Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. XI: The Works of John Cassian.: Chapter VI. That no one comes to grief by a sudden fall, but is destroyed by falling through a long course of carelessness.

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Chapter VI.

That no one comes to grief by a sudden fall, but is destroyed by falling through a long course of carelessness. 958

For no one is ever driven to sin by being provoked through another’s fault, unless he has the fuel of evil stored up in his own heart. Nor should we imagine that a man has been deceived suddenly when he has looked on a woman and fallen into the abyss of shameful lust: but rather that, owing to the opportunity of looking on her, the symptoms of disease which were hidden and concealed in his inmost soul have been brought to the surface.

Footnotes

265:958

Incuriam (Petschenig): Injuriam (Gazæus).

Next: Chapter VII. That we ought not to give up intercourse with our brethren in order to seek after perfection, but should rather constantly cultivate the virtue of patience.