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"If you always practice the aforementioned things, you are able not to be ignorant. But also if you understand that just as you are tempted, so also your brother is tempted, and you forgive the one being tempted, but you resist the tempter who wants to lead you into hatred of the one being tempted, 'not' obeying his device. And this is what James, the brother of God, says in the Catholic [Epistles]: "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you». If therefore, as has been said, you soberly and unceasingly practice the aforementioned things, you are able to know the purpose of the Lord and of His Apostles, (14__382> and to love men and to suffer with them when they stumble, but to war unceasingly against the wicked demons through love. But if we are dissolute and negligent and slothful and defile our thoughts with carnal pleasures, we war not against the demons but against ourselves and our brothers, and rather we serve the demons through them, fighting against men on their behalf".

18 (ιη'). And the Brother said: "It is so, Father; for indeed from my negligence they always take occasions

against me the demons; but I beseech you, Father, to tell me, how I ought to acquire '[the] watchfulness'».

And the Elder answered: "Complete freedom from earthly cares and the constant study of the divine Scripture

brings the 'soul' to the fear of God; and the fear of God brings 'watchfulness;' and then the 'soul' begins to see the demons that war against it through thoughts and to defend itself; concerning which David said: "And my eye has looked upon my enemies». To this struggle also Peter, the chief of the Apostles, stirring up the disciples, said: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith»· And the Lord also: "Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation». And Ecclesiastes says: "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place». And the place of the (14__384> mind is virtue, and knowledge and the fear of God. And the wonderful Apostle, struggling most watchfully and courageously, said: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds; casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; and being ready to punish all disobedience». If, therefore, you too imitate the saints and diligently attend to God, you will be watchful».

19 (ιθ'). And the Brother said: "And what ought one to do, Father, that he may be able unceasingly to attend to

God?" And the Elder answered: "It is impossible for the mind to attend perfectly to God, unless it acquires these three

virtues; I mean love, and continence, and prayer. For love tames anger, continence withers desire, and prayer separates the mind from all thoughts, and presents it naked to God. These three virtues, therefore, are comprehensive of all the virtues; and without these the mind cannot attend to God».

20 (κ'). And the Brother said: "I beseech you, Father, to learn how love tames anger». (14__386> And the Elder answered:

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"Ἐὰν τῶν προειρημένων ἔχεις ἀεὶ τὴν μελέτην, δύνασαι μὴ ἀγνοεῖν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐὰν συνιῇς ὅτι ὥσπερ σὺ πειράζῃ οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἀδελφός σου πειράζεται, καὶ τῷ μὲν πειραζομένῳ συγγινώσκεις, τῷ δὲ πειράζοντι θέλοντί σε εἰς μῖσος ἀγαγεῖν τοῦ πειραζομένου ἀντιστῇς, 'μὴ' ὑπακούων αὐτοῦ τῷ μηχανήματι. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ λέγει ὁ ἀδελφόθεος Ἰάκωβος ἐν ταῖς Καθολικαῖς· "Ὑποτάγητε τῷ Θεῷ· ἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν». Ἐὰν οὖν, ὡς εἴρηται, ἔχεις νηφόντως τὴν τῶν προειρημένων ἀδιαλείπτως μελέτην, δύνασαι γνῶναι τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τῶν Ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ, (14__382> καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀνθρώπους ἀγαπᾷν καὶ συμπάσχειν αὐτοῖς πταίουσι, τοῖς δὲ πονηροῖς δαίμοσιν ἀδιαλείπτως διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης πολεμεῖν. Εἰ δὲ ἐσμὲν χαῦνοι καὶ ἀμελεῖς καὶ ῥᾴθυμοι καὶ ταῖς σαρκικαῖς ἡδοναῖς τὸν λογισμὸν ἐμφύρομεν, οὐχὶ τοὺς δαίμονας ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πολεμοῦμεν, τοὺς δὲ δαίμονας μᾶλλον δι᾽ αὐτῶν θεραπεύομεν, ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μαχόμενοι".

18 (ιη'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπεν· "Οὕτως ἔχει, Πάτερ· καὶ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἀμελείας μου ἀεὶ λαμβάνουσιν ἀφορμὰς

κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ οἱ δαίμονες· ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ σε, Πάτερ, εἰπεῖν μοι, πῶς ὀφείλω κτήσασθαι '[τὴν] νῆψιν'».

Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Ἡ παντελὴς τῶν γηΐνων ἀμεριμνία καὶ ἡ συνεχὴς μελέτη τῆς θείας Γραφῆς

φέρει τὴν 'ψυχὴν' εἰς φόβον Θεοῦ· καὶ ὁ Θεοῦ φόβος φέρει 'τὴν νῆψιν·' καὶ τότε ἡ 'ψυχὴ' ἄρχεται βλέπειν τοὺς διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν πολεμοῦντας αὐτὴν δαίμονας καὶ ἀμύνασθαι· περὶ ὧν ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἔλεγεν· "Καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου». Πρὸς ταύτην τὴν πάλην καὶ ὁ κορυφαῖος τῶν Ἀποστόλων Πέτρος διεγείρων τοὺς μαθητὰς ἔλεγε· "Νήψατε, γρηγορήσατε, ὅτι ὁ ἀντίδικος ὑμῶν διάβολος, ὡς λέων ὠρυόμενος περιπατεῖ, ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ· ὧ ἀντίστητε στερεοὶ τῇ πίστει»· Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δέ· "Γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς πειρασμόν». Ὁ δὲ Ἐκκλησιαστής φησιν· "Ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σέ, τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς». Τόπος δὲ τοῦ (14__384> νοῦ ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή, καὶ ἡ γνῶσις καὶ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ δὲ θαυμαστὸς Ἀπόστολος σφόδρα νηφόντως καὶ γενναίως ἀγωνιζόμενος ἔλεγεν· "Ἐν σαρκὶ γὰρ περιπατοῦντες, οὐ κατὰ σάρκα στρατευόμεθα. Τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικά, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων· λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντες πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ ἐν ἑτοίμῳ ἔχοντες ἐκδικῆσαι πᾶσαν παρακοήν». Ἐὰν οὖν καὶ σὺ μιμήσῃ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ ἐμπόνως σχολάσῃς τῷ Θεῷ, ἔσῃ νηφόμενος».

19 (ιθ'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Καὶ τί ὤφειλέ τις ποιεῖν, Πάτερ, ἵνα ἀδιαλείπτως δυνηθῇ σχολάζειν τῷ

Θεῷ;" Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Ἀδύνατον τὸ νοῦν τελείως σχολάσαι τῷ Θεῷ, ἐὰν μὴ τὰς τρεῖς ταύτας

κτήσηται ἀρετάς· τὴν ἀγάπην λέγω, καὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, καὶ τὴν προσευχήν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀγάπη ἡμεροῖ τὸν θυμόν, ἡ δὲ ἐγκράτεια μαραίνει τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἡ δὲ προσευχὴ χωρίζει τὸν νοῦν πάντων τῶν νοημάτων, καὶ αὐτῷ αὐτὸν παρίστησι γυμνὸν τῷ Θεῷ. Αὗται οὖν αἱ τρεῖς ἀρεταὶ συμπεριληπτικαί εἰσιν πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν· καὶ ἄνευ τούτων ὁ νοῦς οὐ δύναται σχολάζειν τῷ Θεῷ».

20 (κ'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Παρακαλῶ σε, Πάτερ, μαθεῖν πῶς ἡ ἀγάπη ἡμεροῖ τὸν θυμόν». (14__386> Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων·