12. But since, as the Lord saith, “Not all receive this word;”30    Matt. xix. 11 therefore let her who can receive it, receive it; and let her, who containeth not, marry; let her, who hath not begun, deliberate; let her, who hath undertaken it, persevere; let there be no occasion given unto the adversary, let there be no oblation withdrawn from Christ. Forsooth in the marriage bond if chastity be preserved, condemnation is not feared; but in widowed and virginal continence, the excellence of a greater gift31    Muneris is sought for: and, when this has been sought, and chosen, and by debt of vow offered, from this time not only to enter upon marriage, but, although one be not married, to wish to marry is matter of condemnation. For, in order to show this, the Apostle saith not, “When they shall have lived in delights, in Christ” they marry;32    1 Tim. v. 11, 12 but “they wish to marry; having,” saith he, “condemnation, in that they have made of none effect their first faith,” although not by marrying, yet by wishing; not that the marriages even of such are judged matter of condemnation; but there is condemned a wrong done to purpose, there is condemned a broken faith of vow, there is condemned not a relief by lower good, but a fall from higher good: lastly, such are condemned, not because they have entered upon marriage faith afterwards, but because they have made of none effect the first faith of continence. And in order to suggest this in few words, the Apostle would not say, that they have condemnation, who after purpose of greater sanctity marry, (not because they are not condemned, but lest in them marriage itself should be thought to be condemned:) but, after he had said, “they wish to marry,” he straightway added, “having condemnation.” And he stated the reason, “in that they have made of none effect their former faith,” in order that it may appear that it is the will which fell away from its purpose, which is condemned, whether marriage follow, or fail to follow.

CAPUT IX.

12. Nubere post continentiae votum, damnabile est: non tamen damnandae tales nuptiae. Sed quoniam, sicut ait Dominus, Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc (Matth. XIX, 11): quae potest ergo capere, capiat; et quae se non continet, nubat: quae non coepit, deliberet; quae aggressa est, perseveret: nulla adversario detur occasio, nulla Christo subtrahatur oblatio . In conjugali quippe vinculo si pudicitia conservatur, damnatio non timetur: sed in viduali et virginali continentia, excellentia muneris amplioris expetitur; qua expetita et electa et voti debito oblata , jam non solum capessere nuptias, sed etiamsi non nubatur, nubere velle damnabile est. Nam ut hoc demonstraret Apostolus, non ait, Cum in deliciis egerint in Christo, nubunt; sed, nubere volunt: habentes, 0438 inquit, damnationem, quoniam primam fidem irritam fecerunt; etsi non nubendo, tantum volendo: non quia ipsae nuptiae vel talium damnandae judicantur; sed damnatur propositi fraus, damnatur fracta voti fides, damnatur non susceptio a bono inferiore, sed ruina ex bono superiore: postremo damnantur tales, non quia conjugalem fidem posterius inierunt, sed quia continentiae primam fidem irritam fecerunt. Quod ut breviter insinuaret Apostolus, noluit eas dicere habere damnationem, quae post amplioris sanctitatis propositum nubunt (non quia non damnantur, sed ne in eis ipsae nuptiae damnari putarentur): sed cum dixisset, nubere volunt, continuo addidit, habentes damnationem. Et dixit quare, quoniam priorem fidem irritam fecerunt: ut voluntatem quae a proposito cecidit, appareat esse damnatam, sive subsequantur nuptiae, sive desint.