五 假如我们每年拔除一件恶行，我们就要很快地成为一个完全人了。但是我们常常看见相反的结果，我们在初皈依主的时候，反倒比做了多年信徒后，更善良，更纯洁。我们的热心与果子本应与日俱增，但是如今，只要一个能保持他当初热心的一部分，就被看为了不起的一桩大事了。只要我们在开头下番决心，我们便能在后来的日子中顺利而喜悦耳地做一切的事。

六 离开我们习以为常的事，固然是一件难事，但是拂逆我们自己的意志，就更加倍困难。但是你若是不能克服小而易的，什么时候你才能克服那困难的事呢？要从起头号就抵制你的情欲，培植良好的习惯，否则渐渐地，它们就要陷你于更大的痛苦。假若你能体会到，从处世有方的生活中，你不但能为自己获得许多内心平安，还可难别人带来许多喜乐，我想你一定会更注意于你灵性的进步。

English Version:

Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection 3

If we were to uproot only one vice each year, we should soon become perfect. The contrary, however, is often the case—we feel that we were better and purer in the first fervor of our conversion than we are after many years in the practice of our faith. Our fervor and progress ought to increase day by day; yet it is now considered noteworthy if a man can retain even a part of his first fervor. If we did a little violence to ourselves at the start, we should afterwards be able to do all things with ease and joy.

It is hard to break old habits, but harder still to go against our will. If you do not overcome small, trifling things, how will you overcome the more difficult? Resist temptations in the beginning, and unlearn the evil habit lest perhaps, little by little, it lead to a more evil one. If you but consider what peace a good life will bring to yourself and what joy it will give to others, I think you will be more concerned about your spiritual progress.