He
had
formerly
given
as
pledges
of
His
love,
and
which
we
think
we
have
repaid
by
our
love,
our
fidelity,
and
our
suflfering;
not
only
uncom-plainingly
to
suflfer
ourselves
to
be
thus
despoiled,
but
to
see
others
enriched
with
our
spoils,
and
nevertheless
not
to
cease
to
do
what
would
please
our
absent
Lover
;
not
to
cease
following
after
Him
;
and
if
by
unfaithfulness
or
surprise
we
stop
for
a
moment,
to
redouble
our
speed,
without
fearing
or
contemplating
the
precipices,
although
we
fall
a
thousand
times,
till
we
are
so
weary
that
we
lose
our
strength,
and
die
from
continual
fatigue
;
when,
perhaps,
if
our
Beloved
turns
and
looks
upon
us,
His
glance
restores
life
by
the
exquisite
pleasure
it
gives;
until
at
last
He
becomes
so
cruel
that
He
lets
us
die
for
want
of
help
:
all
this,
I
say,
belongs
not
to
this
state,
but
to
that
which
follows.
I
must
remark
here,
that
the
degree
of
which
I
have
been
speaking
is
of
very
long
duration,
at
least
unless
God
intends
the
soul
to
make
great
advances
;
and
many,
as
I
have
said,
never
pass
it
