Chapter VI.—Divinity of Virginity.

The womb of a holy virgin³³⁸³³⁸    Or “the Holy Virgin.” carried our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and the body 57which our Lord wore, and in which He carried on the conflict in this world, He put on from a holy virgin.  From this, therefore, understand the greatness and dignity of virginity.  Dost thou wish to be a Christian?  Imitate Christ in everything.  John, the ambassador, he who came before our Lord, he “than whom there was not a greater among those born of women,”³³⁹³³⁹    Matt. xi. 11. the holy messenger of our Lord, was a virgin.  Imitate, therefore, the ambassador of our Lord, and be his follower³⁴⁰³⁴⁰    Lit. “lover,” or “friend.” in every thing.  That John, again, who “reclined on the bosom of our Lord, and whom He greatly loved,”³⁴¹³⁴¹    John xxi. 20.—he, too, was a holy person.³⁴²³⁴²    i.e., a virgin.  For it was not without reason that our Lord loved him.  Paul, also, and Barnabas, and Timothy, with all the others, “whose names are written in the book of life,”³⁴³³⁴³    Phil. iv. 3.—these, I say, all cherished and loved sanctity,³⁴⁴³⁴⁴    i.e., virginity. and ran in the contest, and finished their course without blemish, as imitators of Christ, and as sons of the living God.  Moreover, also, Elijah and Elisha, and many other holy men, we find to have lived a holy³⁴⁵³⁴⁵    i.e., celibate, or chaste. and spotless life.  If, therefore, thou desirest to be like these, imitate them with all thy power.  For the Scripture has said, “The elders who are among you, honour; and, seeing their manner of life and conduct, imitate their faith.”³⁴⁶³⁴⁶    Heb. xiii. 7.  And again it saith, “Imitate me, my brethren, as I imitate Christ.”³⁴⁷³⁴⁷    1 Cor. xi. 1.