fore the brethren of the Lord are
so called, not by birth, as being born of the same mother; but by
relationship, as being blood-relations of His. But Joseph, as Jerome
says (Contra Helvid. ix), is rather to be believed to have remained a
virgin, "since he is not said to have had another wife," and "a holy
man does not live otherwise than chastely."

Reply Obj. 6: Mary who is called "the mother of James and Joseph" is
not to be taken for the Mother of our Lord, who is not wont to be
named in the Gospels save under this designation of her dignity--"the
Mother of Jesus." This Mary is to be taken for the wife of Alphaeus,
whose son was James the less, known as the "brother of the Lord"
(Gal. 1:19).
_______________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 28, Art. 4]

Whether the Mother of God Took a Vow of Virginity?

Objection 1: It would seem that the Mother of God did not take a vow
of virginity. For it is written (Deut. 7:14): "No one shall be barren
among you of either sex." But sterility is a consequence of
virginity. Therefore the keeping of virginity was contrary to the
commandment of the Old Law. But before Christ was born the old law
was still in force. Therefore at that time the Blessed Virgin could
not lawfully take a vow of virginity.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (1 Cor. 7:25): "Concerning virgins
I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel." But the
perfection of the counsels was to take its beginning from Christ, who
is the "end of the Law," as the Apostle says (Rom. 10:4). It was not
therefore becoming that the Virgin should take a vow of virginity.

Obj. 3: Further, the gloss of Jerome says on 1 Tim. 5:12, that "for
those who are vowed to virginity, it is reprehensible not only to
marry, but also to desire to be married." But the Mother of Christ
committed no sin for which she could be reprehended, as stated above
(Q. 27, A. 4). Since therefore she was "espoused," as related by Luke
1:27 it seems that she did not take a vow of virginity.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Sanct. Virg. iv): "Mary
answered the announcing angel: 'How shall this be done, because I
know not man?' She would not have said this unless she had already
vowed her virginity to God."

_I answer that,_ As we have stated in the Second Part (II-II, Q. 88,
A. 6), works of perfection are more praiseworthy when performed in
fulfilment of a vow. Now it is clear that for reasons already given
(AA. 1, 2, 3) virginity had