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Of the Discipline and Advantage of Chastity

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 7

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

7. But as laws are prescribed to matrons,

‹ Section 6 Section 8 ›

who

are

so

bound

that

they

cannot

thence

be

separated

,

while

virginity

and

continency

are

beyond

all

law

,

there

is

nothing

in

the

laws

of

matrimony

which

pertains

to

virginity

;

for

by

its

loftiness

it

transcends

them

all

.

If

any

evil

undertakings

of

men

endeavour

to

transcend

laws

,

virginity

places

itself

on

an

equality

with

angels

;

moreover

,

if

we

investigate

,

it

even

excels

them

,

because

struggling

in

the

flesh

it

gains

the

victory

even

against

a

nature

which

angels

have

not

.

What

else

is

virginity

than

the

glorious

preparation

for

the

future

life

?

Virginity

is

of

neither

sex

.

Virginity

is

the

continuance

of

infancy

.

Virginity

is

the

triumph

over

pleasures

.

Virginity

has

no

children

;

but

what

is

more

,

it

has

contempt

for

offspring

:

it

has

not

fruitfulness

,

but

neither

has

it

bereavement

;

blessed

that

it

is

free

from

the

pain

of

bringing

forth

,

more

blessed

still

that

it

is

free

from

the

calamity

of

the

death

of

children

.

What

else

is

virginity

than

the

freedom

of

liberty

?

It

has

no

husband

for

a

master

.

Virginity

is

freed

from

all

affections

:

it

is

not

given

up

to

marriage

,

nor

to

the

world

,

nor

to

children

.

It

cannot

dread

persecution

,

since

it

cannot

provoke

it

from

its

security

.