Greco-Christian stream·Beguine Mystics·The Mirror of Simple Souls·Section IV

Section IV

This is Section IV of a planned five-section project translation of Marguerite Porete's The Mirror of Simple Souls. Section IV closes out Division III with chapters XVI through XXII. Three load-bearing pieces are in this section:

(1) The long Eucharistic chapter (XVI), in which Marguerite — through Love and Faith — sets out a careful exposition of the Real Presence, with M.N.'s longest gloss in the Mirror explaining transubstantiation in terms of his English mortar-and-pestle analogy. The chapter is read by many scholars as M.N.'s most direct doctrinal effort to forestall an antinomian or anti-sacramental reading of Marguerite.

(2) Chapter XVII's repetition of the Daughter of Sion desires neither masses nor sermons nor fastings nor prayers line — the same explosive sentence M.N. defended at length in Section II — now placed in a more developed context: the Soul's thoughts are set in the Trinity, the Trinity has no unease for sin or suffering, and therefore neither does this Soul.

(3) Chapter XXI's distinction between Holy Church the Little (governed by Reason) and Holy Church the Great (governed by Love). This is the politically explosive distinction that — even more than the Soul's manumission from the Virtues — would later be cited by Marguerite's accusers, and which appears in some form in Ad nostrum's eight propositions (1311–1312). Marguerite places the distinction in Love's own mouth: it is Love, not Marguerite, who tells the three Virtues that "Holy Church the Little" would marvel at this book, but not "Holy Church the Great," because the Great is governed by Love.

There is one M.N. signed gloss in this section — the long sacramental gloss in Chapter XVI. That brings the running tally to nine signed glosses through four sections; six remain across Section V.

The same conventions apply: light modernization with archaic verb endings and pronouns normalized; Marguerite's technical vocabulary preserved (annihilated, Simple, the personified speakers); M.N.'s glosses footnoted in place; formal LLM-as-judge deferred per session-budget.

Division III (continued)

Chapter XVI — How this Soul has all and she has naught; she knows all and she knows nothing; and of the sacrament of the altar; and how this Soul wills all and she wills nothing; and how this is understood

Yet, Love, says Reason, stand by my question; for this book says that this Soul has all and she has naught.

It is sooth, says Love. For this Soul has God in her by divine grace, and whoever has God has all. And it says that she has naught, for all that this Soul has of God in her by divine grace, it seems to her naught — nor is it more, in comparison with that which she loves, which is in him, which he gives to none but to himself. By this understanding this Soul has all, and she has naught.

She knows all, says Love, by virtue of faith: that God is almighty, all-wisdom, and all-goodness; and that God the Father has done the work of the Incarnation, and the Son also, and the Holy Ghost also — so that God the Father has joined and made-one human nature to the person of God the Son; and God the Son has joined it to the person of himself; and God the Holy Ghost has joined it to the person of God the Son. So that God the Father has in him only one nature, a nature divine; and God the Son has in him two natures: that same nature divine, and a human nature of soul and body; and God the Holy Ghost has in him this same nature divine. To believe this, to say this, and to think this is true contemplation. He is one might, one wisdom, and one will, and only one God in three persons, and three persons in one God.

This God is over all in his divine nature; but the manhood is in heaven, glorified and joined to the divine person of the Son — and besides that, only in the holy sacrament of the altar this divinity and this manhood true Christians receive when the holy sacrament is ministered unto them. How truly this manhood dwells with them, faith teaches it; and this clerks know.

And we shall tell you, says the Light of Faith, how this humanity dwells with them — as thus, by a likeness: take this sacrament and put it in a mortar with other things, and pound this sacrament, so that you may not see nor feel anything of the person that you have put in. I tell you truly, says Faith, that it is not now, since it may not be seen nor felt.

To this you may answer: Where has it then gone?

Nay, says Truth: it was, and now it is not. Understand wholly of the humanity. Then may you ask: did it go as it came? I tell you, says Truth, that the humanity of Christ Jesus neither comes nor goes.

And how may this be? says Temptation.

