Caput 75 Chapter 75 De distinctione ordinum On the different kinds of order Considerandum est autem quod potestas quae ordinatur ad aliquem principalem effectum, nata est habere sub se inferiores potestates sibi deservientes. Quod manifeste in artibus apparet: arti enim quae formam artificialem inducit, deserviunt artes quae disponunt materiam; et illa quae formam inducit, deservit arti ad quam pertinet artificiati finis; et ulterius quae ordinatur ad citeriorem finem, deservit illi ad quam pertinet ultimus finis: sicut ars quae caedit ligna, deservit navifactivae; et haec gubernatoriae; quae iterum deservit oeconomicae, vel militari, aut alicui huiusmodi, secundum quod navigatio ad diversos fines ordinari potest. A power directed to a principal effect naturally has lesser powers administering to it. This may be clearly seen in the arts: the arts which dispose the material are subservient to the art which introduces the artificial form, and the art that introduces the artificial form is subservient to the art which is concerned with the end of the artifact. And again, the art that is concerned with an anterior end is subservient to the art that is concerned with the ultimate end. Thus the art of wood-cutting serves the ship-building art; the latter serves the art of sailing; and this latter serves the art of commerce or war or the like, insofar as sailing may be directed to various ends. Quia igitur potestas ordinis principaliter ordinatur ad corpus Christi consecrandum et fidelibus dispensandum, et ad fideles a peccatis purgandos; oportet esse aliquem principalem ordinem, cuius potestas ad hoc principaliter se extendat, et hic est ordo sacerdotalis; alios autem qui eidem serviant aliqualiter materiam disponendo, et hi sunt ordines ministrantium. Quia vero sacerdotalis potestas, ut dictum est, se extendit ad duo, scilicet ad corporis Christi consecrationem, et ad reddendum fideles idoneos per absolutionem a peccatis ad Eucharistiae perceptionem; oportet quod inferiores ordines ei deserviant vel in utroque, vel in altero tantum. Et manifestum est quod tanto aliquis inter inferiores ordines superior est, quanto sacerdotali ordini deservit in pluribus, vel in aliquo digniori. Since, then, the power of order is directed chiefly to the consecration of Christ’s body, and to its distribution to the faithful, and likewise to the cleansing of the faithful from their sins, there is need for a principal order whose power extends chiefly to these things, and this is the priesthood. There is also a need for other orders that serve it by preparing the matter in one way or another, and these are the orders of the lower ministers. Accordingly, since the priestly power, as we have stated, extends to two things (namely, the consecration of Christ’s body and the preparation of the faithful by absolving them from their sins, that they may be worthy to receive the Eucharist), it follows that the lower orders should minister to the priestly order either in both or in one of these things. And it is clear that among the lower orders, the higher is the one that serves the priestly order in more ways, or in a higher way. Infimi igitur ordines deserviunt sacerdotali ordini solum in populi praeparatione: ostiarii quidem arcendo infideles a coetu fidelium; lectores autem instruendo catechumenos de fidei rudimentis, unde eis Scriptura veteris testamenti legenda committitur; exorcistae autem purgando eos qui iam instructi sunt, sed aliqualiter a daemone impediuntur a perceptione sacramentorum. The lowest orders, then, serve the priestly order only in the preparation of the people: the porter by excluding unbelievers from the assembly of the faithful; the lectors by instructing catechumens in the rudiments of the faith (hence the Old Testament Scriptures are committed to them to read); the exorcists by cleansing those who are already instructed, if in any way they be hindered by the devil from receiving the sacraments. Superiores vero ordines sacerdotali deserviunt et in praeparatione populi, et ad consummationem sacramenti. Nam acolythi habent ministerium super vasa non sacra, in quibus sacramenti materia praeparatur: unde eis urceoli in sua ordinatione traduntur. Subdiaconi autem habent ministerium super vasa sacra, et super dispositionem materiae nondum consecratae. Diaconi autem ulterius habent aliquod ministerium super materiam iam