That is why David, who had acquired the right faith directed towards God, said that I had corrected myself in all his commandments, and that I hated every way of falsehood (cf. Psalm 110:10; 118:128). All the commandments are given to us by the Lord for the denial of every way of unrighteousness. If at least one is forgotten, then the path of evil that is contrary to it will find a continuation in the person himself. The Lord has also given us the strength to keep all the commandments. "Behold," he said, "I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Lk 10:19)

Paul, who received this power and authority, said: "Be ye imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1). And again: "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts" (Galatians 5:24). And again: "For me the world is crucified, and I for the world" (Galatians 6:14). All the commandments, although there are many, boil down to one: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy might..., and thy neighbour as thyself" (Lk 10:27). If the ascetic observes it, he fulfills all the commandments to a single one.

7. From Abba Isaac

Passions are like dogs who like to look into butcher shops. If they are chased away, they will run away from the sound of footsteps, and if you do not pay attention, they will begin to climb with the boldness of huge lions.

2. Destroy in yourself a little lust as soon as it begins to arise in you, otherwise you will be inflamed by its unrestrained burning. Increased attention to detail allows you to avoid the most terrible dangers. After all, if you do not defeat the weak, how will you get rid of the strong afterwards?

3. Show God your patience in small things, so that He does not demand from you an account for the great. Let the small become for you the boundary at which you will defeat the enemy, so that he will not be able to direct you to great evil.

4. Whoever is disobedient to the enemy, who inspires him to move five steps away from his cell, will never agree to leave the desert or move to the village. And whoever does not even allow himself to look out of the door of his silent abode under the suggestion of the devil, will in no case succumb to the suggestion to go outside.

5. Whoever eats a little food in the evening, unless under compulsion, will not be frightened by thoughts of faint-heartedness and gluttony, which compel him to eat before the appointed time. Whoever is satisfied with dry food will never want abundant food. Whoever does not even look at himself will not be carried away by the beauty of another.

6. This is the art of discernment, which makes it possible to resist the attacks of the enemy. Those who are experienced in it do not plunge themselves into struggle and great battles, but in small battles show their patience. In this way, they take care of themselves and do not have to go to great labors. And whoever despises small battles and sometimes suffers defeats in them, himself yields the dominant height and facilitates the attack of his troops. The devil first of all tries to destroy unceasing prayer in the heart, and then he persuades us to omit prayer during the statutory hours, and then the canon and other prayers.

Then he tries to instill the thought that a person eats food before the appointed hour and thereby renounces abstinence, so as not to weaken. After that, the devil immediately begins to inspire a person with intemperance and extravagance. It also tempts you to look at your naked body at least once, to admire the splendor of your arms and legs when a person changes clothes, bends over the water or sits and relieves himself. The devil wants a person not to be ashamed to put his hand under his clothes and touch his secret rod.

If a person gives in at least something, evil will begin to grow and intensify. The ascetic, who had previously preserved strictness of mind and considered even a small soaring to be a loss to himself, now himself opens sorrowful and painful windows for sin. Thoughts are like water in a water pipe: as long as the pipe is intact on all sides, the water flows without disturbance, and if the pipe leaks, it will burst, and the water will flood and destroy the whole house.

The enemy is always watching us, looking for which door of our senses is open through our negligence, and immediately penetrates into us through it. After all, he sees that there is no guard, and drags all the evil with him. But let us prefer small labors to great ones, and then we will easily cope with the enemy.

Chapter 12: That Monks and Pious Laity Who Have Received Divine Guidance Are Subjected to Grievous Punishments Even for Minor Transgressions