(tesJBV^ 
 Rnnlc .Tff 
 

 C&eoiogfa dSermanfca, 
 
STRONG Son of God, Immortal Love, 
 Whom we, that have not feen thy face, 
 By faith, and faith alone embrace, 
 Believing where we cannot prove. 
 
 Thou feemeft human and divine, 
 
 The higheft, holieft manhood Thou j 
 Our wills are ours, we know not how, 
 
 Our wills are ours to make them Thine. 
 
 O Living Will that malt endure, 
 
 When all that feems mail fuffer fhock, 
 Rife in the fpiritual Rock, 
 
 Flow through our deeds and make them pure. 
 
 That we may lift from out the duft, 
 A voice as unto him that hears, 
 A cry above the conquered years, 
 
 To one that with us works, and truft 
 
 With faith that comes of felf-control 
 The truths that never can be proved, 
 Until we clofe with all we loved 
 
 And all we flow from, foul in foul. 
 
 Tennyson. 
 
©beoiogf a $ermam ca : 
 
 (IflifjtcFfcttetlj forti) man? fair lineaments of 
 
 tiftine ^rutt), ant> faitl) tierp lofty and 
 
 lotielp tljmgtf touching a 
 
 perfect jLifz. 
 
 EDITED BY DR. PFEIFFER FROM THE ONLY COMPLETE 
 MANUSCRIPT YET KNOWN. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY 
 
 SUSANNA WINKWORTH. 
 
 With a PREFACE by the Rev. Charles Kingsley, Reftor of 
 
 Everfley, and a LETTER to the Tranflator by the 
 
 Chevalier Bunsen, D.D., D. C. L., &c. 
 
 LONDON: 
 LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. 
 
 1854. . 
 
^% 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 O thofe who really hunger and 
 thirft after righteoufnefs ; and 
 who therefore long to know 
 what righteoufnefs is, that they may 
 copy it : To thofe who long to be freed, 
 not merely from the punifhment of fin 
 after they die, but from fin itfelf while 
 they live on earth ; and who there- 
 fore wifh to know what fin is, that 
 they may avoid it : To thofe who wifh 
 to be really juftified by faith, by being 
 made juft perfons by faith ; and who 
 cannot fatisfy either their confciences 
 or reafons by fancying that God looks 
 b 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 on them as right, when they know 
 themfelves to be wrong, or that the 
 God of truth will ftoop to fictions (mif- 
 called forenfic) which would be con- 
 fidered falfe and unjuft in any human 
 court of law : To thofe who cannot 
 help trusting that union with Chrift 
 muft be fomething real and fubftan- 
 tial, and not merely a metaphor, and a 
 flower of rhetoric : To thofe, laftly, who 
 cannot help feeing that the doctrine of 
 Chrift in every man, as the Indwelling 
 Word of God, The Light who lights 
 every one w r ho comes into the world, 
 is no peculiar tenet of the Quakers, 
 but one which runs through the whole 
 of the Old and New Teftaments, and 
 without which they would both be un- 
 intelligible, juft as the fame doctrine 
 runs through the whole hiftory of the 
 Early Church for thefirft two centu- 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 ries, and is the only explanation of 
 them; — To all theie this noble little 
 book will recommend itfelf ; and may 
 God blefs the reading of it to them, 
 and to all others no lefs. 
 
 As for its orthodoxy ; to " evangeli- 
 cal' 5 Chriftians Martin Luther's own 
 words ought to be fufficient warrant. 
 For he has faid that he owed more to 
 this, than to any other book, faving the 
 Bible and Saint Auguftine. Thofe on 
 the other hand, to whom Luther's name 
 does not feem a fufficient guarantee, 
 rauft recoiled:, that the Author of this 
 book was a knight of the Teutonic 
 order; one who confidered himfelf, 
 and was confidered, as far as we know, 
 by his contemporaries, an orthodox 
 member of the Latin Church ; that 
 his friends and difciples were princi- 
 pally monks exercifing a great influence 
 
viii Preface. 
 
 in the Catholic Church of their days ; 
 that one of their leaders was appointed 
 by Pope John XXII. Nuncio, and 
 overfeer of the Dominican order in 
 Germany; and that during the hundred 
 and feventy years which elapfed be- 
 tween the writing of this book and the 
 Reformation, it incurred no ecclefiaf- 
 tical cenfure whatfoever, in generations 
 which were but too fond of making 
 men offenders for a word. 
 
 Not that I agree with all which is 
 to be found in this book. It is for its 
 noble views of righteoufnefs and of fin 
 that I honour it, and rejoice at feeing 
 it published in Englifh, now for the 
 firft time from an edition bafed on the 
 perfect manufcript. But even in thofe 
 points in which I mould like to fee it 
 altered, I am well aware that there are 
 ftrong authorities againft me. The 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 very expreffion, for inftance, which moil 
 ftartles me, "vergottet" deified or made 
 divine, is ufed, word for word, both by- 
 Saint Athanafe and Saint Auguftine, 
 the former of whom has faid : " He 
 became man, that we might be made 
 God;"* and the latter, " He called 
 men Gods, as being deified by His grace, 
 not as born of His fub fiance. "-j* There 
 are many paflages, moreover, in the 
 Epiflles of the Apoftles, which, if we 
 paraphrafe them at all, we can hardly 
 paraphrafe in weaker words. It feems 
 to me fafer and wifer to cling to the 
 letter of Scripture : but God forbid that 
 I mould wifh to make fuch a man as 
 
 * Autos E7WvQ(>u7rYi<rEV Iva YifteTg QsottoiyiOu/jiev. Athan. 
 Orat. de Incarn. Verbi. Tom. i. page 108. 
 
 t Homines dixit Deos, ex gratia fua deificatos ; 
 non de fubftantia fua natos. Aug. in Pfalm. xlix. 
 (Ed Bened. Tom. iv. page 414.) 
 
x Preface. 
 
 the Author of the Theologia Germa- 
 nica an offender for a word ! 
 
 One point more may be worthy of 
 remark. In many obfcure paffages of 
 this book, words are ufed, both by the 
 Author and by the Tranflator, in their 
 ftrid:, original, and fcientific meaning, 
 as they are ufed in the Creeds, and not 
 in that meaning which has of late crept 
 into our very pulpits, under the in- 
 fluence of Locke's philofophy. When, 
 for inftance, it is faid that God is the 
 Subftance of all things ; this expreflion, 
 in the vulgar Lockite fenfe of fubftance, 
 would mean that God is the matter or 
 fluff of which all things are made ; 
 which would be the groffeft Pantheifm : 
 but " Subftance" in the true and an- 
 cient meaning of the word, as it ap- 
 pears in the Athanafian Creed, fignifies 
 the very oppofite; namely, that which 
 
Preface. xi 
 
 fiands under the appearance and the 
 matter ; that by virtue of which a thing 
 has its form, its life, its real exiftence, 
 as far as it may have any ; and thus in 
 aflerting that God is the Sub fiance of 
 all things, this book means that every 
 thing (except fin, which is no thing, 
 but the difeafe and fall of a thing) is a 
 thought of God. 
 
 So again with Eternity. It will be 
 found in this book to mean not merely 
 fome future endlefs duration, but that 
 ever-prefent moral world, governed by 
 ever-living and abfolutely neceffary 
 laws, in which we and all fpirits are 
 now; and in which we mould be equal- 
 ly, whether time and fpace, extenfion 
 and duration, and the whole material 
 univerfe to which they belong, became 
 nothing this moment, or lafted end- 
 leffly. 
 
xii Preface. 
 
 I think it neceffary to give thefe cau- 
 tions, becaufe by the light of Locke's 
 philofophy, little or nothing will be 
 difcerned in this book, and what little 
 is difcerned, will probably be utterly 
 mifunderftood. If any man wifhes to 
 fee clearly what is herein written, let 
 him try to forget all popular modern 
 dogmas and fyftems, all popular philo- 
 fophies (falfely fo called), and be true 
 to the letter of his Bible, and to the 
 inftindts which the Indwelling Word 
 of God was wont to awaken in his 
 heart, while he was yet a little unfo- 
 phifticated child ; and then let him be 
 fure that he will find in this book 
 germs of wider and deeper wifdom 
 than its good author ever dreamed of; 
 and that thofe great fpiritual laws, 
 which the Author only applies and 
 that often inconfiftently, to an afcetic 
 
Preface. xiii 
 
 and paflively contemplative life, will 
 hold juft as good in the family, in the 
 market, in the fenate, in the ftudy, ay, 
 in the battle-field itfelf ; and teach him 
 the way to lead, in whatfoever ftation 
 of life he may be placed, a truly man- 
 like, becaufe a truly Chriftlike and 
 Godlike life. 
 
 Charles Kingsley. 
 
 Torquay, 
 Lent, 1854. 
 

Hiftorical Introduction. 
 
 BY THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 HE Treatife before us was 
 difcovered by Luther, who 
 iirft brought it into notice by 
 an Edition of it which he published in 
 1 5 1 6 . A Second Edition, which came 
 out two years later, he introduced with 
 the following Preface : — 
 
 " We read that St. Paul, though he 
 was of a weak and contemptible pre- 
 fence, yet wrote weighty and powerful 
 letters, and he boafts of himfelf that 
 his ' fpeech is not with enticing words 
 of man's device,' but * full of the riches 
 
xvi Hijlorical 
 
 of all knowledge and wifdom.' And 
 if we confider the wondrous ways of 
 God, it is clear, that He hath never 
 chofen mighty and eloquent preachers 
 to fpeak His word, but as it is written: 
 c Out of the mouths of babes and fuck- 
 lings haft thou perfected praife/ Ps. viii. 
 2. And again, 'For wifdom opened 
 the mouth of the dumb, and made the 
 tongues of them that cannot fpeak elo- 
 quent/ Wifdom x. 21. Again, He blam- 
 eth fuch as are high-minded and are of- 
 fended at thefe fimple ones. Con/ilium 
 inopis, &c. ' Ye have made a mock at 
 the counfel of the poor, becaufe he put- 
 teth his truft in the Lord,' Pf. xiv. 6. 
 " This I fay becaufe I will have every 
 one warned who readeth this little book, 
 that he fhould not take offence, to his 
 own hurt, at its bad German, or its 
 crabbed and uncouth words. For this 
 
IntroduElion. xvii 
 
 noble book, though it be poor and rude 
 in words, is fo much the richer and 
 more precious in knowledge and divine 
 wifdom. And I will fay, though it be 
 boafting of myfelf and e I fpeak as a 
 fool/ that next to the Bible and St. 
 Auguftine, no book hath ever come into 
 my hands, whence I have learnt, or 
 would wifh to learn more of what God, 
 and Chrift, and man and all things are ; 
 and now I firft find the truth of what 
 certain of the learned have faid in fcorn 
 of us theologians of Wittemberg, that 
 we would be thought to put forward 
 new things, as though there had never 
 been men elfewhereand before our time. 
 Yea, verily, there have been men, but 
 God's wrath, provoked by our fins, hath 
 not judged us worthy to fee and hear 
 them ; for it is well known that for a 
 long time paft fuch things have not been 
 
xviii Hiftorical 
 
 treated of in our univerfities ; nay, it has 
 gone fo far, that the Holy Word of God 
 is not only laid on the fhelf, but is al- 
 moft mouldered away with duft and 
 moths. Let as many as will, read this 
 little book, and then fay whether Theo- 
 logy is a new or an old thing among us ; 
 for this book is not new. But if they 
 fay as before, that we are but German 
 theologians, we will not deny it. I 
 thank God, that I have heard and found 
 my God in the German tongue, as nei- 
 ther I nor they have yet found him in 
 the Latin, Greek, or Hebrew tongue. 
 God grant that this book may be fpread 
 abroad, then we fhall find that the 
 German theologians are without doubt 
 the beft theologians. 
 (Signed, without date,) 
 
 Dr. Martin Luther, 
 Augustinian of Wittemberg." 
 
IntroduElion. xix 
 
 Thefe words of Luther will proba- 
 bly be confidered to form a fufficient 
 juftification for an attempt to prefent 
 the Theologia Germanica in an Eng- 
 lifh drefs. When Luther fent it forth, 
 its effort to revive the confcioufnefs of 
 fpiritual life was received with enthu- 
 fiafm by his fellow-countrymen, in 
 whom that life was then breaking with 
 volcanic energy through the clods of 
 formalifm and hypocrify, with which 
 the Romifh Church had fought to ftifle 
 its fires. No fewer than feventeen edi- 
 tions of the work appeared during the 
 lifetime of Luther. Up to the prefent 
 day, it has continued to be a favourite 
 handbook of devotion in Germany, 
 where it has paffed through certainly 
 as many as fixty Editions, and it has 
 alfo been widely circulated in France 
 and the Netherlands, by means of Latin, 
 French, and Flemifh tranflations. 
 
xx Hiftorical 
 
 To the queftion, who was the author 
 of a book which has exerted fo great 
 an influence, no anfwer can be given, 
 all the various endeavours to difcover 
 him having proved fruitlefs. Till with- 
 in the laft few years, Luther was our 
 fole authority for the text of the work, 
 but, about 1 850, a Manufcript of it was 
 difcovered at Wurtzburg, by Profeffor 
 Reufs, the librarian of the Univerfity 
 there, which has fince been published 
 verbatim by Profeffor PfeifFer, of Prague. 
 This Manufcript dates from 1497 > con " 
 fequently it is fomewhat older than Lu- 
 ther's time, and it alfo contains fome 
 paffages not found in his editions. As 
 upon careful comparifon, it feemed to 
 the Tranflator indifputably fuperior to 
 the belt modern editions bafed upon 
 Luther's, it has been fele&ed as the 
 groundwork of the prefent tranflation, 
 
Introdu&io?!. xxi 
 
 merely correcting from the former, one 
 or two paflages which appeared to con- 
 tain errors of the prefs, or more likely 
 of the tranfcriber's pen. The pafTages 
 not found in Luther's edition are here 
 enclofed between brackets. 
 
 As has been ftated, the author of the 
 TheologiaGermanica is unknown ; but 
 it is evident from his whole caft of 
 thought, as well as from a Preface at- 
 tached to the Wurtzburg Manufcript, 
 that he belonged to a clafs of men who 
 fprang up in Southern Germany at the 
 beginning of the fourteenth century, 
 and who were diftinguifhed for their 
 earneft piety and their practical belief 
 in the prefence of the Spirit of God with 
 all Chriftians, laity as well as clergy. 
 
