Chapter V.—The Irksomeness and the Enemies of Virginity.

Thou desirest, then, to be a virgin?  Knowest thou what hardship and irksomeness there is in true virginity—that which stands constantly at all seasons before God, and does not withdraw from His service, and “is anxious how it may please its Lord with a holy body, and with its spirit?”³²⁴³²⁴    1 Cor. vii. 34.  Knowest thou what great glory pertains to virginity, and is it for this that thou dost set thyself to practise it?  Dost thou really know and understand what it is thou art eager to do?  Art thou acquainted with the noble task of holy virginity?  Dost thou know how, like a man, to enter “lawfully” upon³²⁵³²⁵    Lit. “descend to.” this contest and “strive,”³²⁶³²⁶    2 Tim. ii. 5. that, in the might of the Holy Spirit,³²⁷³²⁷    The words, “in the might of the Holy Spirit,” appear to obscure the sense.—Beelen. thou choosest this for thyself, that thou mayest be crowned with a crown of light, and that they may lead thee about in triumph through “the Jerusalem above”?³²⁸³²⁸    Gal. iv. 26.  If so be, then, that thou longest for all these things, conquer the body; conquer the appetites of the flesh; conquer the world in the Spirit of God; conquer these vain things of time, which pass away and grow old, and decay, and come to an end; conquer the dragon;³²⁹³²⁹    Rev. xii. 7. conquer the lion;³³⁰³³⁰    1 Pet. v. 8. conquer the serpent;³³¹³³¹    2 Cor. xi. 3. conquer Satan;—through Jesus Christ, who doth strengthen thee by the hearing of His words and the divine Eucharist.³³²³³²    Lit. “the Eucharist of the Godhead.”  This is an evidence of later date than the sub-apostolic age.—R.]  “Take up thy cross and follow”³³³³³³    Matt. xvi. 24. Him who makes thee clean, Jesus Christ thy Lord.  Strive to run straight forward and boldly, not with fear, but with courage, relying on the promise of thy Lord, that thou shalt obtain the victor-crown³³⁴³³⁴    Lit. “crown of victory.” of thy “calling on high”³³⁵³³⁵    Phil. iii. 14. through Jesus Christ.  For whosoever walks perfect in faith, and not fearing, doth in very deed receive the crown of virginity, which is great in its toil and great in its reward.  Dost thou understand and know how honourable a thing is sanctity?³³⁶³³⁶    i.e. continency.  [The use of the terms “sanctity,” “holy,” etc., in the limited sense of “continency,” “chaste,” etc., is strong evidence of the later origin.—R]  Dost thou understand how great and exalted and excellent is the glory of virginity?³³⁷³³⁷    The last two sentences properly belong to chap. vi.