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Chapter 29

How the Devil procureth, by exterior means, to make us give over good exercises; And how we must strengthen our hart by confidence in our Lord, for the overcoming of him; And of other things, which help to free us from this fear; and of the fruit of this temptation.

SO great is the envy which the Devils have of our happiness, as that they always endeavour to keep us from enjoying, that, which themselves lost. And when, in any battle, they go away overcome by us, or (to speak more truly) by Almighty God; they are still ranging more, and more battles, if so peradventure they may find some careless person to be defeated. They change their weapons, and their manner of fight; in hope that whom now they overcame not, they may, afterward. And so, when they have discovered, that they could not entangle us, by craft (for as much as we are guyded by true Christian doctrine, which telleth us that we must commit ourselves to the most just will of God, & that patiently we must suffer what he sendeth us, either from without, or within) they resolve to denounce, an open war; and he maketh himself a fierce Lion, who was before a Dragon, but concealed. He aimeth at one thing, and thrusteth at another; and more boldly doth he procure to make himself be feared; conceiving that he may obtain that by giving frights, which he was not able to do by other crafty means. Hear shall you see him not made a fox, but a fierce Lion; who amazeth men with his roaring, as S. Peter saith, Brethren1 be temperate, and vigilant; for your Adversary the devil, walketh his round, seeking whom he may denoure, whom you must resist, being strong in faith. They must not be intemperate or inconsiderate, who are subject to have such an enemy; and the sheep who find themselves environed, by such a roaring Lion, are much to watch and pray to our true pastor Jesus Christ. But what are the weapons, by which this enemy is overcome, that so he may go confounded, out of this war, as he did out of the last? These weapons are faith, as S. Peter and S. Paul have said. For when a foul, through the love of God (which is the life of faith) despiseth both the prosperity, and adversity of the world; and doth believe and confide in God, whom she doth not see; the devil must not think to have an entrance there.

And beside, in●egard that this light of faith, teacheth men that are in danger, to confide in the mercy of God; if he that is assaulted, will serve himself well thereof; he shall get great courage, to fight against the devil, which is a thing very necessary for this war. For2 if the faint-hearted man, be not fit to fight even against visible enemies (for which reason, God commanded that such persons, should retire from the war) how much less shall they be so, to fight, not against flesh and blood, but against Devils, who are the Princes of darkness, as Saint Paul saith. And although, in the high presence of God, we are to be prostrate, and in fear, lest he abandon us for our sins; yet in time of war, when we are assaulted by our enemy, it is wholly fit that we be full of courage, despising him, and imploring the assistance of our Lord.

In this sort do we read, that our Lord himself prayed to his Father, before his apprehension, being prostrate and full of anguish; and from thence he went, so full of courage, as that himself passed out, to meet his enemies. The prime intention of the Devil in this battle, is to deprive our hart of courage, to the end that so, we may give over the good course begun. This he procureth, by taking sometimes the figure of a Dragon, or of a Bull, or some other beast, disturbing our prayer with noise, or hindering the quietness of our repose (as we read him to have done to job) and casting a man into a profound internal fear, which maketh him tremble; though he be never so valiant, and sometimes, he will even sweat with anguish. And other effects there are like these, which give testimony, how that infernal wolf is not far off. It is plain, that since all the mystery of his war, works by fear; the principal weapon that we are to have, is strength of hart; being encouraged, not through our confidence in ourselves, but by a faithful trust in our Lord. This is the thing which in this war, doth make us victorious; for confidence overcometh fear, as it is written: I3 will do it confidently, and will not fear. And be well assured, that thou shalt never repent thyself, for having placed thy firm trust, which is a courageous kind of hope, in God; neither shalt thou be able to say, He hath deceived me, since it did not succeed as I hoped. For hope, as S. Paul4 saith, putteth not to shame, nor shall he that hopeth in our Lord be confounded.

Never5 doth if fail a man, if he be not wanting to himself; but then only it faileth, when he looseth charity, which is the life of hope, and of all virtue. And those6 Ancients of the desert, knowing how neceslary, a hart full of courage was, towards a not being overcome, in these skirmishes against the Devil (which amongst them, were very usual) they went by night to pray alone, amongst the sepulchres of dead men; that so they might purchase a being free from fear; the dominion of which fear over us, doth use to bring us extreme prejudice. If we will take the counsel of Christ, we shall live very secure from this fear: for he taketh it fion us, saying I7 will tell you whom you are to fear; him fear, who, after the body is dead, hath power of casting into hell; fear him. He that feareth not God, shall, by reason of his evil conscience, fear the world, and the Devil; but he that feareth God, feareth not the Devil; for to fear him, is in some sort, to be subject, as to one that can do him hurt. And8 because he hath not power to reach even to a hair of a man's head, unless God give him leave, there is no cause why we should fear him, but our Lord, by whom the leave may be given. For this reason it is, that we always must be humble, and, with holy fear; in the presence of God; but with the Devil we must be full of courage, through our hope in God; and full of a holy kind of pride. And how much more full he is of braving, so much more fear thou God, and recommend thyself to him; and so much less, must thou fear the Devil.

