Greco-Christian stream·Rhineland Mystics·Heinrich Suso·00-front-matter

The Life of Blessed Henry Suso

by Heinrich Suso (c. 1295-1366), dictated to Elsbeth Stagel; translated by Thomas Francis Knox (London: Burns, Lambert, and Oates, 1865) from the Latin of Surius (1555).

THE LIFE

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BLESSED HENRY SUSO

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LONDON :

BURNS, LAMBERT, AND OATES,

17Portman Street and 63 Paternoster Row.
1865. LONDON : ROBSON AND SON, GREAT NORTHERN PRINTING WORKS, TANCRAS ROAD, N.W. ^MAE? TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. The Blessed Henry Suso was born at Ueberlingen, near Constance, on St. Benedict's - day, a.d. 1300. He was of ancient and noble descent both on his father's and mother's side. Out of devotion to his mother, who was a person of -eminent holiness, he called himself by her maiden name of Seuss, Latin- ised into Suso, instead of taking his father's sur- name, Von Berg. His baptismal name was Henry ; but many years later, when he had attained to great holiness, God changed his name into Amandus, or Beloved. The Blessed Henry did not make this known to any one so long as he lived, but a record of it was discovered among his papers after his death. At the age of thirteen he entered the novitiate of the Dominican Convent at Constance, where he was ad- mitted to the vows of religion, and after some years was sent to the convent of his Order at Cologne, to pursue his studies at that University. While there he made such great progress in learning that he was about to be promoted to the degree of doctor in theo- logy. But he was forbidden to accept this honour by a voice from God within him saying : — Thou know- IV PREFACE. est well enough already how to give thyself to God and to draw other men to Him by thy preaching. From that time forth he began to preach with great zeal and fervour, and to devote himself to the con- version of sinners and the guidance of souls along the highest paths of mystical perfection. At length, after many years of unceasing labours and sufferings, he died at Ulm, on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, a.d. 1365, and was buried in the cloister of the Dominican Convent in that city. Two hundred and forty-eight years after tins, when Ulm had become Protestant, the B. Henry's body was accidentally discovered, a.d. 1613, by some workmen who were digging the foundations for^a new. building. It was quite incorrupt, and lay. there closed in the "habit of the Order, and emitted & fragrant. odour. -The work- men went in alarm ;t<f inform |Ee burgomaster, who bade them fill up th<r grave arid say nothing about it; adding, that he had always heard that the dead should be allowed to rest' in peace. Meanwhile, during the absence of ( the. workmen, a devout person went down into the grave: and cut off part of the black mantle and white scapular— portions of which were afterwards distributed rfs' relics among different Catholics. One of these relics came into the posses- sion of Henry Murer, who has given an account of the discovery of the body in his Helvetia Sancta, published at Luzern a.d. 1648. At a later period, when Ulm was occupied by the French during one of PREFACE. V their campaigns, they caused excavations to be made in the hope of discovering the sacred remains, but without success. The Blessed Henry has never been formally beatified, but his feast is kept by the Domi- nican Order on March 2d, with the approbation of Gregory XVI., granted April 16, 1831. Such are the main outlines of B. Henry's external life and history. The details of the picture must be sought for in the brief record which he has himself left us of his experiences in the ways of God. The following translation has been made from the editionj&^ms^^Henry Suso's Life and Works, edited top Caramal J^pftobrock, Prince Bishop of Bresla^Bln 182^gThe^fl^f the Life is based upon a maifiscript^of^e encTJQ\Uie fourteenth century from itSloyajr. Li^ry^t $fkftch, which the editor carefulv collate"^ w^^th&eaBSelfc printed copies pub- lished ft Augsbu)g^£. T48f"all a.d. 1512. SurMs,Vthe Oar$jS|ian, trarllated the Life and Works ftan\ the^e^nian ©4 Latin. The first edition, defeated $3 SfeVeribifeble Abbot Blosius, appeared a^Gologne At^l5«D. The rendering is singularly grace^^andaccj«Ke, so far as the differ- ent genius of the twoTSnguages and the occasional imperfections of the German text used by Burins, principally in the last nine chapters, would permit. A French translation by the Carthusian Le Cerf was published at Paris in 1586, and an Italian one by the Dominican Del Nente at Rome in 1651. The a2 VI PREFACE. latter has been frequently reprinted, but it does not in any sense merit the name of a translation, as it is nothing more than a mere epitome or condensed abridgment of the original. Cartier has recently translated Del Nente's work into French, under the title of GEuvres du B. Henri Suso. The second edition appeared in 1856. As the chief object of the present translator has been to provide a book of spiritual reading for the devout, he hesitated for some time whether or not to omit the last nine chapters, which treat for the most part of deep points of mystical theology in language which, from its antiquated character and excessive conciseness, is sometimes obscure, and is always difficult to translate into intelligible English without indulging in paraphrase. Surius has relegated these chapters to another part of the volume, under the title of " Appendix of certain sublime questions." Still, as Cardinal Diepenbrock observes, they really belong to the Life, and form part of it in the earliest manu- script and printed editions. On the whole, it seemed better