"But if, moreover, we chance upon a place, and find there one believing woman only, and no other person be there but she only, we do not stop there, nor pray there, nor read the Scriptures there, but we flee as from before the face of a serpent, and as from before the face of sin."
-Clement of Rome, 2nd epistle on Virginity, ch.5.
via www.newadvent.org.
Actually, this is spuriously attributed to Clement. But the epistles' general aura of works-righteousness and austerity fits well within the post-apostolic climate, so I can see why it was attributed to him.
Wise indeed, according to the wisdom of this world. There is no grace in this, and one little phrase from my mother trumps the whole lot of this Clementine hogwash: "Marc, go easy on us females. We are far from perfect."
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