1 Samuel 14:47

Against Moab and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, etc. Moab and Ammon, who were conceived by incest at night through the help of drunkenness, in which there is lust (Eph. V), signify heretics, degenerate by the disorderly reception of the seed of paternal faith. Edom, who, though the elder, was condemned to serve his younger brother, represents the Jewish people; who are subjected to the nations of the Gentiles throughout the world, both by the blindness of the perfidy of their minds and by the condition of earthly servitude. The kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and Amalek, about whom it is subsequently said.

The kingdom is indeed weakened when pastors fall into certain faults. But the weakened kingdom is strengthened when through the satisfaction of penance they are raised up to the work of great virtue. And it is said to be strengthened over Israel, because as one advances to the height of life, he surpasses by his conduct those whom he exceeds in rank. He is set over those who see God, but he is raised above those who see God when he is taken up beyond all others in divine contemplation. Rightly therefore it is said: "He fought against all his enemies, and wherever he turned he prevailed," because he who contemplates eternal things more deeply easily crushes whatever comes against him from below to fight. For since no earthly things now please him who reigns through great charity over Israel, that is, in heavenly things, wherever he turns, he prevails. For what can the malignant spirit suggest to him who considers no earthly things, who no longer loves any joys of the world? The teacher fights when he preaches, but he prevails, because what he prohibits in preaching from touching worldly delight, he persuades by the virtue of his conduct. And because he is said to fight on every side against his enemies, his victory is shown to be one of great praise. He teaches that the teacher is perfect on every side who has the strongest enemies on every side. Therefore when he is said to turn and prevail everywhere, how great is the glory proclaimed of him? What then does it mean that he is said to have enemies on every side, except that malignant spirits lie in ambush against all our senses? For they deceive some through speech, others through sight. Some they mislead through hearing, others through taste or smell. Still others they strive to drag into impurities through the snares of enticing delight or thought. To some they outwardly present obscene things, which they may then pursue by deliberation of the mind. But to show this encirclement more accurately: when they drag one toward pleasant things, they set their ambush as if on the right. When they cast another down through adversity, they press in as if from the left. When they invite us to past pleasures, they thrust us down as if from behind. They meet others as if from the front, because they often show to the minds of the weak the length of a strict way of life, as though giving counsel. For they come from the…