The spiritual conflict writen in Italian by a deuout seruant of God ; and lately translated into English out of the same language.

That we ought not to flie the oc∣casions of Combate.

Chap. 9. (Book 9)

BEsides all this that I haue saide vnto thee, whiche thou must doe, to cloath thy self with the habites of vertue: I put thee in mind, that it is not conuenient, that thou flye from the occasions of combat, which offer themselues vnto thee; and that if thou wilt get the habites of any vertue, (as for example of pacience) it is not good that thou shouldst withdraw thy selfe from those persons, actions, or thoughts, that moue thee to impatience: wherefore thou oughtest not to shunne, but rather, to hold

as deare, the conuersation of any person, that may be grie∣uous vnto thee, and conuer∣sing with him, thou oughtest to keepe thy mind readie and prepared to suffer any trou∣blesome, or displeasing thing whatsoeuer which may hap∣pen by him: for doing other∣wise, thou shalt neuer accu∣stome thy selfe to pacience.

So also in like maner if any worke be noysome, and irke∣some to thee, either by it selfe, or for the person, that hath im∣posed it vpon thee, or because thou wouldst doe some other thing, that doth better content thee: leaue not for all that to take it in hand, and to conti∣nue the same troublesome a∣ctions although in doing of it

thou shouldst finde thy selfe vnquiet, and leauing it, thou shouldst be in rest: for thus thou shouldst neuer learne to suffer, neither that should be any true quiet, thy mind not being purged from passion.

The same thing I saye vn∣to thee concerning thoughts, which sometines disturbe and trouble thy mind, that they are not wholy to be driuen from thee, but rather to be esteemd, for with the trouble they bring thee, they accustome thee to suffer crosses & contrarieties.

And he that shal otherwise instruct thee, doth rather teach thee to flie the griefe which thou feelest, then to obtain the vertue which thou desirest.

Yet notwithstanding it is

very true, that it behoueth a yong champion or a new be∣ginner to behaue himselfe, and skirmishe in these aforesaide occasions, with warinesse and dexteritie, sometimes to encounter them, sometimes to giue grounde, according as more or lesse he hath obtained the habite of vertue.

But for all this he must ne∣uer quite turne his backe from the fight, and flie in such sort that he seeke wholy to forsake all trouble and irkesomenesse, for hee which at that time should saue himselfe, being at another time assailed, should not haue then in his neede, wherewith to defend himselfe from the blowes of impati∣ence, vnto the which he shuld

lie open, with great daunger when they do fall vppon him, because he should not bee ar∣med, and strengthened with the habits of the contrary ver∣tue. These admonitions serue not in carnall vices, of the which (as I haue saide) I will intreate by themselues.