Of Holy Virginity 23
23 Section 23 PL 40, 408
23. Lastly, let us hear the Lord Himself delivering most plain judgment on this matter. For, upon His speaking after a divine and fearful manner concerning husband and wife not separating, save on account of fornication, His disciples said to Him, “If the case be such with a wife, it is not good to marry.” To whom He saith, “Not all receive this saying. For there are eunuchs who were so born: but there are others who were made by men: and there are eunuchs, who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven: whoso can receive, let him receive.” What could be said more true, what more clear? Christ saith, the Truth saith, the Power and Wisdom of God saith, that they, who of pious purpose have contained from marrying a wife, make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven: and against this, human vanity with impious rashness contends, that they, who do so, shun only the present necessity of the troubles of married life, but in the kingdom of heaven have no more than others.
Idipsum probatur ex verbis Domini. Postremo ipsum Dominum audiamus evidentissimam hanc sententiam proferentem. Nam cum de conjugibus non separandis nisi causa fornicationis divine ac terribiliter loqueretur, dixerunt ei discipuli: Si talis est causa cum uxore, non expedit nubere. Quibus ille: Non omnes, inquit, capiunt verbum hoc. Sunt enim spadones qui ita nati sunt; sunt autem alii qui ab hominibus facti sunt; et sunt spadones qui se ipsos castraverunt propter regnum coelorum: qui potest capere, capiat . Quid veracius, quid lucidius dici potuit? Christus dicit, Veritas dicit, Virtus et Sapientia Dei dicit, eos qui pio proposito ab uxore ducenda se continuerint, castrare se ipsos propter regnum coelorum; et contra humana vanitas impia temeritate contendit, eos qui hoc faciunt, praesentem tantummodo necessitatem molestiarum conjugalium devitare, in regno autem coelorum amplius quidquam caeteris non habere?