 Thefe men had fallen upon evil times. 
 Their age was not indeed one of thofe 
 periods in which the vigour of the no- 
 
xxii Hijiorical 
 
 bier powers of the foul is enfeebled by 
 the abundance of material profperity 
 and phyfical enjoyment, nor yet one of 
 thofe in which they are utterly crufhed 
 out under the hoof of oppreffion and 
 mifery; but it was an age in which 
 conflicting elements were wildly ftrug- 
 gling for the mattery. The higheft 
 fpiritual and temporal authorities were 
 at deadly ftrife with each other and 
 among themfelves; and in their con- 
 tends, there were few provinces or towns 
 that did not repeatedly fuffer the horrors 
 of war. The defolation caufed by its 
 ravages, was however fpeedily repaired 
 during the intervals of peace, by the ex- 
 traordinary energy which the German 
 nation difplayed in that bloom of its 
 manhood ; fo that times of deep mifery 
 and great profperity rapidly alternated 
 with each other. But on the whole, 
 
Introduction. xxiii 
 
 during the firft half of this century, 
 the fenfe of the calamities, which were 
 continually recurring, predominated 
 over the recollection of the calmer years, 
 which were barely fufficient to allow 
 breathing time between the fucceffive 
 waves that threatened to overwhelm 
 focial order and happinefs. 
 
 The unquestioning faith and honeft 
 enthufiafm which had prompted the 
 Crufades, no longer burnt with the fame 
 fierce ardour, for the unhappy iflue of 
 thofe facred enterorifes, and the fcanda- 
 lous worldly ambition of the heads of 
 the Church, had moderated its fervour 
 and faddened the hearts of true believ- 
 ers. Yet the one Catholic, Chriftian 
 creed ftill held an undivided and very 
 real fovereignty over men's minds, and 
 the fupremacy of the Church in things 
 fpiritual was never queftioned, though 
 
xxiv Hijlorical 
 
 many were beginning to feel that it 
 was needful for the State to have an 
 independent authority in things tem- 
 poral, and the queftion was warmly 
 agitated how much of the fpiritual au- 
 thority reiided in the Pope and how 
 much in the bifhops and doctors of the 
 Church. But in whicheverway thedif- 
 pute between thefe rival claims might 
 be adjufted, the reverence for the office 
 of the clergy remained unimpaired. 
 The cafe was very different with the 
 reverence for their perfons, which had 
 fallen to a very low ebb, owing to the 
 worldlinefs and immorality of their 
 lives. This again was much encou- 
 raged by the conduct of the Popes, who, 
 in their zeal to eftablifh worldly domi- 
 nion, made ecclefiaftical appointments 
 rather with a view to gain political ad- 
 herents, or to acquire wealth by the fale 
 
Introdu&ion. xxv 
 
 of benefices, than with a regard to the 
 iitnefs of the men felected, or the wel- 
 fare of the people committed to their 
 charge. 
 
 On the whole, it was an age of faith, 
 though by no means of a blind, unrea- 
 foning taking things for granted. On 
 the contrary, the evidences of extreme 
 activity of mind meet us on every hand, 
 in the monuments of its literature, ar- 
 chitecture, and invention. A few facts 
 ftrikingly illuftrate the divergent ten- 
 dencies of thought and public opinion. 
 Thus we may remember, how it was 
 currently reported that the profligate 
 Pope Boniface VIII. was privately an 
 unbeliever, even deriding the idea of 
 the immortality of the foul, at the very 
 time when he was maintaining againft 
 Philip the Fair, the right of the Pope 
 to fit, as ChrirVs reprefentative, in judg- 
 
xxvi Hiftorical 
 
 ment on the living and the dead, and 
 to take the fword of temporal power 
 out of the hands of thofe who mifufed 
 it.* Whether this accufation was true 
 or not, it is a remarkable fign of the 
 times that it mould have been widely- 
 believed. 
 
 Some years later, and when the in- 
 creafed corruptnefs of the clergy, after 
 the removal of the Papal Court to 
 Avignon, provoked ftill louder com- 
 plaints, we fee the religious and pa- 
 triotic Emperor, Louis IV., accufing 
 John XXII. of herefy, in a public af- 
 fembly held in the fquare of St. Peter's 
 at Rome, and fetting up another Pope 
 " in order to pleafe the Roman people." 
 But though the new Pope was every 
 
 * Neander's " Kirchengefchichte" Band 6, S. 
 15, 20. This work and Schmitz's " Johannes 
 Tauler von Strafburg" are the authorities for 
 moft of the fads here mentioned. 
 
IntroduElion. xxvii 
 
 way fitted, by his unblemifhed charac- 
 ter and afcetic manners, to gain a hold 
 on public efteem, we fee that the Em- 
 peror could not maintain him againft 
 the legitimately elected Pope, who, 
 from his feat at Avignon, had power 
 to harafs the Emperor fo greatly with 
 his interdicts, that the latter, finding 
 all efforts at conciliation fruitlefs, would 
 have bought peace by unconditional 
 fubmiflion, had not the Eftates of the 
 Empire refufed to yield to fuch hu- 
 miliation. Yet we find this very Pope 
 obliged to yield and retract his opinions 
 on a point of dogmatic theology. He 
 had in a certain treatife propounded 
 the opinion that the fouls of the pious 
 would not be admitted to the imme- 
 diate vifion of the Deity until after the 
 day of Judgment. The King of France, 
 in 1433, called an aflembly of Prelates 
 
xxviii Hiftorical 
 
 and theologians at his palace at Vincen- 
 nes, where he invited them to difcufs 
 before him the two queftions, whether 
 the fouls of departed faints would be 
 admitted to an immediate virion of the 
 Deity before the refurredlion ; and 
 whether, if fo, their virion would be of 
 the fame or of a different kind after the 
 Judgment Day ? The theological fa- 
 culty having come to conclufions dif- 
 fering in fome refpects from thofe of 
 the Pope, the King threatened the lat- 
 ter with the flake as a heretic, unlefs 
 he retracted ; and John XXII. iflued a 
 bull, declaring that what he had faid or 
 written, ought only to be received in fo 
 far as it agreed with the Catholic Faith, 
 the Church and Holy Scripture. No 
 circumftance, perhaps, offers a more re- 
 markable fpectacle to us in its contraft 
 with the fpirit of our own times. At the 
 
IntroduElion. xxix 
 
 prefent moment, when the Pope could 
 not fit for a day in fafety on his tem- 
 poral throne without the defence of 
 French or Auftrian bayonets, we can 
 fcarcely conceive an Emperor of France 
 or Auftria taking upon himfelf to con- 
 vene an affembly of Catholic theolo- 
 gians, and the latter pronouncing a 
 cenfure on the dogmas propounded by 
 the Head of the Church ! It would be 
 hard to fay whether the Sovereigns of 
 the prefent day would be more amufed 
 by the abfurdity of devoting their time 
 to fuch difcuflions, or the confciences 
 of good Catholics more mocked at the 
 prefumption of fuch a verdict. 
 
 Still it muft not be forgotten that the 
 importance of religious affairs in that age 
 muft not be afcribed too exclufively to 
 earneftnefs about religion itfelf, for the 
 ecclefiaftical intereft predominated over 
 
xxx Hiftorical 
 
 the purely religious. The Pope and 
 the Emperor reprefented the two great 
 antagoniftic powers, fpiritual and tem- 
 poral, the rivalry between which ab- 
 forbed into itfelf all the political and 
 fecial queftions that could then be agi- 
 tated. The queftion of allegiance to 
 the Pope or the Emperor was like the 
 conteft between royalifm and repub- 
 licanifm; the Ghibelline called himfelf 
 a patriot, and was called by his adver- 
 fary, the Guelf, a worldly man or even 
 an infidel, while he retorted by calling 
 the Guelf a betrayer of his country, and 
 an enemy of national liberties. 
 
 We cannot help feeing, however, 
 that in thofe days both princes and peo- 
 ple, w T icked as their lives often were, did 
 really believe in the Chriftian religion, 
 and that while much of the mythological, 
 and much of the formaliftic element 
 
 
 
Introdu&ion. xxxi 
 
 mingled in their zeal for outward ob- 
 fervances, there was alfo much tho- 
 roughly iincere enthuliafm among them. 
 But both the great powers oppreffed 
 the people, which looked alternately to 
 the one fide or the other for emancipa- 
 tion from the particular grievances felt 
 to be moft galling at any given moment 
 or place. In the frightful moral and 
 phyfical condition of fociety, it was no 
 wonder that a defpair of Providence 
 fhouldhave begunto attack fome minds, 
 which led to materialiftic fcepticifm, 
 while others fought for help on the 
 path of wild fpeculation. The latter 
 appears to have been the cafe with the 
 Beghards or " Brothers and Sifters of 
 the Free Spirit," who attempted to in- 
 ftitute a reform by withdrawing the 
 people altogether from the influence of 
 the clergy, but whofe followers after a 
 
xxxii Hijlorical 
 
 time too often fell into the vices of the 
 priefts from whom they had feparated 
 themfelves. In 13 17, we find the Bi- 
 fhop of Ochfenftein complaining that 
 Alface was filled with thefe Beghards, 
 who appear to have been a kind of an- 
 tinomian pantheifts, teaching that the 
 Spirit is bound by no law, and annihi- 
 lating the diftin&ion between the Cre- 
 ator and the creature. Both in their 
 excellences and defects they remind us 
 of the modern " German Catholics," 
 and of fome,too,of the recent Proteftant 
 fchools in Germany. There feems to 
 have been no party of profeiTed unbe- 
 lievers, but that fome individuals were 
 fuch in word as well as deed, appears 
 from what Ruyfbroch of Bruffels,* 
 (1 300-1 330) fays of thofe "who live 
 
 * As quoted by Neander. Kirchengefchichte^ 
 B. 6. S. 769. 
 
IntroduElion. xxxiii 
 
 in mortal fin, not troubling themfelves 
 about God or his grace, but thinking 
 virtue fheer nonfenfe, and the fpiritual 
 life hypocrify or delufion ; and hearing 
 with difguft all mention of God or vir- 
 tue, for they are perfuaded that there 
 is no fuch thing as God, or Heaven, or 
 Hell; for they acknowledge nothing 
 but what is palpable to the fenfes." 
 
 The early part of the fourteenth cen- 
 tury faw Germany divided for nine years 
 between the rival claims of two Em- 
 perors, Frederick of Auftria, fupported 
 by Pope John XXII. and a fadtion in 
 Germany, and Louis of Bavaria, whofe 
 caufe was efpoufed by a majority of 
 the Princes of the Empire, as that of 
 the defender of the dignity and inde- 
 pendence of the State, and the cham- 
 pion of reform within the Church. 
 The death of Frederick in 1322, left 
 
xxxiv Hijlorical 
 
 Louis the undifputed Emperor, as far as 
 nearly all his fubje&s were concerned, 
 and he would fain have purchafed 
 peace with the Pope on any reafonable 
 terms, that he might apply himfelf to 
 the internal improvement of his domi- 
 nions; but John XXII. was implacable, 
 and continued to wage againft him and 
 his adherents a deadly warfare, not 
 clofed until his fucceffor Charles IV. 
 fubmitted to all the papal demands, and 
 to every indignity impofed upon him. 
 One of the moil fearful confequences 
 of the enmity between John XXII. and 
 Louis of Bavaria, to the unfortunate 
 fubjeds of the latter, was the Interdict 
 under which his dominions were laid 
 in 1324, and from which fome places, 
 diftinguifhed for their loyalty to the 
 Emperor, were not relieved for fix and 
 twenty years. Louis, indeed, defired 
 
IntroduElion. xxxv 
 
 his fubjects to pay no regard to the bull 
 of excommunication, and moll of the 
 laity, efpecially of the larger towns, 
 would gladly have obeyed him in fpite 
 of the Pope ; but the greater part of 
 the bifhops and clergy held with their 
 fpiritual head, and thus the inhabitants 
 of Strafburg, Nuremberg, and other 
 cities, where the civil authorities fided 
 with the Emperor, and the clergy with 
 the Pope, were left year after year with- 
 out any religious privileges ; for public 
 worfhip ceafed, and all the bufinefs of 
 life went on without the benedictions 
 of the Church, no rite being allowed but 
 baptifm and extreme unction. 
 
 After this had lafted iixteen years, the 
 Emperor, wifhing to relieve the anguifh- 
 ed confciences of his people, iffued, in 
 conjunction with thePrinces of the Em- 
 pire, a great manifefto to all Chriften- 
 
xxxvi Hijlorical 
 
 dom, refuting the Pope's accufations 
 againft him, maintaining that he who 
 had been legally chofen by the Elec- 
 tors was, in virtue thereof, the rightful 
 Emperor, and had received his dignity 
 from God, and proclaiming that all who 
 denied this were guilty of high treafon; 
 that therefore none fhould be allowed 
 any longer to obferve the Interdict, and 
 all who fhould continue to do fo, whe- 
 ther communities or individuals, fhould 
 be deprived of every civil and ecclefi- 
 aftical right and privilege. This cou- 
 rageous edict found a refponfe in the 
 heart of the nation, and public opinion 
 continually declared itfelf more flrongly 
 on the fide of the Emperor. Yet on 
 the whole it rather increafed the gene- 
 ral anarchy ; for in many places the 
 priefls and monks were ftedfafl in their 
 allegiance to the Pope, and, refufing to 
 
IntroduEiion . xxxvii 
 
 adminifter public fervice, were altoge- 
 ther banifhed from the towns, and the 
 churches and convents clofed. In Straf- 
 burg, for inftance, where the regular 
 clergy had long fince ceafed to perform 
 religious rites, the Dominicans and 
 Francifcans had continued to preach and 
 perform mafs ; but now, they too, fright- 
 ened by the EdicT:, which placed them 
 in direct oppofition to the Pope, dared 
 no longer to difregard the renewed fen- 
 tence of excommunication hanging over 
 them, and refufing to read mafs, were 
 expelled by the Town Council. Many 
 of thefe banifhed clergy wandered about 
 in great diftrefs, with difficulty finding 
 refuge among the fcattered rural popu- 
 lation, and the fufferings they endured 
 proved the fincerity of their confcien- 
 tious fcruples. Some few, either from 
 worldly motives, or out of pity for the 
 d 
 
xxxviii Hifiorical 
 
 people, remained at their ports. The 
 former indeed throve by the miferies of 
 their fellow-creatures, driving a ufu- 
 rious trade in the famine of fpiritual 
 confolation ; for it is upon record, that 
 in time of peftilence, the price of fhrift 
 has been as much as fixty florins ! 
 
