Chapter 2. [II.]—Why This Treatise Was Addressed to Valerius.

Now there are three very special reasons, which I will briefly indicate, why I wished to write to you particularly on this subject. One is, because by the gift of Christ you are a strict observer of conjugal chastity. Another is, because by your great care and diligence you have effectually withstood those profane novelties which we are resisting in our present discussion. The third is, because of my learning that something which they had committed to writing had found its way into your hands; and although in your robust faith you could despise such an attempt, it is still a good thing for us also to know how to bring aid to our faith by defending it. For the Apostle Peter instructs us to be “ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh us a reason of the faith and hope that is in us;”10    1 Pet. iii. 15. [The reading “faith and hope” stands in certain Latin Biblical mss. Also, e.g., Codices Harleianus and Toletanus. Traces of a similar reading are not unknown also in Greek (Origen, Basil) and Syriac (Peshitto) sources.—W.] and the Apostle Paul says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”11    Col. iv. 6. These are the motives which chiefly impel me to hold such converse with you in this volume, as the Lord shall enable me. I have never liked, indeed, to intrude the perusal of any of my humble labours on any eminent person, who is like yourself conspicuous to all from the elevation of his office, without his own request,—especially when he is not blessed with the enjoyment of a dignified retirement, but is still occupied in the public duties of a soldier’s profession; this has always seemed to me to savour more impertinence than of respectful esteem. If, then, I have incurred censure of this kind, while acting on the reasons which I have now mentioned, I crave the favour of your forgiveness, and kindly regard to the following arguments.

CAPUT II.

2. Cur opus ad Valerium scripserit. Cur autem ad te potissimum de hac re scribere voluerim, tres maximae causae sunt, quas breviter intimabo. Una est, quia donante Christo, magna tibi est observantia pudicitiae conjugalis. Altera, quia profanis istis novitatibus, quibus hic disputando resistimus, tu potestate curando et instando efficaciter restitisti. Tertia, quoniam quiddam litterarum ab eis conscriptum in tuas manus venisse cognovi: quod licet fide robustissima irriseris, bonum est tamen ut etiam noverimus defendendo adjuvare quod credimus. Apostolus enim Petrus, paratos nos esse praecipit ad satisfactionem omni poscenti nos rationem de fide et spe nostra (I Petr. III, 15). Et apostolus Paulus: Sermo, inquit, vester in gratia conditus sit sale, ut sciatis quomodo oporteat vos unicuique respondere (Coloss. IV, 6). Ista sunt quae me praecipue compulerunt, ut in hoc volumine tecum haberem, qualem Dominus dignaretur donare, sermonem. Nam mihi nunquam placuit cuiquam illustri viro, et tanta quanta es ipse sublimitate conspicuo, praesertim non otiosa dignitate jam fruenti, sed adhuc actibus publicis eisdemque militaribus occupato, 0415 aliquid meorum opusculorum legendum non a me petenti, non tam diligenter, quam impudenter impingere. Si quid ergo tale nunc feci propter eas quas commemoravi causas, dignanter ignosce, et benevolum animum ad ea quae sequuntur intende.