So do we read of S. Anthony, that great conqueror of Devils; who seeing himself environed by them, in the form of cruel beasts, (which seemed, as if they would have swallowed him:) If you had (saith he) any power, any one of you would be able to overcome a man; but because you are defeated (God having taken your forces from you) you procure to join many together, and so to fright us. If our Lord have given you power ●uer me, here I am, come and swallow me up; but if not, why do you labour thus in vain. And so this Saint used to say, that against Devils, the sign of the cross, & the faith of our Lord (which somtims signifieth Confidence) is a wall unto us, that cannot be scaled. And though our forces, being compared with that of the Devil, are very slender, and weak; yet faith doth tell us, if we be not deaf; That God is the defendor of all such, as hope in him, And since he is so good, as to promise us his defence and succour; and to plant his hart and eyes upon the Church, which is figured in the temple of Solomon; and is both true of his word, and of power to perform his promises, (there being none either in heaven or earth, that can refist, either him, or any man who is assisted by him) that Christian should not esteem of God, nor of his sincerity, nor goodness, nor power as a Christian ought, if he believed not of him, that he for his part, performeth well the promises, of his succour. But these, and the like things which he doth, must be understood with this condition that a man, at that time, be in the state of grace, or procure to be so, not only by believing the promises in general, nor yet by believing, that, in particular they are applied to him; but by penance also, & other means, which are taught by the Catholic Church. Not, but that we do nevertheless assuredly believe, that many in the same Church are in the state of grace, to whom without all doubt, God fulfilleth the promises of being their defendor who hope in him; but yet for as much, as no man can be infallibly sure, without special revelation, that himself is in that state of grace, he is to believe by the Catholic faith, that the divine assistance, is never wanting on the part of God; but himself may, and must fear, that it will not perhaps, take effect in him, through his fault, or negligence in doing his duty. So that with some fear of himself, and by confidence in our Lord, he must procure to encourage, and help himself, by the word of God, who promiseth succour to such as fight for him. And9 this fear, or uncertainty, in which God hath left us, of not knowing assuredly that we are in his favour, though it may seem painful, is very profitable, towards the conserving of our humility; and the not undervalewing of our neighbours; and to spur us up, towards good works. And with so much the more caution, and consideration must we do it, as we are less certain, whether we be pleasing to our Lord, or no.

But do not for all this conceive, that thy hart must be dismayed with vain fear; for as much as this truth which I have told thee, did not keep David from saying, If10 whole armies shall rise against me, yet shall not my hart be afraid; & if war shall come upon me, yet will I hope in God. So also doth S. Paul11 admonish, us that we should serve ourselves of those words which God said, I will not forsake thee; & I will not abandon thee; in such sort, as that we may confidently say, Our Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do. These, and the like words, do not wholly take away, all the fear which a Christian (for his own part) ought to have; but it taketh away all excess thereof, by the confidence which is to be placed in God. And thus we are to walk, between hope and fear; and so much more, as the love increaseth, so much doth the hope also increase, and so much also is fear diminished. And12 therefore, if thou have a mind to feel, in thyself, that courage of mind, and the little fear which perfect men do find, cast thou away all tepidity from thyself; & take the business of virtue to hart, and then, in that very hart of thine, thou shalt read that courage, which now thou readest but in Books. Then shalt thou be able to fight boldly, against the Devil, although he circled the● round about, to devour thee; for thou shalt have a hope to be defended by Jesus Christ, who is the strong Lion of juda. He always overcometh in us, if we do not lose our confidence; and if, like cowards, we do not deliver up ourselves, with our hands bound behind us, to our enemies without resolving to fight. Our Lord, doth not suffer these wars, and temptations to come to his friends, but for their greater good; as it is written, Blessed13 is the man who suffereth temptation; for he being so proved, shall receive the crown of life, which God promiseth to such as love him. He was pleased also, that patience in troubles, and the standing fast on foot, for his honour in tentations, should be the touchstone, whereby his friends were to be tried. For14 it is no sign of a true friend, if he only accompany another in occasions of case; but to stand fast by him, in time of tribulation. And as all men would be glad to have approved friends to stand fast by them, in the time of affliction and trial (accounting of it, as their own) just so doth God desire to have his; and like a thankful person he saith to them, You are the men, who have remained with me in my temptations. And as an abundant rewarder, he saith further to them, I15 dispose of my kingdom to you, as my Father disposed of it to me; that you may eat, and drink at my table, in my kingdom; companions here in pain, and afterwards in the Kingdom of glory.

