Демоны

Demons love darkness more, for they themselves are darkness and the perpetrators of darkness, that is, evil... they avoid the pious on earth, because from meeting them they become powerless (1). Demons, from the time when we were removed from the tree of life by the tree of knowledge, from which it was inopportunely and inopportunely used, began to attack us as the weakest, stealing our sovereign mind and opening the door to passions. They, being, or rather, having become, out of their own malice, an envious and misanthropic nature, did not tolerate that those below were honored with an upper rank, when they themselves had fallen from above to earth, and that such a transfer would take place in glory and primary natures. Hence the persecution of God’s creation (1)! That is why the very first light-bearer, having exalted himself highly, when, distinguished by predominant glory, dreamed of the royal honor of the great God, destroyed his radiance, fell here with dishonor and, wanting to be a god, became all darkness. Although he is light by nature, he nevertheless fell to the low earth. Since then, he has persecuted with hatred those who are led by prudence and, irritated by his loss, blocks the heavenly path for everyone; he does not want God’s creation to approach the Divine, from Whom he fell away, but he wanted people to participate with him in sin and darkness. And this envious person drove out of paradise those who desired to have glory equal to God. Thus, for his exaltation, he was cast down from his heavenly circle, but he did not fall alone. And since his insolence destroyed him, he carried away many into the fall, namely, all those whom he taught to sin, like the attacker who persuaded the royal army to treason, carried away out of envy of the godly host of the One who reigns in them and out of the desire to reign over many evil ones. Since then, supermundane evils, demons, followers of the evil king have appeared in great numbers - murderers, weak, dark, ominous ghosts of the night, liars, impudent ones, teachers of sins, vagabonds, wine drinkers, laugh-lovers, laughers, soothsayers, two-tonguers, lovers of quarrels, bloodsuckers, the underworld, hiding, shameful, teachers of magic. When they come, they beckon to themselves, and hate those who give themselves to them. They are both night and light together, to catch, now openly, now by deception. As is this army, so is the leader! But Christ did not destroy it with a single movement of will, with which he created the whole world and with which he could have destroyed it too if he wanted, because it is difficult to hide from an angry God. However, he did not leave my enemy free, but allowed him to be at the same time among the good and the evil and raised a cruel mutual warfare between them, so that just as an enemy would be subjected to terrible shame here, fighting with those who are weaker than him, so those who strive in virtue would always have their glory, being purified in life, like gold in a crucible. Subsequently, perhaps soon, when the substance burns and fiery retribution comes, this indomitable one, greatly humbled in advance by his tormented servants, will suffer punishment. For such is the punishment of the one who gave birth to evil! The Spirit taught me this about the luminosity of the Angel, both the first and the last. But here too she found a measure. And this measure is God. As someone approaches the King, he becomes Light, and with enlightenment he acquires glory (2). But what are Angels who have turned away from good? These are demons. The first of them, who was once Dennitsa, is the inventor and leader of the ugly darkness (2). You might be interested in: