Introduction to the Devote Life
By St. Francis De Sales
Book 3, Chapter 13:
COUNSELS FOR PRESERVING CHASTITY
Be extremely prompt in turning away from all the advances and from all the allurements of incontinence, for this evil works insensibly, and by little beginnings advances to great misfortunes: it is always easier to flee than to cure it.
Human bodies are like glasses, which cannot be carried in contact with one another without running a risk of being broken, and like fruits, which though sound and well seasoned, are damaged when placed in contact with one another. Even water within a vessel, however fresh it may be, when it is touched by some beast, when it is touched by some beast of the earth, cannot preserve its freshness. Never permit anyone, Philothea, to touch you in an unmannerly fashion, either by way of play or way of favor; for though perchance chastity may be preserved amidst these actions which are rather frivolous than malicious, yet the freshness and bloom of chastity always receives some harm and loss therefrom; but to allow oneself to be touched immodestly is the utter ruin of chastity.
Chastity depends on the heart as its source, but it is concerned with the body as the matter; and therefore it may be lost by all the exterior senses of the body and by the thoughts and desires of the heart. It is immodesty to behold, to hear, to speak, to touch impure things, when the heart occupies itself with them and takes pleasure in them. St. Paul says quite shortly: "Let fornication be so much as named among you."
Bees not only refuse to touch carrion, but they shun and dislike immensely all kinds of unsavory smells which come from it. The sacred Spouse in the Canticle of Canticles has hands drop with myrrh, which is a preservative against corruption; her lips are as a scarlet lace, a mark of the modesty of her words; her eyes are those of a dove by reason of their clearness; her ears have earrings of gold, a token of purity; her nose is likened to the cedars of Libanus, an incorruptible wood. Such ought the devote soul to be: chaste, clean and modest, in hands, lips, in ears, in eyes, and in all her body.
To this end, I will tell you of a saying which the ancient Father John Cassian relates as having come from the mouth of the great St. Basil, who speaking of himself, said one day: "I know nothing of women, yet I am not a virgin." Certainly, chastity may be lost in as many ways as there are kinds of immodesty and watonness; and, according as they are great or small, some of these enfeeble it, others wound it, and others cause it to be lost entirely. There are certain indiscreet, foolish and sensual familiarities and intimacies, which strictly speaking, do not violate chastity, and yet enfeeble it, make it languid, and tarnish its beautiful whiteness. There are other familiarities and intimacies, bot only indiscreet but vicious, not only foolish but impure, not only sensual but carnal; and by these chastity is, at least, sorely wounded and endangered. I say "at least," because it dies and perishes altogether when acts of indecency and lasciviousness give to flesh the final effect of voluptuous pleasure; for then chastity perishes more unworthily, wickedly and miserably than when lost by fornication, or even by adultery and incest; for these kinds of filthiness are but Pudicitia, are monsters of iniquity and sin. Now Cassian does not believe, any more than I do, that St. Basil was thinking of any such lasciviousness, when he accuses himself of not being a virgin; for I think that he was only alluding to the bad and voluptuous thoughts, which, though they had not defiled his body, had yet contaminated his heart, of the chastity whereof all generous souls are extremely jealous.
Do not associate at all with immodest persons, especially if they be also unashamed of being immodest, as they almost always are; for, as the he-goats when they touch the almond trees with their tongues makes them become bitter, so these malodorous souls and corrupted hearts can scarcely speak to anyone, either of the same sex or of the other, without causing some sort of loss to modesty: they have poison in their eyes and in their breath like basilisks. On the contrary, associate with chaste and virtuous persons; think upon holy things and often read holy books, for the word of God is chaste, and makes them chaste that delight in it; which makes David compare it to the topaz, a precious stone which has power to allay the power of concupiscence.
Keep yourself always close to Jesus Christ crucified, both spiritually by meditation, and really by Holy Communion; for just as those who take their rest upon the herb called agnus casts become chaste and modest, so you also, resting your heart upon Our Lord who is the true Lamb chaste and immaculate, will soon find your soul purified from all defilements and impurities.
