1 In the first place we must bear in mind that the wise and wisdom, true and truth, good and goodness, righteousness and righteous are closely related to each other. Goodness is not made nor created nor begotten: it is procreative and begets the good and the good man, so far as he is good, is the unmade, un- created but withal begotten child and son of goodness. Goodness reproduces itself and all it is in good things: knowledge, love, energy, it pours forth all of them into the good man, and the good man receives all his being, kiiowing, love and energy from the central depth of goodness and from that alone. Good and good- ness are no more than goodness by itself, except as unborn parent and horn child of goodness therefrom. In the good is but one being and one life. All that belongs to a good man he gets both from the good and in the good. Therein he is and lives and dwells and there he knows himself, and all he knows and loves he wills and works with goodness and in goodness and the good does all its work with him and in him, iis it is written. The Son said, ‘ My Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works., AJl that belongs to the Father is mine; all that is mine is my Father’s: his giving is my taking.’
Further we must remember that the Name or Word stands for nothing else, nothing more or less than the good, pure and simple. But when we call him good we understand his goodness to be given him, infused and engendered by the unborn goodness; in the words of the gospel, ‘ As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have the same life in himself also.’ In himself, he says, not from himself for the Father gave it to him.
Now all that I have said of good and goodness equally applies to true and truth, to right (or just) and righteousness (or justice), to wise and wisdom, to God’s Son and to God the Father, to every God-begotten thing that has no father upon earth and wherein is gotten no created thing: nothing not God, and wherein exists not any form at all but that of God alone. St John says in his gospel, ‘ to them gave he power to become the sons of (iod, which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God alone.’
^ Only Part I is givon here.
MEISTER ECKHART By blood he means everything in man not subject to the human will. By fleshly will he means everything in man which is subject to his will, albeit with reluctance and with an inclination to fleshly appetites: a thing which is common to the body and the soul and not confined to the soul alone, which accounts for the weakness and exhaustion of their powers. By the will of man St John means the highest power of the soul, whose nature and energy, unmixed with flesh, resides in the pure nature of the soul, detached from time and place and from everything that smacks of time and place relation; that has naught in common with naught; wherein man is formed in the image of God; wherein he is of the lineage of God, and God’s kindred. Yet since these are not God himself but are products of the soul and arc in the soul, therefore they have to lose their form and be transformed into God alone: born into God and out of God with only God for father. Then they are Son indeed, God’s only Son.
I am his Son forasmuch as he begets me in his nature and forms me in his image. Such an one is the Son of God, good son of goodness, right son of righteousness. So far as he is simply good he is unborn parent and as born Son he has the same nature as righteousness has, and is and is possessed of all the characiter oT justice and truth. In all this teaehing which is found in holy gospel and confirmed in the natural light of the wise soul there is solace for every human sorrow.
St Augustine says, ‘ God is not far nor long. If thou wouldst- find him, neither far nor long betake thyself to God, for there a thousand years are as one day, to-day.’ And withal I say, in God there is no pain or sorrow or distress. And if thou wouldst be free from all adversity and pain, turn thee and cleave to God and to God alone. Doubtless all thy ills arc due to thy non- conversion into God and to God alone. If thou wert formed and gotten in righteousness alone, things could no more pain thee than righteousness, than God himself.
Solomon says, ‘ The righteous will not grieve for aught that may befall him.’ He does not say the righteous man or the righteous angel, not this or that right thing; just righteous, being right, for the righteous man is son with a father upon earth, he is creature, made or created as his father is creature made or created. He says righteous, pure and simple, and that has no made or created father, for righteousness is the same as God. So pain and sorrow can molest him no more than they do God. Justice will not grieve him, for love and joy and bliss arc justice, and if justice made sorrowful the just it would be causing sorrow to itself. Injustice, inequality, can in no wise grieve the just, for anything created being far beneath him has no influence and TRACTATES 811 makes no impression on the righteous nor is it gotten into him whose only father is God.
A man then ought to set to work and de-form himself of him- self and creatures and know no father except God alone. Then nothing will be able to afflict or cast him down, neither God nor creature, uncreated or created, and his entire being, life, know- ledge, love and wisdom will be from God and in God and God.
