Volume II, Treatise IV, Chapter XIX

Temptations that Disguise Themselves to Us, Under the Appearance of Good. to Know Them Well, 13 a Great Remedy Against All Sorts of Temptations

St. BoNAVENTURE gives us a very necessary instruction, upon the subject of temptations, which is to take care that the devil does not sometimes disguise himself, under the appearance of an angel of light, and make use of holy appearances, to seduce the servants of God. We are wont to mix poison, says St. Jerom, with some other pleasant liquor; and we hide the hook under the bait. The devil does this also. “He secretly leaves his snares in paths in which the servants of God walk.” (Psalms 141:4) For should he attack them openly, under the appearance of vice; he would affright them, and gain nothing. “The good,” as St. Bernard says, “are never deceived, but under the appearance of good.’’ But the devil is very subtile and industrious; he knows where to attack every one; and therefore that he may attain his end, he acts with disguise towards the good. He first begins, says St. Bonaventure, to propose such things to them as are good in themselves; afterwards he mixes something that is bad with them; then, under the appearance of some false good, he presents what is truly bad; and, lastly, when he has so entangled them in his nets, that they cannot, without great difficulty free themselves, he discovers his venom and makes them fall into open sins. How many times have we seen friendships, continues the saint, that appeared holy in the beginning; and which, perhaps, were so in effect, and in which was proposed nothing but to seek God and to advance in perfection? All, however, was but an artifice of the devil, as we discovered; “for we are not ignorant of his designs.” (2 Corinthians 2:11) This friendship which he proposes to make, is at first innocent on both sides, and the motive even appears very holy. We speak only of God in the beginning, but afterwards we seek one another with eagerness, and make more frequent visits, and in the long conversation we have together, we mix other discourses, and entertain ourselves with the affection we have for each other. We give mutual assurances by presents and by a thousand other marks, that a holy friendship is ignorant of. It is then the devil begins to mix some bad thoughts with good ones, and to draw us to evil under the deceitful appearance of good; and it is after this manner in these friendships, and in many others, that he seduces an infinite number of persons, and artfully hides under the mask of virtue his interior suggestions, which are dangerous and criminal. He acts like Joab, who killed Amasa, pretending to embrace him; and like Judas, who made use of a kiss of peace to betray his master, and deliver him into the hands of the Jews. We must therefore watch with great care these temptations that disguise themselves under the appearances of virtue, and mistrust them; insomuch, as the less they are known the more dangerous they are; for, as the prophet says, it is God who will reveal “the works of the noon-day devil.” (Psalms 90:6) And St. Bernard takes notice hereupon, that the devil is not content to transform himself into an angel of light, but he transforms himself into light itself, making what in itself is obscurity and darkness, appear more clear and bright than noon-day, and banishing all doubts and fears from things, which, in themselves, are very bad and dangerous. There are some robbers whose dress and manners are such, that we never suspect them to be robbers. For it cannot enter into our imagination, that persons having the appearance of honest men, would be capable of robbing. In order to believe them guilty of it, we must detect them in the fact; and then we ask with astonishment, how they could have: led a life so ignominious? The same may be said of temptations, which disguise themselves under the false appearances of virtue.

It’ is the general opinion of the masters of a spiritual life, that as to defend ourselves from an enemy, it is a great advantage to know him to be one; so it is a great remedy against temptations, to know that they are such. But the better to comprehend this truth, if, as soon as these evil thoughts and desires begin to rise in your mind and heart, you should-see a frightful devil urging you to consent to them, what would you do? Would you not presently have recourse to God? And would it not be sufficient to resist them, to see that it was the devil who inspired them? But it is certain that thus it happens in temptations. God has given to each of us an angel for the guard of our souls, as great persons in the world, give their children a governor to superintend their conduct and education. This doctrine ia grounded upon these words of our Saviour: “‘take care you contemn not one of these children, for I say unto you, that their angels in heaven behold continually the face of my Father, who is in heaven.”— (Mat.

xviii. 10.) And St. Jerom, explaining the same words, says, “that the dignity of our souls must needs be very great, since all have an angel assigned to guard them from the first moment of their birth.”—(Hier. in idem.) But now to return to our subject— since we have each of us an angel that guards us from evil, so each of us has also a devil who continually solicits us to what is bad; who excites ill thoughts and dangerous motions continually in us; who watches without ceasing for an ocaasion to surprise us, and lets none escape. And the devils, to compass their design, observe with study and care all our inclinations, and lastly make use even of ourselves, and our concupiscence to destroy us. It was for this reason that God said to the devil, who tempted Job, “have you considered my servant Job?” And hence we perceive that he speaks ‘to him as to one that had been a long time a spy upon Job, and had always been by his side. So that when you shall have thoughts and motions that incite you to sin, be as certain that it is a temptation of the devil, as if you then saw him using his endeavours to draw you to evil, and presently have recourse to God, who alone is able to deliver you from so cruel an enemy.

St. Gregory relates a story, which very much confirms what I here say. There was a young man, says he, who having embraced the rule of St. Bennet, afterwards finding it too austere, had an intention of leaving it. For this end he often addressed himself to the saint, from whom he had received the habit, who having always told him that it was a temptation of the devil, and having endeavoured without success to withdraw him from his design, was at last by his importunity constrained to yield to him. However, as in his great charity, he could not see him depart, without deep sorrow and regret, he betook himself to pray for him, and the young man was scarce got to the doors of the monastery, when he saw a frightful dragon come towards him with open mouth, ready to devour him. Then all trembling with fear, he began to cry out for help, saying, help! help! my brethren, help, behold a dragon stands ready to devour me; the religious running to him at his call, saw no dragon, but found the young man half dead, whom they carried in this condition into the monastery. He no sooner entered, but

he made a vow never more to leave it; and from that time forward,

he never had the least temptation to return to the world. Upon

this St. Gregory observes, that the effect of St. Bennet’s prayer,

was to obtain, that the religious should see the dragon, which was. ready to devour him; and which he followed before, without seeing

it. He followed it, says this holy father, because he did not see

it; but as soon as he perceived it, he conceived a great horror, and. cried out for help to be delivered from it. Now we see by this

example, and by what has been already said, that it is not only in

imagination, the devil tempts us; but that he really does so; and

actually sets upon us by temptations. The apostle St. Peter, as a

good pastor, warns us of this truth; and the church, which ‘knows

of how great importance this warning is, as a careful mother, daily

in complin, puts us in mind of it:—“Brethren, be sober, and watch;

because the devil your enemy, like a roaring lion, daily encompasses

you, seeking an occasion to devour you; wherefore resist him,

remaining firm and steadfast in faith: (1 Peter 5:8), and think

continually how to defend yourselves whilst he attacks you, taking great care to be not surprised by him.

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