 The fpectacle of fuch difcord be- 
 tween the clergy and the laity, was 
 fomething unfpeakably fhocking to the 
 Chriftian world in that age, and the 
 energetic proceedings of the magiftracy 
 muft have utterly daggered the faith of 
 many. Of all the events that were 
 ftirring up men's paffions and energies, 
 none was more calculated to move their 
 fouls to the very centre, than to find 
 themfelves compelled to ftand up in 
 arms againfl: thofe whom they had been 
 wont to bow down before, and to re- 
 verence as the fource of thofe fpiritual 
 bleffings, for the fake of which they 
 
IntroduEiion. xxxix 
 
 were now driven in de/peration to take 
 this awful ftep. 
 
 To thefe political and religious dif- 
 fenfions were added, in procefs of time, 
 other miferies. After it had been pre- 
 ceded by earthquakes, hurricanes and 
 famine, the Black Death broke out, 
 fpreading terror and defolation through 
 Southern Europe. Men faw in thefe 
 frightful calamities the judgments of 
 God, but looked in vain for any to 
 mow them a way of deliverance and 
 efcape. Some believed that the laft 
 day was approaching ; fome, remem- 
 bering an old prophecy, looked with 
 hope for the return of the Great Em- 
 peror Frederick II. to reftore juftice 
 and peace in the world, to punifh the 
 wicked clergy, and help the poor and 
 oppreffed flock to their rights. Others 
 traverfed the country in proceflions, 
 fcourging themfelves and praying with 
 
xl Hijlorical 
 
 a loud voice, in order to atone for their 
 fins and appeafe God's anger, and in- 
 veighing againft man's unbelief, which 
 had called down God's wrath upon the 
 earth ; while fome thought to do God 
 fervice, by wreaking vengeance on the 
 people which had flain the Lord, and 
 thoufands of wretched Jews perifhed in 
 the flames kindled by frantic terror. 
 " All things worked together to deepen 
 the fenfe of the corruptnefs of the 
 Church, to lead men's thoughts on- 
 wards from their phyfical to their fpi- 
 ritual wants, to awaken reflection on 
 the judgments of God, and to fix their 
 eyes on the indications of the future,"* 
 fo that John of Winterthur was proba- 
 bly not alone, in applying to his own 
 times, what St. Paul fays of the perils of 
 the latter days. 
 
 * Neander, Kirchengefchichte. B. 6, S. 728. 
 
IntroduElion. xli 
 
 In thefe chaotic times, and in the 
 countries where the ftorms raged moft 
 fiercely, there were fome who fought 
 that peace which could not be found 
 on earth, in intercourfe with a higher 
 world. Deftitute of help and comfort 
 and guidance from man, they took re- 
 fuge in God, and rinding that to them 
 He had proved cc a prefent help in time 
 of trouble," " as the fhadow of a great 
 rock in a weary land," they tried to 
 bring their fellow-men to believe and 
 partake in a life raifed above the trou- 
 bles of this world. They defired to 
 fhow them that that Eternal life and 
 enduring peace, which Chrift had pro- 
 mifed to His difciples, was, of a truth, 
 to be found by the Way which He had 
 pointed out, — by a living union with 
 Him and the Father who had fentHim. 
 
 With this aim, like-minded men and 
 
xlii Hijlorical 
 
 women joined themfelves together, that 
 by communion of heart and mutual 
 counfel they might ftrengthen each 
 other in their common efforts to revive 
 the fpiritual life of thofe around them. 
 The Affociation they founded was kept 
 fecret, left through mifconception of 
 their principles, they might fall under 
 fufpicion of herefy, and the Inquifition 
 mould put a flop to their labours ; but 
 they defired to keep themfelves aloof 
 from everything that favoured of herefy 
 or diforder. On the contrary, they care- 
 fully obferved all the precepts of the 
 Church, and carried their obedience fo 
 far that many of their number were 
 among the priefts, who were banifhed 
 for obeying the Pope, when the Em- 
 peror ordered them to difregard the In- 
 terdict. They affumed the appellation 
 of " Friends of God," [Gottesfreunde) 
 
IntroduEiion. xliii 
 
 and, in the courfe of a few year?, their 
 aflbciations extended along the Rhine 
 provinces from Bafle to Cologne, and 
 eaftwards through Swabia, Bavaria, and 
 Franconia. Strafburg, Conftance, Nu- 
 remberg and Nordlingen were among 
 their chief feats. Their diftinguifhing 
 doctrines were felf-renunciation, — the 
 complete giving up of felf-will to the 
 will of God ; — the continuous activity 
 of the Spirit of God in all believers, and 
 the intimate union poffible between 
 God and man ;— the worthleffnefs of all 
 religion bafed upon fear or the hope of 
 reward; — and the effential equality of 
 the laity and clergy, though for the fake 
 of order and difcipline, the organization 
 of the Church was neceifary. They 
 often appealed to the declaration of 
 Chrift (John xv. 15), " Henceforth I 
 call you not fervants ; for the fervant 
 
xliv Hijlorical 
 
 knoweth not what his lord doeth ; but 
 I have called you friends ; for all things 
 that I have heard of my Father I have 
 made known unto you ;" and from this 
 they probably derived their name of 
 * e Friends of God." Their mode of 
 action was limply perfonal, for they 
 made no attempt to gain political and 
 hierarchical power,but exerted all their 
 influence by means of preaching, wri- 
 ting and focial intercourfe. The Affo- 
 ciation counted among its members 
 prielts, monks, and laity, without dif- 
 tinclion of rank or fex. Its leaders 
 flood likewife in clofe connection with 
 feveral convents, efpecially thofe of 
 Engenthal and Maria-Medingen near 
 Nuremberg, prefided over by the lifters 
 Chriftina and Margaret Ebner, much 
 of whofe correfpondence is ftill extant. 
 Agnes, the widow of King Andrew of 
 
IntroduElion. xlv 
 
 Hungary, and various knights and bur- 
 ghers are alfo named as belonging to it. 
 Foremoft among the leaders of this 
 party mould be mentioned the cele- 
 brated Tauler, a Dominican monk of 
 Strafburg, who fpent his life in preach- 
 ing and teaching up and down the 
 country from Stralburg to Cologne, 
 and whofe influence is to this day active 
 among his countrymen by means of his 
 admirable fermons, which are ftill wide- 
 ly read. At the time of the Interdict, he 
 wrote a noble appeal to the clergy not 
 to forfake their flocks, maintaining that 
 if the Emperor had finned, the blame 
 lay with him only, not with his wretch- 
 ed fubjects, fo that it was a crying fhame 
 to vifit his guilt upon the innocent peo- 
 ple, but that their unjuft oppreffion 
 would be recompenfed to them by God 
 hereafter. He acted up to his own 
 
xlvi Hijiorical 
 
 principles, and when the Black Death 
 was raging in Strafburg, where it car- 
 ried off 1 6,000 victims, he was unwea- 
 ried in his efforts to adminifter aid and 
 confolation to the rick and dying. 
 
 Much of Tauler's religious fervour 
 and light he himfelf attributed to the 
 inftructions of a layman, his friend. It 
 is now known from contemporary re- 
 cords that this was Nicholas of Bafle, 
 a citizen of that Free town and a fecret 
 Waldeniian. Little is known of his 
 life beyond the fad: that he was inti- 
 mately connected with many of the 
 heads of this party, and was reforted to 
 by them for guidance and help ; for, 
 being under fufpicion of herefy, he had 
 to conceal all his movements from the 
 Inquifition. He fucceeded, however, 
 in carrying on his labours and eluding 
 his enemies, until he reached an ad- 
 
IntroduSlion. xlvii 
 
 vanced age ; but at length, venturing 
 alone and unprotected into France, he 
 was taken, and burnt at Vienne in 1 382. 
 Another friend of Tauler's, and like 
 him an eloquent and powerful preacher, 
 whofe fermons are flill read with de- 
 light, was Henry Sufo, a Dominican 
 monk, belonging to a knightly family 
 in Swabia. 
 
 One of the leaders of the " Friends 
 of God," Nicholas of Strafburg, was in 
 1 326 appointed by John XXII. nuncio, 
 with the overfight of the Dominican 
 order throughout Germany, and dedi- 
 cated to that Pope an Effay of great 
 learning and ability, refuting the pre- 
 valent interpretations of Scripture, 
 which referred the coming of Antichrift 
 and the Judgment day to the imme- 
 diate future. Thus we fee that the 
 " Friends of God" were not confined 
 
xlviii Hiftorical 
 
 to one political party, and thislikewife 
 appears from the hiftory of another ce- 
 lebrated member of this feci:, Henry 
 of Nordlingen, a priefl of Conftance, 
 who, like Sufo, was banifhed for his ad- 
 herence to the Pope. One of the moft 
 remarkable men of this feci: was a lay- 
 man and married, Rulman Merfwin, 
 belonging to a high family at Strafburg. 
 He appears to have been led to a reli- 
 gious life by the influence of Tauler, 
 who was his confeffor. He is the au- 
 thor of feveral myftical works which, 
 he fays, he wrote " to do good to his fel- 
 low creatures," but he contributed per- 
 haps ftill more largely to their benefit 
 by his aclivity in charitable works, for 
 he eftablimed one hofpital and feems 
 to have had the overfight of others alfo. 
 He likewife gave largely to churches 
 and convents, but is bell known by hav- 
 
Introduction. xlix 
 
 ing founded a houfe for the Knights of 
 St. John in Strafburg. The charafter- 
 iftic doctrines of the Friends of God 
 have already been indicated. That they 
 fhould not have fallen into fome ex- 
 aggerations was fcarcely poflible, but 
 where they have done fo, it may gene- 
 rally be traced to the influence of the 
 monaftic life to which moft of them 
 were dedicated, and to the perplexities 
 of their age. 
 
 The book before us was probably 
 written fomewhere about 1350, fince 
 it refers to Tauler as already well 
 known. It was the practice of the 
 " Friends of God," to conceal their 
 names as much as poflible when they 
 wrote, left a defire for fame mould 
 mingle with their endeavours to be ufe- 
 ful. This is probably the reafon why 
 we have no indication of its authorfhip 
 
1 Hijlorkal 
 
 beyond a preface, which the Wurtzburg 
 Manufcript porTeffes in common with 
 that which was in Luther's hands, and 
 from which it appears that the writer 
 " was of the Teutonic order, a prieft and 
 a warden in the houfe of the Teutonic 
 order in Frankfort." A tranflation of 
 this Preface is prefixed to the prefent vo- 
 lume. Till the difcovery of the Wurtz- 
 burg Manufcript, it was fuppofed that 
 this Preface was from Luther's hand, 
 who merely embodied in it the tradi- 
 tion which he had received from fome 
 fource unknown to us; and hence, fome, 
 difregarding its authority, have afcribed 
 the Theologia Germanica to Tauler, 
 whofe ftyle it refembles fo much that 
 it might be taken for his work, but for 
 the reference to him already mentioned. 
 Since however the antiquity of the Pre- 
 face is now proved, we muft be con- 
 
Introdu&ion. li 
 
 tent with the information which it af- 
 fords us, unlefs any further difcoveries 
 among old manufcripts mould throw 
 frefh light upon the fubject. 
 
 Should this attempt to introduce the 
 writings of the " Friends of God" in 
 England, awaken an intereft in them 
 and their works, the Tranflator pro- 
 pofes to follow up the prefent volume 
 with an account of Tauler and felec- 
 tions from his writings ; believing that 
 the ftudy of thefe German theologians, 
 who were already called old in Luther's 
 age, would furnifh the beft antidote to 
 what of mifchief Englifh readers may 
 have derived from German theology, 
 falfely fo called. 
 
 Manchefter, February ', 1854. 
 
1 Hiftorical 
 
 beyond a preface, which the Wurtzburg 
 Manufcript poffefles in common with 
 that which was in Luther's hands, and 
 from which it appears that the writer 
 " was of the Teutonic order, a prieft and 
 a warden in the houfe of the Teutonic 
 order in Frankfort." A tranflation of 
 this Preface is prefixed to the prefent vo- 
 lume. Till the difcovery of the Wurtz- 
 burg Manufcript, it was fuppofed that 
 this Preface was from Luther's hand, 
 who merely embodied in it the tradi- 
 tion which he had received from fome 
 fource unknown to us; and hence, fome, 
 difregarding its authority, have afcribed 
 the Theologia Germanica to Tauler, 
 whofe ftyle it refembles fo much that 
 it might be taken for his work, but for 
 the reference to him already mentioned. 
 Since however the antiquity of the Pre- 
 face is now proved, we muft be con- 
 
IntroduSiion, 
 
 tent with the information which it af- 
 fords us, unlefs any further difcoveries 
 among old manufcripts mould throw 
 frefh light upon the fubjec~t. 
 
 Should this attempt to introduce the 
 writings of the " Friends of God" in 
 England, awaken an intereft in them 
 and their works, the Tranflator pro- 
 pofes to follow up the prefent volume 
 with an account of Tauler and felec- 
 tions from his writings ; believing that 
 the ftudy of thefe German theologians, 
 who were already called old in Luther's 
 age, would furnifh the beft antidote to 
 what of mifchief Englifh readers may 
 have derived from German theology, 
 falfely fo called. 
 
 Manchefter, February^ 1854. 
 

 LETTER 
 
 FROM CHEVALIER BUNSEN TO 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 yj Marina, St. Leonard's-on-Sea, 
 nth May, 1854. 
 
 My dear Friend, 
 
 OUR Letter and the proof 
 meets of your Translation of 
 the Theologia Germanica, 
 with Kingfley's Preface and your In- 
 troduction, were delivered to me yef- 
 terday, as I was leaving Carlton Terrace 
 to breathe once more, for a few days, 
 the refrefhing air of this quiet, lovely 
 place. You told me, at the time, that 
 
liv Letter to the 
 
 you had been led to ftudy Tauler and 
 the Theologia Germanica by fome con- 
 verfations which we had on their fub- 
 jedls in 1851, and you now wifh me to 
 ftate to your readers, in a few lines, 
 what place I conceive this fchool of 
 Germanic theology to hold in the ge- 
 neral development of chriftian thought, 
 and what appears to me to be the bear- 
 ing of this work in particular upon the 
 prefent dangers and profpects of Chrif- 
 tianity, as well as upon the eternal in- 
 terefts of religion in the heart of every 
 man and woman. 
 
