19.  This further point does not escape me, that the nature of all these objects of the watchfulness of the physician remains the same, and does not evolve out of itself any crafty opposition, or contrivance hostile to the appliances of his art, nay, it is rather the treatment which modifies its subject matter,40    Its subject matter, i.e. the affection of the sick body, which it is the object of medicine to change to its opposite.  So Combefis. except where some slight insubordination occurs on the part of the patient, which it is not difficult to prevent or restrain.  But in our case, human prudence and selfishness, and the want of training and inclination to yield ready submission are a very great obstacle to advance in virtue, amounting almost to an armed resistance to those who are wishful to help us.  And the very eagerness with which we should lay bare our sickness to our spiritual physicians, we employ in avoiding this treatment,41    This treatment:  the treatment of the spiritual physician. and shew our bravery by struggling against what is for our own interest, our skill in shunning what is for our health.

ΙΘʹ. Σκοπῶ δὲ κἀκεῖνο, ὅτι ἐκείνων μὲν ἕκαστον ὧν ἀπηριθμησάμην ὡς τῷ θεραπευτῇ τηρουμένων ὅπως ἔχει φύσεως, οὕτω μένει καὶ οὐδὲν ἀντιτεχνᾶται παρ' ἑαυτοῦ πανούργως, οὐδ' ἀντισοφίζεται τοῖς παρὰ τῆς τέχνης προσαγομένοις: ἀλλὰ καὶ περιΐστησι μᾶλλον τὴν ὕλην ἡ ἰατρεία: πλὴν εἴ που βραχεῖά τις παρεμπέσοι τοῦ κάμνοντος ἀταξία, ἣν καὶ φυλάξαι καὶ ἀνακόψαι οὐ χαλεπόν. Ἡμῖν δὲ ἡ σύνεσις καὶ τὸ φίλαυτον, καὶ τὸ νικᾶσθαι ῥᾳδίως μήτ' εἰδέναι, μήτ' ἀνέχεσθαι, μέγιστον πρὸς ἀρετήν ἐστιν ἐμπόδιον, καὶ οἷόν τις παράταξις κατὰ τῶν συμμαχούντων γίνεται: καὶ ὅσην εἰσφέρειν ἔδει σπουδὴν γυμνοῦν τὴν νόσον τοῖς θεραπεύουσι, τοσαύτην ὥστε τὴν ἰατρείαν φεύγειν εἰσφερόμεθα, καί ἐσμεν ἀνδρεῖοι καθ' ἑαυτῶν, καὶ κατὰ τῆς ὑγείας ἡμῶν ἐπιστήμονες.