32. Of the benefit of virginity and of continency.569 [This section is confined to Scripture, and goes not beyond the word of the Divine Wisdom, as do some of the Fathers.]

In Genesis: “Multiplying I will multiply thy sorrows and thy groanings, and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy turning shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”570 Gen. iii. 16. Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: “All men do not receive the word, but they to whom it is given: for there are some eunuchs who were born so from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who have been constrained by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who can receive it, let him receive it.”571 Matt. xix. 11, 12. Also according to Luke: “The children of this world beget, and are begotten. But they who have been considered worthy of that world, and the resurrection from the dead, do not marry, nor are married: for neither shall they begin to die: for they are equal to the angels of God, since they are the children of the resurrection. But, that the dead rise again, Moses intimates when he says in the bush, The Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.”572 Luke xx. 34–38. Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman. But, on account of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render what is due to the wife, and similarly the wife to the husband. The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband. And in like manner, the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one the other, except by agreement for a time, that ye may have leisure for prayer; and again return to the same point, lest Satan tempt you on account of your incontinency. This I say by way of allowance, not by way of command. But I wish that all men should be even as I am. But every one has his proper gift from God; one in one way, but another in another way.”573 1 Cor. vii. 1–7. Also in the same place: “An unmarried man thinks of those things which are the Lord’s, in what way he may please God; but he who has contracted marriage thinks of those things that are of this world, in what way he may please his wife. Thus also, both the woman and the unmarried virgin thinketh of those things which are the Lord’s, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she that hath married thinks of those things which are of this world, in what way she may please her husband.”574 1 Cor. vii. 32–34. Also in Exodus, when the Lord had commanded Moses that he should sanctify the people for the third day, he sanctified them, and added: “Be ye ready, for three days ye shall not approach to women.”575 Ex. xix. 15. Also in the first book of Kings: “And the priest answered to David, and said, There are no profane loaves in my hand, except one sacred loaf. If the young men have been kept back from women, they shall eat.”576 1 Sam. xxi. 4. Also in the Apocalypse: “These are they who have not defiled themselves with women, for they have continued virgins; these are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall go.”577 Rev. xiv. 4.

CAP. XXXII.---DE BONO VIRGINITATIS ET CONTINENTIAE.

In Genesi: Multiplicans multiplicabo tristitias tuas et gemitus tuos ; et in tristitia paries filios, et erit conversio tua ad virum tuum, et ipse tui dominabitur (Gen. III, 16). De hoc ipso in Evangelio cata Matthaeum: Non omnes capiunt verbum, sed illi quibus datum est. Sunt enim spadones qui ex utero matris nati sunt, et sunt spadones qui coacti sunt ab hominibus, et sunt spadones qui se ipsos castraverunt propter regnum coelorum. Qui potest capere capiat (Matth. XIX, 11). Item cata Lucam: Filii saeculi hujus generant et generantur. Qui autem habuerunt dignationem saeculi 0753C illius et resurrectionis a mortuis, non nubunt, neque nubuntur . Neque enim incipient mori. Aequales enim sunt Angelis Dei, cum sint filii resurrectionis (Luc. XX, 34). Resurgere autem mortuos Moyses significat cum dicit in rubo : Dominus Deus Abraham, et Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob, non est Deus mortuorum, sed vivorum (Exod. III, 6). Omnes enim illivivunt (Luc. XX, 38). Item in Epistola Pauli ad Corinthios prima: Bonum est homini mulierem non contingere . Propter fornicationem autem unusquisque uxorem suam habeat, et 0754A unaquaeque virum suum habeat. Uxori vir debitum reddat, similiter et uxor viro. Uxor corporis sui potestatem non habet, sed vir. Similiter et vir corporis sui potestatem non habet, sed uxor . Nolite fraudare invicem nisi, ex conventione ad tempus ut vacetis orationi; et iterum revertimini ad id ipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram. Hoc dico secundum veniam , non secundum imperium . Volo autem omnes homines esse sicut et me. Sed unusquisque proprium habet donum a Deo , alius sic, alius autem sic (I Cor. VII, 1). Item illic: Caelebs cogitat ea quae sunt Domini, quomodo placeat Deo. Qui autem matrimonium contraxit, cogitat ea quae sunt mundi hujus quomodo placeat uxori . Sic et mulier et virgo innupta cogitat ea quae sunt Domini, ut sit sancta 0754B et corpore et spiritu. Quae autem nupsit cogitat de iis quae sunt mundi hujus, quomodo placeat viro (Ibid. 32). Item in Exodo, cum praecepisset Dominus Moysi ut sanctificaret populum in diem tertium, sanctificavit ille, et adjecit : Estote parati: tribus diebus non accedetis ad mulieres (Exod. XIX, 15). Item in Basilion primo: Et respondit sacerdos ad David et dixit: Non sunt panes profani in manu mea, nisi panis sanctus unus . Si observati sunt pueri a muliere, manducabunt (I Reg. XXI, 4). Item in Apocalypsi: Hi sunt qui cum mulieribus se non coinquinaverunt. Virgines enim permanserunt. Hi sunt qui sequuntur Agnum quocumque ierit (Apoc. XIV, 4).