A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian EconomicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian Economics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
9. So it is not every degree of good which by marriage I may attain or
do, that will warrant it against a vow of chastity. Because I may do
and get a greater good by chastity, and because the evil of perjury is
not to be done that good may be done by it; till I can prove, that it
is not only good in itself, but a duty _hic et nunc_ to me.
10. A man should rather break his vow of celibate, than once commit
fornication, if there were a necessity that he must do the one.
Because fornication is a sin which no vow will warrant any man to
commit.
11. A man should rather break his vow of celibate, than live in such
constant or ordinary lust, as unfitteth him for prayer, and a holy
life, and keepeth him in ordinary danger of fornication, if there were
a necessity that he must do the one. The reason is also because now
the matter vowed is become unlawful, and no vow can warrant a man to
live in so great sin (unless there were some greater sin on the other
side which could not be avoided in a married life, which is hardly to
be supposed, however popish priests think disobedience to the pope,
and the incommodity and disgrace of a married life, &c. to be a
greater sin than fornication itself).
12. If a prince vow chastity, when it is like to endanger the kingdom
for want of a safe and sure succession, he is bound to break that vow;
because he may not lawfully give away the people's right, nor do that
which is injurious to so many.
13. Whether the command of a parent or prince may dissolve the
obligation of a vow of celibate, I have answered already. I now say
but this, 1. When parents or princes may justly command it, we may
justly obey them. But this is not one of those accidental evils, which
may be lawfully done, though unlawfully commanded. 2. It is parents
that God hath committed more of this care and power to, about
children's marriage, than to princes. 3. Parents not princes may not
lawfully command the breach of such a vow, (not nullified at first,)
except in such cases as disoblige us, whether they do it or not; so
that the resolving of the main case doth suffice for all.
14. He that by lawful means can overcome his lust, to the measure
before mentioned, is under no necessity of violating his vow of single
life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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