hour without the anguish of His Passion, so long as he lived. "Christ" (saith He) "must needs suffer, and rise again from the dead, and so enter into His glory." And how dost thou seek any other way than this royal way, which is the way of the holy cross.
7. Christ's whole life was a cross and martyrdom: and dost thou seek rest and joy for thyself?
Thou art deceived, thou art deceived if thou seek any other thing than to suffer tribulations; for this whole mortal life is full of miseries, with crosses on every side.
And the higher a person hath advanced in the Spirit, so much the heavier he findeth crosses; because the grief of his banishment increaseth with his love to God.
8. Nevertheless this man, though so many ways afflicted, is not without refreshing comfort, for that he perceiveth very much benefit to accrue unto him by the bearing of his own cross.
For whilst he willingly putteth himself under it, all the burden of tribulation is turned into the confidence of divine comfort.
And the more the flesh is wasted by affliction, so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace.
And sometimes he is so comforted with the desire of tribulation and adversity, for the love of conformity to the cross of Christ, that he would not wish to be without grief and tribulation; because he believes that he shall be unto God so much the more acceptable, the more and the more grievous things he is permitted to suffer for Him.
