I told you in my last that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul.  Have courage then:  make a virtue of necessity.  Ask of GOD, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please.

Such prayers, indeed, are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to GOD, and sweet to those that love Him.  Love sweetens pains; and when one loves GOD, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage.  Do you so, I beseech you:  comfort yourself with Him, who is the only Physician of all our maladies.  He is the FATHER of the afflicted, always ready to help us.  He loves us infinitely more than we imagine.  Love Him, then, and seek no consolation elsewhere.  I hope you will soon receive it.  Adieu.  I will help you with my prayers, poor as they are, and shall always be, in our LORD Yours, &c.

FOURTEENTH LETTER.

To the Same.

I render thanks to our LORD for having relieved you a little, according to your desire.  I have been often near expiring, but I never was so much satisfied as then.  Accordingly, I did not pray for any relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility and love.  Ah, how sweet it is to suffer with GOD!  However great the sufferings may be, receive them with love.  It is paradise to suffer and be with Him; so that if in this life we would enjoy the peace of paradise we must accustom ourselves to a familiar, humble, affectionate conversation with Him.  We must hinder our spirits wandering from Him upon any occasion.  We must make our heart a spiritual temple, wherein to adore Him incessantly.  We must watch continually over ourselves, that we may not do, nor say, nor think anything that may displease Him.  When our minds are thus employed about GOD, suffering will become full of unction and consolation.

I know that to arrive at this state the beginning is very difficult, for we must act purely in faith.  But though it is difficult, we know also that we can do all things with the grace of GOD, which He never refuses to them who ask it earnestly.  Knock, persevere in knocking, and I answer for it that He will open to you in His due time, and grant you all at once what He has deferred during many years.  Adieu!  Pray to Him for me, as I pray to Him for you.  I hope to see Him quickly.

I am, Yours, &c.

FIFTEENTH LETTER.

To the Same.

GOD knoweth best what is needful for us, and all that He does is for our good.  If we knew how much He loves us, we should always be ready to receive equally and with indifference from His Hand the sweet and the bitter:  all would please that came from Him.  The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, except when we see them in the wrong light.  When we see them as dispensed by the hand of GOD, when we know that it is our loving FATHER who abases and distresses us, our sufferings will lose their bitterness, and become even matter of consolation.