{ "meta": { "schema_version": "1.1", "endpoint": "/api/sources/rhineland-mystics/suso/vol-1-34-chapter-xxxvii.json" }, "work": { "slug": "suso", "name": "Heinrich Suso" }, "parents": [ { "slug": "rhineland-mystics", "name": "Rhineland Mystics", "url": "/sources/rhineland-mystics/" } ], "chapter": { "num": 35, "slug": "vol-1-34-chapter-xxxvii", "title": "Chapter XXXVII.", "of": 51, "words": 3977, "text": "## Chapter XXXVII.\n\nOf the first lessons and examples which are suitable for a \nbeginner, and how he should regulate his exercises with \ndiscretion. \n\nAt the first beginning of the Servitor's in- \nterior life, after he had purified his soul properly \nby confession, he marked out for himself, in \nthought, three circles, within which he shut \nhimself up, as in a spiritual intrenchment. \nThe first circle was his cell, his chapel, and \nthe choir. When he was within this circle, he \nseemed to himself in complete security. The \nsecond circle was the whole monastery as far as \nthe outer gate. The third and outermost circle \nwas the gate; and here it was necessary for him \nto stand' well upon his guard. When he went \noutside these three circles, it seemed to him that \nhe was in the plight of some wild-animal which \nis outside its hole, and surrounded by the hunt, \nand therefore in need of all its cunning and \nwatchfulness. \n\nHe had, moreover, in his beginnings, made \nchoice of a chapel as a place of retirement, in \nwhich he might satisfy his devotion by means \nof pictures. Now it should be observed that, in \nhis youth, he had caused to be painted for him- \n\n\nPICTURE OF THE ETERNAL WISDOM. 169 \n\nself, upon parchment, a picture of the Eternal \nWisdom, who rules supreme over heaven and \nearth, and far surpasses all created things in \nravishing beauty and loveliness of form; for \nwhich reason, when he was in the bloom of \nyouth, he had chosen Wisdom for his beloved. \nHe carried this lovely picture with him when \nhe journeyed to the place of studies, and he \nalways set it before him in the window of his \noell, and used to look at it lovingly with heart- \nfelt longings. He brought it back home with \nhim on his return, and caused it to be trans- \nferred to his chapel-wall as a token of affection. \nWhat other kinds of symbolical representations \nwere there, bearing upon the interior life, and \nadapted to himself and other beginners, may be \nlearned from the pictures and sayings of the \nancient fathers painted on the walls. A part \nof these sayings, translated into the vulgar \ntongue, follows below, exactly as they were in- \nscribed upon the chapel : — \n\nThe ancient father Arsenius asked the angel \nwhat he must do to be saved. The angel an- \nswered : — Thou must flee, and be silent and sit \nstill. \n\nAfterwards, in a vision, the angel read these \n\n\n170 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nwords to the Servitor out of the book of the \nancient fathers : — A well-spring of all bliss is to \nkeep thyself quiet and in solitude. \n\nAbbot Theodore. To keep thyself pure and \nspotless will advance thee more in knowledge \nthan study will. \n\nAbbot Moses. Sit in thy cell : it will teach \nthee all things. \n\nAbbot John. Keep thy outward man still, \nand thy inward man pure. \n\nThe same. A fish out of water and a monk \nout of his monastery will equally come to grief. \n\nAnthony. Bodily mortification, interior devo- \ntion, and seclusion from men beget chastity. \n\nThe same. Wear no garment in which vanity \ncan be discerned. The first battle of a beginner \nis boldly to resist sins. \n\nThe Shepherd. Be wroth with no one, until \nhe tries to pluck out thy right eye. \n\nIsidore. A wrathful man is displeasing to \nGod, however great may be the miracles which \nhe works. \n\nIpericius. It is a less sin to eat meat when it \nshould have been avoided than to backbite thy \nneighbour. \n\nPior. It is very wicked to bring forward the \nsins of others, and to keep back our own. \n\n\nMAXIMS OF THE ANCIENT FATHERS. 