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Dist. 37, Art. 1, Q. 3

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 37

Textus Latinus
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Quaestio III. Utrum Ecclesia debuerit instituere, ut sacer ordo impediret matrimonium.

Tertio quaeritur, utrum Ecclesia debuerit hoc instituere et per tale statutum clericos ad continentiam obligare. Et quod non, videtur:

1. Primo, quia matrimonium est in remedium concupiscentiae; sed hic morbus maxime viget in clericis, ut patet: ergo eis non debuit denegari remedium.

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2. Item, difficillimum est iuvenibus abstinere a mulieribus, et ideo continentia in eis pro martyrio computatur a Hieronymo1; sed lex nova debet esse lex levitatis et suavitatis: ergo etc.

3. Item, ad ea quae perfectionis sunt, debemus per consilium induci, non mandato obligari: si ergo abstinere ab omni muliere perfectionis est, non videtur, quod ad hoc debuerint clerici per praeceptum obligari2.

4. Item, non est maioris perfectionis moderna Ecclesia quam primitiva; sed tunc non fuit indicta clericis continentia3: ergo nec modo debuit indici.

5. Item, cultus Dei ampliandus est; sed a nullis competentius ampliatur quam ab ipsis clericis, cultoribus Dei: si ergo clerici in sacris ordinibus constituti sunt cultores Dei, cum ampliatio cultus divini non tantum sit per generationem prolis spiritualis, sed etiam carnalis, quia nati de Christianis Christiani sunt; ergo videtur tunc, quod eis competat filios generare: ergo non debent arctari ad continentiam.

6. Item, praelatorum status dicitur esse perfectissimus, quia ibi simul iuncta est contemplatio cum actione: ergo cum status clericorum debeat esse perfectus, videtur, quod statui eorum conveniat non tantum generatio prolis spiritualis per verbum et exemplum propter statum contemplationis, sed etiam generatio prolis carnalis quantum ad statum actionis: ergo videtur, quod eis non debuerit matrimonium interdici.

Quaeritur igitur, quae fuerit ratio huius statuti. Et ad oppositum possent adduci rationes, sed illae clauduntur4 in responsione.

Conclusio.

Licitum, decens et expediens fuit statutum Ecclesiae, ut clerici in sacris ordinibus ad caelibatum obligentur.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod istud statutum de clericorum continentia fecit Ecclesia, quia potuit sive licuit, quia decuit, quia expediens fuit. — Potuit autem Ecclesia dupliciter, tum propter auctoritatem praelatorum et maxime Pontificis summi, tum propter consensum subditorum. Propter auctoritatem namque potuit, quoniam, etsi omnia Sacramenta respiciant in dispensante aliquo modo, tamen illud Sacramentum praecipue inter alia. In cuius signum in ordinis datione loquitur ut potestatem habens5 ille qui ordines confert; unde et dicit: Accipe potestatem etc. Et ideo istud onus, quod voluit summus Pontifex huic ordini sive Sacramento alligare, potuit et sibi licitum fuit. — Sed huic auctoritati et potestati successit in Latinis voluntas obtemperandi, quia tale statutum super se libenter receperunt; et haec duo fecerunt statutum firmum. — Sed Graeci dederunt tergum; et quia non consenserunt in tam nobile statutum, ut vasa sua servarentur munda, ablatum est eis regnum et intelligentia Scripturarum et datum est genti facienti fructum eius6. Sic igitur patet, quod potuit.

Nec solum licuit, immo etiam decuit; et hoc propter duo: quoniam in actu carnali, qui est usus matrimonii, ut plurimum est libido, et in cohabitatione ut plurimum est sollicitudo; et libido sive carnalis delectatio reddit foetidum et immundum, et sollicitudo reddit divisum7. Et quoniam clericum in sacris ordinibus constitutum decet esse mundum, cum ferat vasa Domini; decet nihilominus esse sollicitum et attentum, ut sollicite et diligenter serviat Domino et studeat, quomodo placeat Christo: ideo decens fuit, eos ab uxoribus separari, ut per omnia fierent idonei cultores ministri altaris. — Si enim illi qui comedebant panes propositionis, vasa sancta habere debebant8; quanto magis isti qui Agno immaculato assistunt et dispensant et sumunt, omni puritate et sanctitate debent fulgere et vasa sua custodire in sanctificatione et honore, non in desiderii passione? Certe hoc non tantum decens, sed et etiam decentissimum iudicabit omnis anima, quae est templum Spiritus sancti.

