52. Here some one will say,
This is now not to write of virginity, but of humility. As though
truly it were any kind of virginity, and not that which is after
God, which we had undertaken to set forth. And this good, by how
much I see it to be great, by so much I fear for it, lest it be
lost, the thief pride. Therefore there is none that guardeth the
virginal good, save God Himself Who gave it: and God is Charity.2211
The
Guardian therefore of
virginity is
Charity: but the place of this
Guardian is
humility. There forsooth He dwelleth, Who said, that on
the lowly and
quiet, and that trembleth at His words, His Spirit
resteth.
2212
What,
therefore, have I done
foreign from my purpose, if wishing the
good, which I have
praised, to be more securely
guarded, I have
taken care also to prepare a place for the
Guardian? For I speak
with
confidence, nor have I any
fear lest they be
angry with me,
whom I
admonish with care to
fear for themselves together with me.
More easily do follow the
Lamb, although not whithersoever He shall
have gone, yet so
far as they shall have had
power,
married persons
who are
humble, than
virgins who are
proud. For how doth one follow
Him, unto Whom one wills not to approach or how doth one approach
Him, unto Whom one comes not to
learn, “in that I am
meek and
lowly of
heart?” Wherefore those the
Lamb leadeth following
whithersoever He shall have gone, in whom first Himself shall have
found where to lay His Head. For also a certain
proud and
crafty
person had said to Him, “
Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever
Thou shalt have gone;”
2213
to whom He made answer, “
Foxes
have
dens, and
fowls of
heaven nests: but the Son of Man hath not
where to lay His Head.” By the term of
foxes He reproved wily
craftiness, and by the name of
birds puffed-up arrogance, wherein
He found not pious humility to rest in. And by this no where at all
did he follow the Lord, who had promised that he would follow Him,
not unto a certain point of progress, but altogether whithersoever
He should have gone.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
