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On Exhortation to Chastity

Tertullian

Chapter 11

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XI.—The More the Wives, the Greater the Distraction of the Spirit.

For (in that case) the shame is double;

‹ Chapter 10 Chapter 12 ›

inasmuch

as

,

in

second

marriage

,

two

wives

beset

the

same

husband

—

one

in

spirit

,

one

in

flesh

.

For

the

first

wife

you

cannot

hate

,

for

whom

you

retain

an

even

more

religious

affection

,

as

being

already

received

into

the

Lord’s

presence

;

for

whose

spirit

you

make

request

;

for

whom

you

render

annual

oblations

.

Will

you

stand

,

then

,

before

the

Lord

with

as

many

wives

as

you

commemorate

in

prayer

;

and

will

you

offer

for

two

;

and

will

you

commend

those

two

(

to

God

)

by

the

ministry

of

a

priest

ordained

(

to

his

sacred

office

)

on

the

score

of

monogamy

,

or

else

consecrated

(

thereto

)

on

the

score

even

of

virginity

,

surrounded

by

widows

married

but

to

one

husband

?

And

will

your

sacrifice

ascend

with

unabashed

front

,

and

—

among

all

the

other

(

graces

)

of

a

good

mind

—

will

you

request

for

yourself

and

for

your

wife

chastity

?