171 \n\nZacliary. A man must suffer great humilia- \ntions if he is to arrive at perfection. \n\nNestor. Thou must first become an ass, if \nthou wouldst possess heavenly wisdom. \n\nAn Ancient. Thou shouldst be immovable \nin weal and woe, like one dead. \n\nHelias. A pale complexion, a wasted body, \nand a lowly bearing beseem well a spiritual man. \n\nHilarion. A wanton horse and an unchaste \nbody should have their provender cut down. \n\nAn Ancient. Take away from me wine, for \nthe death of the soul lies hidden in it. \n\nThe Shepherd. He who still complains, and \ncannot keep from anger and much talking, will \nnever become a spiritual man. \n\nCassian. As the dying Christ bore Himself \nupon the cross, so should our manner of life be \nfashioned. \n\nAnthony said to a brother: — O man, help \nthyself; otherwise neither God nor I will ever \nhelp thee. \n\nA woman besought the ancient father Ar- \nsenius to remember her before God. He an- \nswered:— I pray God to blot out thy image \nfrom my heart. \n\nMacarius. I inflict many hardships on my \nbody, because I have many temptations from it. \n\n\n172 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nJohn, the father, said: — I have never done \nmy own will, and I never taught any thing in \nwords which I had not first practised in deeds. \n\nAn Ancient. Many words without deeds are \nvain; like the tree which bears many leaves, but \nno fruit. \n\nNilus. He who must have much intercourse \nwith the world must needs also receive many \nwounds. \n\nAn Ancient. If thou canst do nothing else, \nkeep guard at least over thy cell for God. \n\nIpericius. He who keeps himself chaste will \nbe honoured here, and crowned by God hereafter. \n\nApollonius. Kesist beginnings, and stop the \nserpent by the head. \n\nAgathon. I have carried a stone in my mouth \nfor three years, that I might learn silence. \n\nArsenius. I have often repented of having \nspoken, but never of having kept silence. \n\nAn ancient father was asked by a disciple \nhow long he should keep silence. The father \nanswered : — Until thou art asked a question. \n\nSt. SyncUtica. If thou art sick, rejoice there- \nat, for God has been mindful of thee. \n\nTlie same. If thou art sick, do not ascribe it \nto thy fasts, for those also fall sick who do not \nfast. \n\n\nMAXIMS OF THE ANCIENT FATHERS. 173 \n\nThe same. If thou art tried by temptations \nof the flesh, rejoice, for thou mayest become a \nsecond Paul. \n\nNestor, a good brother, said: — The sun \nnever shone upon me eating. \n\nAnother called John added : — Nor upon me \nangry. \n\nAnthony. The greatest virtue is to be able \nto observe moderation in all things. \n\nPaphnutius. It is no use to begin well, unless \nthou dost carry it through to a good end. \n\nAbbot Moses. Avoid whatever would deprive \nthee of purity of soul, however good it may \nappear. \n\nCassian. The term of all perfection is at- \ntained, when the soul, with all its powers, is \ngathered up into one only object, God. \n\nThe Servitor sent these examples and say- \nings of the ancient fathers to his spiritual \ndaughter, who drank them all in, and applied \nthem to herself, as though he had meant her \nalso to exercise her body with severe chastise- \nments, after the austere fashion of the ancient \nfathers. And she began accordingly to mortify \nand torment herself with hair-shirts, and cords, \nand cruel bands set round with sharp iron nails, \nand many other such-like instruments of penance. \n\n\n174 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nBut when the Servitor became aware of this, \nhe wrote to her as follows : — Dear daughter, if \nthy purpose is to order thy spiritual life according \nto my teaching, as was thy request to me, cease \nfrom all such austerities, for they suit not the \nweakness of thy sex and thy well-ordered frame. \nThe dear Jesus did not say, Take My cross \nupon you; but He said to each, Take up thy \ncross. Thou shouldst not seek to imitate the \nausterity of the ancient fathers, nor the severe \nexercises of thy spiritual father. Thou shouldst \nonly take for thyself a portion of them, such as \nthou canst practise easily with thy infirm body, \nto the end that sin may die in thee, and yet thy \nbodily life may not be shortened. This is a very \nexcellent exercise, and the best of all for thee. \n\nShe wished to know from him why he him- \nself had practised such great austerities, and \nyet would not advise her or others to practise \nthem. Upon this he referred her to the holy \nwritings, saying : — It is written that, in former \ntimes, some among the ancient fathers led a life \nof such superhuman and incredible austerity, \nthat the very mention of it is a horror to certain \ndelicate persons of the present day; for they \nknow not what burning devotion can enable a \nman, by the divine aid, to do and suffer for \n\n\nAUSTERITIES OF THE SAINTS. 