49. Wherefore also the virgins of God without blame indeed, “follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall have gone,” both the cleansing of sins being perfected, and virginity being kept, which, were it lost, could not return: but, because that same Apocalypse itself, wherein such unto one such were revealed, in this also praises them, that “in their mouth there was not found a lie:”181    Rev. xiv. 4, 5 let them remember in this also to be true, that they dare not say that they have not sin. Forsooth the same John, who saw that, hath said this, “If we shall have said that we have not sin, we deceive our own selves, and the truth is not in us; but if we shall have confessed our faults, He is faithful and just, so as to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But if we shall have said that we have not sinned, we shall make Him a liar, and His word shall not be in us.”182    1 John i. 8–10. [See R.V.] This surely is not said unto these or those, but unto all Christians, wherein virgins also ought to recognize themselves. For thus they shall be without a lie, such as in the Apocalypse they appeared. And by this means so long as there is not as yet perfection in heavenly height, confession in lowliness maketh them without blame.

CAPUT XLIX.

49. Virgines irreprehensibiles purgatione peccatorum et humili confessione. Mortifera securitas peccandi spe veniae confitentibus promissae. Proinde etiam virgines Dei irreprehensibiles quidem sequuntur Agnum quocumque ierit, et peccatorum purgatione perfecta, et virginitate servata, quae non rediret amissa: sed quia eadem ipsa Apocalypsis, ubi tales tali revelati sunt, etiam hinc eos laudat, quod in ore eorum non sit inventum mendacium (Apoc. XIV, 4, 5); meminerint etiam in hoc esse veraces, ne se audeant dicere non habere peccatum. Idem quippe Joannes qui illud vidit, hoc dixit: Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Quod si confessi fuerimus delicta nostra, fidelis est et justus, ut dimittat nobis peccata nostra, et purget nos ab omni iniquitate. Quod si dixerimus quoniam non peccavimus, mendacem faciemus eum, et verbum ejus non erit in nobis. Hoc certe non illis aut illis, sed Christianis omnibus dicitur, ubi et virgines se debent agnoscere. Sic enim erunt sine mendacio, quales in Apocalypsi apparuerunt. Ac per hoc quamdiu nondum est in coelesti sublimitate perfectio, invituperabiles facit in humilitate confessio.