Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

death: how would he feel on seeing such an outrage wreaked on the marriage chamber of
the Lord?
2. You have flung away the yoke of that divine union; you have fled from the undefiled
chamber of the true King; you have shamefully fallen into this disgraceful and impious
corruption; and now that you cannot avoid this painful charge, and have no means or device
to conceal your trouble, you rush into insolence. The wicked man after falling into a pit of
iniquity always begins to despise, and you are denying your actual covenant with the true
bridegroom; you say that you are not a virgin, and made no promise, although you have
undertaken and publicly professed many pledges of virginity. Remember the good profession
which you witnessed 2118 before God, angels, and men. Remember the hallowed intercourse,
the sacred company of virgins, the assembly of the Lord, the Church of the holy. Remember
your grandmother, grown old in Christ, still youthful and vigorous in virtue; and your
mother vying with her in the Lord, and striving to break with ordinary life in strange and
unwonted toils; remember your sister, who copies their doings, nay, endeavours to surpass
them, and goes beyond the good deeds of her fathers in her virgin graces, and earnestly
challenges by word and deed you her sister, as she thinks, to like efforts, while she earnestly
prays that your virginity be preserved. 2119 All these call to mind, and your holy service of
God with them, your life spiritual, though in the flesh; your conversation heavenly, though
on earth. Remember days of calm, nights lighted up, spiritual songs, sweet music of psalms,
saintly prayers, a bed pure and undefiled, procession of virgins, and moderate fare. 2120
What has become of your grave appearance, your gracious demeanour, your plain dress,
meet for a virgin, the beautiful blush of modesty, the comely and bright pallor due to temperance
and vigils, shining fairer than any brilliance of complexion? How often have you
not prayed, perhaps with tears, that you might preserve your virginity without spot! How
often have you not written to the holy men, imploring them to offer up prayers in your behalf,
not that it should be your lot to marry, still less to be involved in this shameful corruption,
but that you should not fall away from the Lord Jesus? How often have you received gifts
from the Bridegroom? Why enumerate the honours given you for His sake by them that
are His? Why tell of your fellowship with virgins, your progress with them, your being
greeted by them with praises on account of virginity, eulogies of virgins, letters written as
to a virgin? Now, nevertheless, at a little blast from the spirit of the air, “that now worketh
in the children of disobedience,” 2121 you have abjured all these; you have changed the
2118 cf. 1 Tim. vi. 12.
2119 These words occur in the mss. after “moderate fare,” below, where they make no sense. The Ben. Ed.
conjectures that they may belong here.
2120 Vide note above.
2121 Eph. ii. 2.
To a fallen virgin.
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