The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Observe this plain testimony to evangelical counsel, and especially to that of virginity. Paul, in this chapter, frequently commends and counsels it (vers. 7, 8, 25, 26, 34, 35, 40). Hence Peter Martyr and Beza admit here that the maintenance of virginity is better than matrimony, as Luther thought, not only as a safeguard against temporal cares and troubles, but that it excels it also, as being better adapted for the service of God. Still they add that virginity is not an act of worship to God, and at all events not greater or better than marriage.
But it is certain that virginity in this state is in itself an illustrious virtue, one by which God is honoured and worshipped, far better and more excellent than matrimony, meriting a far greater reward, and having its peculiar crown of glory in heaven. I say “ in this state,” for in the state of innocence virginity would not have been a virtue, nay, it would not have existed any more than concupiscence would.
What has been said is proved, 1. by the Apostle laying down here that virginity is holiness of body and of spirit, and that by it we please God. For the sense of the verse is: “As a married woman thinks how she may preserve her beauty and adorn herself, that she may please her husband, so a virgin thinks how she may preserve chastity and purity, that she may be holy in body and mind, that so she may please God.” So Anselm, Theophylact, Œcumenius, Chrysostom, and many others. She thinks, too, how she may adorn and increase this chastity with prayers and other virtues, that she may be still more pleasing to God, as Ambrose suggests. Therefore, through virginal chastity a virgin is pleasing to God, and therefore chastity itself is holiness. So the Apostle calls it here. If virginity is holiness, it is surely worship done to God.
2. In the following verses the Apostle speaks of celibacy as being honourable, that is, more so than marriage; therefore celibacy is a virtue ; for the proper object of virtue is the good that is honourable.
3. Virginity by itself is a branch of temperance, and is an heroic exhibition of it, springing from the most perfect chastity, fortitude, and resolution, and is a perfect bridling of lust. It is often also enjoined by charity, religion, or a vow. Hence I argue thus : As concupiscence, and especially that of impurity, is an evil in itself, so to bridle it is good and pleasing to God, and to bridle it more completely is a greater good and more pleasing to God. But virginity does bridle it more, nay, it wholly bridles concupiscence, whereas marriage gives it play ; therefore virginity is a greater good, and more pleasing to God, and better than matrimony. This the
Apostle teaches us expressly in ver. 38, where he says : “ He that giveth his virgin in marriage doeth well, but he that giveth her not doeth better.” Hence Fulgentius (c. iv. Ep . 3) says: “So much is virginity a virtue , that a virgin derives her name from virtue.” S. Jerome (contra Jovin. lib. i.) says : “ Virginity is a sacrifice to Christ.”
In short, this is expressly taught against Jovinian, Calvin, and such men, by Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, Athanasius, and Basil, in works written for the very purpose of proving this truth about virginity, and by S. Thomas (ii. ii. qu. 152), and by all Scholastic and Catholic doctors.
S. Aldhelm, Bishop of the West Saxons about a.d. 680, says
excellently (Bibl. SS Patrum , vol. iii. c. ix. de Laud. Virgin .) : “Since there are three states in the Church — virginity , widowhood, and marriage— we have been taught by revelation from heaven , if the scale of merits is taken into account , that the difference fixed between them is of this kind: virginity is as gold ; widowhood as silver , marriage as brass . Virginity is wealth , widowhood sufficiency , marriage poverty ; virginity is peace , widowhood release , marriage captivity ; virginity is a sun, widowhood a lamp , marriage darkness ; virginity is a queen , widowhood a lord, marriage a handmaid.”
Tertullian also says (Lib. de Pudicitia) : “ Chastity is the flower of character , the body's honour , the adornment of the sexes , the foundation of holiness, and every good mind instinctively leans towards it. Although it is seldom found and scarcely ever is life-long , yet will it abide for a space in the world, if discipline lend its aid , and correction keep it in its bounds.”
S. Martin once, on seeing a meadow, one part of which the oxen
had fed on, another part rooted up by the pigs, and a third part uninjured and variegated by different kinds of flowers, said : “ The first part reminds us of marriage : it has been eaten down by cattle, but has not wholly lost the beauty of the herbage , though it retains none of the brightness that flowers give. The second part , which the unclean tribe of swine has rooted up , gives us a foul picture of fornication. The third , which has felt no injury, shows the glory of virginity : it is covered with luxuriant herbage , in it is an abundant crop of grass, it is adorned with flowers of all kinds , and shines as though adorned with radiant jewels.” So Sulpitius writes (Dial. 2, c. 11).