 In complying willingly with your 
 requeft, I may begin by faying that, 
 with Luther, I rank this fhort treatife 
 next to the Bible, but unlike him, 
 mould place it before rather than after 
 St. Auguftine. That fchool of pious, 
 learned, and profound men of which 
 
Tranjlator. Iv 
 
 this book is, as it were, the popular 
 catechifm, was the Germanic counter- 
 part of Romanic fcholafticifm, and 
 more than the revival of that Latin the- 
 ology which produced fo many eminent 
 thinkers, from Auguftine, its father, to 
 Thomas Aquinas, its laft great genius, 
 whofe death did not take place until af- 
 ter the birth of Dante, who again was 
 the contemporary of the Socrates of the 
 Rhenifh fchool, — Meifter Eckart, the 
 Dominican. 
 
 The theology of this fchool was the 
 firft proteft of the Germanic mind 
 againft the Judaifm and formalifm of 
 the Byzantine and medieval Churches, 
 — the hollownefs of fcience to which 
 fcholafticifm had led, and the rotten- 
 nefs of fociety which a pompous hier- 
 archy ftrove in vain to conceal, but 
 had not the power nor the will to cor- 
 
lvi Letter to the 
 
 rect. Eckart and Tauler, his pupil, 
 brought religion home from fruitlefs 
 fpeculation, and reafonings upon ima- 
 ginary or impoffible fuppofitions, to 
 man's own heart and to the underftand- 
 ing of the common people, as Socrates 
 did the Greek philofophy. There is 
 both a remarkable analogy and a ftrik- 
 ing contrail: between the great Athe- 
 nian and thofe Dominican friars. So- 
 crates did full juftice to the deep ethi- 
 cal ideas embodied in the eftablifhed 
 religion of his country and its venerated 
 myfteries, which he far preferred to the 
 mallow philofophy of the fophifts ; but 
 he diffuaded his pupils from feeking 
 an initiation into the myfteries, or at 
 leaft from refling their convictions and j 
 hopes upon them, exhorting them to 
 rely, not upon the oracles of Delphi, but 
 upon the oracle in their own bofom. 
 
Tranjlator. Ivii 
 
 The " Friends of God," on the other 
 hand, believing (like Dante) moft pro- 
 foundly in the truth of the Chriftian 
 religion, on which the eftabliihed church 
 of their age, notwithstanding its cor- 
 ruptions, was effentially founded, re- 
 commended fubmiffion to the ordi- 
 nances of the church as a wholefome 
 preparatory difcipline for many minds. 
 Like the faint of Athens, however, they 
 fpoke plain truth to the people. To 
 their difciples, and thofe who came to 
 them for inftruction, they exhibited the 
 whole depth of that real chriftian phi- 
 lofophy, which opens to the mind after 
 all fcholaftic conventionalifm has been 
 thrown away, and the foul Mens to the 
 refponfe which Chrift's Gofpel and 
 God's creation find in a fincere heart 
 and a felf-facrificinglife; — a philofophy 
 which, confidered merely as a fpecula- 
 
Iviii Letter to the 
 
 tion, is far more profound than any 
 fcholaftic fyftem. But, in a ftyle that 
 was intelligible to all, they preached 
 that no fulfilment of rites and ceremo- 
 nies, nor of fo-called religious duties, — 
 in fact, no outward works, however 
 meritorious, can either give peace to 
 man's confcience, nor yet give him 
 ftrength to bear up againft the tempta- 
 tions of profperity and the trials of ad- 
 veriity. 
 
 In following this courfe they brought 
 the people back from hollow profeffion 
 and real defpair, to the bleffings of gof- 
 pel religion, while they opened to phi- 
 lofophic minds a new career of thought. 
 By teaching that man is juftified by 
 faith, and by faith alone, they prepared 
 the popular intellectual element of the 
 Reformation ; by teaching that this 
 faith has its philofophy, as fully able to 
 
Tranflator. lix 
 
 carry convidlion to the understanding, 
 as faith is to give peace to the troubled 
 confcience, they paved the way for that 
 fpiritual philofophy of the mind, of 
 which Kant laid the foundation. But 
 they were not controverfialifts, as the 
 Reformers of the fixteenth century were 
 riven to be by their pofition, and not 
 men of fcience exclusively, as the maf- 
 ters of modern philofophy in Germany 
 were and are. Although moft of them 
 friars, or laymen connected with the 
 religious orders of the time, they were 
 men of the people and men of a&ion. 
 They preached the faving faith to the 
 people in churches, in hofpitals, in the 
 ftreets and public places. In the ftrength 
 of this faith, Tauler, when he had been 
 already for years the univerfal objedr. of 
 admiration as a theologian and preacher 
 
 I through all the free cities on the Rhine, 
 
lx Letter to the 
 
 from Bafle to Cologne, humbled him- 
 felf, and remained filent for the fpace of 
 two years, after the myfterious layman 
 had mown him the infufficiency of his 
 fcholaftic learning and preaching. In 
 the flrength of this faith, he braved the 
 Pope's Interdict, and gave the confola- 
 tions of religion to the people of Straf- 
 burg, during the dreadful plague which 
 depopulated that flourifhing city. For 
 this faith, Eckart fuffered with patience 
 flander and perfecution, as formerly he 
 had borne with meeknefs, honours and 
 praife. For this faith, Nicolaus of 
 Bafle, who fat down as a humble ftran- 
 ger at Tauler's feet to become the in- 
 ftrument of his real enlightenment, died 
 a martyr in the flames. In this fenfe, 
 the " Friends of God" were, like the 
 Apoflles, men of the people and practi- 
 cal Chriftians, while as men of thought, 
 
Tranjlator. Ixi 
 
 their ideas contributed powerfully to the 
 great efforts of the European nations in 
 the fixteenth century. 
 
 Let me, therefore, my dear friend, 
 lay afide all philofophical and theolo- 
 gical terms, and ftate the principle of 
 the golden book which you are juft pre- 
 fenting to the Englifh public, in what 
 I confider, with Luther, the beft Theo- 
 
 I logical exponent, in plain Teutonic, 
 thus : — 
 Sin is felfifhnefs : 
 Godlinefs is unfelfifhnefs : 
 A godly life is the ftedfaft work- 
 ing out of inward freenefs from 
 felf: 
 To become thus godlike is the 
 
 bringing back of man's firft na- 
 ture. 
 On this laft point, — man's divine 
 dignity and deftiny, — Tauler fpeaks as 
 
lxii Letter to the 
 
 ftrongly as our author, and almoft as 
 ftrongly as the Bible. Man is indeed 
 to him God's own image. " As a 
 fculptor," he fays fomewhere, with a 
 ftriking range of mind for a monk of 
 the fourteenth century, " is faid to have 
 exclaimed indignantly on feeing a rude 
 block of marble, ' what a godlike beauty 
 thou hideft ! ' thus God looks upon man 
 in whom God's own image is hidden." 
 " We may begin," he fays in a kindred 
 paffage, " by loving God in hope of re- 
 ward, we may exprefs ourfelves con- 
 cerning Him in fymbols (Bilder) but 
 we mult throw them all away, and much 
 more we muft fcorn all idea of reward, 
 that we may love God only becaufe He 
 is the Supreme Good, and contemplate 
 His eternal nature as the real fubftance 
 of our own foul." 
 
 But let no one imagine that thefe 
 
Tranjlator. lxiii 
 
 men, although doomed to paffivenefs 
 in many refpects, thought a contem- 
 plative or monkifh life a condition of 
 fpiritual Chriftianity, and not rather a 
 danger to it. " If a man truly loves 
 God," fays Tauler, " and has no will 
 but to do God's will, the whole force 
 of the river Rhine may run at him 
 and will not difturb him or break his 
 peace; if we find outward things a 
 danger and difturbance, it comes from 
 our appropriating to ourfelves what is 
 God's." But Tauler, as well as our 
 Author, ufes the ftrongeft language to 
 exprefs his horror of Sin, man's own 
 creation, and their view on this fub- 
 jecl forms their great contrail to the 
 philofophers of the Spinoziftic fchool. 
 Among the Reformers, Luther ftands 
 neareft to them, with refpecl: to the 
 great fundamental points of theologi- 
 
Ixiv Letter to the 
 
 cal teaching, but their intenfe dread 
 of Sin as a rebellion againft God, is 
 fhared both by Luther and Calvin. 
 Among later theologians, Julius Mul- 
 ler, in his profound BfTay on Sin, and 
 Richard Rothe, in his great work on 
 Chriflian Ethics, come nearer!: to them 
 in depth of thought and ethical ear- 
 neftnefs, and the firft of thefe eminent 
 writers carries out, as it appears to me, 
 moil; confidently that fundamental truth 
 of the Theologia Germanica that there 
 is no fin but Selfifhnefs, and that all 
 Selfiihnefs is fin. 
 
 Such appear to me to be the charac- 
 teriftics of our book and of Tauler. I 
 may be allowed to add, that this fmall 
 but golden Treatife has been now for 
 almoft forty years, an unfpeakable com- 
 fort to me and to many Chriftian friends 
 (moft of whom have already departed 
 
Tranjlator. lxv 
 
 in peace), to whom I had the happinefs 
 of introducing it. May it in your ad- 
 mirably faithful and lucid tranflation 
 become a real " book for the million" 
 in England, a privilege which it al- 
 ready mares in Germany with Tauler's 
 matchlefs Sermons, of which I rejoice 
 to hear that you are making a felec- 
 tion for publication. May it become 
 a blefling to many a longing Chriftian 
 heart in that dear country of yours, 
 which I am on the point of leaving, 
 after many happy years of refidence, 
 but on which I can never look as a 
 ftrange land to me, any more than I 
 fball ever confider myfelf as a ftranger 
 in that home of old Teutonic liberty 
 and energy, which I have found to be 
 alfo the home of practical Chriftianity 
 and of warm and faithful affection. 
 
 Bunsen. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. I. — Of that which is perfect and that 
 which is in part, and how that which is in 
 part is done away, when that which is perfect 
 
 is come I 
 
 Chap. II. — Of what Sin is, and how we are not 
 to take unto ourfelves any good Thing, fee- 
 ing that it belongeth unto the true Good alone 6 
 Chap. III. — How Man's Fall and his going 
 aftray mull be healed as Adam's Fall was 
 
 healed 7 
 
 Chap. IV. — How Man, when he claimeth any 
 good Thing for his own, falleth, and toucheth 
 
 God in his Honour 10 
 
 Chap. V. — How we are to take that Saying, that 
 
 we mull come to be without Wifdom, Will, 
 
 Love, Defire, Knowledge, and the like . . 11 
 
 Chap. VI. — How that which is bell and noblell 
 
 Ihould alfo be loved above all Things by us, 
 
 merely becaufe it is the bell 15 
 
 Chap. VII.— Of the Eyes of the Spirit, where- 
 with Manlooketh into Eternity and into Time, 
 and how the one is hindered of the other in 
 
 its working 18 
 
 Chap. VIII. — How the Soul of Man, while it is 
 
lxviii Contents, 
 
 Page 
 yet in the Body, may obtain a Foretafte of 
 eternal Bleffednefs 21 
 
 Chap. IX. — How it is better and more profit- 
 able for a Man that he mould perceive what 
 God will do with him, and to what end He 
 will make ufe of him, than if he knew all 
 that God had ever wrought, or would ever 
 work through all the Creatures ; and how 
 Bleffednefs lieth alone in God, and not in the 
 Creatures, or in any Works 24 
 
 Chap. X. — How the perfect Men have no other 
 Defire than that they may be to the Eternal 
 Goodnefs what his Hand is to a Man ; and 
 how they have loft the Fear of Hell, and Hope 
 of Heaven 28 
 
 Chap. XI. — How a righteous Man in this pre- 
 fent Time is brought into Hell, and there can- 
 not be comforted, and how he is taken out 
 of Hell and carried into Heaven, and there 
 cannot be troubled 32 
 
 Chap. XII. — Touching that true, inward Peace, 
 
 which Chrift left to his Difciples at the laft 37 
 
 Chap. XIII. — How a Man may call afide 
 
 Images too foon 40 
 
 Chap. XIV. — Of three Stages by which a Man 
 
 is led upwards till he attaineth true Perfection 42 
 
 Chap. XV. — How all Men are dead in Adam 
 and made alive in Chriit, and of true Obedi- 
 ence and Difobedience 44 
 
 Chap. XVI. — Telleth us what is the old Man, 
 
 and what is the new Man 47 
 
Contents. lxix 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. XVII. — How we are not to take unto our- 
 felves what we have done well, but only what 
 we have done amifs 54 
 
 Chap. XVIII.— How the Life of Chrift is the 
 noblefl and belt Life that ever hath been or 
 can be, and how a carelefs Life of falfe 
 Freedom is the worft Life that can be . . 57 
 
 Chap. XIX. — How we cannot come to the true 
 Light and Chrift's Life, by much Queftion- 
 ing or Reading, or by high natural Skill and 
 Reafon, but by truly renouncing ourfelves 
 and all Things 60 
 
 Chap. XX.— How, feeing that the Life of Chrift 
 is moll bitter to Nature and Self, Nature will 
 have none of it, and choofeth a falfe carelefs 
 Life, as is moft convenient to herfelf . . 62 
 
 Chap. XXI. — How a Friend of Chrift willingly 
 fulfilleth by his outward Works, fuch Things 
 as muft be and ought to be, and doth not con- 
 cern himfelf with the reft 64 
 
 Chap. XXII. — Howfometimes the Spirit of God, 
 and fometimes alfo the Evil Spirit may pof- 
 fefs a Man and have the Maftery over him 66 
 
 Chap. XXIII. — How he who will fubmit himfelf 
 to God and be obedient to Him, muft be ready 
 to bear with all Things ; to wit, God, himfelf, 
 and all Creatures, and muft be obedient to 
 them all, whether he have to fufFer or to do 70 
 
 Chap. XXIV. — How that four Things are need- 
 ful before a Man can receive divine Truth 
 fand be poffefTed with the Spirit of God . . 73 
 
lxx Contents, 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. XXV. — Of two evil Fruits that do fpring 
 up from the Seed of the Evil Spirit, and are 
 two Sillers who love to dwell together. The 
 one is called fpiritual Pride and Highmind- 
 ednefs, and the other is falfe, lawlefs Free- 
 dom j6 
 
