Pure in Spirit

I believe I have now set out, briefly but also fully, what a woman’s purity of body involves. It remains for us to learn what it is to be pure in spirit as well: that is, that what is unlawful to do in act is unlawful even to imagine in thought. For she is holy both in body and in spirit who sins neither in mind nor in heart, knowing that God also examines the heart; and so she takes every pain to have a mind as well as a body free from sin. Such a woman knows that it is written, “Keep your heart with all diligence”; and again, “God loves holy hearts, and all the undefiled are acceptable to him”; and elsewhere, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” I think this last saying is spoken of those whom conscience accuses of the guilt of no sin. I think John also spoke of them in his letter when he said, “If our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence toward God, and whatever we ask we will receive from him.” [a]

I do not want you to think you have escaped the charge of sin just because the act does not follow the desire. For it is written, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” And do not say, “I did have the thought, but I did not carry it out in act”; for it is unlawful even to desire what it is unlawful to do. That is why the blessed Peter also gives this precept: “purify your souls.” If he had not known that there is such a thing as defilement of the soul, he would not have asked that it be purified.

But we should also consider very carefully the passage that says, “These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins, and they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” And we should think whether, if these are joined to the divine company and travel through all the regions of the heavens by the merit of chastity and purity alone, there may not also be other things that help virginity to reach the glory of so great a blessedness. But how will we be able to know this? From the following words, unless I am mistaken, where it is written, “These were bought from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are without blemish before the throne of God.” You see, then, that those who are spoken of as following close in the footsteps of the Lord are not said to do so on the strength of one member only; it is said of those who, besides their virginity, had lived a life set free from all the pollution of sin.

So let the virgin despise marriage especially for this reason: that, being safer than others, she may more easily accomplish what is required even of those who are married, namely, to keep herself from all sin and to obey all the commandments of the law. For if she does not marry, and yet indulges in the very things from which even married women are told to keep themselves free, what will it profit her not to have married? It is true that no Christian is allowed to sin, and it is fitting for all without exception who have been purified by the holiness of the spiritual bath to lead a spotless life, so that they may be wholly at one with the church, which is described as being “without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” But it is much more necessary for a virgin to reach this standard. No husband, no children, no other necessity keeps her from carrying out in full what holy Scripture requires; and if she fails, she will not be able to defend herself with any kind of excuse.