Of Holy Virginity.

 1. We lately put forth a book “of the Good of Marriage,” in which also we admonished and admonish the virgins of Christ, not, on account of that great

 2. This we have undertaken in our present discourse: may Christ help us, the Son of a virgin, and the Spouse of virgins, born after the flesh of a vir

 3. It is written in the Gospel, of the mother and brethren of Christ, that is, His kindred after the flesh, that, when word had been brought to Him, a

 4. Her virginity also itself was on this account more pleasing and accepted, in that it was not that Christ being conceived in her, rescued it beforeh

 5. There is, therefore, no reason why the virgins of God be sad, because themselves also cannot, keeping their virginity, be mothers of the flesh. For

 6. And on this account, that one female, not only in the Spirit, but also in the flesh, is both a mother and a virgin. And a mother indeed in the Spir

 7. I have said this, lest haply married fruitfulness dare to vie with virgin chastity, and to set forth Mary herself, and to say unto the virgins of G

 8. Therefore no fruitfulness of the flesh can be compared to holy virginity even of the flesh. For neither is itself also honored because it is virgin

 9. Wherefore neither are we to believe that their fruitfulness of the flesh, who at this time seek in marriage nothing else save children, to make ove

 10. For not even herein ought such as are married to compare themselves with the deserts of the continent, in that of them virgins are born: for this

 11. Nor do we ourselves set forth this in virgins, that they are virgins but that they are virgins dedicated unto God by pious continence. For it is

 12. Let marriages possess their own good, not that they beget sons, but that honestly, that lawfully, that modestly, that in a spirit of fellowship th

 13. Whence they are marvellously void of wisdom, who think that the good of this continence is not necessary for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, bu

 14. It is, therefore, the present necessity that we are to avoid, but yet such as is a hindrance to somewhat of the good things to come by which nece

 15. After that the same Apostle adds, and says, “Thou art bound to a wife, seek not loosening: thou art loosed from a wife, seek not a wife.” Of these

 16. Yet he added, “But such shall have tribulation of the flesh, but I spare you:” in this manner exhorting unto virginity, and continual continence,

 17. Only by this, which I have briefly set down, the reader ought to be set on his guard against those, who, in this that is written, “but such shall

 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,

 19. But lest any should think that of two works, the good and the better, the rewards will be equal, on this account it was necessary to treat against

 20. Far be it, therefore, that the Apostle so said, unto such as are married or are about to marry, “But I spare you,” as if he were unwilling to say

 21. Here some one will say, What has this to do with holy virginity, or perpetual continence, the setting forth of which was undertaken in this discou

 22. And now by plainest witnesses of divine Scriptures, such as according to the small measure of our memory we shall be able to remember, let it more

 23. Lastly, let us hear the Lord Himself delivering most plain judgment on this matter. For, upon His speaking after a divine and fearful manner conce

 24. But concerning what eunuchs speaketh God by the prophet Isaiah, unto whom He saith that He will give in His house and in His wall a place by name,

 25. Nor indeed hath the Holy Spirit failed to speak what should be of open and unshaken avail against these men, most shamelessly and madly obstinate,

 26. What then, say they, is the meaning of that penny, which is given in payment to all alike when the work of the vineyard is ended? whether it be to

 27. Therefore go on, Saints of God, boys and girls, males and females, unmarried men, and women go on and persevere unto the end. Praise more sweetly

 28. Therefore let the rest of the faithful, who have lost virginity, follow the Lamb, not whithersoever He shall have gone, but so far as ever they sh

 29. But, lo, That Lamb goeth by a Virgin road, how shall they go after Him, who have lost what there is no way for them to recover? Do ye, therefore,

 30. Ye also who have not yet made this vow, who are able to receive it, receive it. Run with perseverance, that ye may obtain.

 31. Whence the greatness of this service, unto the undertaking of which we have according to our strength exhorted, the more excellent and divine it i

 32. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility,

 33. Whereas, then, all Christians have to guard humility, forasmuch as it is from Christ that they are called Christians, Whose Gospel no one consider

 34. Paul the Apostle censures evil unmarried women, curious and prating, and says that this fault comes of idleness. “But at the same time,” saith he,

 35. Certainly we are to contemplate in Christ Himself, the chief instruction and pattern of virginal purity. What further precept then concerning humi

 36. Let them hear Thee, and let them come to Thee, and let them learn of Thee to be meek and lowly, who seek Thy Mercy and Truth, by living unto Thee,

 37. But regard the troops of virgins, holy boys and girls: this kind hath been trained up in Thy Church: there for Thee it hath been budding from its

 38. I send thee not, soul that art religiously chaste, that hast not given the reins to fleshly appetite even so far as to allowed marriage, that hast

 39. I fear, I say, greatly for thee, lest, when thou boastest that thou wilt follow the Lamb wheresoever He shall have gone, thou be unable by reason

 40. And what members of the holy body, which is the Church, ought more to take care, that upon them the holy Spirit may rest, than such as profess vir

 41. Or are we indeed to believe that it is for any other reason, that God suffers to be mixed up with the number of your profession, many, both men an

 42. Wherefore let this be the first thought for the putting on of humility, that God’s virgin think not that it is of herself that she is such, and no

 43. Concerning continence also itself hath it not been most openly said, “And when I knew that no one can be continent unless God give it, this also i

 44. Next let not man, now that he knoweth that by the grace of God he is what he is, fall into another snare of pride, so as by lifting up himself for

 45. Wherefore what shall we say? is there any thought which a virgin of God may truly have, by reason of which she dare not to set herself before a fa

 46. But this is so great, that certain understand it to be the fruit an hundred-fold. For the authority of the Church bears a very conspicuous witness

