The Account Audited and Discounted, Exercitation 2 · Section 47
Sect. 47. Whence it is apparent, &c.
ANd now we are come to a new debate, p. 219. n. 52[Whether every man be bound to do that which is beſt.] The falſeneſs of the affirmative, the Doctor undertakes to diſcover. 1. [By the words of the Apoſtle, he that Marries doth well, but he that Marrieth not, doth better.] I ſaid, well and better there refer to worldly good; in thoſe perſecuting times: So the Apoſtle, ver. 26. [For the preſent diſtreſs.] This he ſays, [will be ſoon ſhaken aſſunder. 1. By conſidering that, well belongs to moral goodneſs, ver. 28. If thou Marry thou ſinneſt not; doing well, is not ſinning, and that's a moral good.] But I pray Sir, is not, doing well, more then not ſinning, if taken of moral good? and if taken of worldly good, not ſinning, is not doing well. The truth is, the Doctor here equivocates with us; theſe texts have no reſpect to one another in regard of good and evil moral: [It's good, for the preſent diſtreſs, I ſay, it's good for a man ſo to be,] to be a Virgine or unmarryed: This muſt neceſſarily be underſtood of a worldly good, in reſpect of the preſent diſtreſs, to prevent trouble, &c. But if Good be meant of moral good here, then it muſt needs follow, that it's morally evil to Marry; it's evil for a man ſo to be, that is, to Marry; moral good, and moral evil are oppoſed; not moral good, and worldly evil. The 28. ver. is an anſwer to a ſecret objection (which the Doctor makes by his ſenſe;) If it be good not to Marry, morally good, then it's morally evil to Marry. No ſays the Apoſtle, if thou Marryeſt, thou ſinneſt not: but take this with it, ſuch ſhall have trouble in the fleſh; that is, worldly evil, at this time attends upon Marriage; therefore it's worldly good, not to Marry, though it be no ſin to Marry. Hence the 38. ver. alledged by the Doctor, muſt be underſtood of the ſame kinde of good; both the well, and the better: He that Marries does well, there's no ſin, but onelyonly trouble in it; but he that Marries not, does better, (ſuppoſing the gift of continency, elſe he does worſe not to Marry) becauſe of the preſent diſtreſs; there's no ſinning in either; but in worldly reſpects, he does better, that Marries not. But the Doctor hath a ſecond anſwer: n. 53. p. 219[Marrying is quite contrary to worldly good, ſuch ſhall have trouble in the fleſh.] This ſure is a great miſtake, how is Marriage contrary to worldly good? not in a worldly reſpect, as Marriage is a civil thing; if Marriage be good, as it is, and neceſſary for ſome; worldly troubles are not contrary to Marriage, but many times coincident. Not in a moral reſpect, is Marriage quite contrary to worldly good: for moral good & worldly good or evil are not contrary: But if worldly good, as Marriage is, be oppoſed to worldly evil; they are not yet contrary, but divers things in the ſame ſubject: Marriage good, and troubles ill. A third anſwer is from ver. 32. [The advantages of Marriage; the unmarryed careth for the things of the Lord, how he may pleaſe the Lord, &c. which are (not barely worldly) ſpiritual advantages, and a greater moral or ſpiritual good, then the caring for the things of the world to pleaſe a yoke-fellow:] But, 1. Every thing that may be an advantage to a moral and ſpiritual good, is not preſently to be accounted it ſelf, a moral or ſpiritual good: Riches are a great advantage, to do more good, but yet are not moral goods. A Church is an advantage to the publick ſervice of God, and in ſome ſenſe, better then a field or wood, yet not a moral good; and many ſuch like. And it may be ſaid, he that hath riches, is better then he that wants them, not morally, but in reſpect of a worldly advantage to do more good; and they that may ſerve God in an houſe or field do well, but they that have a Church do better; that is, have better accommodations to ſerve God; which yet are neither moral nor ſpiritual goods: ſay the like of Marriage, and ſingle life. But this (he ſays) Paul ſpake of him that hath the gift, [That if he Marry he does well, if not, better;] that is, ſay I, neither wayes he ſins; but in regard of freedom from the troubles of the times, and more liberty to ſerve God, he that Marries not, doth better; which if he will underſtand of morally better, he having the gift and yet Marrying, 1 Cor. 12. laſt.