Articulus 9 Article 9 Utrum aliquis debeat alios inducere ad religionem intrandum Whether one ought to induce others to enter religion? Ad nonum sic proceditur. Videtur quod nullus debeat alios inducere ad religionem intrandum. Mandat enim beatus Benedictus, in regula sua, quod venientibus ad religionem non sit facilis praebendus ingressus, sed probandum est an spiritus a Deo sint. Et hoc etiam docet Cassianus, in IV Lib. de institutis Coenob. Multo ergo minus licet aliquem ad religionem inducere. Objection 1: It would seem that no one ought to induce others to enter religion. For the blessed Benedict prescribes in his Rule (lviii) that those who seek to enter religion must not easily be admitted, but spirits must be tested whether they be of God; and Cassian has the same instruction (De Inst. Coenob. iv, 3). Much less therefore is it lawful to induce anyone to enter religion. Praeterea, Matth. XXIII, dominus dicit, vae vobis. Qui circuitis mare et aridam ut faciatis unum proselytum, et, cum factus fuerit, facitis eum filium Gehennae duplo quam vos. Sed hoc videntur facere qui homines ad religionem inducunt. Ergo videtur hoc esse vituperabile. Obj. 2: Further, our Lord said (Matt 23:15): Woe to you . . . because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte, and when he is made you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves. Now thus would seem to do those who induce persons to enter religion. Therefore this would seem blameworthy. Praeterea, nullus debet inducere aliquem ad id quod pertinet ad eius detrimentum. Sed ille qui inducit aliquem ad religionem, quandoque ex hoc incurrit detrimentum, quia quandoque sunt obligati ad maiorem religionem. Ergo videtur quod non sit laudabile inducere aliquos ad religionem. Obj. 3: Further, no one should induce another to do what is to his prejudice. But those who are induced to enter religion, sometimes take harm therefrom, for sometimes they are under obligation to enter a stricter religion. Therefore it would not seem praiseworthy to induce others to enter religion. Sed contra est quod dicitur Exod. XXVI, cortina cortinam trahat. Debet ergo unus homo alium trahere ad Dei obsequium. On the contrary, It is written (Exod 26:3, seqq. ): Let one curtain draw the other. Therefore one man should draw another to God’s service. Respondeo dicendum quod inducentes alios ad religionem non solum non peccant, sed magnum praemium merentur, dicitur enim Iac. ult., qui converti fecerit peccatorem ab errore viae suae, liberat animam eius a morte, et operit multitudinem peccatorum; et Dan. XII dicitur, qui ad iustitiam erudiunt plurimos, quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates. I answer that, Those who induce others to enter religion not only do not sin, but merit a great reward. For it is written (Jas 5:20): He who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins; and (Dan 12:3): They that instruct many to justice shall be as stars for all eternity. Posset tamen contingere circa huiusmodi inductionem triplex inordinatio. Primo quidem, si violenter aliquis alium ad religionem cogeret, quod prohibetur, in decretis, XX, qu. III. Secundo, si aliquis simoniace alium ad religionem trahat, muneribus datis, ut prohibetur in decretis, qu. II, cap. quam pio. Nec tamen ad hoc pertinet si aliquis alicui pauperi necessaria ministret in saeculo, nutriens eum ad religionem, vel si, sine pacto, aliqua munuscula tribuat ad familiaritatem captandam. Tertio, si mendaciis eum alliciat. Imminet enim sic inducto periculum ne, cum se deceptum invenerit, retrocedat; et sic fiant novissima hominis illius peiora prioribus, ut dicitur Matth. XII. Nevertheless such inducement may be affected by a threefold inordinateness. First, if one person force another by violence to enter religion: and this is forbidden in the Decretals (XX, qu. iii, cap. Praesens). Second, if one person persuade another simoniacally to enter religion, by giving him presents: and this is forbidden in the Decretal (I, qu. ii, cap. Quam pio). But this does not apply to the case where one provides a poor person with necessaries by educating him in the world for the religious life; or when without any compact one gives a person little presents for the sake of good fellowship. Third, if one person entices another by lies: for it is to be feared that the person thus enticed may turn back on finding himself deceived, and thus the last state of that man may become worse than the first (Luke 11:26). Ad primum ergo dicendum quod illis qui ad religionem inducuntur, nihilominus reservatur probationis tempus, in quo difficultates religionis experiuntur. Et sic non facilis aditus eis datur ad religionis ingressum. Reply Obj. 1: Those who are induced to enter religion have still a time of probation wherein they make a trial of the hardships of religion, so