shall never separate from GOD, but have Him ever at their will.

_How GOD comes to His lovers; and how sometimes He departs from them._
GOD, when He comes to His lovers gives them to taste how sweet He is;
and before they can fully feel, He goes from them, and, as an Eagle,
spreads His wings, and rises above them, as if He said: "Some part
mayst thou feel how sweet I am: but if ye will feel this sweetness to
the full, fly up after Me, and lift your hearts up to Me, where I am
sitting on My Father's right hand, and there ye shall be fulfilled in
joy of Me." GOD comes to His lovers to comfort them; he departs from
them so that they should humble themselves, and that they should not
over-much pride themselves for the joy that they have of His coming: for
if thy spouse were aye with thee, thou wouldest esteem thyself over well
and despise others: and if He were aye with thee thou wouldest impute it
to nature and not to Grace. Therefore, through His grace, He comes when
He will, and to whom He will, and departs when He will: so that His long
dwelling makes one not more unworthy; but that after His departing, He
be more yearned for and sought with zealous love and sighings and tears.
But beware thou, GOD'S lover, though thy Spouse withdraw Himself from
thee for a while, He sees all thy deeds, and thou canst hide nothing
from Him: and if He wit thou lovest any but Him, unless it be for love
of Him, or if thou makest any love-semblance to other than Him, so soon
He departs from thee. Jealous is thy Spouse, delicate, noble and rich;
seven times brighter than the sun; in fairness and might all others He
surpasses, and what so He wills is done in heaven and earth and hell. If
He sees any stain of filth in one who should be His dear, He turns from
him soon, for uncleanness can He see none. Therefore, be thou chaste,
shame-full, and mild of heart, and with love-longing yearn for Him above
all things. And when GOD withdraws this heavenly likeness and sweetness
from thee, as sometimes need be in this deadly life, give not thyself to
fleshly lusts and likings of the world; but to prayer and meditation,
reading of Holy Writ, or honest work. And ever mourn thou after thy
love, as a young child who misses his Mother. For he that, after such
knowing of GOD and tasting of His sweetness, turns him back and gives
him to sin, he has no defence for his sin against GOD. An unhappy chance
it is and full of care to love the fellowship of GOD and of