Tractate — Chapter 8

Tractate — Chapter 8Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

VON DER GEBURT DES ÊWIGEN WORTES IN DER SÊLE.

Wir wellen nû sprechen von der zuokunft unsers lieben herren Jêsû Kristî, als er geborn ist nû zuo dirre heiligen zît von der juncfrouwen Marîen sîner gebenedicten gebererin und er noch sol geborn werden von gnâden in der edeln sêle, diu ein ende ist aller der werke, diu Kristus ie geschuof in dirre zît, unde wir wellen setzen niun frâgen, dâ bî ein ieglich geistlîcher mensche bekennen sol, obe daz êwige wort geborn sî in sîner sêle oder niht.

Diu êrste frâge: wie sich ein mensche sülle bereiten gegen dem însprechen des êwigen wortes? Dar zuo gehoerent zwei stücke. Daz êrste ist lûterkeit des lebens unt des gemüetes. Daz ander ist fride unde frîheit des herzen in einer stillen ruowe, alsô daz im kein crêatûre niht zuo spreche noch daz er keiner crêatûre ouch niht înspreche, beide in sinlîchem gemerke und in geistlîchem gemerke. Ich wil sprechen ein grôz wort, daz wênig liute verstânt: die wîle diu sêle sprichet ir eigen wort und ir edelz wort, die wîle mac der vater sîn wort niht in si gesprechen; unde die wîle diu sêle gebirt iren sun, daz ist daz edelste werc der verstentnisse, sô enmac der vater sînen sun in si niht gebern ûf daz hœhste nâch irm nutz. Daz dritte ist, daz sich diu sêle muoz alsô lâzen diu daz êwig wort enpfâhen sol, als Marîâ gotes muoter unde sant Paulus, in den daz êwic wort volkomenlîchen gesprochen wart. Alsô muoz der geist sîn selbes ûz gân unde verlouken unde gotes eigen werden. Daz vierde ist, daz der geist die vernunft ûf hebe unde sehe, wan sehen ist daz lustlîchest werc unde daz edelst, daz diu sêle geleisten mac. Sich, wie begirlîchen er kumet, wan er sprichet: ich stân vor der tür und klopfe an! Daz fünfte ist, daz man dirre geburt grœzlîchen begern sol, wan begerunge ist ein wurzel aller tugende unde guotheit.

ON THE BIRTH OF THE ETERNAL WORD IN THE SOUL.

We now wish to speak of the coming of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, as he was born at this holy season of the Virgin Mary, his blessed bearer, and as he is yet to be born by grace in the noble soul, which is the end of all the works that Christ ever wrought in this time; and we shall set forth nine questions by which every spiritual person may know whether the eternal Word has been born in his soul or not.

The first question is: how should a person prepare himself for the speaking-in of the eternal Word? Two things belong to this. The first is purity of life and of mind. The other is peace and freedom of the heart in a silent rest, so that no creature speaks to him and he likewise speaks to no creature, either in sensory awareness or in spiritual awareness. I will speak a great word that few people understand: as long as the soul speaks its own word and its noble word, the Father cannot speak his Word into it; and as long as the soul begets its son, which is the noblest work of intellect, the Father cannot beget his Son in it in the highest way according to its benefit. The third is that the soul which is to receive the eternal Word must surrender itself as Mary, the Mother of God, and Saint Paul did, in whom the eternal Word was perfectly spoken. Thus the spirit must go out of itself and renounce itself and become God’s own. The fourth is that the spirit should raise up the intellect and see, for seeing is the most delightful and the noblest work that the soul can perform. See how eagerly he comes, for he says: ‘I stand before the door and knock!’ The fifth is that one should greatly desire this birth, for longing is a root of all virtue and goodness.

