uestions. There are however, two great
divisions into which these answers generally fall. St. Paul makes a
distinction between those things which he speaks by commandment and
those which he speaks only by permission; there is a distinction
between what he says as from the Lord, and what only from himself;
between that which he speaks to them as being taught of God, and that
which he speaks only as a servant, "called of the Lord and faithful."

It is manifestly plain that there are many questions in which _right_
and _wrong_ are not variable, but indissoluble and fixed; while there
are questions, on the other hand, where these terms are not fixed, but
variable, fluctuating, altering, dependent upon circumstances. As, for
instance, those in which the apostle teaches in the present chapter
the several duties and advantages of marriage and celibacy. There may
be circumstances in which it is the duty of a Christian man to be
married, there are others in which it may be his duty to remain
unmarried. For instance, in the case of a missionary it may be right
to be married rather than unmarried; on the other hand, in the case of
a pauper, not having the wherewithal to bring up and maintain a
family, it may be proper to remain unmarried. You will observe
however, that no fixed law can be laid down upon this subject. We
cannot say marriage is a Christian duty, nor celibacy is a Christian
duty; nor that it is in every case the duty of a missionary to be
married, or of a pauper to be unmarried. All these things must vary
according to circumstances, and the duty must be stated not
universally, but with reference to those circumstances.

These therefore, are questions of casuistry, which depend upon the
particular _case_: from which word the term "casuistry" is derived. On
these points the apostle speaks not by commandment, but by permission;
not as speaking by God's command, but as having the Spirit of God. A
distinction has sometimes been drawn with reference to this chapter
between that which the apostle speaks by inspiration, and what he
speaks as a man uninspired. The distinction, however, is an altogether
false one, and beside the question. For the real distinction is not
between inspired and uninspired, but between a _decision_ in matters
of Christian duty, and _advice_ in matters of Christian prudence. It
is abundantly evident that God cannot give advice; He can only issue a
command. God ca