To proceed on this journey,it is necessary to do,inwardly and outwardly,such works as are suitable to your condition,and such as will help to increase in you the gracious desire that you have to love Jesus only.No matter what your works are,whether thinking,reading,preaching,labouring,etc.,if you find that they draw your mind from worldly vanity and strengthen your heart and will more to the love of Jesus,it is good and profitable for you to pursue them.But if through custom,you find such works in time lose their power and virtue to increase this love,cast them aside and try some other works which you think will gain for you more grace and sanctity;for,although the inclination and desire of your heart for Jesus should never change,nevertheless the spiritual works you practice,such as prayer,reading,etc.,in order to feed and strengthen this desire,may well be changed,according as you feel your spiritual welfare will be benefited by this change.Therefore,lest you hinder the freedom of your heart to love Jesus,do not think that because you have accustomed yourself to a certain form of devotion,that you cannot change it for the better.
Before you have journeyed far,you must expect enemies of all kinds,who will surround you and busily endeavour to hinder you from going forward.
Indeed,if they can by any means,they will,wither by persuasions,flatteries,or violence,force you to return to your former habits of sinfulness.For there is nothing annoys them so much as to see a resolute desire to love Jesus and to labour to find him.Consequently,they will conspire to drive out of your heart that good desire and love in which all virtues are comprised.The first enemies that will assault you will be the desires of the flesh,and vain fears of your corrupt heart.Joined with these will be unclean spirits,which,with sights and temptations,will seek to entice you to them,and draw you from Jesus.But do not believe anything they say,but betake yourself to your old and only secure remedy,answering--"I am naught,I have naught,and I desire naught but only the love of Jesus."
If they endeavour to put dreads and doubts into your mind,and try to make you believe you have not done necessary penance to atone for your sins,do not believe them.Neither believe them if they say you have not sufficiently confessed your sins,and that you should return home to do penance better,before you have the boldness to go to Jesus.You are sufficiently acquitted of your sins,and there is no need at all that you should delay in order to ransack your conscience,for this will now but harm you,and either put you entirely out of your way,or at least unprofitably delay your toil.
If they tell you that you are not worthy to have the love of Jesus,or to see Jesus,and that on that account you ought not to be so presumptuous as to desire and seek it,do not believe them,but go on,saying,"It is not because I am worthy,but because I am unworthy,that I desire to have the love of Jesus;for,once having that,I should become worthy.Therefore,I will never cease desiring it until I have obtained it.I was created for this love alone,and so,say and do what you will,I will desire it continually,and never cease to pray for it,and thus endeavour to obtain it."
If you meet with any who seem to be your friends,and who in kindness would hinder your progress by entertaining you and seeking to draw you to sensual mirth by vain discourses and carnal pleasures,whereby you will be in danger of forgetting your pilgrimage,turn a deaf ear to them,answer them not;think only of this,that you would fain be at Jerusalem.If they offer you gifts and attractions,heed them not,but think ever of Jerusalem.
If men despise you,lay false charges against you,defraud and rob you,or even beat and use you cruelly,for your life take no notice of them,but meekly content yourself with the injury received,and proceed as if nothing had happened to hinder you.This punishment,or even more,is as nothing if you can only arrive at Jerusalem,where you shall be recompensed for all you have endured.
If your enemies see that you grow courageous,and that you will neither be seduced by flatteries nor disheartened by the pains and trials of your journey,but rather are contented with them,they will then be afraid of you.Notwithstanding all this,they will still pursue you on your way and seek every advantage against you,now and then endeavouring,either by flatteries or alarms,to stop and drive you back.Fear them not,but continue on your way thinking of nothing but Jerusalem and Jesus,whom you will find there.
TRANSLATORS NOTE
This edition of Blessed Henry Suso's Little Book of Eternal Wisdom is translated from the classical German text of Cardinal Melchior Diepenbrock,Prince-Bishop of Breslau.
That it is a very imperfect reproduction of the incomparable original,I am fully aware,but there are authors whose beauties of idiom are such as to be untranslatable,and Suso is one of them.
It is superfluous to enlarge here on the intrinsic merits of Blessed Henry Suso's work.For over five hundred years it has enjoyed undiminished popularity,as at once a religious and literary masterpiece.Such a work speaks too eloquently for itself;it is its own best praise,its own best commentary.
BLESSED HENRY SUSO'S PREFACE TO HIS BOOK
