But if they cannot have self-control, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Why do you acknowledge that there is a necessary remedy for lust yet contradict me when I say that lust is a disease? If you recognize the remedy, then recognize the disease as well.
Such a person [who cannot exercise selfcontrol] is not sinning against the covenant [by marrying], but neither is he fulfilling the highest purpose of the gospel ethic. .
Ipse quoque "cadat. "De secundis autum nuptiis: "Si uraris "inquit Apostolus, "jungere matrimonio.".
Fortasse autem quoniam iis, qui juste vivunt, resistit propter aemulationem, et ad versus eos contendit, volens eos ad suos ordines traducere, per laboriosam continentiam eis vult praebere occasion era. Merito ergo dicit: "Melius est matrimonio jungi quam uri"
But if they cannot contain, let then marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. This may be a reference to Ruth 1:13. It is better to marry than to burn, unless, that Isaiah , you are already wedded to Christ by a vow. Cf. S. Ambrose (ad Virg. Laps.c. v.). for to those who are bound by a vow of chastity, and are professed, as well as for husbands, it is better to burn and commit fornication than to marry a second time. For such marriage would be a permanent sacrilege or adultery, which is worse than fornication, or some momentary sacrilege; just as it is better to sin than to be in a constant state of sin, and to sin from obstinacy and contempt. But it is best of all neither to marry, nor to burn, but to contain, as Ambrose says; and this can be done by all tho have professed chastity, as was said in the last note, no matter how grievously they may be tempted. The Apostle going it so in his sore temptation, as many other saints have done, and especially he to whom the devils excla...
If they do not contain. This is spoken of such as are free; and not of such as by vow have given their first faith to God; to whom, if they will use proper means to obtain it, God will never refuse the gift of continency. Some translators have corrupted this text, by rendering it, if they cannot contain. (Challoner)
Yet permits the contraction of marriage and the enjoyment of it.
T discipline in the persons of our females rather by defilements of the flesh than tortures; wishing to wrest from them that which they hold dearer than life! But now this glory is being extinguished, and that by means of those who ought with all the more constancy to refuse concession of any pardon to defilements of this kind, that they make the fear of succumbing to adultery and fornication their reason for marrying as often as they please-since "better it is to marry than to burn."
