Dist. 31, Art. 1, Q. 3
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 31
Quaestio III. Utrum haec tria bona sint de necessitate matrimonii.
Tertio quaeritur de necessitate horum trium bonorum, utrum scilicet sint de necessitate Sacramenti. Et quod bonum Sacramenti sit de necessitate,
Argg. pro parte affirmativa.
1. Dicit Augustinus, et habetur in littera1: «Sacramentum ita inseparabiliter coniugio haeret, ut sine illo esse non videatur».
2. Item, ratione videtur: bonum Sacramenti est ratione inseparabilitatis; sed inseparabilitas2 semper inest ut necessitas: aut ergo bonum Sacramenti non est bonum, aut necessario inest.
Item, quod bonum prolis de necessitate consequatur matrimonium, videtur:
3. Quia dicit Augustinus, et habetur in littera3, quod «qui venena sterilitatis procuraverint non sunt coniuges».
4. Item, ratione videtur: quia ad hoc institutum fuit matrimonium, scilicet ad crescendum et multiplicandum4: ergo frustra est, si hoc fine caret; sed non potest esse omnino frustra, cum sit Sacramentum: ergo etc.
Item, quod bonum fidei sit de necessitate Sacramenti, videtur:
5. Quia dicit Augustinus5, quod si quis consentiat in aliquam, ut postmodum aliam accipiat, non est Sacramentum; sed hoc est propter defectum fidei: ergo etc.
6. Item, ratione videtur: quia licet ex causa fornicationis matrimonium dividere6; sed non liceret, nisi fides esset de substantia: ergo etc.
Contra: (Pro parte negativa.)
1. Quod Sacramentum non sit de substantia matrimonii, videtur: quia si aliquis contrahat cum aliqua per verba de praesenti, est matrimonium contractum, et tamen, illo transeunte ad religionem, ista potest nubere7: ergo non erat ibi vinculum inseparabile.
2. Item, quod nec fides, videtur: quia matrimonium potest esse inter perpetuo continentes, et potest esse inter incontinentes, quia neuter cum alio vel alia potest contrahere: ergo etc.
3. Item, quod proles non sit de necessitate, videtur: quia matrimonium est inter steriles, sicut patet; sed hic non est bonum prolis.
Quaeritur ergo: quid est quod dicit Augustinus8, quod «non sunt coniuges»? Si enim prius consenserunt, fuit matrimonium ratum; si post coierunt, fuit consummatum; sed hoc nullo casu, nullo peccato rumpitur.
Conclusio. Bonum Sacramenti est de necessitate matrimonii; alia duo, scilicet fides et proles, quodam modo sunt de esse Sacramenti, et quodam modo tantum de bene esse.
Respondeo: Sicut tangit Magister in littera9 et accipit ab Augustino, cum sint tria bona matrimonii, scilicet fides, proles et Sacramentum, unum, scilicet Sacramentum, est de necessitate matrimonii. Sacramentum enim venit ex mutua obligatione et divina institutione et significatione illius unionis; et ideo, quia ista sunt de necessitate matrimonii, per consequens et Sacramentum. — Sed alia duo bona quodam modo sunt de esse, quodam modo de bene esse. Si enim loquamur quantum ad matrimonii usum, sic sunt de bene esse10, quoniam usus matrimonii absque his esse potest, sicut tota die est; et non solum est absque his, sed etiam cum suis
oppositis. Unde sterilitatis et aborsus procuratio et fidei fractio non dissolvunt matrimoniale vinculum contractum.
Si autem loquamur quantum ad matrimonii contractum, qui est per matrimonialem consensum; sic potest esse contractus absque his duobus bonis, ut puta in sterilibus et in continentibus, sed tamen11 non est contra haec. Tunc autem est consensus contra haec, quando sub tali pacto consentitur, ut prolis sterilitas procuretur, vel uxor alii prostituatur; tunc enim non est consensus vel pactio matrimonii, sed potius adulterii, cum directe repugnet institutioni matrimonii. Sed carentia sive absentia horum duorum non repugnat: quia fides venit ex recto matrimonii usu; et quia possunt homines abuti ipso, ideo potest deesse fides. Similiter proles venit ex fructu ventris; et quia steriles possunt esse vel natura, vel arte: ideo matrimonium hoc bono potest carere.
(Ad 1.) Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod Sacramenti bonum non est in matrimonio ante carnalem copulam; dicendum, quod falsum est, quia est inter coniuges insolubile vinculum nec solvitur nisi per mortem spiritualem, sicut post consummationem per mortem corporalem12. Verum est tamen, quod non est ibi Sacramentum secundum completam et plenariam rationem.
