XVII
IN PRINCIPIO ERAT VERBUM
In
principio erat verbum (Joh. 11). Theologians talk of the eternal
Word. God never spoke but one word, and that is still unspoken. The
explanation is this. The eternal Word is the logos of the Father which is
his only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ. In him he pronounces all
creatures without beginning and without end. This accounts for the Word
remaining unborn, for it never came out of the Father. This Word is to be known
in fourfold guise.
First, on the altar in the priest's
hands. There it is ours to know and love the eternal Word as we, in his
eternal Word, appear to the heavenly Father. Secondly, we know the eternal
Word as expounded by doctors from the chair. We receive it in their
person; like water flowing in a channel, so does the eternal Word flow through
its teachers. We should pay no heed to any shortcomings in the doctor: we
must fix our gaze on the eternal World in him, as it comes pouring eternally out
of the ground of itself. Thirdly, we can recognize the eternal Word in the
Lord's friends who, having followed this eternal Word, have gotten proof of it
in life eternal, and also those who follow it in time, such, namely, as are
quick in our Lord Jesus Christ. Fourthly, we have the eternal Word as spoken in
the virgin soul by God himself; wordlessly, to wit, since the soul is not able
to express him.
I would have you know that the
eternal Word is being born within the soul, its very self, no less,
unceasingly. I tell you, the soul knows the eternal Word better than all
the doctors can expound it. What we can express is too little, so for the nonce
she is bearing the eternal Word in mind. According to the masters we ought
by rights to go to school where the Holy Ghost is teacher; and know, where he is
teacher and is bound to be, there he finds students properly equipped to profit
by his lofty teaching which issues from out of the Father's heart. So the soul
has, if she will, the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost: she goes out
flowing into the one where naked in naked is revealed to her. Our masters
say that no one can attain to this so long as he retains of nether things as
much as a needle-point can carry. Into the naked Godhead none may get
except he be as naked as he was when he was split from God.
The masters say, giving us wise
counsel, that leaving God his glory we ought to get all things direct from him
and not from creatures. We shall leave God his glory by leaving him to
work just how he will and when he will, we staying idle and free. For we
must see that God does all for the best. And so I trow it lies with us, so
far as it is in us, to help God to preserve his glory.
A master says, Little recks the king
of those of his retainers who perform the drudgery. He notices the ones about
his privy chambers and gratifies their every want. God does the same with
his chosen friends, the intimates of his mysterious privacy: he never turns a
deaf ear to their prayer. Withal the masters do affirm that numbers go to heaven
who know no more of God on earth than, as it were, of sun in forest gloom.
Desiring this supremely it rests with us to compass it by practice and by
strength of will. Amen.