of all his wealth, and deprived of his children. But from this man he took not away anything, great or little of his possessions. But let us rather examine the very words and the method of the plot. “The serpent came” saith he “and said to the woman, What is it that God hath said, ye shall not eat of every tree which is in the garden?”614 Here it is a serpent; there a woman, in the case of Job: mean while great is the difference between the counsellors. The one615 is a servant, the other616 a partner of the man’s life. She is a helpmate, but the other is under subjection. Dost thou see how unpardonable this is? Eve indeed, the servant in subjection deceived: but him617 not even his partner, and helpmate could overthrow. But let us see what he saith. “What is this that God hath said, thou shalt not eat of every tree?” Assuredly indeed God did not say this but the opposite. See the villany of the Devil. He said that which was not spoken, in order that he might learn what was spoken. What then did the woman? She ought to have silenced him, she ought not to have exchanged a word with him. In foolishness she declared the judgment of the Master. Thereby she afforded the Devil a powerful handle. 4. See what an evil it is to commit ourselves rashly to our enemies, and to conspirators against us. On this account Christ used to say, “Give not holy things to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before the swine, lest they turn and rend you.”618 And this happened in the case of Eve. She gave the holy things to the dog, to the swine. He trod under foot the words: and turned and rent the woman. And see how he works evil. “Ye shall not die the death” saith he.619 Give me your attention on this point, that the woman was able to understand the deceit. For he immediately announced his enmity, and his warfare against God, he immediately contradicted Him. Let it be so. Before this thou declaredst the judgment to one who wished to learn it. After this why didst thou follow one who said the opposite? God said “ye shall die the death.” The Devil made answer to this and said “ye shall not die the death.” What could be clearer than this warfare? From what other quarter ought one to learn the enemy and the foe, than from his answer returned to God? She ought then immediately to have fled from the bait, she ought to have started back from the snare. “Ye shall not die the death,” saith he “for God knoweth, that on the day on which ye eat, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods. In hope of a greater promise she cast away the goods in her hand. He promised that he would make them Gods, and cast them down into the tyranny of death. 614 Gen. iii. 1. 615 i.e., the Devil. 616 i.e., Job’s wife. 617 i.e., Job. 618 Matt. vii. 6. 619 Gen. iii. 4. 269 Homily III. On the Power of Man to Resist the Devil.