§6Sed et benedicti, inquis, patriarchae non modo pluribus uxoribus, verum etiam concubinis coniugia miscuerunt.
'But,' you say, 'the blessed patriarchs mixed their marriages not only with several wives, but also with concubines.' Therefore, on that account, will it be permitted to us also to marry without number?
Ergo propterea nobis quoque licebit innumerum nubere? Sane licebit, si adhuc typi, futuri alicuius sacramenta, supersunt quos nuptiae tuae figurent, vel si etiam nunc locus est vocis illius: Crescite et multiplicamini, id est, si nondum alia vox supervenit, Tempus iam in collecto esse, restare, ut et qui uxores habeant tamquam non habentes agant. Utique enim continentiam indicens et compescens concubitum, seminarium generis, abolefecit Crescite illud et multiplicamini.
Certainly it will be permitted, if there still remain types, sacraments of some future thing, which your marriage might figure, or if even now there is room for that voice: 'Increase and multiply,' that is, if another voice has not yet supervened: 'The time is already shortened, it remains that even those who have wives act as though they had them not.' For certainly, by enjoining continence and restraining intercourse, the nursery of the race, he abolished that 'Increase and multiply.' But in my opinion, both pronouncements and dispensations belong to one and the same God, who indeed at that time in the beginning sent forth the seed of the race by loosening the reins of marriage, until the world should be filled, and until the material of the new discipline should advance.
Ut opinor autem, unius et eiusdem dei utraque pronuntiatio et dispositio est, qui tum quidem in primordio sementem generis emisit indultis coniugiorum habenis, donec mundus repleretur, donec novae disciplinae materia proficeret. Nunc vero sub extremitatibus temporum compressit quod emiserat et revocavit quod indulserat, non sine ratione prorogationis in primordio et repastinationis in ultimo.
But now, in the extremities of times, He has compressed what He had sent forth and recalled what He had permitted, not without a rational cause of extension in the beginning and of replowing in the end.
Semper initia laxantur.
Beginnings are always relaxed.
Propterea silvam quis instituit et crescere sinit, ut tempore suo caedat.
For this reason, a man plants a forest and allows it to grow, so that in his own time he may fell it.
Silva erat vetus dispositio, quae ab evangelio novo deputatur, in quo et securis ad radices posita.
The forest was the old dispensation, which is cut down by the new gospel, in which also the axe is laid at the roots.
Sic et Oculum pro oculo et dentem pro dente iam senuit ex quo iuvenuit Malum pro malo nemo reddat.
Thus also 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' has already grown old, since 'Let no one render evil for evil' became young.
Puto autem etiam in humanas constitutiones atque decreta posteriora pristinis praevalere.
But I think that even in human constitutions and decrees, the later prevail over the prior.
§7Cur autem de pristinis exemplis non ea potius agnoscamus quae cum posterioribus communicant de disciplina et formam vetustatis ad novitatem transmittunt? Ecce enim in vetere lege animadverto castratam licentiam saepius nubendi.
But why, from among the pristine examples, do we not rather recognize those which communicate with the later ones concerning discipline, and transmit the pattern of antiquity to novelty? For behold, even in the old law, I notice that the license of marrying more often is gelded.
Cautum in Levitico: Sacerdotes mei non plus nubent. Possum dicere etiam illud plus esse quod semel non est.
It is provided in Leviticus: 'My priests shall not marry more.' I can say that even that which is not once is 'more'.
Quod non unum est, numerus est.
What is not one is a number.
Denique post unum incipit numerus.
In short, after one begins number.
Unum autem est omne quod semel est.
But everything that is once is one.
Sed Christo servabatur, sicut in ceteris, ita in isto quoque legis plenitudo.
But for Christ was reserved, as in other things, so in this also, the fullness of the law.
Inde igitur apud nos plenius atque instructius praescribitur unius matrimonii esse oportere qui alleguntur in ordinem sacerdotalem.
Hence, therefore, among us it is prescribed more fully and instructively that those who are chosen into the priestly order ought to be of one marriage.
Usque adeo quosdam memini digamos loco deiectos.
To such a degree, I remember some digamists being degraded from their position.
Sed dices: Ergo ceteris licet, quos excipit. Vani erimus, si putaverimus quod sacerdotibus non liceat laicis licere.
But you will say: 'Therefore it is permitted to the rest, whom it excepts.' We shall be vain, if we think that what is not permitted to priests is permitted to laymen.
Nonne et laici sacerdotes sumus? Scriptum est: Regnum quoque nos et sacerdotes deo et patri suo fecit. Differentiam inter ordinem et plebem constituit ecclesiae auctoritas, et honor per ordinis consessum sanctificatus.
Are not we laymen also priests? It is written: 'He made us also a kingdom and priests to His God and Father.' The authority of the church established the difference between the order and the common people, and the honor sanctified by the session of the order.
Adeo ubi eccelsiastici ordinis non est consessus, et offers et tinguis et sacerdos es tibi solus.
So much so that where there is no session of the ecclesiastical order, you both offer and baptize, and you are a priest for yourself alone.
Sed ubi tres, ecclesia est, licet laici.
But where three are, there is a church, although they be laymen.
Unusquisque enim sua fide vivit, nec est personarum exceptio apud deum; quoniam non auditores legis iustificantur a domino, sed factores, secundum quod et apostolus dicit.
For everyone lives by his own faith, nor is there respect of persons with God; since not the hearers of the law are justified by the Lord, but the doers, according to what the apostle also says.
Igitur si habes ius sacerdotis in temetipso ubi necesse est, habeas oportet etiam disciplinam sacerdotis, ubi necesse sit habere ius sacerdotis.
Therefore, if you have the right of a priest in yourself where it is necessary, you ought also to have the discipline of a priest where it is necessary to have the right of a priest.
Digamus tinguis? digamus offers? Quanto magis laico digamo capitale est agere pro sacerdote, cum ipsi sacerdoti digamo facto auferatur agere sacerdotem? Sed necessitati, inquis, indulgetur.
Do you, a digamist, baptize? Do you, a digamist, offer? How much more is it a capital offense for a digamist layman to act on behalf of a priest, when from the priest himself, once he has become a digamist, the power to act as priest is taken away? But you say, indulgence is granted to necessity.
Nulla necessitas excusatur quae potest non esse.
No necessity is excused which can avoid being.
Noli denique digamus deprehendi, et non committis in necessitatem administrandi quod non licet digamo, Omnes nos deus ita vult dispositos esse, ut ubique sacramentis eius obeundis apti simus.
Do not, in short, be found a digamist, and you will not fall into the necessity of administering what is not permitted to a digamist. God wants us all to be so disposed that we may be fit everywhere for performing His sacraments.
Unus deus, una fides, una et disciplina.
One God, one faith, and one discipline.
Usque adeo nisi et laici ea observent per quae presbyteri alleguntur, quomodo erunt presbyteri qui de laicis alleguntur? Ergo pugnare debemus ante laicum iussum a secundo matrimonio abstinere, dum presbyter esse non alius potest quam laicus semel fuerit maritus.
To such a degree, unless laymen also observe those things through which presbyters are chosen, how will there be presbyters who are chosen from among laymen? Therefore, we must first contend that the layman is ordered to abstain from second marriage, since no one can become a presbyter except a layman who has been once a husband.