Jean-Baptiste Berthier

“ For, since, as we have proved, marriage, celibacy, and the religious life are holy states, and are not in themselves obligatory on the faithful, it is evident that, where there is no hindrance, we are free to choose among these states the one that suits us, when we are not so situated that some one of them becomes obligatory on us through accidental circumstances. ”

“ And, indeed, since God has not seen fit to prescribe to every man the state of life that he must accept, and has left us all free in this regard, as well as in many other decisions that we have to come to in this world, the wisdom of his providence demands that, when a man has made a choice, he should not be abandoned, and should receive that measure of divine assistance which is indispensable for a Christian life in the state of his choice. ”

“ If such a man is in a particular state, for instance, the marriage state, strictly speaking, it is owing to the free choice which he made of the state. It may, however, be said that the gift which is proper to him, namely, his state, comes to him from God, but only in the sense that God, who governs all things by a general providence, directs every man through his parents, companions, confessors, masters, and so forth, which results in one embracing marriage, another another state, but all freely ”

“ For, weak and afflicted souls are wont to grow discouraged, when they meet difficulties in their state of life. When they remember that they could easily have escaped these annoyances, they torment themselves to no purpose. In order to do away with these useless regrets, St. Paul tells them that their state is a gift from God, in the sense that we have explained, so that every one may live in peace in his state of life ”

“ With those who have the habit of observing perfect chastity, the gift of chastity is nothing more than this habit itself; but for those who have not this habit, the gift consists in a sufficient interior and exterior help from grace prepared by God for every man, so that every man can be chaste if he uses this help. ”

“ At the opening of his career every one is allowed to desire and embrace the kind of life to which he aspires, provided it is a licit kind of life. Every one is free to marry or to lead a life of celibacy. ”

“ Footnotes ↑ We have already remarked,--and we shall have occasion to repeat the remark--, that there are cases wherein persons may be bound to marry, or to become religious.↑ It appears to us necessary to insert this restriction in the text of a Lapide. ”