consecratam, prout sanguinem Christi dispensant fidelibus. Et ideo hi tres ordines, scilicet sacerdotum, diaconorum et subdiaconorum, sacri dicuntur, quia accipiunt ministerium super aliqua sacra. Deserviunt etiam superiores ordines in praeparatione populi. Unde et diaconibus committitur evangelica doctrina populo proponenda; subdiaconibus apostolica; acolythis ut circa utrumque exhibeant quod pertinet ad solemnitatem doctrinae, ut scilicet luminaria deferant, et alia huiusmodi administrent. The higher orders serve the priestly order both in the preparation of the people and in the celebration of the sacrament. Acolytes exercise their ministry over the non-sacred vessels, in which the matter of the sacrament is prepared; therefore, the cruets are delivered to them at their ordination. Subdeacons exercise their ministry over the sacred vessels, and the preparation of the matter before consecration. Deacons exercise a ministry over the already consecrated matter, inasmuch as they distribute Christ’s blood to the faithful. Therefore, these three—the priesthood, diaconate, and sub-diaconate—are called sacred orders because they confer a ministry over sacred things. These higher orders serve also in the preparation of the people: hence deacons are entrusted with the proclamation of the Gospel teaching; subdeacons, with the teaching of the apostles; while the acolytes serve by conducing to the solemnity of that teaching by bearing lighted candles, and in other like ministrations. Caput 76 Chapter 76 De episcopali potestate: et quod in ea unus sit summus Of the episcopal dignity, and that one bishop is over all Quia vero omnium horum ordinum collatio cum quodam sacramento perficitur, ut dictum est; sacramenta vero Ecclesiae sunt per aliquos ministros Ecclesiae dispensanda: necesse est aliquam superiorem potestatem esse in Ecclesia alicuius altioris ministerii, quae ordinis sacramentum dispenset. Et haec est episcopalis potestas, quae, etsi quidem quantum ad consecrationem corporis Christi non excedat sacerdotis potestatem; excedit tamen eam in his quae pertinent ad fideles. Nam et ipsa sacerdotalis potestas ab episcopali derivatur; et quicquid arduum circa populum fidelem est agendum episcopis reservatur; quorum auctoritate etiam sacerdotes possunt hoc quod eis agendum committitur. Unde et in his quae sacerdotes agunt, utuntur rebus per episcopum consecratis: ut in Eucharistiae consecratione utuntur consecratis per episcopum calice, altari et pallis. Sic igitur manifestum est quod summa regiminis fidelis populi ad episcopalem pertinet dignitatem. It has been stated that all these orders are conferred by a certain sacrament, and that the sacraments of the Church have to be dispensed by certain ministers. Consequently, there must be in the Church a still higher power of some higher ministry to confer the sacrament of order. This is the episcopal power, which, while it does not surpass the priestly power in the consecration of Christ’s body, nevertheless does surpass it in things concerning the faithful, for the priest himself derives his power from the bishop, while all difficult matters regarding the faithful are reserved to bishops, by whose authority even the priests are able to do what they are appointed to do. Thus the priest uses things consecrated by a bishop for his priestly actions: for instance, in the celebration of the Eucharist, he uses a chalice, altar, and pall consecrated by the bishop. Hence it is evident that the supreme power in the direction of the faithful belongs to the episcopal dignity. Manifestum est autem quod quamvis populi distinguantur per diversas dioeceses et civitates, tamen, sicut est una Ecclesia, ita oportet esse unum populum Christianum. Sicut igitur in uno speciali populo unius Ecclesiae requiritur unus episcopus, qui sit totius populi caput; ita in toto populo Christiano requiritur quod unus sit totius Ecclesiae caput. Now, although the people are distributed among various dioceses and cities, nevertheless there is but one Church, and therefore only one Christian people. Consequently, just as a bishop is appointed as the head of a certain people and a particular church, so must the whole Christian people be subject to one who is the head of the whole Church. Item. Ad unitatem Ecclesiae requiritur quod omnes fideles in fide conveniant. Circa vero ea quae fidei sunt, contingit quaestiones