Miscellanies 3.12.86

live according to reason with self-controlled enjoyment. And in general all the apostle's letters, teaching self-restraint and self-control, and containing countless commandments about marriage, the begetting of children, and household management, nowhere rejected self-restrained marriage; but, preserving the continuity of the law with the gospel, they accept both: the one who uses marriage with self-restraint and thanksgiving to God, and the one who lives in celibacy as the Lord wills, each as he was called, having chosen without stumbling and perfectly. “And the land of Jacob was praised above all the earth,” says the prophet, glorifying the vessel of his spirit. But someone runs down birth, calling it corruptible and perishing, and forces the text, saying that the Savior spoke about the begetting of children when he said not to store up treasure on earth, “where moth and rust destroy”; and he is not ashamed to add the prophet's words to these: “All of you will grow old like a garment, and a moth will devour you.” But neither do we contradict Scripture, that our bodies are corruptible and by nature fluid; and perhaps he was prophesying corruption to those he addressed as sinners. The Savior did not speak about the begetting of children, but was urging to sharing and fellowship those who wished only to acquire an abundance of wealth, but not to help those in need.