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 which will be produced from it, whether it be in thoughts, or in words, or in deeds.”

359. They used to tell the story about Abbâ Pachomius and say that on many occasions he heard the devils repeating many evil things of various kinds, some of which were to come upon the brethren. First of all he heard one of them saying, “I have [strife] with a man who constantly [defieth] me, for whensoever I approach to sow thoughts in his mind, immediately he turneth to prayer, and I depart from him being consumed with fire.” And another devil said, “I have [strife]with a man who is easy to persuade, and he doeth whatsoever I counsel him to do, and I love him dearly.” It is right then, O my brethren, that we should keep ourselves awake always, and that, making ourselves mighty men in the Name of the Lord, we should strive against the devils, and then they will never be able to overcome us.

360. One of the holy men used to say, “Through holding small wickednesses in contempt we fall into great ones; consider then attentively the following story which is told even as it took place. A certain man laughed in an empty manner, and his companion rebuked and condemned him; [another brother] happened to be there, and he thought lightly of the matter, saying, ‘This is nothing; for what is it for a man to laugh?’ [And the brother replied, ‘From laughter] pleasure is produced, and next empty words, and filthy actions, and iniquity, and so from the things which are thought to be small that wicked devil bringeth in great wickednesses. And from great wickednesses a man cometh to despair, for this cruel and wicked evil hath the Evil One discovered (or invented) through the malignity of his craftiness, for a man to commit sin is not so destructive as for a man to cut off hope from his soul. For he who repenteth in a fitting manner, and according to what is right blotteth out his offences; but he who cutteth off hope from his soul perisheth because he will not offer unto it the binding up of repentance. Therefore let not a man hold in contempt small wickednesses. For this is the seed which the Calumniator soweth, for if he made war openly it would not be difficult to fight, and victory would be easy; and even now, if we be watchful and strenuous, it will be easy for us to conquer, for it is God Who hath armed us, and He teacheth us and entreateth us not to hold even the smallest wickednesses in contempt. Hearken thou unto Him as He admonisheth [us], saying, (St. Matthew 5:22) “Whosoever shalt say unto his brother ‘Râkâ,’ shall be guilty of the fire of Gehenna”; and, “He who looketh upon a woman to desire her hath already