18. Wherefore I admonish both men and women who follow after perpetual continence and holy virginity, that they so set their own good before marriage, as that they judge not marriage an evil: and that they understand that it was in no way of deceit, but of plain truth that it was said by the Apostle, “Whoso gives in marriage does well; and whoso gives not in marriage, does better; and, if thou shalt have taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and, if a virgin shall have been married, she sinneth not;”30    1 Cor. vii. 38, 28, 40 and a little after, “But she wilt be more blessed, if she shall have continued so, according to my judgment.” And, that the judgment should not be thought human, he adds, “But I think I also have the Spirit of God.” This is the doctrine of the Lord, this of the Apostles, this true, this sound, so to choose greater gifts, as that the lesser be not condemned. The truth of God, in the Scripture of God, is better than virginity of man in the mind or flesh of any. Let what is chaste be so loved, as that what is true be not denied. For what evil thought may they not have even concerning their own flesh, who believe that the tongue of the Apostle, in that very place, wherein he was commending virginity of body, was not virgin from corruption of lying. In the first place, therefore, and chiefly, let such as choose the good of virginity, hold most firmly that the holy Scriptures have in nothing spoken lies; and, thus, that that also is true which is said, “And if thou shall have taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and, if a virgin shall have been married, she sinneth not.” And let them not think that the so great good of virgin chastity is made less, if marriage shall not be an evil. Yea rather, let her hence feel confident, rather, that there is prepared for her a palm of greater glory, who feared not to be condemned, in case she were married, but desired to receive a more honorable crown, in that she was not married. Whoso therefore shall be willing to abide without marriage, let them not flee from marriage as a pitfall of sin; but let them surmount it as a hill of the lesser good, in order that they may rest in the mountain of the greater, continence. It is on this condition, forsooth, that this hill is dwelt on; that one leave it not when he will. For, “a woman is bound, so long as her husband liveth.”31    1 Cor. vii. 39 However unto widowed continence one ascends from it as from a step: but for the sake of virgin continence, one must either turn aside from it by not consenting to suitors, or overleap it by anticipating suitors.

CAPUT XVIII.

18. Virginitas sic praeferatur, ut non nuptiae damnentur. Unde sectatores et sectatrices perpetuae continentiae et sacrae virginitatis admoneo, ut bonum suum ita praeferant nuptiis, ne malum judicent nuptias: neque fallaciter, sed plane veraciter ab Apostolo dictum noverint, Qui dat nuptum, bene facit; et qui non dat nuptum, melius facit. Et si acceperis uxorem, non peccasti; et si nupserit virgo, non peccat. Et paulo post: Beatior autem erit, si sic permanserit, secundum meam sententiam. Et ne humana sententia putaretur, adjungit: Puto autem, et ego Spiritum Dei habeo. Haec dominica, haec apostolica, haec vera, haec sana doctrina est, sic eligere dona majora, ne minora damnentur. Melior est in Scriptura Dei veritas Dei, quam in cujusquam mente aut carne virginitas hominis. Quod eastum est sic ametur, ut quod verum est non negetur. Nam quid mali non possunt etiam de sua carne cogitare, qui credunt apostolicam linguam in eo ipso loco ubi virginitatem corporis commendabat, a corruptione mendacii virginem non fuisse? Primitus ergo ac maxime, qui bonum virginitatis eligunt, Scripturas sanctas firmissime teneant nihil esse mentitas; ac per hoc etiam illud verum esse quod dictum est, Et si acceperis uxorem, 0405 non peccasti; et si nupserit virgo, non peccat. Nec putent minui tam magnum integritatis bonum, si nuptiae non erunt malum. Imo vero hinc sibi potius majoris gloriae palmam praeparatam esse confidat, quae non damnari, si nuberet, timuit; sed honoratius coronari, quia non nuberet, concupivit . Qui ergo sine conjugio permanere voluerint, non tanquam foveam peccati nuptias fugiant: sed tanquam collem minoris boni transcendant, ut in majoris continentiae monte requiescant. Ea quippe lege collis iste inhabitatur, ut non cum voluerit quis emigret. Mulier enim alligata est, quamdiu vir ejus vivit (I Cor. VII, 38-40). Verumtamen ad continentiam vidualem ab ipso tanquam gradu conscenditur: propter virginalem vero vel declinandus est non consentiendo petitoribus, vel transiliendus praeveniendo petitores.