There is another thing which is wont to comfort us in any tribulation. It is the certainty that the just and virtuous man delights unspeakably, incomparably more in doing right than he or even the chief angel delights and rejoices in his natural economy or life. The saints will gladly sacrifice their lives for right.
Supposing now that when outward ills befall the good and righteous man he keeps his even temper and his peace of mind, this only proves my argument that the righteous man is proof against external happenings. But suppose he is perturbed by these mishaps then it stands to reason that God is only just in sending trials to a person who while pretending to be righteous and fondly thinking himself so is yet upset by so small a thing. Since it is fair of God, he has no cause to mind but rather to rejoice, far more than he does at his own life, at what rejoices man and is of more good to him than this world all told; for what profits a man the whole world when he is no more?
The third important thing for us to understand is the elemental truth that the fount and living artery of universal good, essential tnith and perfect consolation is God, God only, and everything not God has in itself a natural bitterness, discomfort and unhappiness and docs not make for good which is of God and is the same as Ciod, but lessens, dims and hides the sweetness, joy and comfort that God gives.
And further I maintain, all sorrow comes from love of that whereof 1 am deprived by loss. If I mind the loss of outward things it is a certain sign that I am fond of outward things and really love sorrow and discomfort. Is it to be wondered at that I am unhappy when I like discomfort and unhappiness; when my heart seeks and my mind gives to creature the good that is God’s own? I turn towards creature, whence there comes by nature all discomfort, and turn my back on that which is the natural source of happiness and comfort; what wonder I am woebegone and wretched! The fact is, it is quite impossible for God or anyone to bring true solace to a man who looks for it in creatures. But he who loves only God in creatures and creatures in God only, that man finds real and true and equal comfort everywhere.
MEISTER ECKHART VI SISTER KATREl MEISTER ECKHART’s STRASBURG DAIJCHITER Blessed and praised be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who has provided for us an image of the truth, himself namely, wherein is no possibility of error!
We read in the gospel that our Lord fed the multitude with five loaves and two roast fishes. The first loaf we interpret to mean the knowledge of what we have always been in God and what we are in God now. The second loaf is the scrutiny of our life in time: seeing how our time has been spent. And for this we need help in the shape of a trusty confessor. A confessor we judge of in this way. If he has what is tnie we may safely confide in him. There arc three signs of this. First, he is a true priest. Secondly, he is confirmed in the perfect life. And thirdly, he has the authority which stamps the true priest. Him seek where- soever thou shalt find him. It is well worth any trouble. Go to him and solemnly kneeling before him as Mary Magdalene knelt at the feet of our Lord Jesus CJirist, earnestly entreat him for God’s sake to hear thee. Then open thy heart to him as thou shalt appear in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ at the day of judgment when all things arc revealed in truth. Discard shame in the kndwledgc that God has seen and heard all thy sins, and so too have those who are reflected into God from the face of the mirror of truth; they know thy shortcomings better than thou dost thyself. Be not ashamed before thy confessor, be ashamed before God and the friends of God, acquiring godly fear in the realization that God’s divine glance has seen thy every will, word and act; and opening thy heart pour out thy sins till, the whole tale being told, thou dost fervently pray him: ‘ Sir, ghostly father, I entreat thee by the love that bound Christ on the cross, show me the nearest way to my eternal happiness.’
Upon this it is open to thy confessor to indicate three ways with which it behoves thee to be quite familiar. Setting thee thy penance, instructs thee to repair wrongs done; he bids thee restore goods not thine own; he enjoins thee to make amends for aught thou hast done to another that thou wouldst not he should do unto thee. Word, will, and act; what was willed without effect must be willed to more purpose, thy will being such that thou wouldst sooner die a thousand deaths than plan a mischief to thine evenchristian. Thy wicked will, which is toward evil TRACTATES 816 deeds, endeavour to correct. Where thou wast haughty now walk humbly for all the world to see thou repentest thee of thy pride. Pride I single out, knowing it for a temporal fault most fatal to our eternal happiness. False pride robs spiritual no less than worldly folks of their eternal bliss. Dost know what pride is? Flattery of yourself or other people is false pride which cheats you of eternal happiness.
