Dist. 39, Art. 1, Q. 3
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 39
Quaestio III. Utrum matrimonium infidelium excuset coitum, ut non sit ibi peccatum.
Tertio quaeritur, utrum matrimonium infidelium excuset coitum sive coniugalem actum, ut non sit ibi peccatum. Et quod non, videtur.
1. Ad Romanos decimo quarto12: Omne quod non est ex fide, peccatum est; sed actus coniugalis apud infideles non est ex fide: ergo est peccatum.
Si tu dicas, quod ibi appellatur fides conscientia, et illud dicitur non esse ex fide, quod est contra conscientiam, sicut exponit Magister in littera1; obiicitur tunc de Glossa, quae exponit, quod «omnis vita infidelium est peccatum»: ergo et vita matrimonialis peccatum est: ergo matrimonium non excusat a peccato.
2. Item, Causa vigesima octava, quaestione prima, capitulo primo2: «Non est vera pudicitia infidelis cum coniuge sua», et est verbum Augustini: ergo infidelis non cognoscit coniugem suam pudice; et cognoscit pudice, vel impudice: ergo impudice: ergo coitus eius non est sine peccato.
3. Item, Sacramenta ecclesiastica apud haereticos, quamvis sint veracia, non tamen sunt utilia, quoniam, etsi habeant formam, tamen propter infidelitatem nullam habent efficaciam3: ergo pari ratione apud infideles.
4. Item, haereticus baptizando peccat mortaliter, quia non baptizat, ut ad cultum Dei perducat, sed ut ad errorem trahat; sed4 infideles non procreant prolem ad cultum Dei, sed potius ad permanendum in suis tenebris et erroribus: ergo peccant coeundo propter prolem. Sed nullus coitus est isto honestior, qui fit propter prolem habendam: ergo nullus coitus in infidelibus fit sine peccato.
Contra: 1. Triplex est pars continentiae, scilicet virginalis, vidualis et coniugalis; sed infideles continentia virginali continendo non peccant, similiter continendo continentia viduali: ergo pari ratione nec in continentia coniugali. Sed ista est in reddendo et petendo debitum uxori: ergo etc.
2. Item, infidelis, qui habet uxorem et cognoscit eam affectu maritali, cognoscit suam ordinato affectu; sed actus transiens super debitam materiam cum ordinatione affectus est absque peccato: ergo actus coniugalis in infidelibus est absque peccato.
3. Item, matrimonium excusat a peccato, aut ergo in quantum Sacramentum legis naturae, aut in quantum Sacramentum Ecclesiae. Si in quantum Sacramentum legis naturae: ergo cum hoc modo sit apud infideles, ergo excusat eorum coitum. Si in quantum Sacramentum Ecclesiae solum: ergo non excusavit ante adventum Christi: ergo quotquot ante adventum Christi uxores cognoverunt, fornicatores fuerunt: ergo cum hoc sit nefas dicere, redit primum.
4. Item, ubi est matrimonium, ibi est mutua obligatio: ergo cum apud infideles sit matrimonium, ergo est ibi mutua obligatio: ergo alter alteri tenetur debitum reddere. Sed nullus peccat faciendo id, ad quod tenetur, nisi per malam voluntatem illud depravet: ergo ille qui reddit debitum uxori suae, non peccat.
Conclusio. Matrimonium infidelium excusat aliquo modo coitum a culpa.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod, sicut tactum est in praecedenti problemate, matrimonium infidelium est remedium semiplenum. Et ratio huius est, quia bona matrimonii imperfecte sunt ibi, tum quia in eis deficit fides, tum quia deficit in eis Sacramentum fidei. Quia deficit fidei Sacramentum, ideo non est perfectum Sacramentum sive vinculum, cum possit fortiori vinculo ligari. Quia deficit fides, non est in eis perfectum remedium, quia sine fide impossibile est placere Deo5; et quamvis sine fide possit quis in aliquo actu vitare peccatum, quia non agit malum, tamen impossibile est mereri praemium. Unde sicut aliter est apud infideles continentia, et aliter apud fideles, quia fideles per pudicitiam et vitant poenam et acquirunt palmam, illi vero, etsi vitent poenam, cum a malo cessant, non tamen acquirunt palmam6; sic in matrimonio intelligendum, quod apud fideles tum propter meritum fidei, tum propter benedictionem Ecclesiae non solum datur remedium, quod praeservat a culpa, sed etiam datur gratia, quae remittit concupiscentiam. Apud infideles vero nulla omnino datur gratia, tamen, quia coniunguntur secundum divinum statutum, vitant culpam, nisi affectio libidinosa interveniat, quae etiam apud Christianos actum coniugalem foedat. — Et sic concedendae sunt rationes ostendentes, quod matrimonium apud infideles aliquo modo coitum excusat.
