1817 Sept. 2

Not Paul

10 2 o

Ch. 9. Paul’s Doctrine

5 § Causes of Paul’s Asceticism

Generally and radically bad therefore according to Paul is all union of the sexes. The thing / A thing ever / to be desired is therefore that every where there shall be as little of it as possible.

Contemplating the abstinence which he recommends at least if he does not absolutely prescribe it, he accordingly divides it into its two cases. 1. One is that of the absence of the sanction of marriage / matrimonial union /, the other is that of the / its / presence of it. As to those who either have never yet engage[d] in it, or having engaged in it have been released from it, the recommendation / advice given / is the case being simply and absolutely considered to abstain from it: to abstain from it, viz. if it be in their / so long as it is in their / power so to do.

But if they can not so abstain ‘if (so are his words) Marginal note at this point: ‘I. Cor. VII. 9.’ they can not contain, then and then only is it that their marriage is to stand unprohibited. Why unprohibited? Answer. Because to marry is better than to burn: better―in other words, less bad.

2. The other case is that where the person / individual / in question is already in a state of matrimonial union. Marginal note at this point: ‘that holy state, as notwithstanding all this morality / good advice / of Paul it is stiled by Paulists not less composedly than by others’. Well then being in that state may not they be left―left without disturbance? Oh no: not if he can help it.

Good gifts are all the gifts of God―and the faculty in question―viz. the faculty of rendering this one of the six senses useless is one of them. To Paul himself if Paul is to be believed had this faculty been imparted: by Paul himself if Paul is to be believed was it at the time of this present writing was it enjoyed. Marginal note at this point: ‘6. 7. 8. 9’, i.e. I. Cor. VII: 6-9. Good therefore it was that it should be enjoyed by every body else―: enjoyed by every man and every woman―not the less for their being married.