CHAPTER XV.
THAT THE GRACE OF DEVOTION IS OBTAINED BY HUMILITY AND DENIAL.
HOU oughtest to seek the grace of devotion, and to ask for it earnestly, to wait for it with patience and confidence, to receive it with thankfulness, to keep it with humility, to work with it diligently.
Thou oughtest especially to humble thyself, when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion; and yet not to be too much dejected, nor grieve inordinately.
God often giveth in one short moment that which He for a long time hath denied: He giveth sometimes in the end, that which in the beginning of thy prayer He deferred to grant.
2. If grace were always instantly given, and were ever at hand with a wish, weak man could not well bear it.
Therefore the grace of devotion is to be waited for with good hope and humble patience.
Nevertheless, do thou impute it to thyself, and to thine own sins, when this grace is not given thee, or when it is secretly taken away.
It is sometimes but a small matter that hindereth and hideth grace from us; at least if anything can be called small, and not rather a weighty matter, which hindereth so great a good.
But if thou remove this, be it great or small, and perfectly overcome it, thou shalt have thy desire.
