Now, behold, to what head they are come., Alas, alas, saith Truth, why love we will, since such loss is made by will?, I shall tell thee, saith Love, why a soul hath will; because it liveth yet in spirit. it. For this soul, saith Love, willeth so perfectly the will of God, that she cannot will and may not will but the will of God. He throws this method into relief by choosing the form of a dialogue, in which the characters are the personified qualities. (8) The naught in all things for meekness. No, soothly ye say nothing, but sit in peace, where Reason hath no lordship. This is not to be understood that this soul prayeth never, but in sundry practices that she hath, she prayeth never as thus. And this soul hath long seen that she is under sin and serveth sin and without comparison, passing all creatures, is naught. The first is of the Apostles, the second is of the Maudelyn, the third is of John Baptist, the fourth is of the Virgin Mary, the fifth how nature divine is oned to the nature of mankind in the person of the Son. Since that his soul was oned to his divine nature it might not be that the body that was mortal, might do sin. Charity obeyeth to nothing that is made, but [only] to love. Ah, without fail, saith Reason, this is well said; [he who is] cumbered, encumbereth [others].. I may not be there-against, but I yield me to you in all, saith Reason. Then is she mistress and lady over the virtues, for she hath them all within herself, ready at her commandment, without bitterness or painfulness of feeling to the soul. This is to say, without the work of this soul, and therefore saith she, that she shall tell the sum of her demands, that a soul may not suffer herself to be deceived for nothing that may fall, but that she keep this, and this is, that she see these twain [things]. If this naughted lady willeth the will of God, the more that she willeth it, the more she would will it; and that may she not, on account of the littleness of [the] creature, for God withholdeth the greatness of his divine righteousness. Right so as do the angels of the third hierarchy; for this wit well, and I do them well inform, all those to whom love sendeth his message, that if they refuse them at any point there where the virtues would have them, by the inward working of virtues that should have lordship over the body, and [if] they refuse them in this point, they shall never make their peace with the Sovereign that the message sendeth, but that they shall be taken and troubled in knowing, and encumbered of themselves for default of trust, for love saith that in great need men may know their friend. [355] And then is this soul naughted by height outside herself, that is, that God sufficeth her. So there dwelleth with her nothing to sustain her, but she must be reduced from strength to naught before she be quit of this fault only, if the debt of justice should be paid. So I [would] refuse it at the prayers of the Humanity, and of the saints, and of the Virgin Mary. All we know about her derives either from her book, the Mirror of Simple Souls, or from documents connected to her condemnation in Paris Expand 2 PDF Life and Death by the Book: A Dramatic Reading of Marguerite Porete's Mirror of Simple Souls Manuel Ceballos Art 2018 in good understanding! And she must let God work and be disposed[133] to his will, for they that have a will that God should do their will, willing to feel his comforts, they trust not perfectly in his sole bounty, but in the gifts of his riches that he hath to give., Without fail, saith this soul, he that loveth well, he thinketh not either of taking nor of asking, but of giving, without anything withholding, that he may love truly. This is to understand, that he would that creatures begged as he doth in other creatures. Since a small number of historians has recently expressed doubts about this identification, a fresh look at the evidence is warranted. How ofttimes I have taken from God his will! But all-might, all-wisdom, and all-goodness, all-glory, all grace, all-sweetness, all-virtues, all-victories, all-honours, all-bliss, all-joy and all magnificence, Lord, worship, laud, praise and magnify you everlastingly without end. [234] Therefore it must be taken, as for the time always, of the usages. Now is this soul, saith Love, in him, of him, for him; that is, without receiving any but only from him., Then is she in God the Father, saith Truth, for we know well that there is no person in the Trinity that hath not received something from another person beside his own person, save only the person of God the Father., Ye say sooth, saith Love, for God the Father hath divine might in him without receiving might of any other but of himself. The first cost that this soul which is free hath, is this, that she hath no grudging of conscience, though she work not the work of virtues. He begins where others leave off, and assumes an acquaintance with and loyal adherence to those principles of Christian ascesis which are the basis of the monastic and of the spiritual life generally. And that she is less than naught under them, without any comparison, as between herself and them, so much evil is of her [nature] and of her works. [What shame had she] of this that her sins be known before all the people, by such witnesses as be the Evangelists? This soul seeketh not the fulness[307] of her understanding, but God seeth it in her without breaking her. So may not Dread, nor Discretion, nor Reason, wit it forsooth nothing gain-sayeth Love. The chapters of the last three Divisions are amongst the finest in the whole work and may be considered autobiographical. And this Holy Writ calleth falling, for so it is. [210], O Lady Love, that all things maketh light, tell us, saith this soul, why they work in Virtues as well as the perished, and serve them, and feel and desire and run by burning of cutting desire in the work of the spirit? Not, saith the Holy Ghost, by nature divine, for that may not be, but by the strength of love, for that behoveth to be.