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Sermon 99 — Be renewed in the spirit of your mind

Pfeiffer Sermon 99Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation
Renovamini spiritu mentis vestræ (Ephes. IV, 23.).

‘Ir sulnt erniuwet werden an iuwerm geiste, der dâ mens heizet’, daz ist, ein gemüete. Alsô sprichet sant Paulus. Nû sprichet Augustînus, daz an dem êrsten teile der sêle, daz dâ mens heizet oder gemüete, sô hât geschepfet mit der sêle wesen ein kraft, die heizent die meistere ein sloz oder einen schîn geistlîcher formen oder formelôser bilde. Disiu kraft machet den vater der sêle gelîch durch sîne ûzfliezende gotheit, von der er allen den hort sînes gotlîchen wesenes gegozzen hât in den sun und in den heiligen geist, mit persônlîcher underscheidunge, alse diu gehüegede der sêle den kreften der sêle ûz giuzet schatz der bilde. Swenne nû diu sêle mit dirre kraft schouwet bildekeit, schouwet si eins engels bilde, schouwet si ir selbes bilde, ez ist ir ein gebreste. Schouwet si got als got ist oder als er bilde ist oder als er drîu ist, ez ist ir ein gebreste. Swenne aber alliu bilde der sêle abegescheiden werdent unde si alleine schouwet daz einig ein, sô vindet daz blôze wesen der sêle daz blôze formelôse wesen gotlîcher einheit, daz dâ ist ein überw esende wesen, lîdende, ligende in ime selben. Eyâ wunder über wunder, wel ein edel lîden daz ist, daz daz wesen der sêle niht anders lîden mac dan alleine blôze einekeit gotes! Nû sprichet sant Paulus ‘ir sulnt erniuwet werden an dem geiste.’ Niuwekeit vellet an alle crêatûren under gote; aber an got vellet kein niuwekeit, wan allez êwikeit. Waz ist êwikeit? Daz merkent. Der êwikeit eigenschaft ist, daz wesen unde jugent in ir einz ist, wan êwikeit niht êwic enwêre, obe si niuwe werden möhte unde niht allewege wêre. Nû sprich ich: niuwekeit vellet an den engel, daz ist: nâ künftiger wîsunge, wan der engel enweiz niht künftiger dinge niuwent als verre ez ime got öffnet. An die sêle vellet ouch niuwekeit, als verre si sêle heizet, wande si heizet dar umbe sêle, wand si dem lîbe leben gît und ein forme des lîbes ist. An si vellet ouch niuwekeit, alse si ein geist heizet. Dar umbe heizet si ein geist, wan si abgescheiden ist von hie unde von nû unde von aller nâtûrelicheit. Aber dâ si ein bilde gotes ist unde namelôs alse got, dâ vellet kein niuwekeit an si, wand alleine êwikeit, als in got. Nû merkent! Got ist namelôs, wan von ime kan nieman niht gesprechen noch verstân. Har umbe sprichet ein heidenscher meister: swaz wir verstân oder sprechen von der êrsten sache, daz sîn wir mê selber dan ez diu êrste sache sî, wan si ist über allez sprechen unde verstân. Sprich ich nû: got ist guot, ez ist niht wâr; mêr: ich bin guot, got ist niht guot. Ich wil mê sprechen: ich bin bezzer danne got, wan swaz guot ist, daz mac bezzer werden; waz bezzer mac werden, daz mac aller beste werden. Nû ist got guot niht, dâ von mac er niht bezzer werden. Wan er denne niht bezzer mac werden, dâ von mac er niht aller beste werden, wan disiu driu sint verre von gote: guot, bezzer und aller beste, wan er ist über al. Spriche ich ouch: got ist wîse, ez ist niht wâr; ich bin wîser denn er. Spriche ich ouch: got ist ein wesen, ez ist niht wâr: er ist ein überswebende wesen und ein überwesende nihtheit. Hie von sprichet sant Augustînus: daz schœneste, daz der mensche gesprechen mac von gote, daz ist, daz er von wîsheit inners rîchtuomes swîgen künne. Dâ von swîg unde klaffe niht von gote, wande mit dem sô dû von ime klaffest, sô liugest dû, sô tuostû sünde. Wiltû nû âne sünde sîn unde vollekomen, sô klaffe niht von gote. Dû solt ouch niht verstân von gote, wand got ist über allez verstân. Ez sprichet ein meister: hête ich einen got, den ich verstân möhte, ich wolte in niemer für got gehân. Verstâst dû nû iht von ime, des enist er niht, unde mit dem, sô dû iht von ime verstâst, sô kumest dû in ein unverstandenheit, unde von der unverstandenheit kumest dû in ein vihelicheit; wan swaz unverstendic ist an den crêatûren, daz ist vihelich. Wiltû nû niht vihelich werden, sô verstant niht von dem ungeworteten gote. ‘Ach, wie sol ich danne tuon?’ Dû solt alzemâle entsinken dîner dînesheit unde solt zerfliezen in sîne sînesheit unde sol dîn dîn in sînem mîn ein mîn werden alse genzlich, daz dû mit ime verstandest êwicliche sîne ungewordene istikeit unde sîne ungenanten nihtheit.

