Original Douay–Rheims Annotations1 Corinthians 7

His own wife.

^{[1] [2]} He saith not, as the Protestants here pretend to excuse the unlawful conjunction of Votaries, Let every one marry: but, let every one have, keep, or use his own wife to whom he was married before his conversion. For the Apostle answereth here to the first question of the Corinthians, which was not, whether it were lawful to marry, but whether they were not bound upon their conversion, to abstain from the company of their wives married before in their infidelity, as some did persuade them that they ought to do. Hiero. li. 1 cont. Iovin. c. 4. Chrys. in hunc locum ho. 19.

• 1 The Apostle biddeth not all to marry, but to keep their wives before married.
• 2 τὴν ἑαυτοῦ.

Let the husband render.

These words open the Apostle's intention and talk to be only of such as are already married, and to instruct them of the bond and obligation that is between the married couple for rendering of the debt of carnal copulation one to another: declaring that the married persons have yielded their bodies so one to another, that they cannot without mutual consent, neither perpetually, nor for a time, defraud one the other.

Give yourself to prayer.

^◦ This time, & the Heretics' doctrine, and high estimation of matrimonial acts, are far from the purity of the Apostolic and primitive Church, when the Christians to make their prayers and fastings more acceptable to God, abstained by mutual consent even from their lawful wives. Our new Masters not much abstaining (as it may be thought) from their wives for any such matter. And yet S. Augustine saith, the Prelate should pass other in this case, and think that not to be lawful for him, that may be borne in others, because he must daily supply Christ's room, offer, baptize, and pray for the people. So saith he li. 1. q. ex utroque test. q. 127. in fine. See S. Hiero. li. 1. c. 19. advers. Iovin. S. Ambr. li. 1. Offic. c. ult. But alas for the people, whose married Pastors are in this point far worse than the vulgar folk, neither teaching continency, nor giving good example.

• ◦ Continency in married folks for prayer sake.

By indulgence, not commandment.

^◦ Lest some might misconstrue his former words, as though he had precisely commanded married persons not to abstain perpetually from carnal copulation, or not to give their consent one to another of continency but for a time only: he declareth plainly that he gave no rule or precept absolutely therein, but that he spake all the foresaid, condescending to their infirmities only, insinuating that continency from carnal copulation is much better, and that himself kept it continually. Aug. de bon. coniug. c. 10. Enchirid. c. 78.

• ◦ Perpetual continency, even in married folks, better than carnal copulation.

A proper gift.

To such as may lawfully marry, or be already married, God giveth not always that more high and special gift or grace of continency, though every one of them all that duly ask and labour for it, might have it: but such are not bound to endeavour to seek for it always, and therefore cannot be commanded to abstain further than they like. ^[1] But whensoever a man is bound to abstain, either by vow or any other necessary occasion (as if one of the parties be in prison, war, banishment, sickness, or absent perpetually by lawful divorce) the other must needs in pain of damnation abstain, and cannot excuse the want of the gift of chastity. For ^[2] he is bound to ask it and to seek for it of God by fasting, praying, and chastising his body: and so labouring duly for it, God will give the grace of chastity. So had S. Paul it, and so had all the holy men that ever lived chaste. Therefore detest the doctrine of the Protestants in this point, that when they list not fast nor pray for it, say they have not the gift. And it were a great marvel why so few of the new Sects or rather none now a-days have that gift, but that we see it is obtained by those means which our forefathers used, & they use not at all. To live in marriage continently without the breach of conjugal fidelity, is a gift of God also; but men must not break their faith of wedlock for want of it, but must know that God giveth that gift to such as humbly ask it of him. August. de grat. & lib. arbitrio c. 4. De continent. c. 1.

• 1 Who are bound to live continently: and that God giveth this gift to all that ask it.
• 2 * See S. Augustine li. 2. c. 19. 20. de Adult. Coniug. to. 6.

If they contain not.

^◦ He meaneth of such as be free: for if they marry after they have made vow or promise to God of chastity, they are worthily damned, such being bound to contain, and so may contain if they list. August. de bono viduit. c. 8. 9. & de adult. conjug. li. 1. c. 15. & de fide ad Petrum c. 3. in fine. Ambros. ad virg. lapsam c. 5.

• ◦ The Apostle permitteth marriage to them that be free, not to vowed persons.

Better to marry.

