works, if they do not rob you of your trust in God, then may you thankfully receive them as from God. But if they occasion anxiety, and render you fearful, doubtful, slothful, and backward in well-doing, be assured that they come from the Enemy; do not listen to them, but go on with what you are doing.
Moreover, disquietude arises still more commonly from the approach of adverse events. In order to defend ourselves against this form of attack, there are two things for us to do:—one is to consider and find out what is chiefly hindered by these events, our spiritual life, or our self-love and self-will. For if they wound our self-will and self-love (our first and greatest foe) they must not be called adverse, but be regarded as special favours and aids from the Most High God, and therefore be received with a joyful and a thankful heart.
And if they are adverse to the spiritual life, you must not even then suffer your peace of mind to be destroyed, as I will show in the following chapter.
The second thing is to lift up your heart to God, and, with your eyes closed, to accept all things from the compassionate Hand of His Divine Providence, as from a Hand full of manifold blessings, of which, though as yet you do not understand them, you are content to know nothing further.
