The Spiritual Combat
Subtitle: Together With The Supplement And The Path Of Paradise
Series: Library of spiritual works for English Catholics
Publisher: Rivingtons
Published: 1875
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 269
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS; title: THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT; title: Chap. page; title: I. In what Christian Perfection consists; and that the attainment of it involves a struggle, and of four things necessary for this conflict 1; title: II. Of Distrust of ourselves 8; title: III. Of Trust in God 12; title: IV. How we may know whether we are acting with self-distrust and Trust in God 15; title: V. Of the mistake of many, who hold Timidity for a Virtue 16; title: VI. Further advice as to obtaining this Distrust of self and Trust in God 17; title: VII. Of Spiritual Exercise; and first of the Exercise of the Understanding, which must be preserved from Ignorance and Curiosity 19; title: VIII. Of the Hindrances to a right Discernment of things, and of the course which we should take in order to Judge truly concerning them 21; title: IX. Of another thing from which the Understanding must be preserved in order to exercise a Right Judgment 24; title: X. Of the Exercise of the Will, and of the End to which all our Actions, both inward and outward, should be directed 27; title: XI. Of some Considerations which may induce the Will to seek in all things the Good Pleasure of God 33; title: XII. Of the divers Wills which are in Man, and of the Warfare between them 34; title: XIII. Of the way to resist the Sensual Impulses, and of the Acts to be performed by the Will, in order to acquire Habits of Virtue 38; title: XIV. What ought to be done when the higher Will seems to be wholly overcome and stifled by the lower Will, and by its Enemies 45; title: XV. Some Suggestions about the manner of Fighting; and especially against what Enemies, and with what Virtues, we should contend 48; title: XVI. In what way the Soldier of Christ should take the Field early in the Morning 51; title: XVII. Of the order to be observed in the Conflict with our Evil Passions 54; title: XVIII. Of the way to overcome Sudden Risings of the Passions 55; title: XIX. How to resist the Lusts of the Flesh 57; title: XX. Of the way to overcome Sloth 64; title: XXI. Of the Guard of the Outward Senses, and how from these we may pass to the Contemplation of the Divinity 70; title: XXII. How the same things may offer us opportunities of regulating our Senses by passing on to Meditation on the Incarnate Word, in the Mysteries of His Life and Passion 74; title: XXIII. Of other ways of Governing our Senses according to the different occasions which happen 77; title: XXIV. How to rule the Tongue 83; title: XXV. That the Soldier of Christ, if he would be successful against his Enemies, must, as far as possible, lay aside all Agitation and Anxiety of Mind 86; title: XXVI. What we must do when we are Wounded 91; title: XXVII. Of the order which the Devil observes in his Assaults and Stratagems against those who give themselves to a Holy Life, and against those who are already found in the Bondage of Sin 94; title: XXVIII. Of the Assaults and Devices which the Devil employs against those who are held in the Bondage of Sin 95; title: XXIX. Of the Wiles and Delusions by which the Devil holds captive those who are conscious of their Misery, and desire to be free; and how it is our Resolutions are so often fruitless 96; title: XXX. Of the Delusion of those who imagine that they are going on to Perfection 99; title: XXXI. Of the Devil's Deceits and Struggles to draw us away from the Path of Perfection 101; title: XXXII. Of the last above-named Assault and Stratagem, whereby the Devil tries to make the Virtues we have acquired the Occasions of our Ruin 106; title: XXXIII. Of certain Suggestions for overcoming our evil Passions, and gaining new Virtues 115; title: XXXIV. That Virtues are to be gained by degrees; by Exercising ourselves in their gradual formation, and that our Attention must first be given to one step, and then to another 119; title: XXXV. Of the means by which Virtues are acquired, and of the way we should Use them, allowing some space of Time to one Virtue only 121; title: XXXVI. That in the Exercise of Virtue we must continually Advance with Diligence 124; title: XXXVII. That as we must always continue in the Exercise of the Virtues, so we must not shun any opportunity which offers itself for their Attainment 126; title: XXXVIII. That we ought to regard as precious every Opportunity which is afforded to us for the Acquisition of Virtues; and chiefly those which present the greatest Difficulties 138; title: XXXIX. How to avail ourselves of the various Occasions which present themselves for the Exercise of a single Virtue 131; title: XL. Of the length of time to be given to the Exercise of each particular Virtue, and of the marks of Spiritual Advancement 133; title: XLI. That we must not yield to the wish to be rid of the Trials which we are bearing patiently; and how we should rule all our Desires so as to grow in Holiness 136; title: XLII. How to resist the Devil, when he tries to ensnare us by an indiscreet Zeal 138; title: XLIII. Of the Power of our Evil Inclinations, and of the Way the Devil tempts us to form rash Judgments of our Neighbour, and how to resist him 141; title: XLIV. Of Prayer 144; title: XLV. What is Mental Prayer 150; title: XLVI. Of Meditation 152; title: XLVII. Of another mode of Praying by way of Meditation 154; title: XLVIII. Of a mode of Praying by means of the Blessed Virgin Mary 155; title: XLIX. Of certain Considerations as to Faith and Confidence in the Prayers of the Virgin Mary 157; title: L. Of a way