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, which are necessary for the sake of somewhat, such as learning, meat, drink, sleep, marriage, sexual intercourse. For of these certain are necessary for the sake of wisdom, as learning: certain for the sake of health, as meat and drink and sleep: certain for the sake of friendship, as marriage or sexual intercourse: for hence subsists the propagation of the human kind, wherein friendly fellowship is a great good. These goods, therefore, which are necessary for the sake of something else, whoso useth not for this purpose, wherefore they were instituted, sins; in some cases venially, in other cases damnably. But whoso useth them for this purpose, wherefore they were given doeth well. Therefore, to whomsoever they are not necessary, if he use them not, he doeth better. Wherefore, these goods, when we have need, we do well to wish; but we do better not to wish than to wish: because ourselves are in a better state, when we account them not necessary. And on this account it is good to marry, because it is good to beget children, to be a mother of a family: but it is better not to marry,28    1 Tim. v. 14 because it is better not to stand in need of this work, in order to human fellowship itself. For such is the state of the human race now, that (others, who contain not, not only being taken up with marriage, but many also waxing wanton through unlawful concubinages, the Good Creator working what is good out of their evils) there fails not numerous progeny, and abundant succession, out of which to procure holy friendships. Whence we gather, that, in the first times of the human race, chiefly for the propagation of the People of God, through whom the Prince and Saviour of all people should both be prophesied of, and be born, it was the duty of the Saints to use this good of marriage, not as to be sought for its own sake, but necessary for the sake of something else: but now, whereas, in order to enter upon holy and pure fellowship, there is on all sides from out all nations an overflowing fullness of spiritual kindred, even they who wish to contract marriage only for the sake of children, are to be admonished, that they use rather the larger good of continence.

CAPUT IX.

9. Conjugium bonum est non nisi propter aliud expetendum. Conjugio uti debuisse sanctos primis temporibus: nunc praeferendam esse continentiam. Sane videndum est, alia bona nobis Deum dare, quae propter se ipsa expetenda sunt, sicut est sapientia, salus, amicitia; alia quae propter aliquid sunt necessaria, sicut doctrina, cibus, potus, somnus, conjugium, concubitus. Horum enim quaedam necessaria sunt propter sapientiam, sicut doctrina; quaedam propter salutem, sicut cibus, et potus, et somnus; quaedam propter amicitiam, sicut nuptiae vel concubitus: hinc enim subsistit propagatio generis humani, in quo societas amicalis magnum bonum est. His itaque bonis quae propter aliud necessaria sunt, qui non ad hoc utitur propter quod instituta sunt, peccat, alias venialiter, alias damnabiliter. Quisquis vero eis propter hoc utitur, propter quod data sunt, bene facit. Cui ergo non sunt necessaria, si non eis utitur, melius facit. Proinde ista bona cum opus habemus, bene volumus: sed melius ea nolumus quam volumus; quia tunc melius nos habemus, cum ea necessaria non habemus. Ac per hoc bonum est nubere, quia bonum est filios procreare, matremfamilias esse (I Tim. V, 14): sed melius est non nubere, quia melius est ad ipsam humanam societatem hoc opere non egere. Ita enim jam sese habet humanum genus, ut aliis qui se non continent, non solum per nuptias occupatis, sed multis etiam per illicitos concubitus luxuriantibus, bono Creatore de malis eorum faciente quod bonum est, non desit numerositas prolis et abundantia successionis, unde sanctae amicitiae conquirantur. Ex quo colligitur, primis temporibus generis humani, maxime propter Dei populum propagandum, per quem et prophetaretur et nasceretur Princeps et Salvator omnium populorum, uti debuisse sanctos isto, non propter se expetendo, sed propter aliud necessario bono nuptiarum: nunc vero cum ad ineundam sanctam et sinceram societatem undique ex omnibus gentibus copia spiritualis cognationis exuberet, etiam propter solos filios connubia copulare cupientes, ut ampliore continentiae bono potius utantur admonendi sunt.