inst the person that hath given the provocation;
yet if, notwithstanding, he refrains himself from breaking forth into
words of impatience to which his passion would urge him, and withal
contradicts designs of revenge suggested by passion, such an one,
practicing internal prayer and mortification, is to esteem himself not
to have consented to the motions of corrupt nature, although besides
the inward motion of the appetite [i.e., the inferior will], he could
not hinder marks of his passion from appearing in his eyes and the
colour of his countenance."--_Sancta Sophia_, pp. 237-238.

[19] Pusey, _Lenten Sermons_, p. 264.

{128}

CHAPTER IX

IN THE HOUR OF BATTLE

"Like as the children of Ephraim, who being harnessed and bearing bows,
turned themselves back in the day of battle."[1] Thus does the
Psalmist recall a day of shame and humiliation in the history of God's
people. Well prepared for the battle, with every hope of victory
before them, the children of Ephraim failed in the hour when they faced
the enemy.

Thus has it been with many souls in the spiritual warfare. We may be
forewarned, we may be armed with the manifold gifts of the Spirit, and
yet fail, for the preparation is not everything. When in the actual
presence of the foe, the soul must smite boldly and well. The weapons
God supplies must be used. Not to use a grace is to lose a grace.

I. _Realizing God's Friendship_

It is easy to find theories of opposing temptation; but often hard to
apply them in the actual {129} moment of the assault. The cause lies
in the fact that we do not realize our relation to God. God is our
friend; and we must think of Him in the ordinary terms of earthly
friendship. The Eternal Son came to earth and was Incarnate, just in
order that we might find in Him an earthly relation, by means of and
through which we might be able to rise up to the heavenly friendship.

So far as mere intellectual knowledge is concerned, we know quite well
what we are to Him, and yet so dull is our appreciation of it that it
is only with painful care that we are able to keep from mortally
offending this good God. We should have slight regard for an earthly
friendship that rested on so precarious a foundation. When shall we
come to that blessed time when our friendship with God will be as
spontaneous in its action, and as free from peril of violation at our
hands, as the friendships we enjoy with those fellow-mortals whose