Wolves And Sheep

Si quis lupum cooperiat pelle ovina, quomodo cognoscas illum, nisi aut per vocem, aut per actum? Ovis inclinata deorsum balat, lupus in aera convertit caput suum contra caelum, et sic ululat. Qui ergo secundum Deum vocem humilitatis et confessionis emittit, ovis est: qui vero adversus veritatem turpiter blasphemiis ululat contra Deum, lupus est: sicut dicit propheta de illis: Iniquitatem in excelso loquuti sunt, posuerunt in coelum os suum. Ovis herbas manducat, lupus carnibus delectatur. Quem videris ergo de pratis Scripturarum herbas floridas justitiae colligentem, ovis est: quem videris autem in sanguine persequutionis gaudentem, lupus est. Adhuc autem considera an virtutes, quas facit, utiles sint an inutiles. Utiles sunt, quae mirabiliter fiunt, et ad salutem proficiunt: utputa infirmos sanare, et alia hujusmodi, quae fecit Christus. Vacuae autem sunt, quae admirationem quidem faciunt videntibus, utilitatem autem afferunt nullam: utputa volare per aerem, sicut et Dominum diabolus hortabatur: statuas facere ambulare: aut commisceri flammae, et non comburi: et alia qualia Simon fecit. Nam plena opera ex Deo sunt, quia et ipse est plenus; vacua autem ex diabolo, sicut et ipse est vacuus et vanus. Nam quia quaedam mirabilia fiunt ex Deo, quaedem autem ex diabolo, demonstrat Nicodemus. Non enim dixit, Nemo facit signa, nisi sit Deus cum illo: sed, Nemo fecit haec signa, quae tu facis, nisi sit Deus cum illo. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia XIX Source: Migne PG 56.739

If someone covers the wolf with the fleece of a sheep 1 how will we know it, unless by the voice, or the deed? The sheep bleats with its head down, the wolf turns its head to the sky and howls against heaven. Therefore, he who gives forth the voice of humility and confession to God, he is a sheep, but he who against the truth, with foul blasphemy, howls against God, he is a wolf, as the Prophet says of them: 'They spoke iniquity against the High, and they placed their mouths in heaven.' 2 The sheep eats grass, the wolf delights in flesh. Therefore he whom you see gathering the flowery grasses of righteousness from the meadows of Scripture is a sheep, but he whom you see delighting in persecution, he is a wolf. And then consider their powers, whether they be useful or useless. They are useful when they are wonders and profit for salvation, as healing the sick and the other things which Christ did. They are empty when they are done for the admiration of onlookers and they have no usefulness for anything, as flying through the air, just as the Devil demanded of Christ, 3 and making statues walk, and standing in flames and not being burnt, and those other things that Simon did. 4 For full works are from God, because He is fullness, and empty ones are from the devil, as even he is empty and vain. And that certain wonders are from God, and others from the devil, Nicodemus demonstrates. For he did not say, 'No one makes signs unless he is from God.' but 'No one makes these signs, which you do, unless God is with him.' 5 Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 19 1 Mt 7.15 2 Ps 72.8-9 3 Mt 4.5-6 4 Acts 8.9-11 5 Jn 3.2