The Sermons of Johannes Tauler · 1 of 124

The History of the Reverend Master John Tauler

In the year of Christ 1340, a certain Master in sacred theology was engaged in preaching in a certain city. He was listened to gladly, and his teaching was spoken of for many miles around. Now it happened that a layman, a man rich in grace, was admonished in sleep that he should go to that city and hear that preacher; and this message came to him three times. The city, however, was thirty miles away, and was in a different country. But this man said to himself: Thou shalt go there and wait upon God as to that He wills thee to do. So he went and he heard the Master preach five times. Upon this God gave him to understand that the Master was of a sweet disposition, kindly and good hearted by nature, with a good mind, and well versed in Scripture; but that as to the light of grace, he was dark. This deeply aroused the man’s pity for him, and hfc went to him and said: “My dear good Master, I have journeyed thirty miles for thy sake, for I wanted to hear thee preach. I have heard thee five times; and now I beg thee for God’s love to hear my confession.” The master said: “Gladly.” Then the man made his confession very simply, and as he wished to receive the Lord’s body, the Master gave it to him. Twelve weeks passed away; and then the man said to the Master: “Dear Sir, I ask thee, in God’s name, to preach, and to explain to us the closest place to God and the highest perfection that a man may have in this life.” The Master said: “Ah, dear son, what is this thou asketh? Why should I speak of such high things to thee, for I well believe that thou understandeth little of them.” Then the man answered: “Ah, dear sir, even if I may learn little or nothing of this doctrine, yet I may at least be moved to lament my ignorance. Many people run after thee; and if among them all only a single one should understand thee, thy work were well done.” Then the Master said: “Dear son, if I shall do this, I must first study hard to get the material together.” And the man did not give over, but begged and insisted so long, that at last the Master promised him to do it.

So the next time he preached, he announced to the people that they should come again three days afterwards, for he had been requested to preach how a man could arrive at the closest place to God, and reach the highest and best spiritual state possible in this life. When the day arrived a multitude of people came to hear the sermon, and the man took a good place for hearing. The Master began his address, and spoke as follows.

Dear children, I have much to tell you in this sermon about what I promised; therefore I cannot explain the Sunday’s gospel to you to-day, as my custom has been. Nor shall I use much Latin in this sermon; but what I have to say I will prove by holy Scripture.

Dear children, you should know that there are many men who reach a clear knowledge of spiritual things and have an intellectual understanding of them, but this they have by means of forms and figures imparted by men’s instruction and without Scripture. And we meet with others, who, when they have learned something through the Scripture, stop there contented. Such men are far off from their supreme good. Dear children, when such a man has broken through and gone beyond all that, and when he has thereby died to himself, and when he has passed through forty years of such contemplation and of the reasonings and imaginings and figurings of his soul — then he has gained a place dearer to God than that of a hundred thousand men, who have never got out of self and who live in a state of self approval. Into these God cannot come, nor in them can He act. The reason is their self will, and because their simplicity of spirit is self chosen; it is on account of their self approval, their resting in the forms and figures of their intelligence. But the men who have gone beyond this, giving themselves up to God in the dying spiritual way and by renouncing all things, attaining to a state above the contemplation of the forms and images of the mind — in such men, let me assure you, children, God finds His place of rest; there He dwells and there He works as He wills. St. Dionysius says of such a one: “The light of faith demands that a soul shall transcend the power and scope of its own reason.” When God thus encounters no resistance, He does His own will in the soul, drawing it to Himself and into Himself. Yon must know that these men are exceptional, for their spiritual life is hidden to all but those whose inner experience has been like their own; and these, alas, are not numerous. Another thing to bear in mind is that this noble degree of perfection no man can achieve without boundless humility; and he must also have a clear head and sound reasoning faculties. By lack of humility several learned doctors have fallen, and other dignitaries in holy church. And how many brilliant spirits of the angelic choirs went astray, and fell away eternally from divine truth, though by their very nature they were beings of the highest endowments of reason. Thus it happens to all who trust to their own reason, who would make themselves like unto God in their obstinate self opinionatedness. On account of all this, it is necessary to understand what kind of a man the right, true, reasonable, enlightened, contemplative man should be. And this, dear children, is what I will tell you, as far as I can gather it from holy Scripture. And there are twenty-four qualities which such a man should possess.

The first is placed by the sovereign teacher of all teachers, and the source of all science and wisdom, our Lord Jesus Christ: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (John xv:12); as if He had said: If you have all wisdom and knowledge and high reasoning power, it is all in vain unless you have mutual trust and love along with it. One might think that Balaam was very intellectual, knowing as he did many things that God was to do for hundreds of years. That, however, helped him little enough, because he did not follow up what he knew with fidelity of heart and great love.

The second trait of a truly reasonable and enlightened man, is that he must be detached from self. And when he has come to that, he must in no wise be proud of it, but must strive onward to a greater and greater degree of self renunciation; he must banish from his soul all love of created things.

The third is this: he must give himself up to God that He may work His will in him; nor dare he ascribe to himself any of the results of that divine operation, but on the contrary, he must esteem himself incapable of it.

The fourth: searching carefully within his soul, in whatsoever thing he finds his own self to be his aim and object, from that he must

The fifth: he should consult his own interest in no manner or matter whatsoever or in any creature, either for time or for eternity; and this ministers to true content of heart.

The sixth: he should constantly attend upon God to learn what His will may be about him, and then with the divine help fulfill it, nor in any wise claim the merit of it.

The seventh: it should be his daily practice to surrender his will to God’s will, saying: O God I will naught but what Thou dost will.

The eighth: he should so adjust his mind to God, and so steadfastly apply all its force and love to God, that God cannot act in him without him, nor can he act in God without God.

The ninth: he must profit by God’s presence in all his activity, at all times and in all places, just as God disposes, whether for sweetness or bitterness.

The tenth: he must feel neither pleasure nor pain from any creature, but only from God. Although God often works through creatures, yet a perfect man receives their influence as from God direct.

The eleventh: he shall not be fettered by any pleasurable emotions received from creatures, nor be influenced by it beyond reasonable necessity.

The twelfth: no mishap shall force him out of the path of truth; let him tread closely and faithfully in it.

The thirteenth: he must not be betrayed by the deceitful attractions of created things. Let him take things kindly and quietly as they come, and make the best of them for his own perfection, nor be in any wise worried. This spiritual trait is a sure sign of the presence of the Holy Ghost.

The fourteenth: in order to oppose vice within him with all his might and to win the victory over it, he must be armed with every virtue and always ready for the conflict.

The fifteenth: he must look directly at the naked truth of things, just as truth is in itself, according as God guides him and as far as is humanly possible, and live perfectly up to this knowledge.

The sixteenth: he should be a man of few words, and much given to the interior life*

The seventeenth; he must be a perfect man, and yet by no means think himself perfect.

The eighteenth: his life must be open and sincere with all men, and he must preach better by his life than by his words.

The nineteenth: he should seek God’s honor in all things, nor have aught else in view in his daily conduct.

The twentieth: in contending with others he shall suffer himself to be corrected and shall yield his rights, unless indeed he is contending for God’s rights.

The twenty-first: he shall look for no personal advantage in anything whatsoever, esteeming himself worthy of not even the lowest place.

The twenty-second: he shall esteem himself the least instructed and the least deserving of all men; and yet he shall hold in his heart a great treasure of faith. He shall lay no store by his mental acquirements or his intellectual powers, and in regard of such things he shall rank himself beneath all men. For it is the author of all wisdom who is doing His supernatural work in him, but only on condition that his soul shall be found humbled to the very depth; and it is God Himself who goes before to prepare the soul for His coming, as He did with St. Paul. But it seems to me that in our days, alas, little heed is given to this.

The twenty-third: he shall set before his eyes the life and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be the model of his own life, words and works. Into this he shall constantly gaze as into a mirror, striving always, to the best of his ability, to lay aside whatsoever is inconsistent with this divine rule of life.

The twenty-fourth and last: he shall always reproach himself with being a slothful servant of God; he shall always set to work as if he were a beginner in a good life. And if this draws on him the contempt of his fellows, let him value it more than the favor of the whole world.

And now, you dear children, these are the marks of a well seasoned and prudently grounded spiritual life, enlightened and instructed by rules of all truth. Any man who cannot show these spiritual signs then neither he can consider himself nor can any one else consider him a reasonable man.

May God the eternal truth, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, help us all to be thus formed upon the pattern of our Lord’s truth and humility. Amen.

