Quaestio 42 Question 42 De matrimonio inquantum est sacramentum Matrimony as a Sacrament Deinde considerandum est de matrimonio inquantum est sacramentum. We must next consider matrimony as a sacrament. Circa quod quaeruntur quattuor. Under this head there are four points of inquiry: Primo: utrum sit sacramentum. (1) Whether matrimony is a sacrament? Secundo: utrum debuerit institui ante peccatum. (2) Whether it ought to have been instituted before sin was committed? Tertio: utrum conferat gratiam. (3) Whether it confers grace? Quarto: utrum carnalis commixtio sit de integritate matrimonii. (4) Whether carnal intercourse belongs to the integrity of matrimony? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum matrimonium sit sacramentum Whether matrimony is a sacrament? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod matrimonium non sit sacramentum. Omne enim sacramentum novae legis habet aliquam formam, quae est de essentia sacramenti. Sed benedictio quae fit per sacerdotes in nuptiis, non est de essentia matrimonii. Ergo non est sacramentum. Objection 1: It would seem that matrimony is not a sacrament. For every sacrament of the new law has a form that is essential to the sacrament. But the blessing given by the priest at a wedding is not essential to matrimony. Therefore, it is not a sacrament. Praeterea, sacramentum, secundum Hugonem, est materiale elementum. Sed matrimonium non habet pro materia aliquod materiale elementum. Ergo non est sacramentum. Obj. 2: Further, a sacrament, according to Hugh (On the Sacraments 1), is a material element. But matrimony has not a material element for its matter. Therefore, it is not a sacrament. Praeterea, sacramenta habent efficaciam ex passione Christi. Sed per matrimonium non conformatur homo passioni Christi, quae fuit poenalis: cum habeat delectationem adiunctam. Ergo non est sacramentum. Obj. 3: Further, the sacraments derive their efficacy from Christ’s Passion. But matrimony, since it has pleasure adjoined to it, does not conform man to Christ’s Passion, which was painful. Therefore, it is not a sacrament. Praeterea, omne sacramentum novae legis efficit quod figurat. Sed matrimonium non efficit coniunctionem Christi et Ecclesiae, quam significat. Ergo matrimonium non est sacramentum. Obj. 4: Further, every sacrament of the new law causes that which it signifies. Yet matrimony does not cause the union of Christ with the Church, which union it signifies. Therefore, matrimony is not a sacrament. Praeterea, in aliis sacramentis est aliquid quod est res et sacramentum. Sed hoc non potest inveniri in matrimonio: cum non imprimat characterem; alias non iteraretur. Ergo non est sacramentum. Obj. 5: Further, in the other sacraments there is something which is reality and sacrament. But this is not to be found in matrimony, since it does not imprint a character, else it would not be repeated. Therefore, it is not a sacrament. Sed contra: Est quod dicitur Ephes. 5: sacramentum hoc magnum est. Ergo, etc. On the contrary, It is written: this is a great sacrament (Eph 5:32). Therefore, etc. Praeterea, sacramentum est sacrae rei signum. Sed matrimonium est huiusmodi. Ergo, etc. Further, A sacrament is the sign of a sacred thing. But such is matrimony. Therefore, etc. Respondeo dicendum quod sacramentum importat aliquod remedium sanctitatis homini contra peccatum exhibitum per sensibilia signa. Unde, cum hoc inveniatur in matrimonio, inter sacramenta computatur. I answer that, A sacrament denotes a sanctifying remedy against sin offered to man under sensible signs. Therefore, since this is the case in matrimony, it is reckoned among the sacraments. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod verba quibus consensus matrimonialis exprimitur, sunt forma huius sacramenti: non autem benedictio sacerdotis, quae est quoddam sacramentale. Reply Obj. 1: The words whereby the marriage consent is expressed are the form of this sacrament, and not the priest’s blessing, which is a sacramental. Ad secundum dicendum quod sacramentum matrimonii perficitur per actum eius qui sacramento illo utitur, sicut poenitentia. Et ideo, sicut poenitentia non habet aliam materiam nisi ipsos actus sensui subiectos, qui sunt loco materialis elementi, ita est de matrimonio. Reply Obj. 2: The sacrament of matrimony, like that of penance, is perfected by the act of the recipient. Wherefore just as penance has no other matter than the sensible acts themselves, which take the place of the material element, so it is in matrimony. Ad tertium dicendum quod, quamvis matrimonium non conformet passioni Christi quantum ad poenam, conformat tamen ei quantum ad caritatem, per quam pro Ecclesia sibi in sponsam coniungenda passus est. Reply Obj. 3: Although matrimony is not conformed to Christ’s Passion as regards pain, it is as regards charity, whereby he suffered for the Church who was to be united to him as his spouse. Ad quartum dicendum quod unio Christi ad Ecclesiam non est res contenta in hoc sacramento, sed res significata non contenta: et talem rem nullum sacramentum efficit. Sed habet aliam rem contentam et significatam, quam efficit, ut dicetur Magister autem ponit rem non contentam, quia erat huius opinionis quod non haberet rem aliquam contentam. Reply Obj. 4: The union of Christ with the Church is not the reality contained in this sacrament, but is the reality signified and not contained—and no sacrament causes a reality of that kind—but it has another both contained and signified which it causes, as we shall state further on (ad 5). The Master, however, asserts that it is a non-contained reality (Sentences IV, D. 26), because he was of the opinion that matrimony has no reality contained therein. Ad quintum dicendum quod etiam in hoc sacramento sunt illa tria. Quia sacramenta tantum sunt actus exterius apparentes; sed res et sacramentum est obligatio quae innascitur viri ad mulierem ex talibus actibus; sed res ultima contenta est effectus huius sacramenti; non contenta autem est res quam Magister determinat. Reply Obj. 5: In this sacrament also those three things (III, Q. 66, A. 1) are to be found, for the acts externally apparent are the sacrament only; the bond between husband and wife resulting from those acts is reality and sacrament; and the ultimate reality contained is the effect of this sacrament, while the non-contained reality is that which the Master assigns (Sentences IV, D. 26). Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum matrimonium debuerit institui ante peccatum Whether matrimony ought to have been instituted before sin? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod matrimonium non debuit institui ante peccatum. Quia illud quod est de iure naturali, non indiget institutione. Sed matrimonium est huiusmodi, ut ex dictis patet. Ergo non debuit institui. Objection 1: It would seem that matrimony ought not to have been instituted before sin. For that which is of natural law needs not to be instituted. Now such is matrimony, as stated above (Q. 41, A. 1). Therefore, it ought not to have been instituted. Praeterea, sacramenta sunt quaedam medicinae contra morbum peccati. Sed medicina non praeparatur nisi morbo. Ergo ante peccatum non debuit institui. Obj. 2: Further, sacraments are medicines against the disease of sin. But a medicine is not prepared except for an actual disease. Therefore, it should not have been instituted before sin. Praeterea, ad idem sufficit una institutio. Sed matrimonium fuit institutum etiam post peccatum, ut in littera dicitur. Ergo ante peccatum non fuit institutum. Obj. 3: Further, one institution suffices for one thing. Now matrimony was instituted also after sin, as stated in the text (Sentences IV, D. 26). Therefore, it was not instituted before sin. Praeterea, institutio sacramenti debet esse a Deo. Sed ante peccatum verba quae ad matrimonium pertinent determinate, non sunt dicta a Deo, sed ab Adam: illa autem verba quae Deus dixit crescite et multiplicamini, dicta sunt etiam brutis, in quibus non est matrimonium. Ergo matrimonium non fuit institutum ante peccatum. Obj. 4: Further, the institution of a sacrament must come from God. Now before sin, the words relating to matrimony were not definitely said by God, but by Adam; the words which God uttered, increase and multiply (Gen 1:22), were addressed also to the brute creation where there is no marriage. Therefore, matrimony was not instituted before sin. Praeterea, matrimonium est sacramentum novae legis. Sed sacramenta novae legis a Christo initium sumpserunt. Ergo non debuit ante peccatum institui. Obj. 5: Further, matrimony is a sacrament of the new law. But the sacraments of the new law took their origin from Christ. Therefore, it ought not to have been instituted before sin. Sed contra: Est quod dicitur Matth. 