John Tauler · 116 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. · 103.

If now the love of the Holy Ghost destroyeth all sin, they who have received the Holy Ghost live always free from sins, for the gift that the Holy Ghost giveth abideth eternally; and St. John also saith, “Whoso is born of God cannot sin.” But I say that man must be viewed in two lights, according to his internal and external man. The gift of the Holy Ghost is received by the internal man this also destroyeth sins in the interior, and guardeth him farther from sins; but the outer man, on the other hand, is not receptive of the gifts, and will also not receive them, and therefore never be without venial sins; he is somewhat like unto time; but time is? fluctuating and defective, therefore also must his senses be defective and inclined to sin. Thus, therefore, the external man cannot live without venial sins save when his senses are drawn into the internal man, and this is found in God; so long as this lasteth, man is without sin, outwardly and inwardly, for whatever defects the sins may yet have are consumed by the fire of love. Were it possible that the senses were always drawn in by the internal man, he would always be united to God, and man would remain without sin; and for this reason, because sin is nothing else than a turning away from God and a leaning to creatures. But if the whole man be turned to God, no sin is brought to pass as long as this lasteth; but if he returneth to himself to the service of the senses, he will certainly fail again, and this without paying attention to the spirit, so that man forgetteth his duty entirely, and committeth faults and sins. But if man accomplisheth all his works, outwardly or inwardly, according to the statutes of his reason, lighted up with divine light, he would seldom fall into a sin; he would refer all his doing and suffering to the praise of God. This is worked by the ardent love of the Holy Ghost, which entirely inflameth him, driveth away all darkness, and enlighteneth him, so that he can accomplish all for the honour of God; it giveth him power to do all things, to give up all things that are against God, and to obtain all that is godly. This goodness of the Holy Ghost filleth him also with goodness, so that he receiveth all from the Holy Ghost The goodness of the Holy Ghost penetrates his heart and all his members, and filleth each; whatever was bitter and harsh in them must give way; and there abideth with man only goodness, which shieldeth him from all the bitterness of sin.