On the Dress of Virgins.

 1. Discipline, the safeguard of hope, the bond of faith, the guide of the way of salvation, the stimulus and nourishment of good dispositions, the tea

 2. But if in Holy Scripture discipline is frequently and everywhere prescribed, and the whole foundation of religion and of faith proceeds from obedie

 3. My address is now to virgins, whose glory, as it is more eminent, excites the greater interest. This is the flower of the ecclesiastical seed, the

 4. For that is not an empty carefulness nor a vain fear, which takes counsel for the way of salvation, which guards the commandments of the Lord and o

 5. But if continency follows Christ, and virginity is destined for the kingdom of God, what have they to do with earthly dress, and with ornaments, wh

 6. Paul proclaims in a loud and lofty voice, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is cru

 7. But there are some rich women, and wealthy in the fertility of means, who prefer their own wealth, and contend that they ought to use these blessin

 8. You call yourself wealthy and rich but Paul meets your riches, and with his own voice prescribes for the moderating of your dress and ornament wit

 9. You say that you are wealthy and rich. But not everything that can be done ought also to be done nor ought the broad desires that arise out of the

 10. You say that you are wealthy and rich but it becomes not a virgin to boast of her riches, since Holy Scripture says, “What hath pride profited us

 11. You say that you are wealthy and rich, and you think that you should use those things which God has willed you to possess. Use them, certainly, bu

 12. The characteristics of ornaments, and of garments, and the allurements of beauty, are not fitting for any but prostitutes and immodest women and

 13. Moreover Isaiah, full of the Holy Spirit, cries out and chides the daughters of Sion, corrupted with gold, and silver, and raiment, and rebukes th

 14. For God neither made the sheep scarlet or purple, nor taught the juices of herbs and shell-fish to dye and colour wool, nor arranged necklaces wit

 15. And indeed in that very matter, for the sake of the fear which faith suggests to me, for the sake of the love which brotherhood requires, I think

 16. The voice of the warning apostle is, “Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened for even Christ our passover is s

 17. Are you not afraid, I entreat you, being such as you are, that when the day of resurrection comes, your Maker may not recognise you again, and may

 18. And since we are seeking the advantage of continency, let us also avoid everything that is pernicious and hostile to it. And I will not pass over

 19. But what of those who frequent promiscuous baths who prostitute to eyes that are curious to lust, bodies that are dedicated to chastity and modes

 20. For this reason, therefore, the Church frequently mourns over her virgins hence she groans at their scandalous and detestable stories hence the

 21. Therefore hear me, O virgins, as a parent hear, I beseech you, one who fears while he warns hear one who is faithfully consulting for your advan

 22. Hold fast, O virgins! hold fast what you have begun to be hold fast what you shall be. A great reward awaits you, a great recompense of virtue, t

 23. The first decree commanded to increase and to multiply the second enjoined continency. While the world is still rough and void, we are propagated

 24. Every one of which things, O good virgins, you ought to observe, to love, to fulfil, who, giving yourselves to God and Christ, are advancing in bo

21. Therefore hear me, O virgins, as a parent; hear, I beseech you, one who fears while he warns; hear one who is faithfully consulting for your advantage and your profit. Be such as God the Creator made you; be such as the hand of your Father ordained you. Let your countenance remain in you incorrupt, your neck unadorned, your figure simple; let not wounds be made in your ears, nor let the precious chain of bracelets and necklaces circle your arms or your neck; let your feet be free from golden bands, your hair stained with no dye, your eyes worthy of beholding God. Let your baths be performed with women, among whom your bathing is modest.35    Otherwise read, “among you;” or possibly, “whose bathing is modest towards you.” Let the shameless feasts and lascivious banquets of marriages be avoided, the contagion of which is perilous. Overcome dress, since you are a virgin; overcome gold, since you overcome the flesh and the world. It is not consistent to be unable to be conquered by the greater, and to be found no match for the less. Strait and narrow is the way which leadeth to life; hard and difficult is the track which tends to glory. By this pathway the martyrs progress, the virgins pass, the just of all kinds advance. Avoid the broad and roomy ways. There are deadly snares and death-bringing pleasures; there the devil flatters, that he may deceive; smiles, that he may do mischief; entices, that he may slay. The first fruit for the martyrs is a hundred-fold; the second is yours, sixty-fold. As with the martyrs there is no thought of the flesh and of the world, no small, and trifling, and delicate encounter; so also in you, whose reward is second in grace, let there be the strength in endurance next to theirs. The ascent to great things is not easy. What toil we suffer, what labour, when we endeavour to ascend the hills and the tops of mountains! What, then, that we may ascend to heaven? If you look to the reward of the promise, your labour is less. Immortality is given to the persevering, eternal life is set before them; the Lord promises a kingdom.

XXI. Audite itaque me , virgines, ut parentem; audite, quaeso, vos timentem pariter ac monentem; audite utilitatibus et commodis vestris fideliter consulentem. Estote tales quales vos Deus artifex fecit: 0460A estote tales quales vos manus Patris instituit: maneat in vobis facies incorrupta, cervix pura, forma sincera. Non inferantur auribus vulnera, nec brachia includat aut colla de armillis et monilibus catena pretiosa; sint a compedibus aureis pedes liberi, crines nullo colore fucati, oculi conspiciendo Deo digni. Celebrentur lavacra cum feminis, quarum inter vos pudica lavatio est. Nuptiarum festa improba et convivia lasciva vitentur, quorum periculosa contagio est. Vince vestem, quae virgo es: vince aurum, quae carnem vincis et saeculum. Non est ejusdem non posse a majoribus vinci et imparem minoribus inveniri. Arctaet angusta est via quae ducit ad vitam (Matth. VII, 14) durus et arduus est limes qui tendit ad gloriam (Ib. 13). Per hunc viae limitem martyres pergunt, eunt 0460B virgines, justi quique gradiuntur. Lata et spatiosa itinera vitate. Lethales illic illecebrae et mortiferae voluptates. Illic diabolus blanditur ut fallat, arridet ut noceat, illicit ut occidat. Primus, cum centeno, martyrum fructus est, secundus, sexagenarius, vester est. 0461A Ut apud martyres non est carnis et saeculi cogitatio, nec parva et levis et delicata congressio, sic et in vobis, quarum ad gratiam merces secunda est, sit et virtus ad tolerantiam proxima. Non est ad magna facilis ascensus. Quem sudorem perpetimur, quem laborem, cum conamur ascendere colles et vertices montium? Quid, ut ascendamus ad coelum? Si praemium pollicitationis attendas, minus est quod laboras. Immortalitas perseveranti datur, perpetua vita promittitur, regnum Dominus pollicetur.