may stir up this evil, and (as I have said already) flight.
The inward causes are, either vigour of body, or imaginations of the mind which proceed either from our evil habits, or from the suggestions of the Devil.
The vigour of body must be brought down by fasting, chastisement, mortification, watchings, and similar hard measures; but these must be undertaken with discretion and under obedience.
Unholy thoughts, from whatever source they arise, must be remedied as follows:—
First, by constant occupation in the different duties which are consistent with our state of life; secondly, by prayer, and by meditation.
Let prayer be made in the following way:—
When you are first slightly conscious, I do not say of the evil thoughts themselves, but of those which lead up to them, at once fly in spirit to your Crucified Lord, and say, "My Jesus! my dear Jesus! make haste to help me, lest I fall into the enemy's hands!" At other times, clasping the Cross on which your Lord hangs, and kissing again and again the Wounds of His Sacred Feet, say lovingly,—"O beautiful Wounds, chaste Wounds, holy Wounds, wound now my heart, miserable and impure as it is, and free it from all that is offensive in Thy Sight."
