Two Roads and Two Angels

“In the first commandment I ordered you to keep faith and fear and self-control.” “Yes, sir.” “But now I want to show you their powers as well, so that you may know which of them has which power and which way of working; for their working is twofold. It bears on the righteous and on the unrighteous alike. So trust what is righteous, and put no trust in what is unrighteous. What is righteous has a straight road; what is unrighteous has a crooked one. Travel the straight and level road, and let the crooked one alone.” [a]

“The crooked road has no beaten track. It has open country with no way through, and a great deal to trip over, and it is rough and full of thorns; it does harm to those who travel it. But those who travel the straight road walk on level ground and do not stumble, because it is neither rough nor thorny. So you see that it is better to travel this road.” “I am glad to travel this road, sir.” “You will travel it. And whoever turns to the Lord with his whole heart will travel it.”

“Now listen about faith. There are two angels with each person: one of righteousness and one of wickedness.” “Then how, sir, am I to know their workings, since both angels live with me?” “Listen, and understand them. The angel of righteousness is tender and modest, gentle and quiet. So when he comes up into your heart, he speaks with you at once about righteousness, about purity, about dignity, about being content with what you have, about every righteous deed and every glorious virtue. When all of these come up into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These, then, are the works of the angel of righteousness. So trust him, and trust his works.” [e]

“Now look at the works of the angel of wickedness too. First of all he is quick-tempered and bitter and senseless, and his works are evil and overturn the servants of God. So when he comes up into your heart, know him by his works.” “How I am to recognize him, sir, I do not know.” “Listen. When a fit of quick temper falls on you, or bitterness, know that he is in you. Then comes a craving for a great deal of business; extravagance in many dishes and in strong drink, and one drinking bout after another, and all sorts of foods that are not proper; cravings for women, and for getting more; a great deal of arrogance and boasting; and everything of that kind and like it. So when these come up into your heart, know that the angel of wickedness is in you.”

“Now that you have recognized his works, get away from him and trust him in nothing, because his works are evil and no good to the servants of God. So you have the workings of both angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness. But get away from the angel of wickedness, because his teaching is evil in every deed. For if a man is faithful, and the thought that belongs to this angel comes up into his heart, that man — or that woman — is bound to sin in some way. And again, if a man or a woman is thoroughly wicked, and the works of the angel of righteousness come up into that person’s heart, he must of necessity do something good. So you see that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness and to renounce the angel of wickedness.”

“This commandment sets out what concerns faith: that you should trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and by doing them live to God. But be sure of this — the works of the angel of wickedness are dangerous. So by not doing them you will live to God.”