The enticement of earthly lusts creeps in and the outflow of vanities takes hold of the mind, so that the very thing which you desire to avoid you think upon and turn over in your mind. It is difficult for a man to guard against this; to escape it altogether is impossible. For our heart is not in our own power, and our thoughts suddenly stream forth and confound our mind and reason, and draw us in directions other than we purposed. Who, indeed, among the many passions of this body, among the many enticements of this world, can walk securely and purely? The eye looks, and the sentiment of the mind is deflected; the ear hears, and the resolution is perverted; the sense of smell acts and hinders thought; we touch and take fire.
St. Ambrose: De Fuga.
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