67. But why do I commend his obedience? Let him be ever evil that God may be ever good, Who converts his ill-will into grace for us. He wishes to injure us, but cannot if Christ resist him. He wounds the flesh but preserves the life. And then it is written: “Then shall the wolves and the lambs feed together, the lion and the ox shall eat straw, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in My holy mountain, saith the Lord.” Isa. xi. 6, 8, 9. For this is the sentence of condemnation on the serpent: “Dust shall be thy food.” Gen. iii. 14. What dust? Surely that of which it is said: “Dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou return.” Gen. iii. 19.