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| Concerning Virginity.
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Chapter
XXIV.—Concerning Virginity.
Carnal men abuse virginity2666
| 2666 Vide bk. ii. ch.
30. | , and the pleasure-loving bring forward
the following verse in proof, Cursed be every one that raiseth not
up seed in Israel2667
. But
we, made confident by God the Word that was made flesh of the Virgin,
answer that virginity was implanted in man’s nature from above
and in the beginning. For man was formed of virgin soil.
From Adam alone was Eve created. In Paradise virginity held
sway. Indeed, Divine Scripture tells that both Adam and Eve
were naked and were not ashamed2668
. But
after their transgression they knew that they were naked, and in their
shame they sewed aprons for themselves2669
. And when, after the transgression,
Adam heard, dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou
return2670
, when death
entered into the world by reason of the transgression, then Adam
knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare seed2671
. So that to prevent the wearing
out and destruction of the race by death, marriage was devised that the
race of men may be preserved through the procreation of
children2672
| 2672 Greg. Nyss.,
De opif., hom. 16. | .
But they will perhaps ask, what then is the
meaning of “male and female2673
,”
and “Be fruitful and multiply?” In answer we shall
say that “Be fruitful and multiply2674
” does not altogether refer to the multiplying by
the marriage connection. For God had power to multiply the race
also in different ways, if they kept the precept unbroken2675
| 2675 Text, ἀπαραχάρακτον.
Variant, ἀπαρεγχάρακτον,
old trans. “in intransmutationem.” | to the end2676
| 2676 Vid.
supr., bk. ii. ch. 30. | . But God, Who knoweth all things
before they have existence, knowing in His foreknowledge that they
would fall into transgression in the future and be condemned to death,
anticipated this and made “male and female,” and bade them
“be fruitful and multiply.” Let us, then, proceed on
our way and see the glories2677
| 2677 Text
αυξήυατα =
increases. We have read αὐχήματα. | of
virginity: and this also includes chastity.
Noah when he was commanded to enter the ark and
was entrusted with the preservation of the seed of the world received
this command, Go in, saith the Lord, thou and thy sons, and
thy wife, and thy sons’ wives2678
. He separated them from their
wives2679
| 2679 Cf.
Chrys., Hom. 28 on Genesis. | in order that with purity they might
escape the flood and that shipwreck of the whole world. After the
cessation of the flood, however, He said, Go forth of the ark, thou
and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives2680
. Lo, again, marriage is granted
for the sake of the multiplication of the race. Next, Elias, the
fire-breathing charioteer and sojourner in heaven did not embrace
celibacy, and yet was not his virtue attested by his super-human
ascension2681
? Who
closed the heavens? Who raised the dead2682
? Who divided Jordan2683
? Was it not the virginal
Elias? And did not Elisha, his disciple, after he had given proof
of equal virtue, ask and obtain as an inheritance a double portion of
the grace of the Spirit2684
? What of
the three youths? Did they not by practising virginity become
mightier than fire, their bodies through virginity being made proof
against the fire2685
? And
was it not Daniel’s body that was so hardened by virginity that
the wild beasts’ teeth could not fasten in it2686
. Did not God, when He wished
the Israelites to see Him, bid them purify the body2687
? Did not the priests purify
themselves and so approach the temple’s shrine and offer
victims? And did not the law call chastity the great
vow?
The precept of the law, therefore, is to be taken
in a more spiritual sense. For there is spiritual seed which is
conceived through the love and fear of God in the spiritual womb,
travailing and bringing forth the spirit of salvation. And in
this sense must be understood this verse: Blessed is he who
hath seed in Zion and posterity in Jerusalem. For does it
mean that, although he be a whoremonger and a drunkard and an idolater,
he is still blessed if only he hath seed in Sion and posterity in
Jerusalem? No one in his senses will say this.
Virginity is the rule of life among the angels,
the property of all incorporeal nature. This we say without
speaking ill of marriage: God forbid! (for we know that the
Lord blessed marriage by His presence2688
, and we know him who said, Marriage
is honourable and the bed undefiled2689
), but knowing that virginity is better
than marriage, however good. For among the virtues, equally as
among the vices, there are higher and lower grades. We know that
all mortals after the first parents of the race are the offspring of
marriage. For the first parents were the work of virginity and
not of marriage. But celibacy is, as we said, an imitation of the
angels. Wherefore virginity is as much more honourable than
marriage, as the angel is higher than man. But why do I say
angel? Christ Himself is the glory of virginity, who was not
only-begotten of the Father without beginning or emission or
connection, but also became man in our image, being made flesh for our
sakes of the Virgin without connection, and manifesting in Himself the
true and perfect virginity. Wherefore, although He did not enjoin
that on us by law (for as He said, all men cannot receive this
saying2690
), yet in actual
fact He taught us that and gave us strength for it. For it is
surely clear to every one that virginity now is flourishing among
men.
Good indeed is the procreation of children
enjoined by the law, and good is marriage2691
| 2691 Simeon Thess.,
De initiat., ch. 33. | on account of fornications, for it does
away with these2692
, and by lawful
intercourse does not permit the madness of desire to be enflamed into
unlawful acts. Good is marriage for those who have no
continence: but that virginity is better which increases the
fruitfulness of the soul and offers to God the seasonable fruit of
prayer. Marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled, but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge2693
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