THE SECOND BOOK TO HIS WIFE. I. I HAVE but just now, best-beloved fellow-servant in the Lord, traced out for thee, as well as I was able, what course should be followed by an holy" woman, when her husband is, by whatever hap, taken away. Let us now turn to the next best counsel, out of regard to human infirmity, the examples of certain women warning us, who, when by divorce, or an husband's death, an occasion of continency is offered, have not only thrown away the opportunity of so great a good, but, even in marrying, have not chosen to remember the rule, that first and chiefly they should marry in the Lord. Wherefore my mind hath been troubled, lest I, 1 Cor. 7, who lately exhorted thee to stedfast keeping unto one hus-39. band and unto widowhood, may now, by the mention of marriage, make the removal of the caution a downfall unto thee. But if thou art perfect in wisdom, surely thou must therein observe that which is the more profitable. But because this most important purpose of life is difficult and not without its necessities, I have abated somewhat: nor ver. 37. should I have had reasons for referring to thee on this point also, had I not found herein a weightier anxiety. For in • i. e. a Christian, as in c. 2. 3. 6. and i. 6. b See Note O, at the end of this Treatise. i.e. to a Christian. 1 Cor. 7, 39. is so interpreted by S. Cyprian, Test. iii. 62. S. Jerome, Ep. 123. ad Ageruch. (ol. ad Geront.) §. 5. adv. Jovin. i. 10. (quoted Ep. 40. ad Pamm. §. 5.) Theodoret, Ambrosiaster, Sedulius, ad loc. S. Aug. de Conj. Adulterin. i. 21. S. Chrysostome's paraphrase "with chastity, with honour," (ad loc. Hom. 39 fin.) includes this, and adds to it, not differs from it, II. 422 "Marriage in the Lord" enjoined not counselled. AD Ux. proportion as the continency, which ministereth to widowXIII.2. hood, is great, doth the not enduring it seem pardonable. For in things difficult pardon is easy. But as to marry in the Lord is practicable, as being within our power, so much the more culpable is it not to obey what thou canst. To this is added that the Apostle, as touching widows indeed and the unmarried, adviseth that they so remain, when he 'adjicit. addeth1, But I would that all would persevere according to my example; but, as touching marrying in the Lord, when he saith, only in the Lord, he no longer adviseth, but plainly commandeth. Wherefore, in this instance especially, if we obey not, we are in peril. Because one may neglect a thing advised more safely than a thing commanded: for the one cometh of counsel, and is proposed to the will; but the other is derived from power, and is tied to necessity in the 2derelin- one liberty, in the other contumacy, seemeth to transgress2. cf. 1 Cor. 7, 7. quere II. Wherefore when a certain woman in these days removed her marriage out of the Church, and was joined unto an Heathen, and when I called to mind that others in time past had done the same, wondering at either their own wantonness, or the crookedness of their counsellors, since no Scripture holdeth out license for this act, " Do they," said I, "flatter themselves with that passage in the first Epistle to 1 Cor. 7, the Corinthians, where it is written, If any one of the brethren 12, &c. have an unbelieving wife, and she be consenting to the union, let him not put her away. In like manner a believing woman being married to an unbeliever, if she find her husband consenting, let her not put him away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband: else were your children unclean? Perchance, by understanding in a general sense this admonition touching believers who are married, they may think it lawful also to marry with unbelievers"." Whoso thus in terpreteth, God forbid that he be knowingly cheating himself! But it is manifest that that Scripture denoteth those believers, who have been found by the grace of God in marriage with di. e. whereas Scripture addresses this direction to believers who are actually married, they, by giving it a more general interpretation, extend it to believers who are not married, as giving them a license to marry unbelievers, as if they too would become sanctified by marriage. [Tr.] 12. 20. Marriage with Heathen to be continued, not contracted. 423 Heathens. According to the very words themselves, “If any believer," saith he, "have an unbelieving wife;" he saith not, "take an unbelieving wife :" he sheweth that one already in the married state with an unbelieving woman, and afterwards converted by the grace of God, ought to continue with his wife; to wit for this reason, lest any, having obtained Faith, should think that he ought to be divorced from a woman now an alien, and, in some sense, a stranger. Eph. 2, Wherefore he subjoineth also the reason, that we are called 1 Cor.7, in peace to the Lord God; and that the unbeliever may, 15. 16. through use of marriage, be gained by the believer. This very clause too proveth that this must so be understood: ver. 17. As every one, saith he, is called by the Lord, so let him abide. Now Heathens, methinks, not believers, are called. But if he had declared absolutely concerning the marriage of believers only, he had permitted the saints to marry indiscriminately. But if he had permitted this, he would never have subjoined a declaration so different, and so contrary to his own permission, saying, A woman, if her husband be 1 Cor. 7, dead, is at liberty: let her marry whom she will only in the Lord. Here surely is no question to be made for that, concerning which a question might have been made, the Spirit hath declared. Lest we should make an ill use of that which He saith, Let her marry whom she will, He hath added, only in the Lord, that is, in the Name of the Lord, which is, doubtless, to a Christian. That Holy Spirit therefore, who had rather that widows and the unmarried should abide in their integrity, Who exhorteth us to the example of himself', prescribeth no other mode of repeating ver. 7. marriage, save in the Lord. To this condition alone doth He allow the loss of continency. Only, saith He, in the Lord. He hath added a weight to His own law, only; with whatever tone and manner thou shalt pronounce that word, it is weighty: it both commandeth and adviseth, both teacheth and exhorteth, both asketh and threateneth. 