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To the fact then that the pride which results from this purity would be
more dangerous than all sins and wickednesses, and that we should on that
account gain no reward for any height of perfect chastity, we may call as
witnesses those powers of which we spoke before, which since it is believed
that they experience no such fleshly lusts, were cast down from their high
and heavenly estate in everlasting destruction simply from pride of heart.
And so we should be altogether hopelessly lukewarm, since we should have no
warning of carelessness on our part implanted either in our body or in our
mind, nor should we ever strive to reach the glow of perfection, or even
keep to strict frugality and abstinence, were it not that this excitement
of the flesh springs up and humbles us and baffles us and makes us keen and
anxious about purifying ourselves from spiritual sins.
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