Sermon 59 — The righteous shall live forever, and their reward is with the Lord

Pfeiffer Sermon 59Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Iustus in perpetuum vivet et apud dominum est merces eius. (Sap. V, 16.).

Ein wortelîn liset man hiute in der epistel, daz sprichet der wîse man ‘der gerehte lebet in der êwikeit.’ Etwenne hân ich geseit, waz ein gereht mensche sî, aber nû spriche ich in einem andern sinne: daz ist ein gereht mensche, der in die gerehtikeit îngebildet und übergebildet ist. Der gerehte lebet in gote unde got in ime, wan got wirt geborn in dem gerehten unde der gerehte in gote, unt dar umbe von einer ieclîchen tugent des gerehten wirt got geborn und erfröuwet, und niht alleine von ieclîcher tugent, mêr: ouch von eime ieclîchen werke des gerehten, wie klein ez sî, daz von tugende des gerehten und in der gerehtikeit geworht wirt, von dem wirt got erfröuwet, jâ durfröuwet, wan ez enblîbet niht in sînem grunde: ez werde durkützet von fröude. Unt diz ist groben liuten ze gloubenne, aber den erliuhten ist ez ze wizzenne.

Der gerehte suochet niht in sînen werken, wan die iht suochent in iren werken, die sint knehte unde mietlinge, oder die umbe ein warumbe wirkent. Dar umbe, wiltû în und übergebildet werden in die gerehtikeit, sô enmeine niht in dînen werken und enbilde kein ding in dich in zît noch in êwikeit, noch lôn noch sêlikeit, noch diz noch daz; wan disiu werc sint alliu wêrlîche tôt. Jâ ich spriche: und bildestû got in dich, swaz dû werke dar umbe würkest, diu sint alliu tôt und dû verderbest guotiu werc, mêr: dû tuost ouch sünde, wan dû tuost als ein gartener, der einen garten pflanzen solte unde denne die böume ûz riute unde wolte denne lôn hân. Alsô verderbistû ein guot werc. Dar umbe wiltû leben unde wilt, daz dîniu werc leben, sô muostû allen dingen tôt sîn unde ze nihte worden sîn. Der crêatûre eigen ist, daz si von ihte iht mache; aber gotes eigen ist, daz er von nihte iht mache. unt dar umbe, sol got iht in dir oder mit dir machen, sô muost dû vor ze nihte worden sîn; unt dar umbe ganc in dînen eigenen grunt unde wirke dâ; unde diu werc, diu dû dâ wirkest, diu sint alliu lebendic. Unt dar umbe sprichet er ‘der gerehte lebet’. wan dar umbe daz er gereht ist, dar umbe würket er, unde sîniu werc diu lebent.

Iustus in perpetuum vivet et apud dominum est merces eius. (Sap. V, 16.).

A little word is read today in the Epistle, which the wise man speaks: “The righteous lives in eternity.” I have sometimes said what a righteous human being is, but now I speak in another sense: a righteous human being is one who is in-imaged and trans-imaged into righteousness. The righteous lives in God and God in him, for God is born in the righteous and the righteous in God; and therefore from every virtue of the righteous God is born and rejoices, and not only from every virtue, but also from every work of the righteous, however small it may be, that is worked from the virtue of the righteous and in righteousness. By this God is rejoiced—indeed, rejoiced through and through—for nothing remains in his ground without being tickled through and through with joy. This is for coarse people to believe, but for the enlightened it is to know.

