On the Good of Marriage.

 1. Forasmuch as each man is a part of the human race, and human nature is something social, and hath for a great and natural good, the power also of f

 2. Nor is it now necessary that we enquire, and put forth a definite opinion on that question, whence could exist the progeny of the first men, whom G

 3. This we now say, that, according to this condition of being born and dying, which we know, and in which we have been created, the marriage of male

 4. There is this further, that in that very debt which married persons pay one to another, even if they demand it with somewhat too great intemperance

 5. Also the question is wont to be asked, when a male and female, neither the one the husband, nor the other the wife, of any other, come together, no

 6. Further, in the very case of the more immoderate requirement of the due of the flesh, which the Apostle enjoins not on them by way of command, but

 7. But I marvel, if, as it is allowed to put away a wife who is an adulteress, so it be allowed, having put her away, to marry another. For holy Scrip

 8. “Honorable,” therefore, “is marriage in all, and the bed undefiled.” And this we do not so call a good, as that it is a good in comparison of forni

 9. Truly we must consider, that God gives us some goods, which are to be sought for their own sake, such as wisdom, health, friendship: but others, wh

 10. But I am aware of some that murmur: What, say they, if all men should abstain from all sexual intercourse, whence will the human race exist? Would

 11. And yet not to these themselves is marriage a sin which, if it were chosen in comparison of fornication, would be a less sin than fornication, an

 12. For, whereas that natural use, when it pass beyond the compact of marriage, that is, beyond the necessity of begetting, is pardonable in the case

 13. What therefore he says, “She, that is unmarried, thinketh of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit ” we are not to

 14. And not without just cause a doubt is raised, whether he said this of all married women, or of such as so many are, as that nearly all may be thou

 15. For what Christian men of our time being free from the marriage bond, having power to contain from all sexual intercourse, seeing it to be now “a

 16. Therefore if haply, (which whether it can take place, I know not and rather think it cannot take place but yet, if haply), having taken unto him

 17. That marriage can take place of persons first ill joined, an honest decree following after, is manifest. But a marriage once for all entered upon

 18. For what food is unto the conservation of the man, this sexual intercourse is unto the conservation of the race: and both are not without carnal d

 19. Therefore as many women as there are now, unto whom it is said, “if they contain not, let them be married, ” are not to be compared to the holy wo

 20. And on this account, not, so as it was allowed one man to have even several wives, was it allowed one female to have several husbands, not even fo

 21. But since out of many souls there shall be hereafter one City of such as have one soul and one heart towards God which perfection of our unity sh

 22. If, therefore, even they who are united in marriage only for the purpose of begetting, for which purpose marriage was instituted, are not compared

 23. Nor, in that the Law orders a man to be purified even after intercourse with a wife, doth it show it to be sin: unless it be that which is allowed

 24. Marriage, I say, is a good, and may be, by sound reason, defended against all calumnies. But with the marriage of the holy fathers, I inquire not

 25. Forsooth continence is a virtue, not of the body, but of the soul. But the virtues of the soul are sometimes shown in work, sometimes lie hid in h

 26. But, in order that it may be more clearly understood, how there may be virtue in habit, although it be not in work, I speak of an example, about w

 27. Therefore at that time, when the Law also, following upon the days of the Patriarchs, pronounced accursed, whoso raised not up seed in Israel, eve

 28. Therefore, if we compare the things themselves, we may no way doubt that the chastity of continence is better than marriage chastity, whilst yet b

 29. And there is this further, that men are not rightly compared with men in regard of some one good. For it may come to pass, that one hath not what

 30. The right question plainly is, not whether a virgin every way disobedient is to be compared to an obedient married woman, but a less obedient to a

 31. From this obedience that Father, who was not without a wife, was prepared to be without an only son, and that slain by himself. For I shall not wi

 32. Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as perta

 33. And, the case being thus, enough and more than enough answer has been made to the heretics, whether they be Manichees, or whosoever other that bri

 34. But those of ours who have wives we advise, with all our power, that they dare not to judge of those holy fathers after their own weakness, compar

 35. Boys also and virgins dedicating unto God actual chastity we do before all things admonish, that they be aware that they must guard their life mea

