Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin
and filthy affections.
Hence all must be admonished, but especially the young, that whenever they are assailed by their fleshly inclinations, they should place the fear of God in opposition to a temptation of this sort, cut off all inlets to unchaste thoughts, entreat the Lord to give them strength to resist, and set themselves with all their might to extinguish the flames of lust. If they succeed in this struggle, let them render thanks unto the Lord, for where shall we find the man who does not experience some molestation from his flesh? but if we bridle its violence, before it has acquired the mastery, it is well. For we do not burn, though we should feel a disagreeable heat — not that there is nothing wrong in that feeling of heat, but acknowledging before the Lord, with humility and sighing, 397 our weakness, we are meanwhile, nevertheless, of good courage. To sum up all, so long as we come off victorious in the conflict, through the Lord's grace, and Satan's darts do not make their way within, but are valiantly repelled by us, let us not become weary of the conflict.
There is an intermediate kind of temptation 398 — when a man does not indeed admit impure desire with the full assent of his mind, but at the same time is inflamed with a blind impetuosity, and is harassed in such a manner that he cannot with peace of conscience call upon God. A temptation, then, of such a kind as hinders one from calling upon God in purity, and disturbs peace of conscience, is burning, such as cannot be extinguished except by marriage. We now see, that in deliberating as to this, one must not merely consider whether he can preserve his body free from pollution: the mind also must be looked to, as we shall see in a little.
1 Corinthians 7:10-17
1 Corinthians 7:10-17 10. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
10. Coniugibus denuntio, non ego, sed Dominus: Uxor a marito ne discedat.
11. But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
11. Quodsi discesserit, maneat innupta, aut viro reconcilietur: et vir uxorem ne dimittat.
12. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
12. Reliquis ego dico, non Dominus: Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, 397"Auee pleurs et humilite;" — "With tears and humility." 398"Il y a vne autre espece de tentation moyenne entre les deux que i'ay dites;" — "There is another kind of temptation, intermediate between the two, that I have mentioned."