The Spiritual Combat
Chapter 5:
An error of many who believe cowardliness to be a virtue
Again, many deceive themselves in this: they attribute virtue to the
cowardliness
and restlessness that follow a sin, because these feelings are
accompanied
by some displeasure. But they are unaware that these feelings are born
from
hidden pride and presumption, founded on confidence in oneself and in
one's
own forces. Because they esteemed themselves to be worth something,
they trusted
themselves excessively. As the fall has made it plain that they have
erred,
they become disturbed and they marvel at this strange thing, and they
become
cowardly, seeing that the confidence in which they had vainly placed
their
trust has fallen to the ground.
This does not happen to the humble one, who trusts in her God alone and
presumes
nothing of herself. When she falls into some fault, even though she
feels
pain, she does not become disturbed, nor does she marvel: she knows
that everything
that happens to her comes on account of her own misery and weakness, of
which
she is quite aware from the light of truth.