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200. And the old men used to say, “From those who are beginners in the monastic life God demandeth nothing except work, and the vexing of the body, and that a man should be obedient.”

201. An old man used to say that separation was the most excellent of all spiritual virtues.

202. Abbâ Arsenius used to say, “Thou shalt not depart from a place without great labour, and thou shalt do none of the things which, evilly, thou desirest, and thou shalt do nothing without the testimony of the Scriptures.”

203. Abbâ Arsenius used to say, “If we seek God He will be revealed unto us, and if we lay hold upon Him, He will remain with us.”

An old man used to say, “If we seek God He will be revealed unto us, and if we lay hold upon Him, He will remain with us.”

204. Abbâ Poemen used to say to Abbâ Job, “Turn away thine eyes from beholding what is vain, the lust for which destroyeth souls.”

205. The old man used to say also, “It is impossible for him who believeth rightly, and who worketh in the fear of God, to fall into the impurity of the passions, and into the error of devils.”

206. Abbâ Macarius used to say, “If we remember the wickedness of men we destroy the power of the memory, but if we remember how the devils act wickedly we shall remain uninjured.”

207. On one occasion Abbâ Macarius went up from Scete to Therenuthum, and at eventide he came upon a certain place wherein he went that he might refresh himself and rest; and there were there some old bones, and bodies of the dead, and he took some of them and placed them under his head that he might lie down and rest a little from the labour of the road. Now when the devils which dwelt there saw his confidence and courage, they were smitten with envy, and wishing to disturb him they cried out and shouted from one to another the name of a woman, saying, “O So-and-so, O So-and-so, come with us, and let us go to the bath.” And another answered from out of the bones which were under the head of the blessed man, and said unto him that called him, “There is a stranger who is lying upon me, and I am unable to come”; but the blessed man was not moved, neither was he astonished, but with confidence and great courage he knocked upon the bones, saying, “Rise up, and get thee into darkness backwards.” Now when the devils heard this, they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Thou hast conquered us”; and they fled away ashamed.