Eighty-three Different Questions : a new translation.

83. On Marriage, in the Light of the Lord's Claim: "If anyone should divorce his wife, except for reason of fornication"

218 ST. AUGUSTINE nonetheless still suffers pains, not only from the unhealed ailment itself, but also from the medicinal aid. Likewise man, having fallen through sin into the diseased and unhappy mortality of this life because he did not want to comply with the first prescription for preserving and holding onto eternal salvation, has taken in his diseased condition the second set of prescriptions. If he complies with these, indeed not absurdly is he now said to live righteously, but nonetheless, [there are] annoyances which he suffers, [and they] are the result of either the illness itself, not yet healed, or the medicinal aid. This aid is indicated in our text: "For whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and he scourges every son whom he receives." However, those who live unjustly by not complying with the prescriptions most suited to salvation are repeatedly aggravating their illnesses. Either they suffer even in this life, due to the illnesses, the countless hardships and pains of [their] afflictions, or, through punishments used to touch and bring pain to the unhealthy part in which the sickness resides, they are admonished in mercy to become whole through the grace of God by turning to the healing remedy. If they despise all these things, i.e., the prescriptions of words and pains, then they will merit after this life a just [and] eternal damnation. Accordingly that person can say that these things happen unfairly who, thinking that this life is the only life, does not believe that the things foretold by God are going to be and [thus] will pay more severe penalties for his persistence in his sins and unbelief. 83. ON MARRIAGE, IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD'S CLAIM: "IF ANYONE SHOULD DIVORCE HIS WIFE, EXCEPT FOR REASON OF FORNICA TION"I If the Lord admits fornication as the only grounds for divorce in marriage, and if he does not forbid divorce in pagan marriages, then it follows that paganism should be 1 Mt 5.32. QUESTION 83 219 considered fornication. Moreover, it is clear that the Lord, when speaking in the gospel of the dissolution of marriage, makes an exception only for the grounds of fornication. However, divorce in pagan marriages is not forbidden, because when the Apostle advised in respect to this matter that the believer not divorce the unbelieving spouse who .wanted to stay with him, he said: "I myself speak, not the Lord.' '2 The purpose for this was to understand that the Lord does not indeed command divorce, lest the Apostle's advice seem contrary to his commandment, but that he does, nonetheless, permit it, so that no one is bound by the compulsion3 of a commandment in that matter, but may act freely in accord with the plan of [his] choosing.4 However, if anyone should assert that the Lord admits as a reason for leaving one's spouse only that fornication which is commonly called fornication, i.e., what is perpetrated through illicit intercourse, one can affirm that the Lord, when talking about this matter, had spoken of both a believing husband and a believing wife. Hence, if both are believers, then neither one is permitted to leave the other, except for reason offornication, which cannot be understood to be paganism, because both spouses are believers. Indeed the Apostle seems to make this same distinction when he says: "But to these who are married, I command-not I, but the Lord-that the wife not leave the husband. But if she does leave, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband."5 Here it is likewise understood that if the wife has left the husband for that one reason which alone permits separation from the spouse, she ought to abide strictly in the unmarried state. But if she does not remain continent, [she ought] to be reconciled to her husband, either after he has been straightened out or when she can at least put up with him, rather than marry another. Moreover, he follows this up and says: "and the husband should not divorce his 2 1 Cor 7.12. 3 necessitate. 4 consilii uoluntate. 5 1 Cor 7. 10-11. 220 ST. AUGUSTINE wife,"6 declaring in brief the same pattern for the man which he was prescribing for the woman. Having recommended these things on the basis of the Lord's commandment , he concludes: "But to the others I myself...