It is better to marry for the said persons that be free, than to be overthrown and fall into fornication. For, to burn, or, to be burnt, is not to be tempted only (as the Protestants think that pick quarrels easily to marry), but it signifieth ^◦ to yield to concupiscence either in mind or external work. We say also, for such as be free. For concerning others lawfully made Priests, and such as otherwise have made vow of chastity, they cannot marry at all, and therefore there is no comparison in them betwixt marriage and fornication or burning. For their marriage is but pretensed, and is the worst sort of incontinency and fornication or burning.

• ◦ Theodoret in hunc locum.

To remain unmarried.

^◦ Neither party may dismiss the other and marry another for any cause. For though they be separated for fornication, yet neither may marry again. August. de adult. conjug. li. 1. c. 8. 9. and li. 2. c. 5. 19. See Annotat. Matt. 19. and S. Augustine in his whole books. de adulter. coniugijs to. 6.

• ◦ After divorce not to marry.

I say, not our Lord.

^◦ By this we learn, that there were many matters over and above the things that Christ taught or prescribed, left to the Apostles' order and interpretation: wherein they might, as the case required, either command or counsel, and we bound to obey accordingly.

• ◦ The Apostle's precepts.

Sanctified.

^[1] When the infidel party is said to be clean or sanctified by the faithful, or the children of their marriage to be clean, we may not think that they be in grace or state of salvation thereby, but only that the marriage is ^[2] an occasion of sanctification to the infidel party and to the children. For S. Augustine ( li. 3 de pec. mer. & remis. c. 12. ) concludeth against the Pelagians, as we may do against the Calvinists, holding Christian men's children to be holy from their mother's womb and not to need Baptism, that what other sanctification soever it be that is here meant, it cannot be enough to salvation without faith, Baptism, &c.

• 1 How the infidel, or infidel's child, are sanctified by the Christian.
• 2 Hiero. li. 3. c. 5. advers. Iovin.

But the observation.

Neither to be Jew nor Gentile, bond or free, married or single, nor the faith itself which is proper to Christian men, will serve to salvation, without good works and keeping the commandments. S. Hierom adv. Iovin. li. 1. c. 16.

Counsel I give.

^◦ A counsel is one thing, a commandment is another. To do that which is counseled, is not necessary, because one may be saved notwithstanding, but he that will do that which he is counseled unto, shall have a higher degree of glory. He that fulfilleth not a commandment, except he do penance, cannot escape punishment. August. li. de virg. c. 13. & 14.

• ◦ The difference of counsels & precepts.

If a virgin marry.

^◦ He speaketh not of that virgin which hath dedicated herself to God. (for if any such marry, she shall be damned for breaking her first vow) but only of young maids unmarried in the world. Hiero. adv. Iovin. li. 1. c. 7. Chrys. ho. 20. Theodorete, Photius, and the other Greek Doctors upon this place apud Oecum. Epiph. hæres. 61.

• ◦ A professed virgin may not marry.

Tribulation of the flesh.

^◦ They are marvelously deceived (saith S. Augustine li. de virg. c. 13. ) that think the Apostle counseleth virginity rather than marriage, only for that marriage hath many miseries and molestations joined unto it, which by virginity shall be avoided, & not in respect of the greater reward in heaven. For the Apostle's provident counseling to virginity, is for the next life, and he allegeth these troubles of marriage in that sense specially as they be a hinderance from the service of God here, and therefore an impediment to us toward the next life and the more ample joys thereof.

• ◦ Virginity counseled as more meritorious.

As though they had not.

^[1] He exhorteth that such as have wives, should not wholly bestow themselves in the vain transitory pleasure and voluptuousness of their flesh, but live in such moderation, that their marriage hinder them as little as may be, from spiritual cogitations. ^[2] Which is best fulfilled of them that by mutual consent do wholly contain, whether they have had children or none, contemning carnal issue for the joys of heaven. And these marriages be more blessed than any other, saith S. Augustine de Ser. Do. in monte li. 1. cap. 14.

• 1 The continency of married folk.
• 2 Their perpetual continency, best.

Careful for the things of our Lord.

^[1] The Protestants might here learn if they list, first that virginity is not only preferred before marriage, for that it is a more quiet state of life in this world, but for that it is more convenient for the service of God. Secondly that virginity hath a grateful purity and sanctity both of body & soul, which marriage hath not. ^[2] Thirdly, they may learn the cause why the Church of God requireth chastity in the clergy, and forbiddeth not only fornication, but all carnal copulation even in lawful wedlock: which is not only to the end that God's Priests be not divided from him by the clogs of marriage, but also that they be clean and pure from the fleshly acts of copulation.

• 1 Virginity preferred, and why.
• 2 Why continency is required in the Clergy.