A26998:282
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard BaxterThe Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Daniel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.The Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Danel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1692
Protestant Religion Truly Stated, and Justified, &c. › The Eighteenth accused Point.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
7. And there are innumerable actions, that are not the Matter of any Common-Law or Counsel, and so as such, are neither Sin nor Duty, which yet as Circumstantiated and Clothed with Accidents, are to this or that man either Duty or Sin.
7. And there are innumerable actions, that are not the Matter of any Common-Law or Counsel, and so as such, are neither Sin nor Duty, which yet as Circumstantiated and Cloathed with Accidents, are to this or that man either Duty or Sin.
This not understood, maketh these Ignorant Casuists abuse the words of Christ and Paul, about Chastity, and Marriage. And because Christ saith, every man cannot receive this Saying, and Paul, she hath not Sinned: He that Marrieth doth well, ⟨p. 79⟩and he that doth not, doth better; they gather that there are Moral actions which are not best, and yet no Sin.
The true plain solution is from the two last Considerations. 1. God hath made no Law commanding or forbidding Marriage, or Celibate as such, or in Common. To Marry is no Sin, considered merely as Marriage. 2. But God hath made Laws against hurtful and injurious Marriages, and to guide men to know, when Marrying is a Duty or a Sin. 3. And if any ones case were so neutral, as that it could not be discerned, whether Marrying were a hurt or benefit, it would be no Moral, eligible or refusable action. 4. But to some it is a great Duty by accidents, and to some a great Sin. Therefore Paul never meant that it was no mans duty, and no mans sin, but only that simply as Marriage it was no mans duty or sin, or the matter of a commanding or forbidding Law, but only by accident, it may be such to one more than to another.