Moralia in Job 1339

33. The devil's first suggestion is tender and easily crushed. But afterward his strength becomes intolerable. Sin is committed in three ways. — For the serpent's first suggestion is soft and tender, and easily to be crushed by the foot of virtue; but if it is negligently allowed to grow strong, and access to the heart is freely granted to it, it swells itself with such force that, weighing down the mind it has captured, it grows up to an intolerable strength. And so he is said to draw together his tail like a cedar, because a temptation once received into the heart lords it, as if by right, over all the things it may afterward bring in.

The head, therefore, of this Behemoth is a blade of grass, its tail a cedar, because from its first suggestion it lays itself flat with flattery, but growing vehemently strong through habitual practice, it is strengthened as the end of the temptation increases. For everything that it suggests at the beginning can be overcome, but from that beginning there follows what can scarcely be conquered. For first it speaks flattering, soothing things to the soul as it were consenting; but once it has fixed in the tooth of delight, it is knotted afterward, by violent habit, almost inextricably. Whence also it is well said to draw together its tail. For with its tooth it wounds, with its tail it binds, because by the first suggestion it strikes, but the mind it has struck, that it may not be able to escape, it binds fast as the end of the temptation grows strong.

For because sin is committed in three ways — namely, when it is perpetrated by the suggestion of the serpent, the delight of the flesh, and the consent of the spirit — this Behemoth, first suggesting unlawful things, puts forth its tongue; then, drawing on to delight, it fixes its tooth; but at the last, possessing through consent, it draws together its tail. For hence it comes that some men, in themselves, reprove the sins long practiced in habit, and flee them by judgment, but cannot avoid them in deed even when they strive; because, while they do not crush the head of this Behemoth, they are for the most part bound by its tail even against their will. And this tail has hardened against them after the manner of a cedar, because it has grown from the flattering pleasure of its beginning to the violence of retention. Let it be said, then:

He draws together his tail like a cedar, that everyone ought to flee the beginnings of temptation the more, the more he understands that its end cannot readily be loosed. 34. The devil, when the end of life is at hand, then suggests graver temptations. — It should also be known that for the most part he brings graver faults upon those whom he has captured, when he knows them to be drawing near to the end of the present life; and the more he considers that he is about to consummate the temptation, the more he heaps upon them the heavier weights of iniquities. Behemoth, therefore, draws together his tail like a cedar, because those whom he has captured by evil beginnings, he renders worse at the end, so that his temptations, the more quickly they are to cease, the more forcefully they are completed.

For because he strives to make their punishment equal to his own torments, in them he labors more ardently before death to aggravate every sin. But for the most part this Behemoth already possesses a heart evilly subdued, yet divine grace nevertheless repels him, and the hand of mercy casts out the one whom captive will had brought in to itself. And when he is expelled from the heart, he strives to fix sharper goads of iniquities, so that the mind, assailed by him, may feel through the drawings of temptations the one whom, even when possessed, it did not know. Which is well expressed in the Gospel, when the unclean spirit is related to go out from the man at the Lord's command. For when the demoniac boy had been brought, it is written: Jesus threatened the unclean spirit, saying: Deaf and dumb spirit, I command thee,

come out of him, and enter no more into him. And crying out, and rending him sorely, it came out of him (Mark 9:25). Behold, it had not rent him while it held him; going out, it rent him, because, namely, it then more grievously tears the thoughts of the mind, when, compelled by divine power, it draws near to its going forth. And him whom it had possessed dumb, it was leaving with cries, because for the most part, while it possesses, it inflicts lesser temptations; but when it is driven from the heart, it disturbs him with sharper assault. Well, therefore, is it said: He draws together his tail like a cedar, because both, while possessing the heart, he ever grows in malice from what follows, and, deserting the heart, he strikes with more vehement goads of thoughts.

— Furthermore, by the wondrous mercy of the Creator, the more crafty devices of this Behemoth are laid open, when it is added: