8.
Doubt IV
Likewise it is asked about this, that he says: Of the lesser evils, that is, the venial ones, is the coitus which is done for the cause of incontinence. For it seems false to say: because incontinence is a mortal sin: therefore also the intercourse which is done on account of incontinence is a mortal sin.
I respond: It must be said that intercourse being done for the cause of incontinence can be understood in two ways: either so that incontinence9 be understood as [something] to be spurned, or so that it be understood as [something] to be attained or to be pursued; and in the first way the Master understands it, in the second way he opposes [it]. — But whether there is sin in one who intends to have intercourse thus, will be shown better below10.
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- 1Epist. I. Cor. 15, 46: Sed non prius quod spiritale est, sed quod animale etc.First [Epistle] to the Corinthians 15:46: But not first that which is spiritual, but that which is animal, etc.
- 2Dist. 2. dub. 1, d. 8. p. 1. dub. 1, d. 23. dub. 1. et d. 24. p. 1. dub. 1.Dist. 2, dub. 1; d. 8, p. 1, dub. 1; d. 23, dub. 1; and d. 24, p. 1, dub. 1.
- 3Codd. U X hominis in se.Codices U, X [read] hominis in se ("of the man in itself").
- 4Cfr. supra a. 1. q. 3. — Idem dub. solvit S. Thom., hic circa lit.Cf. above, a. 1, q. 3. — The same doubt is resolved by St. Thomas, here on the text.
- 5Gen. 1, 22.Genesis 1:22.
- 6Cod. F G repetunt praeceptum.Codices F, G repeat praeceptum ("precept").
- 7Cfr. supra a. 1. q. 2. seq. et a. 2. q. 1.Cf. above, a. 1, q. 2 f., and a. 2, q. 1.
- 8Respicitur Matth. 13, 8: Alia [semina] autem ceciderunt in terram bonam et dabant fructum, aliud centesimum, aliud sexagesimum, aliud trigesimum. Cfr. infra d. 33. a. 2. q. 3, ubi agitur tam de aureola quam de hoc triplici fructu. — Idem dub. solvunt S. Thom., Petr. a Tar. et Richard., hic circa lit.Reference is made to Matthew 13:8: But others [seeds] fell upon good ground and yielded fruit, one a hundredfold, another sixtyfold, another thirtyfold. Cf. below, d. 33, a. 2, q. 3, where both the aureole and this threefold fruit are treated. — The same doubt is resolved by St. Thomas, Peter of Tarentaise, and Richard [of Mediavilla], here on the text.
- 9Ita codd. O U X. Immediate post codd. F G L N W Y aa praebent verbum intelligatur, et subinde codd. N Q Y ita ut intelligatur. Alii codd. communiter et edd. legunt: aut ut continentia intendatur ut aspernenda, sive prosequenda [edd. cum aliquot codd. aspernenda, aut quod intendatur (intelligatur) ut assequenda sive prosequenda], lectio falsa, ut patet ex contextu.Thus codices O, U, X. Immediately after, codices F, G, L, N, W, Y, aa supply the word intelligatur ("be understood"), and then codices N, Q, Y [read] ita ut intelligatur ("so that it be understood"). Other codices commonly, and the editions, read: aut ut continentia intendatur ut aspernenda, sive prosequenda ("or so that continence be intended as [something] to be spurned, or to be pursued") [the editions, with some codices, aspernenda, aut quod intendatur (intelligatur) ut assequenda sive prosequenda], a false reading, as is clear from the context.
- 10Dist. 31. a. 2. q. 2. seq.Dist. 31, a. 2, q. 2 f.