Insidious encroachments of pleasure. 407 necessity. This wild ass then hears the word of this exactor, Book and hears not his cry ; because a discreet and abstinent man ^—^ both supplies his belly so far as to temper his need, and restrains it from pleasure. 62. But it should be known that pleasure so veils itself under necessity, that a perfect man can scarce discern it. For whilst necessity asks for a debt to be paid, pleasure secretly demands a longing to be fulfilled; it hurries the appetite onward the more fearlessly, the more it conceals itself under the creditable profession of relieving a necessity. But frequently pleasure secretly attached follows behind in the very course of eating; though sometimes impudently free it endeavours even to go first. But it is easy to discover when pleasure anticipates its necessity, though very difficult to discern when it secretly connects itself with that very eating which is necessary. For because it follows the natural appetite which goes first, it seems, as it were, to advance slowly behind. For at that time, when the demand of necessity is paid, because pleasure is, through eating, blended with necessity, it is not kviown what necessity demands itself, and what (as has been said) pleasure secretly de- mands. But we frequently both distinguish them, and yet, from knowing that they are mutually connected together, take pleasure, when hurried beyond proper bounds, in being wittingly deceived: and whilst the mind flatters itself on the necessity, it is deceived by pleasure. For it is written; Make not provision for the Jiesh in the desires thereofRomAS, That therefore which is forbidden to be done in desire, is * yielded in necessity. 63. But often, whilstwe incautiously condescend to neces- sity, we are enslaved to desires. And sometimes, while we endeavour to oppose our desires too immoderately, we increase the miseries of necessity. For it is necessary for a man so to maintain the citadel ofcontinence, as to destroy, not the flesh, but the vices of the flesh. For frequently, when the flesh is restrained more than is just, it is weakened even for the exercise of good works, so as to be unequal to prayer also or preaching, whilst it hastens to put out entirely the incentives ofvices within itself. For this very man, whom we bear outwardly, we have as the assistant of our inward