that they are not easily admitted to the religious life. Ad secundum dicendum quod, secundum Hilarium, verbum illud domini praenuntiativum fuit perversi studii Iudaeorum quo, post Christi praedicationem, gentiles vel etiam Christianos ad Iudaicum ritum trahendo, faciunt dupliciter Gehennae filios, quia scilicet et peccata pristina quae commiserunt, eis in Iudaismo non dimittuntur et nihilominus incurrunt Iudaicae perfidiae reatum. Et secundum hoc, non facit ad propositum. Reply Obj. 2: According to Hilary (Can. xxiv in Matth.) this saying of our Lord was a forecast of the wicked endeavors of the Jews, after the preaching of Christ, to draw Gentiles or even Christians to observe the Jewish ritual, thereby making them doubly children of hell, because, to wit, they were not forgiven the former sins which they committed while adherents of Judaism, and furthermore they incurred the guilt of Jewish perfidy; and thus interpreted these words have nothing to do with the case in point. Secundum Hieronymum autem, hoc refertur ad Iudaeos etiam pro statu illo in quo legalia observari licebat, quantum ad hoc quod ille qui ab eis ad Iudaismum convertebatur, dum esset gentilis, simpliciter errabat; videns autem magistrorum vitia, revertitur ad vomitum suum, et, gentilis factus, quasi praevaricator, maiori poena fit dignus. Ex quo patet quod trahere alios ad cultum Dei, vel ad religionem, non vituperatur, sed hoc solum quod aliquis ei quem convertit det malum exemplum, unde peior efficiatur. According to Jerome, however, in his commentary on this passage of Matthew, the reference is to the Jews even at the time when it was yet lawful to keep the legal observances, insofar as he whom they converted to Judaism from paganism, was merely misled; but when he saw the wickedness of his teachers, he returned to his vomit, and becoming a pagan deserved greater punishment for his treachery. Hence it is manifest that it is not blameworthy to draw others to the service of God or to the religious life, but only when one gives a bad example to the person converted, whence he becomes worse. Ad tertium dicendum quod in maiori includitur minus. Et ideo ille qui est obligatus voto vel iuramento ad ingressum minoris religionis, potest licite induci ad hoc quod ad maiorem religionem transeat, nisi sit aliquid speciale quod impediat, puta infirmitas, vel spes maioris profectus in minori religione. Ille vero qui est obligatus voto vel iuramento ad ingressum maioris religionis, non potest licite induci ad minorem religionem, nisi ex aliqua speciali causa evidenti, et hoc cum dispensatione superioris. Reply Obj. 3: The lesser is included in the greater. Wherefore a person who is bound by vow or oath to enter a lesser order, may be lawfully induced to enter a greater one, unless there be some special obstacle, such as ill-health, or the hope of making greater progress in the lesser order. On the other hand, one who is bound by vow or oath to enter a greater order, cannot be lawfully induced to enter a lesser order, except for some special and evident motive, and then with the superior’s dispensation. Articulus 10 Article 10 Utrum sit laudabile quod aliquis religionem ingrediatur absque multorum consilio, et diuturna deliberatione praecedente Whether it is praiseworthy to enter religion without taking counsel of many, and previously deliberating for a long time? Ad decimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sit laudabile quod aliquis religionem ingrediatur absque multorum consilio, et diuturna deliberatione praecedente. Dicitur enim I Ioan. IV, nolite credere omni spiritui, sed probate spiritus, si ex Deo sunt. Sed quandoque propositum religionis intrandae non est ex Deo, cum frequenter per exitum religionis dissolvatur; dicitur autem Act. V, si est ex Deo consilium hoc aut opus, non poteritis dissolvere illud. Ergo videtur quod, magna examinatione praecedente, debeant aliqui religionem intrare. Objection 1: It would not seem praiseworthy to enter religion without taking counsel of many, and previously deliberating for a long time. For it is written (1 John 4:1): Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God. Now sometimes a man’s purpose of entering religion is not of God, since it often comes to naught through his leaving the religious life; for it is written (Acts 5:38, 39): If this counsel or this work be of God, you cannot overthrow it. Therefore it would seem that one ought to make a searching inquiry before entering religion. Praeterea, Prov. XXV dicitur, causam tuam tracta cum amico tuo. Sed maxime videtur hominis esse causa quae pertinet ad mutationem status. Ergo videtur quod non debeat aliquis religionem intrare, nisi prius cum amicis suis tractet. Obj. 2: Further, it is written (Prov 25:9): Treat thy cause with thy friend. Now a man’s cause would seem to