John Tauler · 74 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. · 61.

Therefore let no man omit any virtue through any judgment, and say, I will spare my fellow-man, that I be not a stumblingblock to him; or again, I will leave virtue for God. I answer to this, that a true virtue is never a cause of stumbling to any one, but it is a cause of setting all men upright, and guarding them from all falls. Whoso falleth through virtue is like a man whom a physician physics and who dieth of it. A man who doth not better himself by good works can never better himself by bad works, and the omission to do a good work is a bad work; therefore no one is bettered by the neglect of a pure virtue. And whoso leaveth a virtue for the sake of judgment, he feareth more bodily injury to himself than the spiritual injury of other people; for true virtue bringeth no injury, but it alway bringeth use. And whoso neglecteth virtue out of fear, this is a sign that he never obtained real virtue, which springeth out of divine love, for “in divine love there is no fear,” as St. John saith. Therefore the man dead to creatures accomplisheth virtue, even if the pains of hell were to fall upon him. For he worketh no virtue either from fear of hell or for the sake of heaven, but alone from pure love of God; and he will gladly suffer what falleth upon him, and it is the greatest joy to Mm thus to suffer, like the twelve apostles, who rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer through Christ. Therefore whoso hath divine love letteth no virtue be omitted, and suffereth every one to judge as much as he will; and he looketh to all that is pleasing to God, and not to what pleaseth people.