way than this royal way, which is the way of the Holy Cross?

7. The whole life of Christ was a cross and martyrdom, and dost
thou seek for thyself rest and joy? Thou art wrong, thou art
wrong, if thou seekest aught but to suffer tribulations, for this
whole mortal life is full of miseries, and set round with
crosses. And the higher a man hath advanced in the spirit, the
heavier crosses he will often find, because the sorrow of his
banishment increaseth with the strength of his love.

8. But yet the man who is thus in so many wise afflicted, is not
without refreshment of consolation, because he feeleth abundant
fruit to be growing within him out of the bearing of his cross.
For whilst he willingly submitteth himself to it, every burden of
tribulation is turned into an assurance of divine comfort, and
the more the flesh is wasted by affliction, the more is the
spirit strengthened mightily by inward grace. And ofttimes so
greatly is he comforted by the desire for tribulation and
adversity, through love of conformity to the Cross of Christ,
that he would not be without sorrow and tribulation; for he
believeth that he shall be the more acceptable to God, the more
and the heavier burdens he is able to bear for His sake. This is
not the virtue of man, but the grace of Christ which hath such
power and energy in the weak flesh, that what it naturally hateth
and fleeth from, this it draweth to and loveth through fervour of
spirit.

9. It is not in the nature of man to bear the cross, to love the
cross, to keep under the body and to bring it into subjection, to
fly from honours, to bear reproaches meekly, to despise self and