Sermon 44 — In all things I have sought rest
'In allen dingen hân ich ruowe gesuochet.' Disiu wort sint gesprochen von der êwigen wîsheit gotes unde mac man sie gar wol geben unser vrouwen. Ich wil si aber lâzen gotes wîsheit, von der sie gesprochen sint. Etlîche liute die hôrten gerne von unser vrouwen zeichen sagen. Gelêrte liute unde guote vollekommen liute die hœrent lieber von irre heilekeit unde vollekommenheit. Solte ich aber dâ von sagen, sô enwiste ich, wâ ich ane vâhen solte: ich möhte von eime sagen unde lieze ein, daz vil bezzer wêre, want elliu zeichen unde heilikeit unde vollekommenheit, die alle crêatûre ie enpfiengen, die hête unser frouwe ûf daz aller hœhste gehabet. Wil man von heilekeit sagen, sô ist daz diu grœste, daz unser vrouwe nie sünde getete. Wil man ouch von zeichen sagen, sô ist daz daz grœste, daz si gotes muoter was, want unser meister sprechent, daz unser vrouwe vil sêliger was dar umbe daz si gote zuo der gotheit vereiniget was, denne si wêre, daz si got lîplich truoc; wand e von der überfüllede, die unser vrouwe enpfienc von der gotheit, dâ von wart si des wirdic, daz si got lîplich truoc, wan daz muoste sîn, dô diu sêle als überflüzzic was, daz ez ûz brêche in den lîchnamen unde der lîchname dâ nâch gebildet würde, und dar umbe wart si gotes muoter lîplich. Dar umbe sprechent etlîche meister, daz der megrif der sêle mê würket an dem lîbe danne der arzât und alliu sîn erzenie. Dar umbe ist ez lîhte alsô, daz der arzât sich schône haldet mit den guoten kleidern, daz die liute deste bezzern wân zuo ime haben, und ez hilfet ûzer mâze wol, daz man gelouben habe zuo ime, daz er gehelfen müge den siechen.
Dar umbe sprechent die meister, daz got alle die krefte der sêle alsô habe gemaht von nâtûre, daz sie ir glîchnüsse in sich ziehen, als daz ôre, daz wil iemer hœren und daz ouge sehen. Waz mîn ouge sihet daz ist ein mit ime, wan der luft mit dem liehte des ougen nâtûre ist, daz ez sehe varwe, ez enwêre anders ouge niht. Alsô ist ez ouch umbe die varwe, daz si sich teile den ougen, ez enwêre anders varwe niht. Der ez joch ir mit den gedenken benême, daz ez varwe wêre unde sich niht enteilte den ougen, der benême der varwe, daz si niht varwe wêre. Ich sihe daz münster an. Dar umbe ensihet man ez niht in mir. Sol man ein dinc in mir sehen, daz muoz gegen mir gefüeget sîn, daz ez einen widerslac in mir neme. Alse stüende ein mensche vor mir unde sêhe mich rehte an, er sêhe sîn bilde in mînen ougen. Der über ein wazzer stüende die wîle ez flüzze, der ensêhe ouch sîns bildes niht. Stüende ez ouch unde wêre ez trüebe, man sêhe ouch sich niht. Aber wêre ez lûter und irgen gesament in eine stille, daz ez widerslac möhte haben, sô sêhe man sîn bilde denne. Man sprichet, daz daz glas enpfange die varwe des liehtes alse die cristallen. Sô man aber dar an leit beche oder blî, sô enhêt ez einen widerslac: waz dâ vor stât daz bildet sich dinne rehte in alle wîs.
In all things I have sought rest. (Eccles. XXIV, 11.) These words are spoken of the eternal wisdom of God, and one may very well apply them to Our Lady. But I will leave them as the wisdom of God, of which they are spoken. Certain people gladly hear signs spoken of Our Lady. Learned people and good, perfect people hear more gladly of her holiness and perfection. But if I were to speak of this, I would not know where to begin: I might speak of one thing and leave out another that would be much better, for all the signs and holiness and perfection that any creature ever received, Our Lady had to the highest degree. If one wishes to speak of holiness, then this is the greatest: that Our Lady never committed sin. If one also wishes to speak of signs, then this is the greatest: that she was the mother of God, for our masters say that Our Lady was much more blessed because she was united to God according to the Godhead than she would have been because she bore God bodily; for from the overflow that Our Lady received from the Godhead, she thereby became worthy to bear God bodily, for this had to be so when the soul was so overflowing that it broke out into the body and the body was thereby formed, and therefore she became God's mother bodily. Therefore certain masters say that the power of imagination of the soul works more upon the body than the physician and all his medicine. Therefore it is easily so that the physician keeps himself well with good clothes, so that people have all the better confidence in him, and it helps exceedingly much that one has belief in him, that he may be able to help the sick.
Therefore the masters say that God has made all the powers of the soul by nature in such a way that they draw their likenesses into themselves, as the ear, which always wants to hear, and the eye to see. What my eye sees is one with it, for the air with the light is of the eye's nature, that it see color; otherwise there would be no eye. So it is also with color, that it communicates itself to the eyes; otherwise there would be no color. If one were to take away from it, even with one's thoughts, that it was color and that it did not communicate itself to the eyes, one would take away from color that it was color. I see the minster. Therefore one does not see it in me. If one is to see a thing in me, it must be fitted toward me, so that it takes a reflection in me. If a person stood before me and looked directly at me, he would see his image in my eyes. He who stood over a water while it flowed would not see his image either. If it also stood still and were turbid, one would not see oneself either. But if it were clear and somewhere gathered into stillness, so that it might have a reflection, then one would see his image. It is said that glass receives the color of light like crystal. But when one puts pitch or lead upon it, it has a reflection: whatever stands before it forms itself within it in every way.