Dist. 32
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 32
Cap. I. De solutione carnalis debiti.
Sciendum etiam est, quia, cum in omnibus aliis vir praesit mulieri, ut caput corpori, est enim vir caput mulieris; in solvendo tamen carnis debito pares sunt. Ideo Apostolus1 utrique pariter praecipit in hac causa sibi invicem subiici, inquiens: Vir debitum reddat uxori, similiter et uxor viro; quia mulier non habet potestatem sui corporis, sed vir; similiter et vir non habet potestatem sui corporis, sed mulier; quia nec mulier ad alium virum, nec vir ad aliam mulierem potestatem sui corporis habet, nec vir ad continendum nec mulier potestatem habet sine mutuo consensu; sed alter alterius potestatem habet corporis, ut poscenti alteri non liceat alteri negare debitum. In hoc enim pares sunt, quia nec viro nec mulieri corpus suum licet alii tradere, sed sibi invicem debitores sunt in hac causa, ne peccandi detur occasio; per quod
non dominium tollitur viro, sed vitium. « Debent enim sibi coniugati non solum ipsius sexus sui commiscendi fidem liberorum procreandorum causa, quae prima est in ista mortalitate societas, verum etiam infirmitatis invicem excipiendae ad illicitos concubitus devitandos mutuam quodam modo servitutem, ut, etsi alteri eorum continentia placeat, nisi ex alterius consensu non possit. Ad hoc enim neuter habet potestatem sui corporis; quod adeo verum est, ut etiam quod non filiorum procreandorum, sed infirmitatis et incontinentiae causa expetit vel ille de matrimonio, vel illa, non sibi alterutrum negent, ne per hoc incidant in damnabiles corruptelas ». « Reddere enim debitum coniugale nullius est criminis; exigere autem ultra generandi necessitatem culpae est venialis; fornicari vero vel moechari puniendi est criminis2 ».
Cap. II. De continentia ex communi consensu servanda.
Quod vero sine consensu uxoris vir continere non valeat, subditis probatur testimoniis. Ait enim Augustinus3: « Si dicat vir: continere iam volo; nolo, autem uxor; non potest. Quod enim tu vis, illa non vult. Nunquid per continentiam tuam illa debet fieri fornicaria? Si alii nupserit, te vivo, adultera erit. Non vult tali lucro Deus tale damnum compensari. Redde debitum; et si non exigis, redde. Pro sanctificatione perfecta Deus tibi computabit, si non quod tibi debetur exigis, sed reddis quod debes uxori ». Idem: « Secundum verba apostolica, etiam si vir continere voluisset, et tu noluisses; debitum tibi reddere cogeretur; et illi Deus imputaret continentiam, si non suae, sed tuae cederet infirmitati, ne in adulterium caderes ». « Quisquis igitur, compatiens infirmitati uxoris, reddit, non exigit debitum; aut si propter propriam infirmitatem ducit uxorem, plangens potius, quia sine uxore esse non potuit, quam gaudens, quia duxit, securus exspectat diem novissimum ». Idem: « Una causa sola esse potest, qua te ad id quod vovisti, non modo non hortaremur, sed etiam prohiberemus implere: si forte tua coniux hoc tecum suscipere animi vel carnis infirmitate recusaret. Nam vovenda talia non sunt a coniugatis nisi ex consensu et voluntate communi; et si praepropere factum fuerit, magis est corrigenda temeritas, quam persolvenda promissio. Non enim Deus exigit, si quis ex alieno aliquid voverit, sed potius usurpare vetat alienum ». Idem4: « Apostolus nec ad tempus, ut vacent orationi, nisi ex consensu voluit coniuges carnali invicem fraudari debito ». Idem: « Manifestum est, ita voluisse Legem feminam sub viro esse, ut nulla eius vota, quae abstinentiae causa voverit, reddantur ab ea, nisi auctor fuerit vir permittendo. Nam cum ad peccatum eiusdem viri pertinere voluerit Lex, si prius permiserit et postea prohibuerit; non tamen dixit, ut faciat mulier quod voverat, quia permissa iam prius a viro fuerat. Viri dixit esse peccatum, quia abnuit quod prius concesserat; non tamen mulieri ex hoc iussum dedit, ut, cum prius vir ei concesserit, postea, si prohibuerit, contemnatur ». — Ex his apparet, quod vir vel mulier continentiam Deo offerre non potest sine communi consensu, nec alter alteri debitum negare debet. Si vero quilibet eorum alterum a suo iure absolverit; ad praeteritam servitutem nunquid revocare poterit? Hoc enim videtur Augustinus supra voluisse. — Quibusdam videtur, quod mulier non discedens a domo viri, quae, viro permittente, continentiam voverit5, eodem prohibente, solvere non valeat; et hoc propter dignitatem viri, qui est caput mulieris. Sed melius hoc intelligitur in tali casu, ubi vir concedit mulieri vovere continentiam et ante votum prohibet implere. Si vero habitum mutaverit, non potest revocari, secundum illud: « Qui uxorem suam velare permiserit aliam non accipiat, sed similiter convertatur6 ».