The righteous seeks nothing in his works, for those who seek anything in their works are servants and hirelings, or those who work for some “why.” Therefore, if you wish to be in-imaged and trans-imaged into righteousness, intend nothing in your works and form no image of any thing in yourself, whether in time or in eternity, neither reward nor blessedness, neither this nor that; for all such works are truly dead. Indeed I say: even if you form God as an image in yourself, whatever works you work for that reason are all dead, and you ruin good works; indeed, you also commit sin, for you act like a gardener who was to plant a garden and then uprooted the trees and afterward wished to have a reward. Thus you ruin a good work. Therefore, if you wish to live and wish your works to live, you must be dead to all things and have become nothing. It is proper to the creature that it makes something from something; but it is proper to God that he makes something from nothing. And therefore, if God is to make anything in you or with you, you must first have become nothing. Therefore go into your own ground and work there; and the works that you work there are all living. And therefore he says: “The righteous lives.” For because he is righteous, therefore he works, and his works live.

Nû sprichet er ‘sîn lôn ist bî dem herren.’ Nû merke von disem ein wênec. Daz er sprichet: bî, daz ist, daz des gerehten lôn ist dâ got selbe ist, wan des gerehten unde gotes sêlikeit ist ein sêlikeit: wande dâ ist der gerehte sêlic, dâ got sêlig ist. Ez sprichet sant Johannes ‘daz wort was bî gote.’ Er sprichet: bî, unt dar umbe ist der gerehte glîch gote, wan got ist diu gerehtikeit. Unt dar umbe, swer in der gerehtikeit ist, der ist in gote und ist got.

Nû spriche ich für baz von dem worte: gereht. Er sprichet niht: der gerehte mensche noch der gerehte engel, mêr: alleine der gerehte. Der vater gebirt sînen sun den gerehten unde den gerehten sînen sun; wan alliu diu tugent des gerehten und ein ieclîch werc, daz von tugende des gerehten geworht wirt, enist niht anders, dan daz der sun von dem vater geborn wirt. Unt dar umbe geruowet der vater niemer, er jaget unde trîbet alle zît dar zuo, daz sîn sun in mir geborn werde, als ein schrift sprichet ‘noch dur Syôn swige ich niht noch dur Jêrusalêm enruowe ich niht, biz daz der gerehte offenbâr werde unde schîne als ein blitze.’ Syôn ist hôcheit von leben, daz ist schouwende leben, unde Jêrusalem ist hôcheit des vriden. Jâ weder dur hôcheit von leben noch dur hôcheit von vriden sô geruowet got niemer, ezn werde offenbâr der gerehte. In dem gerehten ensol kein dinc würken denn alleine got. Wan ist, daz dich dekein ding ûzwendig an rüeret zuo würkenne, wêrlîch diu werc sint alliu tôt. Wan sülen dîniu werc leben, sô muoz dich got inwendig an rüeren in dem innigesten der sêlen, sülen sie leben, unt dâ ist dîn leben unt dâ lebestû alleine.

Now he says: “His reward is with the Lord.” Take note of this a little. That he says with means that the reward of the righteous is where God himself is, for the blessedness of the righteous and the blessedness of God are one blessedness; for the righteous is blessed where God is blessed. Saint John says: “The Word was with God.” He says: with; and therefore the righteous is equal with God, for God is righteousness. And therefore whoever is in righteousness is in God and is God.

Now I speak further concerning the word righteous. He does not say “the righteous human being” or “the righteous angel,” but simply the righteous. The Father begets his Son, the Righteous, and the righteous as his Son; for every virtue of the righteous and every work that is worked from the virtue of the righteous is nothing other than that the Son is born from the Father. And therefore the Father never rests; he presses and drives at all times toward this, that his Son be born in me, as Scripture says: “For Zion’s sake I shall not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I shall not rest, until the Righteous is revealed and shines like lightning.” Zion is height of life, that is, the contemplative life, and Jerusalem is height of peace. Indeed, neither for height of life nor for height of peace does God ever rest until the Righteous is revealed. In the righteous nothing should work except God alone. For if any outward thing moves you to work, truly those works are all dead. If your works are to live, God must move you inwardly in the innermost part of the soul; if they are to live, there is your life, and there alone you live.