175 \n\nGod. One who is filled with such fervour \nfinds all impossible things become possible of \naccomplishment in God; just as David says, \nthat with God's help he would go through \na wall (Ps. xvii. 30). It is also written in \nthe book of the ancient fathers, that some of \nthem did not treat themselves with such great \nseverity as others did, and yet they were all \nstriving to reach the self-same end. St. Peter \nand St. John had not the same training. Who \ncan fully explain this marvel, unless it be \nthat the Lord, who is wonderful in His Saints, \nwills, by reason of His high sovereignty, to be \nglorified in many different ways f Besides this, \nour natures are not all alike, and what is suit- \nable to one, suits not another. Therefore it \nmust not be thought that, if perchance a man \nhas not practised such great austerities, he will \nbe thereby hindered from arriving at perfection. \nAt the same time, those who are soft and deli- \ncate should not despise austerities in others, or \njudge them harshly. Let each look to himself, \nand see what God wants of him, and attend to \nthis, leaving all else alone. Speaking generally, \nit is much better to be moderate rather than im- \nmoderate in the practice of austerities. But as \nthe mean is hard to find, it is wiser to keep a \n\n\n176 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nlittle under it, than to venture too high above it ; \nfor it often happens that, if a man mortifies his \nbodily frame to excess, he will have afterwards \nto indulge it to excess ; though certainly many \ngreat Saints have forgotten themselves in this \npoint through the fervour of their devotion. \nSuch austerity of life, and the examples which \nhave been mentioned, may be of use to those \nwho are too tender with themselves, and to their \nown injury give too much rein to their rebellious \nbodies ; but this concerns not thee, nor the like \nof thee. God has many kinds of crosses with \nwhich He chastens His friends. I look for \nHim to lay another sort of cross upon thy \nshoulders, which will be far more painful to \nthee than these austerities. Accept this cross \nwith patience when it comes to thee. \n\nNot long afterwards God afflicted the Ser- \nvitor's spiritual daughter with long and weary \nillnesses, so that she continued sickly in body \nuntil her death. She sent him word that it \nhad come to pass with her as he had predicted. \nUpon which he wrote in answer thus: — Dear \ndaughter, God has not only afflicted thee ac- \ncording to my words, but He has also wounded \nme in thee; for I have now no one left who \nwill help me with the same diligence and godly \n\n\nVISION or ANGELS. 177 \n\nfaithfulness to complete my little book, as thou \ndidst when thou wert well. Therefore the Ser- \nvitor besought God earnestly on thy behalf, \nthat it might be His good will to give thee back \nthy health ; and when God would not forthwith \nhearken to his prayer, he was angered against \nHim with a loving anger, and was minded that \nhe would write no more books about the faith- \nful God, and would likewise leave off his usual \nmorning -greeting through ill-humour, unless \nGod made thee well again. Now when he had \nsat down in the disquiet of his heart, according \nto custom, in his chapel, his senses were absorbed \nin ecstasy; and it seemed to him that a com- \npany of angels came before him in the chapel, \nand sang to comfort him a heavenly song, be- \ncause they knew that at that time he was in \npeculiar sorrow; and they asked him why he \nlooked so sad and did not sing with them. \nThen he told them how he had behaved in his \nexcess to the dear God, because He would not \nhearken to his prayer for thy recovery. And \nthey counselled him to desist from it, and not \nact thus ; for that God had ordained this sick- \nness for the best, and it would be thy cross in \nthis world, and through it thou wouldst earn \ngreat grace here, and a manifold reward in \nN \n\n\n178 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nheaven. Therefore be patient, my daughter, \nand receive it simply as a loving gift from the \nfaithful God. \n\n\nChapter XXXVHI. \n\nOf certain devout practices of a young beginner in his \nearly years. \n\nOnce upon a time the sick spiritual daugh- \nter besought the Servitor, who had come to see \nher in her illness, to tell her something about \nspiritual things, not of too grave a kind, but \nyet such as a godly soul would hear with plea- \nsure. Upon which he told her about his devout \npractices in early life, in the following words : — \n\nAs the Servitor was in his youth of a lively \ntemperament, he made it a practice for a long \ntime, whenever he was bled, to turn in spirit to \nGod under the cross, and, lifting up his wounded \narm, to say, with an inward sigh : — Ah, Friend \nof my heart ! remember that it is the way \nwith lovers to go to their beloved ones at the \ntime of blood-letting, in order that the new \nblood may be good. But Thou knowest well, \ndear Lord, that I have no beloved one save \nThee alone, and therefore I come to Thee to \nbless my wound and make my blood good. \n\n\nYOUTHFUL DEVOTIONS. 