M. It is thus: that the manhood of Christ Jesus never comes nor goes; but by his divinity and by his divine might, and by the virtue of his holy word, the host turns into his precious body of flesh and blood. His glorious body, which is in heaven and knit to the divine person of the Son, comes not down into the host; but the host turns into him, as it is aforesaid — so that it is truly his own precious body, that for us suffered death; thanked and worshipped be he ever therefor. Thus the divine might has ordained this worthy sacrament. N.¹

The saints who are in heaven should see him in no other likeness than we ourselves do, if they saw him in such a likeness as we see him; but they see by understanding of spirit. For to see the humanity of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the altar glorified, except by the understanding, does not appertain to the glory of those in glory. Therefore they see him not glorified except by understanding; and we see him by virtue of faith, contradicting therein the reasoning of our wits — which tell us that we see but bread, nor feel nor savor nor smell anything else; but our faith says all that, and believes truly and soothly, without any doubt, that it has not whiteness nor taste nor smell, but is the precious body of our Lord Christ Jesus, very God and man. Now we see him by faith; so do not they of glory, for they that be glorified use not of faith. They see not by faith as we do. In this secret the divine Trinity has ordained the holy sacrament of the altar, to nourish and to sustain Holy Church.

So says the Soul of faith, illumined by the divine Trinity: Such is the ordinance of the sacrament of the altar in the knowing of him, according to my belief, through divine might.

Marvel not, says Courtesy, at the goodness of Love, though we for love tell you these things. For I tell you truly that none may come to a deep foundation nor to high edification, unless they reach it by the discrimination of great natural intelligence, and by the gladness of the understanding of the spirit. And moreover, a creature may not seek to know too much by asking the divine will; for the understanding that gives light shows to the Soul the being that she loves. And the Soul who receives, by the light of understanding, the nearing and the knitting in the accord of union in plenteous love, sees the being where she aims at having her dwelling-place; she hears gladly the light of knowing that brings her tidings of love. And then she would be made the same, so that she had but one will in love — and that is the sole will of him whom she loves.

Reason, says Love, I answer you. For I have said that a Soul who is made free knows all and she knows nothing. She knows, by the virtue of faith, that which she needs to know for salvation; and she knows nothing of that which God has in him, of him, for him, that he gives to none but himself. Then by this understanding this Soul knows all and she knows nothing. She wills and she wills not; for this Soul, says Love, so perfectly wills the will of God that she cannot will and may not will but the will of God. In such a prison Love has reclused her; and she wills naught, for it is so little, this that she wills and that God wills in her, in comparison with that which she would will, which she may not have — namely, that which God wills her to have ultimately; and this also, namely, that her will is annihilated in respect to her sufficiency, which was never given nor never shall be given. That is the meaning of willing the will of God, as is said before. Then by this understanding this Soul wills all and she wills nothing.

Chapter XVII — How these souls so set their thoughts in the Trinity that they rest not in things that are passing or made

This daughter of Sion desires neither masses nor sermons, fastings nor prayers.

Why so? says Reason. Lady Love, it is the food of holy souls!

It is true for them that crave, says Love. But this Soul craves not — for she has in her inwardness no nature to desire anything that is outside herself. Now understand, Reason, says Love, why do such souls desire these things aforesaid, since it is so that God is over all without that as well as with all that²? This Soul has neither thought, word, nor work, except for the exercise of the divine grace of the Trinity. She is not troubled on account of sin that she ever did, nor for the suffering that Christ Jesus suffered for her, nor for sin nor for distress that her fellow Christians have.

Ah God, says Reason, what is this to say? Love, teach me the understanding — you who have given me peace concerning my other questions!

I say, says Love, that this is not with her, nor may she have this of herself. For her thought is set in that which is peaceable, that is, in the Trinity. She may not thence move, nor have unease, as long as her Beloved is at ease. Though any should fall into sin — nor for sin that ever was done — it displeases her will, and so it does God; it is his own displeasure that to this Soul gives such displeasure, in sooth, says Love. But the Trinity has in him no unease for such displeasure: no more has this Soul, who in him is set, and by him led. But if this Soul, who is thus high-set, might help any of her fellow Christians, she would help them at their need with all her might. But the thoughts of this Soul are so divine that they rest not so much in things that are passing nor made, as to conceive any unease for them in her inwardness — since God is good beyond comprehending.

Chapter XVIII — How this Soul gives to nature all that it asks, without grudging of conscience; and how this is meant

This Soul gives to nature all that he asks, without grudging of conscience. For all covetousness of nature is mortified in these creatures; and therefore the law of our Lord Jesus Christ is within such life enclosed, and the divine gifts are above this law.