19: non legistis quod ab initio qui fecit homines, masculum et feminam fecit eos? On the contrary, Matthew 19:4 says: have you not read that he who made man from the beginning made them male and female? Praeterea, matrimonium est institutum ad procreationem prolis. Sed ante peccatum erat necessaria homini procreatio prolis. Ergo ante peccatum debuit matrimonium institui. Further, Matrimony was instituted for the begetting of children. But the begetting of children was necessary to man before sin. Therefore, matrimony ought to have been instituted before sin. Respondeo dicendum quod natura inclinat ad matrimonium intendens aliquod bonum, quod quidem variatur secundum diversos hominum status. Et ideo oportet quod illud bonum diversimode in diversis statibus hominum instituatur. Et ideo matrimonium, secundum quod ordinatur ad procreationem prolis, quae erat necessaria etiam peccato non existente, institutum fuit ante peccatum. Secundum autem quod remedium praebet contra vulnus peccati, institutum fuit post peccatum tempore legis naturae. Secundum autem determinationem personarum, institutionem habuit in lege Moysi. Sed secundum quod repraesentat mysterium coniunctionis Christi et Ecclesiae, institutionem habuit in nova lege: et secundum hoc est sacramentum novae legis. Quantum autem ad alias utilitates quae ex matrimonio consequuntur, sicut est amicitia et mutuum obsequium sibi a coniugibus impensum, habet institutionem in lege civili. I answer that, Nature inclines to marriage with a certain good in view, which good varies according to the different states of man; therefore, it was necessary for matrimony to be variously instituted in the various states of man in reference to that good. Consequently, matrimony as directed to the begetting of children, which was necessary even when there was no sin, was instituted before sin. According as it affords a remedy for the wound of sin, it was instituted after sin at the time of the natural law. Its institution belongs to the Mosaic law as regards personal disqualifications. It was instituted in the new law insofar as it represents the mystery of Christ’s union with the Church, and in this respect it is a sacrament of the new law. As regards other advantages resulting from matrimony, such as the friendship and mutual services which husband and wife render one another, its institution belongs to the civil law. Sed quia de ratione sacramenti est quod sit signum et remedium, ideo quantum ad medias institutiones competit ei ratio sacramenti; sed quantum ad primam institutionem, competit ei quod sit in officium naturae; quantum vero ad ultimam, quod sit in officium civilitatis. Since, however, a sacrament is essentially a sign and a remedy, it follows that the nature of sacrament applies to matrimony as regards the intermediate institution; that it is fittingly intended to fulfill an office of nature as regards the first institution; and, as regards the last-mentioned institution, that it is directed to fulfill an office of society. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod illa quae in communi sunt de iure naturali, indigent institutione quantum ad eorum determinationem, quae diversimode competit secundum diversos status: sicut de iure naturali est quod maleficia puniantur, sed quod talis poena tali culpae apponatur, per determinationem iuris positivi fit. Reply Obj. 1: Things which are of natural law in a general way need to be instituted as regards their determination, which is subject to variation according to various states; just as it is of natural law that evil-doers be punished, but that such and such a punishment be appointed for such and such a crime is determined by positive law. Ad secundum dicendum quod matrimonium non est tantum in remedium contra peccatum, sed principaliter est in officium naturae. Et sic institutum fuit ante peccatum, non autem prout est in remedium. Reply Obj. 2: Matrimony is not only for a remedy against sin, but is chiefly for an office of nature. And thus it was instituted before sin, but not as intended for a remedy.