Peter of Tarantasia

Having first dealt with the punishment of the Jews, and second with the reason for the punishment, here third he concludes that they ought, by their example, to beware of evil; where first he warns them to beware of falling; second he teaches the manner of taking care, at the words *let it not overtake you*, etc.; third he promises firm help, at the words *but God is faithful*, etc. In the first he implies four things that ought to make a wise man anxious, namely the multitude of those falling, when he says *therefore*; the uncertainty of those standing, when he adds *he who thinks he stands*, etc.; the necessity of caution, when he adds *let him take heed*; the ease of falling, when he says *lest he fall*. He says therefore *therefore*, etc., as if to say: those men, even though they made use of God's benefits, nonetheless perished on account of their sins. And so from consideration of them, he who thinks — by some conjecture — that he stands, that is, that he is in grace and charity, let him take heed, with diligent attention, lest he fall, by sinning, or by making others sin. Isaiah 14: *how have you fallen, Lucifer?* Psalm 90: *a thousand shall fall at your side*, etc. Therefore Ephesians 5: *see how carefully you walk*. Then when he says *let no temptation take hold of you*, etc., he teaches the manner of guarding against the cause, namely by guarding against temptation. Here he first teaches that some temptation is to be fled; second that some is to be endured, at the words *except what is human*. First he notes that it knocks in order to enter: hence it is called *temptation*; second that it assaults, in order to prevail: hence it is added, *let it not take hold of you*. He says therefore *temptation*, etc., as if to say: lest you fall, let temptation — namely of sin — not take hold of you, by drawing you into consent to sin, *except what is human*. This is explained in two ways. In one way, of an interior evil temptation, and then it is a permission; as if to say: let no love of sin take hold of you, except perhaps of evils, without which human life is not led. For there is no man who always does good and does not sin, 3 Kings 8:46 and 2 Paralipomenon 6:36. In the other way it is explained of the temptation of an exterior good. And then it is an exhortation, thus: let temptation not take hold of you, except what is human, namely the enduring of present tribulations for Christ's sake. Augustine: *to suffer for Christ's sake is a human temptation*. Tobit 12:13: *because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove you*. Then when he says *God is faithful*, he shows the help that is ready in temptation. Here he commends God as helper, because he gives us the power of resisting, which is noted at the words *but will make with the temptation*, etc.; and perseverance, which is noted at the words *that you may be able to bear it* — truly faithful is God, who gives power that we not be conquered, grace that we may merit, constancy that we may conquer. He says therefore *faithful*, etc., as if to say: I exhort and warn you to this, because you are able: faithful is the Lord in all his words, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able: which indeed the Devil could do, if it were permitted, because *there is no power on earth that can be compared to him*, Job 41:24. And Isaiah 40:29: *he gives strength to the weary*. Therefore James 1:2: *count it all joy, brothers, when you fall into various temptations*. Augustine: *he who gives the Devil license to tempt, himself gives the tempted mercy*. The outcome, I say, is such that you may be able to bear it, lest you fail in the struggle, but may conquer: which is accomplished through humility, as Augustine says. For those do not crackle in the furnace who do not have the wind of pride.

It should be noted, on the words *he who thinks he stands*, etc., that eight things drive us toward falling. First, weakness of strength, just as children fall, and the decrepit, and the infirm — Isaiah 40:30: *they shall fall in infirmity* — which happens through tepidity in doing good and instability. Second, the burden of sins, just as donkeys fall under too heavy a burden — Psalm 35:13: *they have fallen who work iniquity* — which happens through negligence in repenting: because sin, which through penance, etc. Third, the multitude of those pulling, just as a tree or a house falls when many pull it down — above: *let us not commit fornication*, etc. — which happens through the assault of enemies. Fourth, the slipperiness of the roads, just as the incautious fall on slippery ground — Ecclesiasticus 28:30: *take heed lest you slip with your tongue, and fall, and in the sight*, etc. — which happens through incautious guarding of the senses. Fifth, the variety of stumbling-blocks, just as a bird caught in the midst of snares — Proverbs 19:8: *these in chariots*, etc.; Proverbs 24:16: *seven times a day the just man falls* — which happens through the corruption of creatures. Sixth, ignorance of what is to be done, just as the blind easily fall — Matthew 15:14: *if the blind lead the blind*, etc. — which happens through negligence in learning necessary things. Seventh, the examples of those who fall, just as the angels fell after the example of Lucifer — Psalm 90:7: *a thousand shall fall at your side*, etc.; Proverbs 25:26: *a troubled fountain and a corrupted spring is the just man falling down before the wicked* — which happens through imitation of the wicked. Eighth, the heaviness of bodies — for the body that is corrupted weighs down the soul, like a stone on the neck of one swimming — Job 14:18: *a falling mountain comes to nothing* — which happens through excessive indulgence of the flesh.