At the end of the sermon the man returned to his lodgings, and there he wrote it down word for word, just as the Master had preached it. He then took it to the Master, and said: “I have written out thy sermon, and if it will not weary thee, I will read it over to thee.” The Master answered: “I will hear it gladly.” When the man had done reading it, he said: “ I ask thee, dear sir, if I have left out a single word.” The Master answered: “Dear son, thou hast written it down exactly as it came from my mouth. I assure thee that if I could have been paid a high price to compose it anew from the holy scriptures and to write it out again, I could not do it as exactly as thou hast done it. And let me confess that I stand in much admiration of thee; I marvel that thou hast been so long with me and yet remain hidden to me, and that I have not observed thy great intelligence; and that thou hast often made thy confessions to me, and yet held back from me thy real character, so that I have not known thee for what thou art.” When the man made as if he wanted to go away, he said: “Dear sir, if God pleases I will return home.” Upon which the Master said: “Dear son, what wilt thou do there? Thou hast neither wife nor child to care for, and thou canst fare as well here as there; for with the blessing of God I intend to preach more upon the subject of a perfect life.” And the man answered: “Dear Master, you should know that I did not come here on account of thy preaching. I came here with the thought that by God’s help I should offer thee some advice.” The Master said: “And what advice couldst thou give me? Thou art a layman, thou dost not understand the Scriptures. It is unbecoming that thou shouldst want to preach. Stay here longer; perhaps God will grant me such perfect preaching that thou shalt gladly listen to it.” And the man answered: “Master, I would willingly have said something to thee, but I feared that thou mightest not willingly bear it.” And the Master said: “Son, say whatever thou wilt; I pledge myself to bear it patiently.” Upon this the man spoke as follows: “Thou are a great clergyman, and in thy sermon thou has given a good doctrine; but thou thyself dost not live up to it. And yet thou talkest to me about it, and asketh me to stay longer and hear yet another sermon. Sir, be sure of this: thy preaching and thy outward talking, and all like things that anyone can say in the whole world, can have no effect in my soul; but on the contrary it has hindered me rather than advanced me. And the reason is this: when I came away from the sermon I found that it caused me various distracting thoughts, which I was scarcely able to get rid of after long continued efforts. The fact is thou hast preached thyself. But when the sovereign Master of all truth comes into a man, his spirit must be empty of all transitory things. Be sure that when that Master comes to me, He teaches me more in one hour than thou canst ever do, and all other teachers from Adam’s time to the end of the world.” Then said the Master: “Dear son, I beg thee as thou dost reverence our Lord’s death that wouldst remain with me.” Upon which the man answered: “Dost thou adjure me so solemnly to stay with thee? Well, then, if I remain here out of divine obedience, it shall only be because thou shalt promise me, that what I have said to thee and shall say to thee, shall be held by thee as sacred a secret as that of confession, and shall never be told.” The Master said: “Dear son, that I will do gladly, if thou wilt only stay.” And the man said: “Thou hast imparted much good instruction in that sermon; but as thou didst preach, a thought came into my mind. It was that thy sermon was just as if someone should take good clear wine, and mix dregs with it till it was all muddied*” Then the Master said: “Dear son, what meanest thou?” And the man answered: “I mean that thy vessel is unclean, and many dregs adhere to it. That is to say, thou hast allowed thyself to be killed by the letter of thy doctrine, and dost continue so daily and hourly, although thou knowest well what the Scripture says: ‘For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth’ (ii Cor. iii: 6). Now thou mayst be certain that the same letter that killeth thee will make thee alive again, in so far as thou wilt allow it. But in that life in which thou now dost live, thou shouldst know that thou hast no light. Thou art in the night, in which thou mayst indeed know the letter, but the sweetness of the Holy Ghost thou hast not yet tasted, and on that account thou art as yet but a Pharisee.” And then the Master said: “Dear son, I am a man of mature age, and believe me that such words have never before been spoken to me.” Then said the man: “Where is thy preaching now? Dost thou now preceive how thou dost stand? And although thou thinkest that I have spoken too hard against thee, yet thou hast only thyself to blame. And I will prove that to thee.” Then said the Master: “I beg thee to do so, for I have never befen considered a Pharisee.” And the man answered: “I will first show thee how it happens that the letter killeth thee.

“Dear sir, thou wilt remember that when the time came for thee to know the difference between evil and good, thou begannest to learn the letter of religion, and therein thou didst seek thy own interest; and now up to this very day thou art of the same mind. That is to say, thou hast given thyself up to thy own intelligence for guidance. Thou dost not have in view God alone, nor love Him alone, but resteth in the letter, seeking thy own self and not God’s glory alone, to which end, notwithstanding, the holy Scripture directs us. Thou art inclined to creatures; and especially to one creature art thou inclined, and that one thou lovest inordinately; and that is the reason why the letter killeth thee. And when I said that thou art an unclean vessel, I said true; for thou dost not take God into account in all things. When thou shalt come to know thyself, thou shalt find lodged in a portion of thy soul vain and frivolous things. These disturb thy soul and adhere to it as the dregs and lees do to a vessel of wine. When the clear, pure wine of divine doctrine passes through the unclean vessel that thou art, then it comes to pass that pure souls and loving hearts find no divine flavor in thy words; thou impartest no grace to them. And I further have told thee, that thou art in the night, and that thou hast not the true light; now that is also a fact. And that is easily seen, because so few receive an increase of the grace of the Holy Ghost from thy preaching. And when I said that thou art a Pharisee I told but the truth. Of course I do not mean that thou art one of those false wretches of our Lord’s day. But was it not a trait of the Pharisees, that they were dear to themselves in all things, that they kept themselves ever in view in all that they did, rather than God’s glory? Now study thyself carefully, dear sir, and see if thou art not a genuine Pharisee in God’s eyes. Dear Master, thou oughtest to know that there are many people now a days, great and small, who are Pharisees in God’s eyes because He knows their hearts and their lives.”

As the man said these words, the Master took him in his arms and embraced him and kissed him. And he said: “Thou hast shown me a true picture of myself. I see myself as the heathen woman saw her image in the waters of the fountain. I confess to thee, dear son, that all my sins and imperfections have been manifested to me by thy words. Thou hast told me the things that I had hidden away in my soul, and especially that I am inclined particularly towards one creature; but thou shouldst know that I was not aware of this myself.

Then spoke the Master: “Ah no, I beg thee for God’s sake do no such’ thing; stay with me for a while; I promise thee willingly not to speak, like that again. I have the will to become a better man, with God’s* help and with thy counsel; what thou approvest that will I gladly be guided by for the improvement of my life.” Then the man said! “I declare to thee that the letter and the science of things mislead many great Masters, bringing some to an awful purgatory, and others into hell, according to the life they have led. And I declare to thee furthermore, that it is no trifling matter that God should give a man such great knowledge through the holy Scripture, and that nevertheless he should not put it in practice in his own life.”

Then the Master said: “I beg thee for the love of God to tell me how thou earnest to thy present manner of life, and how thou hast begun; and what has been thy custom and way of spiritual exercise.” The man answered: “That is a simple enough request, and I will answer with the exact truth. And if I should write down the wonderful things that God does for me, a poor, sinful man, during the past twelve years, it would make a bigger book than any thou hast; at any rate on this occasion I will tell thee something of it.

“What first helped me was that God found in me a real state of detachment and a fathomless humility. Now I think that there is no need of my telling thee what were my external and bodily devotional practices, for men’s natures differ greatly. But when a man has humbly resigned himself to God with interior sincerity, then God begins and never ceases to give him inward discipline by allowing certain temptations to afflict him; by that and other like means which He knows to be useful and which the soul is able to bear — if it only will — God tries it well. But thou shouldst understand that any man who seeks many counsellors is very likely to go astray; for each one will advise according to his own devotional customs. One man may benefit by one kind of spiritual exercises the like of which would be of no help to another. The devil sometimes excites a man to severe penances, thinking that thereby he will break down his health and lead him into imperfections, or hurt his brain and make him an imbecile, or the like of that.

