And in those few places that I put in more than I find written, I will begin with the first letter of my name M, and end with this letter N, the first of my surname. Now he hath it without any for-why? right in such a way as he had it before she was lady thereover. Now We have all this, saith the Holy Ghost, of our very divine condition, and this she hath given us by way of a partie,[174] that is, a thing in love of good will, in a game[175] of holy meaning. The Mirror provides many illustrations of the conflict then raging, notably the obscure passage concerning the Sacrament if it be brayed in a mortar, which possibly refers to controversy over the nature of the Eucharist. You said to me that in the company of Beloved and l over, there is no lordship nor sovereignty but there is! Then is she of that place whence she is. tell me, for love, when shall he help him, unless he help him when he hath most need? MSS. Another life [there] is that we call peace of charity in life naughted. This fact suggests that, if the work was not popular, it was at least appreciated by those whose opinion might be valued. . The text reveals a vibrant evangelical-mystical spirituality, making it an authentic treatise of perfection. Right thus, all such words must be declared within themselves [by them] that read this book. This soul rejoiceth herself sometimes in the supreme part of him, without her feeling, willing nothing of other[s] than of [him who is] her nearest. And the soul that receiveth by light of understanding the nighing and the knitting,[85] in the accord of union in plenteous love, seeth the being where she aims at having her dwelling place; heareth gladly the light of knowing,[86] that bringeth her tidings of love; and then she would be made the same, so that she had but one will in love, and that is the sole will of him that she loveth.. Here the doctrine of the Areopagite is brought into practical application, and Division IV, chapters viii and ix, and Division V, chapters v, vi, viii, x, contain some of the distinctive theories which mark the book. The one of these two staffs that this soul resteth on to keep her from her is that she keepeth the gifts of her riches, that is, the true knowledge that she hath of the poverty of herself. Though it were all at their pleasure to choose any of these aforesaid, they desire not nor they will not none of these.. For thus I say it, saith this free soul, to all them that live in study of life of perfection, that they be on their guard and keep themselves that they refuse not the askings of the fervent desires of the will of the spirit, as clearly as they feel them, whereby they may have the better [life] after those lives that be called life marred and life of spirit; that they may come to this life that never worketh nor asketh: for the settled can [have] no better than this. Letter to the Brethren of Mons Dei (M.P.L. 242.144. And when Love saw me think of him, he refused me not by [the way of] the virtues, but threw me out of their little service, and led me to the divine school and there withheld me without doing any service. (Divisions XVIII-XX.). If my will were set on the one more than the other, whether of mercy or of righteousness, then were I with myself, and so should I be twain. Because of this, saith this soul, he loveth me not against himself; for though all these that the Trinity hath wrought in his [know-ledge] should have been damned without end; Jesu Christ, the Son of God the Father, hath not, in sooth, granted to save all., Oh, ah me! saith this soul, from whence came it to me this to say? This conjunction putteth a soul in a being, without her being, which is being. This I say to the persons for whom Love hath made this book, to him for whom I have written it. She should ask, saith Love, who is mother of her, and of the other virtues that be of her germain.[279]. This is the fulfilling of all their love and the last denial of their way. Reason judgeth after that which she knows. For God the Father hath given to his Son all his goodness, and this bounty of God is given to be known to mankind by the death of Christ Jesu his Son; and this Son is the magnificence of the Father everlastingly and the buyer of mankind. So that by this I have peace, Reason! saith this soul, and we have, between him and me, true accord. for as much as she willeth naught., Now is this soul come to knowing of more, truly in this only, that she knoweth not of this naught-in-God, compared with the all-of-him. That which is, is of his bounty; so loveth she his goodness which he hath by bounty given her. I am as foolish in the time that I make it except that love maketh it for me at my request as he should be that would shut the sea in the compass of his eye and bear the world upon the point of a rush, and light the sun with a shadow! These souls use of all things made, of which nature hath need, with such peace of heart as they do of the earth, that they go upon., They have a good foundation, saith Love, and high edification that