The Spiritual Combat, The Peace of the Soul, and Thoughts on Death

THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT, THE PEACE OF THE SOUL, AND THOUGHTS ON DEATH

By LORENZO SCUPOLI

The Spiritual Combat, The Peace of the Soul, and Thoughts on Death

By Lorenzo Scupoli

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-6932-0

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-6933-7

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Cover Image: a detail of Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, by Leon Joseph Florentin Bonnat (1833-1922), c. 1876 (oil on canvas) / Bridgeman Images.

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CONTENTS

THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT

Chapter 1. In what Christian Perfection consists; and that the attainment of it involves a struggle, and of four things necessary for this conflict.

Chapter 2. Of Distrust of Ourselves.

Chapter 3. Of Trust in God.

Chapter 4. How we may know whether we are acting with Self-distrust and Trust in God.

Chapter 5. Of the mistake of many, who hold Timidity for a Virtue.

Chapter 6. Further advice as to obtaining this Distrust of Self and Trust in God.

Chapter 7. Of Spiritual Exercise; and first of the Exercise of the Understanding, which must be preserved from Ignorance and Curiosity.

Chapter 8. Of the Hindrances to a right Discernment of Things, and of the course which we should take in order to Judge truly concerning them.

Chapter 9. Of another Thing from which the Understanding must be preserved in order to exercise a Right Judgment.

Chapter 10. Of the Exercise of the Will, and of the End to which all our Actions, both inward and outward, should be directed.

Chapter 11. Of some Considerations which may induce the Will to seek in all things the Good Pleasure of God.

Chapter 12. Of the many Wills which are in Man, and of the Warfare between them.

Chapter 13. 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.

Chapter 14. What ought to be done when the higher Will seems to be wholly overcome and stifled by the lower Will, and by its Enemies.

Chapter 15. Some Suggestions about the manner of Fighting; and especially against what Enemies, and with what Virtues, we should contend.

Chapter 16. In what way the Soldier of Christ should take the Field early in the Morning.

Chapter 17. Of the Order to be observed in the Conflict with our Evil Passions.

Chapter 18. Of the way to overcome Sudden Risings of the Passions.

Chapter 19. How to resist the Lusts of the Flesh.

Chapter 20. Of the Way to overcome Sloth.

Chapter 21. Of the Guard of the Outward Senses, and how from these we may pass to the Contemplation of the Divinity.

Chapter 22. 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.

Chapter 23. Of other ways of Governing our Senses according to the different occasions which happen.

Chapter 24. How to Rule the Tongue.

Chapter 25. 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.

Chapter 26. What we must do when we are Wounded.

Chapter 27. Of the Order which the Devil observes in his Assaults and Stratagems against those who give themselves to a Holy Life, and those who are already found in the Bondage of Sin.

Chapter 28. Of the Assaults and Devices which the Devil employs against those who are held in the Bondage of Sin.

Chapter 29. 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.

Chapter 30. Of the Delusion of those who imagine that they are going on to Perfection.

Chapter 31. Of the Devil’s Deceits and Struggles to draw us away from the Path of Perfection.

Chapter 32. Of the last above-named Assault and Stratagem, whereby the Devil tries to make the Virtues we have acquired the Occasions of our Ruin.

Chapter 33. Of certain Suggestions for overcoming our Evil Passions, and gaining new Virtues.

Chapter 34. 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.

Chapter 35. 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.

Chapter 36. That in the Exercise of Virtue we must continually Advance with Diligence.

Chapter 37. 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.

Chapter 38. 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.

Chapter 39. How to avail ourselves of the various Occasions which present themselves for the Exercise of a single Virtue.

Chapter 40. Of the length of time to be given to the Exercise of each particular Virtue, and of the marks of Spiritual Advancement.

Chapter 41. 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.

Chapter 42. How to resist the Devil when he tries to ensnare us by an indiscreet Zeal.

Chapter 43. Of the Power of our Evil Inclinations, and of the Way the Devil tempts us to form rash Judgments of our Neighbor, and how to resist him.