moveri. Per diversitatem autem sententiarum divideretur Ecclesia, nisi in unitate per unius sententiam conservaretur. Exigitur igitur ad unitatem Ecclesiae conservandam quod sit unus qui toti Ecclesiae praesit. Manifestum est autem, quod Christus Ecclesiae in necessariis non defecit, quam dilexit, et pro qua sanguinem suum fudit: cum et de synagoga dicatur per dominum: quid ultra debui facere vineae meae, et non feci? Isaiae 5:4. Non est igitur dubitandum quin ex ordinatione Christi unus toti Ecclesiae praesit. Again. The unity of the Church requires that all the faithful be of one faith. Now, questions tend to arise about matters of faith, and the Church would be divided by differences of opinion unless its unity were safeguarded by the pronouncement of one. Therefore, in order to safeguard the unity of the Church, it is necessary that there be one who presides over the whole Church. Now Christ loved the Church and shed his blood for her; therefore, he did not fail her in her needs, seeing that it is said even of the Synagogue: What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? (Isa 5:4) There can be no doubt, therefore, that Christ provided his Church with a head. Adhuc. Nulli dubium esse debet quin Ecclesiae regimen sit optime ordinatum: utpote per eum dispositum per quem reges regnant et legum conditores iusta decernunt. Optimum autem regimen multitudinis est ut regatur per unum: quod patet ex fine regiminis, qui est pax; pax enim et unitas subditorum est finis regentis; unitatis autem congruentior causa est unus quam multi. Manifestum est igitur regimen Ecclesiae sic esse dispositum ut unus toti Ecclesiae praesit. Further. We cannot doubt that the government of the Church was perfectly provided for, since it was devised by one through whom kings reign and rulers decree what is just (Prov 8:15). Now the best form of government is when a people is governed by one: for it is clear that government’s end is peace, for peace and unity of the subjects is the end of the governing authority, and unity is more fittingly ensured by one than by many. Therefore, the government of the Church is so arranged that one presides over the whole. Amplius. Ecclesia militans a triumphanti Ecclesia per similitudinem derivatur: unde et Ioannes in Apocalypsi, vidit Ierusalem descendentem de caelo; et Moysi dictum est quod faceret omnia secundum exemplar ei in monte monstratum. In triumphanti autem Ecclesia unus praesidet, qui etiam praesidet in toto universo, scilicet Deus: dicitur enim Apoc. 21:3: ipsi populus eius erunt, et ipse cum eis erit eorum Deus. Ergo et in Ecclesia militante unus est qui praesidet universis. Moreover. The Church Militant originates from the Church Triumphant by its likeness to it: hence in the Apocalypse, John saw . . . Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (Rev 21:2); and Moses was bidden to make all things after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain (Exod 25:40). Now there is one who presides over the Church Triumphant, namely God, who also presides over the whole universe, for it is said: They shall be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God (Rev 21:3). Therefore, in the Church Militant, there is one who presides over all. Hinc est quod Oseae 1:11 dicitur: congregabuntur filii Iuda et filii Israel pariter, et ponent sibi caput unum. Et dominus dicit, Ioan. 10:16: fiet unum ovile et unus pastor. Hence it is said: The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head (Hos 1:11). And our Lord said: There shall be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16). Si quis autem dicat quod unum caput et unus pastor est Christus, qui est unus unius Ecclesiae sponsus: non sufficienter respondet. Manifestum est enim quod omnia ecclesiastica sacramenta ipse Christus perficit: ipse enim est qui baptizat; ipse qui peccata remittit; ipse est verus sacerdos, qui se obtulit in ara crucis, et cuius virtute corpus eius in altari quotidie consecratur: et tamen, quia corporaliter non cum omnibus fidelibus praesentialiter erat futurus, elegit ministros, per quos praedicta fidelibus dispensaret, ut supra dictum est. Eadem igitur ratione, quia praesentiam corporalem erat Ecclesiae subtracturus, oportuit ut alicui committeret qui loco sui universalis Ecclesiae gereret curam. Hinc est quod Petro dixit ante ascensionem: pasce oves meas, Ioan. ult.; et ante