Cap. III. Quando cessandum sit a coitu.
Et licet debitum poscenti sit semper solvendum, non licet tamen quolibet die poscere. Unde Augustinus7: « Christiano cum uxore sua aliquando licet convenire, aliquando non; propter processionis enim dies et ieiuniorum aliquando non licet convenire, quia etiam a licitis abstinendum est, ut facilius impetrari possit quod postulatur ». Idem: « Quoties enim vel dies Nativitatis, vel reliquae festivitates advenerint, non solum a concubinarum consortio, sed etiam a propriis uxoribus abstinete ». Item Ambrosius8: « Si causa procreandorum filiorum ducitur uxor, non multum tempus concessum videtur ad ipsum usum; quia et dies festi et dies processionis et ipsa ratio conceptus et partus iuxta legem cessare usum carnis his debere temporibus demonstrant ».
Illi autem, quod dictum est, reddere debitum non esse peccatum, videtur obviare quod ait Hieronymus9: « Quicumque uxori debitum reddit, vacare non potest orationi nec carnes Agni edere ». Idem: « Si panes propositionis ab his qui uxores suas tetigerant, comedi non poterant, quanto magis panis, qui de caelo
descendit, non potest ab his qui coniugalibus paulo ante haesere complexibus, violari atque contingi? Non quod nuptias condemnemus, sed quod eo tempore, quo carnes Agni manducaturi sumus, vacare a carnalibus operibus debeamus ». — Hoc capitulum proprie ad ministros Ecclesiae pertinere videtur, quibus non licebat sacra officia celebrare atque mysteria tempore coniugalis amplexus, quo etiam praesentia Spiritus sancti non datur. Unde idem ait: « Connubia legitima carent quidem peccato, nec tamen tempore illo, quo coniugales actus geruntur, praesentia Spiritus sancti dabitur, etiam si propheta esse videatur qui officio generationis obsequitur10 ».
Cap. IV. Quibus temporibus nuptiae non sint celebrandae.
Nec solum in opere carnali observanda sunt tempora, sed etiam in celebrandis nuptiis, secundum illud: « Non oportet a Septuagesima usque in Octavam Paschae et tribus hebdomadibus ante festum sancti Ioannis et ab Adventu Domini usque post Epiphaniam nuptias celebrare. Quod si factum fuerit, separentur11 ». Item Nicolaus Papa: « Nec uxorem ducere nec coniugia facere quadragesimali tempore convenire posse ullo modo arbitror ».
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Chap. I. On the payment of the carnal debt.
It must also be known that, although in all other things the man presides over the woman, as the head over the body — for the man is the head of the woman — nevertheless in the paying of the debt of the flesh they are equals. Therefore the Apostle1 enjoins upon both alike, in this matter, to be subject to one another, saying: Let the man render the debt to his wife, and likewise the wife to the husband; because the woman does not have power over her own body, but the man; likewise the man does not have power over his own body, but the woman; because neither does the woman have power over her own body toward another man, nor the man toward another woman, nor does the man have power to abstain nor the woman, without mutual consent; but each has power over the other's body, so that it is not permitted to the one to deny the debt to the other who seeks it. For in this they are equals, since it is not permitted either to the man or to the woman to hand over his own body to another, but they are debtors to one another in this matter, lest occasion for sinning be given; through which
the dominion is not taken away from the man, but the vice [is]. « For those joined together owe to one another not only the fidelity of mingling their own sex, for the sake of procreating children — which is the first fellowship in this mortality — but also, for the receiving of each other's weakness in turn, in order to avoid illicit couplings, a mutual servitude in a certain manner, so that, even if continence be pleasing to one of them, it may not be [had] except by the other's consent. For to this neither has power over his own body; which is so true that even what one of them — either he of the marriage, or she — seeks not for the sake of procreating children, but from weakness and incontinence, they should not deny to one another, lest through this they fall into damnable corruptions ». « For to render the conjugal debt is no crime; but to exact it beyond the necessity of begetting is a venial fault; while to fornicate or commit adultery is a crime to be punished2 ».