Next, examine yourselves for sloth in God’s service. Not doing thy best is sloth in God’s service. To meet this, set to and do good, showing by diligence thy sorrow for thine egregious dereliction; yet remaining detached withal and regardless of aught but God and the friends of God.
Thereafter it behoves tliee to check thy third sin. Where thou wast greedy now be liberal and let thy bounty attest thy whole- hearted abhorrence of greed. Dost know what greed is? Desire of anything not God is evil greed.
The fourth sin is envy and hate: bearing malice and hatred towards any with intent to do unto him what thou wouldst not he should do unto thee. Hast injured any man by act of thine, repair the injury at any cost. Hast tarnished his fair name by word of thine, thy words must brighten it again: abasing thyself before him, entreat him humbly for God’s sake to forgive thee and reiterate thy rueful supplieation till he grant thee his free pardon. Call people’s attention to this, withal speaking so well of the man that thou dost win him back honour no less than thou didst filch from him. Know forsooth, ere thou canst find favour with God thou must needs pay in full for wrongs done *to thine cvenchristians. Disparagement is mischievous. Worldly goods we can replace but stolen honour cannot be restored save by the payment of our own. So weigh thy words well, friend.
The fifth sin is anger. Reckon up words and deeds done in anger and cancel them with kindness. Pe rad venture thou hast spoken in anger words which, if adhered to, shall doom thee to eternal death. A word said here may reach to Rome, and from Rome to overseas: how^ then recall it? Thus: man pays his debts through God. Saying, Shall 1 not tell the truth? folks canvass the failings of their cvenchristians and forget their own. I say, though thou seest and hearest the faults of thine even- christians, betray them not. If so be that thou canst not for- bear the mention of them, then go and see the person privately, just you and he together; point out his faults to him in a friendly manner and invite him by thine own excellent precept and example to eschew his vicious habits. If he will not forswear them, acquaint the right authorities and leave it at that, allowing nothing of it to escape thy lips however much he vex thee. For know, to rebuke MEISTER ECKHART him for sin in thine anger is to commit mortal sin: raising him out of sin thou dost fall in thyself. The sinner of to-day is the saint of to-morrow. Wherefore, unmindful of the sins and short- comings of our evenchristians, let us look to our own imper- fections, surely forgetting what God has forgotten: sins truly repented, which God has forgotten, ’tis no business of ours to remember.
The sixth sin is eating and drinking to excess: eating, perhaps, two regular meals or three while thine evcnchristian goes hungry and thirsty, who is nigher to God than thou art, and liker to boot; for he is poor while thou art rich in temporal things. Christ said, ‘ Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ These frailties it behoves thee to amend so thoroughly that God must needs forgive them thee.
The seventh sin in unehastity. Concerning this a heathen master says: ‘ All superfluity, anything unnecessary in word or deed, is unehastity.’ The traverner sets his hoop to a mark when he goes to sell wine. When the wine is sold, he takes off the hooj). So let them do who are minded to cure the sin of unehastity: let them avoid excess in word and deed and walk right humbly and soberly before the world, so all shall say that anything to be called excess offends them.
Thy next care, daughter, is whether thou hast kept the ten commandments ail thy days. To take one that Christ mentions, ‘ Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength,’ thou canst be shown to have broken this frequently. And breaking this commandment thou dost break them all. It behoves thee to tell thy confessor how often thou hast broken it from childhood up. It would take too long to go through all the ten commandments and say what thou must tell to thy confessor. Thou wilt see that for thyself better than we can tell thee.
Then, the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost: how often thou hast resisted them and hast failed to practise the seven works of mercy, wherefor God shall arrantly upbraid thee at the day of judgment. Make a fresh start, my daughter, so mending thy ways that God is obliged to forget thy shortcomings.
Such is the first counsel of the worthy confessor and the first way. To the question: ‘ Sir, is it the best way? ’ he will answer, ‘ No, but what I am telling thee is indispensable.’ Says she, ‘ Then, sir, tell me the best way.’ He answers, ‘ Bide till thou hast made thine own this counsel I have given thee; bide till thou hast cast thy sins; and meanwhile come often to see me.’
