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, comparing, as
the Apostle says, themselves with themselves;2022
and therefore, not understanding
how great
strength the
soul hath, doing service unto
righteousness
against
lusts, that it acquiesce not in
carnal motions of this
sort, or
suffer them to glide on or advance unto sexual intercourse
beyond the necessity of begetting
children, so
far as the order of
nature, so
far as the use of
custom, so
far as the
decrees of
laws
prescribe. Forsooth it is on this account that men have this
suspicion concerning those fathers, in that they themselves have
either chosen
marriage through incontinence, or use their
wives
with intemperance. But however let such as are continent, either
men, who, on the
death of their
wives, or,
women, who, on the
death
of their
husbands, or both, who, with mutual consent, have vowed
continence unto
God, know that to them indeed there is due a
greater recompense than
marriage chastity demands; but, (as
regards) the marriages of the holy Fathers, who were joined after
the manner of
prophecy, who neither in sexual intercourse sought
aught
save children, nor in
children themselves aught save what
should set forward Christ coming hereafter in the flesh, not only
let them not despise them in comparison of their own purpose, but
let them without any doubting prefer them even to their own
purpose.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
