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| Reasons Which Led to the Writing of This Second Book.
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Book II.
Chapter I.—Reasons Which Led to
the Writing of This Second Book.
Very lately, best beloved fellow-servant in the
Lord, I, as my ability permitted, entered for your benefit at some
length into the question what course is to be followed by a holy woman
when her marriage has (in whatever way) been brought to an end.
Let us now turn our attention to the next best advice, in regard of
human infirmity; admonished hereto by the examples of certain, who,
when an opportunity for the practice of continence has been offered
them, by divorce, or by the decease of the husband, have not only
thrown away the opportunity of attaining so great a good, but not even
in their remarriage have chosen to be mindful of the rule that
“above all437
they marry in the
Lord.” And thus my mind has been thrown into confusion, in
the fear that, having exhorted you myself to perseverance in single
husbandhood and widowhood, I may now, by the mention of
precipitate438
marriages, put
“an occasion of falling”439
| 439 Ps. lxix. 23 (according to the “Great
Bible” version, ed. 1539. This is the translation found in
the “Book of Common Prayer”). Comp. Rom. xiv. 13. | in your
way. But if you are perfect in wisdom, you know, of course, that
the course which is the more useful is the course which you must
keep. But, inasmuch as that course is difficult, and not without
its embarrassments,440
and on this account
is the highest aim of (widowed) life, I have paused somewhat (in my
urging you to it); nor would there have been any causes for my
recurring to that point also in addressing you, had I not by this time
taken up a still graver solicitude. For the nobler is the
continence of the flesh which ministers to widowhood, the more
pardonable a thing it seems if it be not persevered in. For it is
then when things are difficult that their pardon is easy. But in
as far as marrying “in the Lord” is permissible, as being
within our power, so far more culpable is it not to observe that
which you can observe. Add to this the fact that the
apostle, with regard to widows and the unmarried, advises them
to remain permanently in that state, when he says, “But I desire
all to persevere in (imitation of) my example:”441
but touching marrying “in the
Lord,” he no longer advises, but plainly442
| 442 Exerte. Comp. the
use of “exertus” in de Bapt., cc. xii. and
xviii. |
bids.443
| 443 1 Cor. vii. 39, where the μόνον ἐν
Κυρίῳ is on the same footing as
γυνὴ
δέδεται ἐφ᾽
ὅσον χρόνον
ζῇ ὁ ἀνὴρ
αὐτῆς: comp. c. ix. and
Rom. vii. 1 (in the Eng. ver. 2). | Therefore in
this case especially, if we do not obey, we run a risk, because one may
with more impunity neglect an “advice” than an
“order;” in that the former springs from counsel,
and is proposed to the will (for acceptance or rejection):
the other descends from authority, and is bound to
necessity. In the former case, to disregard appears
liberty, in the latter, contumacy.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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