Diu ander frâge ist: waz gotes geburt in der sêle sî? Gotes geburt in der sêle ist niht anders denne ein sunderlîchez götelîchez berüeren in einer sunderlîchen himelischen wîse, dâ got dem geiste locket ûz dem gestürme crêatûrlîcher unruowe in sîne stille einekeit, dâ sich got dem geiste gemeinen mac nâch sîner götlîchen eigenschaft. Dar umbe sol man diss wortes war nemen in dem vater in dem êrsten ûzbruche sunderlîcher art unde bî dem vater als ein wesentlîche persône und in dem heiligen geiste als ein gesetztez zil zuo ir êwigen sêlikeit, und ist in der sêle als ein widerblic irs vernünftigen bildes und ist in allen crêatûren als ein behalter irs wesens. Wan got sprichet sîn wort in allen crêatûren, aber kein crêatûre mac sîn gewar werden denne alleine vernünftig crêatûre. Der sêle gebüret wider in got, daz ist, daz si sich neige ûf got unde nâch spüre dem êwigen worte biz in daz veterlîche herze, unde dâ enidecket und enblœzet got der sêle sîne geburt. Sô vellet diu sêle mit minne unde mit bekantnisse ûf dise geburt, diu sich ir geoffenbâret hât. Alsô treit der vater sîn wort in die sêle, sô treit sich diu sêle in dem worte wider in den vater. Daz wir diss spils êwiclîche in gote pflegen, des helf uns got.

Diu dritte frâge ist: ob sich kein mensche sô lûterlîchen bereiten müge, daz got sîn êwic wort in in sprechen müeze von nôt? Diz merkent. Wir nemen zweierhande nôtrede in got. Diu ein ist dâ sich got mit minne unde mit pliht verstricket unde gelobet hât zuo der sêle. Alsô gelâzet got die sêle niemer sô si bereit ist, er müeze sich ir geben von der nôt dirre pliht, als der herre Kristus sprach zuo Zachêô ‘ich muoz noch hiute bî dir blîben in dînem hûse.’ Ez ist ein ander nôtrede. Als ein ieglichiu guotiu sache gemeinsamet sich allen den, die sîn enpfenclich sint, dar umbe sô wære ez wider gotes güeti, daz er sich uns vorhielte, sô wir sîn enpfenclich wêren. Diu dritte nôtrede daz ist ein nôt einer gewalt oder einer nôtsache unde diu enmac in got niht gevallen. Die meister sprechent, daz alliu diu werc, diu diu sêle wirket mit gote und in der gnâde, daz der werke got lônen mac ob er wil oder niht, wan daz werc ist crêatûre und ist gemezzen unde vellet in zît. Dar umbe sô sint sie ze kleine unde ze snœde, daz ir got intesiht von rehte lônen müeze. Aber diu werc, diu got in uns wirket âne unser zuotuon und dâ diu sêle ûz gêt mit irem werke unde got mit sînem werke überhant nimet, dâ gêt diu sêle in ein lûter lîden und got ist ein lûter wirker aller der werke. Der werke, die got sus wirket in der sêle, den ist got schuldig von rehter pliht zuo lônen mit ime selber, wan diu werc sint sô götlich unde sô êwic unde sô unmêzic unde tretent sô nâhe in götlîcher êre, daz in got niht anders gelônen mac denne mit im selber. Unt diz sint die aller edelsten menschen, die disiu zît geleisten mac, unde von disen menschen sprichet sant Johannes ‘sêlic sint die tôten, die in dem herren sterbent.’ Diu welt ist in ûzwendic tôt unde sie sint ouch der welte tôt. Unt alsô wênic als ein tôt mensche strîtet wider einen lebendigen, alsô wênic strîtet ir ûzer mensche wider iren innern menschen, unde diz habent sie von gotes gâben unde von inneigem gebete unde von tiefer dêmüetikeit. Die geb uns got.

The second question is: what is God’s birth in the soul? God’s birth in the soul is nothing other than a particular divine touching in a particular heavenly manner, in which God entices the spirit out of the storm of creaturely unrest into his still unity, where God can communicate himself to the spirit according to his divine property. Therefore one should attend to this Word in the Father in the first breaking-forth of distinct nature, and with the Father as an essential person, and in the Holy Spirit as a fixed goal toward eternal blessedness; and it is in the soul as a reflection of its intellectual image and in all creatures as a preserver of their being. For God speaks his Word in all creatures, but no creature can become aware of it except an intellectual creature. It belongs to the soul to return into God: that is, to incline herself toward God and trace the eternal Word back into the fatherly heart, and there God uncovers and strips bare his birth to the soul. Then the soul falls with love and knowledge upon this birth that has revealed itself to her. As the Father carries his Word into the soul, so the soul carries herself in the Word back into the Father. May God help us to practice this play eternally in God.