“And I will tell thee what happened to me in the beginning. I read the lives of the saints in the German language; and thought within myself that they were only men as I am a man, but that they had not sinned as I had. And at that thought I began to imitate the saints in various ways; and soon I was brought so low in health that I was at the point of death. One morning at daybreak, after I had practiced hard austerities, I became so weak that my eyes closed in spite of myself and I fell asleep. And then it seemed to me that a voice spoke to me saying: O thou simple-minded man, what art thou about? Thou wilt kill thyself with penances, suffering dreadful pain. Let God exercise thee in the spiritual life; He can serve thee better than thyself, or the devil’s counsels. When I heard the devil’s name I woke up, very much frightened; I rose and went into a wood near the city. Then as I found myself alone, I recalled how I had begun those austerities without seeking advice, and I said that I could seek counsel about my condition from the old hermit living there. I did this, and I repeated to him the words that I had heard in sleep. I begged him for the love of God to give me his best advice. Then the hermit said to me: ‘Thou must tell me what thy customary exercises of piety have been, before I can advise thee.’ I told him what they were. He said: ‘Who has counselled thee to do these things?’ I said: ‘I did them of my own will.’ He said: ‘Thou must know that it was at the devil’s suggestion that thou didst them; and thou must no longer be ruled by him. Thou must give thyself wholly up to God; He can better practice thee than thyself or the devil.’ Behold, dear Master, how it was I quit those austerities, and yielded myself and all my doings with deepest sincerity to God. Now besides all thia, thou shouldst know that by nature I am a sensible, capable and kindly disposed man, although I have had no training in divinity as thou hast had. Thus I began to know myself according to my reasonable intelligence, and sometimes it happened that I was so

Then I said: O thou wicked spirit, what false and filthy counsel hast thou given me — treacherous counsellor as thou art. For if we had a God who could be comprehended by our reason, I would not give a straw for Him. At another time, when at midnight I began to recite matins, a great longing took possession of me, so that I said:

O eternal and merciful God, I would that thou shouldst grant me to experience something above and beyond the power of reason. But as soon as I had thus spoken, I was terrified at this eager desire, and

I exclaimed: Alas, my God and my Lord, forgive me in Thy boundless mercy for acting thus — that I a poor worm of the earth should allow such a thought to enter my heart, desiring so rich a gift and one so full of Thy grace — I, a man who, as I fully confess, have heretofore by no means lived as well as I ought. I confess, dear Lord, that in all things I have been ungrateful to Thee. Therefore I am convinced that I am not worthy to tread the earth after harboring such a presumptuous desire for Thy rich favors: — the earth is burdened with my worthless carcass. I then flogged myself till the blood flowed upon my naked body. The words I spoke to God burned in my heart and were on my lips till day broke, and meanwhile my blood flowed in my penance. Then did God show me mercy, and to my reason he granted a much clearer light than before. But presently I was ravished out of my reason into an ecstacy, and the time of it seemed exceedingly short. When God permitted me to return to myself, I beheld a marvellous supernatural sign, so that I could say even with St. Peter: ‘Master, it is good for us to be here’ (Luke ix. 33). Let me assure thee, dear sir, that I learned more truth in that short hour, and was given clearer perception of spiritual things, than all the teachers in the world could bestow with all their natural learning. And now, dear sir, I have said enough to show thee how thou standest before God.”

Then the Master spoke: “May God give thee grace to say more to me, for that would be very welcome, for I am telling thee the simple truth, when I say that I have heard thee gladly. Go on and do it, dear son, and do not leave me but stay with me. If thou needest money, I will not let thee suffer want, even if I must pawn one of my books.” Then said the man: “May God reward thee, dear sir. But I do not need thy gift, for God has made me his steward to the extent of five thousand florins. These are God’s, and did I but know some one who needed them, or any other purpose God had for them, I would give them away.” Then the Master said: “Dear son, thou art thus a rich man, a very great steward of the Lord. But I am astonished at thy saying, that I and all other teachers till the day of judgment, could not teach thee as much as thou didst learn in one hour. Explain this to me, I will gladly listen. And is it not true that the Scriptures have come from the Holy Ghost?” The man answered: “Sir, it seems incredible that thou shouldst talk so childishly after all that I have told thee. And I will ask thee a question, and if thou shalt answer it with all thy intelligence, with or without the help of Scripture, I will give thee ten thousand florins.” The Master asked: “What is it?” And the man said: “Canst thou instruct me how to write a letter to a heathen, one buried deep in a heathen country, in such style and language that the heathen can read it and understand it, and that the letter will have such an effect on him as that he will come to the Christian faith?” The Master said: “Dear son, that is the work of the Holy Ghost; tell me where that has ever happened, if thou knowest anything of the sort. Did it ever happen to thee?” The man answered: “Yes. Although I am a miserable sinner, through me the Holy Ghost has done that work. It would take too long to tell how it happened — one could fill a book with an account of it. The heathen was a well meaning man, and he often cried out to heaven, and implored Him who had created him and all the world besides, saying: O Thou creator of all things, here am I born in this country, and I find that the Jews have one faith and the Christians another. O Lord, thou art over us all and thou hast made all creatures: I implore Thy light to know. Is there no faith better than the one in which I was born — none whatever? If there is, I beseech Thee to show it to me that I may believe it — show it in whatsoever way it pleaseth Thee. I will gladly obey Thee and believe. But if it should happen that Thou dost not grant my prayer nor showest me a better faith, and that I shall die in my present faith because I know none better and because Thou hast not revealed a better one to me, then shalt Thou have done me an injustice. Now understand, dear sir, that a letter was written and sent to that heathen by me, a poor sinner, and by its means he came to the Christian faith. And he wrote me a letter in answer, in which he told me what had happened to him, and his letter was written in good plain German, so that I could very easily read it. Dear sir, much more might be said about this, but enough for the present; and thou wilt understand the meaning of what I have said.” Then the Master spoke: “God is wonderful in all His works and gifts. Dear son, thou hast told things that are strange indeed.”

The man said: “I fear that some of the things I have said may have distressed thee, and that is because I am a layman and thou a great master of sacred learning; and yet have I presumed to say so much after the manner of the learned. But I meant it all affectionately, seeking thy soul’s welfare and wholly for God’s honor, as He bears me witness.” Then the Master answered: “Dear sir, if it will not anger thee, I will tell thee what has really distrssed me.” And the man said: “Be assured on that point, thou needest have no fear of angering me.” The Master said: “My mind is in a state of amazement, and I do feel distressed, that thou being but a layman and I a clergyman, I should receive instruction from thee. And it furthermore annoys me that thou didst call me a Pharisee.” Then spoke the man: “Does nothing else weigh on thy mind?” The Master said: “I can think of nothing else.” And the man said: “May I inform thee on both these points?” The Master said: “Yes, dear son, and I ask it of thee in all friendliness, and for God’s sake.” Then the man said: “Tell me, dear sir, how did it happen, that dear St. Catherine, who was but a young girl of fourteen years, yet vanquished by her discourse fifty of the greatest professors, so that they were ready to die for the truth? Who worked that wonder?” Then the Master said: “The Holy Ghost did that.” And the man said: “Think you not that the Holy Ghost still has that power?” The Master answered: “Yes, I believe it firmly.” Then said the man: “Why then wilt thou not believe, that the same Holy Ghost here and now speaks to thee through me, all unworthy as I am and a poor sinner; even as

He spoke the truth by the mouth of Caiaphas, who was also a sinner. But thou mayst be sure, that since thou receivest my message thus evilly, therefore will I be careful to have no more speech with thee.” Then said the Master: “Dear son, say not so. I hope, if God wills it, to improve my soul’s state through thy words.” Then the man spoke: “Ah, dear sir, it distressed thee that I said that thou art a Pharisee. And yet when I did so, I added enough to prove to thee that I did thee no wrong; thou shouldst have rested content. But as thou art not satisfied, I must go on further, and I will show more plainly that I am right, and that thou deservest the name Pharisee. Dear sir, thou knowest full well that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said of the Pharisees: ‘They bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them, (Matt, xxiii: 4). Now, dear sir, thou hast in thy sermon bound together twenty-four burdens, and thou takest little account of them for thy own self. Our Lord also said: ‘AH things whatsoever they [the Pharisees] shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say and do not’ (Matt, zzxiii: 3).” Then the Master spoke: “Our dear Lord said

“He speaks them yet, now and forevermore, and to all men. Dear Master, look into thyself and see if they are not to be applied to thee or to thy way of living: God knows if that be the case, and so dost thyself. And I avow to thee, as regards thyself, that I had rather be guided by thy words than by thy life. Lay it to heart as to whether or not thou mayst be called a Pharisee in the sight of God; but I do not mean that thou art one of those false Pharisees whose portion is the fire of hell.” The Master spoke: “I know not what to say. I confess freely that I am a sinner, and I declare that I will reform my life; I will do it if it kills me. Dear son, I can no longer postpone thin holy work, and I beg thee sincerely and for God’s sake, to tell me how I shall take hold and begin. Teach me and guide me how to reach the highest perfection that man can reach in this life.” The man spoke: “Dear sir, I beg thee not to be angry with me; but I must tell thee in all truth that thou art hard to advise. For if thou art to be converted, it will be a woeful thing to thy established manner and custom of living, for all the old wayB must be given up; and now thou art nigh fifty years old.” Then the Master answered: “That may all be so. But ah, dear son, remember that to him who came also my intellectual way of meditating; and I will follow thy direction, and consider it all one if it costs me even my life. I beg thee for God’s sake to delay me no longer, but to tell me at once how I shall make a beginning.” Then the man said: “Since thou hast

Dear sir, inasmuch as it is wholly on God’s account that I will guide thee, I will call Him into help. I will instruct thee in divine love, and I will give thee a lesson to learn, as is done with children in school; it is the twenty-four letters of the alphabet. And so I begin with A.”

“A. Make a beginning of a new life in the spirit of a man and with no childish timidity.

“B. Give up all wickedness; and do good with thy mind made up, and all diligently.

