The Theory of Alexander of Hales on the Efficacy of the Sacrament of Matrimony

THE THEORY OF ALEXANDER OF HALES ON THE EFFICACY OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY Brief Conspectus of the Opinions of Predecessors and Contemporaries That the septenary number of the sacraments should have become the established and universally accepted teaching of the schoolmen all the while they themselves persisted in sustaining the evident paradox of the inefficacy of matrimony with respect to grace, poses no novelty to anyone conversant with sacramental literature. .That this attitude remained an heirloom handed down from the less developed period of sacramental study becomes apparent from witnesses to two extremes of that development. Abelard1 divides the sacraments into those which are spiritual, and those which are not; among the spiritual sacraments which are called the major ones and which avail unto salvation matrimony finds its place although it does not avail unto salvation. To take someone to wife avails not unto salvation in so far as it is of no merit unto salvation. It is conceded, however, on account of the obstacles to salvation, and remains a great sacrament, the visible species of invisible grace, a sign of a sacred thing, that is, of some secret or mystery. Matrimony, then, for Abelard is a great sacrament, but a sacrament only in the sense of sign; and in the sense of sign it signifies a great mystery, namely the union of Christ and the Church. However inefficacious it may be with reference to grace and in comparison to the other sacraments treated, baptism, the 1. Cf. P.L. 178, 1738 (Epitome Theologiae Christianae, Cap. XXVIII) : Horum sacramentorum alia sunt spiritualia, alia non. Spiritualia autem sunt ilia majora, quae scilicet ad salutem valent: quorum tamen unum est quod non ad salutem spectat, sed magnae rei sacramentum est, scilicet coniugium. Ducere siquidem uxorem non est alicujus meriti ad salutem, sed propter inconvenientiam ad salutem est concessum. Est autem sacramentum invisibilis gratiae visibilis species, vel sacrae rei signum, id est alicujus secreti. Cf. also ibid. c. 1748: Nunc de coniugio dicendum est, quod quidem sacramentum est, sed non confert aliquod donum, sicut caetera faciunt, sed tamen mali remedium est. Datur enim propter incontinentiam refraenandam ; unde magis ad indulgentiam pertinet. We may consult the article of G. Le Bras, Mariage, in the DTC (IX, 2143-2144) where these texts are touched upon. [69] [70] ALEXANDER OF HALES ON THE EFFICACY OF MATRIMONY eucharist, extreme unction and penance, it still holds its place among the sacraments and deserves attention because of the depth of its signification. Not so long before the Commentary of Alexander, in the Constitutions of Richard Poore, we find the seven sacraments enumerated in order.2 While a special supernatural virtue is attributed to the first five, orders and matrimony "through their virtue do not remit sin"; through matrimony however the sin of fornication is avoided. But recently D. Van den Eynde3 cited different theologians in the environs of Alexander of Hales, all of whom—with the exception of Vat. Lot. 608, who wavers in his affirmation—exclude from the sacrament of matrimony as such, that is as prescinding from the liturgical blessing of the Church, any supernatural gift. William of Auxerre concedes that matrimony preserves one from the likelihood of sin occasioned by our corrupt nature—it acts as preservative medicine while the other sacraments give medicinal and supernatural graces. Roland of Cremona affirms "without prejudice" that the sacraments of the New Law only, in contradistinction to the sacraments of the Old Law, justify the recipient; and even then not all the sacraments of the New Law, since matrimony is still in the New Law but an office for the procreation of children and a remedy against the dangers of a fallen nature. Guerric of Saint Quentin sustains the same negation, but for a different reason—the imparting of grace is a work of God, but matrimony, or the sacrament of matrimony, proceeding as it does from the consent of the parties, is a work of man. Vat Lot. 608 more nervously vacillates toward affirming a real efficacy—matri2 .Cf. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova et Amplissima Collectio, 22, 1103, Constitutiones Ricardi Poore: Sunt autem septem sacramenta . . . Duo vero sequentia , ordo et coniugium, nee omnium, licet quorumdam; nee per...