of Meditating and Praying by means of the Angels and of all the Blessed 159; title: LI. Of Meditation on the Passion of Christ, in order to excite various Affections 161; title: LII. Of the Advantages which may be derived from Meditation on the Crucifixion of our Lord, and of the Imitation of His Virtues 168; title: LIII, Of the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist 174; title: LIV. Of the way we ought to Receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist 175; title: LV. How wc ought to Prepare ourselves for Communion in order to excite within us Love 179; title: LVI. Of Spiritual Communion 188; title: LVII. Of returning Thanks 190; title: LVIII. Of Oblation 191; title: LIX. Of Sensible Devotion and of Dryness 195; title: LX. Of the Examination of Conscience 201; title: LXI. How in this Battle we have need of continuing the Struggle even unto Death 202; title: LXII. How to prepare ourselves against the Enemies who assault us when we are Dying 204; title: LXIII. Of four Assaults of our Enemies at the time of Dying : and first of the Assault upon Faith, and of the manner of defending ourselves 206; title: LXIV. Of the Assault of Despair, and of its Remedy 207; title: LXV. Of the Assault of Vain-glory 209; title: LXVI. Of the Assault of Illusions and false Appearances at the Point of Death 210; title: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT; title: I. What is the Nature of Christian Perfection 215; title: II. Of the Necessity of a Conflict in order to gain Christum Perfection 216; title: III. Of Three Things which are needful for the Young Soldier of Christ 216; title: IV. Of Resistance and Violence, and of the Art of using them 217; title: V. That we have need to Watch continually over our Will, so as to discover the particular Passion to which it inclines 219; title: VI. How by removing the first Passion, which is Love of the Creature and of Self, and by giving it to God, all the rest will be well regulated and ordered 220; title: VII. That the Human Will stands in need of Succour 222; title: VIII. How the Will of Man is greatly strengthened by overcoming the World 223; title: IX. Of the Second Help to the Will 225; title: X. Of Temptations to Spiritual Pride 227; title: XI. Of the Third Help of the Human Will 228; title: XII. In what Way a Man may gain the Habit of keeping in the Presence of God, whenever he will 229; title: XIII. Some Advice about Prayer 231; title: XIV. Of another way of Praying 233; title: XV. Of the Fourth Help of the Human Will 233; title: XVI. Of Meditation on the Being of God 234; title: XVII. Of Meditation on the Power of God 235; title: XVIII. Of Meditation on the Wisdom of God 236; title: XIX. Of Meditation on the Goodness of God 237; title: XX. Of Meditation on the Beauty of God 237; title: XXI. What God has done for Man, and with what love; and what He would further do for him, if needful 238; title: XXII. What God does every Day for Man 239; title: XXIII. How great is the Goodness of our God in waiting for and bearing with the Sinner 239; title: XXIV. What God will do in another Life, not only for him who has always served Him, but also for the converted Sinner 240; title: XXV. Of the Fifth Help of the Human Will 242; title: XXVI. In what Way Self-love may be discovered 243; title: XXVII. Of the Sixth Help 246; title: XXVIII. Of Sacramental Communion 248; title: XXIX. Of Sacramental Confession 249; title: XXX. How to overcome the Impure Passion 251; title: XXXI. How many things should be avoided, so as not to fall into the Vice of Impurity 253; title: XXXII. What we should do when we have fallen into this Sin of Impurity 254; title: XXXIII. Of some Motives which should lead the Sinner to turn to God without delay 255; title: XXXIV. How to obtain the Gift of Tears for our Offences against God, and Conversion 258; title: XXXV. Of some Reasons why Men live without Weeping for their Offences against God, without Virtues, and without Christian Perfection 260; title: XXXVI. Of Love towards Enemies 263; title: XXXVII. Of Examination of Conscience 265; title: XXXVIII. Of Two Rules for Living in Peace 267; title: OF INTERIOR PEACE, OR THE PATH TO PARADISE; title: I. What is the Nature of our Heart, and how it ought to be Governed 271; title: II. Of the Care we should have to preserve a Peaceful Spirit 272; title: III. How this Building of Inward Peace must be gradually constructed 274; title: IV How the Sotd must refuse all Consolations, for this is true Humility and poverty of Spirit, by which Interior Peace is acquired 275; title: V. How the Soul should keep herself in a state of inward Solitude, that God may work within her 278; title: VI. Of the Prudence which we ought to exercise in the Love of our Neighbour, so as not to disturb this Peace 280; title: VII. How the Soul, despoiled of its own Will, must present itself before God 283; title: VIII. Of the Faith we should have in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, and how we should offer ourselves unto the Lord 287; title: IX. That we ought not to seek Pleasures, nor the Things which gratify our Tastes; but God Alone 288; title: X. That the Servant of God must not be discouraged, though he feel within himself some Repugnance and Disquiet as to this Peace 290; title: XI. Of the Diligence which the Devil employs to disturb this Peace, and how we ought to guard ourselves against his Devices 292; title: XII. That the Soul ought not to disquiet itself on account of Inward Trials 296; title: XIII. That Temptations are sent us by God for our good 298; title: XIV. Of the Remedy which we ought to use, so as not to be disquieted under Faults and Infirmities 303; title: XV. How the Soul, without loss of Time, should recover Calmness, and make Progress 306