“C. Be temperate and moderate in everything; learn to hold the safe middle course.

“D. Be humble in everything, in word and deed.

“E. Thy own will must thou renounce in the most thoroughgoing spirit, steadfastly and earnestly clinging to God and abiding in God.

“F. Be zealous, obedient, and willing for all good works, and be wholly free from murmuring.

“G. Diligently practice thyself in all divine works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual.

“H. Look not backwards, neither towards the world, nor creatures, nor thy own affairs.

“I. Deep in thy heart recall thy past life with entire truthfulness real repentance, with bitterness of heart, and tearful eyes.

“K. Boldly and sturdily withstand the temptations of the devil, of the world, and of the flesh.

“L. Learn to overcome idleness courageously, and all delicacy in bodily matters, and the devil’s suggestions of personal comfort.

“M. With burning love, with assured hope, with mighty faith, live in God; and bear thyself towards thy neighbor as thou wouldst towards thyself.

“N. Covet no man’s goods, be they bodily or spiritual.

“O. Make the best of all things as they happen, never borrowing trouble.

“P. Penances, come they from God or from thy neighbor or from any creature, thou shalt willingly accept and suffer to atone for thy sins.

“Q. Whosoever shall harm thee in thought, word or deed, acquit him and pardon him in all sincerity.

“R. Purity of body and of soul, destitution of goods and of honors, thou shall cultivate with all earnestness.

“S. Be gentle-minded in all happenings, and find a way of improving thyself under all circumstances.

“T. Fidelity and truthfulness shalt thou cherish in thy dealings with all men, shunning all double dealing.

“U. Zealously learn to refrain from all and any kind of excess in eating.

“X. Follow the example of our beloved Lord, guiding thy every step thereby, as far as thou art able.

“Y. Ceaselessly beseech our dear Lady’s intercession that she may help thee to learn this our lesson.

“Z. Hold thy will and thy senses in an even balance, so that thou mayst enjoy peace in all things, whether it be those between God and thee, or between thee and all created things.

“Now this whole lesson must be learned and observed without contradiction, with a free heart, and a good will.”

“Now, dear sir, take this lesson of a child, without any objections, as if it came from God to thee for thy good, through me, a poor unworthy man.”

Then the Master spoke: “It may please thee to call this a child’s lesson, but to my thinking it will be a manly exploit to observe it all. And now tell me, dear son, how long a time wilt thou give me to

Thou shalt be thy own master; and when one or other of these sentences arranged by the alphabet is not observed, and thou thinkest that thou canst not master it, then strip thyself naked and chastise thy body, so that it may be reduced to submission to the soul and to reason.” Then the Master said: “I will gladly be obedient.”

At the end of three weeks the man asked the Master: “Dear sir, how stands it with thee?” The Master said: “Let me tell thee, dear son, that during these three weeks I have been whipped harder on account of this lesson, than ever I was whipped before in my whole life.” Then spoke the man: “Dear sir, thou must understand that before one goes onward in a lesson, he must learn perfectly what goes before — namely, the first lines.” The Master answered: “If I should say that I now knew them well, I should say what is not true.” Then the man said: “Go right on that way, till thou hast learnt thy task well.” At the end of three weeks more, the Master sent for the man, and said: “Dear son, rejoice with me, for it seems to me that with God’s help I now know the first lines well. And now, if thou wilt, I am ready to recite the lesson to thee.” The man said: “No, dear sir; but I will gladly rejoice with thee, and fully credit thee that thou knowest thy lesson well.” And the Master answered: “1 tell thee in all sincerity, that I have something heavy on my mind. And dear son, I beg thee to teach me yet further.” Then spoke the man: “I can teach thee nothing more, as far as I am personally concerned. But if it pleases God to teach thee through me, I will gladly do my part, willingly acting as the instrument by which our Lord will act upon thee.

“Listen, dear sir, for I will counsel thee about divine love and brotherly fidelity; so that when the Lord’s call shall come to thee, as it did to the young man in the gospel, I shall have no responsibility: ‘If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come follow Me’ ” (Matt, xix: 21).. Then the Master spoke: “Dear son, thou needst not care for that, for I have already yielded myself to that call, and with God’s help I will go forward obedient in it to God and to thee.” Then spoke the man: “Because thou hast made that secure, giving thyself entirely over to God to have a care of thee, then will I earnestly counsel thee ever to be obedient to the rules of thy Order and to thy

Jesus Christ, imitating Him in very truth; in all humility and in patience. That proud, cultivated intelligence of thine, which thou hast gained by study of sacred learning, thou must let pass from thee. During this thy time of preparation thou must neither study nor preach. But toward thy penitents, both men and women, thou shalt bear thyself very simply when they make their confessions. And when they are done, instead of giving them thy usual advice, say to them: I am now anxiously learning how to give myself good advice, and when I have succeeded in that, I will then give you good advice. If any one askest thee when thou wilt preach, refuse to tell him; but say to him in all truth that thou art not idle; and thus the people will excuse thee.” Then the Master spoke: “Dear son, all this I will gladly do; but what occupation shall I have meanwhile?” The man said: “Thou shalt go into thy cell and read thy breviary, and attend in choir and join in the singing; thou shalt celebrate thy daily mass when thou canst do so. Whatever time is left over, take it up with the passion of our Lord, and meditate how thy life stands in comparison with His. Think also on the lost time of thy life, namely that in which thou didst have thyself in view as thy aim and purpose. Think, too, how very small has been thy love compared to His love. These things shalt thou study and that very humbly, so that thou mayst attain to some degree of real humility, thereby becoming rid of thy old habit of mind and quite departing from it And when our Lord decides that the time is come, then will He make a new man of thee, supposing that thou shalt have been born again of God.

“But be sure that ere all this happens, thou must sell all that thou hast, and humbly give it up to God. And that means all that thou dost possess in thy proud intelligence, whether of Scripture learning or other learning, whereby thou mightest achieve honor in this life, or that has before this ministered to thy joy. All this thou must now

God’s will all that thou doest and all that thou leavest undone, and indeed thy whole life, shall be brought to contempt and made nothing of in the eyes of the people. All thy penitents will leave thee, thinking that thou hast not good sense any longer. All thy good friends and brothers in thy monastery, will take offense at thy way of life, and say that thou hast adopted a preposterous kind of devotion.

MBut when all this comes to pass, do not be affrighted, but rather be rejoiced, for just then thy salvation is at hand. To be sure thy human weakness will be terrified and sickened by it. But nevertheless, dear sir, do not give up, but trust God steadfastly, for He in no wise abandons His servants; and thou knowest that full well from thy knowledge of the lives of the dear saints. Now, dear sir, if thou wilt indeed undertake this way, realize that nothing in the world is better for thee or more useful than great detachment — boundless and humble, extending to all things, as well sweet as bitter, whether for weal or woe, so that thou shalt be able to say truthfully: Ah, my Lord and my God, if it were thy will that I should stay in this pain and in this anguish of heart till the end of the world, yet would I not depart from Thee and I would steadfastly continue in Thy service. And now, my dear sir, I know that in thy heart thou sayest, that this is indeed a heavy task that I have conferred with thee about. And for that reason it was that I begged thee to dismiss me, and that I said that if thou shouldst fall short of thy purpose, I should not be to blame.”

Then the Master said: ‘‘Thou hast spoken truly; I own that it seems to me somewhat hard to undertake this way.” The man spoke: “But thou didst beg me to teach thee the shortest road to the highest state of contemplation. Now I know no shorter, no surer way than this, if one would model on the true example of our Lord Jesus Christ. But, dear sir, I counsel thee by all my truth, that thou take time to think over all this; and what God then gives thee to do, that

After eleven days the Master sent for the man and said to him: “Ah, dear son, what martyrdom have I suffered, and what interior battles have I fought day and night, ere I could vanquish the devil and my own flesh. But with the grace of God, I have now concentrated all my faculties of mind and powers of body to this decision: I will cheerfully undertake this way, and I will remain in it fast and firm, come weal come woe.” Then the man said: “Dear sir, dost thou recall the words I used with thee, when thou didst ask me how thou shouldst make a beginning?” The Master spoke: “Yes, for the moment thou hadst gone from me I wrote thy advice down word for word.” Then the man said: “Dear sir, that thou hast received this bold spirit from God, I am heartily glad, and value it for thee as if it were for myself, and of this God is my witness. And now in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ make a beginning.” Then the man said farewell, and he took his departure, and the Master did as he had been directed.

And it came to pass ere a year elapsed, that the Master was held to be good for nothing in the monastery, even by his most trusted friends. And his penitents all left him; they were gone from him as if they had never seen him. All this was a heavy blow to him and caused him much suffering. Meanwhile his head began to grow weak. And now he sent for the man, and told him how things were with him, and how his whole body was almost in a state of sickness, and especially his head. Then the man said: “Sir, do not be alarmed. Humbly cleave to God, and trust Him implicitly. I assure thee that I am well pleased with thee; all goes well with thy life, and will daily go better.