179 \n\nAt this same season of his youth, when his \nface was still in its fresh bloom and beauty of \ncolour, it was his practice, as often as he shaved \nhimself, to go to the Lord, and say : — Ah, \nsweet Lord, if my countenance and mouth were \nas rosy as the hue of all red roses, Thy Servitor \nwould keep them for Thee, and give them to \nno one else ; and though Thou lookest only to \nthe heart, and regardest little what is outward, \nnevertheless, dearest Lord, my heart offers \nThee herein a love-token in testimony that it \nturns to Thee, and to none but Thee. \n\nWhen he put on a new tunic or cloak, he \nwould first go to his usual place of prayer and \nbeseech the Lord of heaven, who had provided \nhim with this garment, to wish him luck and \nhappiness in it, and to help him to wear it out \nin the fulfilment of His all-lovely will. \n\nBefore this, in his childhood, it had been his \ncustom, when the beautiful summer came and \nthe tender flowrets first began to spring up, \nnever to pluck or touch a flower until he had \ngreeted with the gift of his first flowers his \nspiritual love, the sweet, blooming, rosy maid, \nGod's Mother. When it seemed to him that \nthe time for doing this had come, he picked the \nflowers with many loving thoughts, and, carry- \n\n\n180 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\ning tliem to his cell, made a garland of them ; \nand then he went into the choir, or into our \nLady's chapel, and, kneeling down very humbly \nbefore our dear Lady, placed the garland upon \nher image, in the hope that, as she was the \nfairest of all flowers, and the bliss of summer to \nhis heart, she would not disdain to accept these \nfirst flowers from her Servitor. \n\nOnce upon a time, when he had thus \ncrowned the all-lovely one, it seemed to him in \na vision that heaven was opened, and he saw \nthe bright angels ascending and descending in \nshining garments. He heard likewise in the \ncourt of heaven the blissful attendants singing \nthe loveliest song which was ever heard. But \nchiefly they sang a song about our dear Lady, \nwhich rang so sweetly that his soul melted \nwithin him from excess of rapture, and it was \nlike what is sung of her in the sequence on All- \nSaints day, \" Illic regina virginum, transcen- \ndens culmen ordinum, etc. ;\" which means, \nthat the pure Queen soars high above all the \nheavenly host in honour and dignity. He too \nbegan to sing with the heavenly company, and \nit left behind in his soul a great savour of \nheaven and longing after God. \n\nOnce, at the beginning of May, he had, \n\n\nYOUTHFUL DEVOTIONS. 181 \n\naccording to Ms custom, placed with great de- \nvotion a garland of roses upon his loveliest \nheavenly Lady ; and that same morning early, \nas he had come from a distance and was tired, \nhe intended to allow himself a longer sleep, and \nto omit his usual greeting to the Virgin at the \nproper hour. Now when the time had come \nfor him to greet her, as he was wont to do, and \nhe should have got up, it seemed to him as if \nhe were in the midst of a heavenly choir, and \nthat they were singing the Magnificat in praise \nof God's Mother. When it was ended, the \nVirgin came forward, and bade the brother \nbegin the verse, \" O vernalis rosula, etc. ;\" \nwhich signifies, O thou lovely little rose of \nsummer. He thought within himself what she \ncould mean by this, and yet, wishing to obey \nher, he began in joyous mood, \" O vernalis ro- \nsula.\" Whereupon immediately three or four \nyouths of the heavenly company, who were \nstanding there in choir, began to sing with him, \nand then the rest of the choir took up the strain, \nas if in rivalry, and they sang so merrily, that \nthe sound rang out as sweetly as if all stringed \ninstruments were resounding there together. \nBut his mortal frame could not bear this excess \nof melody, and he came to himself again. \n\n\n182 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nOn the day after our Lady's feast of the \nAssumption, he was once more shown a vision \nof great joy in the court of heaven. But no \none was allowed to enter in who was not worthy \nto be present there. Now when the