When shall I be without any impediment in true liberty, without any trouble of mind or body?
When shall I enjoy a solid peace, a peace never to be disturbed and always secure, a peace both within and without, a peace every where firm?
O good Jesu, when shall I stand to behold thee?
When shall I contemplate the glory of thy kingdom? When wilt thou be all in all to me? O when shall I be with thee in thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thy Beloved from all eternity?
I am left a poor and banished man, in an enemy's country, where there are wars every day, and very great misfortunes.
4. Comfort me in my banishment, assuage my sorrows; for all my desire is after thee: and all that this world offers for my comfort is burthensome to me.
I long to enjoy thee intimately, but cannot attain to it.
I desire to cleave to heavenly things, but the things of this life and my unmortified passions bear me down. I am willing in mind to be above all things, but by the flesh am obliged against my will to be subject to them.
Thus, unhappy man that I am, I fight with myself, and am become burthensome to myself, whilst the spirit seeks to tend upwards, and the flesh downwards.