“Dear sir, thou knowest well, that whosoever will take the right road and travel onward, must imitate the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore stand thy ground, and give thyself wholly up to God. I assure thee that thy experience was also my own. And meanwhile, as thou art now undergoing those interior trials, treat thy body with some consideration, giving it wholesome food. As to

I ever gave both body and soul to God, to do with them entirely as he pleased.”

Then the Master spoke: “But thou toldst me before to avoid good food and drink.” And the man answered: “Yes, sir; but that was in the first beginnings, while as yet the body was robust; but now that it becomes dry and thin and would be all submission to the spirit, therefore thou mayst come to its help and build it up somewhat, or otherwise thou wouldst be tempting God by excessive austerity. Whilst thou art in thy present weak state thou dost a service to God if thou dost discretely nourish thy body; but by no means shalt thou inordinately indulge thy appetite — that must not be. Dear sir, call in God to thy help and go forward cheerfully. Give thyself up to God in trustful and entire self renunciation; rely confidently on his infinite mercy, and wait for His grace. Whatever God may demand of thee, sweet or bitter, prove thyself equal to it with His help. And now I beg thee for God’s sake not to take it amiss that I must return home, for thither I am called by an affair of great importance; my interest is much involved — that I say to thee in all sincerity. But if it should happen that thou canst not get on without me, send to my city for me, and I will willingly come to thee. But if thou canst endure to suffer without the help of any creature, that is everyway the best for thee.” Then the Master spoke: “Dear son, say no such thing to me, for I cannot and will not get on without thee for any length of time. If thou goest away it will be excessively painful to me, for I can have no comfort in this world now.” The man answered: “Dear sir, I will tell thee of a better comfort, and that is the Holy Ghost, who has called thee to this way, lovingly invited thee, and brought thee so far onward, by means of me a poor sinner. His is the work done in thee, not mine; and I have been but His instrument, gladly serving Him in it, to God’s glory and to thy happiness.” Then the Master spoke: “Dear son, may God be thy eternal recompense. And because thy affairs are so urgent I must let thee go. I will resign myself to God to suffer as best I may.” The man spoke: “Dear sir, now that thou art subjected to the divine discipline, and hast entered a life of true spirituality in obedience to God, and inasmuch as this is thy free act, I now admonish thee to bear thyself discreetly, and care for thyself prudently, lest thou shouldst regret that thou art forsaken farewell and took his departure. But as to the Master, his eyes overflowed and he began to weep.

So it happened that the Master suffered great trials and temptations for two years, and these included disgrace in the eyes of all his friends. To this was added such destitution that he was forced to pawn a portion of his library. Meanwhile his body was reduced to great weakness. But he bore it all, and found himself sincerely humble. And it came to pass in the night of the feast of St. Paul’s conversion, that he was assailed by the worst temptation that could be imagined. And at that moment all his natural force was so weak, that he could not so much as walk to the choir to attend at matins, and must perforce sit idly in his cell, giving himself up to God most meekly, void of all comfort and help from creatures. This was his sorest trial. Now amid all that feebleness, he meditated on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and on the great love He had for us. And then he considered his own life, and how petty a thing it was, compared to the love of God for him. Upon this he entered into a very deep sorrow for all his sins, and of regret for all the time he had wasted, and he spoke to God with heart and mouth: Ah merciful God! In thy boundless mercy take pity on me a poor sinner, for I am unworthy to walk the earth. And as he sat there in his utter helplessness and sadness, and being quite wide awake, he heard with his bodily ears a voice that said: Stand fast in thy peace, and trust in God. And remember that when He was on earth in His human nature, when He cured men of bodily sickness, He also made them well in their souls. The moment these words were spoken, he lost all sense and reason, and knew not whether he was carried away nor how. But when he came to his senses again, he found a great change had taken place in him. All his interior and his outward faculties were conscious of a new strength; and he was gifted with clear perceptions of matters that before had been very strange and alien

So he sent for the man, and when he came the Master told him all that had happened. Then spoke the man: “These thy words I have heard with joy from the bottom of my heart. Dear sir, thou must understand that now for the very first time thou hast found the true, the great grace in God. I say to thee that now for the very first time thou hast been touched by the Most High. And this thou must know: as formerly the letter had somewhat killed thee, so now shall the same make thee alive again. For now thy teaching comes from God the Holy Ghost, whereas before it was from the tlesh. Now thou hast the light of the Holy Ghost, received from the grace of God, and thou hast the holy Scriptures in thee. Therefore hast thou now a great advantage, and in the future far more than formerly thou shalt understand the Scriptures; for thou knowest full well that the Scriptures in many places seem to contradict themselves. But now that in the light of the Holy Ghost thou hast received divine grace to possess the holy Scripture in thyself, so wilt thou understand that all Scripture has the same meaning and is never self-contradictory. And now thou wilt go on right, following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thou must begin to preach again, teaching thy fellow men the right road to eternal life. The time is come when good books are useful to thee. And be sure that now one sermon will profit the people and give them good fruit more than did a hundred formerly. For the words that thou shalt speak go forth from a purified soul, judging and weighing all things in simplicity of spirit. Hence just in proportion as thou hast been good for nothing in the people’s estimation, thou shalt now become all the better appreciated and loved.

“But it is of particular necessity that thou shalt keep thyself truly humble. Thou knowest that whosoever carries a precious treasure openly in his hand, must be on his guard against thieves. I assure thee that the devil is greatly frightened, when he finds that God has confided to a man so dear a prize, so noble a treasure as thou possessest. He will exert all his skill and cunning to rob thee of it. Therefore be prudently on thy guard. And thou canst in no way baffle his scheming so well as by boundless humility. Now, dear sir, there is no longer any need of my speaking to thee by way of

“And now I on my part wish to be instructed in divine love by thee, for with the help of God I have done thee the favor that God led me here to do. So, if God wills, I shall stay a good while with thee and hear thy preaching. For if God grants it, I am of opinion that thou shouldst begin preaching again.” Then the Master spoke: “Dear son, what is thy advice? I have placed many good books in *pawn for thirty florins.” Then said the man: “I will give thee

He then announced publicly that he would preach the third day following. The people were amazed at this, because he had stopped preaching for so long a time, and a great throng came to hear him. When he saw that the crowd was so great, the Master mounted a high pulpit so that all could hear him better. He knelt and covered his face with his cowl, and he prayed silently: Merciful and everlasting God, if it be Thy will, grant me the grace to speak so that Thy divine name may be praised and honored, and these people thereby advanced in Thy love. And as he said these words, his eyes overflowed with tears so abundantly, welling up from his heart, that never a word could he utter from the power of his feelings. That lasted so long that the people were much annoyed. And a man in the crowd spoke: “Sir, how long must we sit here waiting for thee? It is already very late; if thou art not going to preach, then say so and let us go home.” But the Master yet remained weeping and in deep recollection, and again did he speak to God: Ah my Lord and

But if Thou dost not do this, so is it a sign that thou deemest that I have not yet been despised and scorned enough. Now, dear Lord, perfect Thy divine will upon poor me, to Thy praise and to my need. But this prayer helped nothing, for the weeping grew harder and harder. Then did he understand that God would have it thus. And so he addressed the people: “My dear children, it is a deep pain to my heart, that I have detained you so long, for I can say not a single

I with His grace will preach for your benefit another time — the soonest I possibly can.” And so the people went away, and this occurrence was noised abroad over the whole city. He was greatly ridiculed for all this, and made nothing of by everybody. People said: “It is now plain enough that he has become a veritable fool.” Then his own brethren in the monastery strictly forbade him to preach again, for this occurrence gave much scandal in their community; and they said that he made the Order a scandal in the people’s eyes, by the foolish spirituality which he had adopted, and which hurt his brain and made an idiot of him.

Then the Master sent for the man, and he related all that had happened to him. The man said: “Dear sir, do not be alarmed at this occurrence. The Bridegroom is accustomed thus to try all His best loved friends, and this is a certain sign that God is thy good friend. Without doubt there was something of pride hidden in thy soul unknown to thyself. This is why thou hast been scorned and ridiculed. And it may be that hereby thou hast received some great gifts from God, of which thou art thyself as yet unaware — granted thee through the exercise of patience in this trial. Therefore be at peace, and be cheerful and humble. Nor needst thou take this for so very strange a thing, for I have known the same and worse to happen to others. Thou shouldst not be ashamed of the burden of this cross that God has sent thee, but rather value it as a great treasure, a very precious gift of God. I counsel thee to stay by thyself for five days, shut off from speech with all men, to the praise and honor of the five holy wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the five day* are passed, beg thy Prior for leave to deliver a sermon in Latin. If he will not permit that, then pray him to try thee in class, and permit thee to deliver a lecture to the brethren.”

