39. [XXXIV.]—Three Things Good and Laudable in Matrimony.

Marriage, therefore, is a good in all the things which are proper to the married state. And these are three: it is the ordained means of procreation, it is the guarantee233    Fides. of chastity, it is the bond of union.234    Connubii sacramentum. In respect of its ordination for generation the Scripture says, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house;”235    1 Tim. v. 14. as regards its guaranteeing chastity, it is said of it, “The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife;”236    1 Cor. vii. 4. and considered as the bond of union: “What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”237    Matt. xix. 6. Touching these points, we do not forget that we have treated at sufficient length, with whatever ability the Lord has given us, in other works of ours, which are not unknown to you.238    De Bono Conjugali, 3 sqq. In relation to them all the Scripture has this general praise: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled.”239    Heb. xiii. 4. For, inasmuch as the wedded state is good, insomuch does it produce a very large amount of good in respect of the evil of concupiscence; for it is not lust, but reason, which makes a good use of concupiscence. Now lust lies in that law of the “disobedient” members which the apostle notes as “warring against the law of the mind;”240    Rom. vii. 23. whereas reason lies in that law of the wedded state which makes good use of concupiscence. If, however, it were impossible for any good to arise out of evil, God could not create man out of the embraces of adultery. As, therefore, the damnable evil of adultery, whenever man is born in it, is not chargeable on God, who certainly amidst man’s evil work actually produces a good work; so, likewise, all which causes shame in that rebellion of the members which brought the accusing blush on those who after their sin covered these members with the fig-tree leaves,241    Gen. iii. 7. is not laid to the charge of marriage, by virtue of which the conjugal embrace is not only allowable, but is even useful and honourable; but it is imputable to the sin of that disobedience which was followed by the penalty of man’s finding his own members emulating against himself that very disobedience which he had practised against God. Then, abashed at their action, since they moved no more at the bidding of his rational will, but at their own arbitrary choice as it were, instigated by lust, he devised the covering which should conceal such of them as he judged to be worthy of shame. For man, as the handiwork of God, deserved not confusion of face; nor were the members which it seemed fit to the Creator to form and appoint by any means designed to bring the blush to the creature. Accordingly, that simple nudity was displeasing neither to God nor to man: there was nothing to be ashamed of, because nothing at first accrued which deserved punishment.

CAPUT XXXIV.

39. Bonum ergo sunt nuptiae in omnibus quae sunt propria nuptiarum. Haec autem sunt tria, generandi ordinatio, fides pudicitiae, connubii sacramentum. Propter ordinationem generandi scriptum est: Volo juniores nubere, filios procreare, matres familias esse (I Tim. V, 14). Propter fidem pudicitiae: Uxor non habet potestatem sui corporis, sed vir: similiter et vir non habet potestatem sui corporis, sed mulier (I Cor. VII, 4). Propter connubii sacramentum: Quod Deus conjunxit, homo non separet (Matth. XIX, 6). De quibus in aliis opusculis nostris, quae vobis non sunt incognita, quantum Domino adjuvante potuimus, satis nos disseruisse meminimus (De Bono conjugali, n. 3 sqq.). Propter haec omnia, honorabiles nuptiae in omnibus, et thorus immaculatus (Hebr. XIII, 4). In quantum enim nuptiae bonae sunt, in tantum faciunt plurimum boni etiam de libidinis malo: quoniam libidine non bene utitur libido, sed ratio. Libido est autem in illa, quam notat Apostolus, repugnante legi mentis, inobedientium lege membrorum (Rom. VII, 23): ratio vero bene utens libidine, ipsa est in lege nuptiarum. Nam si nullum de malo bonum fieri posset, nec Deus ex adulterino concubitu hominem conderet. Sicut ergo adulterii damnabile malum, quando et inde homo nascitur, non imputatur Deo, qui certe in opere hominum malo facit ipse opus bonum: ita quidquid est pudendum in membrorum illa inobedientia, de qua erubuerunt qui post peccatum foliis ficulneis eadem membra texerunt (Gen. III, 7), non nuptiis imputatur, propter quas concubitus conjugalis 0405 non solum est licitus, verum etiam utilis et honestus; sed imputatur peccato inobedientiae, cujus haec poena est consecuta, ut homo inobediens Deo, sua quoque sibi inobedientia membra sentiret: de quibus erubescens, quod non ad arbitrium voluntatis ejus, sed ad libidinis incentivum velut arbitrio proprio moverentur, quae pudenda judicavit, operienda curavit. Non enim confundi debuit homo de opere Dei, aut ullo modo fuerant creato erubescenda, quae instituenda visa sunt Creatori. Itaque nec Deo nec homini illa simplex nuditas displicebat, quando nihil erat pudendum, quia nihil praecesserat puniendum.