11. But thou who both hast sons, and livest in that end of the world, wherein now is the time not of casting stones, but of gathering; not of embracing, but of abstaining from embracing;25    Eccl. iii. 5 when the Apostle cries out, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short; it remains, that both they who have wives be as not having;”26    1 Cor. vii. 29. [See R.V.] assuredly if thou hadst sought a second marriage, it would have been no obedience of prophecy or law, no carnal desire even of family, but a mark of incontinence alone. For you would have done what the Apostle says, after he had said, “It is good for them, if they shall have so continued, even as I;”27    1 Cor. vii. 8, 9 forsooth he straightway added, “But if they contain not themselves, let them marry; for I had rather that they marry than be burned.” For this he said, in order that the evil of unbridled desire might not be carried headlong into criminal baseness, being taken up by the honest estate of marriage. But thanks be to the Lord, in that thou hast given birth to what thou wouldest not be, and the virginity of thy child hath compensated for the loss of thy virginity. For Christian doctrine, having diligent question made of it, makes answer, that a first marriage also now at this time is to be despised, unless incontinence stand in the way. For he, who said, “If they contain not themselves, let them marry,” could have said, “If they have not sons, let them marry,” if, when now after theResurrection and Preaching of Christ, there is unto all nations so great and abundant supply of sons to be spiritually begotten, it were any such duty to beget sons after the flesh as it was in the first times. And, whereas in another place he saith, “But I will that the younger marry, bear children, be mothers of families,”28    1 Tim. v. 14, 15 he commends with apostolic sobriety and authority the good of marriage, but doth not impose the duty of bearing, as though in order to obey the law, even on those who “receive” the good of continence. Lastly, why he had said this, he unfolds, when he adds and says, “To give no occasion of speaking evil to the adversary; for already certain have turned back after Satan:” that by these words of his we may understand, that those, whom he would have marry, could have done better to contain than marry; but better to marry than to go back after Satan, that is, to fall away from that excellent purpose of virginal or widowed chastity, by looking back to things that are behind, and perish. Wherefore, such as contain not themselves, let them marry before they make profession of continence, before they vow unto God, what, if they pay not, they are justly condemned. Forsooth in another place he saith of such, “For when they have lived in delights in Christ, they wish to marry: having condemnation, in that they have made of none effect their first faith;”29    1 Tim. v. 11, 12. [See R.V.] that is, they have turned aside their will from the purpose of continence unto marriage. Forsooth they have made of none effect the faith, whereby they formerly vowed what they were unwilling by perseverance to fulfill. Therefore the good of marriage is indeed ever a good: but in the people of God it was at one time an act of obedience unto the law; now it is a remedy for weakness, but in certain a solace of human nature. Forsooth to be engaged in the getting of children, not after the fashion of dogs by promiscuous use of females, but by honest order of marriage, is not an affection such as we are to blame in a man; yet this affection itself the Christian mind, having thoughts of heavenly things, in a more praiseworthy manner surpasses and overcomes.

CAPUT VIII.

11. Nuptiae et secundae et primae hoc tempore, nisi incontinentia sit impedimento, contemnendae. Nuptiae olim legis obsequium, nunc infirmitatis remedium, et humanitatis solatium. Tu autem quae et filios habes, et in eo saeculi fine vivis, quo jam tempus est non mittendi lapides, sed colligendi; non amplectendi, sed continendi ab amplexu (Eccle. III, 5); cum clamet Apostolus, Hoc autem dico, fratres: tempus breve est; reliquum est ut et qui habent uxores, tanquam non habentes sint: profecto si secundas nuptias appetisses, nullum prophetiae vel legis obsequium, nullum prolis saltem carnale desiderium, sed solius incontinentiae fuisset indicium. Fecisses enim quod ait Apostolus, cum dixisset, bonum esse illis si sic permanserint sicut et ego: continuo quippe addidit, Quod si se non continent, nubant: malo enim eas nubere quam uri (I Cor. VII, 29, 8 et 9). Hoc enim dixit, ut effrenatae libidinis malum non praecipitaretur in turpitudinem flagitiorum, cum exciperetur honestate nuptiarum. Gratias autem Domino, quoniam peperisti quod esse noluisti, et virginitas prolis tuae compensavit dispendium virginitatis tuae. Nam diligenter interrogata doctrina christiana, et primas nuptias jam isto tempore, nisi incontinentia sit impedimento, 0437 contemnendas esse respondet. Qui enim dixit, Si se non continent, nubant: potuit dicere, Si filios non habent, nubant; si post resurrectionem praedicationemque Christi, quando jam omnibus gentibus filiorum spiritualiter gignendorum tanta suppetit copia, tale officium esset ex carne filios propagare, quale primis temporibus fuit. Et quod alibi dicit, Volo igitur juniores nubere, filios procreare, matresfamilias esse: nuptiarum bonum apostolica sobrietate et auctoritate commendat; non procreandi officium etiam eis, quae continentiae bonum capiunt, tanquam ad obsequelam legis imponit. Denique cur hoc dixerit, pandit, cum adjungit et dicit, Nullam occasionem dare adversario maledicti gratia; jam enim quaedam conversae sunt retro post satanam: ut his verbis ejus intelligamus, eas quas nubere voluit, melius potuisse continere quam nubere; sed melius nubere quam retro post satanam ire, id est, ab illo excellenti virginalis vel vidualis castitatis proposito, in posteriora respiciendo, cadere et interire. Proinde quae se non continent, nubant, antequam continentiam profiteantur, antequam Deo voveant: quod nisi reddant, jure damnantur. Alio quippe loco de talibus dicit, Cum enim in deliciis egerint in Christo, nubere volunt; habentes damnationem quoniam primam fidem irritam fecerunt: id est, voluntatem ad nuptias a proposito continentiae deflexerunt . Irritam quippe fecerunt fidem, qua prius voverant quod perseverantia implere noluerunt (I Tim. V). Nuptiarum igitur bonum semper est quidem bonum: sed in populo Dei fuit aliquando legis obsequium; nunc est infirmitatis remedium, in quibusdam vero humanitatis solatium. Filiorum quippe procreationi operam dare, non canino more per usum promiscuum feminarum, sed honesto ordine conjugali, non est in homine improbandus affectus: etiam ipsum tamen laudabilius transcendit et vincit coelestia cogitans animus christianus.