˟

A short method of prayer, and Spiritual torrents, tr. by A.W. Marston

159

 
Image of page 0178

SPIRITUAL TORRENTS. 1 59

who, after having so much admired thee, see thee now so disfigured, believe that either thou hast grown mad, or that thou hast committed some great crime, which has caused thy Beloved to aban-don thee. They do not see that this jealous Hus-band, who desires that His bride should be His alone, seeing that she is amusing herself with her ornaments, that she delights in them, that she is in love with herself; seeing this, I say, and that she sometimes ceases looking at Him in order to look at herself, and that her love to Him is growing cold because her self-love is so strong, is stripping her, and taking away all her beauties and riches from before her eyes.

In the abundance of her wealth, she takes delight in contemplating herself: she sees good qualities in herself, which engage her affection, and alienate it from her Bridegroom. In her foolishness she does not see that she is only fair with the beauties of her Beloved ; and that if He removed these, she would be so hideous that she would be frightened at herself More than this, she neglects to follow Him wherever He goes; she fears lest she may