run counter to grace, inasmuch, as the more a man is in the grace of God, so much the more violently is he assaulted by the devils. Therefore one should never cease fighting, if he would follow the grace he has received from God; because, as the battle is fiercest, the crown will be the more precious, if he overcome in the fight.
But we have not many battles, or many impediments, or temptations, because we are not such as we should be in the spiritual life. Yet most true it is, that if a man will walk well and discreetly in God's way, he shall have neither toil nor weariness in his journey; whilst the man who goes the way of this world, can never escape much, toil and tediousness, and anguish and tribulation and sorrow, until the day of his death.
One of the Brothers said to Brother Giles: " My Father, it seems to me that thou sayest two things, one contrary to the other: for first thou sayest; the more virtuous a man is, and the more in God's favor, the more contradictions and battles he has in the spiritual life; and then thou sayest the opposite; namely, that the man who walks well and discreetly in the way of God, shall know neither toil nor tediousness on his journey."
To which, Brother Giles, explaining the contradiction between these two sayings of his, replied thus: " My Brother, it is certain that the devils wage the war of temptations more fiercely against those who have a good will, than against those who have not. But what trouble, or weariness, or injury, can all the devils and all the adversities in the world cause to him who walks well and discreetly in the way of God, knowing and seeing, as he does, that the tempter sells his wares at a price a thousand times greater than they are worth? For I tell thee of a truth, that he who is enflamed with Divine love, holds vice in greater abomination the more he is attacked by it.
" Most of the devils usually hasten to tempt a man when he is in any sickness, or weakness of body, or when he is in any anxiety, or in much distress, or cold, or hungry, or thirsty, or when he has received some injury or slight, or any hurt, whether temporal or spiritual, because, in their malice, they know that at such moments and in such circumstances a man is more liable to succumb to temptations. But I say to thee, that by every temptation, and every vice which thou shalt overcome, thou shalt acquire fresh virtue; and through that very vice by which thou wert assaulted, if thou overcome, thou shalt receive so much the greater grace, and the brighter crown."
A Brother once came to ask counsel of Brother Giles, saying: " Father, I am often assaulted by a most grievous temptation, and many a time I have prayed God to deliver me from it, and yet the Lord has not taken it away; counsel me. Father, what to do." To whom Brother Giles replied: " My Brother, the better a king arms his soldiers with strong and knightly armor, the more ardently he will have them fight against his enemies, for love of him."
A Brother once asked Brother Giles: " Father, what remedy shall I use, that I may go to prayer more willingly, and with greater desire and fervor? for when I go to my prayers, I am slothful, tepid and indevout."
Brother Giles answered: "A king has two servants, and one has arms, that he may fight, and the other has no armor for the combat; and both of them would enter into the battle, and fight against the enemies of the king. The one who is armed will go into battle and fight valiantly; but the other who is unarmed, will say thus to his master: ' My lord, thou seest that I am naked and without arms; but for thy love, I will willingly go into the battle, and fight thus unarmed.' And then the good king, seeing the love of his faithful servant, will say to his ministers: ' Go to my servant, and arm him with all that is needful for the combat, that he may securely enter into battle; and seal all his arms with my royal seal, that all may know him as my faithful knight.'
"And thus it often happens, that when one goes to prayer, he finds himself naked, indevout, slothful, and hard of heart; but if he force himself, for the love of his Lord, to enter into the battle of prayer, then our merciful King and Lord, seeing the effort of His servant, will give him, by the hands of His ministering angels, the fervor of devotion and of a good will. It happens sometimes, that a man begins some great work with much toil, so as to clear and cultivate the ground, and plant