Obedient to her revered confessor, the daughter does this. She often comes back to him and says, ‘ Sir, I will obey you to TRACTATES the death if you will help me so to live that I am bold to die.’ — ‘ Hast cast thy sins? ’ he asked. ‘ Aye,’ she replied, ‘ so far as I shall ever do it here in time; and will do till I die.’ — ‘ Then 1 will redirect thee, and give thee fresh instructions. Keep a truthful tongue, a pure body and a loving soul. A code that may be construed thus: A truthful tongue means that the lips utter only the intentions of the heart. Thus thou shalt speak the truth, daughter. God is truth, so thy whole conversation shall be of God; not praying nor thinking of God thou thus speakest of God, and art ever receiving from God.
‘ A pure body means that, pierced with godly fear, thou sufferest naught save God to dwell in thee.
‘ A loving soul is one that loves her likes, God namely. Unite thyself with him until thee thinks thy heart is fit to burst with too much love.’ Whereat the daughter cried, ‘ And 1 an utter stranger to it! Sir,’ she said, ‘ shall I ever come acquainted with it? ’ He said, ‘ Yes. Do as 1 bid you: discard the things that are darkening thy soul, and let the light of truth in. Then thy soul can retrace the road she came.’
Hy the third loaf wc understand God’s mercy. Consider, daughter, the plenteous comptission that God has shown thee. When, having endowed thee with frci; will, thou didst of thy free will incur eternal death, he ransomed thee with his own self and washing thee in his own blood did cleanse thee from original sin. Observe further God's mercy in being ready to forgive thy sins as often as thou scekest grace in time. To enumerate God’s mercies time would fail us though we lived till doomsda/. Folks talk of God’s providence. Know, what God has provided for us is his eternal felicity, in token whereof he has given us free will to do good and eschew evil.
At this point it behoves us to determine whether wc truly repent us of our sins. Wouldst know the quality of true repentance? It has to be so strong in thee that thou wouldst sooner die a thousand deaths than sin one sin. There be many that say ‘ I truly repent me of my sins ’ who yet remain in sin. Speaking falsely they augment their sin. Thou virtuous soul who wouldst enjoy God’s mercy and be baptized in the Holy Ghost, repent thee thrice: (first) for the sins thou hast committed against the Lord thy God by word and deed. Repent thee next of sins against thine even Christians. If thou wouldst taste God’s clemency and have him to forgive thy sins and dowse thee with his Holy Ghost in grace, then show the mercy due to all mankind made in Christ’s image as they are, whether or not they shall have sinned against thee: needs must if thou art ever to find grace. The third repentance is heartfelt pity for thyself, bred from a survey of the MEISTER ECKHART happy days that God has granted thee for finding thy eternal happiness, he having made all creatures for signposts to thy highest good. As St Augustine says: ‘ All creatures point me to my good; Lord, I deeply rue that if I ever get to thee ’tis by thy mercy. The time goes by that thou hast given me and thou art still unknown to me and unbeloved: hence my regret. And yet I fear me, Lord, I never felt the true rue that I ought.’
By the fourth loaf we understand God’s justice. Innately, he is as just as he is merciful. Yet know, were I to tell you of God’s jus- tice, ’twould be too hard for you: precious few would look for grace. Hence we emphasise God’s mercy, who throws souls into purgatory to find grace at the judgment day if not before. Know that in itself God’s justice is of a sternness that must make all tremble. Well knowing this, Christ said to his disciples: ‘ Having done all that is possible to you, say. We arc unprofitable servants.’ We learn this from St John also, who, though he did no sin to separate him from Ck)d yet likened himself to the beasts of the forest. Surely he knew God’s truth. I say, moreover, God’s justice is so harsh that, though a man should do all the good works wrought by the company of saints now in eternal life, yet, being found in any mortal sin (the first is pride; the second, slothfulness in God’s service; the third, hate; the fourth, anger; the fifth, greed; the sixth, overeating and drinking; the seventh, unchastity; these are the seven deadly sins), being found, I say, in one of these, he would be lost eternally. I hold it would avail him nothing for all the saints in heaven to intercede for him. I affirm, moreover, were Christ to supplfcate his Father, and Mary his mother, ’twould not avail to save his soul. Further, concerning this I say that I would sooner have the man who sins a thousand mortal sins and knows it, than him who sins but one in ignorance: that man is lost. I hold he may have practised every virtue of Holy Christendom and it will not avail him, he is damned with the lost, while he of a thousand conscious sins is saved, provided that, renouncing them heartily in true repentance, never to do them more, he mends his ways, steadfast in love till death. That man ranks with the saints. Ah, daughter, mark those souls who, all their days exempt from mortal sins, can say with the young man, ‘ I have kept thy com- mandments all my life.’ Would to God I knew one person who could even say, ‘ All my days have I kept the first of Christ’s commandments, Thou shalt love thy God with all thy soul-powers,’ and who has been preserved the while from spiritual pride.