be especially one that concerns a change in his state of life. Therefore seemingly one ought not to enter religion without discussing the matter with one’s friends. Praeterea, dominus, Luc. XIV, inducit similitudinem de homine qui vult turrim aedificare, quod prius sedens computat sumptus qui sunt ei necessarii, si habeat ad perficiendum, ne insultetur ei, quia hic homo incoepit aedificare, et non potuit consummare. Sumptus autem ad turrim aedificandam, ut Augustinus dicit, in epistola ad Laetum, nihil est aliud quam ut renuntiet unusquisque omnibus quae sunt eius. Contingit autem quandoque quod hoc multi non possunt, et similiter alias religionis observantias portare, in cuius figura, I Reg. XVII dicitur quod David non poterat incedere cum armis Saulis, quia non habebat usum. Ergo videtur quod non debeat aliquis religionem intrare, nisi diuturna deliberatione praemissa, et multorum consilio habito. Obj. 3: Further, our Lord (Luke 14:28) in making a comparison with a man who has a mind to build a tower, says that he doth first sit down and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it, lest he become an object of mockery, for that this man began to build and was not able to finish. Now the wherewithal to build the tower, as Augustine says (Ep. ad Laetum ccxliii), is nothing less than that each one should renounce all his possessions. Yet it happens sometimes that many cannot do this, nor keep other religious observances; and in signification of this it is stated (1 Kgs 17:39) that David could not walk in Saul’s armor, for he was not used to it. Therefore it would seem that one ought not to enter religion without long deliberation beforehand and taking counsel of many. Sed contra est quod dicitur Matth. IV, quod ad vocationem domini, Petrus et Andreas, continuo, relictis retibus, secuti sunt eum. Ubi Chrysostomus dicit, super Matth., talem obedientiam Christus quaerit a nobis ut neque instanti tempore remoremur. On the contrary, It is stated (Matt 4:20) that upon our Lord’s calling them, Peter and Andrew immediately leaving their nets, followed Him. Here Chrysostom says (Hom. xiv in Matth.): Such obedience as this does Christ require of us, that we delay not even for a moment. Respondeo dicendum quod diuturna deliberatio et multorum consilia requiruntur in magnis et dubiis, ut philosophus dicit, in III Ethic., in his autem quae sunt certa et determinata, non requiritur consilium. Circa ingressum autem religionis tria possunt considerari. Primo quidem, ipse religionis ingressus secundum se. Et sic certum est quod ingressus religionis est melius bonum, et qui de hoc dubitat, quantum est in se, derogat Christo, qui hoc consilium dedit. Unde Augustinus dicit, in libro de Verb. Dom., vocat te oriens, idest Christus, et tu attendis occidentem, idest ad hominem mortalem et errare potentem. Alio modo potest considerari religionis ingressus per comparationem ad vires eius qui est religionem ingressurus. Et sic etiam non est locus dubitationis de ingressu religionis, quia illi qui religionem ingrediuntur, non confidunt sua virtute se posse subsistere, sed auxilio virtutis divinae; secundum illud Isaiae XL, qui sperant in domino, mutabunt fortitudinem, assument pennas sicut aquilae, current et non laborabunt, ambulabunt et non deficient. Si tamen sit aliquod speciale impedimentum, puta infirmitas corporalis vel onera debitorum, vel aliqua huiusmodi, in his requiritur deliberatio, et consilium cum his de quibus speratur quod prosint et non impediant. Unde dicitur Eccli. XXXVII, cum viro irreligioso tracta de sanctitate, et cum iniusto de iustitia, quasi dicat, non, unde sequitur, non attendas his in omni consilio, sed cum viro sancto assiduus esto. In quibus tamen non est diuturna deliberatio habenda. Unde Hieronymus dicit, in epistola ad Paulinum, festina, quaeso, te, et haerenti in salo naviculae funem magis praecide quam solve. Tertio autem potest considerari modus religionem intrandi, et quam religionem aliquis ingredi debeat. Et de talibus potest etiam haberi consilium cum his qui non impediant. I answer that, Long deliberation and the advice of many are required in great matters of doubt, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii, 3); while advice is unnecessary in matters that are certain and fixed. Now with regard to entering religion three points may be considered. First, the entrance itself into religion, considered by itself; and thus it is certain that entrance into religion is a greater good, and to doubt about this is to disparage Christ Who gave this counsel. Hence Augustine says (De Verb. Dom., Serm. c, 2): The East, that is Christ, calleth thee, and thou turnest to the West, namely mortal and fallible man. Second, the entrance into religion may be considered in relation to the strength of the person who intends to enter. And here again there is no room for doubt about the entrance to religion, since those who enter religion trust not to be able to stay by their own power, but by the assistance of the divine power, according to Isa. 40:31, They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Yet if there be some special obstacle (such as bodily weakness, a burden of debts, or the like) in such cases a man must deliberate and take counsel with such as are likely to help and not hinder him. Hence it is written (Sir 37:12): Treat with a man without religion concerning holiness, with an unjust man concerning justice, meaning that one should not do so, wherefore the text goes on (Sir 37:14, 15), Give no heed to these in any matter of counsel, but be continually with a holy man. In these matters, however, one should not take long deliberation. Wherefore Jerome says (Ep. and Paulin. liii): Hasten, I pray thee, cut off rather than loosen the rope that holds the boat to the shore. Third, we may consider the way of entering religion, and which order one ought to enter, and about such matters also one may take counsel of those who will not stand in one’s way. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, cum dicitur, probate spiritus si ex Deo sunt, locum habet in his quae dubia sunt utrum spiritus Dei sit. Sicut dubium potest esse his qui iam sunt in religione, utrum ille qui religioni se offert, spiritu Dei ducatur, an simulate accedat, et ideo debent accedentem probare, utrum divino spiritu moveatur. Sed illi qui ad religionem accedit, non potest esse dubium an propositum de ingressu religionis in corde eius exortum sit a spiritu Dei, cuius est ducere hominem in terram rectam. Reply Obj. 1: The saying: Try the spirits, if they be of God, applies to matters admitting of doubt whether the spirits be of God; thus those who are already in religion may doubt whether he who offers himself to religion be led by the spirit of God, or be moved by hypocrisy. Wherefore they must try the postulant whether he be moved by the divine spirit. But for him who seeks to enter religion there can be no doubt but that the purpose of entering religion to which his heart has given birth is from the spirit of God, for it is His spirit that leads man into the land of uprightness (Ps 142:10). Nec propter hoc ostenditur non esse ex Deo, quod aliqui retrocedunt. Non enim omne quod est a Deo, est incorruptibile, alioquin, creaturae corruptibiles non essent ex Deo, ut Manichaei dicunt; neque etiam aliqui qui habent a Deo gratiam, possent illam amittere, quod etiam est haereticum. Sed consilium Dei est indissolubile, quo etiam corruptibilia et mutabilia facit, secundum illud Isaiae XLVI, consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet. Et ideo propositum de ingressu religionis non indiget probatione utrum sit a Deo, quia certa discussione non egent, ut dicit Glossa, super illud I ad Thess. ult., omnia probate. Nor does this prove that it is not of God that some turn back; since not all that is of God is incorruptible: else corruptible creatures would not be of God, as the Manicheans hold, nor could some who have grace from God lose it, which is also heretical. But God’s counsel whereby He makes even things corruptible and changeable, is imperishable according to Isa. 46:10, My counsel shall stand and all My will shall be done. Hence the purpose of entering religion needs not to be tried whether it be of God, because it requires no further demonstration, as a gloss says on 1 Thess. 5:21, Prove all things. Ad secundum dicendum quod, sicut caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, ut dicitur Galat. V; ita etiam frequenter amici carnales adversantur profectui spirituali, secundum illud Mich. VII, inimici hominis domestici eius. Unde Cyrillus, exponens illud Luc. IX, permitte me renuntiare his qui domi sunt, dicit, quaerere renuntiare his qui domi sunt, ostendit quod utcumque divisus sit, nam communicare proximis, et consulere nolentes aequa sapere, indicat adhuc utcumque languentem et recedentem. Propter quod, audit a domino, nemo, cum posuerit manum ad aratrum et aspexerit retro, habilis est ad regnum Dei. Aspicit enim retro qui dilationem quaerit occasione redeundi domum et cum propinquis conferendi. Reply Obj. 2: Even as the flesh lusteth against the spirit (Gal 5:17), so too carnal friends often thwart our spiritual progress, according to Mic. 7:6, A man’s enemies are they of his own household. Wherefore Cyril expounding Luke 9:61, Let me first take my leave of them that are at my house, says: By asking first to take his leave of them that were at his house, he shows he was somewhat of two minds. For to communicate with his neighbors, and consult those who are unwilling to relish righteousness, is an indication of weakness and turning back. Hence he hears our Lord say: ‘No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God,’ because he looks back who seeks delay in order to go home and confer with his kinsfolk. Ad tertium dicendum quod per aedificationem turris significatur perfectio Christianae vitae. Abrenuntiatio autem propriorum est sumptus ad aedificandam turrim. Nullus autem dubitat vel deliberat an velit habere sumptus, vel an possit turrim aedificare si sumptus habeat, sed hoc sub deliberatione ponitur, an aliquis sumptus habeat. Similiter sub deliberatione cadere non oportet utrum aliquis debeat abrenuntiare omnibus quae possidet, vel si, hoc faciendo, ad perfectionem pervenire possit. Sed hoc cadit sub deliberatione, utrum hoc quod facit, sit abrenuntiare omnibus quae possidet, quia nisi abrenuntiaverit, quod est sumptus habere, non potest, ut ibidem subditur, Christi esse discipulus, quod est turrim aedificare. Reply Obj. 3: The building of the tower signifies the perfection of Christian life; and the renunciation of one’s possessions is the wherewithal to build this tower. Now no one doubts or deliberates about wishing to have the wherewithal, or whether he is able to build the tower if he have the wherewithal, but what does come under deliberation is whether one has the wherewithal. Again it need not be a matter of deliberation whether one ought to renounce all that one has, or whether by so doing one may be able to attain to perfection; whereas it is a matter of deliberation whether that which one is doing amounts to the renunciation of all that he has, since unless he does renounce (which is to have the wherewithal) he cannot, as the text goes on to state, be Christ’s disciple, and this is to build the tower. Timor autem eorum qui trepidant an per religionis ingressum possint ad perfectionem pervenire, est irrationabilis; et multorum exemplo convincitur. Unde Augustinus dicit, VIII Confess., aperiebatur ab ea parte qua intenderam faciem, et quo transire trepidabam, casta dignitas continentiae, honeste blandiens ut venirem neque dubitarem, et extendens ad me suscipiendum et amplectendum pias manus plenas gregibus bonorum exemplorum. Ibi tot pueri et puellae; ibi iuventus multa et omnis aetas, et graves viduae et virgines anus. Irridebat me irrisione exhortatoria, quasi diceret, tu non poteris quod isti et istae? An isti et istae in semetipsis possunt, et non in domino Deo suo? Quid in te stas, et non stas? Proiice te in eum. Noli metuere, non se subtrahet, ut cadas. Proiice te securus, et excipiet te et sanabit te. The misgiving of those who hesitate as to whether they may be able to attain to perfection by entering religion is shown by many examples to be unreasonable. Hence Augustine says (Confess. viii, 11): On that side whither I had set my face, and whither I trembled to go, there appeared to me the chaste dignity of continency . . . honestly alluring me to come and doubt not, and stretching forth to receive and embrace me, her holy hands full of multitudes of good examples. There were so many young men and maidens here, a multitude of youth and every age, grave widows and aged virgins . . . And she smiled at me with a persuasive mockery as though to say: Canst not thou what these youths and these maidens can? Or can they either in themselves, and not rather in the Lord their God? . . . Why standest thou in thyself, and so standest not? Cast thyself upon Him; fear not, He will not withdraw Himself that thou shouldst fall. Cast thyself fearlessly upon Him: He will receive and will heal thee. Exemplum autem illud quod inducitur de David, non facit ad propositum. Quia arma Saulis, sicut Glossa dicit, sunt legis sacramenta, tanquam onerantia, religio autem est suave iugum Christi, quia, ut Gregorius dicit, in IV Moral., quid grave mentis nostrae cervicibus imponit qui vitare omne desiderium quod perturbat praecipit, qui declinari laboriosa mundi huius itinera monet? The example quoted of David is not to the point, because the arms of Saul, as a gloss on the passage observes, are the sacraments of the Law, as being burdensome: whereas religion is the sweet yoke of Christ, for as Gregory says (Moral. iv, 33), what burden does He lay on the shoulders of the mind, Who commands us to shun all troublesome desires, Who warns us to turn aside from the rough paths of this world? Quod quidem suave iugum super se tollentibus refectionem divinae fruitionis repromittit, et sempiternam requiem animarum. To those indeed who take this sweet yoke upon themselves He promises the refreshment of the divine fruition and the eternal rest of their souls. Ad quam nos perducat ipse qui promisit, Iesus Christus, dominus noster, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Amen. To which may He Who made this promise bring us, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is over all things God blessed for ever. Amen.