For the bond of marriage stays, though a family, for the sake of which it was entered upon, do not comply with by way of manifest barrenness; in order that, when now married persons know that they shall not have kids, yet it is not lawful for them to separate even for the very sake of children, and to affix themselves unto others. 18. For what food is unto the conservation of the man, this sexual intercourse is unto the conservation of the race: and both are not without carnal delight: which yet being modified, and by restraint of temperance diminished unto the use after nature, can’t be lust. For neither if each one so use lands entered upon unjustly and wrongly, as out of their fruits to present massive alms, does he due to this fact justify rapine: nor if one other brood over, by means of avarice, an estate to which he has succeeded, or which he has justly gained, are we on this account to blame the rule of civil legislation, whereby he is made a lawful proprietor. Kaus: “Forget ‘comprehensive.’ Just give us the amnesty! Marriage itself indeed in all nations is for the same cause of begetting sons, and of what character soever these may be afterward, yet was marriage for this goal instituted, that they may be born in due and sincere order.
Forsooth now nobody who’s made perfect in piety seeks to have sons, save after a spiritual sense; but then it was the work of piety itself to beget sons even after a carnal sense: in that the begetting of that individuals was fraught with tidings of issues to come, and pertained unto the prophetic dispensation. Thus neither do concubines taken for a time, in the event that they be such with a purpose to sons, make their concubinage lawful; nor do married women, in the event that they stay wantonly with their husbands, attach any charge to the order of marriage. 16. Therefore if haply, (which whether or not it might happen, I know not; and rather think it can not take place; however but, if haply), having taken unto himself a concubine for a time, a man shall have sought sons solely from this similar intercourse; neither thus is that union to be most well-liked to the marriage even of these ladies, who do this, that is matter of pardon. Forsooth by way of the identical vein of charity, now after the spirit, then after the flesh, it was a responsibility to beget sons for the sake of that mom Jerusalem: nevertheless it was nought save the difference of times which made the works of the fathers completely different.
For, as the wise and just man, who now needs to be dissolved and to be with Christ, and takes extra pleasure on this, the perfect, now not from desire of residing right here, however from duty of being useful , takes meals that he might remain in the flesh, which is critical for the sake of others; so to have intercourse with females in proper of marriage, was to holy males at the moment a matter of duty not of lust. But thus it was obligatory that even Prophets, not living after the flesh, ought to come together after the flesh; even because it was needed that Apostles also, not living after the flesh, ought to eat meals after the flesh. But what unlawful meals is in the supporting of life, this sexual intercourse of fornication or adultery is within the looking for of a household. As due to this fact it is healthier to die of hunger than to eat issues provided unto idols: so it is better to die without kids, than to seek a family from unlawful intercourse.
And what unlawful food is in luxury of belly and throat, this unlawful intercourse is in lust that seeks not a household. Wherefore because the Fathers of the time of the brand new Testament taking food from the responsibility of conservation, though they took it with natural delight of the flesh, have been but by no means in contrast with the delight of those that fed on what had been offered in sacrifice, or of those who, although the food was lawful, yet took it to excess: so the Fathers of the time of the Old Testament from the obligation of conservation used sexual intercourse; and but that their natural delight, certainly not relaxed unto unreasonable and unlawful lust, is not to be compared both with the vileness of fornications, or with the intemperance of married individuals. 19. Therefore as many girls as there are now, unto whom it is said, in the event that they comprise not, allow them to be married, are to not be in comparison with the holy women then, even once they married.