This is sooth, says Love, that this Soul sets not so much price nor love on temporal things that she could win anything in refusing nature's askings. Wherefore then should she make a matter of conscience to give nature that which is his due? But such nature is so well ordered, by its conjunction in union with the divine love to which the will of this Soul is joined, that she asks nothing that is against the ordinance of the divine righteousness.

But these creatures who are thus excellent, that men dare not speak openly in particular of their ways and the use of which these souls have being unto good understanding — but missayers taste not of such understanding. I have said before, says Love, that men dare not speak openly of their usages. Without fail, no — on account of the simple understanding of other creatures who might, to their damage, misunderstand it.

Chapter XIX — How these souls have no heaviness at heart for things that they take, and of the peace that they have in taking the needfulness of nature

These souls, says Love, who are such as in this book is devised (which touches something of their usages), they have, by righteousness of their being — which is the pure divine being — such a condition: that if they had nothing, and were certain that they should live unto the day of Judgment, they might not have heaviness of heart one hour for thing that fails them; nor spend a time to seek work for that which fails them, for all the gold of the world — except at the time when nature has a need in which it is lacking, that they may give to nature that which is his. And if they have anything (these who are such are few folks; few know where they are), it behoves that there be men, by the goodness of God in whom is all bounty, who should supply something to sustain the faith of Holy Church. And if they knew that others had more need than they of thing which they have, they would not deny it them, though they were certain that never should grow wheat nor corn nor other sustenance.

This is sooth, says Love. Of this let no one doubt; such is their nature, by pure righteousness; and such righteousness is divine righteousness, which to this Soul gives a portion.

This is right, says Divine Righteousness. It behoves that all righteousness in her be fulfilled; and it withdraws if she withholds anything that is hers from the perfection of peace of charity in which she lies. All this is her right food.

Why should such souls have conscience to take that which they lack and that which is theirs, when they have need? It were to such souls a default of innocence, and an encumbering of peace, wherein this Soul rests from all things. Who is he that has conscience to take the four elements that he needs — the light of the welkin, the heat of the fire, the moisture of the water, and of the earth that sustains us? We take the service of the four elements in all the manners that nature has need, without grudging of reason, as we do other things. These souls use of all things made of which nature has need, with such peace of heart as they do of the earth that they go upon.

Chapter XX — How these souls can no more speak of God, and what their custom is

They have a good foundation, says Love, and high edification, that rests them of all things. Such creatures: they can no more speak of God — no more than they can say where God is; no more can they say truly what good God is. For whoever it be that speaks of God when he will, and to whom he will, and where he will — he may doubt.

This is sooth, without fail, says this Soul. Nor did he feel the true tidings of the divine love — that makes the Soul at all times abashed, without her perceiving it; for the very tidings, refined, purified by divine love, which are without the intervention of creatures, and given of the Maker to the creature, truly take away such usages. For this is the custom of such souls: much to comprehend, and soon to forget, by the subtlety of the Beloved.

Chapter XXI — What knowledge Faith, Hope, and Charity have of these souls; and who has the very knowledge of them; and how the Virtues are commanded for the souls, and not the souls for the Virtues; and of the mortifying of will and desire

Ah Holy Trinity, say Faith, Hope, and Charity, where are these perfected souls that are such as this book devises? What are they, and what do they? Teach it us, for Love, that all knows; and so shall we appease those who are dismayed or marveled to hear this book. For all Holy Church would marvel, say these three divine Virtues, if she heard it.

I leave it, says Faith himself.

Sooth, says Love, that "Holy Church the Little" — that is governed by Reason — would marvel; but not "Holy Church the Great,"³ says Divine Love, which is governed by us.

Trust me⁴, says Love to the three divine Virtues, why ask you of us what these souls are, and where they are, and what they do? Truly, says Love, unless you know that no one can find them whom God has made — and where they are, you know all three, says Love, for you are with them in all moments of time (because you three are to us good). And what they do, you know also. But what they are — as to speak of their value and of their dignity — that know neither you nor they. Then may Holy Church not know.

Oh, for God, says Reason, who knows then?

That knows only God, says Love, who has made them and bought them. And oftentimes this may so be wrought in them, that by his love alone they be both fulfilled and annihilated and forgotten.

