Chapter IV.—Further Remarks Upon the Apostle’s Language.

However, touching second marriage, we know plainly that the apostle has pronounced:  “Thou hast been loosed from a wife; seek not a wife.  But if thou shalt marry, thou wilt not sin.”18    1 Cor. vii. 27, 28.  Still, as in the former case, he has introduced the order of this discourse too from his personal suggestion, not from a divine precept.  But there is a wide difference between a precept of God and a suggestion of man.  “Precept of the Lord,” says he, “I have not; but I give advice, as having obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”19    Or, “to be a believer;” ver. 25.  In fact, neither in the Gospel nor in Paul’s own Epistles will you find a precept of God as the source whence repetition of marriage is permitted.  Whence the doctrine that unity (of marriage) must be observed derives confirmation; inasmuch as that which is not found to be permitted by the Lord is acknowledged to be forbidden.  Add (to this consideration) the fact, that even this very introduction of human advice, as if already beginning to reflect upon its own extravagance, immediately restrains and recalls itself, while it subjoins, “However, such shall have pressure of the flesh;” while he says that he “spares them;” while he adds that “the time is wound up,” so that “it behoves even such as have wives to act as if they had not;” while he compares the solicitude of the wedded and of the unwedded:  for, in teaching, by means of these considerations, the reasons why marrying is not expedient, he dissuades from that to which he had above granted indulgence.  And this is the case with regard to first marriage:  how much more with regard to second!  When, however, he exhorts us to the imitation of his own example, of course, in showing what he does wish us to be; that is, continent; he equally declares what he does not wish us to be, that is, incontinent.  Thus he, too, while he wills one thing, gives no spontaneous or true permission to that which he nills.  For had he willed, he would not have permitted; nay, rather, he would have commanded.  “But see again:  a woman when her husband is dead, he says, can marry, if she wish to marry any one, only ‘in the Lord.’”  Ah! but “happier will she be,” he says, “if she shall remain permanently as she is, according to my opinion.  I think, moreover, I too have the Spirit of God.”  We see two advices:  that whereby, above, he grants the indulgence of marrying; and that whereby, just afterwards, he teaches continence with regard to marrying.  “To which, then,” you say, “shall we assent?”  Look at them carefully, and choose.  In granting indulgence, he alleges the advice of a prudent man; in enjoining continence, he affirms the advice of the Holy Spirit.  Follow the admonition which has divinity for its patron.  It is true that believers likewise “have the Spirit of God;” but not all believers are apostles.  When then, he who had called himself a “believer,” added thereafter that he “had the Spirit of God,” which no one would doubt even in the case of an (ordinary) believer; his reason for saying so was, that he might reassert for himself apostolic dignity.  For apostles have the Holy Spirit properly, who have Him fully, in the operations of prophecy, and the efficacy of (healing) virtues, and the evidences of tongues; not partially, as all others have.  Thus he attached the Holy Spirit’s authority to that form (of advice) to which he willed us rather to attend; and forthwith it became not an advice of the Holy Spirit, but, in consideration of His majesty, a precept.

CAPUT IV.

Caeterum, de secundo matrimonio scimus plane Apostolum pronuntiasse, Solutus es ab uxore, ne quaesieris uxorem: sed si duxeris, non delinquis. Perinde tamen et hujus sermonis ordinem, de consilio suo, non de divino praecepto introducit. Multum autem interest inter Dei praeceptum, et consilium hominis. Praeceptum Domini, inquit, non habeo; sed consilium do, quasi misericordiam consecutus a Domino fidelis esse. Caeterum, neque in Evangelio, neque in ipsius Pauli Epistolis, ex praecepto Dei invenias permissam matrimonii separationem. Unde 0919B unum habendum confirmatur; quia quod a Domino permissum non invenitur, id ignoscitur. Adde quod et haec ipsa humani consilii interjectio quasi jam recogitationem excessus sui passa, statim se refraenat et revocat, cum subjungit: Verumtamen hujusmodi, pressuram carnis habebunt; cum parcere se eis dicit; cum tempus in collectum esse adjicit, quo oporteat etiam habentes matrimonia pro non habentibus agere: cum sollicitudinem nuptorum et innuptorum committit. Per haec enim docens, cur non expediat nubere, dissuadet ab eo quod supra indulserat. Et hoc de primo matrimonio; quanto magis de secundo? Cum vero nos ad exemplum suum hortatur, utique ostendens quid nos velit esse, id est continentes, pariter declarat quid nos esse 0919C nolit, id est incontinentes . Ita et ipse cum aliud vult, id quod non vult nec sponte nec veritate permittit. Si enim vellet, non permisisset, imo imperasset. Sed ecce rursus (I Cor. VII), mulierem marito defuncto dicit nubere posse, si cui velit, tantum in Domino. At enim felicior erit, inquit, si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium. Puto autem, et ego Dei spiritum habeo. Videmus duo consilia, quo supra nubendi veniam facit, et quo postmodum continentiam nubendi indicit . Cui ergo, inquis, adsentabimur? Inspice, et lege. Cum veniam facit, hominis prudentis consilium adlegat. Cum continentiam indicit, Spiritus Sancti consilium affirmat. Sequere admonitionem cui divinitas patrocinatur. 0920A Spiritum quidem Dei etiam fideles habent, sed non omnes fideles Apostoli. Cum ergo qui se fidelem dixerat , adjecit postea, Spiritum Dei se habere, quod nemo dubitaret etiam de fideli; idcirco id dixit, ut sibi Apostoli fastigium redderet. Proprie enim Apostoli Spiritum Sanctum habent in operibus prophetiae et efficacia virtutum, documentisque linguarum , non ex parte, quod caeteri. Ita Spiritus Sancti auctoritatem ad eam speciem adire fecit, cui nos magis obsequi voluit; et factum est jam non consilium divini Spiritus, sed pro ejus majestate praeceptum.