Marriage and Virginity (continued)
he declines to do that, not wanting anyone to think he is better than what they see in him, or what they hear about him,†52 he can turn the thrust of the question away from himself as an individual by giving an answer in terms of the subject matter rather than the person, and say: "Anyone who is capable of acting like that is like Abraham." It is possible, though, that the virtue of celibacy is less perfect in the mentality of the one who does not make use of marriage as Abraham did. Even so, it is still more perfect than in the mentality of the one who maintained conjugal chastity because he was not capable of anything more than that.
Similarly, when a single woman who is concerned about what has to do with the Lord, in order to be holy both in body and mind (1 Cor 7:34), hears that foolish and meddlesome person saying, "Are you better then than Sarah?" she should answer: "On the contrary, I am better than those who lack the virtue of chastity of this kind, but I do not believe this to be true of Sarah. While she had that virtue, she did what was appropriate for that time. Because I am spared this, what she preserved spiritually is able to be seen in me in a bodily way as well."†53
The Virtues of Celibacy and of Marriage Are Compared
23, 28. If, therefore, we compare the actual reality in each case, there can be no doubt that the chastity of celibacy is superior to the chastity of marriage, although both are good. When, however, we compare persons, the one who has the greater good than the other is better.
Moreover, someone who has a higher degree of a goodness also has the lower degree of it.
Sixty includes thirty, but thirty does not include sixty. If one does not put into practice the goodness one possesses, this is explained by the way duties are allocated, not by lack of virtue; someone who does not find any unfortunate people to whom to give compassionate help is not thereby lacking in the good quality of compassion.
29. A further consideration is that individuals are not compared with respect to just one perfection. It can happen that someone does not have some perfection that someone else does have, but has another of greater worth. Obedience is a greater perfection than celibacy.
Nowhere is marriage ever condemned by the authority of our scripture, but nowhere is disobedience ever condoned. If, therefore, we were asked to consider a woman who is going to remain a virgin, though she is disobedient, and a married woman who could not remain a