distracting
thoughts,
and
of
losing
sight
of
out-ward
things,
in
order
to
draw
near
to
God,
who
can
only
be
found
in
the
secret
place
of
our
hearts,
which
is
the
sancta-sanctorum
in
which
He
dwells.
He
has
promised
that
if
any
one
keeps
His
com-mandments,
He
will
come
to
him,
and
make
His
abode
with
him
(John
xiv.
23).
St
Augustine
reproaches
himself
for
the
time
he
lost
through
not
having
sought
God
at
first
in
this
way.
When,
then,
we
are
thus
buried
in
ourselves,
and
deeply
penetrated
with
the
presence
of
God
within
us
—
when
the
senses
are
all
drawn
from
the
circumference
to
the
centre,
which,
though
it
is
not
easily
accomplished
at
first,
becomes
quite
natural
afterwards
—
when
the
soul
is
thus
gathered
up
within
itself,
and
is
sweetly
occupied
with
the
truth
read,
not
in
reasoning
upon
it,
but
in
feeding
upon
it,
and
exciting
the
will
by
the
affection
rather
than
the
understanding
by
con-sideration
:
the
affection
being
thus
touched,
must
be
suffered
to
repose
sweetly
and
at
peace,
swallow-ing
what
it
has
tasted.
