CHAPTER XVII Great caution demanded by the spiritual oversight of virgins
CHAPTER XVII
Great caution demanded by the spiritual oversight of virgins
314. With reference to the care of the virgins, the apprehension is all the greater, in that this group is a more honourable and princely possession than the others. Even into the circle of these holy ones, multitudes full of innumerable evils have intruded themselves. Here then the trouble is greater.
315. And as it is not the same thing for a maiden who is free, and for her serving woman to sin, so not for a virgin and a widow; because it has become a matter of indifference for widows to talk foolishly, and to revile one another, and to flatter, and to be shameless, and to appear everywhere, and to parade in the public places; but the virgin has prepared herself for greater things, and entered on the pursuit of the wisdom which is above, and professed to exhibit upon earth the conduct of the angels; and while she is in this body it is her purpose to display the qualities of incorporeal powers; and she neither ought to take many and superfluous walks, nor is allowed to utter words idly and in vain, and it behoves her not even to know the name of reviling and flattery.
316. On this account she needs the safest protection and a greater defence. For the enemy of holiness constantly and especially attends upon such, and lies in wait, ready to devour, any one who may happen to stumble and fall; and there are many men who plot against them; and with all these things there is the madness of nature; so that they have to make preparation against a twofold war,—the one which assails them from without, and that which troubles them within.
317. Therefore he who has the care of them has great fear, and greater danger and anguish if anything unforeseen should ever occur,—which God forbid.
318. For if “a daughter in privacy is a cause of wakefulness to her father, and care about her takes away sleep;” where there is so much fear about her being childless, or passing the flower of youth unmarried, or being disliked,—what shall he do who is solicitous, not about any of these things, but others far greater than they? For here it is not a man who repudiates, but Christ himself; nor does sterility only extend to reproaches, but the mischief terminates in the ruin of the soul; for, says He, “Every tree which produceth not good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire;” nor is it enough for her who is hated by the Bridegroom to take a bill of divorcement and to go away; but she pays the penalty of that hatred,—eternal punishment.
319. He who is a father after the flesh, has many things which make the custody of a daughter easy; because a mother, and a nurse, and a crowd of serving women, and the safety of a house, co-operate with the father in the keeping of the virgin. She is not allowed frequently to enter public places; nor, when she enters them, is she forced to be seen by any who meet her, since the dusk of evening no less than the walls of a house, may conceal her who would not be seen.
320. But without these things, she is free from all blame, so long as she is not forced to come into the presence of men. For neither care for necessaries, nor the insults of those who wrong her, nor anything else of that sort, imposes upon her the necessity for such an occurrence, because her father is to her in the place of every body; but she has one concern only—neither to say nor to do anything unworthy of the decorum which befits her.
321. But in our case there are many things which render such guardianship difficult, or rather impossible to the father; for he could not have her at home with him, since such residence together would neither be becoming, nor free from danger. And even if they did no wrong but persevered in preserving their sanctity unsullied, they would render no less account for the souls which they had caused to stumble than if they had sinned against each other. Since then this is impossible, neither is it practicable to ascertain the movements of her mind, to cut off such of them as are irregularly disposed, and to train and conduct to what is better, such as are orderly and harmonious. Nor is it easy to pry into her walks abroad.
322. Poverty and want of protection do not allow him to search narrowly into what ought to be her behaviour. When she is forced to manage her own affairs she has many pretexts for going abroad, if she is not inclined to be prudent; and he who bids her always stop at home, and cut off the occasions for it, is bound to provide her with a sufficiency of necessaries, and a female to serve her in such things, and he must prevent her from going to funerals and night vigils; for that most crafty serpent knows how to scatter his venom even by means of good deeds. A virgin ought to be fenced in on all sides, and to leave her house very seldom in the course of the year, and only when unavoidable and necessary causes compel her.
323. If any one should say there is no need for a bishop to occupy himself with such things, know well, that anxieties and accusations which concern every one, are referred to him; and it is far better that by managing everything he should be freed from blame which he must bear for the sins of others, than that by avoiding such management, he should be in fear of investigations arising out of what others have done.
324. And besides, he who does these things himself, very easily passes through everything; but he who is compelled to do this while persuading the minds of others, has less respite from remitting his own labour, than toil and trouble from those who oppose and contend against his decisions.
325. But I could not enumerate all the anxieties which arise on account of virgins, for even when they have to be registered they give no ordinary occupation to him that is entrusted with this ministration.