第四章：论第二种恶，即魔鬼可能借记忆的自然领受而带给灵魂的恶。
Chapter IV: Which treats of the second kind of evil that may come to the soul from the devil by way of the natural apprehensions of the memory.
第二种正面的恶，可能借记忆的知识临到灵魂，是出于魔鬼；魔鬼借此对灵魂取得很大的影响力。因为他能够不断把新的形式、知识种类和反思带给灵魂，借此以骄傲、贪婪、忿怒、嫉妒等等玷污灵魂，使它产生不义的仇恨或虚妄的爱，并以许多方式欺骗它。此外，他常留下印象，〔直译：「留下事物」。〕并把它们植入想象中，使虚假的显为真实，真实的显为虚假。最后，一切由魔鬼造成的最恶劣欺骗，以及他带给灵魂的恶，都是借记忆的知识和反思进入的。因此，若记忆在这一切方面进入黑暗，并在对它们的遗忘中归于无，它就把这出于魔鬼的恶完全关在门外，并使自己摆脱这一切；这是极大的福分。因为魔鬼对灵魂没有能力，除非是借其官能的运作，主要是借知识；其他官能几乎所有运作都依赖于知识。因此，若记忆在这些事上归于无，魔鬼就无能为力；因为他找不到立足点，而没有立足点，他便毫无能力。〔直译：「他找不到可抓住之物，而无物可凭，他就不能做什么」。〕
The second positive evil that may come to the soul by means of the knowledge of the memory proceeds from the devil, who by this means obtains great influence over it. For he can continually bring it new forms, kinds of knowledge and reflections, by means whereof he can taint the soul with pride, avarice, wrath, envy, etc., and cause it unjust hatred, or vain love, and deceive it in many ways. And besides this, he is wont to leave impressions, [Lit., to leave things.‘] and to implant them in the fancy, in such wise that those that are false appear true, and those that are true, false, And finally all the worst deceptions which are caused by the devil, and the evils that he brings to the soul, enter by way of knowledge and reflections of the memory, Thus if the memory enter into darkness with respect to them all, and be annihilated in its oblivion to them, it shuts the door altogether upon this evil which proceeds from the devil, and frees itself from all these things, which is a great blessing. For the devil has no power over the soul unless it be through the operations of its faculties, principally by means of knowledge, whereupon depend almost all the other operations of the other faculties. Wherefore, if the memory be annihilated with respect to them, the devil can do naught; for he finds no foothold, and without a foothold he is powerless. [Lit., he finds nothing to seize upon, and with nothing he can do nothing.’]
2. 我愿属灵之人能清楚看见，当他们常常致力于使用记忆时，邪灵借记忆在他们灵魂中造成多少种伤害；也看见他们在关于神的思想方面，以及在世上事物方面，有多少种忧伤、苦恼，以及虚妄而邪恶的快乐；又看见有多少不洁在他们灵里扎根；同样也看见他们多么严重地偏离最高的收敛。最高的收敛在于灵魂按其官能完全固定于那一位不可领会的善，并使灵魂脱离一切可被领受之物，因为这些都不是不可领会的善。这是一件大善（虽然这种空虚所产生的善，不如灵魂固定于神所产生的善那么大），只因它是使灵魂得以摆脱各种忧愁、苦恼和悲伤的原因；此外，灵魂也由此摆脱缺陷和罪。
2. I would that spiritual persons might clearly see how many kinds of harm are wrought by evil spirits in their souls by means of the memory, when they devote themselves frequently to making use of it, and how many kinds of sadness and affliction and vain and evil joys they have, both with respect to their thoughts about God, and also with respect to the things of the world; and how many impurities are left rooted in their spirits; and likewise how greatly they are distracted from the highest recollection, which consists in the fixing of the whole soul, according to its faculties, upon the one incomprehensible Good, and in withdrawing it from all things that can be apprehended, since these are not incomprehensible Good. This is a great good (although less good results from this emptiness than from the soul’s fixing itself upon God), simply because it is the cause whereby the soul frees itself from any griefs and afflictions and sorrows, over and above the imperfections and sins from which it is freed.