Chapter II.
On the temptation of the first parents.
To understand, moreover, how the corruption of sin entered the world, it is necessary to consider the fall of the first parent, the transmission of original guilt, and the origin or root of actual sin.
Concerning the fall, therefore, of the first parent, these three things present themselves for our consideration, namely the diabolical temptation, the guilt committed, and the punishment inflicted.
Concerning the temptation, these things are to be held: that when God had established man in the happiness of paradise in both sexes, namely male and female, the devil, envying man, having assumed the form of a serpent, attacked the woman—first by questioning: Why has God commanded you not to eat? second by asserting: You shall not die at all: third by promising: You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil: wishing by this temptation to cast down the weaker woman and through her afterwards to overthrow the male sex; which indeed he did, the Lord permitting.
The reason, moreover, for understanding the aforesaid is this: because, just as the first principle is most powerful in producing, so also it is most upright in governing; and therefore "the things which He created, He so administers as nevertheless to allow them to exercise their own movements." Since, therefore, man had been so made that through victory in battle he might attain the reward of eternal rest, although God knew that man would succumb to temptation, He nevertheless ought to have permitted man to be tempted by one who knew how, was able, and wished to do so.
Since, therefore, the devil, who formerly was knowing and upright, by falling through pride became crafty and envious—and therefore through envy wished to tempt and through cunning knew how— he therefore tempted insofar as he was able, and God permitted it. That he assumed the serpentine form in tempting was of divine dispensation, so that not only could his craftiness be detected, but also from that figure the diabolical craftiness in tempting might become known to all the children of Adam.
Again, that he tempted concerning the precept of discipline was likewise of divine dispensation, so that whether he was conquered or conquered, the merit of obedience or the demerit of disobedience might become known to all.
But that he began with the woman was of his own craftiness, because it is easier to cast down the less strong; whence the cunning of the enemy attacks the city from its weaker side.
Similarly, the manner in which he proceeded in the temptation was of great cunning, because he proceeded by testing, impelling, and enticing. For he conducted his test through questioning, he impelled through assurance, and he enticed through promise. For first he questioned about the reason for the commandment, so that he might lead reason into doubt; second, doubt having been established—Lest perhaps we die —he gave assurance, so that he might lead the irascible power into contempt; third, he promised, so that he might lead the concupiscible power into desire, and thus by these three modes might draw the freedom of choice to consent, which faculty belongs to reason and will, embracing nonetheless the three aforesaid powers: the rational, the irascible, and the concupiscible; with respect to which the devil enticed the woman through a threefold desirable object, namely through knowledge, which is desirable to the rational power; through excellence after the manner of God, which is desirable to the irascible power; through the sweetness of the tree, which is desirable to the concupiscible power. And thus he tempted everything that was temptable in the woman, through everything by which she could be led into temptation, which is the threefold desirable object of the world, namely the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life; according to which three things the origin of every temptation is discerned, whether from the world, or from the flesh, or from the devil.