Chap. II. On continence to be observed by common consent.
That the man cannot practise continence without the wife's consent is proved by the testimonies added below. For Augustine3 says: « If the man says: I now wish to be continent; but the wife does not wish; he cannot. For what you will, she does not will. Shall she through your continence be made a fornicatress? If she marries another while you live, she will be an adulteress. God does not will such a loss to be compensated by such a gain. Render the debt; and if you do not exact it, [still] render it. For perfect sanctification God will reckon it to you, if you do not exact what is owed to you, but render what you owe to your wife ». Likewise: « According to the apostolic words, even if the man had wished to be continent, and you had been unwilling, he would be compelled to render the debt to you; and God would impute continence to him, if he yielded not to his own, but to your weakness, lest you fall into adultery ». « Whoever therefore, having compassion on his wife's weakness, renders and does not exact the debt; or if on account of his own weakness he takes a wife, lamenting rather that he could not be without a wife than rejoicing that he took one, awaits secure the last day ». Likewise: « There can be one sole cause by which we would not only not exhort you to fulfill what you have vowed, but would even forbid [you] to fulfill it: if perchance your spouse should refuse to undertake this with you, from weakness of soul or of flesh. For such things are not to be vowed by married persons except by common consent and will; and if it has been done too hastily, the rashness is rather to be corrected than the promise to be fulfilled. For God does not exact it, if someone has vowed something out of what is another's, but rather forbids the usurping of what is another's ». Likewise4: « The Apostle did not will that spouses be defrauded of the carnal debt toward one another even for a time, that they might have leisure for prayer, except by consent ». Likewise: « It is manifest that the Law so willed the woman to be under the man, that none of her vows, which she has vowed for the sake of abstinence, should be paid by her, unless the man be the authorizer by permitting. For since the Law willed that it should pertain to the sin of the same man, if he first permitted and afterward forbade; yet it did not say that the woman should do what she had vowed, because it had already been permitted beforehand by the man. It said it was the man's sin, because he refused what he had first granted; yet it did not for this give a command to the woman that, when the man had first granted it to her, afterward, if he should forbid it, he should be despised ». — From these things it appears that neither the man nor the woman can offer continence to God without common consent, nor ought one to deny the debt to the other. But if either of them has released the other from his right, can he recall [the other] to the past servitude? For this Augustine above seems to have willed. — To certain persons it seems that a woman not departing from the man's house, who, with the man permitting, has vowed continence5, cannot, with the same [man] forbidding, dissolve [the vow]; and this on account of the dignity of the man, who is the head of the woman. But this is better understood in such a case, where the man grants to the woman to vow continence and, before the vow, forbids [her] to fulfill it. But if he has changed his habit [i.e. entered religion], he cannot be revoked, according to that [text]: « Let him who has permitted his wife to take the veil not take another, but likewise be converted6 ».
Chap. III. When one must cease from intercourse.
And although the debt must always be paid to the one who seeks it, it is nevertheless not permitted to seek it on just any day. Whence Augustine7: « To a Christian it is sometimes permitted to come together with his wife, sometimes not; for on account of the days of procession and of fasts it is sometimes not permitted to come together, because one must abstain even from lawful things, that what is asked may more easily be obtained ». Likewise: « For as often as either the days of the Nativity, or the other festivities, come, abstain not only from the company of concubines, but also from your own wives ». Likewise Ambrose8: « If a wife is taken for the sake of procreating children, not much time seems granted for the use itself; for both the feast days and the days of procession and the very nature of conception and birth show that, according to the law, the use of the flesh must cease at these times ».
But to those [words] — [namely] that what was said, that to render the debt is not a sin — there seems to be opposed what Jerome says9: « Whoever renders the debt to his wife cannot have leisure for prayer nor eat the flesh of the Lamb ». Likewise: « If the loaves of proposition could not be eaten by those who had touched their wives, how much more the bread which
descends from heaven — cannot it be violated and touched by those who a little before clung to conjugal embraces? Not that we condemn marriages, but that at that time, in which we are to eat the flesh of the Lamb, we ought to have leisure from carnal works ». — This chapter seems properly to pertain to the ministers of the Church, to whom it was not permitted to celebrate the sacred offices and mysteries at the time of conjugal embrace, at which also the presence of the Holy Spirit is not given. Whence the same [author] says: « Lawful wedlocks indeed lack sin, yet not in that time in which conjugal acts are performed will the presence of the Holy Spirit be given, even if he seem a prophet who complies with the office of generation10 ».
