Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  Psalms 27:3

“Though an host should encamp against me,” etc.  If I love my God, and I love him with a noble-spirited love, all my enemies will fight against me in vain; I shall never fear them, and the whole world cannot harm me.  Charity cannot be offended, because she takes offence at nothing.  Enemies, enviers, slanderers, persecutors, I defy you; if I love, I shall triumph over your attacks.  Ye can take away my goods; but if my love has a generous spirit, I shall be always rich enough, and ye cannot take away my love, which alone makes all my riches and treasures.  Ye may blacken my reputation; but as I hold you cheaply quit of all homage of praise and applause, I, with all my heart, give you a free leave to blame and to defame.  Happily for me, ye cannot blacken me before my God, and his esteem alone makes amends to me, and rewards me, for all your contempt.  Ye can persecute my body, but there I even will help you on by my penances; the sooner it shall perish, the sooner shall I be delivered from this domestic enemy, which is a burden to me.  What harm, then, can ye do me?  If I am resolved to suffer all and if I think I deserve all the outrages ye can do me, ye will only give more loftiness of spirit to my love, more brilliancy to my crown.         
                                                                                                                        Jean Baptiste Elias Avrillon