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| Chapter XII.
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Chapter XII.
O Virgin, maintain thy
purpose which is destined for a great reward. Eminent with the Lord is
the virtue of virginity and purity, if it be not disfigured by other
kinds of lapses into sins and wickedness. Realize your state, realize
your position, realize your purpose. You are called the bride of
Christ; see that you commit no act which is unworthy of him to whom you
profess to be betrothed. He will quickly write a bill of divorcement,
if he perceive in you even one act of unfaithfulness. Accordingly,
whosoever receives those gifts which, as an earnest, are bestowed in
the case of human betrothals, immediately begins earnestly and
diligently to enquire of domestics, intimates, and friends, what is the
character of the young man, what he especially loves, what he receives,
in what style he lives, what habits he practices, what luxuries he
indulges in, and in what pursuits he finds his chief pleasure and
delight. And when she has learned these things, she so conducts
herself, in all respects, that her service, her cheerfulness, her
diligence, and her whole mode of life, may be in harmony with the
character of her betrothed. And do thou, who hast Christ as thy
bridegroom, enquire from the domestics and intimates of that bridegroom
of thine what is his character; yes, do thou zealously and skillfully
enquire in what things he specially delights, what sort of arrangement
he loves in thy dress, and what kind of adornment he desires. Let his
most intimate associate Peter tell thee, who does not allow personal
adorning even to married women, as he has written in his epistle,
“Let wives,209
in like manner, be
subject to their own husbands, so that, if any believe not the word,
they may, without the word, be won over by the conduct of their wives,
contemplating their chaste behavior in the fear of God; and let theirs
not be an outward adornment of the hair, or the putting on of gold, or
elegance in the apparel which is adopted, but let there be the hidden
man of the heart in the stainlessness210
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“incorruptibilitate.” | of a peaceful
and modest spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
Let another apostle also tell thee, the blessed Paul, who, writing to
Timothy, gives his approval to the same things in regard to the conduct
of believing women: “Let wives211
in like manner
adorn themselves with the ornament of a habit of modesty and sobriety,
not with curled hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but as
becomes women that profess chastity, with good and upright
behavior.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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