Chap. IV. At what times marriages are not to be celebrated.
Not only in the carnal work are the times to be observed, but also in the celebrating of marriages, according to that [decree]: « It is not fitting to celebrate marriages from Septuagesima until the Octave of Easter, and for three weeks before the feast of Saint John, and from the Advent of the Lord until after Epiphany. And if it be done, let them be separated11 ». Likewise Nicholas the Pope: « I judge that in no way can it be fitting either to take a wife or to make marriages in the Lenten season ».
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- 1Epist. I. Cor. 7, 3; superius respicitur ibid. 11, 3. — Inferius est locus August., de Bono coniugali, c. 6. n. 6. Praecedentia excerpta sunt ex Glossa ad primum loc. cit.[Note printed under the heading NOTAE AD LIBR. SENTENTIARUM.] Epistle, I Cor. 7:3; above, the same is referred to at ibid. 11:3. — Below is the passage of Augustine, On the Good of Marriage, c. 6, n. 6. The preceding [matter] is excerpted from the Gloss on the first passage cited.
- 2Ibid. c. 7.Ibid., c. 7.
- 3Enarrat. in Ps. 149. n. 15; C. Si dicat (1.), C. 33. q. 5. Seq. locus est Epist. 262. (alias 199.) ad Ecdiciam, n. 2; C. Secundum verba (3.), ibid. Tertius Enarrat. in Ps. 147. n. 4; can. cit. § 1. Quartus Epist. 127. (alias 43.) ad Armentarium etc. n. 9; C. Una sola (6.), ibid.Commentary on Psalm 149, n. 15; the canon Si dicat (1.), C. 33, q. 5. The following passage is Epistle 262 (alias 199) to Ecdicia, n. 2; the canon Secundum verba (3.), ibid. The third [passage is] Commentary on Psalm 147, n. 4; the canon just cited, § 1. The fourth [is] Epistle 127 (alias 43) to Armentarius etc., n. 9; the canon Una sola (6.), ibid.
- 4Libr. I. de Adulterinis Coniugiis, c. 2. n. 2; C. Apostolus nec (12.), C. 33. q. 4. Seq. locus est Quaestiones in Numeros, q. 59. n. 3; C. Manifestum est (11.), C. 33. q. 3. De seqq. cfr. Gratian. super hunc can.Book I, On Adulterous Marriages, c. 2, n. 2; the canon Apostolus nec (12.), C. 33, q. 4. The following passage is Questions on Numbers, q. 59, n. 3; the canon Manifestum est (11.), C. 33, q. 3. On what follows, cf. Gratian on this canon.
- 5Edd. addunt vel promiserit, refragantibus codd. et ed. I.The editions add vel promiserit ("or has promised"), against the manuscripts and edition I.
- 6Can. Qui uxorem (10.), ibid.The canon Qui uxorem (10.), ibid.
- 7Quaestion. ex utroque test. mixtim (inter opera), q. 127; C. Christiano (5.), C. 33. q. 4. Seq. locus est Sermo 116. (alias 2. de Temp.) in append. n. 3; C. Quotiescumque (2.), ibid.Questions from Both Testaments, Mixed (among the [spurious] works), q. 127; the canon Christiano (5.), C. 33, q. 4. The following passage is Sermon 116 (alias 2, de Tempore), in the appendix, n. 3; the canon Quotiescumque (2.), ibid.
- 8Comment. in I. Cor. c. 7, 5 (inter opera); C. Si causa (4.), ibid.Commentary on I Corinthians, c. 7, [v.] 5 (among the [spurious] works); the canon Si causa (4.), ibid.
- 9Sermo de Esu Agni (inter opera), c. 8; C. Sciatis, fratres (1.), ibid. Seq. textus citt. locis, ubi respiciuntur I. Reg. 21, 4; Ioan. 6, 31.Sermon on the Eating of the Lamb (among the [spurious] works), c. 8; the canon Sciatis, fratres (1.), ibid. The following text [is] in the passages cited, where I Kings 21:4 and John 6:31 are alluded to.
- 10Origen., Hom. 6. in Numeros n. 3; C. Connubia legitima (4.), C. 32. q. 2.Origen, Homily 6 on Numbers, n. 3; the canon Connubia legitima (4.), C. 32, q. 2.
- 11Can. Non oportet (10.), C. 33. q. 4. Seq. locus C. Nec uxorem (11.), ibid.The canon Non oportet (10.), C. 33, q. 4. The following passage [is] the canon Nec uxorem (11.), ibid.