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 crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”15    Gal. vi. 14. And yet a virgin in the Church glories concerning her fleshly appearance and the beauty of her body! Paul adds, and says, “For they that are Christ’s have crucified their flesh, with its faults and lusts.”16    Gal. v. 24. And she who professes to have renounced the lusts and vices of the flesh, is found in the midst of those very things which she has renounced! Virgin, thou art taken, thou art exposed, thou boastest one thing and affectest another. You sprinkle yourself with the stains of carnal concupiscence, although you are a candidate of purity and modesty. “Cry,” says the Lord to Isaiah, “All flesh is grass, and all the glory of it as the flower of the grass: the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.”17    Isa. xl. 6. It is becoming for no Christian, and especially it is not becoming for a virgin, to regard any glory and honour of the flesh, but only to desire the word of God, to embrace benefits which shall endure for ever. Or, if she must glory in the flesh, then assuredly let her glory when she is tortured in confession of the name; when a woman is found to be stronger than the tortures; when she suffers fire, or the cross, or the sword, or the wild beasts, that she may be crowned. These are the precious jewels of the flesh, these are the better ornaments of the body.

VI. Paulus forti ac sublimi voce proclamat: Mihi autem absit gloriari nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi, per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est, et ego mundo. (Gal. VI, 14): et virgo in Ecclesia de specie carnis ac de corporis pulchritudine gloriatur! Addit Paulus et dicit: Qui enim sunt Christi, carnem suam crucifixerunt cum vitiis et concupiscentiis (Gal. V, 24): et quae se concupiscentiis carnis et vitiis renuntiasse profitetur, in iisdem quibus renuntiaverat, invenitur! Deprehenderis virgo, detegeris. Aliud esse te jactas, et aliud affectas. Maculis te concupiscentiae carnalis aspergis , cum integritatis candidata sis et pudoris. Clama, 0446A inquit Esaiae Deus: Omnis caro faenum, et omnis claritas ejus ut flos foeni. Aruit foenum, et flos decidit: sermo autem Domini manet in aeternum (Isa. XL, 6-8.) Neminem christianum decet, et maxime virginem non decet, claritatem ullam computare carnis et honorem, sed solum appetere sermonem Dei, bona in aeternum mansura complecti. Aut si in carne sit gloriandum, tunc plane quando in nominis confessione cruciatur, quando fortior femina viris torquentibus invenitur, quando ignes aut cruces aut ferrum aut bestias patitur ut coronetur. Illa sunt carnis pretiosa monilia, illa corporis ornamenta meliora.