 Chap. XXVI. — Touching Poornefs of Spirit and 
 true Humility, and whereby we may difcern 
 the true and lawful free Men, whom the 
 Truth hath made free 80 
 
 Chap. XXVII.— How we are to take Chrift's 
 Words when he bade us forfake all Things ; 
 and wherein the Union with the Divine Will 
 ftandeth 89 
 
 Chap. XXVIII. — How, after a Union with the 
 Divine Will, the inward Man ftandeth im- 
 moveable, but the outward Man is moved 
 hither and thither 91 
 
 Chap. XXIX. — How a Man may not attain fo 
 high before Death as not to be touched and 
 moved by outward Things 93 
 
 Chap. XXX. — On what wife we may come to 
 be beyond and above all Cuftom, Order, Law, 
 Precepts, and the like 96 
 
 Chap. XXXI. — How we are not to call off the 
 Life of Chrift, but pra&ife it diligently, and 
 walk in it until Death 99 
 
 Chap. XXXII. — How God is a true, fimple, 
 perfect Good, and how He is a Light and a 
 Reafon and all Virtues, and how what is high- 
 eft and beft, that is, God, ought to be molt 
 loved bv us . . . . 102 
 
Contents, lxxi 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. XXXIII. — How when a Man is made 
 truly godlike, his Love is pure and unmixed, 
 and he loveth all Creatures, and doth his 
 beft for them 107 
 
 Chap. XXXIV.— How that if a Man will attain 
 unto that which is beft, he muft forfvvear his 
 own Will ; and how he who helpeth a Man 
 to his own Will helpeth him to the worft 
 Thing he can no 
 
 Chap. XXXV. — How there is deep and true 
 Humility and Foornefs of Spirit in a Man 
 who is made a Partaker of the Divine Nature 113 
 
 Chap. XXXVI. How nothing is contrary to God 
 
 but Sin only ; and what Sin is in Kind and A<51 1 1 6 
 
 Chap. XXXVII. How in God, as God, there can 
 neither be Grief, Sorrow, Difpleafure, nor 
 the like, but how it is' otherwife with a Man 
 who is made a Partaker of the Divine Nature 1 1 9 
 )hap. XXXVIII. — How we are to put on the 
 Life of Chrift from Love, and not for the 
 fake of Reward, and how we muft never grow 
 carelefs concerning it, or caft it off . . . 122 
 :hap. XXXIX.— How God will have Order, 
 Cuftom, Meafure, and the like in the Crea- 
 ture, feeing that he cannot have them with- 
 out the Creature, and of four forts of Men 
 who are concerned with this Order, Law and 
 
 Cuftom 125 
 
 'hap. XL. — A good Account of the Falfe Light 
 
 and its Kind 129 
 
 )hap. XLI. — How he that is to be called and is 
 truly a Partaker of the Divine Nature, who 
 
lxxii Contents. 
 
 Page 
 
 is illuminated with the Divine Light, and in- 
 flamed with Eternal Love, and how Light 
 and Knowledge are worth nothing without 
 
 Love 141 
 
 Chap. XLII. — A Queftion : whetherit be pof- 
 fible to know God and not love Him ; and 
 how there are two kinds of Light and Love, 
 
 a true and a falfe 145 
 
 Chap. XLIII. — Whereby we may know a Man 
 who is a Partaker of the Divine Nature, and 
 what belongeth unto him; and further, what 
 is the token of a Falfe Light and a Falfe Free- 
 
 Thinker 152 
 
 Chap. XLIV. — How nothing is contrary to God 
 but Self-will, and how he who feeketh his 
 own Good for his own fake findeth it not; and 
 how a Man of himfelf neither knoweth nor 
 
 can do any good Thing 160 
 
 Chap. XLV. — How that where there is a Chrif- 
 tian life, Chrift dwelleth, and how Chrift's 
 Life is the bell and mod admirable Life that 
 
 ever hath been or can be 164 
 
 Chap. XLVI. — How entire Satisfaction and true 
 Reft are to be found in God alone, and not 
 in any Creature ; and how he who will be 
 obedient to God, mull be obedient to the 
 Creatures with all Quietnefs, and he who 
 would love God, mull love all Things in One 1 66 
 Chap. XLVIL— A Queftion : Whether if we 
 ought to love all Things, we ought to love 
 
 Sin alfo ? 170 
 
 Chap. XLVIII. — How we mull believe certain 
 
 
Contents. lxxiii 
 
 Page 
 
 Things of God's Truth beforehand, ere we 
 can come to a True Knowledge and Experi- 
 ence thereof 172 
 
 Chap. XLIX.— Of Self-will, and how Lucifer 
 and Adam fell away from God through Self- 
 will 173 
 
 Chap. L. — How this prefent Time is a Para- 
 dife and Outer Court of Heaven, and how 
 therein there is only one Tree forbidden, 
 that is, Self-will 174 
 
 Chap. LI. — Wherefore God hath created Self- 
 will, feeing that it is fo contrary to Him . 176 
 
 Chap. LII. — How we mufl take that Saying of 
 Chrift : " No Man cometh unto the Father 
 but by me" 188 
 
 Chap. LIIL— Confidereth that other Saying of 
 Chrift : "No Man can come unto me except 
 the Father which hath fent me draw him " 192 
 
 Chap. LIV. — How a Man mall not feek his own, 
 either in Things fpiritual or natural, but the 
 Honour of God only ; and how he mull en- 
 ter in by the right Door, to wit, by Chrift, 
 into Eternity 200 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 138, line 9 from bottom, for " Him " read " him." 
 168, line 6 from bottom, for " in One as All, One 
 
 and All," read " in One as One and All." 
 177, line 6 from top, for " and " read " nor." 
 
a preface* 
 
 C&iglittleBoo^atlj tlje&lmtgfttg and (Eternal 
 
 (0od Cpoken bj tlje moutlj of a totfe, undertf and= 
 
 mg, faitfjful, righteous man, tyi$ friend, tojjo 
 
 aforetime toag of tfte teutonic order, a ^rieft 
 
 anti a fliilarden in tje Ijoufe of tlje teutonic 
 
 order in franfcfort : and it gitied) muclj pre= 
 
 cious inag;t)t into dfoine trutlj, and especially 
 
 teac^ett) tjoto and toljerebp toemay difcern 
 
 tlje true and upright jFriendg of 
 
 d5od from tljofe unrighteous 
 
 and falfe freethinkers, 
 
 toljo are motf ljurt= 
 
 fuitot^e^ol^ 
 
 CljurcfK 
 
Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Of that which is perfect and that which is 
 in part, and how that which is in part is 
 done away, when that which is perfect is 
 come. 
 
 T. PAUL faith, - When that 
 which is perfect is come, then 
 that which is in part fhall be 
 done away." * Now mark what is "that 
 which is perfect," and " that which is 
 in part." 
 
 " That which is perfect" is a Being, 
 
 who hath comprehended and included 
 
 all things in Himfelf and His own Sub- 
 
 ftance, and without whom, and belide 
 
 * I Cor. xiii. 10. 
 
 B 
 
Theologia Germanica. 
 
 whom, there is no true Subftance, and 
 in whom all things have their Subftance. 
 For He is the Subftance of all things, 
 and is in Himfelf unchangeable and 
 immoveable, and changeth and moveth 
 all things elfe. But " that which is 
 in part," or the Imperfect, is that which 
 hath its fource in, or fpringeth from the 
 Perfect ; juft as a brightnefs or a vifible 
 appearance floweth out from the fun or 
 a candle, and appeareth to be fome- 
 what, this or that. And it is called a 
 creature; and of all thefe "things which 
 are in part," none is the Perfect. So 
 alfo the Perfect is none of the things 
 which are in part. The things which 
 are in part can be apprehended, known, 
 and expreffed; but the Perfect cannot 
 be apprehended, known, or expreffed 
 by any creature as creature. There- 
 fore we do not give a name to the Per- 
 fect, for it is none of thefe. The crea- 
 ture as creature cannot know nor ap- 
 prehend it, name nor conceive it. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 " Now when that which is Perfecfl 
 is come, then that which is in part {hall 
 be done away." But when doth it 
 come ? I fay, when as much as may be, 
 it is known, felt and tafted of the foul. 
 [For the lack lieth altogether in us, 
 and not in it. In like manner the fun 
 lighteth the whole world, and is as 
 near to one as another, yet a blind 
 man feeth it not ; but the fault thereof 
 lieth in the blind man, not in the fun. 
 And like as the fun may not hide its 
 brightnefs, but muft give light unto 
 the earth (for heaven indeed draweth 
 its light and heat from another foun- 
 tain), fo alfo God, who is the higheft 
 Good, willeth not to hide Himfelf from 
 any, wherefoever He findeth a devout 
 foul, that is thoroughly purified from 
 all creatures. For in what meafure we 
 put off the creature, in the fame mea- 
 fure are we able to put on the Creator ; 
 neither more nor lefs. For if mine eye 
 is to fee anything, it muft be fingle, or 
 
Theologia Germanica, 
 
 elfe be purified from all other things; 
 and where heat and light enter in, cold 
 and darknefs muft needs depart ; it can- 
 not be otherwife.] 
 
 But one might fay, " Now fince 
 the Perfect cannot be known nor ap- 
 prehended of any creature, but the foul 
 is a creature, how can it be known by 
 the foul ?" Anfwer : This is why we 
 fay, " by the foul as a creature'' We 
 mean it is impoffible to the creature in 
 virtue of its creature-nature and quali- 
 ties, that by which it faith " I" and 
 " myfelf." For in whatfoever creature 
 the Perfect (hall be known, therein crea- 
 ture-nature, qualities, the I, the Self and 
 the like, muft all be loft and done away. 
 This is the meaning of that faying of 
 St. Paul: " When that which is perfect 
 is come," (that is, when it is known,) 
 " then that which is in part" (to wit, 
 creature-nature, qualities, the I, the Self, 
 the Mine) will be defpifed and counted 
 for nought. So long as we think much 
 
Theologia Germanica, 
 
 of thefe things, cleave to them with 
 love, joy, pleafure or defire, fo long re- 
 maineth the Perfect unknown to us. 
 
 But it might further be faid, " Thou 
 fayeft, befide the Perfect there is no Sub- 
 ftance, yet fayeft again that fomewhat 
 floweth out from it : now is not that 
 which hath flowed out from it, fome- 
 thing befide it?" Anfwer : This is 
 why we fay, befide it, or without it, 
 there is no true Subftance. That which 
 hath flowed forth from it, is no true 
 Subftance, and hath no Subftance except 
 in the Perfect, but is an accident, or a 
 brightnefs, or a vifible appearance, 
 which is no Subftance, and hath no 
 Subftance except in the fire whence the 
 brightnefs flowed forth, fuch as the fun 
 or a candle. 
 
6 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of what Sin is, and how we muft not take 
 unto our/elves any good Thing, feeing that 
 it belongeth unto the true Good alone. 
 
 HE Scripture and the Faith and 
 the Truth fay, Sin is nought 
 elfe, but that the creature turn- 
 eth away from the unchangeable Good 
 and betaketh itfelf to the changeable ; 
 that is to fay, that it turneth away from 
 the Perfect, to " that which is in part" 
 and imperfect, and moft often to itfelf. 
 Now mark : when the creature claim- 
 eth for its own anything good, fuch as 
 Subftance, Life, Knowledge, Power, 
 and in fhort whatever we mould call 
 good, as if it were that, or poifefled 
 that, or that were itfelf, or that pro- 
 ceeded from it, — as often as this Com- 
 eth to pafs, the creature goeth aftray. 
 What did the devil do elfe, or what 
 
Theologia Germanica, 
 
 was his going aftray and his fall elfe, 
 but that he claimed for himfelf to be 
 alfo fomewhat, and would have it that 
 fomewhat was his, and fomewhat was 
 due to him ? This fetting up of a claim 
 and his I and Me and Mine, thefe were 
 his going aftray, and his fall. And 
 thus it is to this day. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 How Man's Fall and going aftray muft be 
 amended as Adam's Fall was, 
 
 HAT elfe did Adam do but 
 this fame thing? It is faid, 
 it was becaufe Adam ate the 
 apple that he was loft, or fell. I fay, it 
 was becaufe of his claiming fomething 
 for his own, and becaufe of his I, Mine, 
 Me, and the like. Had he eaten feven 
 apples, and yet never claimed anything 
 for his own, he would not have fall- 
 en : but as foon as he called fomething 
 
8 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 his own, he fell, and would have fallen 
 if he had never touched an apple. Be- 
 hold ! I have fallen a hundred times 
 more often and deeply, and gone a hun- 
 dred times farther aftray than Adam ; 
 and not all mankind could amend his 
 fall, or bring him back from going 
 aftray. But how mail my fall be 
 amended ? It muft be healed as Adam's 
 fall was healed, and on the felf-fame 
 wife. By whom, and on what wife 
 was that healing brought to pafs ? Mark 
 this : man could not without God, and 
 God fhould not without man. Where- 
 fore God took human nature or man- 
 hood upon himfelf and was made man, 
 and man was made divine. Thus the 
 healing was brought to pafs. So alfo 
 muft my fall be healed. I cannot do the 
 work without God, and God may not 
 or will not without me; for if it fhall 
 be accomplished, in me, too, God muft 
 be made man ; in fuch fort that God 
 muft take to himfelf all that is in me, 
 
Theologia Germanica. 9 
 
 within and without, fo that there may- 
 be nothing in me which flriveth againft 
 God or hindereth his work. Now if 
 God took to himielf all men that are 
 in the world, or ever were, and were 
 made man in them, and they were made 
 divine in him, and this work were not 
 fulfilled in me, my fall and my wander- 
 ing would never be amended except it 
 were fulfilled in me alfo. And in this 
 bringing back and healing, I can, or 
 may, or mail do nothing of myfelf, but 
 juft limply yield to God, fo that He 
 alone may do all things in me and work, 
 and I may fuffer him and all his work 
 and his divine will. And becaufe I will 
 not do fo, but I count myfelf to be 
 my own, and fay " I,' 5 " mine," " me" 
 and the like, God is hindered, fo that 
 he cannot do his work in me alone and 
 without hindrance ; for this caufe my 
 fall and my going aftray remain un- 
 healed. Behold ! this all cometh of 
 my claiming fomewhat for my own. 
 
io Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 How Man, when he claimeth any good Thing 
 for his own^fallethy and toucheth God in his 
 Honour. 
 
