of escaping tribulation will follow you everywhere. If you set yourself to what you ought, namely, to suffering and to death, it will be better with you and you will find peace.
Although you were caught up even to the third heaven with Paul,† you are not secure from adversity. “I will show him”, says Jesus, “how much he must suffer for my name.” † To suffer, therefore, remains if you love Jesus and serve Him perpetually. Oh, that you were worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus!† How great glory would remain for you; what joy would arise to all God's saints; how great edification also to your neighbor! For all men recommend patience; few, however, are they who are willing to suffer. With great reason ought you cheerfully to suffer a little for Christ, since many suffer more grievous things for the world.
Know for certain that you ought to lead a dying life. And the more any man dies to himself, so much the more he begins to live with God. No man is fit to comprehend heavenly things, unless he submit himself to the bearing of adversities for Christ's sake. Nothing is more acceptable to God, nothing more wholesome to you in this world, than to suffer cheerfully for Christ. And if it were for you to choose, you ought rather to suffer adversities for Christ, than to be refreshed with many consolations;
