Et similiter in beata virgine fuit triplex perfectio gratiae. Prima quidem quasi dispositiva, per quam reddebatur idonea ad hoc quod esset mater Christi, et haec fuit perfectio sanctificationis. Secunda autem perfectio gratiae fuit in beata virgine ex praesentia filii Dei in eius utero incarnati. Tertia autem perfectio est finis, quam habet in gloria. In like manner there was a threefold perfection of grace in the Blessed Virgin. The first was a kind of disposition, by which she was made worthy to be the mother of Christ: and this was the perfection of her sanctification. The second perfection of grace in the Blessed Virgin was through the presence of the Son of God Incarnate in her womb. The third perfection of the end is that which she has in glory. Quod autem secunda perfectio sit potior quam prima, et tertia quam secunda, patet quidem, uno modo, per liberationem a malo. Nam primo, in sua sanctificatione fuit liberata a culpa originali; secundo, in conceptione filii Dei fuit totaliter mundata a fomite; tertio vero, in sui glorificatione fuit liberata etiam ab omni miseria. Alio modo, per ordinem ad bonum. Nam primo, in sua sanctificatione adepta est gratiam inclinantem eam ad bonum; in conceptione autem filii Dei consummata est ei gratia confirmans eam in bono; in sui vero glorificatione consummata est eius gratia perficiens eam in fruitione omnis boni. That the second perfection excels the first, and the third the second, appears (1) from the point of view of deliverance from evil. For at first in her sanctification she was delivered from original sin: afterwards, in the conception of the Son of God, she was entirely cleansed from the fomes: lastly, in her glorification she was also delivered from all affliction whatever. It appears (2) from the point of view of ordering to good. For at first in her sanctification she received grace inclining her to good: in the conception of the Son of God she received consummate grace confirming her in good; and in her glorification her grace was further consummated so as to perfect her in the enjoyment of all good. Ad tertium dicendum quod non est dubitandum quin beata virgo acceperit excellenter et donum sapientiae, et gratiam virtutum, et etiam gratiam prophetiae, sicut habuit Christus. Non tamen accepit ut haberet omnes usus harum et similium gratiarum, sicut habuit Christus, sed secundum quod conveniebat conditioni ipsius. Habuit enim usum sapientiae in contemplando, secundum illud Luc. II, Maria autem conservabat omnia verba haec, conferens in corde suo. Non autem habuit usum sapientiae quantum ad docendum, eo quod hoc non conveniebat sexui muliebri, secundum illud I Tim. II, docere autem mulieri non permitto. Miraculorum autem usus sibi non competebat dum viveret, quia tunc temporis confirmanda erat doctrina Christi miraculis; et ideo soli Christo et eius discipulis, qui erant baiuli doctrinae Christi, conveniebat miracula facere. Propter quod etiam de Ioanne Baptista dicitur, Ioan. X, quod signum fecit nullum, ut scilicet omnes in Christo intenderent. Usum autem prophetiae habuit, ut patet in cantico quod fecit, magnificat anima mea dominum. Reply Obj. 3: There is no doubt that the Blessed Virgin received in a high degree both the gift of wisdom and the grace of miracles and even of prophecy, just as Christ had them. But she did not so receive them, as to put them and such like graces to every use, as did Christ: but accordingly as it befitted her condition of life. For she had the use of wisdom in contemplation, according to Luke 2:19: But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. But she had not the use of wisdom as to teaching: since this befitted not the female sex, according to 1 Tim. 2:12: But I suffer not a woman to teach. The use of miracles did not become her while she lived: because at that time the Teaching of Christ was to be confirmed by miracles, and therefore it was befitting that Christ alone, and His disciples who were the bearers of His doctrine, should work miracles. Hence of John the Baptist it is written (John 10:41) that he did no sign; that is, in order that all might fix their attention on Christ. As to the use of prophecy, it is clear that she had it, from the canticle spoken by her: My soul doth magnify the Lord (Luke 1:46, etc.). Articulus 6 Article 6 Utrum sanctificari in utero, post Christum, proprium fuerit beatae virginis Whether after Christ, it was proper to the Blessed Virgin to be sanctified in the womb? Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod sanctificari in utero, post Christum, proprium fuerit beatae virginis. Dictum est enim quod propter hoc beata virgo in utero fuit sanctificata, ut redderetur idonea ad hoc ut esset mater Dei. Sed hoc est proprium sibi. Ergo ipsa sola fuit sanctificata in utero. Objection 1: It would seem that it was proper for the Blessed Virgin, after Christ, to be sanctified in the womb. For it has been said (A. 4) that the Blessed Virgin was sanctified in the womb, in order that she might be worthy to be the mother of God. But this is proper to her. Therefore she alone was sanctified in the womb. Praeterea, aliqui videntur propinquius accessisse ad Christum quam Ieremias et Ioannes Baptista, qui dicuntur sanctificati in utero. Nam Christus specialiter dicitur filius David et Abraham, propter promissionem eis specialiter factam de Christo. Isaias etiam expressissime de Christo prophetavit. Apostoli etiam cum ipso Christo conversati sunt. Nec tamen leguntur sanctificati in utero. Ergo etiam neque Ieremiae et Ioanni Baptistae convenit sanctificari in utero. Obj. 2: Further, some men seem to have been more closely connected with Christ than Jeremias and John the Baptist, who are said to have been sanctified in the womb. For Christ is specially called the Son of David and of Abraham, by reason of the promise specially made to them concerning Christ. Isaias also prophesied of Christ in the most express terms. And the apostles were in converse with Christ Himself. And yet these are not mentioned as having been sanctified in the womb. Therefore it was not befitting that either Jeremias or John the Baptist should be sanctified in the womb. Praeterea, Iob de seipso dicit, Iob XXXI, ab infantia crevit mecum miseratio, et de utero egressa est mecum. Et tamen propter hoc non dicimus eum sanctificatum in utero. Ergo etiam neque Ioannem Baptistam et Ieremiam cogimur dicere sanctificatos in utero. Obj. 3: Further, Job says of himself (Job 31:18): From my infancy mercy grew up with me; and it came out with me from womb. Nevertheless we do not for this reason say that he was sanctified in the womb. Neither therefore are we bound to say that Jeremias and John the Baptist were sanctified in the womb. Sed contra est quod de Ieremia dicitur, Ierem. I, antequam exires de ventre, sanctificavi te. Et de Ioanne Baptista dicitur, Luc. I, spiritu sancto replebitur adhuc ex utero matris suae. On the contrary, It is written of Jeremias (Jer 1:5): Before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. And of John the Baptist it is written (Luke 1:15): He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. Respondeo dicendum quod Augustinus, in epistola ad Dardanum, dubie videtur loqui de horum sanctificatione in utero. Potuit enim exsultatio Ioannis in utero, ut ipse dicit, esse significatio rei tantae, scilicet quod mulier esset mater Dei, a maioribus cognoscendae, non a parvulo cognitae. Unde in Evangelio non dicitur, credidit infans in utero eius, sed, exsultavit, videmus autem exsultationem non solum parvulorum, sed etiam pecorum esse. Sed haec inusitata extitit, quia in utero. Et ideo, sicut solent miracula fieri, facta est divinitus in infante, non humanitus ab infante. Quamquam, etiam si usque adeo est in illo puero acceleratus usus rationis et voluntatis ut intra viscera materna iam posset agnoscere, credere et consentire, ad quod in aliis parvulis aetas expectatur ut possint, et hoc in miraculis habendum puto divinae potentiae. I answer that, Augustine (Ep. ad Dardan.) seems to speak dubiously of their (Jeremias’ and John the Baptist’s) sanctification in the womb. For the leaping of John in the womb might, as he says, signify the great truth, viz. that the woman was the mother of God, which was to be made known to his elders, though as yet unknown to the infant. Hence in the Gospel it is written, not that the infant in her womb believed, but that it ‘leaped’: and our eyes are witness that not only infants leap but also cattle. But this was unwonted because it was in the womb. And therefore, just as other miracles are wont to be done, this was done divinely, in the infant; not humanly by the infant. Perhaps also in this child the use of reason and will was so far accelerated that while yet in his mother’s womb he was able to acknowledge, believe, and consent, whereas in other children we have to wait for these things till they grow older: this again I count as a miraculous result of the divine power. Sed quia