John Tauler · 92 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. · 79.

That worketh a great love which through the sufferings of our Lord is kindled by the burning fire of the Holy Ghost. This love forceth the volition, to suffer all pains that are forthcoming in atonement for the One who loved man so strongly. He now turneth all things to bring suffering upon him, and that which He cannot bring to him in action he bringeth to himself mentally: the will then bringeth before him all the torments suffered by our Lord, all the sufferings endured by the saints, and all that men must yet suffer. He uniteth himself in this with complete affection, and the wish to have suffered all things, or to suffer more. This love maketh the will receptive of all the advantage which is to be found in the agony of our Lord, and sufferings of all saints and pious souls. The following is to be read anent the holy Martin, that he, although not executed with the sword, hath none the less not lost the martyr’s crown, because he suffered in the wish, what the martyrs suffered in the flesh, and because it gave him pain that he could not suffer bodily. In this way many good people are able to be companions of the martyrs, when they have willed to suffer all their martyrdoms; but they must also bear in mind, that when they tramp in the footsteps of our Lord and of the saints they must endure in the love of God all sufferings that cross their path, however cruel, and with a firm will wish that they may suffer more. Thus can a man partake of all suffering.