7. But I marvel, if, as it is allowed to put away a wife who is an adulteress, so it be allowed, having put her away, to marry another. For holy Scripture causes a hard knot in this matter, in that the Apostle says, that, by commandment of the Lord, the wife ought not to depart from her husband, but, in case she shall have departed, to remain unmarried, or to be reconciled to her husband;17    1 Cor. vii. 10, 11 whereas surely she ought not to depart and remain unmarried, save from an husband that is an adulterer, lest by withdrawing from him, who is not an adulterer, she cause him to commit adultery. But perhaps she may justly be reconciled to her husband, either he being to be borne with, if she cannot contain herself, or being now corrected. But I see not how the man can have permission to marry another, in case he have left an adulteress, when a woman has not to be married to another, in case she have left an adulterer. And, this being the case, so strong is that bond of fellowship in married persons, that, although it be tied for the sake f begetting children, not even for the sake of begetting children is it loosed. For it is in a man’s power to put away a wife that is barren, and marry one of whom to have children. And yet it is not allowed; and now indeed in our times, and after the usage of Rome, neither to marry in addition, so as to have more than one wife living: and, surely, in case of an adulteress or adulterer being left, it would be possible that more men should be born, if either the woman were married to another, or the man should marry another. And yet, if this be not lawful, as the Divine Rule seems to prescribe, who is there but it must make him attentive to learn, what is the meaning of this so great strength of the marriage bond? Which I by no means think could have been of so great avail, were it not that there were taken a certain sacrament of some greater matter from out this weak mortal state of men, so that, men deserting it, and seeking to dissolve it, it should remain unshaken for their punishment. Seeing that the compact of marriage is not done away by divorce intervening; so that they continue wedded persons one to another, even after separation; and commit adultery with those, with whom they shall be joined, even after their own divorce, either the woman with a man, or the man with a woman. And yet, save in the City of our God, in His Holy Mount, the case is not such with the wife.18    Ps. xlviii. 1 But, that the laws of the Gentiles are otherwise, who is there that knows not; where, by the interposition of divorce, without any offense of which man takes cognizance, both the woman is married to whom she will, and the man marries whom he will. And something like this custom, on account of the hardness of the Israelites, Moses seems to have allowed, concerning a bill of divorcement.19    Deut. xxiv. 1 In which matter there appears rather a rebuke, than an approval, of divorce.20    Matt. xix. 8

7. Miror autem si quemadmodum licet dimittere adulteram uxorem, ita liceat ea dimissa alteram ducere. Facit enim de hac re sancta Scriptura difficilem nodum, dicente Apostolo, ex praecepto Domini mulierem a viro non debere discedere; quod si discesserit, manere innuptam, aut viro suo reconciliari (I Cor. VII, 10, 11): cum recedere utique et manere innupta, nisi ab adultero viro non debeat, ne recedendo ab eo qui adulter non est, faciat eum moechari. Reconciliari autem viro vel tolerando, si se ipsa continere non potest, vel correcto, forsitan juste potest. Quomodo autem viro possit esse licentia ducendae alterius, si adulteram reliquerit, cum mulieri non sit nubendi alteri, si adulterum reliquerit, non video. Quae si ita sunt, tantum valet illud sociale vinculum conjugum, ut cum causa procreandi colligetur, nec ipsa causa procreandi solvatur. Possit enim homo dimittere sterilem uxorem, et ducere de qua filios habeat: et tamen non licet; et nostris quidem jam temporibus ac more Romano, nec superducere, ut amplius habeat quam unam vivam: et utique relicta adultera vel relicto adultero possent plures nasci homines, si vel illa alteri nuberet, vel ille alteram duceret. Quod tamen si non licet, sicut divina regula praescribere videtur; quem non faciat intentum, quid sibi velit tanta firmitas vinculi conjugalis? Quod nequaquam puto tantum valere potuisse, nisi alicujus rei majoris ex hac infirma mortalitate hominum quoddam sacramentum adhiberetur, quod deserentibus hominibus atque id dissolvere cupientibus, inconcussum illis maneret ad poenam. Siquidem interveniente divortio non aboletur illa confoederatio nuptialis: ita ut sibi conjuges sint, etiam separati; cum illis autem adulterium committant, quibus fuerint etiam post 0379 suum repudium copulati, vel illa viro, vel ille mulieri. Nec tamen nisi in civitate Dei nostri, in monte sancto ejus (Psal. XLVII, 2), talis est causa cum uxore.

CAPUT VIII.

Repudii usus qualis apud Gentiles, et qualis apud Judaeos. Conjugium bonum est prorsus, non autem sola comparatione fornicationis. Caeterum aliter se habere jura Gentilium, quis ignorat; ubi interposito repudio, sine reatu aliquo ultionis humanae, et illa cui voluerit nubit, et ille quam voluerit ducit? Cui consuetudini simile aliquid, propter Israelitarum duritiam, videtur permisisse Moyses de libello repudii (Deut. XXIV, 1; Matth. XIX, 8). Qua in re exprobratio quam approbatio divortii magis apparet.