hy seek rest, since you are born to work? Dispose yourself to patience rather than to comfort, and to the bearing of the cross rather than to gladness.
What secular person is there who would not willingly receive comfort and spiritual joy, if he could always have it? For spiritual comforts exceed all the delights of the world and the pleasures of the flesh. For all worldly delights are either vain or unseemly; but spiritual delights are only pleasant and honest, sprung from virtues, and infused by God into pure minds.
But these divine comforts can no man always enjoy according to his desire; for the time of temptation ceases not.
False freedom of mind and great confidence of ourselves is very contrary to the heavenly visitation. God does well for us in giving the grace of comfort; but man does evil in not returning all again to God with thanksgiving. And therefore the gifts of grace cannot flow in us, because we are unthankful to the Giver, and do not return them to the Fountain from which they flow. For God gives grace to the grateful. From the proud he takes what he gives to the humble.