Lord only on their lips,235 but their hearts hardened,236 and who are far from the Lord, the commandments are hard and difficult. Put, therefore, ye who are empty and fickle in your faith, the Lord in your heart, and ye will know that there is nothing easier or sweeter, or more manageable, than these commandments. Return, ye who walk in the commandments of the devil, in hard, and bitter, and wild licentiousness, and fear not the devil; for there is no power in him against you, for I will be with you, the angel of repentance, who am lord over him. The devil has fear only, but his fear has no strength.237 Fear him not, then, and he will flee from you.” Chap. V. I say to him, “Sir, listen to me for a moment.” “Say what you wish,” says he. “Man, sir,” say I, “is eager to keep the commandments of God, and there is no one who does not ask of the Lord that strength may be given him for these commandments, and that he may be subject to them; but the devil is hard, and holds sway over them.” “He cannot,” says he, “hold sway over the servants of God, who with all their heart place their hopes in Him. The devil can wrestle against these, overthrow them he cannot. If, then, ye resist him, he will be conquered, and flee in disgrace from you. As many, therefore,” says he, “as are empty, fear the devil, as possessing power. When a man has filled very suitable jars with good wine, and a few among those jars are left empty,238 then he comes to the jars, and does not look at the full jars, for he knows that they are full; but he looks at the empty, being afraid lest they have become sour. For empty jars quickly become sour, and the goodness of the wine is gone. So 30 also the devil goes to all the servants of God to try them. As many, then, as are full in the faith, resist him strongly, and he withdraws from them, having no way by which he might enter them. He goes, then, to the empty, and finding a way of entrance, into them, he pro- duces in them whatever he wishes, and they become his servants.”239 Chap. VI. “But I, the angel of repentance, say to you, Fear not the devil; for I was sent,” says he, “to be with you who repent with all your heart, and to make you strong in faith. Trust God,240 then, ye who on account of your sins have despaired of life, and who add to your sins and weigh down your life; for if ye return to the Lord with all your heart, and practice righteousness the rest of your days,241 and serve Him according to His will, He will heal 235 Isa. xxix. 13; Matt. xv. 8. 236 John xii. 40; 2 Cor. iii. 14. 237 [Jas. ii. 19, iv. 6, 7.] 238 Empty. Half full.—Vat. 239 [Eph. iv. 27.] 240 Trust God. Believe ye, then, who on account of your sins have forgotten God.—Vat. 241 Practise … days, omitted in Vat. 59 Commandment Twelfth. On the Twofold Desire. The Commandments of God Can…