[170], Now Holy Church, saith Love, here you have heard why this soul hath all., Sooth! saith the Holy Ghost, all that I have received of the Father and of the Son, who knoweth that she hath all that I have, saith the Holy Ghost, and the Father and the Son have nothing but that I have it in me. This accordance is finely noble., I ask you a question: which is the most noble of these twain, the soul in gladness of that glory which draweth the soul, and embellisheth it by obedience to its nature, or that soul that to this glory is oned?, I know not, saith the soul that this first wrote, but Love, you yourself, say it for me! O God, saith divine Love, that through him resteth concerning this, in soul naughted, how far is their life from the life of freeness, over which not-willing hath lordship. Nor for no other thing was the soul made, but for to have in her without end the being of pure charity., O my Lord God, saith this soul, what have I said of you!, Think, saith Love, and see if you can know your words.. The Mirror is a theological treatise which analyzes how love in human beings is related to divine love, and how the human soul by means of this relation may experience a lasting union of. Download The Mirror of Simple Souls PDF full book. Charity giveth to all, all that she has of value. Keep her attention fixed upon, occupy herself with the work God is doing, as well as doing the work he has given her to do. No, and God will, saith Love, she hath been servant long enough, now [is she] to become free from this time forward., Eh, Love, saith Reason, when was she servant?, When she took the lead[45] in love and in the obedience of thee and of other virtues, saith Love. And she may do all that she will without making a return for his gifts, who, of his proper being, hath set her thus. She seeth well then, that God by his high majesty, he is in all. These souls, saith Love, that such be, have so long led in love and in obedience of virtues, that they be become free.. Yes, without doubt, he is all might, all wisdom, and all goodness: our Father, our brother and our true friend; he is without beginning and shall be without ending, he is without comprehending but of himself, and without end was, is, and shall be, three persons and one God only. That doth naught for God. That communication of divine Love is made to the soul in such a hidden way that she does not perceive it but the fruit is that humility which rejects those habits of talking about God., The distinction is not to be interpreted literally or of any divisions in Holy Church. Right thus, all such words must be declared within themselves [by them] that read this book. [302] Therefore let the virtues have that that is theirs of the cutting wills, of the fervours of affection of your spirit, till they have acquit you of the debt that ye owe to Jesu Christ. And this I say as for me, I know not what ye be, for I know not your everlasting might, your everlasting wisdom, your everlasting bounty. In this short work there can be found elements of Benedictine mysticism and traces of the Beghard spirituality of Porete, that are grafted onto an Augustinian-Bonaventurian orthodox matrix of the three ways (purgative, illumative and unative). It is, nevertheless, from Methleys version of the Authors Prologue that we derive certain definite indications concerning the three censors who are less fully characterised in the Vatican MSS.[8]. These souls, saith Love, have knowing of the more, without having knowing, so they may not crave nor have sufficiency of the least thing. And [she] so dwelleth in standing, for she is alway in sight of God; and sitting, for she dwelleth alway in the divine will of God. And he made the true Apocalypse [concerning God], after that he was banished, who before had been at the taking, where Jesus Christ was taken. Now understand. M. Take heed of these words, that the soul saith, that she hath none other usage[152] nor none other may have. O Lord, saith Holy Church, we understand it and believe it forsooth, that these be the gifts of your worthy noblesse, in reward of love; for love may not be rewarded at any time except with love., This soul, saith Love, hath of old said and heard that there is nothing that is so great knowledge as is temperance; nor so great riches as is sufficiency; nor so great strength as is love. earlier part of book. a free soul, drunk! I tell you, saith Truth, that the humanity of Christ Jesu neither cometh nor goeth. And how may this be? saith Temptation. I have said, saith this soul, that for this that God did to them, they had neither shame nor worship, nor will of themselves to answer for any; this ye see well., Ah, without fail, saith Truth, they had no occasion for it, for they were unencumbered of themselves., Oh, saith this soul, since it is so that God did them this, is he not yet the same, hath he made an end with them of the gifts of his bounty?[247], Oh, without fail, no, saith Courtesy. And if ye cannot come soon to the understanding thereof, offer it meekly up to God, and by the custom of oft reading thereon, ye shall come thereto. and such is the Beloved of my soul, saith the soul herself.[144]. Gods image imprinted on the soul does not force the soul to yield up the realm. The corollary is apparently the argument for predestination, which the soul puts forward strongly in order to contradict it immediately according to the method of the j, MS. An alone soul and without me and all free.. It may well be that there be many fausets in a tun, but the most clear wine and the most fresh and profitable and the most delectable and the most inebriating without fail, is the wine of the sovereign fauset, of which none drinketh but the Trinity. (3) The most innocent of the daughters of Jerusalem. This is, he dwelleth with us without seeking, why seek we him any more? Now I shall tell you the beholdings that I had in this life, that is aforesaid. [296] Now work in us, by you, of you, for us, without us, thus Lord as it pleaseth you. For when she is thus free of these four costs and noble[269] by all the freedoms that of her be descended for no churl is accepted[270] in this marriage this soul that is thus noble, falleth then, saith Love, into dismay that is called naught, thinking of the far-off results of what is near;[271] that is her most nigh