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THE CORONATION 175
it was made known to me. May the instruction it con
veys inculcate the fear of the just judgments of the Most
High (Ps. 118, 120). After the miracle just related the
demon was permitted to return with his host to the world
in order to test the constancy of the faithful; for thus
must the just and the predestined gain their crowns. He
came forth filled with still greater wrath and began to
seek entrance into the hearts of the faithful by searching
out the evil inclinations of each one, as he does even now.
For experience has given him confidence, that we chil
dren of Adam usually follow our inclinations and pas
sions more than the dictates of reason and of virtue. A
multitude cannot be perfect in all its
components, and as
the Church went on increasing in number, so also the fer
vor of charity began to cool in some, thus affording a
greater field for the sowing of his hellish cockle. Among
the faithful saint John found two, who were beset with
evil inclinations and habits before their conversion and
who sought favor and alliance with some of the Jewish
princes in the hope of worldly gain and honor. Infect
ed by this covetousness (which always was the root of
all evils), they temporized with the powerful and flattered
them in order to retain their friendship.
170. On account of these dealings the demon judged
them to be weak in their faith and virtue. He thought
he might be able to
pervert them through the influence
of the Jewish priests, upon whom they depended. Fol
lowing up his plot, the serpent suggested to those priests
many ways of reprehending and intimidating the two
converts for having accepted the faith in Christ and re
ceived Baptism. Yielding to the instigations of satan the
priests pressed their threats with great show of authority
and severity. As the anger of those in authority is apt
to frighten weak subjects, such as these two in their at-
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