{
  "meta": {
    "schema_version": "1.1",
    "endpoint": "/api/sources/rhineland-mystics/suso/vol-1-01-chapter-l.json"
  },
  "work": {
    "slug": "suso",
    "name": "Heinrich Suso"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "rhineland-mystics",
      "name": "Rhineland Mystics",
      "url": "/sources/rhineland-mystics/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 2,
    "slug": "vol-1-01-chapter-l",
    "title": "Chapter  L",
    "of": 51,
    "words": 526,
    "text": "## Chapter  L\n\nIntroductory. \nThere  was  a  Friar  Preacher  in  Germany,  by \nbirth  a  Swabian, — may  his  name  be  written  in \nthe  Book  of  the  Living ! — whose  desire  was  to \nbecome  and  to  be  called  a  Servitor  of  the  Eter- \nnal Wisdom.  Now  it  happened  that  he  became \nacquainted  with  a  holy  and  illuminated  person, \nwho  was  in  poverty  and  suffering  as  regards \nthis  world.  This  poor  sufferer  was  a  woman ; \nand  she  used  to  beseech  the  Servitor  to  tell  her \nsomething  about  suffering  from  his  own  expe- \nrience, that  her  suffering  heart  might  gather \nstrength  from  it.  And  she  acted  thus  towards \nhim  for  a  long  time.  When  he  came  to  see \nher,  she  drew  from  him  by  confidential  ques- \ntionings the  manner  of  his  beginning  and  pro- \n\n\n6  LIFE  OF  BLESSED  HENRY  SUSO. \n\ngress  in  the  interior  life,  as  well  as  certain  ex- \nercises and  sufferings  which  he  had  passed \nthrough  :  all  which  he  told  her  in  spiritual  con- \nfidence. As  she  found  comfort  and  direction \nin  these  things,  she  wrote  them  down,  to  be  a \nhelp  for  herself  and  others ;  and  she  did  this \nby  stealth,  so  that  he  knew  not  of  it.  Later \non,  when  he  found  out  this  ghostly  theft,  he  re- \nproved her  for  it,  and,  forcing  her  to  give  up  to \nhim  the  writing,  he  burnt  all  of  it  that  was \nthere.  When,  however,  the  rest  of  it  was  given \nto  him,  and  he  was  going  to  treat  it  in  like  man- \nner, he  was  stopped  by  a  heavenly  message \nfrom  God  forbidding  it.  Thus  what  follows  re- \nmained unburnt,  for  the  most  part  just  as  she \nhad  written  it  with  her  own  hand.  Many  good \ninstructions  were  also  added  to  it  by  him,  after \nher  death,  in  her  name. \n\nThe  first  beginning  of  the  Servitor's  perfect \nconversion  to  God  took  place  when  he  was  in \nhis  eighteenth  year.  And  though  he  had  worn \nthe  religious  habit  for  the  five  previous  years, \nhis  soul  was  still  dissipated  within  him ;  and  it \nseemed  to  him,  that  if  God  only  preserved  him \nfrom  weightier  sins,  which  might  tarnish  his \ngood  name,  there  was  no  need  to  be  over-careful \nabout  ordinary  faults.     Nevertheless,  he  was  so \n\n\nCOMBATS  OF  A  BEGINNER.  7 \n\nkept  by  God  the  while,  that  he  had  always  an \nunsatisfied  feeling  within  him,  whenever  he \nturned  himself  to  the  objects  of  his  desires,  and \nit  seemed  to  him  that  it  must  be  something  quite \ndifferent  which  could  bring  peace  to  his  wild \nheart,  and  he  was  ill  at  ease  amid  his  restless \nways.  He  felt  at  all  times  a  gnawing  reproach \nwithin,  and  yet  he  could  not  help  himself, \nuntil  the  kind  God  set  him  free  from  it,  by \nturning  him.  His  companions  marvelled  at  the \nspeedy  change,  wondering  how  it  had  come  over \nhim ;  and  one  said  this,  and  another  that,  but \nas  to  how  it  was,  no  one  either  guessed  or  came \nnear  to  guessing  it;  for  it  was  a  secret  illu- \nmination and  drawing  sent  by  God,  and  it \nwrought  in  him  with  speed  a  turning  away  from \ncreatures.",
    "project_translation": false,
    "text_trust": "verbatim",
    "quote_safe": true,
    "license": null,
    "methodology_url": null
  }
}