die. The author would express, the unhappiness of him who rises from sin, but rises bound with the opportunities of sinning; that such an one, though he rise, nevertheless will turn back and die. He who desires to be saved must leave not only the sin, but even the opportunities, of sinning.
But you will say, I have now changed my life, and I have no longer any evil design with that person; not even any temptation to sin. I answer It is related that there are in Africa certain bears who hunt apes which save themselves upon the trees. The bears then feign death; the apes descend and become their prey. The devil acts thus; he makes the temptation appear to be dead, but when the person has descended, he then quickens the temptation, which devours him. Oh, how many miserable souls who frequented prayer, Holy Communion, and who might have been called Christians, but who, by throwing themselves into temptation, have remained the prey of hell.
Isaiah was bidden to " Cry, .... All flesh is grass." (Isa. xl. 6.) Upon which S. Chrysostom reflects and says, Is it possible that grass should not burn when placed in the fire? " Place a lamp amidst hay, and then dare to deny that it is consumed." S. Cyprian says likewise, " It is impossible to be surrounded with flames and not to burn." The prophet warns us that our strength is as tow in the flames. " The strong shall be as tow." (Isa. i. 3 1.) Solomon likewise says that he is a fool who would pretend to walk, upon red-hot coals and not be burned. "Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?" (Prov. vi. 28.) Such also is the fool who pretends that he can place himself in the temptations of sin without falling. There is the command given, " Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent." (Ecclus. xxi. 2.) Gualfridus says that we must not avoid its bite only, but that we should avoid even the touch and the approach of it.
But you say, that house and that friendship are to my interest; but if you really see that that house is for you the way of hell " Her house is the way to hell, (Prov. vii. 27) there is no remedy; you must leave it, if you would be saved. Our Blessed Lord goes beyond this, saying that " If thy right eye offend thee,