Servitor \nwas very anxious to press in, there came a \nyouth who caught him by the hand, saying : — \nIt is not for thee to enter in at present. Thou \nhast done wrong, and must expiate thy misdeed, \nbefore thou wilt be allowed to hear the song of \nheaven. Then he led him by a crooked path \ninto an underground hole, which was dark and \ndesolate, and very miserable to look at. The \nServitor could not move in it either to the one \nside or to the other; but he lay there like a \nman in a dungeon, who cannot see either the \nsun or the moon. This was a sore suffering \nto him, and he began to bemoan and lament \nhimself on account of his imprisonment. Soon \nafterwards the youth came back, and asked him \nhow it fared with him. The Servitor answered: \n— Very ill. Then the youth said to him : — \nKnow that the sovereign Queen of Heaven is \nangry with thee on account of the fault for \nwhich thou art lying here in prison. The Ser- \nvitor was greatly terrified at this, and said : — \nWoe is me ! utterly miserable that I am, what \n\n\nTHE QUEEN OF HEAVEN. 183 \n\nhave I done to her? He answered: — She is \nangry with thee for being so unwilling to preach \nabout her on her festivals, and because yester- \nday on her great festival thou didst refuse thy \nsuperior's request, saying that thou wouldst not \npreach about her. The Servitor made answer: \n— Alas, my friend and master ! it seems to me \nin truth that she is worthy of far greater honour \nthan what I can give her, and that I am of too \nlittle account to undertake this office. There- \nfore I yield it up to those who are old and \nworthy; for methinks they can preach more \nworthily about her than I, poor man, can. \nTo this the youth replied : — Know that it \npleases her to receive this honour from thee, \nand it is an acceptable service from thee in her \neyes. Therefore refuse no more. The Servitor \nbegan to weep, and said to the youth : — Ah, \ndearest youth ! make my peace with the pure \nMother, for I promise thee by my troth that \nit shall not happen again. The youth smiled, \nand consoled him lovingly, and led him home \nout of the prison, saying : — I have observed, \nfrom the kindly way in which the Queen of \nHeaven looked at and spoke of thee, that she \nwill lay aside her anger against thee, and will \nalways love thee with a mother's faithful love. \n\n\n184 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nIt was the Servitor's practice when he left \nhis cell, or returned to it, to pass through the \nchoir before the Sacrament; for he thought \nwithin himself that he who has a very dear \nfriend any where upon his road, is very glad to \nmake his journey a little longer in order to hold \nsome loving converse with him. \n\nA man once asked God to bestow upon him \na heavenly carnival, as he did not wish for an \nearthly one from creatures. And while his \nsenses were stilled in ecstasy, it seemed to \nhim as if the dear Christ came in, under the \nform which He wore when He was thirty years \nof age, and signified to him that He would grant \nhim his request, and make for him a heavenly \ncarnival. Then He took a cup of wine in His \nhand, and presented it to three men, who were \nsitting there at table, one after the other. The \nfirst sank down powerless ; the second also \nbecame a little faint; but the third was not \naffected by it. Upon this the Lord explained to \nhim the difference between a beginner, a pro- \nficient, and a perfect man, — how unlike they \nare in the way in which they bear themselves \nin spiritual sweetness. \n\nWhen the Servitor had finished conversing \nwith his spiritual daughter about these and \n\n\nHE DRAWS SINNERS TO GOD. 185 \n\nsuch-like divine endearments, she wrote it all \ndown secretly, and then placed it in a box, which \nshe locked up for concealment and security. \n\nNow one clay there came to her a good \nsister, to whom she had given the box in \ncharge, saying : — Dear sister, what is this mar- \nvellous heavenly secret which thou hast in thy \nbox ! I dreamed this night that there was in \nthy box a young heavenly boy, and that he had \na sweet stringed instrument in his hands, from \nwhich he drew such ravishing spiritual melodies, \nthat it filled many a one with spiritual delight. \nI pray thee bring forth for us what thou hast \nlocked up, that we too may read it. But she \nkept silence, and would not speak to her about \nit, for it had been forbidden her.", "project_translation": false, "text_trust": "verbatim", "quote_safe": true, "license": null, "methodology_url": null } }