29. But, lo, That Lamb goeth
by a Virgin road, how shall they go after Him, who have lost what
there is no way for them to recover? Do ye, therefore, do ye go
after Him, His virgins; do ye thither also go after Him, in that on
this one account whithersoever He shall have gone, ye follow Him:
for unto any other gift whatsoever of holiness, whereby to follow
Him, we can exhort married persons, save this which they have lost
beyond power of recovery. Do ye, therefore, follow Him, by holding
with perseverance what ye have vowed with ardor. Go when ye can,
that the good of virginity perish not from you, unto which ye can
do nothing, in order that it may return. The rest of the multitude
of the faithful will see you, which cannot unto this follow the
Lamb; it will see you, it will not envy you: and by rejoicing
together with you, what it hath not in itself, it will have in you.
For that new song also, which is your own, it will not be able to
utter; but it will not be unable to hear, and to be delighted with
your so excellent good: but ye, who shall both utter and hear, in
that what ye shall say, this ye shall hear of yourselves, will
exult with greater happiness, and reign with greater joy. But they
will have no sorrow on account of your greater joy, to whom this
shall be wanting. Forsooth That Lamb, Whom ye shall follow
whithersoever He shall have gone, will not desert those who cannot
follow Him, where you can. Almighty is the Lamb, of Whom we speak.
He both will go before you, and will not depart from them, when God
shall be all in all.2091
And they, who shall have less,
shall not turn away in dislike from you: for, where there is no
envying, difference exists with
concord. Take to you,
2092
then, have
trust, be
strong, continue, ye who
vow and pay unto the
Lord your
God vows of perpetual continence, not for the sake of this present
world, but for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