The third question is: can any person prepare himself so purely that God must of necessity speak his eternal Word into him? Mark this. We posit two kinds of necessity in God. The first is that God has bound and pledged himself to the soul with love and obligation. Thus God never leaves the soul when it is prepared without having to give himself to her from the necessity of this obligation, as the Lord Christ said to Zacchaeus: ‘I must remain today in your house.’ There is another kind of necessity. Just as every good thing communicates itself to all who are receptive to it, so it would be contrary to God’s goodness for him to withhold himself from us when we were receptive to him. The third kind of necessity is the necessity of a force or a compelling cause, and this cannot occur in God. The masters say that all the works which the soul works with God and in grace may be rewarded by God if he wills or not, for the work is a creature, is measured, and falls within time. Therefore such works are too small and too base for God to be bound by right to reward them. But the works that God works in us without our cooperation, where the soul goes out of her own work and God with his work takes the upper hand, there the soul enters into pure passivity and God is the pure worker of all those works. For the works that God thus works in the soul, God is bound by true obligation to reward them with himself, for those works are so divine and so eternal and so immeasurable and come so near to divine honor that God can reward them with nothing other than himself. And these are the noblest people that this age can bring forth, and of these people Saint John says: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.’ The world is outwardly dead to them and they too are dead to the world. And just as little as a dead person fights against a living one, so little does their outward person fight against their inward person; and this they have from God’s gifts and from inward prayer and from deep humility. May God give us this.

Diu vierde frâge ist: in welcher stat oder kraft in der sêle daz êwig wort werde aller eigenlîchest geborn? Dar ûf sprechent die meister unde die heiligen manige schœne rede. Die êrsten sprechent: in der vernunft, wan si gote aller glîchest ist. Die andern sprechent: in dem willen, wan er ist ein frîe kraft der sêle. Die dritten sprechent: in dem funken der sêle, umbe daz er gote aller nêhest ist. Die vierden sprechent: in der verborgenheit des gemüetes, wan dem ist got aller heimlîchest. Diu fünften sprechent (unde mit den halte ich ez ouch), ez werde geborn in dem aller innersten des wesens der sêle unde diss werden gewar alle die krefte der sêle in einem götlîchen gesmacke, ein ieglich kraft in irem wesen, wan diu vernunft ist diu hœhste kraft der sêle, mit der diu sêle ein îngrîfen hât in daz götlîche guot. Frîer wille ist ein smackendiu kraft götlîches guotes, daz ir diu vernunft gewîset hât. Der funke der sêle ist ein lieht götlîcher glîcheit, daz sich alle zît ûf got neiget. Diu verborgenheit des gemüetes ist als ein samenunge alles götlîches guotes und aller götlîcher gâben in dem innersten wesen der sêle, daz ist als ein gruntlôser brunne alles götlîchen guotes. Daz geb uns got.

Diu fünfte frâge ist: wie sich der geist halte zuo dirre geburt? Er tritet in ein lûter lîden unde lêzet got wirken nâch allem sînem willen. Nû möhte man frâgen, ob der geist ein wizzen habe, daz got in im wirket? Diz merkent. Tugent und elliu guotiu werc, diu got wirket in dem menschen, als andâht und innekeit, diu bekennet der mensche, wan diu werc sint wol in etlîchen menschen mit sinnelîchem gemerke. Aber dâ daz götlîch guot sô rîchlîchen übervellet die begerlîche kraft unt dâ daz götlîch lieht die vernunft erhebet über sich selber unde dringet oder trücket den geist in sîn götlîchez antlitz, dâ wirt der geist entfremedet allem gemerke der crêatûren unde stât in einem blôzen anschouwen der êrsten wârheit. Die geb uns got.

The fourth question is: in what place or power in the soul is the eternal Word most properly born? On this the masters and the saints speak many beautiful sayings. The first say: in the intellect, because it is most like God. The others say: in the will, because it is a free power of the soul. The third say: in the spark of the soul, because it is nearest to God. The fourth say: in the hiddenness of the mind, because there God is most intimate. The fifth say—and with them I too agree—that it is born in the innermost part of the soul’s being, and all the powers of the soul become aware of this in a divine savor, each power in its own being. For the intellect is the highest power of the soul, with which the soul has a grasp upon the divine good. Free will is a savoring power of the divine good that the intellect has shown it. The spark of the soul is a light of divine likeness that at all times inclines toward God. The hiddenness of the mind is like a gathering of all divine good and all divine gifts in the innermost being of the soul; it is like a bottomless spring of all divine good. May God give us this.

