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

Of two Wills which are in man, and of the Battell between them.

Chap. 6. (Book 6)

THou must vnderstand O daughter, that in vs the rare two Wills the one of reason, and therefore called reasona∣ble, and superior: the other of sence, which is called sensuall, and inferiour: the which is also vsually signified by these names of sence, appetite, flesh, and passion.

And although both these may be called Will, yet neuer∣thelesse, because reason it is which maketh vs men, when wee will any thing with the sense only, it is not vnderstood

that it is truly willed by vs, vn∣till such time as we incline by our superior will, to will it.

Hereupon all our spirituall Battell principally consisteth in this, that this superior Will being placed as in the midst between the diuine wil, which stands aboue, and the inferior, which is that of the sence, con∣tinually assaulted by the one and the other, whilst either of these assaieth to draw it and to make it subiect, and obedient vnto them.

To those that haue alrea∣dy got the habite of vertue, or vice, and intend alway to pro∣ceede in the same, this fight is not painfull, for the vertuous easely agree vnto the diuine will, the other follow that of

the sence without any diffi∣cultie.

But they which are full of the euil habites of vice, (espe∣cially in the beginning) finde great paine and trauell, when they resolue to change their wicked life into a better, and taking them selues from the world, and from the flesh, do giue themselues to the loue and seruice of Iesus Christ.

For the strokes which the superior wil then sustaineth of the diuine wil, and of the infe∣rior, (which alwaies are sker∣mishing with it) are mightie and strong, and makes it well to feel them, not without great noyance of the combatants.

None may presume euer to ariue to any degree of vertue,

nor to be able to serue God, if he wil not labour in good ear∣nest, and support the paine which is to be felt in leauing those delights, whereunto at first his affection was fast tied.

Hence it commeth to passe that very fewe attaine to the state of perfection, because like cowardly souldiers they will not stand fast, and con∣stantly fight, and suffer the dints, which the resistance of an infinite number of their self wills bringeth with it, which dooth alwayes fight against them: but retiring backe, leaue their weapons and themselues in the power of their enemies who tirannize ouer them.

Here is laide open a deceit by so much the more daunge∣rous,

as it is lesse perceiued, that many which attend to the spiritual life, being louers of themselues, more then is re∣quisite (and yet in trueth they know not how to loue them∣selues) for the most part chuse those exercises, which most do please their taste, and they leaue the other which touch the quicke of their naturall in∣clinations and sensual appetite against the whiche all reason would they should turne al the force of their fight.