Chapter VIII — On the communication of the Faithful with Infidels

I. Communication is twofold: one religious, the other civil. The first is forbidden: all communication in prayers, rites, sacrifices, and other exercises of Religion is a sin against the faith. The civil is absolutely licit, unless there occur a danger of subversion.

II. Hence it is not lawful for Christians to sell those things which serve their sacrifices and the rites of their vain religion. Wherefore Christians would sin who should build synagogues for the Jews, and, for the other Infidels, temples, idols, altars, priestly vestments, shrines, and other things of that kind. But other things which are indifferent, which the Infidels can use ill or well, can licitly be sold.

III. There are ten cases in which, by decree of the Church, communication with Infidels is prohibited to Christians: 1. Cohabitation. 2. Attendance at their banquets. 3. Eating their unleavened bread. 4. Entering the bath with them. 5. Receiving medicines from them. 6. Using their Physicians. 7. The nursing of the children of Jews by Christians. 8. Rendering them domestic service. 9. Subjecting oneself to them under the yoke of servitude. 10. Instituting them as legatees.

IV. As to the first case: that habitation is prohibited which carries with it true familiarity. To have Jews and Saracens as servants for laborious works is not absolutely forbidden to Christians, yet it is not expedient to retain them at home, on account of the appearance of familiarity. Access to the banquets of the Jews is forbidden, because the Jews discriminate among foods, and reject many as unclean. To eat unleavened bread by the Jewish rite is interdicted, but not when necessity impels. Entrance into the bath by agreement is forbidden, but not if it happen by fortuitous chance. In the fifth and sixth cases it is prohibited to summon Jewish Physicians for the care of Christians, when urgent necessity is absent. What is said of the Physician must likewise be said of the Jewish Surgeon. For Christian women to suckle the children of Jews, whether in the houses of the Jews or in their own houses, is absolutely prohibited: since in both cases familiarity intervenes. Of domestic service, in the eighth and ninth cases, it has already been spoken. Yet to till the lands of Jews does not carry the character of domestic service; wherefore tenant-farmers and other workmen are not comprehended under this prohibition. The institution of Jews as heirs or legatees is forbidden, whether the legacy or inheritance be left to Universities, or to Colleges, or to Persons. Yet to those placed in grave necessity something can be bequeathed by title of alms. Catechumens are exempt from this law, because they are held as Catholics.