Chapter LXXXIII. How he delivered a brother from temptation: and concerning the good of temptation

118. Once when a brother was sitting alone with the Saint he said to him: "Pray for me, kind father, for I believe I shall forthwith be delivered from my temptations, if thou deign to pray for me. For I am afflicted above my strength, and I know that this is not hid from thee." S. Francis replied: "Believe me, son, for I believe thee to be all the more a servant of God on account of this very thing; and know that the more thou art tempted the dearer thou art to me". And he added: "Verily I say unto thee that no one should deem himself a servant of God until he has passed through temptations and tribulations. Temptation conquered (he said) is in some sort the ring whereby the Lord espouses to Himself the soul of His servant. There are several who hug themselves over their long-standing merits and rejoice in having under-gone no temptations. But forasmuch as fright alone would crush them even before the conflict, let them know that the Lord has taken thought for their weakness of spirit; for hard fights scarcely ever present themselves, except when virtue has been perfected."