Besides, St. Paul says: "But I would have you without
carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that
belong to the Lord, that he may please the Lord. But he that
is married careth for the things that are of the world, how
he may please his wife," 1 Cor. 7:32, 33. Therefore let the
priest who should please God continually flee from anxiety
for a wife, and not look back with Lot's wife, Gen. 19:26.
Moreover, sacerdotal continence was foreshadowed also in the
Old Testament, for Moses commanded those who were to receive
the law not to approach their wives until the third day, Ex
19:15. Much less, therefore, should the priests, who are
about to receive Christ as our Legislator, Lord and Savior,
approach wives. Priests were commanded likewise to wear linen
thigh-bandages, to cover the shame of the flesh (Ex. 28:42);
which, says Beda, was a symbol of future continence among
priests. Also, when Ahimelech was about to give the blessed
bread to the servants of David he asked first if they had
kept themselves from women and David replied that they had
for three days. 1 Kings 21 (1 Sam. 21:4, 5). Therefore, they
who take the living Bread which came down from heaven, John
6:32ff., should always be pure with respect to them. They who
ate the Passover had their loins girded, Ex. 12:11. Wherefore
the priests, who frequently eat Christ our Passover, ought to
gird their loins by continence and cleanliness, as the Lord
commands them: "Be ye clean," he says, "that bear the vessels
of the Lord," Isa. 52:11. "Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,"
Lev. 19:2. Therefore let priests serve God "in holiness and
righteousness all their days." Luke 1:75. Hence the holy
martyr Cyprian testifies that it was revealed to him by the
Lord, and he was most solemnly enjoined, to earnestly