741 the seventh word come to depravity? They saw, they desired, they thought, they consented, and they carried it out. Richard [of Saint-Laurent] portrays this clearly, stating: “The Midianites preened their daughters and placed them before the sons of Israel, thus arousing their lust so that the latter might incur the wrath of God.”137 As indeed, they did. But were Israelites the only ones to be trapped in such snares? No. The above-quoted Father adds: “What once happened historically, as we know, is what often every true Israelite (or Christian) experiences spiritually. It happens when the enemy thrusts before the eyes of our mind certain images from the realm of lust. By entertaining them, if the mind indulges in the illicit pleasure, it undoubtedly insults his Guardian.”138 The evil spirit is the most experienced and diligent Apelles. With a brush soaked in various colors, he always stands near the canvas of our thoughts; and if he notices that they are poorly guarded, he attempts to paint upon that canvas such images as he desires: They can be of the hunting Diana, the jealous and prideful Juno or the dissolute Venus. He endeavors to separate our mind from God and turn [it] toward the world, toward its vanities and curiosities; he strives to smear our mind with a delusion of ill ambition and revolting pleasure; he tries to ignite a fire of licentiousness through the injection of dirty images. For he knows that one persisting thought is enough for the commission of a mortal sin, and that the soul, marred by that thought, is destined for eternal pain. If, however, he cannot persuade man to a deed leading to death, then at least he suggests the worst thoughts to him, so that entangled by such tricks and ruses he can drag the soul with him into the eternal abyss. Seeing that this very thing was occurring to him, the psalmistking sighed deeply: “The cords of Sheol entangled me, the snares of death confrontedme” (Ps 18:5). David considered idle, curious, and vain thoughts as the “cords of Sheol,” for they precipitate the 137 The source of this text was not able to be found. 138 The source of this text is also unknown.
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