(Ad arg. 5, pro parte affirm.) Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod fides sit13 de necessitate, quia qui sic consentit, ut tamen aliam ducere possit post, non contrahit; dicendum, quod hoc non est tantum propter defectum fidei, sed etiam propter defectum Sacramenti, quia non vult isti coniungi perpetuo, et quia in pactione introducitur conditio contraria bono fidei; nec propter infidelitatem solvitur matrimonii Sacramentum, sed solvitur obligatio ad reddendum debitum14.
(Item ad arg. 4.) Ad illud quod obiicitur de bono prolis, quod propter hoc institutum est; dicendum, quod non tantum propter hoc, sed etiam in remedium et in signum; et ideo, quamvis non sit ibi hoc bonum, possunt tamen esse alia bona. Si autem homo stetisset, tunc semper fuisset hoc bonum, quia tantum fuisset in officium; et hoc bonum non deesset, quia nulla esset sterilitatis poena15.
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Question III. Whether these three goods are of the necessity of marriage.
Thirdly it is asked concerning the necessity of these three goods, namely whether they are of the necessity of the Sacrament. And that the good of the Sacrament is of necessity [is shown]:
Arguments for the affirmative side.
1. Augustine says, and it is contained in the text1: "The Sacrament cleaves so inseparably to the marriage bond that it seems not to be without it."
2. Likewise, it appears by reason: the good of the Sacrament consists in the account of inseparability; but inseparability2 is always present as a necessity: therefore either the good of the Sacrament is not a good, or it is present necessarily.
Likewise, that the good of offspring follows of necessity upon marriage appears thus:
3. Because Augustine says, and it is contained in the text3, that "those who have procured the poisons of sterility are not spouses."
4. Likewise, it appears by reason: because marriage was instituted for this, namely for increasing and multiplying4: therefore it is in vain if it lacks this end; but it cannot be altogether in vain, since it is a Sacrament: therefore etc.
Likewise, that the good of faith is of the necessity of the Sacrament appears thus:
5. Because Augustine says5 that if someone should consent to one woman so that afterwards he may take another, it is not a Sacrament; but this is on account of a defect of faith: therefore etc.
6. Likewise, it appears by reason: because it is permitted to divide a marriage for the cause of fornication6; but it would not be permitted unless faith belonged to the substance: therefore etc.
On the contrary: (For the negative side.)
1. That the Sacrament is not of the substance of marriage appears thus: because if someone contracts with a woman through words of the present, the marriage is contracted, and yet, when he passes over to religion, she is able to marry7: therefore there was not there an inseparable bond.
2. Likewise, that neither is faith [of the substance] appears thus: because marriage can exist between those perpetually continent, and can exist between the incontinent, since neither can contract with another man or woman: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, that offspring is not of necessity appears thus: because marriage exists among the sterile, as is evident; but here there is no good of offspring.
It is asked therefore: what is it that Augustine says8, that "they are not spouses"? For if they first consented, the marriage was ratified; if afterwards they came together, it was consummated; but this is broken in no case, by no sin.
Conclusion. The good of the Sacrament is of the necessity of marriage; the other two, namely faith and offspring, are in a certain manner of the being of the Sacrament, and in a certain manner only of its well-being.
I respond: As the Master touches upon in the text9 and takes from Augustine, since there are three goods of marriage, namely faith, offspring, and the Sacrament, one, namely the Sacrament, is of the necessity of marriage. For the Sacrament comes from the mutual obligation and the divine institution and the signification of that union; and therefore, since these are of the necessity of marriage, consequently the Sacrament also is. — But the other two goods are in a certain manner of the being, and in a certain manner of the well-being. For if we speak with respect to the use of marriage, thus they are of the well-being10, since the use of marriage can exist without them, as is the case all the time; and it not only exists without them, but even with their
opposites. Hence the procuring of sterility and abortion and the breaking of faith do not dissolve the contracted marriage bond.
But if we speak with respect to the contract of marriage, which is through the matrimonial consent; thus the contract can exist without these two goods, as for instance among the sterile and among the continent, yet nevertheless11 it is not against these things. But then the consent is against these things when it is consented to under such a pact that the sterility of offspring be procured, or the wife be prostituted to another; for then it is not a consent or pact of marriage, but rather of adultery, since it directly conflicts with the institution of marriage. But the lack or absence of these two does not conflict: because faith comes from the right use of marriage; and since men can abuse it, therefore faith can be absent. Likewise offspring comes from the fruit of the womb; and since the sterile can be so either by nature or by art: therefore marriage can lack this good.
(To 1.) To that, then, which is objected, that the good of the Sacrament is not in marriage before carnal union; it must be said that this is false, because there is between the spouses an indissoluble bond, and it is not dissolved except by spiritual death, just as after consummation by bodily death12. Yet it is true that the Sacrament is not there according to its complete and full account.
(To argument 5, for the affirmative side.) To that which is objected, that faith is13 of necessity, because he who consents in such a way that he may nevertheless marry another afterwards does not contract; it must be said that this is not only on account of a defect of faith, but also on account of a defect of the Sacrament, because he does not will to be joined to this woman perpetually, and because in the pact a condition contrary to the good of faith is introduced; nor is the Sacrament of marriage dissolved on account of infidelity, but the obligation of rendering the debt is dissolved14.
(Likewise to argument 4.) To that which is objected concerning the good of offspring, that marriage was instituted for its sake; it must be said that it was not only for its sake, but also for a remedy and for a sign; and therefore, although this good is not there, the other goods can nevertheless be present. But if man had stood [in innocence], then this good would always have been present, because it would have been only for [an] office; and this good would not be lacking, because there would be no penalty of sterility15.
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- 1Hic c. 2. Verba potius sunt Hug. a S. Vict., II. de Sacram. p. XI. c. 8, quibus sententiam August., I. de Nuptiis et concupisc. c. 10. n. 11. seq. (hic in lit. Magistri, c. 2. relatam), complectitur.Here, c. 2. The words are rather those of Hugh of St. Victor, On the Sacraments II, p. XI, c. 8, in which he embraces the opinion of Augustine, On Marriage and Concupiscence I, c. 10, n. 11 and following (related here in the Master's text, c. 2).
- 2Codd. L Y addunt quae inest, codd. N aa quae ibi est, edd. pro ratione ponunt ratio, deinde legunt: quae rei semper inest, est necessitas, codd. M O R T U X inseparabilitas semper est necessitas (codd. M O est ut necessitas). Pro ut necessitas pauci codd. perperam non necessitas. Inferius pro necessario cod. W semper.Codices L and Y add quae inest ("which is present"), codices N and aa quae ibi est ("which is there"); the editions put ratio for ratione, then read quae rei semper inest, est necessitas ("that which is always present in a thing is a necessity"); codices M O R T U X read inseparabilitas semper est necessitas ("inseparability is always a necessity") (codices M O est ut necessitas ["is as a necessity"]). For ut necessitas a few codices wrongly [read] non necessitas. Below, for necessario, codex W [reads] semper.
- 3Hic c. 3.Here, c. 3.
- 4Respicitur Gen. 1, 28.Reference is to Gen. 1:28.
- 5De Bono coniugali, c. 5. n. 5, hic in lit. Magistri, c. 2, allegatus.On the Good of Marriage, c. 5, n. 5, cited here in the Master's text, c. 2.
- 6Cfr. Matth. 5, 32. et 19, 9.Cf. Matt. 5:32 and 19:9.
- 7Vide supra lit. Magistri, d. XXVII. c. 6. seqq., et Comment. a. 3. q. 2.See above, the Master's text, d. XXVII, c. 6 and following, and the Commentary, a. 3, q. 2.
- 8Supra arg. 3. pro parte affirm. — Inferius pro peccato [veneficii] edd. pacto.Above, argument 3 for the affirmative side. — Below, for peccato [i.e. veneficii, "poisoning"], the editions [read] pacto.
- 9Hic c. 1. et 2.Here, c. 1 and 2.
- 10Cfr. supra d. 26. a. 2. q. 3. et d. 27. a. 1. q. 1.Cf. above, d. 26, a. 2, q. 3, and d. 27, a. 1, q. 1.
- 11Vat. si tamen.The Vatican edition [reads] si tamen ("if nevertheless").
- 12Vide supra d. 27. a. 3. q. 1. seq. — Post spiritualem Vat. addit vel civilem.See above, d. 27, a. 3, q. 1 and following. — After spiritualem, the Vatican edition adds vel civilem ("or civil").
- 13Edd. perperam non sit.The editions wrongly [read] non sit ("is not").
- 14Vat. hic addit: Ad illud quod dicit Augustinus, quod qui venena procuraverant etc.; dicendum, quod hoc non dicit, quia per hoc solvatur matrimonii vinculum, sed quia Sacramenti amittatur meritum, et grave incurrant peccatum. Unde non sunt coniuges, supple, veri et fideles. (Cfr. tamen corp. quaest.)The Vatican edition here adds: "To that which Augustine says, that those who have procured poisons etc.; it must be said that he does not say this because through it the bond of marriage is dissolved, but because the merit of the Sacrament is lost, and they incur grave sin. Hence they are not spouses" — supply: "true and faithful ones." (Cf. nevertheless the body of the question.)
- 15Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.See the scholion on the first question of this article. ---