 0D faith, " I will not give my 
 glory to another."* This is 
 as much as to fay, that praife 
 and honour and glory belong to none 
 but to God only. But now, if I call 
 any good thing my own, as if I were 
 it, or of myfelf had power or did or 
 knew anything, or as if anything were 
 mine or of me, or belonged to me, 
 or were due to me or the like, I take 
 unto myfelf fomewhat of honour and 
 glory, and do two evil things : Firft, I 
 fall and go aftray as aforefaid : Secondly, 
 I touch God in his honour and take 
 unto myfelf what belongeth to God 
 
 * Ifaiah xlii. 8. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 
 
 1 1 
 
 only. For all that muft be called good 
 belongeth to none but to the true eter- 
 nal Goodnefs which is God only, and 
 whofo taketh it unto himfelf, com mi t- 
 teth unrighteoufnefs and is againft God. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 How we are to take that Saying, that we muft 
 come to be without Will, Wifdom, Love, De- 
 Jire, Knowledge, and the like. 
 
 ERTAIN men fay that we 
 ought to be without will, wif- 
 dom, love, defire, knowledge, 
 and the like. Hereby is not to be under- 
 ftood that there is to be no knowledge 
 in man, and that God is not to be loved 
 by him, nor defired and longed for, nor 
 praifed and honoured ; for that were a 
 great lofs, and man were like the beafts 
 [and as the brutes that have no reafon.] 
 But it meaneth that man's knowledge 
 
12 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 mould be fo clear and perfect that he 
 mould acknowledge of a truth [that 
 in himfelf he neither hath nor can do 
 any good thing, and that none of his 
 knowledge, wifdom and art, his will, 
 love and good works do come from 
 himfelf, nor are of man, nor of any crea- 
 ture, but] that all thefe are of the eter- 
 nal God, from whom they all proceed. 
 [As Chrift himfelf faith, " Without 
 me, ye can do nothing."* St. Paul 
 faith alfo, " What haft thou that thou 
 haft not received ?"-f As much as to 
 fay — nothing. " Now if thou didft 
 receive it, why doft thou glory as if 
 thou hadft not received it ? " Again he 
 faith, " Not that we are fufficient of 
 ourfelves to think anything as of our- 
 felves, but our fufficiency is of God. "J] 
 Now when a man duly perceiveth thefe 
 things in himfelf, he and the creature 
 fall behind, and he doth not call any 
 thing his own, and the lefs he taketh 
 
 * John xv. 5. f I Cor. iv. 7. J 2 Cor. iii. 5. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 13 
 
 this knowledge unto himfelf, the more 
 perfect doth it become. So alfo is it 
 with the will, and love and defire, and 
 the like. For the lefs we call thefe 
 things our own, the more perfect and 
 noble and godlike do they become, and 
 the more we think them our own, the 
 bafer and lefs pure and perfect do they 
 become. 
 
 Behold on this fort muft we caft all 
 things from us, and ftrip ourfelves of 
 them ; we muft refrain from claiming 
 anything for our own. When we do 
 this, we fhall have the beft, fulleft, 
 cleareft and nobleft knowledge that a 
 man can have, and alfo the nobleft and 
 pureft love, will and defire; for then 
 thefe will be all of God alone. It is 
 much better that they mould be God's 
 than the creature's. Now that I afcribe 
 anything good to myfelf, as if I were, 
 or had done, or knew, or could perform 
 any good thing, or that it were mine, 
 this is all of fin and folly. For if the 
 
14 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 truth were rightly known by me, I 
 fhould alfo know that I am not that 
 good thing and that it is not mine, nor 
 of me, and that I do not know it, and 
 cannot do it, and the like. If this came 
 to pafs, I fhould needs ceafe to call any- 
 thing my own. 
 
 It is better that God, or his works, 
 fhould be known, as far as it be poffi- 
 ble to us, and loved, praifed and ho- 
 noured, and the like, and even that man 
 fhould but vainly imagine he loveth 
 or praifeth God, than that God fhould 
 be altogether unpraifed, unloved, un- 
 honoured and unknown. For when 
 the vain imagination and ignorance are 
 turned into an understanding and know- 
 ledge of the truth, the claiming any- 
 thing for our own will ceafe of itfelf. 
 Then the man fays : Behold ! I, poor 
 fool that I was, imagined it was I, but 
 behold ! it is, and was, of a truth, God !" 
 
Theologia Germanica. 15 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 How that which is beft and nobleft Jhould alfo 
 be loved above all things by us, merely be- 
 cause it is the beft, 
 
 MASTER called Boetius 
 faith, " It is of fin that we 
 do not love that which is 
 Beft." He hath fpoken the truth. 
 That which is beft fhould be the dear- 
 eft of all things to us ; and in our love 
 of it, neither helpfulnefs nor unhelp- 
 fulnefs, advantage nor injury, gain nor 
 lofs, honour nor difhonour, praife nor 
 blame, nor anything of the kind fhould 
 be regarded ; but what is in truth the 
 nobleft and beft of all things, fhould 
 be alfo the deareft of all things, and 
 that for no other caufe than that it is 
 the nobleft and beft. 
 
 Hereby may a man order his life 
 
1 6 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 within and without. His outward life : 
 for among the creatures one is better 
 than another, according as the Eternal 
 Good manifefteth itfelf and worketh 
 more in one than in another. Now 
 that creature in which the Eternal 
 Good moft manifefteth itfelf, fhineth 
 forth, worketh, is moft known and 
 loved, is the beft, and that wherein the 
 Eternal Good is leaft manifefted is the 
 leaft good of all creatures. Therefore 
 when we have to do with the creatures 
 and hold converfe with them, and take 
 note of their diverfe qualities, the beft 
 creatures muft always be the deareft to 
 us, and we muft cleave to them, and 
 unite ourfelves to them, above all to 
 thofe which we attribute to God as 
 belonging to him or divine, fuch as 
 wifdom, truth, kindnefs, peace, love, 
 juftice, and the like. Hereby mail 
 we order our outward man, and all that 
 is contrary to thefe virtues we muft 
 efchew and flee from. 
 
Theologia Germanica. ij 
 
 But if our inward man were to make 
 a leap and fpring into the Perfect, we 
 mould find and tafte how that the Per- 
 fect is without meafure, number or end, 
 better and nobler than all which is im- 
 perfect and in part, and the Eternal 
 above the temporal or perifhable, and 
 the fountain and fource above all that 
 floweth or can ever flow from it. Thus 
 that which is imperfect: and in part 
 would become taftelefs and be as no- 
 thing to us. Be allured of this : All 
 that we have faid muft come to pafs if 
 we are to love that which is nobleft, 
 higher! and beft. 
 
18 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of the Eyes of the Spirit wherewith Man look- 
 eth into Eternity and into lUme^ and how the 
 one is hindered of the other in its Working. 
 
 ET us remember how it is 
 written and faid that the foul 
 of Chrift had two eyes, a 
 right and a left eye. In the beginning, 
 when the foul of Chrift was created, 
 fhe fixed her right eye upon eternity 
 and the Godhead, and remained in the 
 full intuition and enjoyment of the 
 Divine EfTence and Eternal Perfection ; 
 and continued thus unmoved and un- 
 difturbed by all the accidents and tra- 
 vail, fuffering, torment and pain that 
 ever befell the outward man. But with 
 the left eye fhe beheld the creature 
 and perceived all things therein, and 
 took note of the difference between the 
 
Theolgoia Gernianica. 19 
 
 creatures, which were better or worfe, 
 nobler or meaner ; and thereafter was 
 the outward man of Chrift ordered. 
 
 Thus the inner man of Chrift, ac- 
 cording to the right eye of his foul, 
 flood in the full exercife of his divine 
 nature, in perfect bleffednefs, joy and 
 eternal peace. But the outward man 
 and the left eye of ChrirVs foul, flood 
 with him in perfect fuffering, in all 
 tribulation, affliction and travail ; and 
 this in fuch fort that the inward and 
 right eye remained unmoved, unhin- 
 dered and untouched by all the travail, 
 fufFering, grief and anguifh that ever 
 befell the outward man. It hath been 
 faid that when Chrift was bound to the 
 pillar and fcourged, and when he hung 
 upon the crofs, according to the out- 
 ward man, yet his inner man, or foul 
 according to the right eye, ftood in as 
 full poffeflion of divine joy and bleffed- 
 nefs as it did after his afcenfion, or as 
 it doth now. In like manner his out- 
 
20 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 ward man, or foul with the left eye, 
 was never hindered, difturbed or trou- 
 bled by the inward eye in its contem- 
 plation of the outward things that be- 
 longed to it. 
 
 Now the created foul of man hath 
 alfo two eyes. The one is the power 
 of feeing into eternity, the other of 
 feeing into time and the creatures, of 
 perceiving how they differ from each 
 other as aforefaid, of giving life and 
 needful things to the body, and order- 
 ing and governing it for the beft. But 
 thefe two eyes of the foul of man can- 
 not both perform their work at once ; 
 but if the foul fhall fee with the right 
 eye into eternity, then the left eye muft 
 clofe itfelf and refrain from working, 
 and be as though it were dead. For if 
 the left eye be fulfilling its office toward 
 outward things ; that is, holding con- 
 verfe with time and the creatures ; then 
 muft the right eye be hindered in its 
 working ; that is, in its contemplation. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 21 
 
 Therefore whofoever will have the one 
 muft let the other go ; for " no man 
 can ferve two mailers." 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 How the Soul of Man, while it is yet in the Body, 
 may obtain a Foretafte of eternal Blejfednefs. 
 
 T hath been afked whether it 
 be poffible for the foul, while 
 it is yet in the body, to reach 
 fo high as to caft a glance into eternity, 
 and receive a foretafte of eternal life and 
 eternal bleflednefs. This is commonly 
 denied ; and truly fo in a fenfe. For 
 it indeed cannot be fo long as the foul 
 is taking heed to the body, and the 
 things which minifter and appertain 
 thereto, and to time and the creature, 
 and is difturbed and troubled and dif- 
 tradled thereby. For if the foul fhall 
 rife to fuch a ftate, me muft be quite 
 
22 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 pure, wholly ftripped and bare of all 
 images, and be entirely feparate from 
 all creatures, and above all from herfelf. 
 Now many think this is not to be done 
 and is impoffible in this prefent time. 
 But St. Dionyfius maintains that it is 
 poffible, as we find from his words in 
 his Epiftle to Timothy, where he faith: 
 " For the beholding of the hidden 
 things of God, malt thou forfake fenfe 
 and the things of the flefh, and all that 
 the fenfes can apprehend, and that rea- 
 fon of her own powers can bring forth, 
 and all things created and uncreated 
 that reafon is able to comprehend and 
 know, and malt take thy fland upon 
 an utter abandonment of thyfelf, and 
 as knowing none of the aforefaid things, 
 and enter into union with Him who is, 
 and who is above all exiftence and all 
 knowledge." Now if he did not hold 
 this to be poffible in this prefent time, 
 why ihould he teach it and enjoin it on 
 us in this prefent time ? But it be- 
 
Theologta Germa?uca. 23 
 
 hoveth you to know that a mafter hath 
 faid on this paflage of St. Dionylius, 
 that it is poffible, and may happen to 
 a man often, till he become fo accuf- 
 tomed to it, as to be able to look into 
 eternity whenever he will. [For when 
 a thing is at firft very hard to a man 
 and ftrange, and feemingly quite im- 
 poflible, if he put all his ftrength and 
 energy into it, and perfevere therein, 
 that will afterward grow quite light 
 and eafy, which he at firft thought 
 quite out of reach, feeing that it is of 
 no ufe to begin any work, unlefs it may 
 be brought to a good end.] 
 
 And a fingle one of thefe excellent 
 glances is better, worthier, higher and 
 more pleafing to God, than all that the 
 creature can perform as a creature. 
 [And as foon as a man turneth him- 
 felf in fpirit, and with his whole heart 
 and mind entereth into the mind of 
 God which is above time, all that ever 
 he hath loft is reftored in a moment. 
 
24 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 And if a man were to do thus a thou- 
 fand times in a day, each time a frefh 
 and real union would take place ; and 
 in this fweet and divine work ftandeth 
 the trueft and fulleft union that may- 
 be in this prefent time. For he who 
 hath attained thereto, afketh nothing 
 further, for he hath found the Kingdom 
 of Heaven and Eternal Life on earth.] 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 How it is better and more profitable for a Man 
 that he fhould perceive what God will do 
 with him, or to what end He will make Ufe 
 of him, than if he knew all that God had 
 ever wrought, or would ever work through 
 all the Creatures ; and how Blejfednejs lieth 
 alone in God, and not in the Creatures, or 
 in any Works. 
 
 E mould mark and know of a 
 very truth that all manner of 
 virtue and goodnefs, and even 
 that Eternal Good which is God Him- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 25 
 
 felf, can never make a man virtuous, 
 good, or happy, fo long as it is outfide 
 the foul ; [that is, fo long as the man 
 is holding converfe with outward things 
 through his fenfes and reafon, and doth 
 not withdraw into himfelf and learn to 
 understand his own life, who and what 
 he is.] The like is true of fin and evil. 
 [For all manner of fin and wickednefs 
 can never make us evil, fo long as it is 
 outfide of us ; that is, fo long as we do 
 not commit it, or do not give confent 
 to it.] 
 
 Therefore although it be good and 
 profitable that we fhould afk, and learn 
 and know, what good and holy men 
 have wrought and fuflfered, and how 
 God hath dealt with them, and what he 
 hath wrought in and through them, yet 
 it were a thoufand times better that we 
 fhould in ourfelves learn and perceive 
 and underftand, who we are, how and 
 what our own life is, what God is and 
 is doing in us, what he will have from 
 
26 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 us, and to what ends he will or will 
 not make ufe of us. [For, of a truth, 
 thoroughly to know onefelf, is above 
 all art, for it is the higher! art. If thou 
 knoweft thyfelf well, thou art better 
 and more praifeworthy before God, 
 than if thou didft not know thyfelf, 
 but didft underftand the courfe of the 
 heavens and of all the planets and ftars, 
 alfo the virtue of all herbs, and the 
 ftructure and difpofitions of all man- 
 kind, alfo the nature of all beafts, and, 
 in fuch matters, hadft all the fkill of 
 all who are in heaven and on earth. 
 For it is faid, there came a voice from 
 heaven, faying, " Man, know thyfelf."] 
 Thus that proverb is ftill true, " going 
 out were never fo good, but flaying at 
 home were much better." 
 