Now this last permission was granted him. And he lectured to the community in so deep-searching a way, that they never heard the like in their whole lives, so great and profound a divine doctrine did he teach. Then they allowed him to deliver a sermon to the people. One day after one of the brethren had preached to the people in the church — the same in which the Master had formerly been accustomed to preach — that brother announced: “I have been

I am not to be blamed for it. But this much I can truthfully say, that in our convent school he has lectured to us with such great and deep doctrine and such divine knowledge as we have not heard this many a day. How he will succeed with you God knows, not I.” The following day the Master came to the church of that convent (it was a convent of nuns) and he began to preach as follows:

Dear children, it may well be two years or more since last I preached. I then spoke to you of twenty-four points of the spiritual life. It was then my custom to use much Latin in my sermons, and to divide them into points. But it is now my purpose not to do so any more; and when I do speak in Latin, it will be when the educated are present who can understand it. And now let us say an Ave Maria and beg God’s grace.

Dear children, I have chosen a text for my sermon, and I will discuss it and adhere to it. In German it is as follows:

“Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet Him” (Matt, xxv: 6). The Bridegroom is our dear Lord Jesus Christ, and the bride is Holy Church and Christianity. Ah, dear children, we are thus all spouses of Christ, and we should all gladly go forth to meet Him. But in that, alas, we are found wanting. Dear children, the right roads and the plain ways on which we should go forth to meet the Bridegroom, have become deserted and overgrown, and we are even beginning nowadays to have little knowledge of them at all. The road to Christ is strange enough to many a one among us — that road on which we should gladly meet our true Bridegroom. Of this, with God’s help, I will speak on another occasion. But now, knowing that we are all chosen to be spouses of Christ, I will have something to say, showing how the bride should act if she would really go forth to meet the Bridegroom.

My dear children, a faithful bride should strictly avoid all that is against the Bridegroom. That is all vainglory, pride, envy, together with all the sins of this world, all the concupiscence of the flesh, whether of delicate and luxurious pampering of the body or any other such thing: everything indeed except what is of real necessity. And

But if she would become yet more pleasing, then must she humbly bow down and say with heart and mouth: Ah my dear Lord Bridegroom, Thou kno west all hearts well; and now with all my heart I say this to Thee — that I will do all that lies in my power to learn from Thee through my heart’s reason, what is pleasing to Thee. Now when the bride pays these vows to the Bridegroom, He turns and looks upon the bride. Then she requests Him to give her a jewel for a keepsake. And what is that jewel? It is that she shall be visited with many inner and outer trials, according to the way He is accustomed to try His special friends.

But if it happens that the bride is as yet unused to suffering, then will she say to Him: “Ah, dear Lord Bridegroom, this is very hard upon me, and I feel most anxious lest I shall not be able to endure it. Therefore, dear Lord Bridegroom, I beg thee to makj my sufferings somewhat lighter, or to take away a part of them. Then the Bridegroom says: But let Me ask this, My dear bride: should the bride be now better off than the Bridegroom once was? If thou wilt go forth to meet the Bridegroom, thou must in some degree imitate Him; and it is altogether proper that a faithful bride should suffer somewhat out of sympathy with her Bridegroom.

And when the bride thus heard her Bridegroom’s will and perceived His earnestness, she was much frightened, and said: Dear Lord Bridegroom, Thou must not be angry with me, for I will gladly be obedient. Visit me with what trials Thou pleasest, and I will gladly suffer it all with Thy help and in Thy love. When the Bridegroom heard this, the bride was somewhat more dear to Him than before. Therefore He would give her a better cup to drink. Now the draught He gave was that she should be quit of all her thoughts, that all doing and not doing should become entirely tasteless to her because it had ceased to please her in the least degree. No matter how good things might be in themselves, as she did them she could only think how much she angered her Bridegroom by doing them; and she greatly forboded how much punishment she must perhaps suffer for it all. As this showed itself outwardly, she was scorned and derided by everybody, and whatever she did was accounted nothing but foolishness.

Now, dear children, all this time the bride was worn and feeble in all her natural powers; she constantly dreaded that she could not hold out but must finally die during her trial. Therefore she was affrighted. This was because she was still cowardly and weakspirited. So she invoked her Bridegroom anxiously, and said: Ah, dear Lord Bridegroom, how Thou hast terrified me, oh so dreadfully. I cannot suffer long this way; I am about to die. Then the Bridegroom spoke: If thou wilt go forth rightly to meet the Bridegroom, it is fitting that thou shouldst first go after Him a part of the way He has gone over. Now the Bridegroom suffered for thirty-three years — much shame, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and bitter torments. At last He suffered a cruel death. And all this he bore out of true love of His bride and entirely for her sake. Is it not then proper that the bride should risk death for His sake, and out of heart’s love for Him? Surely, if thou hadst right trust and true love for Him, all thy fears would vanish away.

When the bride heard these words from her Bridgeroom, she was much frightened and her whole heart trembled; and she said: Ah, dear Lord, I confess most sincerely that I have done wrong in murmuring; and on that account I am exceedingly afraid. It cuts me to the heart that I have not given myself up to Thee most trustfully unto death. Dear Lord Bridgeroom, I will now most truthfully promise Thee all that Thou wilt have me: Whatever Thou dost will, that do I will also: sick or well, for weal or woe, for sweet or bitter, cold or hot, dry or wet — just as Thou wilt so do I will. I will give my will up to Thee entirely. I will be wholly and gladly obedient to Thee. Apart from what Thou dost will, I will never desire anything whatsoever. Do with me, a poor worthless creature, all that Thou wilt in time and in eternity. For, dear Lord, when I consider what there is in me and of me, I feel that I am not worthy to tread the earth.

When the Bridegroom saw this true heartfelt loyalty of the bride, and the deep fund of humility in her, what did He do? He was moved with pity; and He bestowed a present on the bride, namely, a blessed sweet draught. And what draught is this? It is that He caused her yet greater trials, and afflicted her with yet greater anguish than she ever before had suffered. Now when the bride became aware of this, when she knew His stern purpose and His will, she suffered all this willingly on the Bridegroom’s account. And she bowed down humbly before Him, and said: Ah dear Lord Bridegroom, it is indeed

When the Bridegroom in His eternal wisdom knew this purpose of His bride’s soul, knew the downright earnestness of this humble bride, then she became very dear to Him. And out of true love He left her this present of his — namely to suffer in all her natural powers so long as was necessary to cure all her imperfections, and to cleanse away all the stains of her former sins, until she should be all pure and beautiful. And so He spoke: All hail my well loved bride, so beautiful and so well pleasing to Me; for now thou art all clean and without spot, and thou art most acceptable to Me. Then did He gaze upon her with an immeasurably great and divine affection. And presently to the joys of the marriage feast comes the Bridegroom’s eternal Father, and He says to the bride: All hail, my well loved chosen friend. It is now high time that we should go to the church, to solemnize the espousals. And then He takes the Bridegroom and the bride, and leads them to the church, and He plights them to each other, and binds them together in divine love; and God binds them in a union so fast and firm, that the bride says that neither in time nor eternity shall they ever be separated. And when they have thus been made one in the divine espousals, the Bridegroom says: Dear, eternal Father, what shall now be our wedding gift to the bride? The Father says: That shall be the Holy Ghost, for that office is due to Him as standing for the Father Upon this was poured into the bride the overflowing divine love, so superabundant that it seemed to overflow upon even the Bridegroom. And now the Bride was ravished out of herself, and was wholly inebriated with love, and became forgetful of self and of all creatures in time and eternity.

Now, my dear children, whosoever has been invited to so noble a spiritual espousals, and has accepted the invitation and come to the marriage feast, the same shall begin to taste the true, the solemnly promised, the richly gifted sweetness of the Holy Ghost. This bride is then a true adorer, for she prays to the Father in the Holy Ghost. At this marriage^ feast is joy upon joy. Here in one hour more peace and joy is had than all creatures in time and eternity can ever bestow.

The joy of the bride with the Bridegroom is greater than any human mind can ever comprehend.

As the Master reached thus far in his sermon and spoke these words, a certain man cried out very loud: “It is true!” and he fell down as if he were dead. And then a woman cried out from among the people: “Sir, stop speaking, or this man will die on our hands.”

Then the Master said: Ah, dear children, the Bridegroom then took the bride and led her away to His home. Let us gladly leave her to Him. And thus will I make an end of my sermon. Dear children, let us all call out to heaven to our God and Lord for His help. For there is sore need to do so, since we have grown so dull and foolish that we have no compassion one for another, although we know that we have been named by God brothers and sisters. There are few enough among us who are willing to crucify their flesh in imitation of the Bridegroom, and in order to obtain a better joy and have an espousals rich in graces.

