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

27. Therefore at that time, when the Law also, following upon the days of the Patriarchs,77    Deut. xxv. 5, 10 pronounced accursed, whoso raised not up seed in Israel, even he, who could, put it not forth, but yet possessed it. But from the period that the fullness of time hath come,78    Gal. iv. 4 that it should be said, “Whoso can receive, let him receive,”79    Matt. xix. 12 from that period even unto this present, and from henceforth even unto the end, whoso hath, worketh: whoso shall be unwilling to work, let him not falsely say, that he hath. And through this means, they, who corrupt good manners by evil communications,80    1 Cor. xv. 33 with empty and vain craft, say to a Christian man exercising continence, and refusing marriage, What then, are you better than Abraham? But let him not, upon hearing this, be troubled; neither let him dare to say, “Better,” nor let him fall away from his purpose: for the one he saith not truly, the other he doth not rightly. But let him say, I indeed am not better than Abraham, but the chastity of the unmarried is better than the chastity of marriage; whereof Abraham had one in use, both in habit. For he lived chastely in the marriage state: but it was in his power to be chaste without marriage, but at that time it behoved not. But I with more ease use not marriage, which Abraham used, than so use marriage as Abraham used it: and therefore I am better than those, who through incontinence of mind cannot do what I do; not than those, who, on account of difference of time, did not do what I do. For what I now do, they would have done better, if it had been to be done at that time; but what they did, I should not so do, although it were now to be done. Or, if he feels and knows himself to be such, as that, (the virtue of continence being preserved and continued in the habit of his mind, in case he had descended unto the use of marriage from some duty of religion,) he should be such an husband, and such a father, as Abraham was; let him dare to make plain answer to that captious questioner, and to say, I am not indeed better than Abraham, only in this kind of continence, of which he was not void, although it appeared not: but I am such, not having other than he, but doing other. Let him say this plainly: forasmuch as, even if he shall wish to glory, he will not be a fool, for he saith the truth. But if he spare, lest any think of him above what he sees him,81    2 Cor. xii. 6 or hears any thing of him; let him remove from his own person the knot of the question, and let him answer, not concerning the man, but concerning the thing itself, and let him say, Whoso hath so great power is such as Abraham. But it may happen that the virtue of continence is less in his mind, who uses not marriage, which Abraham used: but yet it is greater than in his mind, who on this account held chastity of marriage, in that he could not a greater. Thus also let the unmarried woman, whose thoughts are of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit,82    1 Cor. vii. 34 when she shall have heard that shameless questioner saying, What, then, are you better than Sara? answer, I am better, but than those, who are void of the virtue of continence, which I believe not of Sara: she therefore together with this virtue did what was suited to that time, from which I am free, that in my body also may appear, what she kept in her mind.

CAPUT XXII.

27. Continentia in antiquis habitu, nunc autem opere tenenda. Jovinianistarum percontatio exploditur. Illo itaque tempore cum et lex, dies Patriarcharum subsequens, maledictum dixit, qui non excitaret semen in Israel (Deut. XXV, 5-10), et qui poterat non promebat, sed tamen habebat. Ex quo autem venit plenitudo temporis (Galat. IV, 4), ut diceretur, Qui potest capere, capiat; ex illo usque adhuc, et deinceps usque in finem, qui habet operatur; qui operari noluerit, non se habere mentiatur. Ac per hoc ab eis qui corrumpunt bonos mores colloquiis malis (I Cor. XV, 33), inani et vana versutia dicitur homini christiano continenti et nuptias recusanti, 0392 Tu ergo melior quam Abraham? Quod ille cum audierit, non perturbetur; nec audeat dicere, Melior, nec a proposito delabatur: illud enim non vere dicit, hoc non recte facit. Sed dicat, Ego quidem non sum melior quam Abraham, sed melior est castitas caelibum quam castitas nuptiarum: quarum Abraham unam habebat in usu, ambas in habitu. Caste quippe conjugaliter vixit: esse autem castus sine conjugio potuit, sed tunc non oportuit. Ego vero facilius non utor nuptiis quibus est usus Abraham, quam sic utar nuptiis quemadmodum est usus Abraham: et ideo melior sum illis qui per animi incontinentiam non possunt quod ego, non illis qui propter temporis differentiam non fecerunt quod ego. Quod enim ego nunc ago, melius illi egissent, si tunc agendum esset: quod autem illi egerunt, sic ego non agerem, et si nunc agendum esset. Aut si talem se iste sentit et novit, ut salva et permanente in habitu animi sui virtute continentiae, si ad usum nuptiarum ex aliquo religionis officio descendisset, talis maritus et talis pater esset, qualis fuit Abraham; audeat plane respondere illi captioso interrogatori, et dicere, Non sum quidem melior quam Abraham, in hoc duntaxat genere continentiae, qua ille non carebat, etsi non apparebat; sed sum talis, non aliud habens, sed aliud agens. Dicat plane ista: quia et si voluerit gloriari, non erit insipiens; veritatem enim dicit. Si autem parcit, ne quis eum existimet super id quod eum videt, aut audit aliquid ex illo (II Cor. XII, 6); auferat a persona sua nodum quaestionis, et non de homine, sed de re ipsa respondeat, et dicat, qui tantum potest, talis est qualis fuit Abraham. Potest autem fieri ut minor sit continentiae virtus in animo ejus qui non utitur nuptiis, quibus est usus Abraham: sed tamen major est , quam in animo ejus qui propterea tenuit conjugii castitatem, quia non potuit ampliorem. Sic et femina innupta, quae cogitat ea quae sunt Domini, ut sit sancta et corpore et spiritu (I Cor. VII, 34), cum audierit impudentem illum percontatorem dicentem, Tu ergo melior quam Sara? respondeat, Ego melior sum, sed iis quae virtute hujus continentiae carent, quod de Sara non credo: fecit ergo illa cum ista virtute quod illi tempori congruebat, a quo ego sum immunis, ut in meo etiam corpore appareat quod illa in animo conservabat.