 Further, ye mould learn that eternal 
 bleffednefs lieth in one thing alone, and 
 in nought elfe. And if ever man or 
 the foul is to be made bleifed, that one 
 thing alone muft be in the foul. Now 
 
Theologia Germanka. 27 
 
 fome might afk, " But what is that 
 one thing?" I anfwer, it is Goodnefs, 
 or that which hath been made good, 
 and yet neither this good nor that, 
 which we can name, or perceive or 
 mow ; but it is all and above all good 
 things. 
 
 Moreover, it needeth not to enter 
 into the foul, for it is there already, 
 only it is unperceived. When we fay 
 we mould come unto it, we mean that 
 we mould feek it, feel it, and tafte it. 
 And now fince it is One, unity and 
 finglenefs is better than manifoldnefs. 
 For bleiTednefs lieth not in much and 
 many, but in One and onenefs. In one 
 word, blefTednefs lieth not in any crea- 
 ture, or work of the creatures, but it 
 lieth alone in God and in his works. 
 Therefore I muft wait only on God 
 and his work, and leave on one fide all 
 creatures with their works, and firfl: of 
 all myfelf. In like manner all the great 
 works and wonders that God has ever 
 
28 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 wrought or lhall ever work in or 
 through the creatures, or even God 
 himfelf with all his goodnefs, fo far as 
 thefe things exifl or are done outfide 
 of me, can never make me bleffed, but 
 only in fo far as they exift and are done 
 and loved, known, tailed and felt within 
 me. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 How the per feci Men have no other Defire than 
 that they may he to the Eternal Goodnefs 
 what his Hand is to a Man, and how they 
 have loft the Fear of Hell, and Hope of 
 Heaven. 
 
 OW let us mark : Where 
 men are enlightened with the 
 true light, they perceive that 
 all which they might defire or choofe, 
 is nothing to that which all creatures, 
 as creatures, ever defired or chofe or 
 knew. Therefore they renounce all 
 
Theologia Germanica. 29 
 
 defire and choice, and commit and com- 
 mend themfelves and all things to the 
 Eternal Goodnefs. Neverthelefs, there 
 remaineth in them a defire to go for- 
 ward and get nearer to the Eternal 
 Goodnefs ; that is, to come to a clearer 
 knowledge, and warmer love, and more 
 comfortable arTurance, and perfect obe- 
 dience and fubjection ; fo that every 
 enlightened man could fay : " I would 
 fain be to the Eternal Goodnefs, what 
 his own hand is to a man." And he 
 feareth always that he is not enough 
 fo, and longeth for the falvation of all 
 men. And fuch men do not call this 
 longing their own, nor take it unto 
 themfelves, for they know well that 
 this defire is not of man, but of the 
 Eternal Goodnefs ; for whatfoever is 
 good mall no one take unto himfelf as 
 ; his own, feeing that it belongeth to 
 the Eternal Goodnefs only. 
 
 Moreover, thefe men are in a ftate 
 of freedom, becaufe they have loft the 
 
30 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 fear of pain or hell, and the hope of 
 reward or heaven, but are living in pure 
 fubmiflion to the Eternal Goodnefs, in 
 the perfect freedom of fervent love. 
 This mind was in Chrift in perfedtion, 
 and is alfoin his followers, in fomemore, 
 and in fome lefs. But it is a forrow and 
 fhame to think that the Eternal Good- 
 nefs is ever moft gracioufly guiding 
 and drawing us, and we will not yield 
 to it. What is better and nobler than 
 true poornefs in fpirit ? Yet when that 
 is held up before us, we will have none 
 of it, but are always feeking ourfelves, 
 and our own things. [We like to have 
 our mouths always filled with good 
 things,] that we may have in ourfelves 
 a lively tafte of pleafure and fweetnefs. 
 When this is fo, we are well pleafed, 
 and think it ftandeth not amifs with us. 
 [But we are yet a long way off from a 
 perfect life. For when God will draw 
 us up to fomething higher, that is, to 
 an utter lofs and forfaking of our own 
 
Theologia Germanica. 31 
 
 things, fpiritual and natural, and with- 
 draweth his comfort and fweetnefs from 
 us, we faint and are troubled, and can 
 in no wife bring our minds to it ; and 
 we forget God and neglect holy exer- 
 cifes, and fancy we are loft for ever.] 
 This is a great error and a bad fign. 
 For a true lover of God, loveth him or 
 the Eternal Goodnefs alike, in having, 
 and in not having, in fweetnefs and bit- 
 ternefs, in good or evil report, and the 
 like, for he feeketh alone the honour 
 of God, and not his own, either in fpi- 
 ritual or natural things. And there- 
 fore he ftandeth alike unihaken in all 
 things, at all feafons. [Hereby let every 
 man prove himfelf, how he ftandeth 
 towards God, his Creator and Lord.] 
 
32 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 How a righteous Man in this prefent 'Time is 
 brought into Hell, and there cannot be com- 
 forted^ and how he is taken out of Hell and 
 carried into Heaven^ and there cannot be 
 troubled. 
 
 HRISTS foul muft needs de- 
 fcend into hell, before it af- 
 cended into heaven. So muft 
 alfo the foul of man. But mark ye 
 in what manner this cometh to pafs. 
 When a man truly perceiveth and con- 
 fidereth himfelf, who and what he is, 
 and findeth himfelf utterly vile and 
 wicked, and unworthy of all the com- 
 fort and kindnefs that he hath ever re- 
 ceived from God, or from the creatures, 
 he falleth into fuch a deep abafement 
 and defpifing of himfelf, that he think- 
 eth himfelf unworthy that the earth 
 
Theologia Germanica. 33 
 
 mould bear him, and it feemeth to him 
 reafonable that all creatures in heaven 
 and earth fhould rife up againft him and 
 avenge their Creator on him, and mould 
 punim and torment him ; and that he 
 were unworthy even of that. And it 
 feemeth to him that he mail be eter- 
 nally loft and damned, and a footftool 
 to all the devils in hell, and that this 
 is right and juft, [and all too little com- 
 pared to his fins which he fo often and 
 in fo many ways hath committed againft 
 God his Creator.] And therefore alfo 
 he will not and dare not defire any 
 confolation or releafe, either from God 
 or from any creature that is in heaven 
 or on earth ; but he is willing to be un- 
 confoled and unreleafed, and he doth 
 not grieve over his condemnation and 
 fuiferings ; for they are right and juft, 
 and not contrary to God, but according 
 to the will of God. Therefore they 
 are right in his eyes, and he hath no- 
 thing to fay againft them. Nothing 
 
 D 
 
34 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 grieveth him but his own guilt and 
 wickednefs ; for that is not right and 
 is contrary to God, and for that caufe 
 he is grieved and troubled in fpirit. 
 
 This is what is meant by true re- 
 pentance for fin. And he who in this 
 prefent time entereth into this hell, en- 
 tereth afterward into the Kingdom of 
 Heaven, and obtaineth aforetafte there- 
 of which excelleth all the delight and 
 joy which he ever hath had or could 
 have in this prefent time from tem- 
 poral things. But whilft a man is 
 thus in hell, none may confole him, 
 neither God nor the creature, as it is 
 written " In hell there is no redemp- 
 tion."* Of this ftate hath one faid, 
 " Let me perifh, let me die ! I live 
 without hope ; from within and from 
 without I am condemned, let no one 
 pray that I may be releafed." 
 
 Now God hath not forfaken a man 
 
 in this hell, but He is laying His 
 
 # The writer is probably alluding to Ps. xlix. 8. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 35 
 
 hand upon him, that the man may 
 not defire nor regard anything but 
 the Eternal Good only, and may come 
 to know that that is fo noble and paff- 
 ing good, that none can fearch out 
 or exprefs its blifs, confolation and joy, 
 peace, reft and fatisfaction. And then, 
 when the man neither careth for, nor 
 feeketh, nor defireth, anything but the 
 Eternal Good alone, and feeketh not 
 himfelf, nor his own things, but the 
 honour of God only, he is made a par- 
 taker of all manner of joy, blifs, peace, 
 reft and confolation, and fo the man is 
 henceforth in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 This hell and this heaven are two 
 good, fafe ways for a man in this pre- 
 fent time, and happy is he who truly 
 findeth them. For this hell paffeth 
 away, and the Kingdom of Heaven 
 endureth. 
 
 Alfo let a man mark, when he is in 
 this hell, nothing may confole him ; 
 and he cannot believe that he mail ever 
 
36 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 be releafed or comforted. But when 
 he is in heaven, nothing can trouble 
 him ; he believeth alfo that none will 
 ever be able to offend or trouble him, 
 albeit it is indeed true, that after this 
 hell he may be comforted and releafed, 
 and after this heaven he may be trou- 
 bled and left without confolation. 
 
 Again : this hell and this heaven 
 come about a man in fuch fort, that he 
 knoweth not whence they come ; and 
 whether they come to him, or depart 
 from him, he can of himfelf do nothing 
 towards it. Of thefe things he can 
 neither give nor take away from him- 
 felf, bring them nor banifh them, but 
 as it is written, " The wind bloweth 
 where it lifteth, and thou heareft the 
 found thereof," that is to fay, at this 
 time prefent, " but thou knoweft not 
 whence it cometh, nor whither it go- 
 eth."* And when a man is in one of 
 thefe two ftates, all is right with him, 
 * John iii. 8. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 37 
 
 and he is as fafe in hell as in heaven, 
 and fo long as a man is on earth, it is 
 poffible for him to pafs ofttimes from 
 the one into the other ; nay even within 
 the fpace of a day and night, and all 
 without his own doing. But when the 
 man is in neither of thefe two ftates he 
 holdeth converfe with the creature, and 
 wavereth hither and thither, and know- 
 eth not what manner of man he is. 
 Therefore he mall never forget either 
 of them, but lay up the remembrance 
 of them in his heart. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 "Touching that true inward Peace, which Chrift 
 left to his Difciples at the laft. 
 
 ANY fay they have no peace 
 nor reft, but fo many croffes 
 and trials, afflictions and for- 
 rows, that they know not how they 
 mail ever get through them. Now he 
 
38 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 who in truth will perceive and take 
 note, perceiveth clearly, that true peace 
 and reft lie not in outward things ; for 
 if it were fo, the Evil Spirit alfo would 
 have peace when things go according 
 to his will, [which is nowife the cafe ; 
 for the prophet declareth " There is no 
 peace, faith my God, to the wicked."*] 
 And therefore we muft confider and fee 
 what is that peace which Chrift left to 
 his difciples at the laft, when he faid : 
 " My peace I leave with you, my peace 
 I give unto you."-f- [We may perceive 
 that in thefe words Chrift did not 
 mean a bodily and outward peace ; for 
 his beloved difciples, with all his friends 
 and followers, have ever furTered, from 
 the beginning, great affliction, perfe- 
 ction, nay, often martyrdom, as Chrift 
 himfelf faid: " In this world ye mail 
 have tribulation." J But Chrift meant 
 that true, inward peace of the heart, 
 
 * Ifaiah lvii. 21. f John xiv. 27. 
 
 t John xvi. 33. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 39 
 
 which beginneth here, and endureth 
 for ever hereafter. Therefore he faid] : 
 " not as the world giveth," for the 
 world is falfe, and deceiveth in her 
 gifts ; [fhe promifeth much, and per- 
 formeth little. Moreover there liveth 
 no man on earth who may always have 
 reft and peace without troubles and 
 croffes, with whom things always go 
 according to his will ; there is always 
 fomething to be fuffered here, turn 
 which way you will. And as foon as 
 you are quit of one affault, perhaps two 
 come in its place. Wherefore yield thy- 
 felf willingly to them, and feek only 
 that true peace of the heart, which none 
 can take away from thee, that thou 
 mayeft overcome all affaults.] 
 
 I Thus then, Chrift meant that inward 
 peace which can break through all af- 
 faults and crofTes of oppreffion, furTer- 
 ing, mifery, humiliation and what more 
 there may be of the like, (o that a man 
 may be joyful and patient therein, like 
 
40 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 the beloved difciples and followers of 
 Chrift. Now he who will in love give 
 his whole diligence and might thereto, 
 will verily come to know that true 
 eternal peace which is God Himfelf, 
 as far as it is poffible to a creature ; 
 [infomuch that what was bitter to him 
 before, mail become fweet, and his 
 heart fhall remain unmoved under all 
 changes, at all times, and after this life, 
 he mall attain unto everlafting peace.] 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 How a Man may cafi afide Images toofoon. 
 AULERfaith: « there befome 
 
 men at the prefent time, who 
 take leave of types and fym- 
 doIs too foon, before they have drawn 
 out all the truth and inftruclion con- 
 tained therein." Hence they are fcarcely 
 or perhaps never able to underftand the 
 
Theologia Germantca. 41 
 
 truth aright.* [For fuch men will 
 follow no one, and lean unto their own 
 underftandings, and defire to fly before 
 they are fledged. They would fain 
 mount up to heaven in one flight ; al- 
 beit Chrift did not fo, for after his re- 
 furrection, he remained full forty days 
 with his beloved difciples. No one 
 can be made perfect in a day. A man 
 muft begin by denying himfelf, and 
 willingly forfaking all things for God's 
 fake, and muft give up his own will, 
 and all his natural inclinations, and 
 feparate and cleanfe himfelf thoroughly 
 from all fins and evil ways. After this, 
 let him humbly take up the crofs and 
 follow Chrift. Alfo let him take and 
 receive example and inftruction, re- 
 proof, counfel and teaching from de- 
 
 * Here Luther's Edition has the following paf- 
 fage inflead of the remainder of this chapter : 
 " therefore we mould at all times give diligent heed 
 to the works of God and his commandments, 
 movings and admonitions, and not to the works 
 or commandments or admonitions of men." 
 
42 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 vout and perfect fervants of God, and 
 not follow his own guidance. Thus 
 the work fhall be eftablifhed and come 
 to a good end. And when a man hath 
 thus broken loofe from and outleaped 
 all temporal things and creatures, he 
 may afterwards become perfect in a 
 life of contemplation. For he who 
 will have the one muft let the other 
 go. There is no other way.] 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Of three Stages by which a Man is led upwards 
 till he attaineth true Perfection. 
 
