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thorns; St. Martinian, upon burning coals, to overthrow the strongest passion by the most violent pains. And were not that law intolerable, that should command all ecclesiastics to do such things; they must do these, or worse: I speak of those, who have not the gift of continence. For to say that all men have it, or may have it, if they will labour and pray for it, is to speak against reason and Scripture, and experience. It is easier to give our bodies to be burned for religion, than to live innocently in the state of perpetual burning; and supposing those saints, now enumerated, did, by these violent remedies, keep themselves from pollution, yet it is not certain, that they took the better part, when they chose ustulation before marriage, expressly against the Apostle, who not only said, that it is better to marry than to fornicate, but, "better to marry than to burn:" and that these violences did cure their burning, is so false, that they do suppose them afflicted with burnings, and that, therefore, they were constrained to use violent remedies. For those, which men invent, are infinitely worse than that which God hath appointed: so easy it was by marriage to cure what they found scarce possible to keep from the extremest mischiefs, but not possible to do in all degrees, by mortifications. And therefore St. Jerome speaking of virgins that did not do their honour to virginity by real continence, he advised them, "ut aut nubant, si se non possunt continere; aut contineant, si nolunt nubere;" "that they would contain, if they will not marry; or marry if they cannot contain:" not only if they cannot contain from outward acts of uncleanness, but even from the secret desires of it, and from burnings. "Quid enim prodest (saith he3) corporis pudicitia, animo constuprato?" The chastity of the body is of no profit, if the desires be burning and dishonest.

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so the burning is well described in the comedy. "Uri est illegitimo coitu aut fædis cogitationibus se polluere;" said Alfonsus Virvesius; "To burn, is to pollute ourselves with unlawful mixtures, or with filthy thoughts;" and these desires are not to be cured by mortifications and corporal austerities. "Nella guerra d'amor, chi fuge, vince," saith the Italian proverb. There is no contesting against this passion; even to dispute against it is a temptation, even to fast and to be hungry does enkindle the flame. "Fames et sitis exasperat et incendit animos," said Seneca; "Hunger and thirst make a man angry:" and anger and lust are fed by the same fuel.

9 1 Cor. vii. 7. Malt. xix. 11.
• In Jeremiam, lib. 2. cap. 7.

Ad Demetriad. Virg.
Philippica 18.

-Mea cum deferbuit ira,
Nolo prognatam consule

A spare and temperate diet gives no extraordinary maintenance to the desire, and therefore it was advised and practised in all ages: but there is enough of desire in ordinary; even that which maintains health, will keep up that natural desire; and that which destroys health, destroys chastity, and hinders us more in the service of God that it can set forward. And St. Jerome * says, that he had known them of both sexes, who have, by too much abstinence, turned mad, and lost their wits. They that from God's mercy have received strengths to live singly and purely, may use it as it serves best for God's glory, and the interest of their souls, and their own intermedial comforts. But it is to be considered, that it is not only a gift of God that some men can contain, but it is a peculiar gift that they will: and it is observed by wise and good men, that this desire hath or hath not respectively been inspired by the Spirit of God in several ages of the church according to their present necessities; and when God gives the gift, then every thing will help it forward. But in the present manners and circumstances of the world, as there is no public necessity of it, so there is no great care taken to acquireit; for there where the unequal laws of men have brought a necessity upon their clergy, it is with them as with those of whom Epiphanius complains; " Ut ne confundantur apud homines, occulte scortantur, et, sub solitudinis aut continentiæ specie, libidinem exercent:" "They pretend purity in public, and fornicate in private."And it is certain, that such courses are no fit means to invite the spirit of purity to invest and adorn the church. Neither is prayer a certain way of obtaining this gift, any more than of the gift of a healthful or a strong body; for God requires it of none of us directly; if accidentally he does require it, he will give him wherewithal; but therefore the Apostle does not say, but " if a man does not contain, let him pray" but " let him marry." It is sufficient that God hath given a remedy, that is easy and infallible to all that love God; and it is best to use that remedy, which is best, and was by the best physician provided for all that need. "Oportet compati et commetiri doctrinam pro virium qualitate, et hujusmodi qui non possunt capere sermonem de castitate, concedere nuptias," said St. Cyril"; "Every one's strength must be measured, and so fit our doctrines to their proportions, and to grant marriages to them, who cannot receive the word of continence." And therefore what St. Austin said of widows, may be exactly applied to ecclesiastics; "There are some that call them adulterous, if they marry; and so pretend themselves purer than the doctrine of the Apostle, who, if they would confess their name, 'mundanos potius se quam mundos vocarent,' ' they would prove to be servants of interest rather than of purity.' For they compel the widows [the ecclesiastics] to burnings, because they suffer them not to marry. But we are not to esteem them to be wiser than the apostle Paul, who saith, 'I had rather they should marry than burn.' "- And like to this is that of St. Jerome ; " Si quis consideret virginem suam, i. e. carnem suam, lascivire et ebullire in libidinem, nec refrænare se potest, duplex illi incumbit necessitas, aut capiendæ conjugis, aut ruendi," " He that considers his virgin, that is, his flesh, and observes it troublesome and boiling into desires, and cannot refrain himself, hath a double necessity upon him; either he must take a wife, or he must perish." And therefore they that pretend the gift of continence is in every man's power, should do well to give God thanks, that they find it so in their own; but yet they should also do well to believe others, who complain that they have it not. St. Bernard's wish was something to the same purpose of charity and security. " Utinam qui continere non valent, perfectionem temerarie profiteri, aut cœlibatui dare nomina vererentur; sumptuosa siquidem turris est, et verbum grande, quod omnes capere possunt;" "I wish that they who cannot contain, would be afraid to profess perfection, and undertake single life: for this is a costly tower, and a great word that all cannot receive." Æneas Sylvius having gotten a lady with child, to his father that was troubled at it, he replies d, " in sua potestate non fuisse ut vir non esset," he could not help it.-And when Origen had resolved to live continently, he found no course but one would do it, even by making it impossible to be otherwise; and he was followed by many, particularly by the Valesi.And Leontius, who was afterward chosen bishop of Antioch by the Arians, having a woman in his house, one of the συνείσακτοι, of which I spake before,-being commanded to put her away, emasculated himself that he might have leave to sleep with her: but that uncharitable folly produced a good law against it. For what chastity is that, or what service of God is it, for a man to offer to God a single life when he hath made himself naturally impotent? "It is (that I may use St. Basil's expression) as if we should commend a horse for not hurting any man with horns."-But I observe it for this purpose, to represent upon what terms the gift of continence was to be obtained by some who would fain, but by this act showed plainly that they could not.

