Abba Xanthias said, “The thief on the cross was justified by a single word. Judas was numbered with the apostles, yet in one night he lost all his labor and came down from heaven to Hades. Therefore let no one who is doing well boast, for all who trusted in themselves fell.”
Abba Xanthias once went from Scetis to Terenuthis. Because of the toil of ascetic practice, he was given a little wine. Some people heard about him and brought him a man possessed by a demon. The demon began insulting the elder and saying, “You have brought this wine-drinker to me?” Xanthias did not want to cast it out, but because of the insult he said, “I trust in Christ that I will not finish this cup before you go out of him.” As he began to drink, the demon cried, “You are burning me! You are burning me!” Before he finished the cup, the demon went out by the grace of Christ.
Abba Xanthias said, “A dog is better than I am, because it has love and does not come to judgment.”