Chapter 44. Of Prayer.

Chapter 45. What is Mental Prayer.

Chapter 46. Of Meditation.

Chapter 47. Of another Way of Praying by Way of Meditation.

Chapter 48. Of a Way of Praying by means of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Chapter 49. Of certain Considerations as to Faith and Confidence in the Prayers of the Virgin Mary.

Chapter 50. Of a Way of Meditating and Praying by means of the Angels and of all the Blessed.

Chapter 51. Of Meditation on the Passion of Christ, with a view to excite various Affections.

Chapter 52. Of the Advantages which may be derived from Meditation on the Crucifixion of our Lord, and the Imitation of His Virtues.

Chapter 53. Of the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Chapter 54. Of the Way we ought to Receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Chapter 55. How we ought to Prepare ourselves for Communion in order to excite within us Love.

Chapter 56. Of Spiritual Communion.

Chapter 57. Of returning Thanks.

Chapter 58. Of Oblation.

Chapter 59. Of Sensible Devotion and of Dryness.

Chapter 60. Of the Examination of Conscience.

Chapter 61. How in this Battle we have need of continuing the Struggle even unto Death.

Chapter 62. How to prepare ourselves against the Enemies who assault us when we are Dying.

Chapter 63. 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.

Chapter 64. Of the Assault of Despair, and its Remedy.

Chapter 65. Of the Assault of Vainglory.

Chapter 66. Of the Assault of Illusions and False Appearances at the point of Death.

THE PEACE OF THE SOUL

Chapter 1. Nature of Man’s Heart; how to govern it.

Chapter 2. How careful the Soul ought to be in acquiring perfect Tranquility.

Chapter 3. This peaceable Habitation must be built by Degrees.

Chapter 4. That to attain this Peace, the Soul must relinquish all Human Consolation.

Chapter 5. That the Soul ought to keep herself disengaged, that God's holy Will may operate in her.

Chapter 6. Prudence must guide our Love of our Neighbor, that it may not disturb our Soul’s Peace

Chapter 7. Our Souls must be divested entirely of their own will.

Chapter 8. Of the Faith we ought to bear the blessed Sacrament; how we are to offer ourselves to God.

Chapter 9. The Soul must not seek Repose but in God.

Chapter 10. We must not be dejected at the Obstacles and Repugnance we find in attaining interior Peace.

Chapter 11. The Artifices employed by the Devil to disturb our Peace; how we may defeat them.

Chapter 12. We must not be afflicted at internal Temptations.

Chapter 13. God sends these Temptations for our good.

Chapter 14. How we must act respecting our Faults.

Chapter 15. The Soul should recover her Tranquility, and not lose Time with every Vexation.

THOUGHTS ON DEATH

TWELVE ADVANTAGES IN CONTEMPLATING DEATH.

ON PENITENCE.

THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT

Chapter 1. In what Christian Perfection consists; and that the attainment of it involves a struggle, and of four things necessary for this conflict.

If you wish, beloved in Christ, to reach the height of perfection, and by drawing near to your God to become one spirit with Him (and no aim can be imagined or expressed which is greater, or nobler than this), you must before all else gain a true idea of what constitutes genuine spiritual perfection.

There are many who have believed it to consist exclusively in outward mortification, in hair-shirts and disciplines, in long watchings and fastings, and in other bodily sufferings and chastisements.

Others again, and especially women, think that they have reached the climax of perfection, when they say many prayers, attend many services and offices, and are regularly at Church and at Communion.

Some indeed (and amongst this class not a few Religious persons who have withdrawn themselves from the world), persuade themselves that perfection entirely depends on the regular attendance at the Hours of prayer, on silence, solitude, and exact observance of Rule.

And thus, some in these, and others in those external actions suppose perfection to consist. But they are all deceived. For although these practices are sometimes means of gaining the spirit of perfection, and sometimes are its fruits, yet in no sense can it ever be said that true spiritual perfection consists in these.

