Even The Devil, Having Lost The Knowledge Of God,

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Even the devil, having lost the knowledge of God, and so inevitably becoming ignorant in his ingratitude and pride, cannot of himself know what to do.

On the contrary, he sees what God does to save us and maliciously learns from this and contrives similar things for our destruction. For he hates God and, being unable to fight Him directly, he fights against us who are in God’s image, thinking to avenge himself on God in this way; and, as St John Chrysostom says, he finds us obedient to his will.

For instance, he sees how God created Eve as a helpmate for Adam, and so he enlists her co-operation to bring about disobedience and transgression.

Or, again, God gave a commandment so that by keeping it Adam might be mindful of the great gifts he had received and thank his Benefactor for them; but the devil made of this commandment the starting-point for disobedience and death.

Instead of prophets, he promotes false prophets; 

- instead of apostles, false apostles;

- instead of law, lawlessness;

- instead of virtues, vice;

- instead of commandments, transgressions;

- instead of righteo

usness, foul heresies.