Chapter I.—Different Views in Regard to Marriage Held by Heretics, Psychic, and Spiritualists.

Heretics do away with marriages; Psychics accumulate them.  The former marry not even once; the latter not only once.  What dost thou, Law of the Creator?  Between alien eunuchs and thine own grooms, thou complainest as much of the over-obedience of thine own household as of the contempt of strangers.  They who abuse thee, do thee equal hurt with them who use thee not.  In fact, neither is such continence laudable because it is heretical, nor such licence defensible because it is psychical.  The former is blasphemous, the latter wanton; the former destroys the God of marriages, the latter puts Him to the blush.  Among us, however, whom the recognition of spiritual gifts entitles to be deservedly called Spiritual, continence is as religious as licence is modest; since both the one and the other are in harmony with the Creator.  Continence honours the law of marriage, licence tempers it; the former is not forced, the latter is regulated; the former recognises the power of free choice, the latter recognises a limit.  We admit one marriage, just as we do one God.  The law of marriage reaps an accession of honour where it is associated with shamefastness.  But to the Psychics, since they receive not the Spirit, the things which are the Spirit’s are not pleasing.  Thus, so long as the things which are the Spirit’s please them not, the things which are of the flesh will please, as being the contraries of the Spirit.  “The flesh,” saith (the apostle), “lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.”1    Gal. v. 17.  But what will the flesh “lust” after, except what is more of the flesh?  For which reason withal, in the beginning, it became estranged from the Spirit.  “My Spirit,” saith (God), “shall not permanently abide in these men eternally,2    In ævum; εἰς τὸν αἱῶνα (LXX.); in æternum (Vulg.). for that they are flesh.”3    Gen. vi. 3.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

0930B

0930C Haeretici nuptias auferunt , Psychici ingerunt . Illi nec semel, isti non semel nubunt. Quid agis, lex Creatoris? Inter alienos spadones et aurigas tuos tantumdem quereris de domestico obsequio, quantum de fastidio extraneo; proinde et 0931A te laedunt qui abutuntur, quemadmodum qui non utuntur. Verum neque continentia ejusmodi laudanda, quia haeretica est; neque licentia defendenda, quia psychica est. Illa blasphemat, ista luxuriat. Illa destruit nuptiarum Deum, ista confundit. Penes nos autem, quos spirituales merito dici facit agnitio spiritalium charismatum, continentia tam religiosa est, quam licentia verecunda, quandoquidem ambae cum Creatore sunt. Continentia legem nuptiarum honorat, licentia temperat. Illa non cogitur; ista regitur. Illa arbitrium habet, haec modum. Unum matrimonium novimus, sicut unum Deum. Magis honorem refert lex nuptiarum, ubi habet et pudorem. Sed Psychicis non recipientibus spiritum, ea quae sunt spiritus non placent. Ita, dum quae sunt spiritus non placent, ea quae sunt carnis placebunt, 0931B ut contraria spiritui . Caro, inquit, adversus spiritum concupiscit, et spiritus adversus carnem (Gal., V, 17). Quid autem concupiscet caro, quam quae magis carnis sunt? Propter quod et in primordio extranea spiritus facta est: Non, inquit (Gen., VI, 3), permanebit spiritus meus in istis hominibus in aevum, eo quod caro sint.