6. Further, in the very case
of the more immoderate requirement of the due of the flesh, which
the Apostle enjoins not on them by way of command, but allows to
them by way of leave, that they have intercourse also beside the
cause of begetting children; although evil habits impel them to
such intercourse, yet marriage guards them from adultery or
fornication. For neither is that committed because of marriage, but
is pardoned because of marriage. Therefore married persons owe one
another not only the faith of their sexual intercourse itself, for
the begetting of children, which is the first fellowship of the
human kind in this mortal state; but also, in a way, a mutual
service of sustaining19471947 one another’s weakness, in order
to shun unlawful intercourse: so that, although perpetual
continence be pleasing to one of them, he may not, save with
consent of the other. For thus far also, “The wife hath not power
of her own body, but the man: in like manner also the man hath not
power of his own body, but the woman.”19481948 That that also, which, not for the
begetting of children, but for weakness and incontinence, either he
seeks of marriage, or she of her husband,
402they deny not the one or
the other; lest by this they fall into damnable seductions, through
temptation of Satan, by reason of incontinence either of both, or
of whichever of them. For intercourse of marriage for the sake of
begetting hath not fault; but for the satisfying of lust, but yet
with husband or wife, by reason of the faith of the bed, it hath
venial fault: but adultery or fornication hath deadly fault, and,
through this, continence from all intercourse is indeed better even
than the intercourse of marriage itself, which takes place for the
sake of begetting. But because that Continence is of larger desert,
but to pay the due of marriage is no crime, but to demand it beyond
the necessity of begetting is a venial fault, but to commit
fornication or adultery is a crime to be punished; charity of the
married ought to beware, lest whilst it seek for itself occasion of
larger honor, it do that for its partner which cause condemnation.
“For whosoever putteth away his wife, except for the cause of
fornication, maketh her to commit adultery.”19491949 To such a degree is that marriage
compact entered upon a matter of a certain sacrament, that it is
not made void even by separation itself, since, so long as her
husband lives, even by whom she hath been left, she commits
adultery, in case she be married to another: and he who hath left
her, is the cause of this evil.