Und ich spriche: dunket dich ein tugent grœzer denne die ander und ahtestû sî mêr dan die ander, sô minnest dû sî niht als si in der gerehtikeit ist unde got würket noch in dir niht. Wan alsô lange der mensch eine tugent mê ahtet oder minnet, sô minnet noch enminnet er sie niht als sie in der gerehtikeit sint, noch er enist gereht; wande der gerehte mensche minnet unde würket alle tugende in der gerehtikeit, als sie diu gerehtikeit selbe sint. Ez sprichet ein schrift: vor der gemahten welte bin ich. Er sprichet: vor bin ich. Daz ist: dâ der mensche erhaben ist über zît in êwikeit, dâ würket der mensche ein werc mit gote. Etlîche menschen frâgent, wie der mensche müge gewürken diu werc, diu got vor tûsent jâren unde nâ tûsent jâren würkende ist, unde verstênt ez niht. In êwikeit ist weder vor noch nâch. Dar umbe, daz vor tûsent jâren geschehen ist unde nâch tûsent jâren unde nû geschiht, daz ist ein in der êwikeit. Dar umbe swaz got vor tûsent unde nâch tûsent jâren getân unde geschaffen hât unde daz er nû tuot, daz ist niht dan éin werc. Dar umbe der mensche, der über zît erhaben ist in êwikeit, der würket mit gote daz got vor tûsent unde nâch tûsent jâren geworht hât. Unt daz ist wîsen liuten ze wizzenne unde groben ze gloubenne.

Sant Paulus sprichet ‘wir sîn êwicliche erwelt in dem sune, dar umbe sülen wir niemer geruowen, biz wir daz werden, daz wir in ime êwicliche gewesen sîn’, want der vater trîbet unde jaget dar zuo, daz wir in dem sune geborn werden unde daz selbe werden, daz der sun ist. Der vater gebirt sînen sun, und in dem geberende nimet der vater sô grôze ruowe unde lust, daz er alle sîn nâtûre dar inne verzert. Wan swaz in gote ist, daz beweget in ze geberende; jâ von sîme grunde, von sîner wesunge unde von sîme wesenne wirt der vater beweget zuo geberende. Nû merke: danne wirt got in uns geborn, sô alle unser sêlen krefte, die ê gebunden wâren unde gevangen wâren, lidic unde frî werdent und in uns ein stilleswîgen wirt aller meine und unser gewizzede uns niht mêr strâfet, sô birt der vater in uns sînen sun. Dan sulen wir uns halten aller bilde unde formen blôz unde lidic alse got unde sülen uns blôz nemen âne glîchnisse als got in ime selben blôz unde lidic ist. Swenne der vater in uns gebirt sînen sun, sô kenne wir den vater mit dem sune und dem heiligen geiste in in beiden unde den spiegel der heiligen drîvaltikeit und in ime alliu dinc, wie sie ein lûter niht sint in gote. Dâ gât abe zal unde menige. Gotlich wesen enlîdet noch enwûrket niht, aber diu nâtûre würket, aber si enlîdet niht.

And I say: if one virtue seems greater to you than another and you esteem it more than another, then you do not love it as it is in righteousness, and God is not yet working in you. For as long as the human being esteems or loves one virtue more, he neither loves nor takes the virtues as they are in righteousness, nor is he righteous; for the righteous human being loves and works all virtues in righteousness, insofar as they are righteousness itself. Scripture says: “Before the created world, I am.” It says: before, I am. That is: where the human being is raised above time into eternity, there the human being works one work with God. Some people ask how the human being can work the works that God worked a thousand years ago and will work a thousand years hence, and they do not understand it. In eternity there is neither before nor after. Therefore what happened a thousand years ago, and what will happen a thousand years hence, and what happens now, is one in eternity. Therefore whatever God did and created a thousand years ago and will do a thousand years hence and does now is nothing but one work. Therefore the human being who is raised above time into eternity works with God what God worked a thousand years ago and will work a thousand years hence. And this is for wise people to know and for coarse people to believe.