Et non tantum decuit, immo etiam expediens fuit: primo propter vitandum irregularitatis periculum, secundo propter vitandum latrocinium. Propter vitandum periculum: quia, si mulier, quae est uxor alicuius, cognoscat alium virum, et ille vir post cognoscat eam, iam irregularis est9; et ideo, si uxor sacerdotis Graeci fornicatur, iam amplius nec cum ipsa nec cum alia potest rem habere. Et quia difficile est talibus abstinere, frequenter in irregularitatem inciderent et cum periculo ministrarent, si uxores haberent. — Secundo vero propter vitandum latrocinium.

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Si enim episcopi et archiepiscopi nunc filios haberent, omnia bona ecclesiastica furarentur et diriperent, ita quod pauperibus pauca vel nulla remanerent. Cum enim modo congregent et ditent nepotes quasi gradibus incomputabilibus ab eis elongatos; quid facerent, si haberent filios legitimos1? Unusquisque attendat, quantum esset periculum. Ideo providit Spiritus sanctus hoc offendiculum auferre, et Dei consilio hoc statutum fuit in Ecclesia sancta Dei, ut clerici ad sacros ordines venientes, nullo modo matrimonio possint uti.

Ad argumenta:

Ad 1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod clerici indigent remedio; dicendum, quod verum est; sed tamen non solum est remedium matrimonium ad vitandam fornicationem, sed multo nobilius est remedium macerare carnem2. Unde quando otium est, et nulla est carnis maceratio, sed nutritur et impinguatur venter; tunc praestatur fomentum igni luxuriae, et ideo aliquibus videtur difficile continere; sed si occuparent se bono exercitio et carnem macerarent, alio remedio non indigerent; et istud remedium est eis concessum, quia convenit eorum statui; aliud vero est remedium, quod non competit eorum caelibatui.

Ad 2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod difficillimum est abstinere iuvenibus ab actu carnis; dicendum, quod re vera hoc difficillimum est, quia qui ignem abscondit in sinu, quomodo potest eum ferre, ut eius plantae non ardeant3? Difficile autem est exstinguere ignem immittendo ligna, sed facillimum est superinfundendo aquam. Si enim vis continere, necesse habes mulieres effugere et carnem macerare, maxime si iuvenis es; quodsi hoc feceris et continentiam amare coeperis, fiet tibi non solum non difficile, immo per omnia facile. Cum enim dicitur, quod lex nova est onus leve, hoc dicitur ratione caritatis, quae cetera mandata facit facilia, qua qui caret valde difficulter potest onus portare4.

Ad 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de perfectione, dicendum, quod Ecclesia nullum compellit absoluta impulsione, sed sub conditione, quae est in voluntate hominis, scilicet si velit ordinem suscipere; et hoc non est compellere simpliciter, sed homo tunc se obligat, quando voluntarie sumit ordinem; oportet enim, quod accipiat ipsum cum suo onere.

Ad 4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod maioris perfectionis5 erat Ecclesia primitiva; dicendum, quod illi non competebat, tum propter personarum paucitatem, tum etiam propter paupertatem, tum etiam propter modestiam et honestatem: propter paucitatem, quia oportebat, clericos fieri de novo conversos, qui ut plurimum uxores habebant, nunc autem a cunabulis instruuntur. — Amplius, non erant divitiae, et ideo non tantum timendum erat de furto; sed post Dei dispensatione Ecclesia temporalia habuit, ne, caritate refrigescente tam in laicis quam in clericis, cultus Dei periret, qui dilatari deberet; et tunc oportuit continentiam indicere. — Tum, propter modestiam, quae erat in illis; sciebant enim uxoribus melius et temperantius uti. Et sic patet illud.

Ad 5. Ad illud quod obiicitur de ampliatione cultus divini, dicendum, quod tot sunt qui vacant de laicis multiplicationi carnali, tam pauci, qui sciant, possint et velint vacare spirituali, quod oportuit, haec duo officia dividi; et cum divisa sint, adhuc carnalis generatio multos habet ministros, et spiritualis paucos. Non enim timendum est, quod deficiat cultus Dei propter defectum generationis carnalis; sed multum timendum est, ne tepescat propter defectum spiritualis.

Ad 6. Ad illud quod obiicitur de actione et contemplatione, dicendum, quod quaedam est actio, quae iuncta contemplationi non eam impedit, sed faciliorem facit, ut sunt opera misericordiae et pietatis; quaedam est, quae mentem deiicit de arce, et talis est actio coniugalis, quia, sicut dicit Augustinus6, «nihil mentem virilem adeo de arce deiicit, ut contactus membrorum femineorum»; et hoc supra tactum fuit. Et ideo dico, quod clericis talis actio non competit, sed actio quantum ad opera misericordiae; unde eis commissa sunt bona pauperum dispensanda, ut operibus pietatis intendant, non ut curam carnis in desideriis faciant7.

