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FROM these tears those are vastly different which are squeezed out from
dry eyes while the heart is hard: and although we cannot believe that these
are altogether fruitless (for the attempt to shed them is made with a good
intention, especially by those who have not yet been able to attain to
perfect knowledge or to be thoroughly cleansed from the stains of past or
present sins), yet certainly the flow of tears ought not to be thus forced
out by those who have already advanced to the love of virtue, nor should
the weeping of the outward man be with great labour attempted, as even if
it is produced it will never attain the rich copiousness of spontaneous
tears. For it will rather cast down the soul of the suppliant by his
endeavours, and humiliate him, and plunge him in human affairs and draw him
away from the celestial heights, wherein the awed mind of one who prays
should be steadfastly fixed, and will force it to relax its hold on its
prayers and grow sick from barren and forced tears.
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