John Tauler · 105 of 121

The third way of a poor, perfect life, when you contemplate God internally, is, that a man do not fly from what may kill him in spiritual things. · 92.

The first or reasonable work is when the reason courseth through all things with the distinction of images (ideas or conceptions), and findeth God in all things. For God is a good that hath flown into all things, and thus man offereth himself to serve all things that he may find God; and the reason calleth this an inworking reason, and it giveth to each thing its own proper thing that belongeth to it, and thus it findeth God in all things. For whoso could take things in the order, according to which God hath ordained them, would find God in all things. The cause why we do not find God in things is that we seek things without order, and with disorder we lose God in things. Now, as order is a matter of finding, so disorder is a matter of losing; but if the reason seeketh all things in proper order, it findeth a present God. And when it findeth God it forgetteth things and cleaveth to God alone, and it perceiveth that all things are unquiet, and that perfect rest is in God alone. Therefore she lifteth herself above all things and seekest God out of all things; and this cometh to pass by a working out of the images which she hath drawn into herself from creatures. And thus she freeth and strippeth herself from all creaturely imagery, and as the reason before drew in the images of creatures, that she might find God in them, so now she worketh off all the images of creatures that she may find an unveiled God. This, therefore, is called a working off reason, for she casteth off all things, that she may be free from all works, and God be alone the working Master. This is also all of grace in an angelic light.