Nû sprichet sant Paulus ‘ir sullent erniuwet werden an dem geiste.’ Wellen wir nû erniuwet werden an dem geiste, sô müezent die sehs krefte der sêle, beide die obersten unde die understen, iegelich haben ein guldîn vingerlîn, übergüldet mit dem golde götlicher minne. Nû merkent die nidersten krefte, der sint drîe. Diu êrste heizet bescheidenheit, rationale; an der solt dû hân ein guldîn vingerlîn, daz ist daz lieht, daz dîn bescheidenheit zuo allen zîten sunder zît erliuhtet sî mit dem gotlichen liehte. Diu ander kraft heizet diu zürnerîn, irascibilis; an der solt dû hân ein vingerlîn, daz ist dîn fride. War umbe? Wan alse verre in fride alse verre in gote, alse verre ûz fride, alse verre ûz gote. Diu dritte kraft heizet begerunge, concupiscibilis; an der solt dû hân ein genüegen, daz dich sol aller crêatûre, die under gote sint, begnüegen; aber gotes sol dich niemer begnüegen, wande gotes mac dich niemer genüegen: ie mê dû gotes hâst, ie mê dû sîn begerst; wande möhte dich gotes begnüegen, daz ein begnüegen an got viele, sô wêre got got niht.

Renovamini spiritu mentis vestræ (Ephes. IV, 23.).

“You shall be renewed in your spirit, which is called mens,” that is, mind. Thus says Saint Paul. Now Saint Augustine says that in the first part of the soul, which is called mens or mind, God created together with the being of the soul a power that the masters call a stronghold or shrine of spiritual forms or formless images. This power makes the Father like the soul through his outflowing Godhead, from which he has poured the entire treasure of his divine being into the Son and into the Holy Spirit, with distinction of persons, just as the memory of the soul pours the treasure of images into the powers of the soul. When the soul, with this power, beholds something in image, whether she beholds the image of an angel or her own image, this is a defect in her. If she beholds God as God is, or as he is image, or as he is three, this is a defect in her. But when all images are detached from the soul and she beholds only the one One, then the bare being of the soul finds the bare, formless being of divine unity, which is a superessential being, suffering, resting in itself. Ah, wonder above wonder, what a noble suffering it is that the being of the soul can suffer nothing other than the bare unity of God alone! Now Saint Paul says: “You shall be renewed in the spirit.” Renewal befalls all creatures beneath God; but no renewal befalls God, for all is eternity. What is eternity? Take note. The property of eternity is that being and youth are one in it, for eternity would not be eternal if it could become new and were not always so. Now I say: renewal befalls the angel, that is, with regard to future manifestation, for the angel knows nothing of future things except insofar as God reveals them to him. Renewal also befalls the soul insofar as she is called soul, for she is called soul because she gives life to the body and is a form of the body. Renewal also befalls her insofar as she is called spirit. She is called spirit because she is detached from here and from now and from all that is natural. But where she is an image of God and nameless as God, no renewal befalls her, but only eternity, as in God. Now take note! God is nameless, for no one can say or understand anything about him. Therefore a pagan master says: whatever we understand or say of the first cause is more ourselves than it is the first cause, for it is above all speaking and understanding. If I now say: God is good, that is not true; rather, I am good, God is not good. I will say more: I am better than God, for whatever is good can become better; what can become better can become best of all. Now God is not good, therefore he cannot become better. Since he cannot become better, he cannot become best of all, for these three are far from God: good, better, and best of all, for he is above them all. If I also say: God is wise, that is not true; I am wiser than he. If I also say: God is a being, that is not true: he is a transcendent being and a superessential nothingness. Concerning this Saint Augustine says: the finest thing a man can say of God is that, out of the wisdom of inward riches, he knows how to be silent. Therefore be silent and do not chatter about God, for insofar as you chatter about him, you lie, and thus you sin. If you wish to be without sin and perfect, do not chatter about God. You should also not understand anything of God, for God is above all understanding. A master says: if I had a God whom I could understand, I would never regard him as God. If you understand anything of him, that is not he; and insofar as you understand anything of him, you fall into a lack of understanding, and from that lack of understanding you fall into brutishness; for whatever in creatures is without understanding is brutish. If you do not wish to become brutish, then understand nothing of the unutterable God. “Ah, what then shall I do?” You shall wholly sink away from your you-ness and dissolve into his his-ness, and your “yours” shall become one “mine” in his “mine” so completely that with him you eternally understand his uncreated is-ness and his unnamed nothingness.

