John Tauler · 110 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. · 97.

First, man is overwhelmed with divine power, whereby all his powers are strengthened! If the divine birth is fulfilled in the essence of the soul, it passeth over into all its powers; each receiveth divine power to resist all that is against God. It is needful that the divine power work in us, for by human strength no one can resist sins. But man receiveth this divine power, when all his powers turn to the divine birth, which is brought about in the depths of the soul. But if each power seeketh to accomplish its work without turning to the birth, they cannot receive godly power. For whoso wisheth to receive anything from another, he must be nigh unto him; therefore all the powers must be united, waiting for the divine birth. All that bringeth good men to fall is mostly, that they take too much interest in unnecessary things, and thereby scatter their powers. The more they do this the more the divine power escapes them, and thus they must fall. Holy Writ saith, “The just falleth at least seven times a day,” that is, he doth not constantly perceive the divine birth in the soul. If the powers were to always persist in this they would all always receive this divine power, and would be warded from falling.