17. Only by this, which I have briefly set down, the reader ought to be set on his guard against those, who, in this that is written, “but such shall have tribulation of the flesh but I spare you,” falsely charge marriage, as indirectly condemned by this sentence; as though he were unwilling to utter the condemnation itself, when he saith, “But I spare you;” so that, forsooth, when he spares them, he spared not his own soul, as saying falsely, “And, if thou shalt have taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin shall have been married, she sinneth not.” And this, whoso believe or would have believed concerning holy Scripture, they, as it were prepare for themselves a way for liberty of lying, or for defense of their own perverse opinion, in whatever case they hold other sentiments than what sound doctrine demands. For if there shall be alleged any plain statement from the divine books, whereby to refute their errors, this they have at hand as a shield, whereby defending themselves as it were against the truth, they lay themselves bare to be wounded by the devil: to say that the author of the book did not speak the truth in this instance, at one time in order to spare the weak, at another in order to alarm despisers: just as a case shall come to hand, wherein to defend their own perverse opinion: and thus, whilst they had rather defend than amend their own opinions, they essay to break the authority of holy Scripture, whereby alone all proud and hard necks are broken.

CAPUT XVII.

17. In eos qui ab Apostolo damnatas ibi nuptias putant. Scripturae aliquod mendacium tribuere quam perniciosum. Tantum per hoc quod breviter posui, cautum fieri lectorem oportuit adversus eos qui in hoc quod scriptum est, Tribulationem autem carnis habebunt hujusmodi, ego autem vobis parco, nuptiis calumniantur, quod eas ex obliquo sententia ista damnaverit; velut ipsam damnationem noluerit dicere, cum ait, Ego autem vobis parco: ut videlicet cum istis parcit, animae suae non pepercerit, si mentiendo dixit, Et si acceperis uxorem, non peccasti; et si nupserit virgo, non peccat. Quod qui de sancta Scriptura credunt vel credi volunt, tanquam viam sibi muniunt ad mentiendi licentiam, vel ad defensionem suae perversae opinionis, ubicumque aliud sentiunt quam sana doctrina postulat. Si quid enim manifestum de divinis Libris prolatum fuerit, quo eorum confutentur errores, hoc ad manum habent velut scutum, quo se adversus veritatem quasi tuentes nudent a diabolo vulnerandos, ut dicant hoc auctorem libri non verum dixisse, alias ut infirmis parceret, alias ut contemptores terreret; sicut occurrerit causa, qua eorum perversa sententia defendatur: atque ita dum ea quae opinantur, defendere quam corrigere malunt, Scripturae sanctae auctoritatem frangere conantur, qua una omnes cervices superbae duraeque franguntur.