an, to _the prayers of saints_?[754]
Is prayer an arrow that has been shot, that you may _flee from the face
of the bow_?[755] _Whither wilt thou go from the Spirit of God_, who
carries it, _or whither wilt thou flee from His presence_?[756] At last
Malachy pursues the fugitive, he finds him who lies hidden. "_You shall
be blind and not seeing_,[757] that you may see better, and may
understand that _it is hard for you to kick against the pricks._[758]
Nay, perceive even now that _sharp arrows of the mighty_[759] have come
to you, which, although they have rebounded from your heart, because it
is of stone, have not rebounded from your eyes. Would that even through
the windows of the eyes they might reach to the heart, and _trouble give
understanding_[760] to blindness." It could be seen that _Saul_ again
was _led by the hand_[761] and brought to Ananias, a wolf to a sheep,
that he might disgorge his prey. He disgorged it and _received
sight_,[762] for to such a degree was Malachy like a sheep, if, for
example, it were to take pity even on the wolf. Note carefully from
this, reader, with whom Malachy had his dwelling, what sort of princes
they were, what sort of peoples. How is it that he also was not _a
brother to dragons, and a companion to owls_?[763] And therefore the
Lord _gave him power to tread upon serpents and scorpions_,[764] _to
bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of
iron_.[765] Hear now what follows.

61. (34). He to whom Malachy had yielded the possessions of the
monastery of Bangor,[766] ungrateful for the benefit, from that time
forward behaved himself always most arrogantly against him and his
followers, hostile to them in all things, plotting everywhere, and
disparaging his deeds. But not without punishment. He had an only son,
who, imitating his father and daring himself to act in opposition to
Malachy, died the same year. And thus he died. It seemed good to
Malachy that a stone oratory should be erected at Bangor like those
which he had seen constructed in other regions.[767] And when he began
to lay the foundations the natives wondered, because in that land no
such buildings were yet to be found.[768] But that worthless fellow,
presumptuous and arrogant as he was, not only wondered but was
indignant. And from that indignation _he conceived grief and brought
forth iniquity_.[769] And he became a _talebearer among the
peoples_,[770] now _disparaging secretly_,[771] now speaking evi