Saint Paul says: “We are eternally chosen in the Son; therefore we should never rest until we become that which we have eternally been in him,” for the Father presses and drives toward this, that we be born in the Son and become the same that the Son is. The Father begets his Son, and in this begetting the Father receives such great rest and delight that he expends his whole nature in it. For whatever is in God moves him toward begetting; indeed, from his ground, from his being-ness and from his being, the Father is moved toward begetting. Now take note: God is born in us when all the powers of our soul, which before were bound and imprisoned, become free and unbound, and when there arises in us a still silence of every intention, and our conscience no longer reproaches us; then the Father begets his Son in us. Then we must keep ourselves bare and free of all images and forms, as God is, and must take ourselves bare, without likeness, just as God in himself is bare and free. When the Father begets his Son in us, then we know the Father with the Son and the Holy Spirit in them both, and the mirror of the Holy Trinity, and in it all things, how they are a pure nothing in God. There number and multiplicity fall away. Divine being neither suffers nor works; but nature works, though it does not suffer.

Etwenne wirt ein lieht offenbâr in der sêle und si wênet, ez sî der sun, und ez ist nûwent ein lieht. Wan wâ der sun offenbâr wirt in der sêle, dâ wirt ouch offenbâr diu minne des heiligen geistes. Dar umbe spriche ich, daz des vater wesen ist, daz er den sun gebere, unde des sunes wesen ist, daz ich in ime unde nâch ime geborn werde; des heiligen geistes wesen ist, daz ich in ime verbrant werde und in ime zemâle versmolzen werde unde zemâle minne werde. Der alsô in der minne ist unde zemâle minne ist, der wênet, daz got niemanne minne dan in alleine, und er enweiz nieman minnen noch von nieman dan von ime alleine.

Sumlîche lêrer wellent, daz der geist neme sîne sêlikeit in der minne. Etlîche wellent, daz er sî neme in dem ansehennne gotes. Aber ich spriche: er ennimet sî noch in minne noch in bekennende noch in ansehennne. Nû möhte man frâgen: enhât der geist kein ansehen in dem êwigen lebenne an got? Jâ unde nein. Dâ er geborn ist, dâ enhât er enkein ûfsehen noch kein ansehen an got. Aber dâ er geborn wirt, dâ hât er ansehen gotes. Dar umbe ist des geistes sêlikeit dâ er geborn ist unde niht dâ er geborn wirt, wan er lebet, dâ der vater lebet, daz ist in einveltikeit und in blôzheit des wesennes. Dar umbe kêre dich von allen dingen unde nim dich blôz in wesenne, wand swaz ûzwendig wesenne ist, daz ist zuoval, und alle zuovelle die machent warumbe. Daz wir in êwikeit leben, des helf uns got. Âmen.

Sometimes a light is revealed in the soul, and she thinks it is the Son, and it is only a light. For where the Son is revealed in the soul, there the love of the Holy Spirit is also revealed. Therefore I say that the being of the Father is that he begets the Son; and the being of the Son is that I be born in him and according to him; and the being of the Holy Spirit is that I be burned in him and wholly melted in him and wholly become love. Whoever is thus in love and wholly is love thinks that God loves no one but him alone, and he knows no one to love, nor does he know love from anyone, except from him alone.

Some teachers hold that the spirit receives its blessedness in love. Others hold that it receives it in the beholding of God. But I say: it receives it neither in love nor in knowing nor in beholding. Now one might ask: does the spirit, then, have no beholding of God in eternal life? Yes and no. Where it is born, there it has no looking toward nor beholding of God. But where it is being born, there it has the beholding of God. Therefore the blessedness of the spirit is where it is born, and not where it is being born, for it lives where the Father lives, that is, in the onefoldness and bareness of being. Therefore turn yourself away from all things and take yourself bare in being, for whatever is outside being is accident, and all accidents make a “why.” That we may live in eternity, may God help us. Amen.