Unquestionably they are means most efficacious for obtaining spirituality, when they are properly and discreetly employed; for by them we gain strength against our own sinfulness and frailty, we are fortified against the assaults and snares of our common enemies, and, in short, are provided with those spiritual helps, which are necessary to all the servants of God, and especially to those who have but lately entered His service.

They are also fruits of the Spirit in truly spiritual persons, who keep under the body because it has offended its Maker, and in order to keep it low and submissive to His commands; in those who live in solitude and silence in order to avoid even the least occasions of sin, and to have their conversation in Heaven, and who give themselves entirely to the Service of God and to works of mercy; who pray, and meditate upon the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ, not for the sake of curiosity and devotional feeling, but that they may gain deeper knowledge of their own corruptness and of God’s Mercy and Goodness, and that they may be more and more inflamed with the love of God, and the hatred of themselves—following the Son of God by self-denial, and by taking the Cross upon their shoulders; who frequent the Holy Sacraments with the view of glorifying the Divine Majesty, that they may be more closely united with God, and gain fresh strength against their enemies.

To others, however, who found perfection entirely on external practices, such works may bring greater ruin than open sins; not that these works are bad in themselves, for in themselves they are very good, but in consequence of the mistaken use which is made of them they have this sad result; because those who practice them are so wrapped up in what they do, that they leave their hearts a prey to their own evil inclinations and to the devices of Satan. He sees them wandering from the right path, and not only does he leave them to the enjoyment of these exercises, but lets them vainly fancy that they are roaming amidst the delights of Paradise, and persuade themselves that they are borne upwards even to the angelic choirs, and that they feel the Presence of God within them. Such persons sometimes are so absorbed in curious, deep, delightful thoughts, that they become as it were oblivious of the world and of all creatures, and appear to themselves rapt even to the third heaven.

But in how great an error these persons have entangled themselves, and how far they are distant from that true perfection which we seek, may easily be gathered from their lives and conversation. For in everything, whether it be great or small, they seek their own advantage, and like to be preferred before others; they are self-willed and opinionated, blind to their own faults, sharp-sighted for the faults of others, and severely condemn the sayings and doings of other men.

But if you touch only with your finger a certain vain reputation in which they hold themselves, and are pleased to be held by others; if you bid them discontinue any of their regular and formal devotions, they are at once angry and exceedingly disturbed.

And if God Himself visits them with trials and infirmities (which never come without His appointment or permission, and which are the tests of His servants’ faithfulness), or if He permits them to be sorely persecuted in order that they may gain a true knowledge of themselves, and be brought back to the way of true perfection, immediately the false foundation is discovered, and the miserable condition of the proud heart is seen. For in all events, whether adverse or prosperous, they are unwilling to be resigned and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, acquiescing in His just though hidden judgments; neither will they, in imitation of the most lowly and patient Son of God, abase themselves below all creatures, and love the persecutors and enemies as dear friends, because they are the instruments of Divine Goodness, and work together for their mortification, perfection and salvation.

It is therefore quite evident, that all such persons are in great danger. For since the inward eye is darkened, by which they see themselves and their outward actions which are good, they attribute to themselves a high decree of perfection, and so, becoming more and more puffed up, they readily pass judgment upon others; yet they themselves need a special miracle of grace to convert them, for nothing short of that would have effect. It is more easy to convert and bring back an open sinner to the path of truth, than the man whose sin is hidden and mantled with the semblance of virtue.

You clearly and distinctly see, then, from what I have said, that the essence of the spiritual life does not lie in any of those things to which I have alluded. It consists in nothing else but the knowledge of the Divine Goodness and Greatness, of our own nothingness, and proneness to all evil; in the love of God and the hatred of self; in entire subjection not only to God Himself, but for the love of Him, to all creatures; in giving up our own will, and in completely resigning ourselves to the Divine Pleasure; moreover, in willing and doing all this with no other wish or aim than the glory and honor of God, the fulfillment of His Will because it is His Will, and because He deserves to be served and loved.

This is the law of love engraved on the hearts of His faithful servants by the hand of the Lord Himself.

This is the self-denial which is required of us.

This is His sweet yoke and light burden.

This is that obedience to which our