Of spiritual counsel, the first is to be shriven, that the devil have not the more power upon him by reason of his other sins.

Vincent:  I have heard some say, uncle, that when such folk have been at shrift, their temptation hath been the more hot upon them than it was before.

Anthony:  That think I very well, but that is a special token that shrift is wholesome for them, since the devil is most wroth with it.  You find, in some places in the gospel, that the devil did most trouble the person whom he possessed when he saw that Christ would cast him out.  Otherwise, we must let the devil do what he will, if we fear his anger, for with every good deed will he wax angry.

Then is it in his shrift to be told him that he not only feareth more than he needeth, but also feareth where he needeth not.  And besides that, he is sorry for a thing for which, unless he will willingly turn his good into his harm, he hath more cause to be glad.

First, if he have cause to fear, yet feareth he more than he needeth.  For there is no devil so diligent to destroy him as God is to preserve him; nor no devil so near him to do him harm as God is to do him good.  Nor are all the devils in hell so strong to invade and assault him as God is to defend him if he distrust him not but faithfully put his trust in him.

He feareth also where he needeth not.  For he dreadeth that he were out of God’s favour, because such horrible thoughts fall into his mind, but he must understand that while they fall into his mind against his will they are not imputed unto him.

He is, finally, sad of that of which he may be glad.  For since he taketh such thoughts displeasantly, and striveth and fighteth against them, he hath thereby a good token that he is in God’s favour, and that God assisteth him and helpeth him.  And he may make himself sure that so will God never cease to do, unless he himself fail and fall from him first.  And beside that, this conflict that he hath against the temptation shall, if he will not fall where he need not, be an occasion of his merit and of a right great reward in heaven.  And the pain that he taketh therein shall for so much, as Master Gerson well showeth, stand him in stead of his purgatory.

The manner of the fight against temptation must stand in three things:  that is, in resisting, and in contemning, and in the invocation of help.

Resist must a man for his own part with reason, considering what a folly it would be to fall where he need not, since he is not driven to it in avoiding of any other pain or in hope of winning any manner of pleasure, but contrariwise he would by that fall lose everlasting bliss and fall into everlasting pain.  And if it were in avoiding of other great pain, yet could he avoid none so great thereby as the one he should thereby fall into.