neighbour. If my will were set on the one more than the other, whether of mercy or of righteousness, then were I with myself, and so should I be twain. A love I have which hath no mother, proceeding of God the Father and also of God the Son. The meaning of these words that the soul saith, that her inwardness feeleth not, she moveth not herself, it is meant for the time of ravishing in union. Those that understand rest, and the speakers labour, and knowing may not suffer labour, for labour is a less good. Why so anguishously? But one that seeketh and findeth not dwelleth enfamined of that which she asketh. But your questions have made them long, because ye have need thereof yourself, and for your disciples,[206] those of your household who have flys hearts! In heaven when the divine Trinity made the angels of the courtesy of his divine noblesse, some were evil, on account of their perverse election in agreeing to the evil will of Lucifer, who desired to have, by his nature, that which he might not have but by divine grace. This is to be understood, that these folks do the contrary of that which delighteth them. O ye deep worthy well, in whom the sun shineth, where the splendour of the sun continually is found, and the beams thrown out, saith Truth, of divine science, we wit it by very sapience, that the splendour maketh you to work alway.. That she is alone in love. This is that she hath no comfort nor affection, nor hope in [any] creature that is made, in heaven or in earth, but only in the goodness of God. My works that be done, these have ye done. For all that ever a creature may do of works of goodness, it is naught as in regard of his bounty for the divine wisdom gave not his highful goodness to souls, but for his own goodness self. Pdf_module_version 0.0.8 Ppi 360 Rcs_key 24143 Republisher_date 20210304104308 Republisher_operator associate-jeanette-beleno@archive.org Republisher_time 643 Scandate 20210227205151 Scanner She was burned at the stake for heresy in Paris in 1310 after refusing to recant her views. what faulteth me then? MS. as of that that is of her: possibly for, with regard to all that is of her nature.. And thus much I certify you, saith this soul, without doubt, who hath anything to answer, he hath something to show; else he hath naught to answer.. [2], An example of this influence can be seen in the 1536 work of Giovanni Pili da Fano, The Art of Union. And if it might better please him that I went to naught and had naught of being than that I should take this gift of him, I should love more that I went to naught. . And what doth the subtlety of her thought? And this showing is given so swiftly that the person to whom this gift is given hath, at the time, no perceiving of her gift., What marvel is it, saith this soul, though I perceive it not? It is not too much to say that, in this period, it is unique both in form and in content. for God does not move himself, nor does she move herself.. And thus their will, which they had chosen, made them lose this high vision by giving their will to that which they could not attain. Wot they and none other to whom God hath given the understanding: for no Scripture teacheth it, nor may mans wit comprehend it, nor travail of creatures nor desert may not reach it. Now, Reason, saith Love, understand thy question. I love not myself nor him, nor all his works, but only for him. This wot she, saith Love, for there she findeth him alway; for a thing must be found where it is. Before God! saith Reason, what is this to say?, I answered thee, here before, saith Love, and still I tell thee that all the masters of natural wit, nor all the masters of scriptures, nor all those that take the lead in love and in obedience of virtues, understand it not; thereof be right sure, saith Love, but those only, without more, whom fine love so leadeth.[57], But whoso found such souls, they could tell thee the truth an they would; but I am not in pledge that men may understand it, except only those whom fine love leadeth. What he owed to Dionysius Areopagita came to him through the Victorines; but he is, on the whole, untouched by the new scholasticism that was formulated by St Thomas, and had not as yet dominated the thought of the schools. ; to Miss Ruffer, Miss M. Daunt, and many others. Now hearken by meekness among you, at the beginning of this, a little ensample of love of the world, and understand it into divine love. And hastily she taketh the stirrings of her wills, and fasteneth it in him that she loveth. NIHIL OBSTAT: Georgius D. Smith, S.T.D., Censor deputatus. But this also has its echoes in the Mirror. . [314] This same, that the righteous God it seemeth that he cannot come again. She knoweth all, saith Love, by virtue of faith, that God is Almighty, all wisdom and all goodness, and that God the Father hath done the work of the Incarnation and the Son also, and the Holy Ghost also. And with twain she covereth his feet; that is, that the more this soul hath knowing of the suffering that Jesu Christ suffered for us, the more perfectly she knoweth that she knoweth not, with regard to that [which] he suffered for us, the which is not known but of him. These increase steadily by Gods work in the soul, but there is ever less and less self-consciousness concerning these things.The constantly growing factor, the hunger and thirst after God, supplies the right affective impetus, which, in the earlier stages, was known and to some extent remains always as a desire for personal holiness and a knowledge of God.The affective element outlasts the other personal elements, but is itself purified in the far night of aridity, and is later realised as being but the last human trappings of self behind which the Spirit of God resides in that part of the soul completely inaccessible to self consciousness. In his original Prologue, this writer mentions the Prologue of the English translator, stating that he was unknown to him, in anglicum idioma nescio quis eundem transtulit; he does not latinise this English prologue, but merely sums up the gist of the remarks, omitting all the personal details which constitute its charm. 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