The fifth question is: how does the spirit comport itself toward this birth? It enters into pure passivity and lets God work according to all his will. Now one might ask whether the spirit has knowledge that God is working in it. Mark this. Virtue and all good works that God works in a person, such as devotion and inwardness, the person knows, for in some people these works are indeed present with sensory awareness. But where the divine good so richly overflows the desiring power, and where the divine light raises the intellect above itself and presses or drives the spirit into his divine countenance, there the spirit becomes estranged from all awareness of creatures and stands in a bare contemplation of the first truth. May God give us this.

Diu sehste frâge ist: wie sich der lîp dar zuo halte? Diz merkent. Er ist in einer stillen ruowe, daz er keine bewegunge mac haben aller sîner gelider, wan die obristen krefte habent die nidristen in geholt unde daz wesen der sêle hât die obristen krefte în gefüeret unde daz stât allez in eime stillen ruowen unde dâ wirt daz êwig wort geborn glîchlîchen in dem geiste und in dem lîbe. Des helf uns got.

Diu sibende frâge ist: ob kein kraft der sêle müge bestân in irem werke die wîle daz êwig wort sô übernâtûrlich geborn wirt in der sêle? Diz merkent. Diu sêle hât zweierleie krefte unde die ûzern krefte des lîbes die müezent alle in ein swîgen gesetzet sîn und ouch die krefte, die den lîcham bewegent, die müezent alle în geholt sîn unde der krefte keiniu mac niht bestân in irem werke, sunder diu sêle ist ein blôziu forme des lîbes sunder bewegunge. Dar ûf sprichet der prophête ‘dô alle crêatûren hâten ein mitel swîgen, dô sprach got sîn stillez wort zuo mîner sêle.’ Alsô muoz allez, daz in geist und in lîbe ist, gesetzet sîn in fride und in ruowe, dâ diu êwige geburt übernâtûrlich sol vernomen werden. Der hie zuo komen sol, der muoz gelîch sîn den hirten, die des nahtes wahten, dô der herre Kristus geborn wart. Alsô muoz der mensche stêtelîche wachen an sîme gemüete unde sol sîne vernunft ûf trîben in diu obristen dinc und in die êwigen regelen, die got êweclîchen geschriben hât von allen den, die behalten oder verlorn solten werden. Dar umbe solten wir alle tage got biten, daz diu êwige regele unde diu êwige gesetzede an uns volbrâht werden, wan pfaffen unde geistlîchen liuten sint diu siben zît gesetzet, gote ze dankenne sînes tôdes und in ze bitenne, daz diu êwige gesetzede an uns vollebrâht werde. Unde wan sie diz baz erkennent denne ander liute, dar umbe sô süllent sie mit irem gemüete in dirre wârheit mê wonen denne ander liute, die des niht verstânt. Zuo der wârheit helf uns got.

The sixth question is: how does the body comport itself toward this? Mark this. It is in a silent rest, so that none of its limbs can move, for the highest powers have drawn the lowest inward, and the being of the soul has drawn the highest powers inward; and all this stands in a silent rest, and there the eternal Word is born alike in the spirit and in the body. May God help us to this.

The seventh question is: can any power of the soul remain in its work while the eternal Word is thus supernaturally born in the soul? Mark this. The soul has two kinds of powers, and the outward powers of the body must all be set in silence; likewise the powers that move the body must all be drawn inward, and none of these powers can remain in its work; rather, the soul is a bare form of the body without movement. Concerning this the prophet says: ‘When all creatures held a middle silence, God spoke his silent Word to my soul.’ Thus everything that is in spirit and in body must be set in peace and rest, where the eternal birth is to be perceived supernaturally. Whoever is to come to this must be like the shepherds who watched in the night when the Lord Christ was born. Thus a person must continually keep watch over his mind and drive his intellect upward into the highest things and into the eternal rules which God has eternally written concerning all those who are to be saved or lost. Therefore we should ask God every day that the eternal rule and the eternal ordinance be fulfilled in us, for the seven hours have been appointed to priests and spiritual people, to thank God for his death and to ask him that the eternal ordinance be fulfilled in us. And because they understand this better than other people, they should dwell with their minds in this truth more than other people who do not understand it. May God help us to the truth.

Diu ahte frâge ist: welhez die gâben oder die früthe sîn, die den menschen gegeben werden, in den daz êwige wort gesprochen wirt? Diz merkent. In geschehent vier dinc. Daz ein ist, daz der mensche

The eighth question is: what are the gifts or fruits that are given to the people in whom the eternal Word is spoken? Mark this. Four things happen to them. The first is that the person