passionem: tu iterum conversus, confirma fratres tuos Lucae 22:32; et ei soli promisit: tibi dabo claves regni caelorum; ut ostenderetur potestas clavium per eum ad alios derivanda, ad conservandam Ecclesiae unitatem. Someone, however, may say that the one head and the one shepherd is Christ, who is the one bridegroom of the one Church, but this reply is not sufficient. It is evident that Christ himself accomplishes all the Church’s sacraments: it is he who baptizes; it is he who forgives sins; he is the true priest, who offered himself on the altar of the cross, and by whose power his own body is consecrated daily on the altar. And yet, because he was not to remain bodily present to all the faithful, he chose ministers, that through them he might give that same body to the faithful, as we have shown above. For the very reason, then, that he was about to withdraw his bodily presence from the Church, he needed to appoint one to take his place in governing the whole Church. Therefore, before his Ascension, he said to Peter: Feed my sheep (John 21:17); and before his Passion: When you have converted again, confirm your brothers (Luke 22:32); and to him alone he made the promise: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 16:19), in order to show that the power of the keys was to be received from him by others, so as to safeguard the unity of the Church. Non potest autem dici quod, etsi Petro hanc dignitatem dederit, tamen ad alios non derivatur. Manifestum est enim quod Christus Ecclesiam sic instituit ut esset usque ad finem saeculi duratura: secundum illud Isaiae 9:6: super solium David, et super regnum eius sedebit, ut confirmet illud et corroboret in iudicio et iustitia, amodo et usque in sempiternum. Manifestum est igitur quod ita illos qui tunc erant in ministerio constituit, ut eorum potestas derivaretur ad posteros, pro utilitate Ecclesiae, usque ad finem saeculi: praesertim cum ipse dicat, Matth. ult.: ecce, ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi. It cannot be said that, although he conferred this dignity on Peter, it does not pass from him to others. For it is evident that Christ so instituted his Church that it would endure to the end of the world: Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore (Isa 9:6). Hence it is evident that those he appointed to the ministry then and there were to communicate their powers to their successors until the end of time for the good of the Church; especially since he says: Behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matt 28:20). Per hoc autem excluditur quorundam praesumptuosus error, qui se subducere nituntur ab obedientia et subiectione Petri, successorem eius Romanum pontificem universalis Ecclesiae pastorem non recognoscentes. This suffices to refute the presumptuous error of those who dare to withdraw from obedience and submission to Peter by refusing to acknowledge his successor, the Roman pontiff, as the shepherd of the universal Church. Caput 77 Chapter 77 Quod per malos ministros sacramenta dispensari possunt That the sacraments can be dispensed by wicked ministers Ex his quae praemissa sunt manifestum est quod ministri Ecclesiae potentiam quandam in ordinis susceptione divinitus suscipiunt ad sacramenta fidelibus dispensanda. We have said enough to show that the ministers of the Church, at their ordination, receive from above power to dispense the sacraments to the faithful. Quod autem alicui rei per consecrationem acquiritur, perpetuo in eo manet: unde nihil consecratum iterato consecratur. Potestas igitur ordinis perpetuo in ministris Ecclesiae manet. Non ergo tollitur per peccatum. Possunt ergo etiam a peccatoribus, et malis, dummodo ordinem habeant, ecclesiastica sacramenta conferri. Now that which a thing acquires by being consecrated remains in it forever: therefore, that which is consecrated once is not consecrated again. Therefore, the ministers of the Church retain forever the power of their orders. Consequently, it is not taken away from them by sin. Therefore, the sacraments of the Church can be administered by sinners and wicked men, provided they be in orders. Item. Nihil potest in id quod eius facultatem excedit nisi accepta aliunde potestate. Quod tam in naturalibus quam in civilibus patet: non enim aqua calefacere potest nisi accipiat virtutem calefaciendi ab igne; neque balivus cives coercere potest