ſhould do ill, that is, ſin; for he is bound to do what is beſt, if in his power; as here it is ſuppoſed to be. Mark once more the Doctors words, [Is not the holineſs of body and ſpirit, and the caring for the things of the Lord, a greater moral, or rather ſpiritual good, then the bare caring for the things of the world, to pleaſe a yoke-fellow?]. 1. This ſuppoſes a man that is Marryed cannot be holy in body and ſpirit, and care for the things of the Lord, as the unmarryed may: which is a diſhonour caſt upon Gods ordinance, of honourable Marriage. 2. That a Married man does barely care for the world, to pleaſe his wife. 3. That it is not as morally good for a married man, to care for his family, and to pleaſe his wife, as for the unmarried, to care to pleaſe God: when both pleaſe God, and there need no compariſon. 4. If Virginity, or ſingle life, were morally better, then Marriage, the Apoſtle neglected the chiefeſt argument to perſwade it, the greater reward in heaven, as a greater good work; for ſo the Doctor determines; this Free-will offering, is more commendable, acceptable, rewardable. But not one word of this, in all the Scriptures: What ever ſome Ancients, and many Papiſts preſume to dictate, of an higher glory for Virginity, then for Marriage; and uſe this, if not as the onelyonly, yet as the chiefeſt perſwaſive. Hear what ſome of the Ancients, who extolled Virginity enough, if not too much, In laudem Baſilii orat. 22.to the diſparagement of Marriage, ſay: 1. Greg. Nazianz. commending the children of Bazil the elder, ſayes, [Some of them ſo uſed their Marriage, that it was no hinderance to them, that they might not aſpire to an equal glory of virtue, with the Virgins.] That is, were as holy in body and ſpirit, and cared for the things of the Lord, as much as they. Next, Saint Chryſoſt, with reſpect to the reward, Ad Hebr. c. 4. orat. 7.hath this ſaying, [Ʋſe Marriage with meet moderation, and thou ſhalt be the firſt in the kingdom.] More might be added, but theſe ſhall ſuffice; much being ſpoken to this afore.
His ſecond argument, p. 220. n. 54.againſt my poſition, was this, [The beſt being ſuperlative ſuppoſes the poſitive to be good; but if bound to the beſt, that which were onelyonly good, were evil:] This conſequence I proved to be naught, by an inſtance; and now I adde, it follows onelyonly, that that which is not the best, is leſs good; good, I ſay by indulgence, but ſo far ſinful, as they are ſhort of perfection. [All our righteouſneſs, n. 55.is as filthy rags,] ſaid the Prophet, and Greg. after him; [All humane juſtice, if it be ſtrictly judged is injustice.] He crys out of my inconſtancy; I ſaid before, good works were not evil, and now to be injuſtice: And are not both theſe true? They are not evil, that is ſins, as wrought by faith: but they are ſinful and injuſtice, if ſtrictly judged by the Law: ſaid not the Prophet both theſe in one ſentence, and Gregory the ſame? What prevarication is this in him? Does he not ſay the ſame himſelf in his ſecond anſwer? [When he ſaid, ſuch a thing is good, and another beſt; he never meant, that either of them is not convincible by God, to have ſome mixture of evil.] What ſaid I other then this? But he elſewhere ſayes more; that not onelyonly the beſt, but the lower degrees of good, may be ſinleſs: [That the evil which is or may be, (and ſo may not be) adherent to it in ſome other reſpects, being pardoned by God in Chriſt, the lower degree being good, an act of obedience to Chriſts command, that which is higher, and ſo better then that, may yet be ſomewhat not commanded, and ſo a Nedabah in a Chriſtian.] Where he ſuppoſes, firſt, That it may be ſinleſs in it ſelf, though evil may adhere to it in other reſpects: this is expreſly affirmed by him, p. 223. n. 5. of which anon. 2. He alſo takes for granted, that the higher degrees of good, are under no command; which is diſproved above. 3. If that Nedabah, or work of higher perfection, be a part of that mans righteouſneſs, (it's abundant righteouſneſs with the Phariſees and the Doctor) ſure, the Prophets, Gregories, and his own conceſſion, will in Gods ſtrict judgement, affirm it to be unrighteouſneſs. But that's little leſs then a contradiction, that an act of higheſt righteouſneſs, not under any Law, ſhould be judged unrighteouſneſs by a righteous God, without a Law, to judge it by. Let him conſider it.