I commanded you, he said, in the first commandment, to keep faith and fear and self-control. Yes, I said, lord. But now I wish, he said, to make clear to you also their powers, that you may understand which of them has which power and working; for their workings are twofold. They lie upon both the righteous and the unrighteous:
you, then, believe the righteous, but do not believe the unrighteous; for the righteous has a straight way, but the unrighteous a crooked one. But you, walk in the straight and level way, and leave the crooked one alone.
For the crooked way has no paths, but pathless places and many stumbling-blocks, and it is rough and thorny. It is therefore harmful to those who walk in it.
But those who walk in the straight way walk smoothly and without stumbling; for it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is more profitable to walk in this way.
Hear, he said, and understand them. The angel of righteousness is delicate and modest and meek and quiet; when, then, this one comes up into your heart, immediately he speaks with you about righteousness, about purity, about reverence, about contentment, about every righteous deed and every glorious virtue. When all these things come up into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These, then, are the works of the angel of righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works.
See now also the works of the angel of wickedness. First of all he is irascible and bitter and senseless, and his works are wicked, overturning the servants of God; when, then, this one comes up into your heart, recognize him by his works.
How, I said, lord, shall I perceive him? I do not know. Hear, he said. When irascibility or bitterness falls upon you, know that he is in you; then desire for many deeds, and extravagance in many foods and drinks and much drunken revelry, and various and needless luxuries, and desires for women, and covetousness, and great haughtiness and boastfulness, and whatever is akin and like to these. When these come up into your heart, then, know that the angel of wickedness is in you.
You, then, recognizing his works, keep away from him, and trust him in nothing, because his works are wicked and unprofitable to the servants of God. You have, then, the workings of both angels; understand them and trust the angel of righteousness;
but from the angel of wickedness keep away, because his teaching is wicked in every deed; for even if a man is faithful, and the thought of this angel comes up into his heart, that man or woman must commit some sin.
And again, if anyone is most wicked, whether man or woman, and the works of the angel of righteousness come up into his heart, of necessity he must do some good.
This commandment, then, sets forth concerning faith, that you should trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and by doing them live to God. But believe that the works of the angel of wickedness are hard; so by not doing them you shall live to God.