expresse in Evangelio dicitur quod spiritu sancto replebitur adhuc ex utero matris suae; et de Ieremia expresse dicitur, antequam exires de vulva, sanctificavi te; asserendum videtur eos sanctificatos in utero, quamvis in utero usum liberi arbitrii non habuerunt (de quo Augustinus quaestionem movet); sicut etiam pueri qui sanctificantur per Baptismum, non statim habent usum liberi arbitrii. But since it is expressly said (of John) in the Gospel that he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb; and of Jeremias, Before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee; it seems that we must needs assert that they were sanctified in the womb, although, while in the womb, they had not the use of reason (which is the point discussed by Augustine); just as neither do children enjoy the use of free will as soon as they are sanctified by baptism. Nec est credendum aliquos alios sanctificatos esse in utero, de quibus Scriptura mentionem non facit. Quia huiusmodi privilegia gratiae, quae dantur aliquibus praeter legem communem, ordinantur ad utilitatem aliorum, secundum illud I Cor. XII, unicuique datur manifestatio spiritus ad utilitatem, quae nulla proveniret ex sanctificatione aliquorum in utero, nisi Ecclesiae innotesceret. Nor are we to believe that any others, not mentioned by Scripture, were sanctified in the womb. For such privileges of grace, which are bestowed on some, outside the common law, are ordered for the salvation of others, according to 1 Cor. 12:7: The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit, which would not result from the sanctification of anyone unless it were made known to the Church. Et quamvis iudiciorum Dei non possit ratio assignari, quare scilicet huic et non alii hoc munus gratiae conferat, conveniens tamen videtur fuisse utrumque istorum sanctificari in utero, ad praefigurandam sanctificationem per Christum fiendam. Primo quidem, per eius passionem, secundum illud Heb. ult., Iesus, ut sanctificaret per suum sanguinem populum, extra portam passus est. Quam quidem passionem Ieremias verbis et mysteriis apertissime praenuntiavit, et suis passionibus expressissime praefiguravit. Secundo, per Baptismum, I Cor. VI, sed abluti estis, sed sanctificati estis. Ad quem quidem Baptismum Ioannes suo Baptismo homines praeparavit. And although it is not possible to assign a reason for God’s judgments, for instance, why He bestows such a grace on one and not on another, yet there seems to be a certain fittingness in both of these being sanctified in the womb, by their foreshadowing the sanctification which was to be effected through Christ. First, as to His Passion, according to Heb. 13:12: Jesus, that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, suffered without the gate: which Passion Jeremias foretold openly by words and by symbols, and most clearly foreshadowed by his own sufferings. Second, as to His Baptism (1 Cor 6:11): But you are washed, but you are sanctified; to which Baptism John prepared men by his baptism. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod beata virgo, quae fuit a Deo electa in matrem, ampliorem sanctificationis gratiam obtinuit quam Ioannes Baptista et Ieremias, qui sunt electi ut speciales praefiguratores sanctificationis Christi. Cuius signum est quod beatae virgini praestitum est ut de cetero non peccaret mortaliter nec venialiter, aliis autem sanctificatis creditur praestitum esse ut de cetero non peccarent mortaliter, divina eos gratia protegente. Reply Obj. 1: The Blessed Virgin, who was chosen by God to be His Mother, received a fuller grace of sanctification than John the Baptist and Jeremias, who were chosen to foreshadow in a special way the sanctification effected by Christ. A sign of this is that it was granted to the Blessed Virgin thenceforward never to sin either mortally or venially: whereas to the others who were thus sanctified it was granted thenceforward not to sin mortally, through the protection of God’s grace. Ad secundum dicendum quod quantum ad alia potuerunt sancti esse Christo coniunctiores quam Ieremias et Ioannes Baptista. Qui tamen fuerunt ei coniunctissimi quantum ad expressam figuram sanctificationis ipsius, ut dictum est. Reply Obj. 2: In other respects these saints might be more closely united to Christ than Jeremias and John the Baptist. But the latter were most closely united to Him by clearly foreshadowing His sanctification, as explained above. Ad tertium dicendum quod miseratio de qua Iob loquitur, non