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SO then we asked this blessed Daniel why it was that as we sat in the
cells we were sometimes filled with the utmost gladness of heart, together
with inexpressible delight and abundance of the holiest feelings, so that I
will not say speech, but feeling could not follow it, and pure prayers were
readily breathed, and the mind being filled with spiritual fruits, praying
to God even in sleep could feel that its petitions rose lightly and
powerfully to God: and again, why it was that for no reason we were
suddenly filled with the utmost grief, and weighed down with unreasonable
depression, so that we not only felt as if we ourselves were, overcome with
such feelings, but also our cell grew dreadful, reading palled upon us, aye
and our very prayers were offered up unsteadily and vaguely, and almost as
if we were intoxicated: so that while we were groaning and endeavouring to
restore ourselves to our former disposition, our mind was unable to do
this, and the more earnestly it sought to fix again its gaze upon God, so
was it the more vehemently carried away to wandering thoughts by shifting
aberrations and so utterly deprived of all spiritual fruits, as not to be
capable of being roused from this deadly slumber even by the desire of the
kingdom of heaven, or by the fear of hell held out to it. To this he
replied.
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