The fifth loaf signifies true faith. It means absolute trust in God. He who believes in God trusts God and knows God and therefore loves God. Observe, woman, having true faith means believing in God’s omnipotence. The masters say; ‘ Whosoever TRACTATES 81 T has true faith as much as a grain of mustard seed, can remove mountains/ Wherefore it behoves us assiduously to free our- selves from things corruptible, which dim the light wherein we see the true faith, which is God. To be able to say, ‘ I am a true Christian,’ a man must subsist in Christ in the sense that Christ is his exemplar whereto he is conformed in word and deed. Know, that whatever Christ did he did to edify us in eternal truth, for he is the truth itself; he (»an initiate thee into the true faith. What I say is, that to get to the Father we must go to him in Christ; to know the Father we must know him in Christ. And so Christ taught. When Philip asked him, ‘ Show us the Father,’ Christ answered, ‘ He who seeth me seeth the Father, and where the Father is there I am.’ Plainly then, we must follow the lead of the Beloved if we would be saved. People say, ‘ How can I do as Christ did? ’ Christ tells us how. He said, ‘ Take up your (^ross and follow me.’ Which do not understand to mean he bids you die the death he died upon the cross. His words were, ‘ Follow me,’ meaning wc arc to imitate his perfect life. Our temporal failure to imitate his life in word and deed is our eternal failure. Concerning this he said, ‘ In my Father’s house arc many mansions.’ For you must know that many a man who goes to heaven no more enjoys the light of God’s countenance than sunshine in forest gloom. Nay, friend, mark what Christ said to the kinswoman who besought him for her son. He said, ‘ He who drinks of the cup I wot of shall be joint heir with me in my Father’s kingdom.’ Which being interpreted means: by our measure here it shall be meted to us again by our heavenly Father in his eternal kingdom. As St Augustine says: ‘ So far as we know and love here we profit eternally.’
Theologians speak of hell. I will tell you what hell is. It is merely a state. Your state here is your eternal state. This is hell. Take an illustration. A thief who has incurred the penalty of death on being caught: picture his state of mind seeing others happy! So do we feel, and worse. And so with those in hell who see God and his friends: the height of torment, so the masters say.
