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

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 by the fruitful begetting of numbers, and we increase to the enlargement of the human race.  Now, when the world is filled and the earth supplied, they who can receive continency, living after the manner of eunuchs, are made eunuchs unto the kingdom. Nor does the Lord command this, but He exhorts it; nor does He impose the yoke of necessity, since the free choice of the will is left. But when He says that in His Father’s house are many mansions, He points out the dwellings of the better habitation. Those better habitations you are seeking; cutting away the desires of the flesh, you obtain the reward of a greater grace in the heavenly home. All indeed who attain to the divine gift and inheritance by the sanctification of baptism, therein put off the old man by the grace of the saving laver, and, renewed by the Holy Spirit from the filth of the old contagion, are purged by a second nativity. But the greater holiness and truth of that repeated birth belongs to you, who have no longer any desires of the flesh and of the body. Only the things which belong to virtue and the Spirit have remained in you to glory. It is the apostle’s word whom the Lord called His chosen vessel, whom God sent to proclaim the heavenly command: “The first man,” says he, “is from the earth, of earth; the second man is from heaven. Such as is the earthy, such are they also who are earthy; and such as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly.  As we have borne the image of him who is earthy, let us also bear the image of Him who is heavenly.”38    1 Cor. xv. 47. Virginity bears this image, integrity bears it, holiness bears it, and truth. Disciplines which are mindful of God bear it, retaining righteousness with religion, stedfast in faith, humble in fear, brave to all suffering, meek to sustain wrong, easy to show mercy, of one mind and one heart in fraternal peace.

0463A XXXIII. Prima sententia crescere et generare praecepit, secunda continentiam suasit. Cum adhuc rudis mundus et inanis est , copiam foecunditate generantes propagamur, et crescimus ad humani generis augmentum: cum jam refertus est orbis et mundus impletus, qui capere continentiam possunt, spadonum more viventes, castrantur ad regnum. Nec hoc jubet Dominus, sed hortatur; nec jugum necessitatis imponit, quando maneat voluntatis arbitrium liberum. Sed cum habitationes multas apud Patrem suum dicat (Joan. XIV, 2), melioris habitaculi hospitia demonstrat. Habitacula ista meliora vos petitis, carnis desideria castrantes, majoris gratiae praemium in coelestibus obtinetis. Omnes quidem qui ad divinum lavacrum Baptismi sanctificatione perveniunt, hominem illic 0463B veterem gratia lavacri salutaris exponunt, et innovati Spiritu sancto, a sordibus contagionis antiquae iterata nativitate purgantur. Sed nativitatis iteratae vobis major sanctitas et veritas competit, quibus desideria jam carnis et corporis nulla sunt. Sola in vobis quae sunt virtutis et spiritus ad gloriam remanserunt . Apostoli vox est, quem Dominus vas electionis suae dixit, quem ad promenda mandata coelestia Deus 0464A misit: Primus homo, inquit, de terrae limo, secundus homo de coelo . Qualis ille de limo, tales et qui de limo; et qualis coelestis, tales et coelestes. Quomodo portavimus imaginem ejus qui de limo est, portemus et imaginem ejus qui de coelo est (I Cor. XV, 47-49) Hanc imaginem virginitas portat, portat integritas, sanctitas portat et veritas; portant disciplinae Dei memores, justitiam cum religione retinentes, stabiles in fide, humiles in timore, ad omnem tolerantiam fortes, ad sustinendam injuriam mites, ad faciendam misericordiam faciles, fraterna pace unanimes atque concordes.