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But who is able, with whatever experience he may be endowed, to give a
sufficient account of the varieties and reasons and grounds of conviction,
by which the mind is inflamed and set on fire and incited to pure and most
fervent prayers? And of these we will now by way of specimen set forth a
few, as far as we can by God's enlightenment recollect them. For sometimes
a verse of any one of the Psalms gives us an occasion of ardent prayer
while we are singing. Sometimes the harmonious modulation of a brother's
voice stirs up the minds of dullards to intense supplication. We know also
that the enunciation and the reverence of the chanter adds greatly to the
fervour of those who stand by. Moreover the exhortation of a perfect man,
and a spiritual conference has often raised the affections of those present
to the richest prayer. We know too that by the death of a brother or some
one dear to us, we are no less carried away to full conviction. The
recollection also of our coldness and carelessness has sometimes aroused in
us a healthful fervour of spirit. And in this way no one can doubt that
numberless opportunities are not wanting, by which through God's grace the
coldness and sleepiness of our minds can be shaken off.
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