1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod quod non est ex fide, ergo est peccatum; dicendum, quod illud intelligitur, sicut praedictum est et patet ex Glossa7, quod non est ex fide, id est «contra conscientiam», quia «qui facit contra conscientiam aedificat ad gehennam». Sed quod subiungit, quod «omnis vita infidelium est peccatum», hoc dictum est per concomitantiam, quia nunquam est sine peccato, pro eo quod sola fide purificantur peccata8; et ideo, quidquid faciant, quamdiu sine fide sunt, absque peccato esse non possunt.
2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod vera pudicitia non est infidelis etc.; dicendum, quod vera tantum valet, quantum perfecta; unde dicitur non esse vera, quia non est perfecta. — Sed ista expositio aliquantulum est extranea; et ideo dicendum est, quod non est vera pudicitia, quia non habet verum et proprium effectum virtutis, sicut non est verum vinum, quod non habet operationem vini. Operatio autem sive effectus virtutis est, quia facit declinare a malo, et per hoc vitat poenam; facit etiam quod bonum est1, et per hoc acquirit gloriam. Et quamvis apud infideles possit reperiri primum, non tamen secundum; ideo pudicitia non est vera virtus apud eos. Et hoc est quod dicit Augustinus2: «Ubi deest cognitio aeternae et incommutabilis Veritatis, falsa est virtus etiam in optimis moribus».
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod Sacramenta Ecclesiae non habent efficaciam apud haereticos; dicendum, quod non est simile de matrimonio et aliis Sacramentis. Nam in aliis praestatur remedium contra morbum, qui iam inest — unde in aliis datur gratia, vel effectus gratiae, quo mediante curatur anima a morbi corruptela — in matrimonio autem, in quantum Sacramentum legis naturae, datur remedium praeservativum a culpa, ne quis in cognoscendo mulierem peccet; licet, in quantum est Sacramentum Ecclesiae, ratione benedictionis annexae det etiam gratiam digne accedentibus. Quoniam ergo infideles non suscipiunt gratiam gratum facientem nec eius effectum, quamdiu sunt in infidelitate; ideo alia Sacramenta non praestant eis remedium, hoc vero solum potest eis praestare, licet non perfectum, sed solum ad cavendum malum3.
4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod haereticus baptizando peccat mortaliter; dicendum, quod peccat, quia usurpat quod suum non est; et quodsi actualiter intendat ad errorem perducere, tunc gravius peccat. Sed sicut potest esse, quod aliquis haereticus baptizet, non intendens hominem perducere ad errorem; sic potest esse, quod aliquis generet prolem, non intendens ad cultum idolorum pertrahere, sed solum intendens posteritatem habere. Et hoc quidem, quia caret intentione formata, non habet perfecte bonum prolis nec meritum; quia tamen non habet intentionem deformatam, ideo non habet demeritum. Et ideo tales filii iudicari possunt4 legitimi, quod est signum, quod matrimonialiter sunt generati; aliter enim iudicarentur illegitimi.
Est enim quadruplex differentia filiorum ita apud infideles, sicut apud fideles. Quidam enim sunt naturales et legitimi, ut qui de legitimis uxoribus generantur; et isti debent et possunt succedere in bonis. Quidam legitimi, sed non naturales, ut filii adoptivi; et isti similiter possunt succedere. Quidam naturales, sed non legitimi, ut illi qui nati sunt de concubinis. Quidam sunt nec legitimi nec naturales, ut sunt illi qui de adulterio sunt nati, vel etiam de incestu5.
---
Question III. Whether the marriage of infidels excuses intercourse, so that there is no sin in it.
Thirdly it is asked whether the marriage of infidels excuses intercourse or the conjugal act, so that there is no sin in it. And that it does not, it seems:
1. To the Romans, chapter fourteen12: Whatever is not from faith is sin; but the conjugal act among infidels is not from faith: therefore it is a sin.
If you say that there faith is called conscience, and that is said not to be from faith which is against conscience, as the Master explains in the text1; it is then objected from the Gloss, which explains that «the whole life of infidels is sin»: therefore the married life too is sin: therefore marriage does not excuse from sin.
2. Likewise, Cause twenty-eight, question one, chapter one2: «There is no true chastity of an infidel with his spouse», and it is a saying of Augustine: therefore an infidel does not know his spouse chastely; and he knows [her] either chastely or unchastely: therefore unchastely: therefore his intercourse is not without sin.
3. Likewise, the ecclesiastical sacraments among heretics, although they be genuine, are nevertheless not profitable, since, even if they have the form, yet on account of unbelief they have no efficacy3: therefore by parity of reasoning [it is so] among infidels.
