Moralia in Job 1307

81. Often those who are set over the governing of others are tried by the devil with heavier temptations: now by open force, now by fraud and guile, sometimes by force and guile together. For because he sees that the zeal of a holy mind avails both against himself and for the benefit of others, he strives to pierce it through with a manifold temptation. Whence it often happens that those who preside over the governing of others endure the fiercer struggles of temptations, so that, after the manner of bodily wars, when the leader himself is turned to flight, the close-packed unanimity of the resisting army is scattered without effort.

Thus the cunning enemy, seeking out against the heavenly soldier the varied wounds of his blows, now from his quiver wounds him by ambush with an arrow, now brandishes a spear before his face; for indeed he covers some vile things under the appearance of virtues, and sets others, just as they are, openly before his eyes. For where he perceives the soldier of God to be weak, there he does not seek the veils of fraud. But where he considers him strong to resist, there without doubt he prepares guile against his strength. For when he sees someone weak in the enticement of the flesh, he openly sets before his gaze the beauty of a body that may be lusted after.

But if perhaps he perceives him strong against avarice, he importunately suggests to his thoughts the poverty of his own household, so that while the mind is bent, as if piously, toward the care of providing, it may, seduced by stealth, be wickedly snatched away into the ambition for possessions. Therefore the arrow of God's steed strikes by ambush, when the cunning enemy hides a vice under a virtue. But the spear wounds at close quarters, when open wickedness tempts even one who knows. 82. But often to the heavenly soldier both are cast by the enemy at one and the same time, that he may be slain by some single blow. For the deceitful adversary strives to strike in two ways at once, both openly raging and lurking in ambush, so that while the arrow is feared from concealment, the spear is less feared before the face;

or while resistance is made against the spear before the face, the arrow coming from concealment is in no way seen. For often he sets forth the temptation of lust, and suddenly, ceasing more deceitfully, suggests elation over the chastity that has been preserved. And there are some who, while they behold many fallen from the citadel of chastity into the pit of elation, neglecting the guard over their own life, are plunged into the uncleanness of lust. But there are others, on the contrary, who, while they flee the uncleanness of lust, rush through the summit of chastity into the abyss of elation. As it were, then, the spear striking openly is the fault arising from a vice, and the arrow wounding, as it were, from concealment out of the quiver is the fault arising from a virtue.

But the steed of God both overcomes the spear before his face when he tramples lust, and looks about for the arrow at his side when, in the purity of chastity, he guards himself against elation. Whence too it is well said through Solomon to one who fights well between the two: The Lord will be at your side, and will keep your foot lest you be caught (Prov. III, 26). For the foot stretches forward. But he does not see what is before him who looks at what is at his side. And again, he who, foreseeing the guarding of his foot, discerns what is before him, abandons the circumspection of his side. But while we do something in the presence of a virtue set before us, we foresee, as it were, where the foot ought to be placed; yet while from that same virtue a fault stealthily arises, then, as it were, while we look forward, the side is bared to the arrow.

But often, while we fear the rising fault, we shun the virtue that ought to be practised; and, as it were, while the side is watched, it is by no means discerned how the foot may be set forward. Well, therefore, is it said: The Lord will be at your side, and will keep your foot lest you be caught; because the soldier of God, protected by the shield of divine grace, both considers by looking about what might issue from his side, and does not cease to bear his step forward by advancing. The deceitful enemy, envying him, because he sees that he in no way prevails through quiver and spear, sets up his shield against him, so that, if by striking he does not pierce the breast of the resisting one, he may at least by certain objections block the road of the advancing one.

For he casts certain difficulties in the way of his very endeavours; and when he cannot overcome, he at least resists. But let us hear what the steed of God does against so many devices of wars: