On the Good of Marriage.

 1. Forasmuch as each man is a part of the human race, and human nature is something social, and hath for a great and natural good, the power also of f

 2. Nor is it now necessary that we enquire, and put forth a definite opinion on that question, whence could exist the progeny of the first men, whom G

 3. This we now say, that, according to this condition of being born and dying, which we know, and in which we have been created, the marriage of male

 4. There is this further, that in that very debt which married persons pay one to another, even if they demand it with somewhat too great intemperance

 5. Also the question is wont to be asked, when a male and female, neither the one the husband, nor the other the wife, of any other, come together, no

 6. Further, in the very case of the more immoderate requirement of the due of the flesh, which the Apostle enjoins not on them by way of command, but

 7. But I marvel, if, as it is allowed to put away a wife who is an adulteress, so it be allowed, having put her away, to marry another. For holy Scrip

 8. “Honorable,” therefore, “is marriage in all, and the bed undefiled.” And this we do not so call a good, as that it is a good in comparison of forni

 9. Truly we must consider, that God gives us some goods, which are to be sought for their own sake, such as wisdom, health, friendship: but others, wh

 10. But I am aware of some that murmur: What, say they, if all men should abstain from all sexual intercourse, whence will the human race exist? Would

 11. And yet not to these themselves is marriage a sin which, if it were chosen in comparison of fornication, would be a less sin than fornication, an

 12. For, whereas that natural use, when it pass beyond the compact of marriage, that is, beyond the necessity of begetting, is pardonable in the case

 13. What therefore he says, “She, that is unmarried, thinketh of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit ” we are not to

 14. And not without just cause a doubt is raised, whether he said this of all married women, or of such as so many are, as that nearly all may be thou

 15. For what Christian men of our time being free from the marriage bond, having power to contain from all sexual intercourse, seeing it to be now “a

 16. Therefore if haply, (which whether it can take place, I know not and rather think it cannot take place but yet, if haply), having taken unto him

 17. That marriage can take place of persons first ill joined, an honest decree following after, is manifest. But a marriage once for all entered upon

 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 d

 19. Therefore as many women as there are now, unto whom it is said, “if they contain not, let them be married, ” are not to be compared to the holy wo

 20. And on this account, not, so as it was allowed one man to have even several wives, was it allowed one female to have several husbands, not even fo

 21. But since out of many souls there shall be hereafter one City of such as have one soul and one heart towards God which perfection of our unity sh

 22. If, therefore, even they who are united in marriage only for the purpose of begetting, for which purpose marriage was instituted, are not compared

 23. Nor, in that the Law orders a man to be purified even after intercourse with a wife, doth it show it to be sin: unless it be that which is allowed

 24. Marriage, I say, is a good, and may be, by sound reason, defended against all calumnies. But with the marriage of the holy fathers, I inquire not

 25. Forsooth continence is a virtue, not of the body, but of the soul. But the virtues of the soul are sometimes shown in work, sometimes lie hid in h

 26. But, in order that it may be more clearly understood, how there may be virtue in habit, although it be not in work, I speak of an example, about w

 27. Therefore at that time, when the Law also, following upon the days of the Patriarchs, pronounced accursed, whoso raised not up seed in Israel, eve

 28. Therefore, if we compare the things themselves, we may no way doubt that the chastity of continence is better than marriage chastity, whilst yet b

 29. And there is this further, that men are not rightly compared with men in regard of some one good. For it may come to pass, that one hath not what

 30. The right question plainly is, not whether a virgin every way disobedient is to be compared to an obedient married woman, but a less obedient to a

 31. From this obedience that Father, who was not without a wife, was prepared to be without an only son, and that slain by himself. For I shall not wi

 32. Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as perta

 33. And, the case being thus, enough and more than enough answer has been made to the heretics, whether they be Manichees, or whosoever other that bri

 34. But those of ours who have wives we advise, with all our power, that they dare not to judge of those holy fathers after their own weakness, compar

 35. Boys also and virgins dedicating unto God actual chastity we do before all things admonish, that they be aware that they must guard their life mea

