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34. Paul the Apostle censures
evil unmarried women, curious and prating, and says that this fault
comes of idleness. “But at the same time,” saith he, “being
idle they learn to go about to houses: but not only idle, but
curious also and prating, speaking what they ought not.”2117
Of these
he had said above, “But younger widows avoid; for when they have
past their time in delights, they wish to wed in Christ; having
condemnation, in that they have made void their first faith:”
that is, have not continued in that, which they had vowed at the
first. And yet he saith not, they marry, but “they wish to
marry.” For many of them are recalled from marrying, not by love
of a noble purpose, but by fear of open shame, which also itself
comes of pride, whereby persons fear to displease men more than
God. These, therefore, who wish to marry, and do not marry on this
account, because they cannot with impunity, who would do better to
marry than to be burned, that is, than to be laid waste in their
very conscience by the hidden flame of lust, who repent of their
profession, and who feel their confession irksome; unless they
correct and set right their heart, and by the fear of God again
overcome their lust, must be accounted among the dead; whether they
pass their time in delights, whence the Apostle says, “But she
who passes her time in delights, living, is dead;”2118
or whether
in labors and fastings, which are useless where there is no
correction of the heart, and serve rather for display than
amendment. I do not, for my part, impose on such a great regard for
humility, in whom pride itself is confounded, and bloodstained by
wound of conscience. Nor on such as are drunken, or covetous, or
who are lying in any other kind whatever of damnable disease, at
the same time that they have profession of bodily continence, and
through perverse manners are at variance with their own name, do I
impose this great anxiety about pious humility: unless haply in
these evils they shall dare even to make a display of themselves,
unto whom it is not enough, that the punishments of these are
deferred. Nor am I treating of these, in whom there is a certain
aim of pleasing, either by more elegant dress than the necessity of
so great profession demands, or by remarkable manner of binding the
head, whether by bosses of hair swelling forth, or by coverings so
yielding, that the fine network below appears: unto these we must
give precepts, not as yet concerning humility, but concerning
chastity itself, or virgin modesty. Give me one who makes
profession of perpetual continence, and who is free from these, and
all such faults and spots of conduct; for this one I fear pride,
for this so great good I am in alarm from the swelling of
arrogance. The more there is in any one on account of which to be
self-pleased, the more I fear, lest, by pleasing self, he please
not Him, Who “resisteth the proud, but unto the humble giveth
grace.”2119
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