resteth them of all things. [301] The language of this divine life is close silence of the divine love; she hath wist this afar off, and of long known, that there is nothing more divine than alway to will the divine will., O ye that stand in desires and be not yet come to the rest of spirit, work and travail busily, and naught yourselves, for none may rest him in highful rest that is alway restfulable, unless he be afore awearied, I am thereof sikker. They fare like the crow that weeneth there be none so fair a bird in the wood as his bride, the crow. And the Virgin Mary drank of the one after, and of the most high drink is this noble Lady inebriated. Thus my will is martyred, and my love martyred; ye have them to martyrdom brought. Reason, saith Love, I answer thee, for I have said, that a soul that is made free knoweth all; and she knoweth naught. There is no indication how far he has paraphrased and interpolated the original. MS. none in possession = sense of proprietorship. There is one substance enduring, one fruition agreeable, one conjunction amiable. M. This is to say, that this soul is oned with God, and, whiles she standeth in that union, she hath no will, nor work, nor no desire, she thinketh of nothing that is beneath that [union]. I will nothing that is not of the bounty of Love. And this soul seeth naught but God himself, for whoso seeth this of himself, he seeth not but Gods self. Of this divine love the divine will useth in me, for me, and without my beholding. [So] saith this soul in her Beloved, that is full perfect love. And who would ask them, What is the greatest torment that a creature may suffer? they would say, It is to take the lead in love and in obedience of virtues for it behoveth them give to virtues all that they ask, whatever it cost to nature; and they ask worship, honour, heart, body, life. She heareth oft, this soul, things that she heareth not, and is full ofttimes where this soul is not, and feeleth ofttimes that which she feeleth not. To all those, saith she, that live by your counsel, that be so bestial and so assed, that I am obliged for their rudeness to make answer [in] my language, that they take not death in that state of life, where I am of him, in him, without craving or begging. Now I pray you, for the Contemplatives, saith Reason, who always desire to increase in knowledge of the divine bounty., They be ill constrained, Reason,[58] saith Love, to that which thou sayest.. I may not be there-against, but I yield me to you in all, saith Reason. But this What the far night is? [381] And then I beheld his great purity and truth. Why it is I know not, nor I keep not wit. She answereth to none, nor oweth she to do so, unless he be of her lineage, this is to say, unless it be according to her disposition within herself. Appease you, Lady Soul, if you believe me, for there is none other thing than this for you [to do] but that you should have the gift of creature, soothly such as belongeth to you to have., Ah, Lady Love, saith this soul, this said you not to me when I knew you first. For whosoever it be that speaketh of God, when he will, and to whom he will, and where he will, he may doubt.[96], This is sooth, without fail, saith this soul, nor did he feel the true tidings of divine love that maketh the soul at all times abashed without her perceiving [it];[97] for the very tidings, refined, purified by divine love which are without [the intervention of creatures] and given of the Maker to the creature, truly take away such usages. My opinion became a foolishness to me, for besides that I thought to find my works, naught did I but lose. Thus, of himself, he hath taken me, I can have no will because of him; thus it is! In the same Trinity this soul planteth so deeply her will, that she may not sin, unless she unplant it. And more may nothing avail me to hear of him than this, that my love is not comparable to the least thing that men may compare to him, wherefore my love findeth none end in loving him, and hath alway new love of him in him who is all love, however great he be! I sent by many messengers to make you free both body and spirit. Meditation of pure love knoweth well more- over that she ought not to occupy herself[131] so, but to follow his work:[132] that is, to will perfectly the will of God. but right drunk and more than drunk! Oh, is he not Almighty? Cancel anytime. Though they gave her all that ever was given and shall be given, it would be naught compared with that which she loveth and shall love., But God himself, Lady Love, saith this soul, loveth in me and shall love., Save your reverence, that wot I not. This we believe perfectly, without doubt, Lady Love! say the Virtues. M. The summe of this soul is the knowing that she hath of the goodness of God, and this goodness of God, which is the Holy Ghost, worketh in her and gave her free will. This is thought right enough for us to be disencumbered all the day of our life, if we will suffer the right work in us. This meekness is true meekness and profit