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  "work": {
    "slug": "suso",
    "name": "Heinrich Suso"
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      "slug": "rhineland-mystics",
      "name": "Rhineland Mystics",
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  "chapter": {
    "num": 8,
    "slug": "vol-1-07-chapter-vii",
    "title": "Chapter  VII.",
    "of": 51,
    "words": 705,
    "text": "## Chapter  VII.\n\nHow  one,  who  had  begun  well,  was  drawn  onward  in  his \nsearch  after  divine  consolation. \n\nHe  had  made  anew  for  himself  certain \nbands,  with  which  he  was  accustomed  to  chastise \nhis  body.  Now,  on  the  night  before  the  feast \nof  All  Angels,  it  seemed  to  him  in  a  vision  that \nhe  heard  angelic  strains  and  sweet  heavenly \nmelody  ;  and  this  filled  him  with  such  gladness \nthat  he  forgot  all  his  sufferings.  Then  one  of \nthe  angels  said  to  him : — Behold,  with  what  joy \nthou  dost  hear  us  sing  the  song  of  eternity ;  even \n\n\n28  LIFE  OF  BLESSED  HENRY  SUSO. \n\nso,  with  like  joy,  do  we  hear  thee  sing  the  song \nof  the  venerable  Eternal  Wisdom.  He  added \nfurther: — This  is  a  portion  of  the  song  which \nthe  dear  elect  saints  will  sing  joyously  at  the \nlast  day,  when  they  shall  see  themselves  con- \nfirmed in  the  everlasting  bliss  of  eternity.  At \nanother  time,  on  the  same  festival,  after  he  had \nspent  many  hours  in  contemplating  the  joys  of \nthe  angels,  and  daybreak  was  at  hand,  there \ncame  to  him  a  youth,  who  bore  himself  as  though \nhe  were  a  heavenly  musician  sent  to  him  by \nGod;  and  with  the  youth  there  came  many \nother  noble  youths,  in  manner  and  bearing  like \nthe  first,  save  only  that  he  seemed  to  have  some \npreeminence  above  the  rest,  as  if  he  were  a \nprince-angel.  Now  this  same  angel  came  up  to \nthe  Servitor  right  blithely,  and  said  that  God \nhad  sent  them  down  to  him,  to  bring  him  hea- \nvenly joys  amid  his  sufferings ;  adding  that  he \nmust  cast  off  all  his  sorrows  from  his  mind  and \nbear  them  company,  and  that  he  must  also \ndance  with  them  in  heavenly  fashion.  Then \nthey  drew  the  Servitor  by  the  hand  into  the \ndance,  and  the  youth  began  a  joyous  ditty  about \nthe  infant  Jesus,  which  runs  thus :  \"  In  dulci \njubilo,\"  &c.  When  the  Servitor  heard  the  dear \nName  of  Jesus  sounding  thus  sweetly,  he  be- \n\n\nDIVINE  CONSOLATIONS.  29 \n\ncame  so  blithesome  in  heart  and  feeling,  that \nthe  very  memory  of  his  sufferings  vanished.  It \nwas  a  joy  to  him  to  see  how  exceeding  loftily \nand  freely  they  bounded  in  the  dance.  The \nleader  of  the  song  knew  right  well  how  to  guide \nthem,  and  he  sang  first,  and  they  sang  after \nhim  in  the  jubilee  of  their  hearts.  Thrice  the \nleader  repeated  the  burden  of  the  song,  \"  Ergo \nmerito,\"  &c.  This  dance  was  not  of  a  kind \nlike  those  which  are  danced  in  this  world; \nbut  it  was  a  heavenly  movement,  swelling  up \nand  falling  back  again  into  the  wild  abyss  of \nGod's  hiddenness.  These  and  the  like  heavenly \nconsolations  were  granted  to  him  innumerable \ntimes  during  these  years,  but  especially  at  the \ntimes  when  he  was  encompassed  with  great \nsufferings,  and  they  made  it  all  the  easier  for \nhim  to  bear  them. \n\nOnce  upon  a  time  it  was  shown  in  a \nvision  to  a  certain  holy  person,  when  the  Ser- \nvitor had  gone  to  the  altar  to  say  Mass,  how \nthat  he  was  gloriously  arrayed  with  a  vestment \nof  resplendent  love,  and  that  divine  grace  kept \ndropping  upon  his  soul  like  dew,  and  that  he \nwas  one  with  God.  Behind  him  there  were \nseen  standing  at  the  altar  a  multitude  of  kindly- \nlooking  children  with  burning  candles,  one  be- \n\n\n30  LIFE  OF  BLESSED  HENRY  SUSO. \n\nhind  the  other.  The  children  stretched  ont \ntheir  arms,  each  one  severally,  and  embraced \nhim  as  lovingly  as  they  could,  and  pressed  him \nto  their  hearts.  The  person  in  amazement  asked \nwho  they  were,  and  what  they  meant.  They \nanswered : — We  are  your  brethren,  and  we \npraise  God  with  joy  in  eternal  bliss,  and  are \nbeside  you  and  take  care  of  you  at  all  times. \nThe  holy  person  said  to  them  in  the  vision : — \nDear  angels,  what  mean  you  by  embracing  this \nman  so  lovingly !  They  answered  : — He  is  so \nvery  dear  to  us,  that  we  have  much  to  do  with \nhim;  and  know  this;  God  works  unspeakable \nmarvels  in  his  soul,  and  whatever  he  asks  of \nGod  earnestly,  God  will  never  deny  him.",
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