examination of the heart 266 What a false prophet is sight, which for the most part mars the image of a decent thing with bad internal ideas! A false prophet also is hearing, which is open to any idle conversations, and causes so many distractions for you when you are about to pray. A false prophet also is taste, which through gluttony promises you strength of body and firmness of mind, but in reality weakens both of them. A false prophet also is touch, which pleases now, but torments thereafter. Finally, the sense of smell is a false prophet, which rejects some smells as something that will bring harm to you, and accepts pleasant smells as something that will do you good, and deceives you in each case. Beware of these false prophets: it is you who should govern them, and they should not govern and deceive you. 2. “who come to you in sheep’s clothing” (Mt 7:15). You should consider the rectitude of your thoughts and examine their quality. For how often, when they are very foul, do they penetrate into your mind as very beautiful? In this way, they are admitted quite often under the appearance of devotion, yet they cause the effect of impiety. They come, indeed, under the veil of zeal, but many times they conceal an angry disposition. They come under the garment of good love, but bring evil [f.70r] love. They come under the veil of justice, but they really bring vengeance. They come under the cover of discretion, but in truth they are thoughts of halfheartedness. Finally, they come as manifestations of sanctity, and after their departure they leave a sense of illusion. Be on your guard, lest you allow wolves in the clothing of sheep to enter into you. 3. “but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt 7:15). Consider that it is characteristic of the evil one that he feigns to be a sheep, lest recognized as a wolf, he be shunned. Thus, by reason of an urgent necessity, he deceived Saul, so that Saul offered sacrifice without the approval of Samuel; while truly more acceptable to God would have been his obedience, rather than a sacrificial victim (cf. 1 Sam 15:22).
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