Dist. 33, Divisio Textus
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/33/q/bon-sent-IV-d33-divisio
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### COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XXXIII.
*In what manner the holy Fathers of the Old Testament kept faith of the marriage-bed.*

*It is asked here concerning the ancient Fathers, who [had] several [wives],* etc.

### DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

Above the Master showed that a man is bound to keep faith of the bed to his wife, and that when he does not keep it, he falls into fault. Here he intends to inquire whether the holy Fathers kept that faith. Now this part has two parts. In the first he excuses from fault the holy Fathers who at the same time had several wives. In the second he resolves certain doubts, there: *If anyone should object that they did not keep faith of the bed* etc.

The first part has three parts. In the first he excuses the holy Fathers from fault. In the second he confirms this by manifold authority, there: *Concerning this Augustine thus says* etc. In the third he commends their continence, there: *But that virginal chastity* etc., where he shows that in them conjugal continence was of equal merit — [and] of what and how great worth virginal continence is in us.

*If anyone should object that they did not keep faith of the bed* etc. This is the second part, in which he determines the doubts, in which he also does three things. For first he asks and determines whether they kept the good of fidelity. Second he asks and determines whether they kept the commandment of the Law, there: *But was it not permitted under the Law* etc. Third he determines which virginity or integrity is better and holier, whether that which is of the mind or that which is of the flesh, there: *But virginity of the mind is better than that of the flesh* etc. — And thus he briefly determines two things in this part, namely concerning conjugal continence in the ancient Fathers and concerning virginal [continence] in evangelical and spiritual men, or also women, and thirdly he briefly treats of divorce.

### TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

For the understanding of the present distinction, according to the three things which the Master determines, three matters are principally asked.

First it is asked concerning conjugal continence in the ancients.

Second it is asked concerning virginal [continence].

Third, concerning divorce.

Concerning the first, three questions are asked.

First it is asked whether it is against the law of nature to have a concubine.

Second, whether it is against the law of nature that one man have several wives.

Third it is asked whether God ought to have dispensed in this, that it should be lawful for a man to have concubines.

### ARTICLE I.
### *On conjugal continence in the ancients.*

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