CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX
Of the Assaults of Demons
LIVING this life, let us watch ceaselessly, and as it is written, guard our heart with all watchfulness. (Cf. Prov. 4:23). For we have enemies, terrible and unscrupulous, the wicked demons, and against them is our warfare, as the Apostle said, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness dwelling in the high places. (Eph. 6:12). Great is the number of them in the air around us, and they are not far from us. But there is much difference in them. It would be long to speak of their nature and differences, and such a discourse is for others greater than us; the only pressing and necessary thing now is to know their treacheries against us.
Let us first understand this, that the demons were not made as demons, for God made nothing bad. But they also were created beautiful, but fell from heavenly wisdom; and thenceforward, wandering about the earth, they have deceived the Greeks with their apparitions. They envy us Christians and move everything to hinder us from the way to Heaven, lest we mount to where they fell from. Therefore there is needed much prayer and self-discipline, that a man may receive from the Holy Ghost the gift of discerning spirits and may be able to know about them—which of them are less wicked, and which more, and in what kind of thing each of them is interested, and how each is defeated and cast out. For they have many treacheries and many moves in their plotting. The blessed Apostle and his followers knew this, saying: We are not ignorant of his contrivings. (2 Cor. 2:11). And we, from being tempted by them, must guide one another. Therefore, as having in part experience of them, I speak to you as my children.
If, then, they see any Christians, but especially monks, laboring gladly and making progress, they first attack them and tempt them by putting continual stumbling blocks in their way. These stumbling blocks are bad thoughts. We must not fear their suggestions, for by prayers and fastings and trust in the Lord they are defeated at once. Yet when defeated they do not cease, but come back again wickedly and deceitfully. For when they cannot mislead the heart with plainly unclean delights, they attack again in another way and try to frighten it by weaving phantoms, taking the forms of women, of beasts and reptiles, and gigantic bodies, and armies of soldiers. But even so, we must not fear their phantoms, for they are nothing and quickly disappear, especially if one fortify himself with faith and the Sign of the Cross. But they are daring and utterly shameless. For if here too they are beaten, they come on again in another way. They pretend to prophesy and to foretell things to come, and to show themselves taller than the roof and as vast phantoms to those whom they could not beguile with thoughts. And if even so they find the soul firm in faith and in the hope of its purpose, then they bring in their leader.
Often, he said, they appear in shape such as the Lord revealed the devil to Job, saying: His eyes are like the look of the dawn. From his mouth come forth burning lamps, and fires are shot forth. From his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace, burning with a fire of coals. His breath is coals, and flame proceeds from his mouth. (Cf. Job 41:9–12). When the leader of the devils appears in this way, the wretch causes terror, as I said, boasting as the Lord described, saying to Job: He esteemed iron as chaff, and bronze as rotten wood; he thought the sea a vessel for ointments, the deeps of hell a captive; he judged the deeps to be a place for walking (cf. Job 41:18); and by the mouth of the Prophet: The enemy said, I will pursue and will capture (cf. Ex. 15:9); and by another: I will grasp the whole world in my hand like a nest, and as deserted eggs will I seize it. (Cf. Is. 10:14). And all such boastings and threatenings they make, seeking to deceive the devout. Here, again, we faithful must not fear his appearances nor heed his words. For he lies, and there is no truth at all in his speech. For he talks thus and makes so bold, ignoring how he was dragged away with a hook like a serpent by the Saviour, was haltered like a beast of burden, was ringed through the nostrils like a runaway, and his lips pierced with an armlet. (Cf. Job 40:19). The Lord has tethered him as a sparrow, to be mocked at by us. (Cf. Job 40:24). He and his demons are put like scorpions and snakes to be trodden under foot by us Christians. A proof of this is our now living this life in spite of him. For he that threatened to wipe up the sea and to grasp the world, now, behold, cannot hinder our devotion, cannot even stop me speaking against him. Therefore, let us not heed whatever he may say, for he lies, nor fear his lying visions. For it is no true light that is seen in them; rather, they bring a foretaste and likeness of the fire that was prepared for them. They seek to frighten men with that in which themselves shall burn. They appear, but at once they disappear again, having hurt no one, and taking with them the likeness of the fire that is to receive them. So we need not fear them on this account either, for by the grace of Christ all their practicings are to no purpose. They are treacherous and ready to take on them any part and any shape. Often, without appearing, they pretend to sing psalms and repeat sayings from the Scripture. Sometimes, when we are reading, they will repeat at once like an echo the very words we have read. When we are asleep, they wake us to prayers, and this persistently, scarcely letting us get to sleep. At times, too, they take the shape of monks and pretend to talk piously, in order to deceive by the likeness of form, and then lead whither they will those whom they have beguiled. But we must not heed them, though they wake us to pray, though they advise us to fast altogether, though they pretend to accuse and reproach us for things wherein once they were our accomplices. Not for piety nor for truth’s sake do they do this, but in order to bring the simple into despair, and to say that asceticism avails not, and to make men disgusted with the monastic life as burdensome and most grievous, and to entangle those whose life is contrary to them.
Against such as these the prophet sent by God pronounces woe, saying: Woe to him that giveth his neighbour a troubled drink to turn him back. (Cf. Hab. 2:15). For such devices and thoughts turn men back in the way that leads to virtue. And Our Lord Himself, even when the demons spoke the truth (for they truly said, “Thou art the Son of God”), yet silenced them and forbade them to speak, lest after the truth they should oversow their own wickedness, and also to teach us never to heed them, even though they seem to speak truth, for it is unseemly that we who have the Holy Scriptures—and the freedom of Christ—should be taught by the devil, who kept not his own rank, but is minded now one way, now another. (Cf. Jude). Therefore, He forbids him to speak, even to quote the words of Scripture: To the sinful one God said, Why do you relate my judgements and take my testament into your mouth? (Cf. Ps. 49:16). For they do everything; they talk, they make an uproar, they pretend, they unsettle the mind, all to deceive the simple, making a din, laughing senselessly, hissing. And if one heed them not, they weep and wail as defeated.
The Lord, then, being God, silenced the demons. But we, learning from the Saints, must do as they did and imitate their courage. For they, when they saw these things, said: When the sinner stood against me, I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things. (Cf. Ps. 38:2). And again: But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth: and I became as a man that heareth not. (Cf. Ps. 37:14). Wherefore let us not listen to them; they are none of ours. Nor let us hearken, though they call us to prayer or speak of fastings. But rather, let us attend to our own purpose of holy living and not be cheated by them who do all deceitfully. We must not fear them, though they seem to assault us or threaten death, for they are powerless and can do nothing but threaten.
This much I have said of them in passing. But now we must not shrink from a fuller discourse about them; it will be safer for you to be warned.