Now Saint Paul says: “You shall be renewed in the spirit.” If we wish to be renewed in the spirit, then the six powers of the soul, both the higher and the lower, must each have a golden ring, gilded with the gold of divine love. Now take note of the lower powers; there are three. The first is called discernment, rationale; on this you should have a golden ring, that is, the light, so that your discernment may at all times, timelessly, be illuminated by the divine light. The second power is called the irascible power, irascibilis; on this you should have a ring, that is, your peace. Why? For as far as you are in peace, so far are you in God; as far as you are out of peace, so far are you out of God. The third power is called desire, concupiscibilis; on this you should have contentment, so that you should be content with all creatures that are beneath God; but you should never be content with God, for you can never have enough of God: the more you have of God, the more you desire him; for if you could have enough of God, if contentment in God could befall you, then God would not be God.

Dû muost ouch hân an den obersten kreften an iegelicher ein guldîn vingerlîn. Der obersten krefte der sint ouch drîe. Diu êrste heizet ein enthaltendiu kraft, memoria. Dise kraft gelîchet man dem vater in der drîvaltikeit. An dirre solt dû haben ein guldîn vingerlîn, daz ist: ein enthalten, daz dû alliu êwigiu dinc in dir enthalten solt. Diu ander heizet verstendikeit, intellectus. Dise kraft gelîchet man dem sune. An dirre solt dû ouch hân ein guldîn vingerlîn, daz ist: bekantnis, daz dû got zuo allen zîten solt bekennen. Alse wie? Dû solt in bekennen âne bilde, âne mitel und âne glîchnisse. Sol aber ich alsô got bekennen âne mitel, sô muoz vil bî ich er werden und er ich werden. Mê sprich ich: got muoz vil bî ich werden und ich vil bî got, alse gar ein, daz diz er unde diz ich ein is, werdent unde sint, und in der istikeit êwicliche ein werc wirkent; wande vil nütze sint diz er unde diz ich, daz ist, got unde diu sêle: ein einic hie oder ein einic nû, sô möhte diz ich mit dem er niemer gewirken noch ein gewerden. Diu dritte kraft heizet wille, voluntas. Dise kraft gelîchet man dem heiligen geiste. An dirre solt dû hân ein guldîn vingerlîn, daz ist dîn minne, daz dû got minnen solt. Dû solt got minnen sunder minneclicheit, daz ist niht dar umbe, daz er minneclich sî, wand got ist unminneclich: er ist über alle minne unde minneclicheit. ‘Wie sol ich dan got minnen?’ Dû solt got minnen nihtgeistlîche, daz ist, daz dîn sêle sol nihtgeistîc sîn und entblœzet aller geistikeide; wand die wîle dîn sêle geistförmic ist, sô hât si bilde; die wîle si bilde hât, sô hât si niht einikeit noch einberekeit; die wîle si einberekeit niht enhât, sô geminnete si got nie rehte, wan rehte minnen lît an einberekeit. Har umbe sol dîn sêle nihtgeistic sîn von allen geisten unde sol stân geistelos; wan minnestû got, alse er got ist, als er geist ist, als er persône ist und als er bilde ist, ez muoz allez abe. ‘Wie sol ich in denne minnen?’ Dû solt in minnen als er ist: ein nihtgot, ein nihtgeist, ein nihtpersône, ein nihtbilde, mêr: als er ein lûter pûr klâr ein ist, gesundert von aller zweiheit, und in dem einen sülen wir êwicliche versinken von nihte zuo nihte. Des helf uns got. Amen.

You must also have a golden ring on each of the higher powers. There are likewise three higher powers. The first is called the retentive power, memoria. This power is likened to the Father in the Trinity. On this you should have a golden ring, that is, a retaining, so that you should retain all eternal things within yourself. The second is called intellect, intellectus. This power is likened to the Son. On this you should also have a golden ring, that is, knowledge, so that you should know God at all times. How so? You should know him without image, without means, and without likeness. But if I am to know God in this way, without means, then I must become wholly he and he must become I. I say more: God must become wholly I and I wholly God, so completely one that this “he” and this “I” become and are one “is,” and in this is-ness eternally work one work; for this “he” and this “I,” that is, God and the soul, are very fruitful. If there were a single “here” or a single “now,” this “I” could never work together with the “he” nor become one. The third power is called will, voluntas. This power is likened to the Holy Spirit. On this you should have a golden ring, that is, your love, so that you should love God. You should love God without lovableness, that is, not because he is lovable, for God is unlovable: he is above all love and lovableness. “How then shall I love God?” You should love God nonspiritually, that is, your soul should be nonspiritual and stripped of all spirituality; for as long as your soul is formed according to spirit, it has images; as long as it has images, it does not have unity or oneness; as long as it does not have oneness, it has never rightly loved God, for true love lies in oneness. Therefore your soul should be nonspiritual with regard to all spirits and should stand spiritless; for if you love God as he is God, as he is spirit, as he is person, and as he is image, all this must fall away. “How then shall I love him?” You should love him as he is: a non-God, a non-spirit, a non-person, a non-image; rather, as he is a sheer, pure, clear One, separated from all duality, and in that One we shall eternally sink from nothing into nothing. May God help us to this. Amen.