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On the Dress of Virgins

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 6

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

6. Paul proclaims in a loud and lofty voice, “

‹ Section 5 Section 7 ›

But

God

forbid

that

I

should

glory

,

save

in

the

cross

of

our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

,

by

whom

the

world

is

crucified

unto

me

,

and

I

unto

the

world

.

”

And

yet

a

virgin

in

the

Church

glories

concerning

her

fleshly

appearance

and

the

beauty

of

her

body

!

Paul

adds

,

and

says

,

“

For

they

that

are

Christ’s

have

crucified

their

flesh

,

with

its

faults

and

lusts

.

”

And

she

who

professes

to

have

renounced

the

lusts

and

vices

of

the

flesh

,

is

found

in

the

midst

of

those

very

things

which

she

has

renounced

!

Virgin

,

thou

art

taken

,

thou

art

exposed

,

thou

boastest

one

thing

and

affectest

another

.

You

sprinkle

yourself

with

the

stains

of

carnal

concupiscence

,

although

you

are

a

candidate

of

purity

and

modesty

.

“

Cry

,

”

says

the

Lord

to

Isaiah

,

“

All

flesh

is

grass

,

and

all

the

glory

of

it

as

the

flower

of

the

grass

:

the

grass

withereth

,

and

the

flower

fadeth

;

but

the

word

of

the

Lord

endureth

for

ever

.

”

It

is

becoming

for

no

Christian

,

and

especially

it

is

not

becoming

for

a

virgin

,

to

regard

any

glory

and

honour

of

the

flesh

,

but

only

to

desire

the

word

of

God

,

to

embrace

benefits

which

shall

endure

for

ever

.

Or

,

if

she

must

glory

in

the

flesh

,

then

assuredly

let

her

glory

when

she

is

tortured

in

confession

of

the

name

;

when

a

woman

is

found

to

be

stronger

than

the

tortures

;

when

she

suffers

fire

,

or

the

cross

,

or

the

sword

,

or

the

wild

beasts

,

that

she

may

be

crowned

.

These

are

the

precious

jewels

of

the

flesh

,

these

are

the

better

ornaments

of

the

body

.

Notes

18
Gal. vi. 14.
19
Gal. v. 24.
20
Isa. xl. 6.