3430. He who thus appeared, being exhibited naked, supine, and snowy, said that he was nothing, thinking that life chiefly consisted in that, and this [he reiterated] often, that he was nothing; for which reason, and because he was so imperceptible, evil spirits were unable to harm him, for it was his persuasion that he was nothing, and in that persuasion lay his life; but in what manner or respect he was nothing, I was not able to perceive, only [that he said it] not from humility towards the Lord, nor from the consciousness that there was nothing but what was evil and impure in himself, for this he did not admit, as [all such] deem themselves pure, though they do not say holy. But his or their persuasion was, that he was then pure, and that there was nothing of evil, still less of defiled, pertaining to them, thus that all evil and defilement were washed away.