Thou must encourage thyself to fight manfully, in the wars, which are made against thee, to divide thee from God; since he is thy helper on earth, and thy reward in heaven. Remember how S. Anthony, being cruelly whipped, and beaten by the Devils, lifting up his eyes to heaven, saw the roof of his Cell all open, whereby a beam of so admirable light did enter; as at the presence thereof, all the Devils fled away; and the pain of his wounds forsook him; & with profound internal sighs, he said to our Lord, (who then appeared to him) Where wert thou, O my good Jesus, where wert thou, when I was so ill handled by the enemies; why wert thou not here, in the beginning of my combat, that so thou mightest have prevented, or cured all my sores. Whereunto our Lord answered, Hear I was, from the very beginning but I stood looking on to see how thou didst carry thyself, in thy combat. And because thou hast fought manfully, I will ever help thee: & thou shalt be famous throughout the whole earth. By these words, and by the virtue of our Lord, he rose up so full of courage, as to find by experience, that he had gotten then more strength, than he had lost before.

In16 this sort doth our Lord treat his friends, and he leaveth them oftentimes in trances of so great danger, as that they scarce know where to set a foot; nor do they find one hair of strength, by which they can take hold; nor are they able to help themselves, by the memory of those favours which in former times, they had received of God; but they remain, as if they were naked, and in profound darkness, being given over to the persecution of their enemies. But suddenly when they least look for it, our Lord doth visit them; and deliver them; and leave them with more strength, than they had before, & thrusteth those enemies under their feet. And the soul (howsoever it be more weak in nature, than the Devil) doth feel in itself, such a powerful strength, that it seemeth to tear him even in pieces, as a thing that is but weak, and without resistance; and not only groweth it not able, to fight against one, but against many Devils; so great is the courage which it feeleth to have comfreshly towards it, from heaven; and wherewith it doth not only defend itself, but it saith with David; I will persecute my enemies, and I will take them. I will not return till they be conquered, and defeated, that they may no more remain upon their feet, but they shall fall under mine.

What is there of greater profit, then that which S. Augustine beggeth, when he saith, O Lord, make me know thee, with an17 amorous knowledge, and let me also know myself. Now18 what means is there so proper, for the making him know himself, as to see himself experimentally in such trances. That he may touch, as a man may say, with his own hands, his own weakness; and that, so very truly; as to be wholly unbeguiled of any estimation, which he might make of himself. And, on the otherside, he findeth by experience, how faithful God is, in fulfilling the promises, of his succour, in the time of necessity; and how powerful he is, in delivering his servants from so great weakness, by the sudden gift of so admirable strength; and how full he is of mercy, in visiting, and pitying them, who are so extremely afflicted.

By this means, a man doth fall flat upon his face, acknowledging his poverty and misery; and he adoreth his God, by both loving him, and hoping for succour from him, when he shall find himself in new dangers. S. Paul19 affirmeth that it happened to himself, after this manner: I will not (saith he) have you ignorant, my Brethren, of the tribulation that we suffered in Asia, whereby we were afflicted above measure; and above our own strength; so20 fare, as that even to live, was a trouble to us; and we did within ourselves believe assuredly, that there was no means for us to escape from death. And this happeneth so, to the end that we might not have confidence in ourselves, but in God, who giveth life to the dead. He, who hath delivered us, out of so great dangers; and by whom hereafter, we also hope to be delivered.

Footnotes

    1. Pet. 5.
    ↩

  2. Note. ↩

  3. Isa. 12. ↩

  4. Rom. 5. ↩

  5. A virtuous life, is the ground, of giving contiovamce to a good hope. ↩

  6. I he old Hetmi●●. ↩

  7. 〈◊〉 ●0. ↩

  8. Note. ↩

  9. Note. ↩

  10. Psalm 15. ↩

  11. Heb. 13. ↩

  12. An excellent rule. ↩

  13. la●. 1. ↩

  14. Note. ↩

  15. Lue: ●●. ↩

  16. A most comfortable and true doctrine. ↩

  17. Yea, & his prayer was heard. ↩

  18. The excellent use & fruit of temptations & desolations. ↩

  19. Rom. 5. ↩

  20. We must not be dejected, in being much afflicted, since S. Paul himself was discomforted. ↩

Chapter 31 of 115