Traduction Masquer
To His Wife

Chapter IX.

What am I to fasten on as the cause of this madness, except the weakness of faith, ever prone to the concupiscences of worldly ¹ joys?--which, indeed, is chiefly found among the wealthier; for the more any is rich, and inflated with the name of "matron," the more capacious house does she require for her burdens, as it were a field wherein ambition may run its course. To such the churches look paltry. A rich man is a difficult thing (to find) in the house of God; ² and if such an one is (found there), difficult (is it to find such) unmarried. What, then, are they to do? Whence but from the devil are they to seek a husband apt for maintaining their sedan, and their mules, and their hair-curlers of outlandish stature? A Christian, even although rich, would perhaps not afford (all) these. Set before yourself, I beg of you, the examples of Gentiles. Most Gentile women, noble in extraction and wealthy in property, unite themselves indiscriminately with the ignoble and the mean, sought out for themselves for luxurious, or mutilated for licentious, purposes. Some take up with their own freedmen and slaves, despising public opinion, provided they may but have (husbands) from whom to fear no impediment to their own liberty. To a Christian believer it is irksome to wed a believer inferior to herself in estate, destined as she will be to have her wealth augmented in the person of a poor husband! For if it is "the poor," not the rich, "whose are the kingdoms of the heavens," ³ the rich will find more in the poor (than she brings him, or than she would in the rich). She will be dowered with an ampler dowry from the goods of him who is rich in God. Let her be on an equality with him on earth, who in the heavens will perhaps not be so. Is there need for doubt, and inquiry, and repeated deliberation, whether he whom God has entrusted with His own property ⁴ is fit for dotal endowments? ⁵ Whence are we to find (words) enough fully to tell the happiness of that marriage which the Church cements, and the oblation confirms, and the benediction signs and seals; (which) angels carry back the news of (to heaven), (which) the Father holds for ratified? For even on earth children ⁶ do not rightly and lawfully wed without their fathers' consent. What kind of yoke is that of two believers, (partakers) of one hope, one desire, ⁷ one discipline, one and the same service? Both (are) brethren, both fellow servants, no difference of spirit or of flesh; nay, (they are) truly "two in one flesh." ⁸ Where the flesh is one, one is the spirit too. Together they pray, together prostrate themselves, together perform their fasts; mutually teaching, mutually exhorting, ⁹ mutually sustaining. Equally (are they) both (found) in the Church of God; equally at the banquet of God; equally in straits, in persecutions, in refreshments. Neither hides (ought) from the other; neither shuns the other; neither is troublesome to the other. The sick is visited, the indigent relieved, with freedom. Alms (are given) without (danger of ensuing) torment; sacrifices (attended) without scruple; daily diligence (discharged) without impediment: (there is) no stealthy signing, no trembling greeting, no mute benediction. Between the two echo psalms and hymns; ¹⁰ and they mutually challenge each other which shall better chant to their Lord. Such things when Christ sees and hears, He joys. To these He sends His own peace. ¹¹ Where two (are), there withal (is) He Himself. ¹² Where He (is), there the Evil One is not.

These are the things which that utterance of the apostle has, beneath its brevity, left to be understood by us. These things, if need shall be, suggest to your own mind. By these turn yourself away from the examples of some. To marry otherwise is, to believers, not "lawful;" is not "expedient." ¹³

Traduction Masquer
À sa femme

IX.

Faut-il tant d'hésitations, tant de recherches, tant de délibérations pour décider si la pauvreté de ce chrétien, auquel Dieu a confié son abondance, répond à votre richesse? Où trouver des paroles pour exprimer toute l'excellence et la félicité d'un mariage chrétien? L'Eglise en dresse le contrat, l'oblation divine le confirme, la bénédiction pastorale y met le sceau, les anges qui en sont témoins l'enregistrent, et le Père céleste le ratifie. Douce et sainte alliance que celle de deux fidèles portant le même joug, réunis dans une même espérance, dans un même vœu, dans une même discipline, dans une même dépendance! Tous deux, ils sont frères, tous deux serviteurs du même maître, tous deux confondus dans une même chair, ne forment qu'une seule chair, qu'un seul esprit. Ils prient ensemble, ils se prosternent ensemble, ils jeûnent ensemble, s'enseignant l'un l'autre, s'encourageant l'un l'autre, se supportant l'un l'autre. Vous les rencontrez de compagnie à l'église, de compagnie au banquet divin. Ils partagent également la pauvreté et l'abondance, la fureur des persécutions ou les rafraîchissements de la paix. Nuls secrets à se dérober, ni à se surprendre mutuellement; confiance inviolable, empressements réciproques; jamais d'ennui, jamais de dégoûts. Ils n'ont pas à se cacher l'un de l'autre pour visiter les malades, pour assister les indigents; leur aumône est sans disputes, leurs sacrifices sans scrupules, leurs saintes pratiques de tous les jours sans entraves. Chez eux point de signes de croix furtifs, point de timides félicitations, point de muettes actions de grâces. De leurs bouches, libres comme leurs cœurs, s'élancent les hymnes pieux et les saints cantiques. Leur unique rivalité, c'est à qui célébrera le mieux les louanges du Seigneur.

Voilà les alliances qui réjouissent les yeux et les oreilles de Jésus-Christ, celles auxquelles il envoie sa paix. « Là où il se trouve deux Chrétiens, il se trouve lui-même; » là où il se trouve lui-même, l'ennemi de notre salut est absent. Telles sont les instructions que l'Apôtre nous a laissées dans cette courte parole. Compagne bien-aimée, méditez-la, si vous en avez besoin. Qu'elle serve surtout à vous détourner de l'exemple de quelques femmes imprudentes. Il n'est ni permis ni expédient aux fidèles de contracter d'autres mariages.