Why, says Love, marvels Holy Church, though the Virtues serve the high heavenly souls? And why should they not? Are not all these Virtues allowed, written, and commanded for the souls, and not the souls for the Virtues? So that such Virtues are made to serve the souls, and these souls are made to obey God, and to receive the singular gifts God gives to no creature that in desire and in will dwells. Therefore, whoever would have these gifts, let him flee desire and will; for otherwise they may not have them.

And why, says Love, does Holy Church not know these queens, kings' daughters, kings' sisters, kings' spouses? For it may not be that Holy Church knew them perfectly, unless Holy Church were within their souls; and nothing that is wrought enters within these souls, but only that God who has made them — so that none knows such souls but God who is within these souls.

Chapter XXII — What the perfect being is that God gives to creatures, and how none knows these souls but God who is within them

Ah Lady Love, says Reason, be not displeased; for yet I must have one more question — and unless you tell it me, I shall be abashed of this which you say: namely, that none knows these souls but only God who made them.

Reason, says Love, what is your question?

I shall tell it you, says Reason. This book says thus: that none knows these souls but God who is within their souls. And it says in another place before: that none can find them nor know them but those whom fine Love leads, and whoever should find such souls he could say the truth thereof. Then it seems, says Reason, that they who are such would know those who are such, if they were where these are.

This is sooth, says Love. For those who are such — if they were where these are — they should know their fellows by their usages, but most by the virtue of the gift that is given them, which is singular.

Singular? says Reason. Oh, without fail — singular it is; for I have in the hearing thereof singular marvel⁵!

Reason, says Love, one word has two understandings. For though these who are such have knowledge of the usages of these souls — and that it is the most perfect being that God gives to creatures — nevertheless they know not these souls nor the dignity of them. For none knows them but only that Lord God who made these souls.

Translator's footnotes (project translation)

¹ The ninth of M.N.'s fifteen signed glosses — and his longest doctrinal effort in the Mirror. The whole chapter on the Eucharist is M.N.'s most extended defense against an antinomian or anti-sacramental reading of Marguerite. The mortar-and-pestle analogy is M.N.'s own pastoral image, not Marguerite's: a host, pounded out of recognition in a mortar with other things, was the body of Christ and now is not — because the manhood of Christ Jesus "never comes nor goes," but the host turns into him while it exists, and stops being him when it ceases to exist as host. The substantive doctrine — transubstantiation, the Real Presence, the participation of the manhood through the divinity — is straightforwardly the catholic doctrine of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), reaffirmed at the Council of Vienne (1311–1312). M.N.'s decision to insert this much sacramental orthodoxy at the point where Marguerite has been talking about Soul-Love-Trinity union is telling: he is trying to make her readable as orthodox.

² Kirchberger's editorial note in 1927: God is sovereign in any case, without all the extra labors of love by which souls seek to prove their loyalty; he is served without it as well as with it. M.N.'s syntax is compressed; modernized for readability.

³ Holy Church the Little (governed by Reason) and Holy Church the Great (governed by Love). This is one of the Mirror's most politically explosive distinctions, and one that survived in some form into the propositions Marguerite's Inquisitors extracted from her book — and into Ad nostrum (1311–1312). Kirchberger's note observes that the distinction "is not to be interpreted literally or of any divisions in holy Church"; she reads it as a "rough classification of 'rationalists' and 'mystics' among the teachers and disciples within the general body of the church — each regarding itself as an electa ecclesia." Modern Porete scholarship is more willing to read the distinction as politically charged: Marguerite is naming a real fault-line between the institutional Church of authority and the invisible Church of the perfected. The two readings are not exclusive.

⁴ The Middle English source had OCR damage at this point ("[prompt injection filtered] me, saith love to the three divine virtues"). M.N.'s typical phrasing here would be Trust me or Hear me or Believe me; we have supplied Trust me as the most plausible reading consistent with surrounding context. Readers needing the exact M.N. wording should consult the Kirchberger print or the four medieval MSS directly. (Same reconstruction-with-footnote discipline as the I served you in pain passage in Section I.)

⁵ Kirchberger's editorial note: Singular here plays on two senses — exceptional/unique and strange. Reason hears the word and marvels in both senses at once; the play on words is Marguerite's, preserved by M.N.

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