Summa de Ecclesia

Although the holy Church of God shines adorned with manifold variety, yet above all a threefold variety is considered in her which renders her more comely and splendid than others: namely the difference of states, of offices, and of degrees — whose distinction is thus gathered from what was said above. We said, however, a little above in the chapters above that the diversity in the members of the Church is ordered to three things: namely to the perfection of the mystical body itself, and its integrity — with the Apostle saying, 1 Cor. 12: The body is not one member but many. Second, to the fitting dispatch of the actions which are necessary in the Church — since, as the Apostle says in the same place: If the whole body were the eye, where would the hearing be? that is, if in the Church, as Ambrose says in the Gloss, all were of one office, how would the need of the body be fulfilled, for whose generation diverse things are needed. Third, to the adornment which arises from unity and order. According to these three aforesaid things, a threefold distinction of the diversity of the faithful in the body of the Church itself can be taken. One indeed by respect to perfection, which is chiefly regarded according to charity, following that of the Apostle, Col. 3: Above all have charity, which is the bond of perfection. Each thing is said to be perfect when it attains its proper end, which is the ultimate perfection of the thing; but charity is what unites us to God, who is the ultimate end of the human mind — for he who abides in charity abides in God, and God in him, as is said in 1 John 4. Hence deservedly perfection of Christian life is said to be regarded according to charity. By respect to this perfection of life is taken the distinction of states, according as some are more perfect than others. The second distinction is taken by respect to action, and thus is the distinction of offices.

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For office, as Isidore says in his book of Etymologies, is named from duty: to be dutiful, from which the name of office is taken, imports an action tending toward another — and therefore acts which are referred to others are properly called offices. Hence in the diverse offices of the Church those are said to be who are deputed to diverse actions, just as a doctor is said to have the office of teaching, and a judge of rendering judgment, etc., of the others. Another distinction is taken by respect to the beauty of the Church, and according to this is taken the difference of degrees, according as in the same state or office one is superior to another. Hence in the psalm it is said according to another letter: God shall be known in his degrees — of which division the Apostle seems to speak, 1 Cor. 12: There are divisions of graces, etc. Here he calls graces the degrees and orders which are in the office of the Church.