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English Translation

Question III. Whether the Church ought to have instituted that sacred order should impede marriage.

Thirdly it is asked, whether the Church ought to have instituted this and through such a statute to bind clerics to continence. And that [it ought] not, is seen:

1. First, because marriage is a remedy for concupiscence; but this disease is most vigorous in clerics, as is evident: therefore the remedy ought not to have been denied to them.

2. Likewise, it is most difficult for young men to abstain from women, and therefore continence in them is reckoned by Jerome1 as a martyrdom; but the new law ought to be a law of lightness and sweetness: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, to those things which are of perfection we ought to be led by counsel, not bound by command: if therefore to abstain from every woman is [a matter] of perfection, it does not seem that clerics ought to have been bound to this by precept2.

4. Likewise, the modern Church is not of greater perfection than the primitive; but then continence was not enjoined upon clerics3: therefore neither ought it now to be enjoined.

5. Likewise, the worship of God is to be enlarged; but by none is it more fittingly enlarged than by the clerics themselves, the worshippers of God: if therefore clerics constituted in sacred orders are worshippers of God, since the enlargement of divine worship is not only through the generation of spiritual offspring but also carnal, because those born of Christians are Christians; therefore it seems then, that it befits them to generate sons: therefore they ought not to be constrained to continence.

6. Likewise, the state of prelates is said to be most perfect, because there contemplation is at once joined with action: therefore since the state of clerics ought to be perfect, it seems that there befits their state not only the generation of spiritual offspring through word and example on account of the state of contemplation, but also the generation of carnal offspring as regards the state of action: therefore it seems that marriage ought not to have been forbidden to them.

It is asked therefore what was the reason of this statute. And to the opposite [side] reasons could be adduced, but those are enclosed4 in the response.

Conclusion.

Licit, fitting, and expedient was the statute of the Church, that clerics in sacred orders should be bound to celibacy.

I respond: It must be said that this statute concerning the continence of clerics the Church made, because it could or it was licit, because it was fitting, because it was expedient. — Now the Church could [do this] in two ways, both on account of the authority of the prelates and especially of the supreme Pontiff, and on account of the consent of the subjects. For on account of authority it could, since, although all the Sacraments look to the dispenser in some way, yet that Sacrament [does so] especially among the others. As a sign of which, in the giving of orders he who confers the orders speaks as one having power5; whence also he says: Receive power etc. And therefore that burden, which the supreme Pontiff willed to bind to this order or Sacrament, he could, and it was licit for him. — But to this authority and power there succeeded among the Latins the will of complying, because they willingly received such a statute upon themselves; and these two made the statute firm. — But the Greeks turned their back; and because they did not consent to so noble a statute, that their vessels should be kept clean, the kingdom was taken from them and the understanding of the Scriptures, and it was given to a people bringing forth its fruit6. So therefore it is evident that it could [be done].

Nor only was it licit, nay even it was fitting; and this on account of two things: since in the carnal act, which is the use of marriage, for the most part there is lust, and in cohabitation for the most part there is solicitude; and lust or carnal delight renders [one] foul and unclean, and solicitude renders [one] divided7. And since a cleric constituted in sacred orders ought to be clean, since he bears the vessels of the Lord; he ought nonetheless to be solicitous and attentive, so that he may serve the Lord carefully and diligently and strive how he may please Christ: therefore it was fitting that they be separated from wives, so that through all things they might become fit worshippers, ministers of the altar. — For if those who ate the loaves of proposition ought to have holy vessels8; how much more these who attend upon the immaculate Lamb and dispense and receive [Him], ought to shine with all purity and sanctity and to keep their vessels in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of desire? Certainly this not only fitting, but even most fitting will every soul judge, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

And not only was it fitting, nay even it was expedient: first on account of avoiding the danger of irregularity, secondly on account of avoiding theft. On account of avoiding danger: because, if a woman, who is the wife of someone, should know another man, and that man afterward should know her, he is already irregular9; and therefore, if the wife of a Greek priest fornicates, now no longer can he have relations either with her or with another. And because it is difficult for such [men] to abstain, they would frequently fall into irregularity and would minister with danger, if they had wives. — Secondly indeed on account of avoiding theft.

For if bishops and archbishops now had sons, they would steal and plunder all the goods of the Church, so that little or nothing would remain for the poor. For since now they gather and enrich nephews removed from them as it were by incalculable degrees; what would they do, if they had legitimate sons1? Let each one consider how great the danger would be. Therefore the Holy Spirit provided to remove this stumbling-block, and by God's counsel this statute was [made] in the holy Church of God, that clerics coming to sacred orders can in no way use marriage.