5. Also the question is wont to be asked, when a male and female, neither the one the husband, nor the other the wife, of any other, come together, not for the begetting of children, but, by reason of incontinence, for the mere sexual intercourse, there being between them this faith, that neither he do it with any other woman, nor she with any other man, whether it is to be called marriage.11    Nuptiœ And perhaps this may, not without reason, be called marriage,12    Connubium if it shall be the resolution13    Placuerit of both parties until the death of one, and if the begetting of children, although they came not together for that cause, yet they shun not, so as either to be unwilling to have children born to them, or even by some evil work to use means that they be not born. But, if either both, or one, of these be wanting, I find not how we can call it marriage. For, if a man should take unto him any one for a time, until he find another worthy either of his honors or of his means, to marry as his compeer; in his soul itself he is an adulterer, and that not with her whom he is desirous of finding, but with her, with whom he so lies, as not to have with her the partnership of a husband. Whence she also herself, knowing and willing this, certainly acts unchastely in having intercourse with him, with whom she has not the compact of a wife. However, if she keep to him faith of bed, and after he shall have married, have no thought of marriage herself, and prepare to contain herself altogether from any such work, perhaps I should not dare lightly to call her an adulteress; but who shall say that she sins not, when he is aware that she has intercourse with a man, not being his wife? But further, if from that intercourse, so far as pertains to herself, she has no wish but for sons, and suffers unwilling whatever she suffers beyond the cause of begetting; there are many matrons to whom she is to be preferred; who, although they are not adulteresses, yet force their husbands, for the most part also wishing to exercise continence, to pay the due of the flesh, not through desire of children, but through glow of lust making an intemperate use of their very right; in whose marriages, however, this very thing, that they are married, is a good. For for this purpose are they married, that the lust being brought under a lawful bond, should not float at large without form and loose; having of itself weakness of flesh that cannot be curbed, but of marriage fellowship of faith that cannot be dissolved; of itself encroachment of immoderate intercourse, of marriage a way of chastely begetting. For, although it be shameful to wish to use a husband for purposes of lust, yet it is honorable to be unwilling to have intercourse save with an husband, and not to give birth to children save from a husband. There are also men incontinent to that degree, that they spare not their wives even when pregnant. Therefore whatever that is immodest, shameless, base, married persons do one with another, is the sin of the persons, not the fault of marriage.

CAPUT V.

5. Conjunctio viri et feminae quandonam sit connubium, quando non. Solet etiam quaeri, cum masculus et femina, nec ille maritus, nec illa uxor alterius, sibimet non filiorum procreandorum, sed propter incontinentiam solius concubitus causa copulantur, ea fide media, ut nec ille cum altera, nec illa cum altero id faciat, utrum nuptiae sint vocandae. Et potest quidem fortasse non absurde hoc appellari connubium, si usque ad mortem alterius eorum id inter eos placuerit, et prolis generationem, quamvis non ea causa conjuncti sint, non tamen vitaverint, ut vel nolint sibi nasci filios, vel etiam opere aliquo malo agant ne nascantur. Caeterum si vel utrumque vel unum horum desit, non invenio quemadmodum has nuptias appellare possimus. Etenim si aliquam sibi 0377 vir ad tempus adhibuerit, donec aliam dignam vel honoribus vel facultatibus suis inveniat, quam comparem ducat; ipso animo adulter est, nec cum illa quam cupit invenire, sed cum ista cum qua sic cubat, ut cum ea non habeat maritale consortium. Unde et ipsa hoc sciens ac volens, impudice utique miscetur ei, cum quo non habet foedus uxorium. Verumtamen si ei thori fidem servet, et cum ille uxorem duxerit, nubere ipsa non cogitet, atque a tali prorsus opere continere se praeparet, adulteram quidem fortassis facile appellare non audeam; non peccare tamen quis dixerit, cum eam viro, cujus uxor non est, misceri sciat? Jamvero si ex illo concubitu, quantum ad ipsam attinet, non nisi filios velit, et quidquid ultra causam procreandi patitur invita patiatur: multis quidem ista matronis anteponenda est; quae tametsi non sunt adulterae, viros tamen suos plerumque etiam continere cupientes ad reddendum carnale debitum cogunt, non desiderio prolis, sed ardore concupiscentiae ipso suo jure intemperanter utentes: in quarum tamen nuptiis bonum est hoc ipsum quod nuptae sunt. Ad hoc enim nuptae sunt, ut illa concupiscentia redacta ad legitimum vinculum, non deformis et dissoluta fluitaret, habens de se ipsa irrefrenabilem carnis infirmitatem, de nuptiis autem indissolubilem fidei societatem; de se ipsa progressum immoderate coeundi, de nuptiis modum caste procreandi. Etsi enim turpe est libidinose uti velle marito ; honestum est tamen nolle misceri nisi marito, et non parere nisi de marito.

CAPUT VI.

De conjugalis debiti exactione ac redditione. Sunt item viri usque adeo incontinentes, ut conjugibus nec gravidis parcant. Quidquid ergo inter se conjugati immodestum, inverecundum, sordidum gerunt, vitium est hominum, non culpa nuptiarum.