Marriage and Virginity (continued)
"against these things," lest it be thought they are the only things—although even if he did say this we ought to take it to include every other similarly good thing that we can think of—but he said, against things like this, namely, these and anything similar. Nevertheless, last among the good things that he listed he put continence, which is the object of the discussion we have now undertaken and the reason for much that we have already said, because he particularly wanted that to be fixed in our minds. Without doubt in this war where the spirit has desires opposed to the flesh, it is of special importance, since in a way it crucifies the actual desires of the flesh. That is why, after saying this, the apostle immediately went on: Those who belong to Jesus
Christ have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24). This is what continence does, this is how the deeds of the flesh are put to death. On the other hand, those deeds in their turn bring death to those who are lured by carnal desire to abandon continence and consent to committing them.
Do Not Rely on Human Resources
4, 10. In order not to abandon continence, we have to be particularly on our guard against those insidious suggestions of the devil, so as not to presume on our own strength; for cursed is everyone who puts his hope in a human being (Jer 17:5). And who is it who does that, if not a human being? One cannot truthfully say, therefore, that one is not putting one's hope in a human being, if one is putting one's hope in oneself. Moreover what does it mean to live in a human way, other than to live according to the flesh? So let those who are tempted by such a suggestion listen, and, if they have any sense of Christianity, shudder; let them, I say, listen to these words: If you live according to the flesh, you will die (Rom 8:13).
11. Someone will tell me that living in a human way is not the same as living according to the flesh. This, they will say, is because a human being is a creature with reason, having a rational mind, and in that respect different from the animals, whereas the flesh is inferior and earthly and that is why it is sinful to live according to it. Consequently someone who lives in a human way does not live according to the flesh at all, but rather lives according to that part of the human being that is distinctively human, that is, according to the spiritual mind, whereby the human being is superior to the animals. This argument has some force perhaps in the philosophers' schools; but to understand Christ's apostle we ought to take note of the manner of speaking customary in Christian books. All of us, for whom to live is Christ, hold the belief that the Word of God took on a human nature, and this was certainly not without the rational soul, as some heretics would have it.†9 Yet we read: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14). What does "flesh" mean here, if not a human being? And all flesh will see the salvation of God (Lk 3:6); how is this to be understood except as meaning all human beings? All flesh will come to you (Ps 65:2); what is this, if it is not all human beings? You have given him power over all flesh (Jn 17:2); what is this, if it is not power over all human beings? No flesh will be made just by the works of the law (Rom 3:20); what is this, if it is not that no human being will be made just? Elsewhere the same apostle states it more explicitly: A human being will not be made just by the works of the law (Gal 2:16). He also rebukes the Corinthians, saying: Are you not carnal persons, who are walking in a human way (1 Cor 3:3)? When he called them "carnal," he did not say, "behaving according to the flesh," but, "walking in a human way," because this means the same as to walk "according to the flesh." If it were blameworthy to walk, that is, to live, "according to the flesh," but praiseworthy to walk "in a human way," he would not have said in rebuke: You are walking in a human way. Men and women should accept the rebuke, change their attitude, and avoid destruction. Listen, you who are human beings; do not walk in a human way, but according to him who made human beings; do not desert him who made you, even to turn to yourself.
Although he was not living in a human way, it was a human being who said: Not that we are entitled to say anything of ourselves, as though it came from ourselves, but our competence comes from God (2 Cor 3:5). Consider whether the person who said that, and spoke truthfully, was living in a human way. Therefore, in warning human beings not to live in a human way, the apostle is bringing human beings back to God. Anyone not living in a human way, but according to God, is certainly not living according to his or her own self, as that person is a human being. On the other hand, anyone who is living like that is also said to be living "according to the flesh," because, as we have already shown, although only the flesh is mentioned, it means the human being. It is the same as when only the soul is mentioned, but it means the whole person. We see this in the text, Every soul is made subject to more exalted powers (Rom 13:1), meaning every human being; and the text, Seventy-five souls went down to Egypt with Jacob (Gn 46:27), meaning seventy-five persons. Therefore, O human creature, do not live according to yourself; by doing that you became lost, but a search was made for