nisi accepta potestate a rege. Ea autem quae in sacramentis aguntur, facultatem humanam excedunt, ut ex praemissis patet. Ergo nullus potest sacramenta dispensare, quantumcumque sit bonus, nisi potestatem accipiat dispensandi. Bonitati autem hominis malitia opponitur et peccatum. Ergo nec per peccatum ille qui potestatem accepit, impeditur quo minus sacramenta dispensare possit. Again. Nothing can produce an effect exceeding its faculty unless it receive the power from elsewhere. This is evident both in nature and in civil matters: water cannot give heat, unless it receive from fire the power to do so; nor can a magistrate imprison a citizen without having received power from the sovereign. Now the sacramental effects surpass the powers of man, as stated above. Therefore, no man, however good, can administer the sacraments unless he has received the power to do so. Now wickedness and sin are opposite to goodness. Therefore, neither does sin prevent a man who has received the power from being able to administer the sacraments. Adhuc. Homo dicitur bonus vel malus secundum virtutem vel vitium, quae sunt habitus quidam. Habitus autem a potentia in hoc differt quod per potentiam sumus potentes aliquid facere: per habitum autem non reddimur potentes vel impotentes ad aliquid faciendum, sed habiles vel inhabiles ad id quod possumus bene vel male agendum. Per habitum igitur neque datur neque tollitur nobis aliquid posse: sed hoc per habitum acquirimus, ut bene vel male aliquid agamus. Non igitur ex hoc quod aliquis est bonus vel malus, est potens vel impotens ad dispensandum sacramenta, sed idoneus vel non idoneus ad bene dispensandum. Again. A man is good or bad in reference to virtue and vice, which are habits. Now habit differs from power in that power makes it possible for us to do a certain thing, whereas habit does not make it possible for us to do a thing, but confers a certain ability or inability for doing well or ill that which it is possible for us to do. Consequently, habit neither gives nor removes the possibility of doing, but gives the facility of doing a certain thing well or ill. Therefore, the fact that a man is good or bad does not make it possible or impossible for him to administer the sacraments, but it makes him fit or unfit to administer them well. Amplius. Quod agit in virtute alterius, non assimilat sibi patiens, sed principali agenti: non enim domus assimilatur instrumentis quibus artifex utitur, sed arti ipsius. Ministri autem Ecclesiae in sacramentis non agunt in virtute propria, sed in virtute Christi, de quo dicitur Ioan. 1:33: hic est qui baptizat. Unde et sicut instrumentum ministri agere dicuntur: minister enim est sicut instrumentum animatum. Non igitur malitia ministrorum impedit quin fideles salutem per sacramenta consequantur a Christo. Moreover. That which acts by the power of another agent does not assimilate the material to itself, but to the principal agent: thus a house is not made in likeness to the instruments used by the builder, but is likened to his art. Now in dispensing the sacraments, the ministers of the Church act not by their own, but by Christ’s power, of whom it is said: It is he who baptizes (John 1:33). Therefore, the minister acts as a kind of instrument, for he is an animated instrument, as it were. Therefore, the wickedness of a minister does not prevent the faithful from being saved by Christ through the sacraments. Praeterea. De bonitate vel malitia alterius hominis homo iudicare non potest: hoc enim solius Dei est, qui occulta cordis rimatur. Si igitur malitia ministri impedire posset sacramenti effectum, non posset homo habere fiduciam certam de sua salute, nec conscientia eius remaneret libera a peccato. Inconveniens etiam videtur quod spem suae salutis in bonitate puri hominis quis ponat: dicitur enim Ierem. 