By St. Francis De Sales
Book 3, Chapter 13:
COUNSELS FOR PRESERVING CHASTITY
Be extremely prompt in turning away from all the advances and from all the allurements of incontinence, for this evil works insensibly, and by little beginnings advances to great misfortunes: it is always easier to flee than to cure it.
Human bodies are like glasses, which cannot be carried in contact with one another without running a risk of being broken, and like fruits, which though sound and well seasoned, are damaged when placed in contact with one another. Even water within a vessel, however fresh it may be, when it is touched by some beast, when it is touched by some beast of the earth, cannot preserve its freshness. Never permit anyone, Philothea, to touch you in an unmannerly fashion, either by way of play or way of favor; for though perchance chastity may be preserved amidst these actions which are rather frivolous than malicious, yet the freshness and bloom of chastity always receives some harm and loss therefrom; but to allow oneself to be touched immodestly is the utter ruin of chastity.
Chastity depends on the heart as its source, but it is concerned with the body as the matter; and therefore it may be lost by all the exterior senses of the body and by the thoughts and desires of the heart. It is immodesty to behold, to hear, to speak, to touch impure things, when the heart occupies itself with them and takes pleasure in them. St. Paul says quite shortly: "Let fornication be so much as named among you."
Bees not only refuse to touch carrion, but they shun and dislike immensely all kinds of unsavory smells which come from it. The sacred Spouse in the Canticle of Canticles has hands drop with myrrh, which is a preservative against corruption; her lips are as a scarlet lace, a mark of the modesty of her words; her eyes are those of a dove by reason of their clearness; her ears have earrings of gold, a token of purity; her nose is likened to the cedars of Libanus, an incorruptible wood. Such ought the devote soul to be: chaste, clean and modest, in hands, lips, in ears, in eyes, and in all her body.
To this end, I will tell you of a saying which the ancient Father John Cassian relates as having come from the mouth of the great St. Basil, who speaking of himself, said one day: "I know nothing of women, yet I am not a virgin." Certainly, chastity may be lost in as many ways as there are kinds of immodesty and watonness; and, according as they are great or small, some of these enfeeble it, others wound it, and others cause it to be lost entirely. There are certain indiscreet, foolish and sensual familiarities and intimacies, which strictly speaking, do not violate chastity, and yet enfeeble it, make it languid, and tarnish its beautiful whiteness. There are other familiarities and intimacies, bot only indiscreet but vicious, not only foolish but impure, not only sensual but carnal; and by these chastity is, at least, sorely wounded and endangered. I say "at least," because it dies and perishes altogether when acts of indecency and lasciviousness give to flesh the final effect of voluptuous pleasure; for then chastity perishes more unworthily, wickedly and miserably than when lost by fornication, or even by adultery and incest; for these kinds of filthiness are but Pudicitia, are monsters of iniquity and sin. Now Cassian does not believe, any more than I do, that St. Basil was thinking of any such lasciviousness, when he accuses himself of not being a virgin; for I think that he was only alluding to the bad and voluptuous thoughts, which, though they had not defiled his body, had yet contaminated his heart, of the chastity whereof all generous souls are extremely jealous.
Do not associate at all with immodest persons, especially if they be also unashamed of being immodest, as they almost always are; for, as the he-goats when they touch the almond trees with their tongues makes them become bitter, so these malodorous souls and corrupted hearts can scarcely speak to anyone, either of the same sex or of the other, without causing some sort of loss to modesty: they have poison in their eyes and in their breath like basilisks. On the contrary, associate with chaste and virtuous persons; think upon holy things and often read holy books, for the word of God is chaste, and makes them chaste that delight in it; which makes David compare it to the topaz, a precious stone which has power to allay the power of concupiscence.
Keep yourself always close to Jesus Christ crucified, both spiritually by meditation, and really by Holy Communion; for just as those who take their rest upon the herb called agnus casts become chaste and modest, so you also, resting your heart upon Our Lord who is the true Lamb chaste and immaculate, will soon find your soul purified from all defilements and impurities.