4. Likewise, a heretic in baptizing sins mortally, because he does not baptize in order to lead [one] to the worship of God, but to draw [one] to error; but4 infidels do not procreate offspring for the worship of God, but rather for remaining in their own darkness and errors: therefore they sin by coming together for the sake of offspring. But no intercourse is more honorable than this one, which is done for the sake of having offspring: therefore no intercourse among infidels is done without sin.
On the contrary: 1. There are three parts of continence, namely virginal, widowed, and conjugal; but infidels by maintaining virginal continence do not sin, likewise by maintaining widowed continence: therefore by parity of reasoning neither in conjugal continence. But this consists in rendering and requesting the debt to a wife: therefore etc.
2. Likewise, an infidel who has a wife and knows her with marital affection knows his own [wife] with ordered affection; but an act passing over its due matter with an ordering of affection is without sin: therefore the conjugal act among infidels is without sin.
3. Likewise, marriage excuses from sin, either therefore inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the law of nature, or inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the Church. If inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the law of nature: then, since it exists in this way among infidels, it therefore excuses their intercourse. If inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the Church only: then it did not excuse before the coming of Christ: therefore however many knew wives before the coming of Christ were fornicators: therefore, since it is wicked to say this, the first [alternative] returns.
4. Likewise, where there is marriage, there is a mutual obligation: therefore since among infidels there is marriage, there is therefore there a mutual obligation: therefore the one is bound to render the debt to the other. But no one sins by doing that to which he is bound, unless he corrupts it through an evil will: therefore he who renders the debt to his wife does not sin.
Conclusion. The marriage of infidels excuses intercourse in some way from fault.
I respond: It must be said that, as was touched upon in the preceding problem, the marriage of infidels is a half-full remedy. And the reason for this is that the goods of marriage are there imperfectly, both because in them faith is lacking, and because in them the sacrament of faith is lacking. Because the sacrament of faith is lacking, it is therefore not a perfect sacrament or bond, since it can be bound by a stronger bond. Because faith is lacking, there is not in them a perfect remedy, because without faith it is impossible to please God5; and although without faith someone can in a given act avoid sin, because he does not do evil, yet it is impossible to merit a reward. Whence, just as continence is one thing among infidels and another among the faithful — because the faithful through chastity both avoid punishment and acquire the palm, whereas those [others], even if they avoid punishment when they cease from evil, nevertheless do not acquire the palm6 — so is it to be understood in marriage, that among the faithful, both on account of the merit of faith and on account of the blessing of the Church, there is given not only a remedy, which preserves from fault, but also grace is given, which remits concupiscence. But among infidels no grace at all is given; nevertheless, because they are joined according to divine ordinance, they avoid fault, unless a lustful affection intervene, which even among Christians defiles the conjugal act. — And thus the arguments are to be conceded which show that among infidels marriage excuses intercourse in some way.
1. To that, then, which is objected — that «whatever is not from faith» is therefore a sin — it must be said that this is understood, as was said before and is clear from the Gloss7, [to mean] that which is not from faith, that is, «against conscience», since «he who acts against conscience builds toward hell». But as for what it adds, that «the whole life of infidels is sin», this is said by concomitance, because it is never without sin, for the reason that sins are purified by faith alone8; and therefore, whatever they do, so long as they are without faith, they cannot be without sin.
2. To that which is objected, that there is no true chastity of an infidel, etc.; it must be said that true is worth only as much as perfect; whence it is said not to be true, because it is not perfect. — But this exposition is somewhat foreign [to the point]; and therefore it must be said that it is not true chastity, because it does not have the true and proper effect of virtue, just as it is not true wine which does not have the operation of wine. Now the operation or effect of virtue is that it makes [one] turn aside from evil, and through this it avoids punishment; it also makes [one] do what is good1, and through this it acquires glory. And although among infidels the first can be found, yet not the second; therefore chastity is not a true virtue among them. And this is what Augustine says2: «Where the knowledge of the eternal and unchangeable Truth is lacking, virtue is false even in the best morals».
3. To that which is objected, that the sacraments of the Church do not have efficacy among heretics; it must be said that the case is not the same for marriage and the other sacraments. For in the others a remedy is provided against a disease which is already present — whence in the others grace is given, or the effect of grace, by means of which the soul is healed of the corruption of the disease — but in marriage, inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the law of nature, there is given a preservative remedy against fault, lest anyone sin in knowing a woman; although, inasmuch as it is a sacrament of the Church, by reason of the blessing attached it also gives grace to those who approach worthily. Since therefore infidels do not receive sanctifying grace nor its effect, so long as they are in unbelief; therefore the other sacraments do not provide them a remedy, but this one alone can provide it for them, though not a perfect [remedy], but only for warding off evil3.
