A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [6]
which stand here are simple, the words simpler still, for they proceed from
a simple soul and are meant for simple men who have still their
imperfections to cast aside.
It happened that, as the same brother had begun to write on the three
matters, namely, the Passion, and the rest of it all, and had come to that
part on repentance: Now then, cheer up thou soul of mine! etc., he had
reclined himself one forenoon on his chair, and that in a bright sleep he
saw clearly, in a vision, how two culpable persons sat before him, and how
he chastised them very severely for sitting there so idly, and performing
nothing. Then was it given him to understand that he should thread a needle,
which was put into his hand. Now the thread was threefold; and two parts
were very fine, but the other part was a little courser, and when he would
needs twist the three together he could not well do it. Then he saw close to
him on his right hand our Lord, standing the same as when He was unbound
from the pillar, and He stood before him with a look so kind and fatherly
that he thought it was indeed his father. Now he perceived that His body had
quite a natural colour; it was not very white, but of the colour of wheat,
that is, white and red well mixed together (and this is the most natural
colour of all), and he perceived that His whole body was covered with
wounds, and that they were quite fresh and bloody, that some were round,
some angular, some very long, just as the whips had torn Him; and as He thus
stood sweetly before him, and kindly looked at him, the preacher raised his
hands and rubbed them to and fro on His bloody wounds, and then took the
three parts of the thread and twisted them easily together. Then was given
to him a power, and he understood that he was to complete his task, and that
God with His rose-coloured garment (which is wrought so delightfully out of
His wounds) would clothe all those in eternal beauty who should occupy their
time and leisure with it here below.
One thing, however, a man should know, that there is as great a
difference between hearing himself the sweet accords of a harp and hearing
another speak of them, as there is between the words received in pure grace
and that flow out of a living heart, through a living mouth, and those same
words when they come to be set down on dead parchment, especially in the
German tongue; for then are they chilled, and they wither like plucked
roses: for the sprightliness of their delivery, which, more than anything,
moves the heart of man, is then extinguished, and in the dryness of dry
hearts are they received. Never was there a string how sweet soever, but it
became dumb when stretched on a dry log. A joyless heart can as little
understand a joyful tongue as a German can an Englishman! Therefore let
every fervent soul hasten after the first out-pourings of this sweet
doctrine, so that she may learn to contemplate them in their origin, where
they were in all their loveliness and ravishing beauty; even there are the
in-pourings of the present grace, to the quickening of hearts that are dead!
And he who thus looks at this book will hardly have read it through before
his heart will needs be deeply moved either to fervent love, or to new
light, or to a yearning towards God, and abhorrence of sin, or else to some
spiritual request, wherein the soul will presently be renewed in grace.
Here ends the Preface, and follows
LITTLE BOOK OF ETERNAL WISDOM
PART THE FIRST
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CHAPTER I. How Some Persons Are Unconsciously Attracted by God
Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have
desired to take her for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty. These
words stand written in the Book of Wisdom[2] and are spoken by the beautiful
and all-loving Wisdom.
A Servant was filled with disgust and dejection of heart on his first
setting forth on the uneven ways. Then did the