 47. But, as I had begun to say, whether the fruit an hundred-fold be virginity dedicated to God, or whether we are to understand that interval of frui

 48. What now shall I say concerning the very carefulness and watchfulness against sin? “Who shall boast that he hath a chaste heart? or who shall boas

 49. Wherefore also the virgins of God without blame indeed, “follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall have gone,” both the cleansing of sins being perfe

 50. But, again, lest by occasion of this sentence, any one should sin with deadly security, and should allow himself to be carried away, as though his

 51. But I contend not with those, who assert that a man can in this life live without any sin: I contend not, I gainsay not. For perhaps we take measu

 52. Here some one will say, This is now not to write of virginity, but of humility. As though truly it were any kind of virginity, and not that which

 53. Wherefore this do ye, virgins of God, this do ye: follow ye the Lamb, whithersoever He shall have gone. But first come unto Him, Whom ye are to fo

 54. Lo, already ye are such, as that in the rest of your conduct also ye correspond with the virginity which ye have professed and kept. Lo, already n

 55. If, therefore, ye despise marriages of sons of men, from which to beget sons of men, love ye with your whole heart Him, Who is fair of form above

 56. It is well that He seeks your beauty within, where He hath given unto you power to become daughters of God: He seeks not of you a fair flesh, but

 57. Thus, after our small measure, we have spoken enough both of sanctity, whereby ye are properly called “sanctimoniales,” and of humility, whereby w

47. But, as I had begun to say, whether the fruit an hundred-fold be virginity dedicated to God, or whether we are to understand that interval of fruitfulness in some other way, either such as we have made mention of, or such as we have not made mention of; yet no one, as I suppose, will have dared to prefer virginity to martyrdom, and no one will have doubted that this latter gift is hidden, if trial to test it be wanting. A virgin, therefore, hath a subject for thought, such as may be of profit to her for the keeping of humility, that she violate not that charity, which is above all gifts, without which assuredly whatever other gifts she shall have had, whether few or many, whether great or small, she is nothing. She hath, I say, a subject for thought, that she be not puffed up, that she rival not; forsooth that she so make profession that the virginal good is much greater and better than the married good, as that yet she know not whether this or that married woman be not already able to suffer for Christ, but herself as yet unable, and she herein spared, that her weakness is not put to the question by trial. “For God,” saith the Apostle, “is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tried above what ye are able but will make with the trial a way out, that ye may be able to bear it.”173    1 Cor. x. 13 Perhaps, therefore, those men or women keeping a way of married life praiseworthy in its kind, are already able, against an enemy forcing to unrighteousness, to contend even by tearing in pieces of bowels, and shedding of blood; but these men or women, continent from childhood, and making themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, still are not as yet able to endure such, either for righteousness, or for chastity itself. For it is one thing, for truth and an holy purpose, not to consent unto one who would persuade and flatter, but another thing not to yield even to one who tortures and strikes. These lie hid in the powers and strength of souls, by trial they are unfolded, by actual essay they come forth. In order, therefore, that each be not puffed up by reason of that, which he sees clearly that he can do, let him humbly consider that he knows not that there is perchance something more excellent which he cannot do, but that some, who neither have nor profess that of which he is lawfully self-conscious, are able to do this, which he himself cannot do. Thus will be kept, not by feigned but by true humility, “In honor preventing one another,”174    Rom. xii. 10. [See R.V.] and, “esteeming each the other higher than himself.”175    Phil. ii. 3

47. Sed ut dicere coeperam, sive centenus fructus sit Deo devota virginitas, sive alio aliquo modo, vel quem commemoravimus, vel quem non commemoravimus, sit illa fertilitatis intelligenda distantia; nemo tamen, quantum puto, ausus fuerit virginitatem praeferre martyrio, ac nemo dubitaverit hoc donum occultum esse, si examinatrix desit tentatio.

CAPUT XLVII.

Ut non infletur virgo, cogitet se forte non posse pro Christo pati, quod possit conjugata. Habet itaque virgo quod cogitet quod ei prosit ad servandam humilitatem, ne violet illam quae supereminet donis omnibus charitatem, sine qua utique quaecumque alia vel pauca vel plura vel magna vel parva habuerit, nihil est. Habet, inquam, quod cogitet ut non infletur, non aemuletur; ita se scilicet bonum virginale conjugali bono multo amplius et melius profiteri, ut tamen nesciat utrum illa vel illa conjugata jam pati pro Christo possit, adhuc vero ipsa non possit, et in hoc ei parcatur, quia infirmitas ejus tentatione non interrogatur. Fidelis enim Deus, ait Apostolus, qui non vos permittet tentari super id quod potestis; sed faciet cum tentatione etiam exitum, ut possitis sustinere (I Cor. X, 13). Fortassis ergo illi vel illae conjugalis vitae retinentes in suo genere laudabilem modum, jam possint contra inimicum ad iniquitatem cogentem etiam laniatu viscerum et effusione sanguinis dimicare; illi autem vel illae a pueritia continentes, seque castrantes propter regnum coelorum, nondum tamen valeant talia vel pro justitia vel pro ipsa pudicitia sustinere. Aliud est enim pro veritate ac proposito sancto non consentire suadenti atque blandienti, aliud non cedere etiam torquenti atque ferienti. Latent ista in facultatibus et viribus animorum, tentatione panduntur, experientia propalantur . Ut ergo quisque non infletur, ex eo quod se pervidet posse, humiliter cogitet quod ignorat aliquid praestantius se fortasse non posse; aliquos autem qui illud quo sibi gloriose notus est, nec habent nec profitentur, hoc quod ipse non potest posse. Ita servabitur non fallaci, sed veraci humilitate, Honore mutuo praevenientes (Rom. XII, 10); et, Alter alterum existimantes superiorem sibi (Philipp. II, 3).