'Tis a The word is taken from S. Matt. 18, 15. as below, c. 7. [Tr.] The Apostle himself. S. Paul being guided to speak of himself in Holy Scripture, his action is directly sanctioned by the Holy Spirit, Who inspired him; whence T. blends in one the 30. 424 Marriage continued, sanctifies Heathen; contracted, AD Ux. sentence sharp, brief, and, by its very brevity, eloquent. Thus XIII.3. useth God to speak, that thou mayest understand at once, II. obey at once. For who may not understand that the Apostle hath, in this kind of marriage which he forbiddeth, provided against many dangers and wounds to the Faith, and hath first of all guarded against the defilement of holy flesh by Heathen flesh? At this point some one saith, 'What difference then between him who is chosen by the Lord, when married to an Heathen, and one long ago, that is, before marriage, believing, so that they should not equally take care for their own flesh? whereas the one is forbidden marriage with an unbeliever, the other commanded to continue in it! Why, if we be defiled by an Heathen, is not the one loosed, even as the other is not bound?' I will answer, if the Spirit shall permit, first of all alleging that the Lord rather approveth that marriage should not be contracted, than in any Mat. 5, case dissolved; finally, He forbiddeth divorce, saving for the cause of fornication, but commendeth continency. Let then the one have the necessity of abiding, the other moreover the power of not even marrying. 32. 14. g III. Then if, according to the Scripture, they that are found by faith in marriage with an Heathen, are therefore not defiled, because with themselves others also become 1 Cor. 7, sanctified; without doubt they, who before marriage were sanctified, if they be joined with strange flesh, cannot sanctify that wherewith they were not found. But the grace of God sanctifieth that which it hath found. So that which could not be sanctified is unclean; that which is unclean hath no fellowship with the holy, save that, of its own, it defileth and slayeth. This being so, it is evident that believers entering into marriage with Heathens are guilty of fornication, and must be forbidden all communication with the brotherhood, 1 Cor. 5, according to the letters of the Apostle, who saith, that with such an one we must no not eat. Or shall we in that Day produce our marriage-deeds before the Judgment-seat of the Lord, and allege that which He Himself hath forbidden? 'That which is forbidden is not adultery; is not fornication! 11. 1 Cor. 3, The admission of a strange spouse less defileth the temple of 17. "A fide deprehenduntur." So above, c. 2. "inventi a Dei gratia." [Tr.] defiles Christian, and the temple of God. 425 15. ver. 19. God", less joineth the members of Christ with the members of 1 Cor.6, an harlot.' As far as my knowledge serveth, we are not our own, but bought with a price: and with what price? the ver. 20. Blood of God. In hurting therefore that flesh, we hurt Him most nearly. What meant he, who said that to marry a stranger was indeed a sin, but a very little one? whereas, in any case, setting aside the wrong done to the flesh which pertaineth to the Lord, every wilful sin is, in the Lord, a great one'. For as was his power of avoiding it, so is the weight of the charge of contumacy upon him. Let us now review the other dangers, or, as I have said, wounds to faith, provided against by the Apostle, most hurtful not only to the flesh, but also to the spirit itself. For who can doubt that faith is day by day effaced through intercourse with unbelievers? Evil communications corrupt good manners: 1 Cor. 15, 33. how much more living together, and undivided familiarity! Every believing woman must needs obey God. And how can she serve two masters? the Lord and an husband, add, Matt. 6, too, an Heathen? For, in obeying an Heathen, she will enact Heathen things: the form, the building up, the elegancies of the world, the baser blandishments, even the sinstained secrets of marriage themselves; not as the duties of the sex are performed among saints, with respect shewn to the very necessity, with modesty and moderation, as under the eyes of God. IV. But no matter after what fashion she pay her duties to her husband: the Lord assuredly she cannot satisfy according to His rule, while she hath at her side a servant of the devil, a minister to his own lord in hindering the pursuits and offices of belieyers: so that, if a station' is to be kept, the husband engageth her all day to the baths; if h So S. Jerome adv. Jov. i. 10. ii. e. every wilful sin, though seemingly slight, becomes great when committed by one who is "in Christ," as being so hallowed, and against the suggestions of the indwelling Spirit. "Extructis." i. e. by means of dress and ornaments. So Juvenal, Sat. vi. 502. Tanti est quærendi cura decoris! Tot premit ordinibus, tot adhuc compagibus altum Edificat caput. [Tr.] 1 See de Orat. c. 19. p. 311. and n. a. fasts. "the 24. |