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10. Nor, because I called
Ruth blessed, Anna more blessed, in that the former married twice,
the latter, being soon widowed of her one husband, so lived long,
do you straightway also think that you are better than Ruth.
Forsooth different in the times of the Prophets was the
dispensation of holy females, whom obedience, not lust, forced to
marry, for the propagation of the people of God,2242
that in them Prophets of Christ
might be sent beforehand; whereas the People itself also, by those
things which in figure happened among them, whether in the case of
those who knew, or in the case of those who knew not those things,
was nothing else than a Prophet of Christ, of whom should be born
the Flesh also of Christ. In order therefore for the propagation of
that people, he was accounted accursed by sentence of the Law,
whoso raised not up seed in Israel.2243
Whence also holy women were
kindled, not by lust of sensual intercourse, but by piety of
bearing; so that we most rightly believe of them that they would
not have sought sensual intercourse, in case a family could have
come by any other means. And to the husbands was allowed the use of
several wives living; and that the cause of this was not lust of
the flesh, but forethought of begetting, is shown by the fact,
that, as it was lawful for holy men to have several wives living,
it was not likewise lawful for holy women to have intercourse with
several husbands living; in that they would be by so much the
baser, by how much the more they sought what would not add to their
fruitfulness. Wherefore holy Ruth, not having seed such as at that
time was necessary in Israel, on the death of her husband sought
another of whom to have it. Therefore than this one twice married,
Anna once married a widow was on this account more blessed, in that
she attained also to be a prophetess of Christ; concerning whom we
are to believe, that, although she had no sons, (which indeed
Scripture by keeping silence hath left uncertain,) yet, had she by
that Spirit foreseen that Christ would immediately come of a
virgin, by Which she was enabled to recognize Him even as a child:
whence, with good reason, even without sons, (that is, assuming she
had none,) she refused a second marriage: in that she knew that now
was the time wherein Christ were better served, not by duty of
bearing, but by zeal of containing: not by fruitfulness of married
womb, but by chastity of widowed conduct. But if Ruth
also was aware that by her flesh was propagated a seed, whereof
Christ should hereafter have flesh, and by marrying set forth her
ministering to this knowledge, I dare not any longer say that the
widowhood of Anna was more blessed than her
fruitfulness.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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