To His Wife

Tertullian, ANF 4

Chapter 7

To us continence has been pointed out by the Lord of salvation as an instrument for attaining eternity,¹ and as a testimony of (our) faith; as a commendation of this flesh of ours, which is to be sustained for the “garment of immortality,”² which is one day to supervene; for enduring, in fine, the will of God. Besides, reflect, I advise you, that there is no one who is taken out of the world³ but by the will of God, if, (as is the case,) not even a leaf falls from off a tree without it. The same who brings us into the world⁴ must of necessity take us out of it too. Therefore when, through the will of God, the husband is deceased, the marriage likewise, by the will of God, deceases. Why should you restore what God has put an end to? Why do you, by repeating the servitude of matrimony, spurn the liberty which is offered you? “You have been bound to a wife,”⁵ sap the apostle; “seek not loosing. You have been loosed from a wife;⁶ seek not binding.” For even if you do not “sin” in re-marrying, still he says “pressure of the flesh ensues.”⁷ Wherefore, so far as we can, let us love the opportunity of continence; as soon as it offers itself, let us resolve to accept it, that what we have not had strength⁸ (to follow) in matrimony we may follow in widowhood. The occasion must be embraced which puts an end to that which necessity⁹ commanded. How detrimental to faith, how obstructive to holiness, second marriages are, the discipline of the Church and the prescription of the apostle declare, when he suffers not men twice married to preside (over a Church¹⁰), when he would not grant a widow admittance into the order unless she had been “the wife of one man;”¹¹ for it behoves God’s altar¹² to be set forth pure. That whole halo¹³ which encircles the Church is represented (as consisting) of holiness. Priesthood is (a function) of widowhood and of celibacies among the nations. Of course (this is) in conformity with the devil’s principle of rivalry. For the king of heathendom,¹⁴ the chief pontiff,¹⁵ to marry a second time is unlawful. How pleasing must holiness be to God, when even His enemy affects it!—not, of course, as having any affinity with anything good, but as contumeliously affecting what is pleasing to¹⁶ God the Lord.

Notes

i.e., eternal life; comp. “consecutio aeternitatis,” de Bapt., c. ii.
1 Cor. xv. 53; 2 Cor. v. 4.
Saeculo.
Mundo.
“Matrimonio,” or “by matrimony.” Comp. 1 Cor. vii. 27: δεδεσαι γυναικὶ μη ζητει λυσιν λελυσαι απο γυναικὸ μη ζητει γυναικα. Tertullian’s rendering, it will be seen, is not verbatim.
“Matrimonio,” or “by matrimony.” Comp. 1 Cor. vii. 27: δεδεσαι γυναικὶ μη ζητει λυσιν λελυσαι απο γυναικὸ μη ζητει γυναικα. Tertullian’s rendering, it will be seen, is not verbatim.
1 Cor. vii. 28.
Or, “been able” — valuminus. But comp. c. vi.
See c. iii., “quod autem necessitas praestat, depretiat ipsa,” etc.
1 Tim. ii. 2; Tit. i. 6.
1 Tim. v. 9, 10.
Aram.
Comp. de Cor., c. i., “et de martyrii candida melius coronatus, ” and Oehler’s note.
Saeculi.
Or, “Pontifex maximus.”
Or, “has been decreed by.”