There is therefore a measure of faith, which, if it be perfect, drives the demon perfectly from the soul; but if it has any defect, something on the part of the demon still remains in the portion of infidelity; and it is the greatest difficulty for the soul to understand when or how, whether fully or less fully, the demon has been expelled from it. For if he remains in any quarter, when he gets an opportunity, he suggests thoughts to men\u2019s hearts; and they, not knowing whence they come, believe the suggestions of the demons, as if they were the perceptions of their own souls. Thus they suggest to some to follow pleasure by occasion of bodily necessity; they excuse the passionateness of others by excess of gall; they colour over the madness of others by the vehemence of melancholy; and even extenuate the folly of some as the result of abundance of phlegm. But even if this were so, still none of these could be hurtful to the body, except from the excess of meats and drinks; because, when these are taken in excessive quantities, their abundance, which the natural warmth is not sufficient to digest, curdles into a sort of poison, and it, flowing through the bowels and all the veins like a common sewer, renders the motions of the body unhealthy and base. Wherefore moderation is to be attained in all things, that neither may place be given to demons, nor the soul, being possessed by them, be delivered along with them to be tormented in eternal fires.
\n— Recognitions of Clement IV.XVIII. ANF08<\/p>\n
Is it, then, that we are of another and a superior nature, and that therefore the demons are afraid of us? Nay, we are of one and the same nature with you, but we differ in religion. But if you will also be like us, we do not grudge it, but rather we exhort you, and wish you to be assured, that when the same faith and religion and innocence of life shall be in you that is in us, you will have equal and the same power and virtue against demons, through God rewarding your faith. For as he who has soldiers under him, although he may be inferior, and they superior to him in strength, yet \u2018says to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to another, Do this, and he doeth it; and this he is able to do, not by his own power, but by the fear of C\u00e6sar; so every faithful one commands the demons, although they seem to be much stronger than men, and that not by means of his own power, but by means of the power of God, who has put them in subjection. For even that which we have just spoken of, that C\u00e6sar is held in awe by all soldiers, and in every camp, and in his whole kingdom, though he is but one man, and perhaps feeble in respect of bodily strength, this is not effected but by the power of God, who inspires all with fear, that they may be subject to one.
\n— Recognitions of Clement IV.XXXIII. ANF08<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Symptoms of Demon Infestation There is therefore a measure of faith, which, if it be perfect, drives the demon perfectly from the soul; but if it has any defect, something on the part of the demon still remains in the portion of infidelity; and it is the greatest difficulty for the soul to understand when or how, whether fully or less fully, the demon has been expelled from it. For […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[53,61],"class_list":["post-1395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church-fathers","tag-demonology","tag-ebionism"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1390,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/the-recognitions-of-clement\/","url_meta":{"origin":1395,"position":0},"title":"The Recognitions of Clement","author":"Nemo","date":"October 2, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Anointed When God had made the world, as Lord of the universe, He appointed chiefs over the several creatures, over the trees even, and the mountains, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all things which He had made, as we have told you; for it were too long\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church Fathers"","block_context":{"text":"Church Fathers","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/church-fathers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22045,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/athanasius-life-of-antony\/","url_meta":{"origin":1395,"position":1},"title":"Athanasius: Life of Antony","author":"Nemo","date":"April 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Fixity of Purpose Progress in virtue, and retirement from the world for the sake of it, ought not to be measured by time, but by desire and fixity of purpose. He was also mindful of the words spoken by the prophet Elias, \u2018the Lord liveth before whose presence I stand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Athanasius"","block_context":{"text":"Athanasius","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/athanasius\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Temptation of St. Anthony","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/temptation_of_anthony-scaled.jpg?fit=914%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/temptation_of_anthony-scaled.jpg?fit=914%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/temptation_of_anthony-scaled.jpg?fit=914%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/temptation_of_anthony-scaled.jpg?fit=914%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":354,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/clement-of-alexandria-the-music-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":1395,"position":2},"title":"Clement Of Alexandria: The Music of God","author":"Nemo","date":"February 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Universe and Man as Musical Instruments Behold the might of the new song! It has made men out of stones, men out of beasts. Those, moreover, that were as dead, not being partakers of the true life, have come to life again, simply by becoming listeners to this song. It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Clement of Alexandria"","block_context":{"text":"Clement of Alexandria","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/clement-of-alexandria\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":878,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/tertullian-the-souls-testimony\/","url_meta":{"origin":1395,"position":3},"title":"Tertullian: The Soul’s Testimony","author":"Nemo","date":"December 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Call the soul before you, and put her to the question. Why does she worship another? why name the name of God? Why does she speak of demons, when she means to denote spirits to be held accursed? Why does she make her protestations towards the heavens, and pronounce her\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Tertullian"","block_context":{"text":"Tertullian","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/tertullian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the_last_judgement.jpeg?fit=901%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the_last_judgement.jpeg?fit=901%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the_last_judgement.jpeg?fit=901%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the_last_judgement.jpeg?fit=901%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":555,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/clement-of-alexandria-the-perfect-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":1395,"position":4},"title":"Clement of Alexandria: The Perfect Man","author":"Nemo","date":"January 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The perfect man, who is incapable of exercising courage: for neither does he meet what inspires fear, as he regards none of the things that occur in life as to be dreaded; nor can aught dislodge him from this\u2014the love he has towards God. 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