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On the Dress of Virgins

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 4

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

4. For that is not an empty carefulness nor a vain

‹ Section 3 Section 5 ›

fear

,

which

takes

counsel

for

the

way

of

salvation

,

which

guards

the

commandments

of

the

Lord

and

of

life

;

so

that

they

who

have

dedicated

themselves

to

Christ

,

and

who

depart

from

carnal

concupiscence

,

and

have

vowed

themselves

to

God

as

well

in

the

flesh

as

in

the

spirit

,

may

consummate

their

work

,

destined

as

it

is

to

a

great

reward

,

and

may

not

study

any

longer

to

be

adorned

or

to

please

anybody

but

their

Lord

,

from

whom

also

they

expect

the

reward

of

virginity

;

as

He

Himself

says

:

“

All

men

cannot

receive

this

word

,

but

they

to

whom

it

is

given

.

For

there

are

some

eunuchs

,

which

were

so

born

from

their

mother’s

womb

;

and

there

are

some

eunuchs

,

which

were

made

eunuchs

of

men

;

and

there

are

eunuchs

which

have

made

themselves

eunuchs

for

the

kingdom

of

heaven’s

sake

.

”

Again

,

also

by

this

word

of

the

angel

the

gift

of

continency

is

set

forth

,

and

virginity

is

preached

:

“

These

are

they

which

have

not

defiled

themselves

with

women

,

for

they

have

remained

virgins

;

these

are

they

which

follow

the

Lamb

whithersoever

He

goeth

.

”

For

not

only

thus

does

the

Lord

promise

the

grace

of

continency

to

men

,

and

pass

over

women

;

but

since

the

woman

is

a

portion

of

the

man

,

and

is

taken

and

formed

from

him

,

God

in

Scripture

almost

always

speaks

to

the

Protoplast

,

the

first

formed

,

because

they

are

two

in

one

flesh

,

and

in

the

male

is

at

the

same

time

signified

the

woman

also

.

Notes

13
Matt. xix. 11.
14
Apoc. xiv. 4.