LET.  XCV.]  TO  PAULINUS  AND  THERASIA.  3

turning  themselves  with  a  certain  mental  resolution  away
from  the  attractions  of  mere  natural  things.  For  in  most
cases,  it  seems  to  us  that  unless  we  in  some  small  degree  con
form  to  them  in  regard  to  those  very  things  from  which  we
desire  to  see  them  delivered,  we  shall  not  succeed  in  doing
them  any  good.  And  when  we  do  thus  conform,  a  pleasure
in  such  things  steals  upon  ourselves,  so  that  often  we  are
pleased  to  speak  and  to  listen  to  frivolous  things,  and  not
only  to  smile  at  them,  but  even  to  be  completely  overcome
with  laughter :  thus  burdening  our  souls  with  feelings  which
cleave  to  the  dust,  or  even  to  the  mire  of  this  world,  we
experience  greater  difficulty  and  reluctance  in  raising  our
selves  to  God  that  by  dying  a  gospel-death  we  may  live  a
gospel-life.  And  whensoever  this  state  of  mind  is  reached,
immediately  thereupon  will  follow  the  commendation,  "  Well
done !  well  done !"  not  from  men,  for  no  man  perceives  in
another  the  mental  act  by  which  divine  things  are  apprehended,
but  in  a  certain  inward  silence  there  sounds  I  know  not
whence,  "Well  done!  well  done  !"  Because  of  this  kind  of
temptation,  the  great  apostle  confesses  that  he  was  buffeted  by
the  angel.1  Behold  whence  it  comes  that  our  whole  life  on
earth  is  a  temptation ;  for  man  is  tempted  even  in  that  thing
in  which  he  is  being  conformed  so  far  as  he  can  be  to  the
likeness  of  the  heavenly  life.