See Horat. S. i. 2. 70.

* Epist. 8.

y Lib, 6. hæres, 60.

z In Levit. lib. 15.
b Contra Jov. lib. 1.

a Lib. de Agone Christian. cap. 31.

• De Convers. ad Clericos, cap. 29.

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Quid valeat natura pati. Cervicibus (aiunt)
Hoc insuave jugum nostris imponere Christus
Noluit. Istud onus, quod adhuc quamplurima monstra
Fecit, ab audaci dicunt pietate repertum f.

And therefore those laws that command single life to so many thousands of priests, Italians, Spaniards, Frenchmen, which are none of the most continent nations of Europe, are a snare to those that cannot keep them, and a burden to them that would, and intolerable to both. So Origen & complains of some imperious and imprudent persons, who, in his time, would be commanding single life and virginity; "Non solum quæ docent non faciunt, sed etiam crudeliter et sine misericordia injungunt aliis majora virtute ipsorum, non habentes rationem virium uniuscujusque:" "They not only do not what they teach, but cruelly and unmercifully enjoin to

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other things greater than their strength, not regarding the measure of every one." For it is a burden bigger than the weight of all the laws of Jesus Christ put together, except to such persons who are eunuchs by nature, or have received a particular gift of God; of which they may make use, as they find other things concurring. For to be able to contain is one gift, and to be willing is another; and after all, that this can promote any end of religion is but accidental, and depends upon a special providence and economy of affairs. It may be useful in some times, and to some persons, and to some purposes; but of itself, it is no act of religion, no service of God: and that is the next consideration.

18. (3.) The law of celibate is an unreasonable law, and besides that it does very much mischief to souls, it does no good at all. For if single life have in it any greater purity of spirituality, than chaste marriages, yet even that single life is more acceptable when it is chosen and voluntary; and if it be involuntary and constrained, it is not pleasing to God: so that the law in this case does effect nothing but this, that they who are willing, may lose something of the reward,-or may be uncertain, whether they do or no; and they that are unwilling, are constrained either to hypocrisy, which will bring them an evil reward, or to a burden and slavery, which shall bring them none at all. But that which I intended, is this :

19. (4.) That all this stir is to no purpose; for virginity is not more holy than chaste marriage; and the one does not more advance religion than the other directly, but by accident, and in some circumstances, and as an instrument fitted for use in its own time. For as St. Austin observes well, "St. Paul does modestly dehort from marriage, not as from an evil, but as from a burden:" neither is his advice for all times, but for that present necessity; neither is it to the clergy, but to all Christians; neither is it for religion, but for convenience; neither was it from the Lord, but from himself; nothing of the gospel or spirituality, but a matter of prudence, and the exterior conduct of affairs. For τίμιος ὁ γάμος, and κοίτη ἀμίαντος, "marriage is honourable," it is so to all; and such mixtures have in them nothing that "defiles." And he that is perfect in his constitution, if he be also so much a virgin as to have nothing that defiles, is a rare

De S. Virginit. cap. 16.

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