to include these chapters in the present trans- lation. They contain several passages of wonderful beauty, which every one will read with pleasure. They are, moreover, a protest against the errors of panthe- ism and quietism, to which a spirit of false mysti- cism naturally tends, and against which the B. Henry often raised his voice in warning. Lastly, their ab- sence would leave one side of the B. Henry's life PREFACE. Vll wholly unrepresented. For they serve to remind us that if his personal and experimental acquaintance with mystical theology was great, he was no less conversant with it as a science, and could treat with learning and accuracy the many deep and subtle questions which it suggests. The Oratory, London, Feast of St. Richard, 1865. CONTENTS. PAGE Translator's Preface iii Prologue .1 CHAP. I. Introductory 5 II. Of the preliminary combats of a beginner . 7 III. Of a supernatural rapture which befell him . 11 IV. How he spiritually espoused the Eternal Wis- dom 13 V. How he inscribed upon his heart the gracious Name of Jesus 20 VI. Of the foretaste of divine consolations, with which God sometimes allures beginners . 23 VII. How one, who had begun well, was drawn on- wards in his search after divine consolation 27 VIII. Of certain visions 30 IX. Of the way in which he went to table . . 33 X. How he began the New Year . . . .36 XI. Of the words Sursum corda . . . .38 XII. How he kept the feast of Candlemas . . 41 XIII. How he spent the Carnival time . . .44 XIV. How he began the month of May . . .48 XV. Of the sorrowful way of the Cross, which he made with Christ when He was being led forth to death 50 XVI. Of the useful virtue called silence . . . 5G XVII. Of the chastisement of his body . . .57 XVIII. Of the sharp cross which he bore upon his back Gl X CONTENTS. CHAP. * PAGR XIX. Of his bed 68 XX. How he broke himself from drink . .71 XXI. How he was directed to the rational school, in which the art of true detachment is taught .81 XXII. How painful it is to die interiorly . . 84 XXIII. Of interior sufferings . . . .97 XXIV. How he went forth to succour and to save his neighbour 10O XXV. Concerning manifold sufferings . . 103 XXVI. Of the great suffering which befell him through his sister Ill XXVII. Of a grievous suffering which befell him through a companion . . . .118 XXVIII. Of a murderer . . . . .' .125 XXIX. Of perils by water 130 XXX. Of a short interval of rest which God once granted him 133 XXXI. How he once entered into a loving account with God 135 XXXII. How his sufferings once brought him nigh to death 141 XXXIII. How a man should offer up his sufferings to the praise and glory of God . . 14(5 XXXIV. Of the joys with which God recompenses in this present life those who suffer for Him 151 XXXV. Of the Servitor's spiritual daughter . . 157 XXXVI. Of the first beginnings of a beginner . 162 XXXVII. Of the first lessons and examples which are suitable for a beginner, and how he should regulate his exercises with dis- cretion 168 CONTENTS. XI CHAP. PAGE XXXVIII. Of certain devout practices of a young be- ginner in his early years . . .178 XXXIX. How he drew light-minded persons to God, and comforted those who were in suf- fering 185 XL. Of a grievous suffering which befell him while thus occupied . . . .191 XLI. Of interior sufferings „ 214 XLII. What sufferings are the most useful to men, and bring most glory to God? . . 217 XLIII. How he drew certain hearts from earthly love to the love of God . . . 222 XLIV. How God multiplied drink for His friends 233 XLV. Of certain sufferers, who were attached to the Servitor by special ties of friend- ship and affection .... 234 XL VI. How Christ appeared to him under the form of a Seraph, and taught him how to suffer 239 XLVII. How steadfastly he must fight who would win the spiritual prize .... 245 XLVIII. How the Servitor's face was once seen to shine with light while he was preach- ing 249 XLIX. Of the lovely Name of Jesus . . . 249 L. A good distinction between a true and false use of reason noticeable in certain persons 252 LI. How to distinguish between a well-ordered reason and one which is all flowers and glitter 257 LII. A good distinction between true and false detachment 260 Xll CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE LIII. Maxims, conformable to right reason, for the guidance of an exterior man into his in- terior 266 LIV. Of the high questions which the well-exercised daughter put to her spiritual father . . 280 LV. An explanation where and how God is . - . 288 LVI. Of the very highest flight of a soul experienced in the ways of God 301 LVII. The conclusion of the contents of this book in a few simple words 312 PROLOGUE.* The following book speaks throughout in an instructive manner of the life of a beginner, and contains, for those who look beneath the surface, information respecting the proper way in which a beginner should order his outer and inner man so as to be in harmony with God's all-lovely will. And since good works are un- doubtedly a better guide, and sometimes shed a brighter light into a man's heart than mere words, therefore the book recounts, as examples, many different holy actions, which really and truly took place just as they are related. The book also tells of a man's progress in holiness ; that is, how, by avoiding things, by sufferings, and by exercises, he may break through his un- mortified animal nature, and arrive at great and exalted dignity. Moreover, since there are some * The following passages are taken from the Prologue prefixed by the B. Henry Suso to a manuscript copy of his Life and Writings. They contain all in it that relates to the Life. The Prologue is to be found in the ancient printed copies, and is quoted by Diepenbrock in his preface. B

