examination of the heart 174 exercises, and in the practice of virtue. He does this partly by himself, partly through wicked people assisting his cunning, by the offering of pleasures, fame, wealth or honors, and a fleeting earthly glory. By these crafty devices, he tries to drive away and remove from the plough the laborers dedicated to the service of God and call them to go out from the divine camp and into the world (which is a wickedness near to idolatry). But here is the sharp sword of the Divine Word against this infernal Gyges60: “it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and [H]im only shall you serve.’” (Mt 4:10). 3. “Then the devil left [H]im, and behold, angels came and ministered to [H]im” (Mt 4:11). Look, look at the happy outcome of the temptation. The evil spirit attacked, the God-Man resisted: The latter triumphs, the former suffers defeat; the former is put to flight, the latter is surrounded and refreshed by angels. This is what Divine Providence does with the tempted: He allows them to be attacked, leaves them to fight with their own strength and unaided, permits them to be troubled and overwhelmed by various waves of temptations. [f.30v] But at the end He reserves for them all joy and consolation (O immense joy! O inexplicable consolation!): “To him who conquers,” He says, “I will give some of the [hidden] manna” (Rev 2:17), and I will let him “eat of the tree of life” (Rev 2:7). Truly, just as earthly commanders after a brilliantly conducted and victorious battle confer on their fellow soldiers excellent rewards, laurel crowns, titles of honor, and various favors, so also our heavenly Commander crowns us, after a strong, courageous, and vigorous resistance to temptation that ended in victory, with astonishing favors: internal consolations, visions, revelations (how unworthy of them we are!) and the highest charisms and heavenly gifts. Fight, fight heroically and persevere! 60 St. Stanislaus compares the devil to Gyges, because just as Gyges illegally obtained the throne and adoration of his subjects, so also the devil wanted to obtain the adoration of Christ. Cf. Ægidio Forcellini, et al., Lexicon Totius Latinitatis, vol. 2, Typis Seminarii, Patavii 1864, (s.v. Gyges). [Hereafter Lexicon Totius Latinitatis will be abbreviated as FLL.] Cf. CLD, p. 245 (s.v. Gyges).
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