significat virtutem infusam, sed quandam inclinationem naturalem ad actum huius virtutis. Reply Obj. 3: The mercy of which Job speaks is not the infused virtue; but a certain natural inclination to the act of that virtue. Quaestio 28 Question 28 De virginitate matris Dei The Virginity of the Mother of God Deinde considerandum est de virginitate matris Dei. Et circa hoc quaeruntur quatuor. We now have to consider the virginity of the Mother of God; concerning which there are four points of inquiry: Primo, utrum fuerit virgo in concipiendo. (1) Whether she was a virgin in conceiving? Secundo, utrum fuerit virgo in partu. (2) Whether she was a virgin in His Birth? Tertio, utrum permanserit virgo post partum. (3) Whether she remained a virgin after His Birth? Quarto, utrum votum virginitatis emiserit. (4) Whether she took a vow of virginity? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum mater Dei fuerit virgo in concipiendo Christum Whether the Mother of God was a virgin in conceiving Christ? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod mater Dei non fuerit virgo in concipiendo Christum. Nulla enim proles quae habet patrem et matrem, ex virgine matre concipitur. Sed Christus non solum dicitur habere matrem, sed etiam patrem, dicitur enim Luc. II, erant pater et mater eius mirantes super his quae dicebantur de illo. Et infra eodem dicit, ecce, ego et pater tuus dolentes quaerebamus te. Ergo Christus non est conceptus ex virgine matre. Objection 1: It would seem that the Mother of God was not a virgin in conceiving Christ. For no child having father and mother is conceived by a virgin mother. But Christ is said to have had not only a mother, but also a father, according to Luke 2:33: His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him: and further on (Luke 2:48) in the same chapter she says: Behold I and Thy father have sought Thee sorrowing. Therefore Christ was not conceived of a virgin mother. Praeterea, Matth. I probatur quod Christus fuerit filius Abrahae et David, per hoc quod Ioseph ex David descendit. Quae quidem probatio nulla videtur esse si Ioseph pater Christi non fuisset. Ergo videtur quod mater Christi eum ex semine Ioseph conceperit. Et ita non videtur fuisse virgo in concipiendo. Obj. 2: Further (Matt 1) it is proved that Christ was the Son of Abraham and David, through Joseph being descended from David. But this proof would have availed nothing if Joseph were not the father of Christ. Therefore it seems that Christ’s Mother conceived Him of the seed of Joseph; and consequently that she was not a virgin in conceiving Him. Praeterea, dicitur Galat. IV, misit Deus filium suum factum ex muliere. Mulier autem, consueto modo loquendi, dicitur quae est viro cognita. Ergo Christus non fuit conceptus ex virgine matre. Obj. 3: Further, it is written (Gal 4:4): God sent His Son, made of a woman. But according to the customary mode of speaking, the term woman applies to one who is known of a man. Therefore Christ was not conceived by a virgin mother. Praeterea, eorum quae sunt eiusdem speciei, est idem modus generationis, quia generatio recipit speciem a termino, sicut et ceteri motus. Sed Christus fuit eiusdem speciei cum aliis hominibus, secundum illud Philipp. II, in similitudinem hominum factus, et habitu inventus ut homo. Cum ergo alii homines generentur ex commixtione maris et feminae, videtur quod etiam Christus simili modo fuerit generatus. Et ita non videtur fuisse conceptus ex virgine matre. Obj. 4: Further, things of the same species have the same mode of generation: since generation is specified by its terminus just as are other motions. But Christ belonged to the same species as other men, according to Phil. 2:7: Being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. Since therefore other men are begotten of the mingling of male and female, it seems that Christ was begotten in the same manner; and that consequently He was not conceived of a virgin mother. Praeterea, quaelibet forma naturalis habet materiam sibi determinatam, extra quam esse non potest. Materia autem formae humanae videtur esse semen maris et feminae. Si ergo corpus Christi non fuerit conceptum ex semine maris et feminae, non vere fuisset corpus humanum, quod est inconveniens. Videtur igitur non fuisse conceptus ex virgine matre. Obj. 5: Further, every natural form has its determinate matter, outside which it cannot be. But the matter of human form appears to be the semen of male and female. If therefore