ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 7 v5

THE HOLY MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE. ORIGEN: The mysteries of marriage ought to be performed with holiness, deliberately and without disorderly passions. ON PRAYER 2.2.

THE HAZARD OF REFUSING THE MARRIAGE BED. CHRYSOSTOM: Great evils spring from this sort of continence, if it is overdone. Adulteries, fornications and the destruction of families have often resulted from this. If a married man commits fornication, how much more will he do so if his wife denies herself to him? Unless there is mutual consent, continence in this case is really a form of theft. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.3.

DO NOT REFUSE ONE ANOTHER. AUGUSTINE: According to this, if he had wished to practice continence but you had not, he would have been obliged to give in to you, and God would have given him credit for continence for not refusing intercourse out of consideration for your weakness, not his own, in order to prevent you from committing adultery. How much better would it have been for you, for whom subjection was more appropriate, to yield to his will in rendering him the debt, since God would have taken account of your intention to observe continence, which you gave up in order to save your husband from destruction. LETTER 262, TO EUDICIA.

DEVOTION REKINDLED BY OCCASIONAL ABSTINENCE. AUGUSTINE: It is not arduous and difficult for faithful married people to do for a few days what holy widows have undertaken and which holy virgins do throughout their lives. So let devotion be kindled and self-gratification be checked. LENT 209.3.

WITHHOLDING MAY ELICIT ANGER. THEODORET OF CYR: If a woman stays away from her husband, she will make him angry, and vice versa. That is why Paul insists that it must be by mutual consent. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 201.

1 Cor