Chapter IV. Of Resistance and Violence, and of the Art of using them

RESISTANCE and violence, though cumbrous and painful weapons, are nevertheless necessary for winning the victory. These arms are to be used in the following way.

When you are attacked by your corrupt will, and evil habits, which would hinder you from willing and doing what God wills, you must resist them, saying, "Yes, yes, I will do it."

With the same resistance you should oppose them, when you feel yourself drawn towards the desires of bad habits and of the corrupt will, saying, "No, no, I will to do the Will of God, with His help. O my God, make haste to help me, lest this desire ever to do Thy Will, which through Thy grace is now present with me, be stifled, when temptation arises, by the old and corrupt will."

And if you feel great pain in resisting and weakness of will, you must use all manner of violence, remembering that "the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence," and that "the violent," against themselves, and their own passions, "take it by force." And if the pain and violence be so great as to fill your heart with anguish, go in spirit to Christ in the Garden, and unite your anguish with His, and pray Him that by virtue of His, He would give you victory over yourself, that so from your heart you may be able to say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Thy Will be done."

Then bend your will again and again to the Will of God, willing as He wills you to will. Strive to perform some action with such fulness and purity of intention, as if in it alone all perfection consisted, and the whole pleasure and honour of God. And afterwards do the second, third, fourth, and the others, in the same way.

Further, if the memory of some past transgression come to your mind, grieve over the fault, and summon up greater courage to obey God in the precept in which you have transgressed, and in any other with which you may be concerned. And here I would remind you (in order that you may not omit any occasion of obeying God, however trifling it may be) that if you obey God in little things, He will give you fresh grace, which will make obedience easy in greater things.

Also make it a habit, when any Divine precept presents itself to your thoughts, first to adore God, and then to pray Him that, when an opportunity offers, He would enable you to obey Him.