2PROLOGUE.
men who, with courageous hearts, strive to grasp at what is highest and best, and yet, from want of the necessary knowledge to discriminate, go astray and miss the road, therefore this book gives instruction how to distinguish rightly be- tween a true and false use of reason in spiritual things; and it teaches the orderly and proper course by which a man may attain to the un- alloyed truth of a blessed and perfect life. It should be also mentioned, that the pages of this book lay for many years locked up in secret, awaiting the Servitor's death ; for he was in very truth reluctant to disclose himself to any one by means of them, so long as he lived. At length, however, his reason told him that, in these days of the decline of the human race, it would be better and safer that the book, by God's permission, should be submitted to his superiors while he was still living, and could answer for its truth in all points, than after his death. And this, moreover, even though it should fall out that certain ignorant men, whose words are in no way worthy of account, should pass false and perverted judgments upon it, either because they would not regard the Ser- vitor's good intention in the matter, or because they were unable, from want of spiritual PROLOGUE. 3 refinement, to comprehend any thing higher than what they had experienced in themselves. Besides it was quite possible that the book might, after his death, come into the possession of lukewarm and un spiritual men, who would not give themselves the trouble to communicate it for God's glory to those who would receive it eagerly ; and in this way the book might perish without fruit. Or again, it might chance to fall into the hands of men intellectually blind or morally bad, who from their sinful dislike of it might suppress it, as has often happened in other cases. Therefore, with the divine as- sistance, he took courage, and extracted from this book the sublimest thoughts and the most elevated teaching which it contains, and himself gave these extracts to a learned doctor, named Master Bartholomew, to read; a man richly endowed by God with virtues and graces, and of approved experience in spiritual science, and furthermore a Prelate with supreme jurisdiction over the order of Friars Preachers throughout Germany. The Servitor humbly gave him up the book, and he read it through with great satis- faction of heart, and pronounced that it was, all of it, as it were, a kernel of hidden truth drawn from Holy Writ for all clear-sighted men.

4PROLOGUE.
Afterwards, when the ordinary teaching had been added to it, in order that every man might find there what would suit him, and the Ser- vitor was about to lay this part also before the Prelate, the good God withdrew from hence this noble Master. The Servitor, on hearing of his death, was exceedingly afflicted, for he knew not what to do. He therefore betook himself with great earnestness to the Eternal Wisdom, and prayed that it might be shown him what was the best thing to do in this affair. After a time his prayer was heard, and the aforenamed Master appeared to him in a bright vision, and told him that it was God's good will that the book should be henceforth communi- cated to all good-hearted men, who with a right intention and an eager longing might desire to have it. He then who wishes earnestly to become a good and blessed man, and who longs after special intimacy with God, or who has received a token of God's love in heavy sufferings, as God's way is with His peculiar friends, — such a man will find this book a help and comfort. It will also serve as a guide for good-hearted men to divine truth, as well as teach men of reason the right road to supreme bliss. THE LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO.

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