You should know that in our days there are not many who have in all sincerity gone forth to meet the Bridegroom, as many a one did in former times. Hence the need that every one of us should study his soul, and take earnest account of himself. For the time approaches and is indeed now come, that most of those living here have eyes and see not, have ears and hear not. Dear children, let all of us strive to win to this most blessed, loving and joyous marriage feast

Now after the bride had taken her departure from the espousals and was left to herself, and found herself still living amid this life’s misery, then she said in her soul: Alas, poor me, miserable me; am I yet in this life? And so she was somewhat sad within herself. But she was so entirely detached in’ her inmost soul, and so perfectly humbled towards her Bridegroom, that she dared not so much as think of or desire her Bridegroom’s return, esteeming herself wholly unworthy of Him. But therefore did the Bridegroom by no means desert her, but He looked upon her from time to time, for He knew full well that no one could comfort her except Himself alone.

Now, dear children, do not be astonished that I have not told you how affectionately the Bridegroom conversed with the bride. It is possible that men would not believe me (except it be one here and there who has tasted this sweet union), if I told them the strange and marvellous words the bride speaks with her Bridegroom. We

Now, dear children, I fear that I have held you too long. But it did not seem long to me; and I meant it all very kindly. Nor could I on this occasion be easily more brief, if I would rightly explain this matter. So I beg you to take it in good part. God grant us all to become true and perfect brides of our Lord Jesus Christ; that we may go forth in real and boundless self-abandonment and humility to meet our blessed Bridegroom; and that we may ever and eternally remain espoused to Him. To this happy lot may God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost lovingly assist rs. Amen.

When this sermon was over, the Master went and offered mass, and he gave God’s body in communion to several good souls. But fully forty men staid behind in the churchyard lying as it were in a swoon. Now the man who had previously given counsel to the Master, when he learned of this, told the Master of it, and when mass was over he led him to the churchyard that he might see these people aud consider what ailed them. But while mass was being said they hud risen up and gone away, all but twelve, who still lay there. Then the Master said to the man: “Dear son, what thinkest thou we should do with these men?” Then the man went from one to another of them and touched them. But they moved very little, and lay there almost as if they were dead. This was a very strange thing to the Master, for he had never seen the like before. So he said to the man: “Tell me; what dost thou think? Are these people dead or living?” The man smiled and said: “Were they dead, the blame would be on thee and the Bridegroom. How canst thou bring them back to consciousness?” The Master spoke: “If the Bridegroom is with me in this undertaking, then can I indeed restore them.” Then the man said: “These men are still alive, and I beg thee to request the sisters’ leave to have them carried under shelter, lest by exposure to the night air and by lying on the cold earth, they should catch cold.” And so the Master

The next year it happened that the Master went to a certain monastery of nuns, and five of the sisters begged him for the love of God to give them a sermon, instructing them how a true religious should pass her life. Then the Master said: “That I will gladly

Dear children, St. Paul gives us good instruction in this day’s Epistle, from which I make this extract: “I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven” (II Cor. xii:2). Now we notice that our dear apostle, who is speaking of himself, had kept these wonderful things secret for fourteen years, nor would he ever have revealed them but by God’s permission. He did not do as people do nowadays. For if some little grace is granted them, they forthwith blazen it abroad without

God’s leave, telling it to others who know as little as themselves what it may signify. This is very foolish, and is an injury to themselves. Therefore be on your guard against such an indiscretion. We find few men, alas, in our time who have correct judgment in such matters. Therefore, dear children, no one should without God’s permission publish around the graces he may have received. God granted leave to St. Paul to tell us his wonderful experiences, and this was for our improvement. And also to teach the doctrine that when God gives a man the antecedent and unmerited graces, he should not shrink from any heavy task God may lay upon him; as He did in the case of St. Paul.

And, dear children, you must know that God’s gifts are to come to us through suffering; and if they come before suffering, then are they none the less to be preserved by suffering. And because suffering so greatly ennobles the soul, and is so fruitful of good to it, therefore does God give great suffering to his dear, holy friends, and He did especially to His only begotten Son. Men suffer in this life by God’s will, and this is on account of the fruitfulness of suffering. This is why God granted leave to St. Paul to tell us of his sufferings, and also of his graces. In this day’s Epistle he says: “In many more labors, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren” (II Cor. xi: 23-26).

These and many other pains and miseries did the apostle suffer, and why? Further on in this Epistle he tells us why sufferings were sent him: “And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me. For which thing thrice I besought the Lord, that it might depart from me. And He said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity.” And then St. Paul adds: “Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (II Cor. xii:7-9). Now, dear children, it behooves us to believe St. Paul when he says suffering is useful and fruitful, and imitate his example in bearing all kinds of inflictions.

For be sure that if ever we come to a fruitful Christian life, there is no other way but this: a voluntary renunciation of our nature, so that a man shall take leave of all natural joy, and do it from his inmost heart, providing only for reasonable necessity and that solely because it advances him nearer to God. Whatever provision for nature is over and above that, he must renounce wholly and be totally stripped of.

Be sure that nobody can possess and taste God’s sweetness, until he has put away from him and totally rooted out the inclinations of the life of the senses, and the concupiscence of his entire nature. Hence did St. Paul again say: “For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live” (Rom. viii: 13). My dear children, we must frame ourselves into the sweet image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here again St. Paul teaches us to put off the old man and clothe ourselves with. Christ: “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences” (Rom. xiii: 14).

But even beyond all this there is a much nobler and greater selfdenial. For after the spirit has fully vanquished the flesh, and has suppressed all the lower, sensual, fleshly uprisings of nature, then does the spirit leap upward into things eternal, and the spiritual life becomes full of sweetness, and the former works of nature are heartily hated. Now when that happens, when a man’s spirit begins to enjoy supernatural things, all very high and noble, another step must be taken. As first of all he renounced all the sweetness of nature, it now remains for him to renounce his own will. And he must give up joy in spirtual things; he must renounce the superfluities of the spirit as he did before those of nature; he must give up to God, and let Him do His work in him just as He pleases. And heroin does he first come to real self-renunciation, real and true, arriving at that poverty of spirit which is rewarded with the kingdom of heaven.

Now, my dear children, it happens that some souls, drawing themselves inward, place their joy in themselves, picking and choosing what pleases them in the spiritual life. They do not abandon themselves to God, but all in self-will they follow their own self-chosen devotional methods. The souls that act that way enjoy God’s gifts and graces inordinately, receiving little fruit, and sometimes none at all. Now God knows that if He should cast a brighter light upon

But there are other souls, who have given up to God in a state of most interior detachment, receiving everything from God with equal indifference whether it be bitter or sweet. And if spiritual joy departs, that loss moves them not one whit farther from God. These souls prefer the reality to the show of perfection; they lead spiritual lives fruitful of the essentials of religion. They are the true, interior spirits.

And you should know this: the man who has thus freely given up everything in the body and in the soul that is not God has made great and indescribable progress. What he now needs is the counsel of the wise and the good. And he must also very carefully cultivate a deep, a boundless humility, and in that constantly abide, for the evil beasts of hell never give over their purpose to destroy him.

Dear children, deep resignation — that is to say, a sincere detachment from all our natural inclinations — is a good beginning. But that should be inspired with real humility, as St. Peter teaches: “Be you humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in the time of visitation” (I Peter v, 6). Dear children, could we but learn how to be gladly and totally free from desires, that would be good. Upon this subject St. Dionysius speaks: “When it happens that God actually and truly dwells within my soul, then is my spirit so exalted that it seems to me that nothing in the world is lacking to me, and if He at the same moment made all created things subject to me, it would not be a favor done me. But when it happens that God is in my soul only by His presence and by way of satisfaction in Him and perception of His sovereignty, then do I yet have a longing for Him, and that longing can only exist because of some imperfection of which I am guilty; for, as Solomon teaches, we should have peace in all Divine works.” Thus does St. Dionysius reckon interior longing to be in a kind of a way a defect, for it is self-evident that if one longs for entire detachment he has not yet fully attained to it. The most perfect detachment is will seem a strange doctrine to certain men among us, who are advocating novel and erroneous views, for they have beheld God only according to their own spiritual joys.

But I must now grant the request of these Sisters and tell them what are the virtues proper to their state of life. And I say this: A true nun should all her life long be purified from all creatures and be detached from them. She should have so pure a soul that it may be fit and able to help to eternal salvation all who hold the faith of Christ. But one of the Sisters might say: I have so much human weakness that it is necessary for me to be now and then recreated and refreshed with human company, and I must spend some time conversing with people. I answer: Alas, thou poor creature, in this thou art under the guidance of the devil! Make up thy mind that whosoever seeks in the cloister anything else but willing suffering through God enters there very unadvisedly. Some enter the cloister with such motives that it seems a sin for them to live on the alms given to their order, for they would be very unwilling to practice actual poverty; that is to say, to lead the life of those poor people on the streets who are in actual want and subsist by begging. Besides this, when a Sister joins the community she should set about becoming free from all imperfections of the bodily and of the spiritual life. She must willingly go along with Jesus Christ to Calvary and be crucified with Him for the salvation of all mankind. For Christ exclaimed from the cross: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt, xxvii, 46). And as God the Father did thus forsake His only begotten Son for men’s salvation, so must all true monks and nuns forsake all created things, all worldly and fleshly desires. Otherwise, they have their labor for their pains. Holy Mary Magdalen was a true nun, for she willingly gave up all self-love and gladly chose to be deprived of all human help.