17:5: maledictus homo qui confidit in homine. Si autem homo salutem consequi per sacramenta non speraret nisi a bono ministro dispensata, videretur spem suae salutis aliqualiter in homine ponere. Ut ergo spem nostrae salutis in Christo ponamus, qui est Deus et homo, confitendum est quod sacramenta sunt salutaria ex virtute Christi, sive per bonos sive per malos ministros dispensentur. Further. It is not for man to judge of another man’s goodness or wickedness: this belongs to God alone, who searches the secrets of the heart. Consequently, if the wickedness of a minister could prevent a sacrament from taking effect, man would be unable to be confident of his soul’s welfare, nor would his conscience be relieved of sin. Therefore, it would be unseemly if he were to base his hope of salvation on the goodness of a mere man: for it is said: Cursed is the man who trusts in man (Jer 17:5). And if a man had no hope of obtaining salvation through the sacraments, unless they were dispensed by a good minister, he would seem somewhat to trust in man for his salvation. Therefore, in order that we may place our hope of salvation in Christ, who is both God and man, we must acknowledge that the sacraments are salutary through Christ’s power, whether they be dispensed by good or by wicked ministers. Hoc etiam apparet per hoc quod dominus etiam malis praelatis obedire docet, quorum tamen non sunt opera imitanda: dicit enim Matthaeus 23:2 super cathedram Moysi sederunt Scribae et Pharisaei. Quae ergo dixerint vobis, servate et facite; secundum autem opera eorum nolite facere. Multo autem magis obediendum est aliquibus propter hoc quod suscipiunt ministerium a Christo, quam propter cathedram Moysi. Est ergo etiam malis ministris obediendum. Quod non esset nisi in eis ordinis potestas maneret, propter quam eis obeditur. Habent ergo potestatem dispensandi sacramenta etiam mali. This is also made evident by the fact that our Lord bade us obey even wicked superiors, although we must not imitate their works: The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do (Matt 23:2–3). And we ought much more to obey men by reason of their having been appointed ministers by Christ than by reason of their sitting in the chair of Moses. Therefore, even wicked ministers should be obeyed: and this would not be the case unless they retained the power of orders, which is the reason why they should be obeyed. Therefore, even the wicked have the power to dispense the sacraments. Per hoc autem excluditur quorundam error dicentium quod omnes boni possunt sacramenta ministrare, et nulli mali. This disposes of the error of those who said that all good men, but no wicked men, can administer the sacraments. Caput 78 Chapter 78 De sacramento matrimonii On the sacrament of matrimony Quamvis autem homines per sacramenta restaurentur ad gratiam, non tamen mox restaurantur ad immortalitatem: cuius rationem supra, ostendimus. Quaecumque autem corruptibilia sunt, perpetuari non possunt nisi per generationem. Quia igitur populum fidelium perpetuari oportebat usque ad mundi finem, necessarium fuit hoc per generationem fieri, per quam etiam humana species perpetuatur. Although the sacraments restore grace to man, they do not at once give him back immortality; we have already given the reasons for this. Now whatsoever things are corruptible cannot be perpetuated save by generation. Since, then, believers were to be perpetuated till the end of the world, this had to be done by means of generation, whereby also the human race is carried on. Considerandum est autem quod, quando aliquid ad diversos fines ordinatur, indiget habere diversa dirigentia in finem: quia finis est proportionatus agenti. Generatio autem humana ordinatur ad multa: scilicet ad perpetuitatem speciei; et ad perpetuitatem alicuius boni politici, puta ad perpetuitatem populi in aliqua civitate; ordinatur etiam ad perpetuitatem Ecclesiae, quae in fidelium collectione consistit. Unde oportet quod huiusmodi generatio a diversis dirigatur. Inquantum igitur ordinatur ad bonum naturae, quod est perpetuitas speciei, dirigitur in finem a natura inclinante in hunc finem: et sic dicitur esse naturae officium. Inquantum vero ordinatur ad bonum politicum, subiacet ordinationi civilis legis. Inquantum igitur ordinatur ad bonum Ecclesiae, oportet quod subiaceat regimini ecclesiastico. Ea autem quae populo per ministros Ecclesiae dispensantur, sacramenta dicuntur. Matrimonium igitur secundum quod consistit in coniunctione maris et feminae intendentium prolem ad cultum Dei generare et educare est Ecclesiae sacramentum: unde et quaedam benedictio nubentibus per ministros Ecclesiae adhibetur. We must observe that when a thing is directed to several ends, it needs several directors to those ends, because the end is proportionate to the agent. Now human generation is directed to several ends, namely, the continuation of the species, and the securing of some good of