By Water & Blood

On virginity

Concerning virginity.

Cerdo and Marcion, then, legislated virginity while warring against the Creator, so that they might not through marriage increase his creation. But Manes named marriage a co-worker of matter, and for this reason ordered virginity. And Saturnilus and Tatian openly named marriage of the devil.

But the Master God has not set down laws concerning virginity; for he knows that the matter is above nature. Yet by praises of it he urged those who wish toward the contest. For when the apostles said, “If the case of a man with a woman is thus, it is not advantageous to marry,” the Lord took up and said: “Not all receive this word, but those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by human beings; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God.” And this he said not concerning the cutting of the members, but concerning the cutting away of out-of-place reasonings. Then he added: “Let the one who is able to receive it receive it.”

For this reason the divine Apostle also, introducing the subject of virginity, says: “I do not have a command of the Lord”—for the Lord has not set down a law concerning virginity—“but I give a judgment as one who has been shown mercy by the Lord to be faithful.” “I counsel,” he says, “I do not legislate; and this not using boldness, but having received the service of the proclamation by a divine vote. I think, then, that this is good for a human being—to be thus.” And he set down “I think” not because he was doubting about what he was counseling, but tempering the word so that it might not become a law. For the law also has transgression, and the transgression also brings punishment. For this reason he added “I think,” in order to show that the word is counsel, not law.

Then he shows what he called good: “Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Have you been released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.” For foreseeing the poisonous drugs of the heretics, he prepares the preventive remedy. Therefore he first confirmed the law of marriage, and then in this way introduced the counsels concerning virginity. For lest someone suppose that he is accusing marriage when he legislates purity, he necessarily strengthened the law of marriage, saying, “Do not seek release”; and having set down the same also concerning purity, and saying, “Do not seek a wife,” he did not remain within the limit, but added: “But if you also marry, you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned.” “For I do not advise fleeing marriage as lawlessness, but as urging toward a better life.”

And he also shows the gain of virginity. For concerning those who marry he said: “But such will have affliction in the flesh.” For the married person is pulled about by many cares, taking thought not only of a wife but also of children and household servants and maidservants; and signifying this he said: “But such will have affliction in the flesh.” And he also bares his own affection: “But I spare you.” And a little later: “But I wish you to be free from care.” Then he makes a comparison and examination of the one who has married and the one who embraces unmarriedness: “The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he will please the Lord; but the one who has married cares for the things of the world, how he will please the wife. Both the woman and the virgin are divided. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, how she will please the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the one who has married cares for the things of the world, how she will please the husband.”

And in these things he taught expressly the usefulness of virginity. For he does not order fleeing marriage as lawless, but pursuing virginity as free from cares. For the mind of those who have married, being divided into many things, is hindered from accomplishing the exact and perfect life; but those who have chosen the solitary life allot all care to divine things. And he continues, both showing what is advantageous and casting the constraint of law out of the word: “And this I say for your own advantage, not that I may cast a noose upon you.” “For I do not drag by necessity the one who does not wish, but I show the benefit that grows.” For this reason he added: “But for what is seemly and for constant attendance upon the Lord without distraction.” For the one free from the marital yoke easily draws this yoke, with nothing else drawing him away from good attendance.

And he continues, refuting the legislation of the ill-named heretics: “But if anyone thinks he is behaving unbecomingly toward his virgin, if she is past her prime, and so it ought to be, let him do what he wishes; he does not sin; let them marry.” And this he says concerning those who have not yet made the covenants concerning virginity. “But he who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, but having authority concerning his own will, and has decided this in his own heart—to keep his own virgin—does well.” “Not having necessity” stands for “not being under another’s authority.” For masters prevent servants from doing what they wish. Thus, having given authority both to the one who wishes to betroth and to the one eager to keep his daughter pure, he added: “So that both the one who gives in marriage does well, and the one who does not give in marriage does better.”

Such limits concerning virginity we have received from the theological men—not accusing marriage, but urging those who wish toward the carefree life.