To the arguments:

To 1. To that then which is objected, that clerics need a remedy; it must be said, that it is true; but yet marriage is not the only remedy for avoiding fornication, but far nobler a remedy is to macerate the flesh2. Whence when there is leisure, and there is no maceration of the flesh, but the belly is nourished and fattened; then fuel is furnished to the fire of lust, and therefore to some it seems difficult to be continent; but if they were to occupy themselves with good exercise and macerate the flesh, they would not need another remedy; and that remedy is granted to them, because it befits their state; but there is another remedy, which does not befit their celibacy.

To 2. To that which is objected, that it is most difficult for young men to abstain from the carnal act; it must be said, that in very truth this is most difficult, because he who hides fire in his bosom, how can he carry it, so that his soles do not burn3? But it is difficult to extinguish fire by casting in wood, but most easy by pouring water over [it]. For if you wish to be continent, you must flee women and macerate the flesh, especially if you are young; but if you do this and begin to love continence, it will become for you not only not difficult, nay through all things easy. For when it is said, that the new law is a light burden, this is said by reason of charity, which makes the other commandments easy, [and] he who lacks it can carry the burden only with great difficulty4.

To 3. To that which is objected concerning perfection, it must be said, that the Church compels no one by absolute impulsion, but under a condition, which is in the will of man, namely if he wishes to receive orders; and this is not to compel simply, but a man then binds himself, when he voluntarily takes up an order; for it is necessary that he receive it with its burden.

To 4. To that which is objected, that the primitive Church was of greater perfection5; it must be said, that it did not befit it, both on account of the fewness of persons, and also on account of poverty, and also on account of modesty and honesty: on account of fewness, because it was necessary that clerics be made from the newly converted, who for the most part had wives, but now they are instructed from the cradle. — Furthermore, there were no riches, and therefore there was not so much to be feared concerning theft; but afterward, by God's dispensation, the Church had temporal goods, lest, charity growing cold both in the laity and in the clerics, the worship of God, which ought to be spread, should perish; and then it was necessary to enjoin continence. — Then, on account of modesty, which was in them; for they knew how to use wives better and more temperately. And so that is evident.

To 5. To that which is objected concerning the enlargement of divine worship, it must be said, that there are so many of the laity who are free for carnal multiplication, [and] so few, who know, can, and will be free for the spiritual, that it was necessary that these two offices be divided; and since they are divided, still carnal generation has many ministers, and spiritual few. For it is not to be feared, that the worship of God should fail on account of a defect of carnal generation; but it is much to be feared, lest it grow lukewarm on account of a defect of the spiritual.

