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The same old man made clear by this proof that it was the devil who
encouraged idle tales, and showed himself always as the enemy of spiritual
conferences. For when he was discoursing to some of the brethren on
necessary matters and spiritual things, and saw that they were weighed down
with a sound slumber, and could not drive away the weight of sleep from
their eyes, he suddenly introduced an idle tale. And when he saw that at
once they woke up, delighted with it, and pricked up their ears, he groaned
and said, "Up till now we were speaking of celestial things and all your
eyes were overpowered with a sound slumber; but as soon as an idle tale was
introduced, we all woke up and shook off the drowsiness of sleep which had
overcome us. And from this therefore consider who is the enemy of that
spiritual conference, and who has shown himself the suggester of that
useless and carnal talk. For it is most evidently shown that it is he who,
rejoicing in evil, never ceases to encourage the latter and to oppose the
former."
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