S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE BONO CONJUGALI LIBER UNUS .

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 CAPUT II.

 3. Illud nunc dicimus, secundum istam conditionem nascendi et moriendi, quam novimus, et in qua creati sumus, aliquid boni esse conjugium masculi et f

 CAPUT IV.

 CAPUT V.

 6. Jam in ipsa quoque immoderatiore exactione debiti carnalis, quam eis non secundum imperium praecipit, sed secundum veniam concedit Apostolus, ut et

 7. Miror autem si quemadmodum licet dimittere adulteram uxorem, ita liceat ea dimissa alteram ducere. Facit enim de hac re sancta Scriptura difficilem

 8. Honorabiles ergo nuptiae in omnibus, et thorus immaculatus turpe est etiam dicere scientiae destruetur, charitas nunquam cadet 0380

 CAPUT IX.

 CAPUT X.

 11. Nec ipsis tamen peccatum sunt nuptiae, quae si in comparatione fornicationis eligerentur, minus peccatum essent quam fornicatio, sed tamen peccatu

 CAPUT XI.

 13. Quod ergo ait, Quae innupta est, cogitat ea quae sunt Domini, ut sit sancta et corpore et spiritu, non sic accipiendum est, ut putemus non esse sa

 CAPUT XII.

 CAPUT XIII.

 CAPUT XIV.

 17. Posse sane fieri nuptias ex male conjunctis, honesto postea placito consequente, manifestum est.

 CAPUT XVI.

 CAPUT XVII.

 20. Ideoque non sicut uni viro etiam plures habere licebat uxores, ita uni feminae plures viros, nec prolis ipsius causa, si forte illa parere posset,

 CAPUT XVIII.

 22. Si ergo et illi qui propter solam generationem, propter quam sunt institutae nuptiae, conjunguntur, non comparantur patribus, multo aliter ipsos f

 CAPUT XX.

 24. Bonum, inquam, sunt nuptiae, et contra omnes calumnias possunt sana ratione defendi. Nuptiis tamen sanctorum patrum, non quas nuptias, sed quam 03

 CAPUT XXI.

 26. Verum ut apertius intelligatur quomodo sit virtus in habitu, etiamsi non sit in opere, loquor de exemplo de quo nullus dubitat catholicorum Christ

 CAPUT XXII.

 CAPUT XXIII.

 29. Huc accedit quia non recte comparantur homines hominibus ex uno aliquo bono. Fieri enim potest ut alius non habeat aliquid quod alius habet, sed a

 30. Recte plane quaeritur, non utrum omnimodis inobediens virgo conjugatae obedienti, sed minus obediens obedientiori comparanda sit quia et illa nup

 31. Ex hac obedientia pater ille qui sine uxore non fuit, esse sine unico filio et a se occiso paratus fuit . Unicum enim non immerito dixerim, de quo

 CAPUT XXIV.

 CAPUT XXV.

 CAPUT XXVI.

 35. Pueros quoque ac virgines integritatem ipsam Deo dicantes, multo maxime commonemus ut tanta norint humilitate tuendum esse quod in terra interim v

18. For what food is unto the conservation of the man, this sexual intercourse is unto the conservation of the race: and both are not without carnal delight: which yet being modified, and by restraint of temperance reduced unto the use after nature, cannot be lust.51    Retract. b. ii. c. xxii. 2. “it was meant that the good and right use of lust is not lust, for as it is evil will to use good things, so is it good will to use evil things.” But what unlawful food is in the supporting of life, this sexual intercourse of fornication or adultery is in the seeking of a family. And what unlawful food is in luxury of belly and throat, this unlawful intercourse is in lust that seeks not a family. And what the excessive appetite of some is in lawful food, this that intercourse that is matter of pardon is in husband and wife. As therefore it is better to die of hunger than to eat things offered unto idols: so it is better to die without children, than to seek a family from unlawful intercourse. But from whatever source men be born, if they follow not the vices of their parents, and worship God aright, they shall be honest and safe. For the seed of man, from out what kind of man soever, is the creation of God, and it shall fare ill with those who use it ill, yet shall not, itself at any time be evil. But as the good sons of adulterers are no defense of adulteries, so the evil sons of married persons are no charge against marriage. Wherefore as the Fathers of the time of the New Testament taking food from the duty of conservation, although they took it with natural delight of the flesh, were yet in no way compared with the delight of those who fed on what had been offered in sacrifice, or of those who, although the food was lawful, yet took it to excess: so the Fathers of the time of the Old Testament from the duty of conservation used sexual intercourse; and yet that their natural delight, by no means relaxed unto unreasonable and unlawful lust, is not to be compared either with the vileness of fornications, or with the intemperance of married persons. Forsooth through the same vein52    “Vena.” of charity, now after the spirit, then after the flesh, it was a duty to beget sons for the sake of that mother Jerusalem: but it was nought save the difference of times which made the works of the fathers different. But thus it was necessary that even Prophets, not living after the flesh, should come together after the flesh; even as it was necessary that Apostles also, not living after the flesh, should eat food after the flesh.

CAPUT XVI.

18. In concubitu ac in cibi usu similis ratio virtutis et vitii. Quod enim est cibus ad salutem hominis, hoc est concubitus ad salutem generis: et utrumque non est sine delectatione carnali; quae tamen modificata, et temperantia refrenante in usum naturalem redacta, libido esse non potest . Quod est autem in sustentanda vita illicitus cibus, hoc est in quaerenda prole fornicarius vel adulterinus concubitus. Et quod est in luxuria ventris et gutturis illicitus cibus, hoc est in libidine nullam prolem quaerente illicitus concubitus. Et quod est in cibo licito nonnullis immoderatior appetitus, hoc est in conjugibus venialis ille concubitus. Sicut ergo satius est emori fame, quam idolothytis vesci ; ita satius est 0386 defungi sine liberis, quam ex illicito coitu stirpem quaerere. Undecumque autem nascantur homines, si parentum vitia non sectentur, et Deum recte colant, honesti et salvi erunt. Semen enim hominis ex qualicumque homine, Dei creatura est, et eo male utentibus male erit, non ipsum aliquando malum erit. Sicut autem filii boni adulterorum, nulla defensio est adulteriorum; sic mali conjugatorum, nullum crimen est nuptiarum. Proinde sicut patres temporis Novi Testamenti ex officio consulendi alimenta sumentes, quamvis ea cum delectatione naturali carnis acciperent, nullo modo tamen comparabantur delectationi eorum qui immolatitio vescebantur (I Cor. VIII, 7), aut eorum qui quamvis licitas escas, tamen immoderatius assumebant; sic patres temporis Veteris Testamenti, consulendi officio concumbebant, quorum delectatio illa naturalis nequaquam usque ad irrationalem aut nefariam libidinem relaxata, nec turpitudini stuprorum nec conjugatorum intemperantiae conferenda est. Eadem quippe vena charitatis, nunc spiritualiter, tunc carnaliter propter illam matrem Jerusalem propagandi erant filii: sed diversa opera patrum non faciebat nisi diversitas temporum. Sic autem necesse erat ut carnaliter coirent, etiam non carnales Prophetae; sicut necesse erat ut carnaliter vescerentur, etiam non carnales Apostoli.