From all this we may gather eight prerogatives of virginity and the widowed life. 1. It is an imitation of the life and integrity of the angels ; for the angels do not marry, but are wholly engaged on the service of God. Virgins do the same. Listen to S. Athanasius (de Virginitate) : “ O virginity , unfailing wealth, crown that fadeth not away , temple of God, abode of the Holy Spirit, pearl most precious, conqueror of death and hell, life of angels, crown of the Saints,” &c. And S. Chrysostom (de Virginitate, c. xi.) : “ Virginity far excels wedlock as heaven is above earth, as angels are higher than men.” And S. Augustine (de Sancta Virgin, c. xiii.) : “ Virginal integrity is the portion of angels, and is a striving after life-long incorruption in a corruptible body.” Again, it is the distinguishing mark of that new race of angels planted by Christ on the earth, as S. Jerome says ( Ep . 22 ad Eustoch . ): “As soon as the Son of God came down to earth, He founded for Himself a new family, in order that He who was worshipped by angels in heaven might have angels on earth.” Cf. S. Fulgentius (Ep. 3 ad Probam, c. 9).
2. Virginity is a whole burnt-offering, as S. Jerome says, when commenting on Ps. xcvi; for it devotes and consecrates to God and Divine things the body, and with it the mind. Hence S.
Ignatius, in his Epistle to Tarsus, calls virgins “Christ's priests.” “ Value highly ,” he says, “ them that are living in virginity, as Christ's priests." Hence S. Ambrose, in his comment on Ps. cxix. 5, calls virgins “ martyrs,” because they often have a severer struggle than martyrs, and slay for God’s sake their affections and the vital lusts of the soul.
3. A virgin enters into a spiritual marriage with Christ, as I will explain at 2 Cor. xi. 2. The offspring of this marriage is not bodily but spiritual, viz., (a) virtuous works; (b) alms and other offices of charity ; ( c ) holy examples, by which they bring more souls to serve Christ, and so bear them to Christ. So S. Cecilia not only converted her husband Valerian and her brother Tiburtius and others, but also made them martyrs and virgins. Hence the Church says of her : “ O Lord Jesus Christ, Sower of holy counsel, accept the fruits of the seeds which Thou didst sow in Cecilia,” and, “Thy hand-maiden Cecilia, like a bee loaded with honey, served Thee with store of good works.”
4. Virgins are more loved by Christ than others; for Christ as a Bridegroom loves virgins as His brides, as S. Ambrose says (de Virgin . lib. i.). Again, He loves them as His soldiers. Hence Ambrose says again : “ This is that celestial warfare which the army of angels , praising God carried on on earth. ” On these soldiers see Chrysostom (Hom. 71 on S. Matthew).
5. Virgins are the noblest part of the Church. Listen to S.
Cyprian (de Discipl. et Habitu Virgin.) : “ Now I speak to the virgins, whose glory is the higher as their purpose is better. They are the flower of the Church's plant, the adornment of spiritual grace, a wine that gladdens, a complete and uncorrupted work of praise and honour, the image of God answering to the holiness of the Lord, the more illustrious portion of the flock of Christ.” And S. Jerome ( contra Jovin. lib. ii.) says : “ The Church’s necklace is adorned with virgins as its fairest jewels .” And Ecclus. xxvi. 15, says : “A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace,” i.e., in marriage (for he is speaking of that) ; and therefore it is much more true of continency in the single life.
Hence S. Athanasius (de Virgin.) lays down that virginity is a mark of true religion and of the Church. For virginity is advised, and extolled by true religion : by infidelity and heresy it is spoken against, rejected, and slighted. And S. Ambrose (de Viduis) says : “ They who regard with veneration the adulteries and lasciviousness of their gods, punish celibacy and widowhood: being themselves ardent for wickedness , they would fain chastise those who are zealous for virtue .”
Wherefore heretics and infidels are not and cannot be virgins ; for without the grace of God, the beginning of which is faith, it is impossible, amongst so many allurements and temptations of the flesh, to preserve chastity inviolate. Hence S. Athanasius (Apolog. ad Constant Imp.) says : “ Nowhere else save among Christians is that holy and heavenly precept of life-long virginity happily fulfilled.”
6. S. Cyprian says that “ marriage replenishes the earth, continency heaven;” therefore, as S. Basil says, “virgins anticipate the glory of the resurrection;” for in this life, as in the next, they neither marry nor are given in marriage.
7. Virgins have in heaven a more excellent reward and crown : they follow the Lamb wherever He goes, singing a new song which no one else can sing (Rev. xiv. 3, 4).