1086.
4. From Eph. 5:25-27: Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her,
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with
the word, that he might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot
or wrinkle . . . , that she might be holy and without blemish.
Hence they object: The
Church of Christ is holy and immaculate, without spot or wrinkle. But to such a
Church only saints can belong. Therefore the members of the Church are only the
saints.
I distinguish the major.
The triumphant Church is absolutely holy and immaculate, conceded, the
Church militant, I subdistinguish: it is absolutely holy on the part of
the Head and the Soul, that is, Christ and the Holy Spirit, and also on the
part of its divine institutions, conceded; on the part of its members, against
I subdistinguish: inasmuch as this depends on the will and intention of
Christ, conceded; inasmuch as this depends on the cooperation of men, again
I subdistinguish: in many members, conceded; in all its members, denied.
I distinguish the minor in the same way; I deny the consequent and the
consequence. (Joachim Salaverri and Michaele Nicolau, Sacrae Theologiae
Summa, 4 vols. [trans. Kenneth Baker; Keep the Faith, Inc., 2015], 1B-440)
