Chapter 8.—Conjugal Chastity is Itself the Gift of God.

It is concerning conjugal chastity itself that the apostle treats, when he says, “Let him do what he will, he sinneth not if he marry;”86    1 Cor. vii. 36. and yet this too is God’s gift, for the Scripture says, “It is by the Lord that the woman is joined to her husband.” Accordingly the teacher of the Gentiles, in one of his discourses, commends both conjugal chastity, whereby adulteries are prevented, and the still more perfect continence which foregoes all cohabitation, and shows how both one and the other are severally the gift of God. Writing to the Corinthians, he admonished married persons not to defraud each other; and then, after his admonition to these, he added: “But I could wish that all men were even as I am myself,”87    1 Cor. vii. 7.—meaning, of course, that he abstained from all cohabitation; and then proceeded to say: “But every man hath his own gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.”88    1 Cor. vii. 7. Now, do the many precepts which are written in the law of God, forbidding all fornication and adultery, indicate anything else than free will? Surely such precepts would not be given unless a man had a will of his own, wherewith to obey the divine commandments. And yet it is God’s gift which is indispensable for the observance of the precepts of chastity. Accordingly, it is said in the Book of Wisdom: “When I knew that no one could be continent, except God gives it, then this became a point of wisdom to know whose gift it was.”89    Wisd. viii. 21. “Every man,” however, “is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed”90    Jas. i. 14. not to observe and keep these holy precepts of chastity. If he should say in respect of these commandments, “I wish to keep them, but am mastered by my concupiscence,” then the Scripture responds to his free will, as I have already said: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”91    Rom. xii. 21. In order, however, that this victory may be gained, grace renders its help; and were not this help given, then the law would be nothing but the strength of sin. For concupiscence is increased and receives greater energies from the prohibition of the law, unless the spirit of grace helps. This explains the statement of the great Teacher of the Gentiles, when he says, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.”92    1 Cor. xv. 56. See, then, I pray you, whence originates this confession of weakness, when a man says, “I desire to keep what the law commands, but am overcome by the strength of my concupiscence.” And when his will is addressed, and it is said, “Be not overcome of evil,” of what avail is anything but the succour of God’s grace to the accomplishment of the precept? This the apostle himself afterwards stated; for after saying “The strength of sin is the law,” he immediately subjoined, “But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”93    1 Cor. xv. 57. It follows, then, that the victory in which sin is vanquished is nothing else than the gift of God, who in this contest helps free will.

8. De ipsa quoque pudicitia conjugali nempe Apostolus ait, Quod vult faciat, non peccat si nubat (I Cor. VII, 37, 36): et tamen etiam hoc Dei donum est, dicente Scriptura, A Domino jungitur mulier viro (Prov. XIX, 14). Ideo Doctor Gentium et pudicitiam conjugalem per quam non fiunt adulteria, et perfectiorem continentiam per quam nullus concubitus quaeritur, sermone suo commendans, et hoc et illud donum Dei esse monstravit, scribens ad Corinthios, et admonens conjuges ne se invicem fraudent: quos cum admonuisset, adjecit, Vellem autem omnes homines esse sicut et me ipsum; quia utique ipse ab omni concubitu continebat: et continuo subjunxit, Sed unusquisque proprium donum habet a Deo; alius sic, alius autem sic (I Cor. VII, 7). Numquid tam multa quae praecipiuntur in lege Dei, ne fornicationes et adulteria committantur, indicant aliud quam liberum arbitrium? Neque enim praeciperentur, nisi homo haberet propriam voluntatem, qua divinis praeceptis obediret. Et tamen Dei donum est, sine quo servari castitatis praecepta non possunt. Unde ait 0887 ille in libro Sapientiae: Cum scirem quia nemo esse potest continens nisi Deus det; et hoc ipsum erat sapientiae, scire cujus esset hoc donum (Sap. VIII, 21). Ut autem ista non serventur castitatis sancta mandata, unusquisque tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus et illectus (Jacobi I, 14). Ubi si dixerit, Volo servare, sed vincor a concupiscentia mea: respondet Scriptura libero ejus arbitrio, quod jam superius dixi, Noli vinci a malo, sed vince in bono malum. Quod tamen ut fiat, adjuvat gratia: quae nisi adjuverit, nihil lex erit nisi virtus peccati. Augetur enim concupiscentia, et majores vires accipit lege prohibente, nisi adjuvet spiritus gratiae. Hoc est quod dicit ille ipse Doctor Gentium: Aculeus autem mortis est peccatum; virtus vero peccati, lex. Ecce unde dicit homo, Volo legis servare mandatum, sed virtute concupiscentiae meae vincor. Et cum voluntas ejus convenitur, et dicitur, Noli vinci a malo; quid ei prodest, nisi gratia succurrente fiat? Quod ipse Apostolus secutus adjunxit: nam cum dixisset, virtus peccati lex, continuo subjecit, Gratias autem Deo, qui dat nobis victoriam per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum (I Cor. XV, 56, 57). Ergo et victoria qua peccatum vincitur, nihil aliud est quam donum Dei, in isto certamine adjuvantis liberum arbitrium.