Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Two Epistles Concerning Virginity/First Pseudo-Clement/Chapter 5

Chapter V.&#8212;The Irksomeness and the Enemies of Virginity.

Thou desirest, then, to be a virgin?&#160; Knowest thou what hardship and irksomeness there is in true virginity&#8212;that which stands constantly at all seasons before God, and does not withdraw from His service, and &#8220;is anxious how it may please its Lord with a holy body, and with its spirit?&#8221; &#160; Knowest thou what great glory pertains to virginity, and is it for this that thou dost set thyself to practise it?&#160; Dost thou really know and understand what it is thou art eager to do?&#160; Art thou acquainted with the noble task of holy virginity?&#160; Dost thou know how, like a man, to enter &#8220;lawfully&#8221; upon this contest and &#8220;strive,&#8221; that, in the might of the Holy Spirit, thou choosest this for thyself, that thou mayest be crowned with a crown of light, and that they may lead thee about in triumph through &#8220;the Jerusalem above&#8221;? &#160; If so be, then, that thou longest for all these things, conquer the body; conquer the appetites of the flesh; conquer the world in the Spirit of God; conquer these vain things of time, which pass away and grow old, and decay, and come to an end; conquer the dragon; conquer the lion; conquer the serpent; conquer Satan;&#8212;through Jesus Christ, who doth strengthen thee by the hearing of His words and the divine Eucharist. &#160; &#8220;Take up thy cross and follow&#8221; Him who makes thee clean, Jesus Christ thy Lord.&#160; Strive to run straight forward and boldly, not with fear, but with courage, relying on the promise of thy Lord, that thou shalt obtain the victor-crown of thy &#8220;calling on high&#8221; through Jesus Christ.&#160; For whosoever walks perfect in faith, and not fearing, doth in very deed receive the crown of virginity, which is great in its toil and great in its reward.&#160; Dost thou understand and know how honourable a thing is sanctity? &#160; Dost thou understand how great and exalted and excellent is the glory of virginity?