4. From this source, even at the very beginnings of the world, the devil was the first who both perished (himself) and destroyed (others). He who5    Some add “long ago.” was sustained in angelic majesty, he who was accepted and beloved of God, when he beheld man made in the image of God, broke forth into jealousy with malevolent envy—not hurling down another by the instinct of his jealousy before he himself was first hurled down by jealousy, captive before he takes captive, ruined before he ruins others. While, at the instigation of jealousy, he robs man of the grace of immortality conferred, he himself has lost that which he had previously been. How great an evil is that, beloved brethren, whereby an angel fell, whereby that lofty and illustrious grandeur could be defrauded and overthrown, whereby he who deceived was himself deceived! Thenceforth envy rages on the earth, in that he who is about to perish by jealousy obeys the author of his ruin, imitating the devil in his jealousy; as it is written, “But through envy of the devil death entered into the world.”6    Wisd. ii. 24. [So Lactantius, Institutes, book ii. cap. ix. in vol. vii., this series.]  Therefore they who are on his side imitate him.7    [Chrysostom, vol. iv. p. 473, ed. Migne.  This close practical preaching is a lesson to the younger clergy of our days.]

IV. Hinc diabolus inter initia statim mundi et periit 0640C primus et perdidit. Ille angelica majestate subnixus , 0641A ille Deo acceptus et charus, postquam hominem ad imaginem Dei factum conspexit, in zelum malivolo livore prorupit, non prius alterum dejiciens instinctu zeli quam ipse zelo ante dejectus, captivus antequam capiens, perditus antequam perdens, dum, stimulante livore , homini gratiam datae immortalitatis eripit , ipse quoque id quod prius fuerat amisit. Quale malum est, fratres dilectissimi, quo angelus cecidit, quo circumveniri et subverti alta illa et praeclara sublimitas potuit, quo deceptus est ipse qui decepit! Exinde invidia grassatur in terris, dum livore periturus magistro perditionis obsequitur, dum diabolum qui zelat imitatur, sicut scriptum est: Invidia autem diaboli mors introivit in orbem terrarum (Sap. II, 24). Imitantur ergo illum qui sunt ex parte ejus.