Chapter XII.—Such Outward Adornments Meretricious, and Therefore Unsuitable to Modest Women.

Let us only wish that we may be no cause for just blasphemy!  But how much more provocative of blasphemy is it that you, who are called modesty’s priestesses, should appear in public decked and painted out after the manner of the immodest?  Else, (if you so do,) what inferiority would the poor unhappy victims of the public lusts have (beneath you)? whom, albeit some laws were (formerly) wont to restrain them from (the use of) matrimonial and matronly decorations, now, at all events, the daily increasing depravity of the age174    Sæculi. has raised so nearly to an equality with all the most honourable women, that the difficulty is to distinguish them.  And yet, even the Scriptures suggest (to us the reflection), that meretricious attractivenesses of form are invariably conjoined with and appropriate175    Debita. to bodily prostitution.  That powerful state176    Or, “city.” which presides over177    Or, “sits on high above.” the seven mountains and very many waters, has merited from the Lord the appellation of a prostitute.178    Comp. Rev. xvii.  But what kind of garb is the instrumental mean of her comparison with that appellation?  She sits, to be sure, “in purple, and scarlet, and gold, and precious stone.”  How accursed are the things without (the aid of) which an accursed prostitute could not have been described!  It was the fact that Thamar “had painted out and adorned herself” that led Judah to regard her as a harlot,179    Comp. Gen. xxxviii. 12–30. and thus, because she was hidden beneath her “veil,”—the quality of her garb belying her as if she had been a harlot,—he judged (her to be one), and addressed and bargained with (her as such).  Whence we gather an additional confirmation of the lesson, that provision must be made in every way against all immodest associations180    Congressus. and suspicions.  For why is the integrity of a chaste mind defiled by its neighbour’s suspicion?  Why is a thing from which I am averse hoped for in me?  Why does not my garb pre-announce my character, to prevent my spirit from being wounded by shamelessness through (the channel of) my ears?  Grant that it be lawful to assume the appearance of a modest woman:181    Videri pudicam.  to assume that of an immodest is, at all events, not lawful.

CAPUT XII.

1330B

Optemus tantummodo ne justae blasphemationis caussa simus. Quanto autem magis blasphemabile est, si, quae sacerdotes pudicitiae dicimini, impudicarum ritu procedatis cultae et expictae? Aut quid minus habent infelicissimae illae publicarum libidinum victimae? quas si quae leges a matronis et matronalibus decoramentis coercebant, jam certe saeculi improbitas quotidie insurgens honestissimis quibusque foeminis usque ad errorem dignoscendi coaequavit; quanquam lenocinia formae nunquam non prostituto corpori conjuncta et debita etiam Scripturae suggerunt. Illa civitas valida, quae super septem montes et plurimas aquas praesidet, cum prostitutae appellationem a Domino meruisset , quali habitu appellationi suae comparata est? Sedet certe in purpura 1330C et coccino et auro et lapide pretioso. Quam maledicta sunt, sine quibus non potuit maledicta et prostituta describi! Thamar illa (Gen., XXXVIII, 14, sqq.), quia se expinxerat et ornaverat, idcirco Judae suspicione visa est quaestui sedere ; adeo, quia sub velamento latebat, habitus qualitate quaestuariam 1331A mentiente , et fecit, ut quaestuariam et voluit et compellavit et pactus est . Unde addiscimus adversus congressus etiam et suspiciones impudicas providendum omni modo esse. Quid enim castae mentis integritas in alterius suspicione maculatur? Quid speratur in me, quod adversor? Quid non mores meos habitus pronuntiat, ne spiritus per aures ab impudentia vulneretur ? Liceat videri pudicam, certe impudicam non licet .