The Heavenly Father sent His only begotten Son in human nature, that He might endure suffering, and we would fly from all suffering. I tell you emphatically that, do what we may, if we would find the safest and the shortest and the most reasonable way to perfection, then we have no choice but to set our Lord’s life and passion before us as our pattern and follow after Him by suffering.

But I must tell you something else: The Heavenly Father is not so hard with us as He was with His only begotten Son. If we will but give ourselves to God in a state of suffering and do it with all our powers; of his perpetual marriage feast, as God ever comes to him with overflowing supernatural graces. Whatever day that first happens to him is the great day of his heavenly jubilation.

Dear children, these are the reasons why we should gladly suffer all that our tender Father inflicts upon us. We know full well that the man who through suffering attains to the Divine espousals is made a wise man, and his life is a well-ordered life. He overflows with the influence of the Holy Ghost, giving him plain guidance what to do and what to leave undone and making all his activity spiritually fruitful. But, meanwhile, such a man makes nothing of himself. He is profoundly humble, and he feels a continual fear, dreading lest he is falling short of his duty to his well-loved Father. God grant us to learn how to suffer in all our life. May God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost help us to enjoy the Divine espousals. Amen.

Dear child, if thou wilt finally come to thy perfection and to God, thou must observe three things: Firstly — Thou must make God thy one and only motive and meaning, seeking God’s honor in everything and by no means thy own honor — His will and not thy own. Secondly — In all external activity thou shalt keep a close watch on thyself. Gaze down into thy own utter nothingness and take good heed of that. Look carefully to thy relations to persons and things around about thee, and to thy own sentiments and feelings about them, looking inward toward thy most secret thoughts. Thirdly — Meddle not with what does not concern thee. Let things be as they are, if they are not committed to thy charge. What is good, is good; what is bad, is bad, and thou canst not help it. Turn inward to thy own soul and there abide, waiting for the tones of thy Father’s voice calling thee to be and remain steadfastly in Him.

And, O dear child, if thou wilt but observe these two other things, thou shalt win a great victory. Firstly — Thou must in all sincerity be little in thy own esteem, whether thou considerest thy outward or thy inward life. Nor should this sentiment be in words only, but in thy heart’s truest sincerity. Beckon thyself as of small account, yea, of no account at all, and let this be the clear persuasion of thy mind and the strong feeling of thy heart, with not the least taint of hypocrisy. Secondly— Have true Divine love. And this is not to be what we call love in our life of the senses, but rather that essential manner of loving by which our intention is fixed singly and wholly on God in our inmost soul.

O man, thou shalt be void of all attention, understanding and activity of the senses that is not directed to God, because the Lord God Himself is empty and void [to thy apprehension] in order that the spirit may be assimilated to the infinite, absolute Divine essence. It is necessary that thy soul should thus stand free and detached if it shall ever be able to comprehend the hidden mystery of familiar union with God. Thus must a man renounce all things in which he detects any trace of self-love. Amen.

And now you must know that this Master increased in a godly life and became, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so wise that he was often called on to preach both to the clergy and the laity, following the way we have described. He was much loved in both town and country. Whatever weighty matter was to be settled, he was called on for guidance, not only in spiritual, but also in temporal affairs, for his advice was implicitly followed. When the Master had passed eight years of these fruitful labors it was God’s will to leave him no longer in this state of exile. And He would have him come to Him without any purgatory. God then sent him the decree of death. He was attacked by a severe illness and lay abed for full twenty weeks, a most painful time and full of deep sorrows. Finally he knew, in the grace of the Holy Ghost, that he was about to bid farewell to this world, *for God would now reward him for his labors. Therefore did the Master send for that holy man, his beloved friend, telling him that he had not long to live. The man was obedient and came to the Master, who received him very affectionately. The man was glad to find him yet alive, and he said:

“Dear sir, how art thou?” The Master answered: “I believe that the time is at hand when God would take me out of this life. Therefore, dear son, it is a great comfort to me that thou shalt be with me at my end. And I pray thee to take the books lying there. Thou shalt find written in them all the conferences that thou gavest to me and my answer to thy words. Thou shalt also find there some account of my life and of what God has done for me, His poor, unworthy servant. Dear son, if thou thinkest well of it and God grants thee the grace to do it, thou wilt make a little book of all this.” Then the man spoke: “Dear sir, I have written down thy five sermons, and if thou approve of it I will add them to the little book thou askest me to make about thee.” Then the Master said: “I admonish thee with all the earnestness I am capable of, and for the love of God, that thou shalt write nothing about me and shall not mention my name. For thou shouldst certainly know that my way of life, the words, the works that have been done through me, a poor, unworthy, sinful man, are not mine, but Almighty God,s — they are His alone, now and forevermore. Therefore, dear son, if thou shalt write the little book for the benefit of our fellow-Christians, so write it that neither my name nor thine shall once be mentioned. Thou mayst, however, use the words — the Master, the man. Again, permit not, this little book to be read or to be seen by anyone in this city, for they would easily know that I was the Master named. Take it with thee into thy own country, lest my interior life should be be revealed in this place.”

During full eleven days the Master conversed with the man. And then the time came when he must die. And he said: “Dear son, I beg thee, for God’s sake, that thou wilt consent, if God is willing, that after my death my spirit should appear to thee and tell thee how it is with me.” Then the man said: “Dear Sir, if God pleases, I will gladly consent.”

And it came to pass that when he was dying the Master had a manner and appearance the most shocking and fearful, so that all the brethren in the monastery, and, indeed, others from without, were distressed and amazed, such was the anguish that he seemed to endure when he died. His death caused universal sorrow, both in his community and in the city generally. When people were told of the long and confidential friendship between him and the man, many came to see the latter and wished to show him honor, inviting him to visit them. But when this happened he instantly left the city and returned home. And while he

Now, it happened during the night that the man awoke, and presently he heard a voice speaking, but he saw no one. Then he began to be frightened, and he made the sign of the cross on himself. The voice spoke: “Fear not, my dear son, it is I, the Master.” Then spoke the man: “My dear Master, is it thou? Then I do beg of thee from my heart’s depths to tell me, if such be God’s will, how it is with thee and how it happened that thou hadst so distressful a death? For thy brethren in the monastery almost despaired for thee; thy own fellow-religious, it would seem, were much shocked at the manner of thy death.” Then the Master’s voice spoke: “Dear son, I will tell thee, and thou must know that the Lord God willed me to have so painful and anxious an end in order that the holy angels might receive my. soul instantly after death and bear it away to Heaven. And I must tell thee, besides, that thou also shalt, for the same reason, have the same distressful kind of a death. It was necessary for me to suffer that trial in order to escape the pains of purgatory. I must tell thee, too, that the evil spirit caused me grievous pain and tempted me with great cunning, so that I was much alarmed lest I should fall into despair. But, however dreadful was my suffering at death, I now see how little it was compared to the additional joy granted me on that account by the Almighty, Eternal and Merciful God. The instant that my soul was parted from my body the blessed angels took it and they bore me away to Paradise. And they said to me: ‘Here shall thou tarry five days; but have no anxiety, nor the least fear that the evil spirits will harm thee more; nor shalt thou have any toil. Only this: Thou shalt be postponed here for five days from the everlasting and blissful company of Heaven. At the end of that time we will come to thee again and we will lead thee into the unspeakable joy of Heaven.’ Now, dear son, more than this I dare not tell thee, nor mayst thou lawfully ask to know. I pray God to reward thee for thy good spiritual teaching of me and thy most profitable counsel. For this I can never give God and thyself sufficient thanks.”

Then the man spoke: “Dear sir, I beg of thee from the depths of my heart that when thou shalt come to God thou wilt pray for me.” What the man said after this received no answer. And then, being tired out, he would gladly have slept, and turned now on one side and then on the other, but all in vain. He could rest no more that night, and he was so anxious that he could scarcely wait the break of day. At daylight he instantly wrote to the Prior of the monastery and to the brethren there all that the Master’s spirit had said to him. He then returned to his home, and in due time he made a good and happy end.

May we all follow the sweet example of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may pass through this miserable life and all its transitory joys and enter the ever-enduring joys of Heaven with God and His elect. May God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, grant us that unspeakable favor. Amen.