A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [21]
out. I come even to My beloved, and fondly take up My abode
with her, but this takes place so secretly that it is totally hidden from
all men, except those only who live in entire seclusion, and perceive My
ways, who are ever careful to correspond to My graces. For in virtue of My
divinity, I am a perfectly pure essential spirit, and am spiritually
received into pure spirits.
The Servant.--Gentle Lord, methinks Thou art altogether a hidden lover,
therefore I desire Thou wouldst give me some signs of Thy true presence.
Eternal Wisdom.--In nothing canst thou discern My presence so well as
in this, namely, when I hide and withdraw Myself from the soul, as not till
then art thou capable of perceiving who I am or what thou art. I am the
Eternal Good, without which no one has any good. When I, the Eternal Good,
pour Myself out so graciously and lovingly, everything into which I enter is
made good. By this goodness My presence is to be known even as is the sun by
his brightness, who, in his substance, is yet not to be seen. If ever thou
art sensible of Me, enter into thyself and learn to separate the roses from
the thorns, and to choose out the flowers from the grass.
The Servant.--Lord, truly I seek and find in myself a great inequality.
When my soul is deserted, she is like a sick person who can relish nothing;
who is disgusted with everything; the body is languid, the spirits are dull;
dryness within, and sadness without; all that I see and hear is then
repugnant to me, and I know not how good it is, for I have lost all
discrimination. I am then inclined to sin, weak in resisting my enemies,
cold and lukewarm in all that is good; he who visits me finds an empty
house, for the master, who gives wise counsel and makes all the family glad
at heart, is not within. But, Lord, when in the midst of my soul the bright
morning star rises, all my sorrow passes away, all my darkness is scattered,
and laughing cheerfulness appears. Lord, then leaps my heart, then are my
spirits gay, then rejoices my soul, then is it my marriage feast, while all
that is in me or about me is turned to Thy praise. What before was hard,
troublesome, and impossible, becomes easy and pleasant; fasting, watching,
praying, self-denial, and every sort of rigour, are made sweet by Thy
presence. Then do I acquire great assurance in many things, which, in my
dereliction I had lost; my soul is then overflowed with clearness, truth,
and sweetness, so that she forgets all her toil; my heart can sweetly
meditate, my tongue loftily discourse, and whoever seeks high counsel from
me touching his heart's desire finds it; for then I am as though I had
overstepped the bounds of time and space, and stood in the ante-chamber of
eternal salvation. Alas, Lord! who will grant that it might only be of
longer duration, for behold, in a moment it is snatched away, and I am again
stripped and forsaken. Sometimes I pursue it as if I had never gained it,
till at last, after much sorrow and trouble of heart, it comes back. Lord!
art Thou this thing, or am I it, or what is it?
Eternal Wisdom.--Thou art and hast of thyself nothing but imperfection;
I am it, and this is the game of love.
The Servant.--But, Lord, what is the game of love?
Eternal Wisdom.--All the time that love is with love, love does not
know how dear love is; but when love separates from love, then only does
love feel how dear love was.
The Servant.--Lord! this is a dreary game. Alas, Lord! is inconstancy
never cast aside in any one while time lasts?
Eternal Wisdom.--In very few persons, for constancy belongs to
eternity.
The Servant.--Lord, who are these persons?
Eternal Wisdom.--The very purest of all, and in eternity the most like
to God.
The Servant.--Lord, which are they?
Eternal Wisdom.--They are those persons who have denied themselves in
the most perfect manner.
The Servant.--Gentle Lord, teach me how, in my imperfection, I ought to
behave in this manner.
Eternal Wisdom.--In good days
with her, but this takes place so secretly that it is totally hidden from
all men, except those only who live in entire seclusion, and perceive My
ways, who are ever careful to correspond to My graces. For in virtue of My
divinity, I am a perfectly pure essential spirit, and am spiritually
received into pure spirits.
The Servant.--Gentle Lord, methinks Thou art altogether a hidden lover,
therefore I desire Thou wouldst give me some signs of Thy true presence.
Eternal Wisdom.--In nothing canst thou discern My presence so well as
in this, namely, when I hide and withdraw Myself from the soul, as not till
then art thou capable of perceiving who I am or what thou art. I am the
Eternal Good, without which no one has any good. When I, the Eternal Good,
pour Myself out so graciously and lovingly, everything into which I enter is
made good. By this goodness My presence is to be known even as is the sun by
his brightness, who, in his substance, is yet not to be seen. If ever thou
art sensible of Me, enter into thyself and learn to separate the roses from
the thorns, and to choose out the flowers from the grass.
The Servant.--Lord, truly I seek and find in myself a great inequality.
When my soul is deserted, she is like a sick person who can relish nothing;
who is disgusted with everything; the body is languid, the spirits are dull;
dryness within, and sadness without; all that I see and hear is then
repugnant to me, and I know not how good it is, for I have lost all
discrimination. I am then inclined to sin, weak in resisting my enemies,
cold and lukewarm in all that is good; he who visits me finds an empty
house, for the master, who gives wise counsel and makes all the family glad
at heart, is not within. But, Lord, when in the midst of my soul the bright
morning star rises, all my sorrow passes away, all my darkness is scattered,
and laughing cheerfulness appears. Lord, then leaps my heart, then are my
spirits gay, then rejoices my soul, then is it my marriage feast, while all
that is in me or about me is turned to Thy praise. What before was hard,
troublesome, and impossible, becomes easy and pleasant; fasting, watching,
praying, self-denial, and every sort of rigour, are made sweet by Thy
presence. Then do I acquire great assurance in many things, which, in my
dereliction I had lost; my soul is then overflowed with clearness, truth,
and sweetness, so that she forgets all her toil; my heart can sweetly
meditate, my tongue loftily discourse, and whoever seeks high counsel from
me touching his heart's desire finds it; for then I am as though I had
overstepped the bounds of time and space, and stood in the ante-chamber of
eternal salvation. Alas, Lord! who will grant that it might only be of
longer duration, for behold, in a moment it is snatched away, and I am again
stripped and forsaken. Sometimes I pursue it as if I had never gained it,
till at last, after much sorrow and trouble of heart, it comes back. Lord!
art Thou this thing, or am I it, or what is it?
Eternal Wisdom.--Thou art and hast of thyself nothing but imperfection;
I am it, and this is the game of love.
The Servant.--But, Lord, what is the game of love?
Eternal Wisdom.--All the time that love is with love, love does not
know how dear love is; but when love separates from love, then only does
love feel how dear love was.
The Servant.--Lord! this is a dreary game. Alas, Lord! is inconstancy
never cast aside in any one while time lasts?
Eternal Wisdom.--In very few persons, for constancy belongs to
eternity.
The Servant.--Lord, who are these persons?
Eternal Wisdom.--The very purest of all, and in eternity the most like
to God.
The Servant.--Lord, which are they?
Eternal Wisdom.--They are those persons who have denied themselves in
the most perfect manner.
The Servant.--Gentle Lord, teach me how, in my imperfection, I ought to
behave in this manner.
Eternal Wisdom.--In good days