The Deceptions of Demons and the Remedy of Anger

The demons have judged gentleness to be a good thing; for even Moses was called this, being gentle toward all men. And the holy David expressed that this was the value of God's remembrance: 'Remember, Lord,' he says, 'David, and all his gentleness' (Ps 89:1). But the Savior himself, imitating us, commanded us to become of that gentleness: 'Learn from me,' he says, 'that I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls' (Matt 11:29). And if someone abstains from filth and drink, but stirs up his mind with evil thoughts, he is like a ship sailing the sea and having a demon as a pilot; therefore, one must observe how much power our dog has, and teach him to destroy only the wolves and not to devour the sheep, which indicates all gentleness toward all men.

Of the thoughts, the one of vainglory is most widespread, almost encompassing the whole inhabited world, and opening the doors to all the demons, just like an evil traitor who becomes of a good city. Therefore, he is very humble toward the one withdrawing the mind, filling him with many words and things, and grieving his prayers through which he strives to heal all the wounds of his soul. All the demons, having been defeated, join together in this thought, and again through it they all gain entrance into souls, making the latter things truly worse than the former. And from this thought is born that one of pride, which has unsealed the likeness and cast down the crown of beauty from the heavens to the earth.

But flee from this, and do not linger, so that we do not betray our life to others and leave our life in misery. One flees from this demon by intense prayer and by doing nothing that contributes to the falling glory. When one seizes a little of the apathy of those withdrawing the mind, then, having acquired a horse of vainglory, he immediately gallops through the cities, carrying unmeasured praise of glory, by which, according to the economy, the spirit of fornication met him, and having shut him into one of the harlots, it teaches him not to leave the bed before perfect health, nor the unruly of the...

However, we must imitate the wise, for those who still carry the remnants of weakness within themselves, expose themselves to paths and untimely baths, and fall into diseases resulting from turning back. Therefore, sitting still, let us rather attend to ourselves, since, while we make progress in virtue, we become slow to move against evil, but being renewed in knowledge, we receive a multitude of various contemplations, and being lifted up again, we will more clearly behold the light of our Savior through prayer.

CHAPTER 1. I cannot write all the evils of the demons, and I am ashamed to leave out their wicked crafts, fearing for the simpler ones who will receive them. But besides the spirit of fornication, listen to the spirit of cunning. When someone acquires apathy in the part of desire, and the shameful thoughts become merely subconscious, he the demon introduces men and women playing with one another, and of shameful things and forms, making the one who withdraws a spectator. But this temptation is not of those who persist; for intense prayer, and the strictest diet with wakefulness, and the exercise of spiritual contemplations, like a cloud, drive him dry. And there is a time when he even touches the flesh, purging them toward irrational burning, and this wicked one devises a myriad of other devices, which are not necessary to publish or to hand over in writing. It also contributes greatly to the thoughts and a heat of passion moved against the demon, which he most fears, being disturbed and corrupted by the thoughts; and this is that: 'Be angry, and sin not' (Ephesians 4:26). This is a useful medicine administered to the soul in such temptations. And the one who uses anger imitates this demon, and he deceives, and he makes some of those born, or friends, or relatives, or household members, being insulted and struck by unworthy ones, and he stirs up the passion of the one withdrawing, so that he might utter something evil, or do something toward those who seem, in thought, to be enemies to whom it is not necessary to attend, and he quickly snatches the mind away from such idols, so that, not lingering in them, he might become distracted at the time of prayer, like a bellows smoking. By these temptations, the angry ones...