This learnt, the aforementioned daughter goes to her revered confessor. She says, ‘ Sir, tell me the best way to my eternal happiness.’ Quoth he, ‘ Daughter, let be.’ — ‘ I shall never let be,’ she said, ‘ so long as my eternal happiness is not assured.’ He said, ‘ Thou art sure of eternal life, daughter.’ — ‘ But, sir,’ she persisted, ‘ have you told me the nearest way to it? ’ — ‘ Any creature will tell you that,’ he said. ‘ With one accord they all exclaim: Pass on, wc are not God. ’Tis direction enough, daughter.’ — ‘ Not for me, sir,’ she said. Said he, ‘ An thou wilt MEISTER ECKHART not believe me, at least thou wilt credit the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said: Take up thy cross and follow me. He did not say, Take up my cross and follow me. What he meant was: be content to do thy best, knowing that therewith God too is satisfied.’ — ‘Would I had done my best,’ she cried. — ‘What wouldst thou do? ’ he asked. She answered, ‘ I would leave honour and possessions and friends and kindred and the outward solace I get from creatures.’ — ‘ Wouldst leave me too? ’ asked her confessor. She answered, ‘ Aye, sir; leaving all things, I must leave you also.’ — ‘ Essay it not,’ he said, ‘ ’tis not for a woman.’ Quoth she, ‘ Full well I wot no woman can enter heaven till she loe man. That means she must do man’s work and have the strength of mind to withstand him and all imper- fections.’ — ‘ Thou deemst thyself mighty strong! I wonder now, how thou wouldst like to bear more than thou hast already.’ She said, ‘ I can bear all, sir, that Christ has borne for me.’ He said, ‘ These are words! ’ She said, ‘ It is true.’ — ‘ Canst prove it? ’ said he. ‘ With ease,’ said she. ‘ I have heard tell that in none of Christ’s sufferings did his Godhead come to the help of his manhood.’ He said, ‘ That is true. The Godhead is impassible; it never has suffered and never can suffer, seeing that nothing affects it.’ Quoth she, ‘ What Christ bore, I can bear.’ He said, ‘ Tell me how.’ — ‘ I will,’ she replied. ‘ Right well I ween Christ was the noblest man that ever was born: from threescore kings and twelve he was descended; and I say, moreover, he was the best heart’s-blood of Mary. See now my proof that I am fit to bear all he boVe for me. Taking the test of breeding, the best bred are the tenderest. It follows that I can bear more than Christ can.’ Said he, ‘ Were I to tell you all I know of the perfection of his life in time in right willing poverty, ’twere like to break my heart. Bethink thee well! ’ She said, ‘ I have bethought me. This very day I mean to follow the dictates of the Holy Ghost.’ — ‘ What does the Holy Ghost dictate? ’ he asked. She answered, ‘ He counsels me to leave myself in the mighty hands of God and to sever my ties with creatures.’ — ‘ Thou art wrong,’ he said. ‘ How so? ’ said she. He said, ‘ In not taking advice. Obedience is a virtue, as thou knowest.’~ "‘ I am obedient unto death,’ she said.
‘ To whom? ’ he queried. ‘ To Christ and his heavenly Father to whom John was obedient in the wilderness, and Mary Magdalene and Mary of Egypt and Mary Salome.’ Quoth he, ‘ It seems thou wilt no longer mind me.’ — ‘ You are right,’ she cried; ‘ I am heartily sorry I listened so long to the counsels of men and was deaf to the counsel of the Holy Ghost.’ — ‘ Now listen to me, my daughter. What thinkst thou I have done to thee? ’ — ‘ You have kept me from eternal bliss,’ she said. ‘ How so? ’ he asked. She answered, TRACTATES 819 ‘ By not telling me outright the quickest way to it.’ — ‘ It is obedience to the Holy Ghost,’ he said. ‘ I should never counsel thee other- wise than I have counselled thee.’ — ‘ If you had not discouraged me,’ she said, ‘ and other spiritual folks to boot, I should have spent my time more virtuously. I weened, forsooth, it were the gospel that priests propagated.’ — ‘ The gospel is begotten in the Holy Ghost of the perfect life of our Lord Jesus Christ and according to his noble teachings. We read and preach the gospel openly: he who would follow it let him follow it to the utmost.’ — God forgive me for not doing so all my days,’ said she. Quoth he, ‘ I grieve thou shouldst accuse me of preventing thee.’- ‘ Aye,’ she replied, ‘ I accuse you and all creatures.’ — ‘ Thou art mistook,’ he said. ‘ No one can hinder thee but thine own self. Know, whom God impels none can resist: not all the saints in heaven nor all the preaching friars and barefoot monks on earth can stand against one man moved by the truth. He is impelled by that same word which Christ spoke, answering the youth who sought the perfect life. Christ said; Keep the ten commandments. The young man replied, All these have I kept from my youth up. Then said Christ, If thou wilt be perfect, sell all thou hast and give to the poor and follow me. Christ made known this same truth to us by Peter and others of his disciples whom he called to live with him in willing poverty. Thou knowest, daughter, that what Christ said and did is true, for he is truth itself; and know more- over, that to reach the Father wc must walk in Christ’s footsteps all the way.’ Quoth she, ‘ Well then, good father, why be so discouraging? ’ — ‘ ’Tis such a flawless life,’ he said, ‘ anyone leading it God must needs come and help.’— ‘ God docs not come and go,’ she said; ‘ that I do know. I wot right well when we resign our- selves to him he does not fail to succour us at need.’ Quoth he, ‘ What if all creatures despise thee? ’ She said, ‘ I want to be the least of creatures in our Lord Jesus Christ, the lowest of his creatures; then I can say with Paul, Rejoice, all creatures are my cross and I the cross of creatures.’ He said, ‘ Daughter, thou art too young.’ — " Mary was younger than I,’ she said, ‘ when she set forth into the desert and exile, driven by robbery and murder.’ — ‘ God was with her,’ said he. ‘ And well I wot God is with me.’ said she. ‘ He was there present in her.’ he replied. ‘ He is ever present in my soul,’ she said. Quoth he, ‘ But Mary had a solemn pledge of his presence, which thou hast not, my daughter.’ Quoth she, ‘ Since I dispense with outward consolations, I am without his outward presence. I would that he were ever being bom within my soul.’ — ‘ Think twice,’ he said, " before adventuring that.’ — ‘ Peace, let me speak I ’ she cried, ‘ ’tis by your too much admonition that you have hindered me.’ He said, ‘ Know, did MEISTER ECKHART the truth move thee, thou hadst not done nor yet forborne because of me. I am but creature, as thou knowest. As long as any creature has power to give and take thou livest not unto truth. Truth has virtue sufficient to raise man to the summit without help from creatures. Thou durst not cast the blame on me, for know, whom the truth moves has the Holy Ghost to his master, who educates his pupils in the high(!st school of all. There we learn more in the twinkling of an eye than all the doctors can express.’ You speak the truth,’ she said.
The second article of faith is trust in God. He can say he trusts God who keeps not overnight so much as a pen’orth of possessions. I say more: he keeps nothing at all; but he who withholds but a pennyworth of worldly goods from his even- christian, knowing him to be in need of it, is a robber in the sight of God. 1 warn you, l)y Christ who suffered so for love of men, allow no want in any man, he being made in tlie likeness of Christ for whose sake God created all things; and impair not his condition by withholding from him his father’s goods, which it behoves him to restore to God.
Further I declare, who spares a penny for himself to put it by against a rainy day, thinking, I may need that for to-morrow, is a murderer before God. And I will prove it. For if he trust God he will leave himself in God’s hands; if God give him the morrow, he will give him also the wherewithal for it. Hence I affirm there be few who have faith enough to trust God blindly. Know that the man who sets more store by worldly goods than by his powers of knowing and loving God, is justly termed a murderer. This I call Christ to witness, who said, ‘ When I am ascended I will draw all things after me.’ In the same way the virtuous man takes all things up to God, to their first source. The masters teach that creatures were made for man. They prove it from the fact that creatures all need each other: cattle need grass, fish water, birds the air, and beasts the forest. By the same token all creatures come in useful to the good and are carried, one creature in the other, by the good soul to God. Lived there a man who trusted God, God would do unto him better than ever he could do unto himself.
Take the third article of faith, that is, knowledge of God. I say, no man knows God who knows not himself first. Mark how to know yourselves. To know himself a man must be for ever on the watch over himself, holding his outer faculties, breaking them in by vigorous training to obey the higher powers of his soul. This discipline must be continued till he reach a state of conscious- ness so pure that nothing short of God can form in it. Then thou dost come acquainted with thyself and God.
TRACTATES The fourth property of faith is love. To be able to say, ‘ I love thee, Lord,’ a man must suffer without why what without why Christ suffered, and suffer it gladly without suffering. Though God shall tell him mouth to mouth, ‘ Thou shalt be lost for ever with the damned,’ he only loves God all the more, and says, ‘ Lord, an thou wilt that I be damned, damned I will be, eternally.’ Thus he identifies his will with what God wills, willing that same in earth and heaven. Of this he deems himself unworthy. That man can say, ‘ I love thee.’
We have explained now what faith means. To carry out in practice these articles of faith as enumerated from the start entitles us to say, ‘ I believe in God.’