4. To that which is objected, that a heretic in baptizing sins mortally; it must be said that he sins, because he usurps what is not his own; and if he actually intends to lead [one] to error, then he sins more gravely. But just as it can be that some heretic baptizes without intending to lead a man into error, so it can be that someone begets offspring without intending to draw [them] to the worship of idols, but only intending to have posterity. And this indeed, because it lacks a formed intention, does not have perfectly the good of offspring nor merit; yet because it does not have a deformed intention, it therefore does not have demerit. And therefore such children can be judged4 legitimate, which is a sign that they were begotten in a married way; for otherwise they would be judged illegitimate.
For there is a fourfold difference of children among infidels just as among the faithful. For some are natural and legitimate, as those who are begotten of legitimate wives; and these ought and can succeed to the goods [of inheritance]. Some are legitimate, but not natural, as adopted sons; and these likewise can succeed. Some are natural, but not legitimate, as those who are born of concubines. Some are neither legitimate nor natural, as are those who are born of adultery, or even of incest5.
---
- 12Vers. 23.Verse 23 [Rom. 14:23].
- 1Hic c. 6. — Glossa est ordinaria apud Strabum et Lyranum et sumta est ex Prospero, lib. Sententiarum ex Augustino, n. 106.Here, c. 6. — The Gloss is the Ordinary [Gloss] in Strabo and Lyra, and is taken from Prosper, book of Sentences from Augustine, n. 106.
- 2Sive in principio, ubi Gratian. hoc Augustini verbum (l. de Coniug. adult. c. 18. n. 20.) refert; occurrit etiam ibid. in C. Sic enim recedere (9.). Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 2.Or at the beginning, where Gratian reports this saying of Augustine (bk. On Adulterous Marriages, c. 18, n. 20); it occurs also in the same place in the canon Sic enim recedere (9). Cf. here the text of the Master, c. 2.
- 3Cfr. supra d. 25. a. 1. q. 2. — Mox post ratione cod. Y addit et matrimonium.Cf. above d. 25, a. 1, q. 2. — Shortly, after ratione codex Y adds et matrimonium.
- 4Cod. K (I a secunda manu) similiter.Codex K (I by a second hand) [reads] similiter.
- 5Hebr. 11, 6.Heb. 11:6.
- 6Respicitur Glossa in Ps. 33, 15. Cfr. supra pag. 357, nota 8.Reference is made to the Gloss on Ps. 33:15. Cf. above p. 357, note 8.
- 7De hac Glossa vide tom. II. pag. 905, nota 1. Ibid. pag. 907, nota 2. allata sunt verba Innocentii, quae seq. rationem (aedificat ad gehennam) continent, de quibus cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 6. et Gratian. super C. Omnes deinceps (14), C. 28. q. 1.On this Gloss see vol. II, p. 905, note 1. In the same place, p. 907, note 2, the words of Innocent are cited, which contain the following reason (builds toward hell), concerning which cf. here the text of the Master, c. 6, and Gratian on the canon Omnes deinceps (14), C. 28, q. 1.
- 8Act. 15, 9: Fide purificans corda eorum.Acts 15:9: Purifying their hearts by faith.
- 1Psalm. 33, 15: Diverte a malo et fac bonum. — De vera virtute secundum sententiam S. Augustini cfr. tom. III. d. 23. a. 2. q. 1. in corp.Psalm 33:15: Turn away from evil and do good. — On true virtue according to the opinion of St. Augustine, cf. vol. III, d. 23, a. 2, q. 1, in the body [of the article].
- 2Potius Prosper, lib. Sententiarum ex Augustino, n. 106. — In fine solut. in cod. bb secunda manus addidit: quia non habet praemium aeternum.Rather Prosper, book of Sentences from Augustine, n. 106. — At the end of the solution, in codex bb a second hand added: because it does not have an eternal reward.
- 3Vide supra d. 26. a. 2. q. 2. et q. 3. ad arg. 4. pro parte negativa. — Superius pro accedentibus cod. aa accipientibus.See above d. 26, a. 2, q. 2 and q. 3, to argument 4 for the negative side. — Above, for accedentibus codex aa [reads] accipientibus.
- 4Cod. Z iudicantur.Codex Z [reads] iudicantur.
- 5Eodem modo filii referuntur a Glossa in C. Tanta est vis (6.), X. Qui filii sint legitimi (lib. IV. tit. 17.). — Superius post succedere codd. F G repetunt in bonis. — Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.In the same way the [kinds of] children are reported by the Gloss on the canon Tanta est vis (6), [in the Decretals] Qui filii sint legitimi (bk. IV, title 17). — Above, after succedere codices F G repeat in bonis. — See the scholion on question 1 of this article. ---