by Father Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

The Spiritual Combat

Table of Contents

  1. Of the Essence of Christian PerfectionChapter 1
  2. Distrust of SelfChapter 2
  3. Of Trust in GodChapter 3
  4. How a man may know whether he is active in self-Distrust and Trust in GodChapter 4
  5. Of the Error of Many, Who Mistake Pusillanimity for a VirtueChapter 5
  6. Further directions how to attain self-Distrust and Trust in GodChapter 6
  7. Of Spiritual Exercises, and first of the Exercise of the Understanding, which must be kept guarded against ignorance and curiosityChapter 7
  8. Of the hindrances to a Right Discernment of Things, and of the method to be adopted in order to understand them properlyChapter 8
  9. Of another danger from which the Understanding must be guarded in order that it may exercise a True DiscernmentChapter 9
  10. Of the Exercise of the Will, and the end to which all our actions, whether Interior or Exterior, should tendChapter 10
  11. Of some considerations which may incline the Will to seek to please God in all thingsChapter 11
  12. Of the diverse wills in Man, and the Warfare between themChapter 12
  13. Of the way to resist the impulses of sense, and of the acts to be performed by the will in order to acquire Habits of VirtueChapter 13
  14. What must be done when the superior-will seems to be wholly stifled and overcome by the interim-will and by other enemiesChapter 14
  15. Some advice touching the manner of this warfare, and especially against whom, and with what resolution, it must be carried onChapter 15
  16. In what manner the soldier-of-Christ should take the field early in the morningChapter 16
  17. Of the order to be observed in the conflict with our Evil PassionsChapter 17
  18. Of the way to resist sudden impulses of the PassionsChapter 18
  19. Of the way to resist the sins of the FleshChapter 19
  20. How to combat SlothChapter 20
  21. Of the regulation of the Exterior Senses, and how to pass on from these to the contemplation of the DivinityChapter 21
  22. How the same things are to us means where-by to regulate our senses, and to lead us on to meditate on the Incarnate Word in the Mysteries of His Life and PassionChapter 22
  23. Of some other means whereby we may regulate our senses according to the different occasions which present themselvesChapter 23
  24. Of the way to rule the tongueChapter 24
  25. That, in order to fight successfully against his enemies, the Soldier of Christ must avoid as much as possible all perturbation and disquiet of mindChapter 25
  26. What we should do when we are woundedChapter 26
  27. Of the means employed by the Devil to assail and deceive those who desire to give themselves up to the practice of virtue, and those who are already entangled in the bondage of sinChapter 27
  28. Of the Devil's assaults and devices against those whom he holds in the bondage of sinChapter 28
  29. Of the arts and stratagems by which he holds in bondage those who knowing their misery, would fain be free; and how it is that our resolutions prove so often ineffectualChapter 29
  30. Of a delusion of those who imagine they are going onward to perfectionChapter 30
  31. Of the Devil's assaults and stratagems in order to draw us away from the path of holinessChapter 31
  32. Of the above named last assault and stratagem by which the Devil seeks to make the virtues we have acquired the occasions of our ruinChapter 32
  33. Some counsels as to the overcoming of evil passions and the acquisition of virtueChapter 33
  34. Virtues are to be gradually acquired by exercising ourselves in their various degrees, and giving our attention first to one and then to anotherChapter 34
  35. Of the means whereby virtues are acquired, and how we should use then so as to attend for some considerable time to one virtue onlyChapter 35
  36. That in the exercise of virtue we must proceed with unceasing watchfulnessChapter 36
  37. That, as we must always continue in the exercise of all the virtues, so we must not shun any opportunity which offers for their attainmentChapter 37
  38. That we should highly esteem all opportunities of fighting for the acquisition of virtues, and chiefly of those which present the greatest difficultiesChapter 38
  39. How to avail ourselves of various occasions for the exercise of a single virtueChapter 39
  40. Of the time to be given to the exercise of each virtue, and of the signs of our progressChapter 40
  41. That we must not yield to the wish to be delivered from the trials we are patiently enduring, and how we are to regulate all our desires so as to advance in holinessChapter 41
  42. How to resist the devil when he seeks to delude us by means of indiscreet zealChapter 42
  43. Of the temptation to form rash judgments of our neighbor, arising from the instigation of the Devil and the strength of our own evil inclinations, and of the way to resist this temptationChapter 43
  44. On prayerChapter 44
  45. Mental prayerChapter 45
  46. MeditationChapter 46
  47. Another Method of MeditationChapter 47
  48. A Method of Prayer based on the Intercession of the Blessed VirginChapter 48
  49. Some Considerations to induce Confidence in the Assistance of the Blessed VirginChapter 49
  50. A Method of Meditation and Prayer involving the Intercession of the Saints and the AngelsChapter 50
  51. Meditation on the Sufferings of Christ and the Sentiments to be derived from Contemplation of themChapter 51
  52. The Benefits derived from Meditations on the Cross and the Imitation of the Virtue of Christ CrucifiedChapter 52
  53. Concerning the most Holy Sacrament of the EucharistChapter 53
  54. The manner in which we ought to receive the Blessed SacramentChapter 54
  55. Preparation for Communion and the role of the Eucharist in exciting in us a Love of GodChapter 55
  56. Concerning Spiritual CommunionChapter 56
  57. Concerning ThanksgivingChapter 57
  58. The Offering of self to GodChapter 58
  59. Concerning Sensible Devotion and DrynessChapter 59
  60. Concerning the Examination of ConscienceChapter 60
  61. Concerning the Manner in which we are to Persevere in the Spiritual Combat until DeathChapter 61
  62. Concerning Our Preparation against the Enemies who assail us at the Hour of DeathChapter 62
  63. Concerning the four assaults of the Enemy at the Hour of Death: The first assault against Faith and the manner of resisting itChapter 63
  64. Concerning the four assaults of the Enemy at the Hour of Death: The second assault of Despair and its RemedyChapter 64
  65. Concerning the four assaults of the Enemy at the Hour of Death: The third assault of Temptation to VaingloryChapter 65
  66. Concerning the four assaults of the Enemy at the Hour of Death: The fourth assault of various illusions employed by the Devil at the Hour of DeathChapter 66

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