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FOR not only does this, like the rest of his faults, attack a monk on
his carnal side, but on his spiritual side as well, insinuating itself by
craft and guile into his mind: so that those who cannot be deceived by
carnal vices are more grievously wounded through their spiritual
proficiency; and it is so much the worse to fight against, as it is harder
to guard against. For the attack of all other vices is more open and
straightforward, and in the case of each of them, when he who stirs them up
is met by a determined refusal, he will go away the weaker for it, and the
adversary who has been beaten will on the next occasion attack his victim
with less vigour. But this malady when it has attacked the mind by means of
carnal pride, and has been repulsed by the shield of reply, again, like
some wickedness that takes many shapes, changes its former guise and
character, and under the appearance of the virtues tries to strike down and
destroy its conqueror.
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