in a soul naughted, and none other but this. Ah, without fail, saith Reason, this is well said; [he who is] cumbered, encumbereth [others].. R.H. Steuart, S.J., who have kindly read the MSS., and have made valuable suggestions with great generosity and courtesy. We know that the teaching of St Bernard in the addresses on the Canticles and the treatises by Richard of St Victor cannot have been intended for the uninitiated, and, moreover, both St Teresa and St John of the Cross suffered the same accusations as were evidently brought against the theories of our author. She would not grow discontented if she dwelt on his work, but it may arise if she centres on her own effort or life. And the divine will calleth not these perfect[80] creatures, with such encumbrances[81] as we have here devised. In the embrace of the Father and the Son it is, as it were, the Holy Spirit which is intermediary. And because of this naught, she is fallen into certainty of naught-knowing and into certainty of naught-availing, and into certainty of naught-willing. How far the influence of Eckhart had already penetrated we cannot tell; he must have begun to preach before this book was written. She passeth the sea to gather the shoots[259] of the high cedar; for none taketh nor attaineth to this cedar unless they pass the high sea, in naughting their wills unto the waves. Then is it right that he sustain me of himself, for I am laid in him; I must stint, saith this soul, for I may not tell it., No soothly, saith Love, no more than the sun may stay[265] or dwell, no more may this soul say of this life as compared to that which truth to say truly is., Ah, Lady Soul, saith Abashings, ye be a continual spring of divine love, of the which spring of divine love waxeth the well of divine knowing, and the streams of divine laud., And of this spring of Divine Love, the well of divine knowing and of the streams of divine lauding, I remain, saith this confirmed soul, perfectly in his divine will., Now hath this soul, saith Love, her right name of Naught, in which she moveth, for she seeth that she is naught, and that she hath not of aught, neither of her nor of her even-Christian, nor of God himself. And this I say as for me, I know not what ye be, for I know not your everlasting might, your everlasting wisdom, your everlasting bounty. Then be all the virtues that be germain to Reason mothers of holiness? saith this soul. The right sweet Far Night[261] hath supplied[262] the last penny of my debt. But so far is he from me and I from him, saith this soul, that I cannot take comfort of myself: and to call[28] me he gave me this book, the which presenteth some usages of the love of himself. For best is best beloved and is what [he] is. So that this soul liveth in the rest of peace, for created things are naught to her. But this that is said in me or by me, is of divine knowing, Lady Love, saith this soul, you have said it, in me and by me, of your bounty for my profit! They are less explanatory and practical than the M.N. But nevertheless I dwell not in freedom of peace, though I have his image, but I am in a strange land, far from the peace, wherein these noble lovers of this lord dwell that be all perfect and pure, and by the gifts of this lord made free, with whom they dwell. Here shall I tell you how: not that we be lords, free of all, but that his love for us maketh us free.[29]. Oh, what a sweet meaning [is this]; for Gods love understand it all! Such is the nature of thee. The support[334] of the love of his bounty hath given me this nobility by love; then may not the strength of evil take from me the freedom of my will, if I will not; thus ye may see how freely he hath given me my will. Read More Christian mysticism In Christianity: Western Catholic Christianity continuing to disseminate her book, The Mirror of Simple Souls. With this is, perhaps, combined the sense that the soul labours according to the interior commands that urge her to act contrary to herself and her natural inclinations or wills . Allowance must be made for exaggeration incident to the literary form; for a Latin tendency to stress the speculative element and express it unduly; and for a dramatic touch of conscious bluff, a protest against conventionalism. In this video we talk about the fascinating writer & possibly beguine Marguerite Porete (d. 1310).Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon. Thine understanding is so low that thou mayest not reach so high as behoveth them that well would have the understanding of the Being that we speak of. Then, say I, that this is truth, that men may give me naught, whatever thing that it may be., And this complaint. For why? This soul is no-one by naughting, and she recketh not in this naughting, though the serpent her devour. Ah, Lord, saith this soul, I am certain that I have nothing more availing than are my horrible faults for which faults you have suffered death, to give me life. Deny, humble, make themselves nothing, annihilate themselves, and so throughout the text. And Reason dwelleth in us. But she is abashed, saith Love, by the knowledge of her poverty, which she hath of herself, that it seemeth her that it is a humiliation[116] before all the world, as it is to her. But some things shall I expound to thy questions. London. And these pains and passions be not only in the exercise of the spirit, by putting away vices in getting of virtues, but they be also of bodily exercise by commandments of virtues and by counsel of reason; to fast and wake, and to do penance in many sundry wises, and forsake all her own pleasures and all lusts and likings; and in the beginning of all this, it is ofttimes full sharp and full hard. IMPRIMATUR: Edm. Who is he that hath [a] conscience to take the four elements that he needeth the light of the welkin, the heat of the fire, the moisture of the water, and of the earth that sustaineth us? There is no need for that, saith the Spouse of this soul himself. Therefore his eye beholdeth me, that he loveth none more than me; my necessity requireth it. But one thing it pleaseth me to say, saith this soul, not for them that be settled, they have no need, for it does not concern them; but for them that are not, that yet shall be, they must trouble, for it is for them to take heed that they be upon their guard or waiting, if so be that love sendeth them anything of the same that he hath ordained for them, that they refuse it not, for nothing that may fall. It is in the whole Trinity, which is one Will; then is the will of God in Trinity robbed by one default! She hath given the stock and the fruit of her root and branches. He was certainly in touch with the learned world of his day, deeply read in mystical theology, and experienced in questions of scholastic philosophy. N. I will no more, saith this soul to God, hear gab of your divine goodness, if I have life to fulfil the takings[70] of this book, of which Love is mistress, that biddeth me that I determine all my takings, for as oft as I ask anything for myself of Love, by that, shall I be with me in life of spirit in the shadow of the sun, where may not be seen the subtle imaginations of the drawings of the divine love of the divine generation., Oh, what say I? saith this soul, all it is naught though I all had, in comparison with that I love in him, which he giveth to none but himself, which he must withhold for his divine righteousness. She sitteth in that life, therefore she hath will., Ah God, saith Reason, Lady Love, tell me why ye have so often named soul, this chosen, beloved of yours, from the beginning of this book unto this time, since ye say that the marred persons have will, because they live yet in life of spirit? The dangers which the thirteenth-century critics foresaw, and against which they warned the author, were thoroughly fought out in the late fourteenth century, and again in the seventeenth century. So, of his bounty, he [giveth] the shewing of the seventh estate to which the sixth giveth being. O ye that shall read this book, do ye as David saith in the psalter : Gustate et videte[15] that is to say Taste and see. what faulteth me then? N. And this soul that is become naught, she wotteth all and she wotteth naught, and she willeth all and she willeth naught. And for this I say it is low and right little, however great the showing of this being seemed to me at the beginning, and the truth of them that such be, in the person of one, where all the others may be understood.. Though these self-seeking souls were rapt into the Trinity every day, yet they do not understand anything; it is nothing compared to the simple dependence of not-knowing and not-willing., This extremely obscure passage seems to be a plea for free will. This is to be understood, that God wot all, and whoso consenteth to do sin, he taketh from God his will; this is sooth, for he doeth that which God willeth not, and is against his divine bounty., Now, saith this soul, behold the debt of one only misdoing; for in sooth, she oweth of twain who hath twice fallen into sin.. Ah, without fail, saith this soul, Lord, so shall you do, and henceforward I will your perfect will, in all things., O right sweet Love, saith this soul, grant me my possession that I have of the Trinity., Now tell your thought, saith Love, for you ought not to hide it., Ah, Lady Love, saith this soul, ye have told me that he that is in him [and] of him, shall be without beginning and without end; that he shall never have anything without me nor I without him., This is sooth, saith Love, I am pledge[157] of this., Then, saith this soul, since he shall never without end have nothing without me, then right so, he loved never nothing without me. It is in the whole Trinity, which is intermediary naught but God himself, for whoso this... Being, without her being, without doubt, Lady love rest of peace, Reason her devour I... Christian mysticism in Christianity: Western Catholic Christianity continuing to disseminate her book, to him for I. 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