Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Members of the Church · On the Clergy (Book I)
Chapter 6: The Fourth Proposition
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Clericis (De Membris Ecclesiae, Book I), On the Clergy (On the Members of the Church, Book I). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
“That it was not fitting for Christian priests to be propagated by carnal succession.” This opinion is confirmed, first, from the figure which preceded in the law of nature. For Melchizedek, according to whose order Christ and Christian priests are said to be priests, is therefore described as being without father, without mother, without genealogy (Hebrews 7), that we might understand that Christian priests ought not to be born, but made.
Secondly, the same is proved from the prophecy of Isaiah 66: “I will take,” says the Lord, “of them to be priests and Levites.” On which passage Saint Jerome observes that the Prophet therefore said, “I will take of them,” because in the New Testament (of which Isaiah in that place most openly speaks) the priests were not to be born of some one family, but to be taken from all nations.
Thirdly, the same is proved from the difference between the New Testament and the Old. For as in the Old Testament the people of God was propagated by carnal generation from Jacob, but in the New is propagated by spiritual regeneration from Christ, so also it was fitting that in the Old Testament the priests be propagated by carnal succession, but in the New be taken by spiritual election. Likewise, as the Aaronic priesthood was carnal — being wholly occupied in slaughtering oxen and sheep — while the Christian priesthood is spiritual, being occupied in sacrificing a spiritual and divine victim, so also it was fitting that the propagation of priests be carnal in the Old Testament, spiritual in the New. Add that those had wives and children, and accordingly that arrangement could easily be established, that sons should succeed their parents; but ours ought to be celibate, especially according to the rite of the purer Church. Wherefore it cannot in any way be that the Christian priesthood should follow the succession of carnal generation.
Fourthly, the same is proved by natural reason. For to the Christian commonwealth (which is indeed most perfect) the most perfect manner of instituting ministers is fitting; but the manner by election is far better than that by generation. For if election prevails, the best and most learned pastors can always be set over the churches; but if generation has place, we shall not seldom be forced to have boys for bishops, or wicked and unskilled men.
Nor can it rightly be objected that even now the wicked and unskilled, or striplings and almost boys, are often elected; for this happens not from the nature of the thing, but from the fault of the electors, which can easily be amended. But generation naturally brings with it disadvantages of this kind which admit no remedy at all. Let it stand, then, that it is better for the pastors of the Church to be elected than to be born.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT vi. Quarta Propositio. « Non decuisse Christianos Sacerdotes carnali successione propagari. » Confirma¬ tur haec sententia Primum ex figura, quae in lege naturae praecessit. Nam Melchisedech, secundum cujus ordinem Christus et Chris¬ tiani sacerdotes esse dicuntur, idcirco sine patre, sine matre, sine genealogia fuisse des¬ cribitur ad Heb. VII. utintelligeremus sacer¬ dotes Christianos non debere nasci, sed fieri. Secundo idem probatur ex prophetia Isaiae LXVI : Assumam , inquit Dominus, ex eis Sa¬ cerdotes, et Levitas (2). In quem locum obser¬ vat S. Hieronymus, ideo dixisse Prophetam : assumam ex eis, quia in Testamento novo, de quo apertissime eo loco loquitur Isaias, non erant Sacerdotes nascituri ex una aliqua familia, sed assumendi ex omnibus Genti¬ bus. Tertio, idem probatur ex differentia Tes¬ tamenti novi, ac veteris ; ut enim in testa¬ mento veteri populus Dei propagabatur per carnalem generationem ex Jacob, in novo autem propagatur per spiritualem regenera¬ tionem ex Christo : ita quoque par erat ut in Testamento veteri Sacerdotes carnali suc¬ cessione propagarentur, in novo autem spi¬ rituali electione assumerentur. Item quem¬ admodum sacerdotium Aaronicum carnale fuit* quippe quod totum in bobus, et ovibus mactandis occupabatur, Christianum autem sacerdotium spirituale est, cum in hostia spirituali, ac divina sacrificanda occupetur, sic etiam aequum erat, ut sacerdotum propa¬ gatio in Testamento veteri carnalis, in no¬ vo, spiritualis esset. Adde, quod illi uxores, et liberos habebant, proinde facile potuit illa ratio institui, ut parentibus filii succede¬ rent, nostri autem coelibes esse debent, prae¬ sertim secundum ritum Ecclesiae purioris. Quare non potest ullo pacto fieri, ut sacer¬ dotium Christianum successionem carnalis generationis consequatur. Quarto idem probatur naturali ratione. Christianae enim Reipub. (quae sane perfec¬ tissima est) perfectissima ratio convenit ins¬ tituendi Ministros : At longe melior est ratio per electionem, quam per generationem; nam si electio valeat, semper optimi, et doc¬ tissimi Pastores praefici possunt Ecclesiis ; si autem generatio locum habeat, cogemur non raro pueros habere Episcopos, aut viros improbos, et imperitos. Neque vero recte objici potest, etiam nunc eligi saepe improbos, et imperitos, aut ado- lescentulos, ac pene pueros, id enim non ac¬ cidit ex natura rei, sed vitio eligentium, quod facile emendari potest. At generatio naturaliter affert secum ejusmodi incormno- cla, quae nullum omnino remedium admit¬ tunt. Maneat igitur, melius esse Pastores Ecclesiae eligi, quam nascn