How Far the Demons Agree Among Themselves

It is true that there is no lasting harmony among bad men, and that perfect agreement cannot exist among them even about those faults that attract them all alike. For, as you have said, order and discipline can never be kept among undisciplined things. But in some matters, where common interest and necessity require it, or a share in some gain recommends it, they have to arrange some agreement for the time being. We see very clearly that this is so in this war of spiritual wickedness. Not only do they observe times and changes among themselves; they are even known to occupy particular places as their own and to haunt them persistently. For since they must make their attacks through certain fixed temptations and well-defined sins, and at particular times, we clearly infer that no one can at one and the same time be deluded by the hollowness of empty glory and inflamed by the lust of sexual immorality; nor at one and the same time be puffed up by the outrageous haughtiness of spiritual pride and brought low by the humiliation of fleshly gluttony. Nor can anyone be overcome by silly giggling and laughter and at the same time be stirred by the stings of anger, or at any rate be filled with the pains of gnawing grief. All the spirits must advance one by one to attack the soul. When one has been beaten and has retreated, he must make way for another spirit to attack it still more fiercely; or if he has come out the victor, he will nonetheless hand the soul over to be deceived by another.