the state (such as the preservation of the people in some particular country); and it is also directed to the perpetuity of the Church which is the assembly of the faithful. Hence the generation in question needs to receive its direction from various sources. Insofar as it is directed to the good of nature (namely the perpetuation of the species), it is directed by nature which inclines to this end, and thus it is called an office of nature. Insofar as it is directed to the good of the state, it is subject to the control of the civil authority. But insofar as it is directed to the good of the Church, it must be subject to ecclesiastical power. Now those things which are dispensed by the ministers of the Church are called sacraments. Therefore, matrimony, as consisting in the union of a man and woman who intend to beget and educate children for the glory of God, is a sacrament of the Church: hence it is that the bridal pair receive a blessing from the ministers of the Church. Et sicut in aliis sacramentis per ea quae exterius aguntur, spirituale aliquid figuratur; sic et in hoc sacramento per coniunctionem maris et feminae coniunctio Christi et Ecclesiae figuratur: secundum illud apostoli, ad Ephes. 5:32: sacramentum hoc magnum est: ego autem dico in Christo et Ecclesia. And just as in the other sacraments, something spiritual is symbolized by external actions, so in this sacrament the union of husband and wife signifies the union of Christ with the Church, according to the saying of the Apostle: This is a great sacrament, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32). Et quia sacramenta efficiunt quod figurant, credendum est quod nubentibus per hoc sacramentum gratia conferatur, per quam ad unionem Christi et Ecclesiae pertineant: quod eis maxime necessarium est, ut sic carnalibus et terrenis intendant quod a Christo et Ecclesia non disiungantur. And seeing that the sacraments cause what they signify, we must believe that the sacrament of matrimony confers the grace to take part in the union of Christ with his Church on those who are joined in wedlock, since it is most necessary that they should so seek carnal and earthly things as not to be separated from Christ and his Church. Quia igitur per coniunctionem maris et feminae Christi et Ecclesiae coniunctio designatur, oportet quod figura significato respondeat. Coniunctio autem Christi et Ecclesiae est unius ad unam perpetuo habendam: est enim una Ecclesia, secundum illud Cant. 6:8: una est columba mea, perfecta mea; nec unquam Christus a sua Ecclesia separabitur, dicit enim ipse Matth. ult.: ecce, ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi; et ulterius: semper cum domino erimus, ut dicitur I ad Thess. 4:17. Necesse est igitur quod matrimonium, secundum quod est Ecclesiae sacramentum, sit unius ad unam indivisibiliter habendam. Et hoc pertinet ad fidem, qua sibi invicem vir et uxor obligantur. Since, then, the union of husband and wife signifies the union of Christ and the Church, the figure must correspond to the thing signified. Now the union of Christ with the Church is the unending union of one with one, for the Church is one: My dove, my perfect one, is only one (Song 6:9). Nor will Christ ever be separated from his Church, for he said: Behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matt 28:20); and again it is said: So we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:17). Therefore, matrimony, as a sacrament of the Church, must be the indissoluble union of one man with one woman: this pertains to the faith which binds husband and wife together. Sic igitur tria sunt bona matrimonii, secundum quod est Ecclesiae sacramentum: scilicet proles, ad cultum Dei suscipienda et educanda; fides, prout unus vir uni uxori obligatur; et sacramentum, secundum quod indivisibilitatem habet matrimonialis coniunctio, inquantum est coniunctionis Christi et Ecclesiae sacramentum. Accordingly, there are three blessings attaching to matrimony as a sacrament of the Church, namely, children, to be begotten and brought up to worship God; faith, inasmuch as one husband is bound to one wife; and the sacrament, inasmuch as it is an indissoluble union, symbolising the union of Christ with the Church. Cetera autem quae in matrimonio consideranda sunt, supra in tertio libro pertractavimus. Other matters connected with matrimony have been treated above.