To 6. To that which is objected concerning action and contemplation, it must be said, that there is a certain action, which joined to contemplation does not impede it, but makes it easier, such as are the works of mercy and piety; there is a certain [action], which casts the mind down from the citadel, and such is conjugal action, because, as Augustine says6, «nothing casts down the virile mind from the citadel so much as the touch of feminine members»; and this was touched upon above. And therefore I say, that such action does not befit clerics, but action as regards the works of mercy; whence to them are committed the goods of the poor to be dispensed, so that they may attend to the works of piety, not so as to make provision for the flesh in [its] desires7.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Epist. 130. (alias 8.) n. 5: Habet et servata pudicitia martyrium suum. Cfr. Epist. 22. n. 38. — Subinde respicitur Matth. 11, 30: Iugum enim meum suave est etc.
    [Jerome,] Letter 130 (elsewhere 8), n. 5: "Even chastity, when preserved, has its own martyrdom." Cf. Letter 22, n. 38. — Thereafter Matt. 11:30 is referred to: "For my yoke is sweet" etc.
  2. 2
    Plurimi codd. non inepte alligari.
    Very many codices, not ineptly, [read] alligari ("to be bound").
  3. 3
    Cfr. I. Tim. 3, 2. et 12.
    Cf. 1 Tim. 3:2 and 12.
  4. 4
    Ita cod. K (I a secunda manu); multi codd. pro sed habent secundum, ed. 1 et secundum, insuper plurimi codd. cum edd. illas claudendum pro illae clauduntur.
    So cod. K (I by a second hand); many codices for sed have secundum, ed. 1 et secundum, moreover very many codices with the editions [read] illas claudendum instead of illae clauduntur.
  5. 5
    Matth. 7, 29 (Marc. 1, 22: «Quasi potestatem habens», quod habent etiam codd. G M U). Cfr. supra d. 24. p. II. a. 1. q. 4. ad 6.
    Matt. 7:29 (Mark 1:22: "As one having power," which codd. G M U also have). Cf. above d. 24, p. II, a. 1, q. 4, ad 6.
  6. 6
    Matth. 21, 43: Auferetur a vobis regnum Dei et dabitur genti facienti fructus eius. — Post ablatum est ex codd. B K (E I a secunda manu) supplevimus eis.
    Matt. 21:43: "The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you and shall be given to a people bringing forth its fruits." — After ablatum est we have supplied eis from codd. B K (E I by a second hand).
  7. 7
    Secundum I. Cor. 7, 33. — Subinde respicitur Isai. 52, 11: Mundamini qui fertis vasa Domini, et I. Cor. 7, 32: Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est quae Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Deo. — Inferius voci ministri, pro qua R S ministerii (cod. aa ministerio), cod. O praemittit et. In nostra lectione sume cultores ut praedicatum et supple Dei.
    According to 1 Cor. 7:33. — Thereafter Isa. 52:11 is referred to: "Be cleansed, you who bear the vessels of the Lord," and 1 Cor. 7:32: "He who is without a wife is solicitous about the things of the Lord, how he may please God." — Below, to the word ministri, for which R S [read] ministerii (cod. aa ministerio), cod. O prefixes et. In our reading take cultores as predicate and supply Dei.
  8. 8
    Cfr. I. Reg. 21, 4. seqq. — Seq. locus est I. Thess. 4, 5.
    Cf. 1 Kings [= 1 Sam.] 21:4 ff. — The following passage is 1 Thess. 4:5.
  9. 9
    Vide supra pag. 654, nota 1.
    See above p. 654, note 1.
  10. 1
    Cfr. C. De Syracusanae (13.), d. 28. et C. Diversis fallaciis (5.), X. de Clericis coniugatis (lib. III. tit. 3.). — Superius pro ecclesiastica plures codd. ecclesiarum, cod. E Ecclesiae.
    Cf. the canon De Syracusanae (13), d. 28, and the canon Diversis fallaciis (5), X, On Married Clerics (bk. III, tit. 3). — Above, for ecclesiastica several codices [read] ecclesiarum, cod. E Ecclesiae.
  11. 2
    Vide supra d. 34. a. 1. q. 1. ad 1, et I. Cor. 9, 27: Castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo.
    See above d. 34, a. 1, q. 1, ad 1, and 1 Cor. 9:27: "I chastise my body and bring it into subjection."
  12. 3
    Prov. 6, 27. seq.: Nunquid potest homo abscondere ignem in sinu suo, ut vestimenta illius non ardeant? Aut ambulare super prunas, ut non comburantur plantae eius? (Ita etiam cod. U). Ibid. 26, 20: Cum defecerint ligna, exstinguetur ignis. Eccli. 3, 33: Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua.
    Prov. 6:27 f.: "Can a man hide fire in his bosom, so that his garments do not burn? Or walk upon coals, so that his soles are not burned?" (So also cod. U). Ibid. 26:20: "When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished." Sir. 3:33: "Water quenches a burning fire."
  13. 4
    Cfr. III. Sent. d. 40. q. 3.
    Cf. III Sent., d. 40, q. 3.
  14. 5
    Edd. quod non maioris perfectionis est moderna Ecclesia quam. Eaedem edd. inferius pro Amplius, non erant divitiae [codd. I K divites] substituunt: Propter paupertatem, quia non tantum abundabant tunc, quantum nunc.
    The editions [read] quod non maioris perfectionis est moderna Ecclesia quam. The same editions below, for Amplius, non erant divitiae [codd. I K divites], substitute: Propter paupertatem, quia non tantum abundabant tunc, quantum nunc.
  15. 6
    Libr. I. Soliloq. c. 10. n. 17. Cfr. supra d. 31. a. 2. q. 1. in corp. — Superius verbis sed facit ex codd. L Y interseruimus faciliorem.
    Bk. I of the Soliloquies, c. 10, n. 17. Cf. above d. 31, a. 2, q. 1, in the body. — Above, to the words sed facit, from codd. L Y we have inserted faciliorem.
  16. 7
    Rom. 13, 14: Sed induimini Dominum Iesum Christum, et carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis. Cfr. Gal. 5, 16. et I. Petr. 2, 11. — Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.
    Rom. 13:14: "But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in [its] desires." Cf. Gal. 5:16 and 1 Pet. 2:11. — See the scholion to question 1 of this article. ---
Cited by

1 place in the Opera Omnia citesthis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

Whether second marriages are honorable
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 42
d. 37. a. 1. q. 3.
← Dist. 37, Art. 1, Q. 2Dist. 37, Art. 2, Q. 1→