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88 discovers any cause of trouble or agitation, that you may take up arms in self-defence.

And remember, that all these evils, and others like them, are not really evils, though outwardly they may seem so, neither can they deprive us of any real good, but are ordered or permitted by God for the just ends which I have mentioned, or for other purposes which are not revealed to us, but which are doubtless most just and holy.

Thus may the most unfortunate occurrence become productive of much good to us, if we will only keep our mind calm and restful; otherwise all our efforts will be of little or no use.

For when the heart is thus agitated, it is always exposed to various assaults of the Enemy; and in such a state we cannot discern the right path and the sure road to holiness. Our Enemy, who hates this peace above all things, knowing it to be a mark of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who works in it great wonders, often, under the guise of a friend, tries to deprive us of it, by stirring up sundry desires within us which present themselves under the appearance of good; but their deceptive nature may be discovered by this test amongst others, that they rob us of peace of mind.

In order, therefore, to avert so great an evil, when the sentinel gives notice of any fresh de-