1. The principle itself of special vocations. "Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace."—GAL. i. 15.
"The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit . . . dividing to every one according as He will."—1. COR. xii. 7, 11.
2. "There are very many who cannot enter heaven unless they abandon all things."—ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.
3. "If we wish to secure our eternal salvation, we must embrace that state of life to which God calls us."—ST. LIGUORI.
4. "The choice of a state of life decides whether our conduct shall be good or bad."—ST. GREGORY NAZIANZEN.
5. "It is very difficult to save one's self in a state of life in which God does not wish one to be."—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.
6. "You run well, but out of the way; he who does little, but in the state to which God calls him, does more than he who labors much, but in a state which he has thoughtlessly chosen; a cripple limping in the right way is better than a racer out of it."—ST. AUGUSTINE.
7. "O hard-hearted father; O cruel mother; you wish rather that we perish with you (by remaining in the world) than be saved without you."—ST. BERNARD.
[This page explains the Privilege.]
There are yet many more persons who have the privilege of entering the religious state without a moral obligation of doing so.