[Of Virgins.]

XIV. Concerning virginity we have received no commandment;  36  See 1 Cor. vii. 25. See 1 Cor. vii. 25. but we leave it to the power of those that are willing, as a vow: exhorting them so far in this matter that they do not promise anything rashly; since Solomon says, “It is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay.”  37  Eccles. v. 5. Eccles. v. 5. Let such a virgin, therefore, be holy in body and soul, as the temple of God,  38  1 Cor. vii. 34. 1 Cor. vii. 34. as the house of Christ, as the habitation of the Holy Spirit. For she that vows ought to do such works as are suitable to her vow; and to show that her vow is real, and made on account of leisure for piety, not to cast a reproach on marriage. Let her not be a gadder abroad, nor one that rambles about unseasonably; not double-minded, but grave, continent, sober, pure, avoiding the conversation of many, and especially of those that are of ill reputation.  39  [The absence of any marked ascetic tone in this passage is in sharp contrast with the pseudo-Clementine Epistles concerning virginity. See vol. viii.—R.] [The absence of any marked ascetic tone in this passage is in sharp contrast with the pseudo-Clementine Epistles concerning virginity. See vol. viii.—R.]

[14] Περὶ δὲ παρθενίας ἐντολὴν οὐκ ἐλάβομεν, τῇ δὲ τῶν βουλομένων ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦτο ἐπιτρέπομεν ὡς εὐχήν, ἐκεῖνο μόνον αὐτοῖς παραινοῦντες, μὴ προχείρως τι ἐπαγγείλασθαι, ἐπείπερ ὁ Σολομών φησιν: «Ἀγαθὸν τὸ μὴ εὔξασθαι, ἢ τὸ εὔξασθαι καὶ μὴ ἀποδοῦναι.» Ἡ παρθένος οὖν αὕτη ἔστω ἁγία σώματι καὶ ψυχῇ, ὡς ναὸς Θεοῦ, ὡς οἶκος Χριστοῦ, ὡς Πνεύματος ἁγίου καταγώγιον. Δεῖ γὰρ τὴν ἐπαγγειλαμένην, ἄξια τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἔργα διαπρασσομένην, δεικνύειν τὸ ἐπάγγελμα αὐτῆς, ὅτι ἔστιν ἀληθὲς καὶ διὰ σχολὴν εὐσεβείας, οὐ κατὰ διαβολὴν γάμου γινόμενον. Ἔστω δὲ μὴ ῥεμβὰς μηδὲ ἀκαιροπεριπάτητος, μὴ δίγνωμος, ἀλλὰ σεμνή, ἐγκρατής, σώφρων, ἁγνή, φεύγουσα τὰς τῶν πολλῶν συντυχίας καὶ μάλιστα τὰς τῶν ἀσέμνων.