23. If, therefore, you had not as yet vowed unto God widowed continence, we would assuredly exhort you to vow it; but, in that you have already vowed it, we exhort you to persevere. And yet I see that I must so speak as to lead those also who had as yet thought of marriage to love it and to seize on it. Therefore let us give ear unto the Apostle, “She who is unmarried,” saith he, “is careful about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit; but she who is married is careful about the things of the world, how to please her husband.”59    1 Cor. vii. 34 He saith not, is careful about the things of the world, so as not to be holy; but certainly that that marriage holiness60    Most mss. “but certainly that divine holiness.” is less, in regard of that portion of cares, which hath thought of the pleasure of the world. Whatever, therefore, I of earnest purpose of mind would be expended also on these things whereby she would have to please a husband, the unmarried Christian woman ought in a certain way to gather and bring together unto that earnest purpose whereby she is to please the Lord. And consider, Whom she pleases, who pleases the Lord; and assuredly she is by so much the more blessed by how much the more she pleases Him; but by how much the more her thoughts are of the things of the world, by so much the less does she please Him. Therefore do ye with all earnest purpose please Him, Who is “’fair of form above the sons of men.”61    Ps. xlv. 2 For that ye please Him, it is by His grace which is “shed abroad on His lips.” Please ye Him in that portion of thought also, which would be occupied by the world, in order to please a husband. Please ye Him, Who displeased the world, in order that such as please Him might be set free from the world. For This One, fair of form above the sons of men, men saw on the Cross of the Passion; “and He had not form or beauty, but His face cast down, and His posture unseemly.”62    Is. liii. 2. [See R.V.] Yet from this unseemliness of your Redeemer flowed the price of your beauty, but of a beauty within, for “all the beauty of the King’s daughter is within.”63    Ps. lxv. 13. [See R.V.] By this beauty please ye Him, this beauty order ye with studious care and anxious thought. He loves not dyes of deceits; the Truth delighteth in things that are true, and He, if you recognize what you have read, is called the Truth. “I am,” saith He, “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”64    John xiv. 6 Run ye to Him through Him, please ye Him of Him; live ye with Him, in Him, of Him. With true affections and holiest chastity love ye to be loved by such a Husband.

CAPUT XIX.

23. Exhortatur ad viduitatis bonum. Ut tota intentio Julianae viduae sit ad placendum Deo. Demetriadis virginis aviaeque ipsius, perinde atque matris, vult esse unum studium Deo placendi. Si ergo nondum Deo vovisses continentiam vidualem, exhortaremur profecto ut voveres: quia vero jam vovisti, exhortamur ut perseveres. Talia mihi tamen video esse dicenda, quibus eam diligant et arripiant et quae adhuc nubere cogitabant. Aurem igitur inclinemus Apostolo: Quae innupta est, inquit, sollicita est ea quae sunt Domini, ut sit sancta et corpore et spiritu; quae autem nupta est, sollicita est quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro (I Cor. VII, 34). Non ait, Sollicita est ea quae sunt mundi, ut sancta non sit: sed certe minor est ea conjugalis sanctitas , ex ea parte curarum qua mundana cogitatur voluptas. Quidquid itaque intentionis animi etiam his rebus impenderetur quibus placendum esset viro, colligere quodam modo et redigere debet innupta christiana in eam intentionem qua placendum est Domino. Et vide cui placeat, quae Domino placet: et utique tanto est beatior, quanto plus placet ei; quanto autem magis cogitat ea quae sunt mundi, tanto minus placet. Placete itaque tota intentione specioso forma prae filiis hominum. Ejus enim gratia illi placetis, quae diffusa est in labiis ejus. Placete illi ea quoque parte cogitationis, quae occuparetur mundo, ut placeretur viro. Placete illi qui displicuit mundo, ut placentes ei liberarentur ex mundo. Hunc enim speciosum forma prae filiis hominum viderunt homines in cruce passionis; et non habuit speciem neque decorem, sed facies ejus abjecta, et deformis positio ejus (Isai. LIII, 3). Ex hac tamen deformitate Redemptoris vestri, manavit pretium decoris vestri, sed decoris interioris. Omnis enim pulchritudo filiae regis intrinsecus (Psal. XLIV, 3, 14). Hac 0446 pulchritudine illi placete; hanc pulchritudinem studiosa cura et sollicita cogitatione componite. Non amat ille fallaciarum fucos: veris veritas delectatur; et ille, si quod legisti agnoscis, veritas vocatur. Ego sum, inquit, via, et veritas, et vita (Joan. XIV, 6). Currite ad illum per illum; placete illi ex illo; vivite cum illo, in illo, de illo. Affectibus veris et sanctissima castitate a viro tali amate amari.