Christ’s body was not conceived of the semen of male and female, it would not have been truly a human body; which cannot be asserted. It seems therefore that He was not conceived of a virgin mother. Sed contra est quod dicitur Isaiae VII, ecce, virgo concipiet. On the contrary, It is written (Isa 7:14): Behold a virgin shall conceive. Respondeo dicendum quod simpliciter confitendum est matrem Christi virginem concepisse, contrarium enim pertinet ad haeresim Ebionitarum et Cerinthi, qui Christum purum hominem arbitrantur, et de utroque sexu eum natum putaverunt. I answer that, We must confess simply that the Mother of Christ was a virgin in conceiving for to deny this belongs to the heresy of the Ebionites and Cerinthus, who held Christ to be a mere man, and maintained that He was born of both sexes. Quod Christus sit conceptus ex virgine, conveniens est propter quatuor. Primo, propter mittentis patris dignitatem conservandam. Cum enim Christus sit verus et naturalis Dei filius, non fuit conveniens quod alium patrem haberet quam Deum, ne Dei dignitas transferretur ad alium. It is fitting for four reasons that Christ should be born of a virgin. First, in order to maintain the dignity of the Father Who sent Him. For since Christ is the true and natural Son of God, it was not fitting that He should have another father than God: lest the dignity belonging to God be transferred to another. Secundo, hoc fuit conveniens proprietati ipsius filii, qui mittitur. Qui quidem est verbum Dei. Verbum autem absque omni corruptione cordis concipitur, quinimmo cordis corruptio perfecti verbi conceptionem non patitur. Quia igitur caro sic fuit a verbo Dei assumpta ut esset caro verbi Dei, conveniens fuit quod etiam ipsa sine corruptione matris conciperetur. Second, this was befitting to a property of the Son Himself, Who is sent. For He is the Word of God: and the word is conceived without any interior corruption: indeed, interior corruption is incompatible with perfect conception of the word. Since therefore flesh was so assumed by the Word of God, as to be the flesh of the Word of God, it was fitting that it also should be conceived without corruption of the mother. Tertio, hoc fuit conveniens dignitati humanitatis Christi, in qua locum peccatum habere non debuit, per quam peccatum mundi tollebatur, secundum illud Ioan. I, ecce, agnus Dei, scilicet innocens, qui tollit peccatum mundi. Non poterat autem esse quod in natura iam corrupta ex concubitu caro nasceretur sine infectione originalis peccati. Unde Augustinus dicit, in libro de nuptiis et concupiscentia, solus nuptialis concubitus ibi non fuit, scilicet in matrimonio Mariae et Ioseph, quia in carne peccati fieri non poterat sine ulla carnis concupiscentia, quae accidit ex peccato, sine qua concipi voluit qui futurus erat sine peccato. Third, this was befitting to the dignity of Christ’s humanity in which there could be no sin, since by it the sin of the world was taken away, according to John 1:29: Behold the Lamb of God (i.e., the Lamb without stain) who taketh away the sin of the world. Now it was not possible in a nature already corrupt, for flesh to be born from sexual intercourse without incurring the infection of original sin. Whence Augustine says (De Nup. et Concup. i): In that union, viz. the marriage of Mary and Joseph, the nuptial intercourse alone was lacking: because in sinful flesh this could not be without fleshly concupiscence which arises from sin, and without which He wished to be conceived, Who was to be without sin. Quarto, propter ipsum finem incarnationis Christi, qui ad hoc fuit ut homines renascerentur in filios Dei, non ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo, idest ex Dei virtute. Cuius rei exemplar apparere debuit in ipsa conceptione Christi. Unde Augustinus, in libro de sancta virginitate, oportebat caput nostrum, insigni miraculo, secundum corpus nasci de virgine, ut significaret membra sua de virgine Ecclesia secundum spiritum nascitura. Fourth, on account of the very end of the Incarnation of Christ, which was that men might be born again as sons of God, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13), i.e., of the power of God, of which fact the very conception of Christ was to appear as an exemplar. Whence Augustine says (De Sanct. Virg.): It behooved that our Head, by a notable miracle, should be born, after the flesh, of a virgin, that He might thereby signify that His members would be born, after the Spirit, of a virgin Church.