Dist. 25, Art. 1, Q. 3
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/25/q/bon-sent-IV-d25-a1-q3
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### Question III. *Whether a simoniac bishop can sell any order.*

Thirdly it is asked, whether a simoniac bishop is able to sell any order. And that he can, it seems:

1. Because nothing is forbidden except what is possible to be done, otherwise it is forbidden in vain; but the selling of a sacred order is forbidden — for in *Cause* I, *Question* I Calixtus forbids: "Following the examples of the holy Fathers, we forbid by every means, on the authority of the apostolic see, that anyone be ordained in the Church of God or promoted by money" — therefore etc.

2. Likewise, what can be received furtively can also be bought and sold for money; but a sacred order can be received furtively, as is said in the *Extra* [Decretals], "On one who furtively received an order", where a dispensation is granted to such men, if they enter religion, that they can minister in the orders received: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, that which consists in human dispensation can be bought and sold, just as it can also be freely administered; but the conferral of orders consists in human dispensation: therefore it can be bought and sold: therefore given simoniacally.

4. Likewise, the character of an order stands together with any culpability and malice whatsoever, therefore also the power of ordaining and of receiving an order: therefore however great the simoniacal depravity may be in someone, it does not seem to impede the giving or the reception of an order.

**On the contrary:** 1. Gregory says, and it is held in *Cause* I, *Question* I: "Whoever strives to receive a sacred order by the giving of a price is not a priest; but only vainly does he desire to be called one": therefore an order cannot be received through simony, therefore neither can a simoniac give it.

2. Likewise, Pope Leo argues thus, *Cause* I, *Question* I: "Grace, if it is not given or received freely, is not grace; but simoniacs do not receive freely: therefore the grace which operates most of all in ecclesiastical orders they do not receive. But if they do not receive it, they do not have it; and if they do not have it, they can give it to no one, neither freely nor not freely."

3. Likewise, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in the power of God, not of man — for they are called and are the gifts of the Holy Spirit precisely because He gives them — therefore no one can have them except from the Holy Spirit; but the Holy Spirit, since He is most liberal, can sell nothing nor does He sell: therefore His gifts can neither be sold for money nor purchased for a price. If therefore an order is a gift of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for it to be sold or bought for a price: therefore neither can it be given by any simoniac.

4. Likewise, in the sacred orders, namely the diaconate and the priesthood, the Holy Spirit is given, which is clear from what is said there: *Receive the Holy Spirit*; but the Holy Spirit cannot be sold: therefore neither can the sacred orders, which are also conferred by His giving. *Proof of the minor*: what can be bought and sold can be reduced to servitude; but the Holy Spirit cannot be reduced to servitude: therefore etc.

It is asked therefore, since simony is the deliberate will of buying or selling something spiritual, how it can occur in the conferral of sacred orders, or of other spiritual things, since these, as it seems, cannot be sold.

### Conclusion.

> *A simoniac bishop can give orders simoniacally.*

**I respond:** For the understanding of the aforesaid it must be noted that "spiritual" is said in two ways: in one way, that which is purely spiritual, as grace and the virtues and gifts; and this can be sold neither in fact nor by right, indeed if someone possessing it should wish to buy it, not only would he acquire nothing more, but he would even lose what he had. — In another way, "spiritual" is that which is joined [to something], namely to a corporeal thing; which nevertheless by reason of that spiritual thing is consecrated and receives the character of the spiritual; and this, because it is spiritual, cannot by right be sold, for the reason that it cannot be set under a price, yet in fact by reason of the corporeal thing it can be sold; and such are the ecclesiastical Sacraments. There is a certain spiritual thing which is joined to a corporeal thing, which nevertheless has the character of a temporal thing, as a consecrated chalice, or also the right of patronage; because there the consecration is joined to the silver, and the right of patronage to the land; and that is called spiritual because it is annexed to something spiritual; and this can in fact be sold, by right it cannot be sold, yet it can pass in a sale together with that to which it is joined. For a consecrated chalice can be sold, yet in such a way that the consecration is not sold, but the value of the silver; and a piece of land can be sold to which the right of patronage is annexed, but not the right of patronage itself by right, without simony being committed.

These things being premised, we must come to orders, in which there is something of the first kind, namely sanctifying grace, and something of the second, namely the ministerial power, dispensed through some exterior sign, to which it is inseparably joined. The first it is impossible to purchase or sell for a price; but the second it is indeed possible to give for a price, because it is inseparably joined to the exterior Sacrament; and since that can be given for money, that power too can be sold. — And so it is clear that a simoniac can give orders simoniacally.

1. 2. To that, then, which is objected concerning Gregory and Pope Leo, the response is clear, that they are speaking of *grace that makes pleasing* [gratia gratum faciens], which cannot be given except freely, and this is what makes [the order] *sacred*; not as regards the *power*, which is joined to the exterior thing placed in the dispensation of man.

3. To that which is objected concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit etc., it must be said that there are two ways of speaking of gifts of this kind that are freely given: either by reason of *themselves*, or by reason of *what is annexed*; and according to this they have a twofold dispenser: as regards *themselves* they have as dispenser the Holy Spirit, who imprints the character, or the whole Trinity; but as regards *what is annexed*

they have as dispenser a mere man. And the first never sells, but the second can sell what is annexed to that which is in a certain way spiritual, and on account of which it is bought; and therefore the gifts themselves are said to be sold, and he can [sell them], since temporal things to be dispensed have been committed to his power.

4. To that which is objected lastly, that the Holy Spirit cannot be reduced to servitude; it must be said that in Himself He cannot be sold, yet His effects can be sold, for the reason that they are established under human dominion. — And so it must be conceded that true orders can be given by simoniacs, although they are neither given nor received unto benefit, but rather unto damnation, and the good is turned for them into evil.

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