 O W be allured that no one 
 can be enlightened unlefs he 
 be firft cleanfed or purified 
 and ftripped. So alfo, no one can be 
 united with God unlefs he be firft en- 
 lightened. Thus there are three ftages : 
 firft, the purification; fecondly, the 
 

 Theologia Germanica. 43 
 
 enlightening; thirdly, the union. [The 
 purification concerneth thofe who are 
 beginning or repenting, and is brought 
 to pafs in a threefold wife ; by contri- 
 tion and forrow for fin, by full confef- 
 fion, by hearty amendment. The en- 
 lightening belongeth to fuch as are 
 growing, and alfo taketh place in three 
 ways : to wit, by the efchewal of fin, 
 by the practice of virtue and good works, 
 and by the willing endurance of all 
 manner of temptation and trials. The 
 union belongeth to fuch as are perfect, 
 and alfo is brought to pafs in three 
 ways : to wit, by purenefs and fingle- 
 nefs of heart, by love, and by the con- 
 templation of God, the Creator of all 
 things.] 
 
44 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 
 How all Men are dead in Adam and are made 
 alive again in Chrift y and of true Obedience 
 and B if obedience. 
 
 LL that in Adam fell and died, 
 was raifed again and made 
 alive in Chrift., and all that 
 rofe up and was made alive in Adam, 
 fell and died in Chrift. But what was 
 that ? I anfwer, true obedience and dif- 
 obedience. But what is true obedience? 
 I anfwer, that a man fhould fo ftand 
 free, being quit of himfelf, that is, of 
 his I, and Me, and Self, and Mine, and 
 the like, that in all things, he fhould 
 no more feek or regard himfelf, than 
 if he did not exift, and fhould take as 
 little account of himfelf as if he were 
 not, and another had done all his works. 
 Likewife he fhould count all the crea- 
 
Theologia Germantca. 45 
 
 tures for nothing. What is there then, 
 which is, and which we may count 
 for fomewhat ? I anfwer, nothing but 
 that which we may call God. Behold ! 
 this is very obedience in the truth, 
 and thus it will be in a bleffed eter^ 
 nity. There nothing is fought nor 
 thought of, nor loved, but the one 
 thing only. 
 
 Hereby we may mark what difobe- 
 dience is : to wit, that a man maketh 
 fome account of himfelf, and thinketh 
 that he is, and knoweth, and can do 
 fomewhat, and feeketh himfelf and his 
 own ends in the things around him, 
 and hath regard to and loveth himfelf, 
 and the like. Man is created for true 
 obedience, and is bound of right to 
 render it to God. And this obedience 
 fell and died in Adam, and rofe again 
 and lived in Chrift. Yea, ChrinVs hu- 
 man nature was fo utterly bereft of 
 Self, and apart from all creatures, as no 
 man's ever was, and was nothing elfe 
 
46 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 but " a houfe and habitation of God." 
 Neither of that in him which belonged 
 to God, nor of that which was a living 
 human nature and a habitation of God, 
 did he, as man, claim any thing for 
 his own. His human nature did not 
 even take unto itfelf the Godhead, 
 whofe dwelling it was, nor any thing 
 that this fame Godhead willed, or 
 did or left undone in him, nor yet any 
 thing of all that his human nature did 
 or fuffered; but in ChrifVs human na- 
 ture there was no claiming of any thing, 
 nor feeking nor defire, faving that what 
 was due might be rendered to the God- 
 head, and he did not call this very de- 
 fire his own. Of this matter no more 
 can be faid or written here, for it is 
 unfpeakable, and was never yet and 
 never will be fully uttered ; for it can 
 neither be fpoken nor written but by 
 Him who is and knows its ground ; 
 that is, God Himfelf, who can do all 
 things well. 
 
Theologia Gertnanica. 47 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Telleth us what is the old Man, and what is 
 the new Man, 
 
 GAIN, when we read of the 
 old man and the new man 
 we muft mark what that 
 meaneth. The old man is Adam and 
 difobedience, the Self, the Me, and fo 
 forth. But the new man is Chrift and 
 true obedience, [a giving up and de- 
 nying onefelf of all temporal things, 
 and feeking the honour of God alone 
 in all things.] And when dying and 
 perifhing and the like are fpoken of, 
 it meaneth that the old man mould be 
 destroyed, and not feek its own either 
 in fpiritual or in natural things. For 
 where this is brought about in a true 
 divine light, there the new man is born 
 again. In like manner, it hath been 
 
48 Theologia Germaiiica. 
 
 faid that man mould die unto himfelf, 
 [that is, to earthly pleafures, confola- 
 tions, joys, appetites, the I, the Self, 
 and all that is thereof in man, to which 
 he clingeth and on which he is yet 
 leaning with content, and thinketh 
 much of. Whether it be the man him- 
 felf, or any other creature, whatever it 
 be, it muft depart and die, if the man 
 is to be brought aright to another 
 mind, according to the truth.] 
 
 Thereunto doth St. Paul exhort us, 
 faying : " Put off concerning the for- 
 mer converfation the old man, which 
 is corrupt according to the deceijful 
 lufts : . . . . and that ye put 
 on the new man, which after God is 
 created in righteoufnefs and true holi- 
 nefs."* Now he who liveth to him- 
 felf after the old man, is called and is 
 truly a child of Adam ; and though he 
 may give diligence to the ordering of 
 his life, he is ftill the child and brother 
 
 * Ephefmns iv. 22. 24. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 49 
 
 of the Evil Spirit. But he who liveth 
 in humble obedience and in the new 
 man which is Chrift, he is, in like 
 manner, the brother of Chrift and the 
 child of God. 
 
 Behold ! where the old man dieth 
 and the new man is born, there is that 
 fecond birth of which Chrift faith, 
 " Except a man be born again, he can- 
 not enter into the kingdom of God."* 
 Likewife St. Paul faith ; " As in Adam 
 all die, even fo in Chrift fhall all be 
 made alive. "*j- That is to fay, all who 
 follow Adam in pride, in luft of the 
 flefh, and in difobedience, are dead in 
 foul, and never will or can be made 
 alive but in Chrift. And for this 
 caufe, fo long as a man is an Adam or 
 his child, he is without God. Chrift 
 faith, " he who is not with me is 
 againft me."lj: Now he who is againft 
 God, is dead before God. Whence it 
 
 * John iii. 3. + 1 Cor. xv. 22. 
 
 % Matt. xii. 30* 
 E 
 
50 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 followeth that all Adam's children are 
 dead before God. But he who ftand- 
 eth with Chrift in perfect obedience, 
 he is with God and liveth. As it hath 
 been faid already, fin lieth in the turn- 
 ing away of the creature from the 
 Creator, which agreeth with what we 
 have now faid. 
 
 For he who is in difobedience is in 
 fin, and fin can never be atoned for or 
 healed but by returning to God, and 
 this is brought to pafs by humble obe- 
 dience. For fo long as a man conti- 
 nueth in difobedience, his fin can never 
 be blotted out; let him do what he 
 will, it availeth him nothing. Let us 
 be affured of this. For difobedience 
 is itfelf fin. But when a man enter- 
 eth into the obedience of the faith, all 
 is healed, and blotted out and for- 
 given, and not elfe. Infomuch that if 
 the Evil Spirit himfelf could come into 
 true obedience, he would become an 
 angel again, and all his fin and wicked- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 51 
 
 nefs would be healed and blotted out 
 and forgiven at once. And could an 
 angel fall into difobedience, he would 
 ftraightway become an evil fpirit al- 
 though he did nothing afrefh. 
 
 If then it were poffible for a man to 
 renounce himfelf and all things, and to 
 live as wholly and purely in true obe- 
 dience, as Chrift did in his human 
 nature, fuch a man were quite without 
 fin, and were one thing with Chrift, 
 and the fame by grace which Chrift 
 was by nature. But it is faid this 
 cannot be. So alfo it is faid : " there is 
 none without fin." But be that as it 
 may, this much is certain ; that the 
 nearer we are to perfed: obedience, the 
 lefs we fin, and the farther from it we 
 are, the more we fin. In brief: whe- 
 ther a man be good, better, or beft of 
 all; bad, worfe, or worft of all ; finful 
 or faved before God; it all lieth in this 
 matter of obedience. Therefore it hath 
 been faid : the more of Self and Me, the 
 
52 Theologta Germanica. 
 
 more of fin and wickednefs. So like- 
 wife it hath been faid : the more the Self, 
 the I, the Me, the Mine, that is, felf- 
 feeking and felfifhnefs abate in a man, 
 the more doth God's I, that is, God 
 Himfelf, increafe in him. 
 
 Now, if all mankind abode in true 
 obedience, there would be no grief nor 
 forrow. For if it were fo, all men 
 would be at one, and none would vex 
 or harm another ; fo alfo, none would 
 lead a life or do any deed contrary to 
 God's will. Whence then mould grief 
 or forrow arife ? But now alas ! all 
 men, nay the whole world lieth in dis- 
 obedience ! Now were a man fimply 
 and wholly obedient as Chrift was, all 
 difobedience were to him a iharp and , 
 bitter pain. But though all men were 
 againft him, they could neither make 
 nor trouble him, for while in this obe- 
 dience a man were one with God, and 
 God Himfelf were [one with] the man. 
 
 Behold now all difobedience is con- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 53 
 
 trary to God, and nothing elfe. In 
 truth, no Thing is contrary to God ; no 
 creature nor creature's work, nor any 
 thing that we can name or think of is 
 contrary to God or difpleafing to Him, 
 but only difobedience and the difobe- 
 dient man. In fhort, all that is, is 
 well-pleafing and good in God's eyes, 
 faving only the difobedient man. But 
 he is fo difpleafing and hateful to God 
 and grieveth Him fo fore, that if it 
 were poffible for human nature to die 
 a hundred deaths, God would willingly 
 fufFer them all for one difobedient man, 
 that He might flay difobedience in 
 him, and that obedience might be born 
 again. 
 
 Behold ! albeit no man may be fo 
 Angle and perfect in this obedience as 
 Chrift was, yet it is poffible to every 
 man to approach fo near thereunto as 
 to be rightly called godlike, and " a 
 partaker of the divine nature."* And 
 
 * 2 Pet. i. 4. 
 
54 Theologta Germanica. 
 
 the nearer a man cometh thereunto, 
 and the more godlike and divine he 
 becometh, the more he hateth all dis- 
 obedience, fin, evil and unrighteouf- 
 nefs, and the worfe they grieve him. 
 Difobedience and fin are the fame 
 thing, for there is no fin but difobedi- 
 ence, and what is done of difobedience 
 is all fin. Therefore all we have to do 
 is to keep ourfelves from difobedience. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 How we are not to take unto ourfelves what 
 we have done well, but only what we have 
 done amifs. 
 
 EHOLD ! now it is reported 
 there be fome who vainly 
 think and fay that they are 
 fo wholly dead to felf and quit of it, as 
 to have reached and abide in a ftate 
 where they fufFer nothing and are 
 
 m 
 
Theologia Germanica. 55 
 
 moved by nothing, juft as if all men 
 were living in obedience, or as if there 
 were no creatures. And thus they pro- 
 fefs to continue always in an even 
 temper of mind, fo that nothing cometh 
 amifs to them, howfoever things fall 
 out, well or ill. Nay verily ! the mat- 
 ter ftandeth not fo, but as we have 
 faid. It might be thus, if all men 
 were brought into obedience ; but until 
 then, it cannot be. 
 
 But it may be afked : Are not we 
 to be feparate from all things, and nei- 
 ther to take unto ourfelves evil nor good? 
 I anfwer, no one mall take goodnefs 
 unto himfelf, for that belongeth to God 
 and His goodnefs only ; but thanks be 
 unto the man, and everlafting reward 
 and bleffings, who is fit and ready to be 
 a dwelling and tabernacle of the Eternal 
 Goodnefs and Godhead, wherein God 
 may exert his power, and will and work 
 without hindrance. But if any now 
 will excufe himfelf for fin, by refufing 
 
56 Theologia Germanicd. 
 
 to take what is evil unto himfelf, and 
 laying the guilt thereof upon the Evil 
 Spirit, and thus make himfelf out to be 
 quite pure and innocent (as our firft 
 parents Adam and Eve did while they 
 were yet in paradife ; when each laid 
 the guilt upon the other), he hath no 
 right at all to do this ; for it is written, 
 " there is none without fin." There- 
 fore I fay ; reproach, fhame, lofs, woe, 
 and eternal damnation be to the man 
 who is fit and ready and willing that the 
 Evil Spirit and falfehood, lies and all 
 untruthfulnefs, wickednefs and other 
 evil things mould have their will and 
 pleafure, word and work in him, and 
 make him their houfe and habitation. 
 
 
Theologia Germanica. 57 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 How that the Life of Chrift is the nobleft and 
 befi Life that ever hath been or can be, and 
 how a carelefs Life of falfe Freedom is the 
 worft Life that can be, 
 
 F a truth we ought to know 
 and believe that there is no 
 life fo noble and good and 
 well pleafing to God, as the life of 
 Chrift, and yet it is to nature and fel- 
 fifhnefs the bittereft life. A life of care- 
 leffnefs and freedom is to nature and 
 the Self and the Me, the fweeteft and 
 pleafanteft life, but it is not the beft ; 
 and in fome men may become the worft. 
 But though Chrift's life be the moft 
 bitter of all, yet it is to be preferred 
 above all. Hereby fhall ye mark this : 
 There is an inward fight which hath 
 power to perceive the One true Good, 
 
58 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 and that it is neither this nor that, but 
 that of which St. Paul faith ; " when 
 that which is perfect is come, then that 
 which is in part mall be done away."* 
 By this he meaneth, that the Whole 
 and Perfect excelleth all the fragments, 
 and that all which is in part and imper- 
 fect, is as nought compared to the Per- 
 fecT:. Thus likewife all knowledge of 
 the parts is fwallowed up when the 
 Whole is known ; and where that Good 
 is known, it cannot but be longed for 
 and loved fo greatly, that all other love 
 wherewith the man hath loved himfelf 
 and other things, fadeth away. And 
 that inward fight likewife perceiveth 
 what is beft and nobleft in all things, 
 and loveth it in the one true Good, and 
 only for the fake of that true Good. 
 
 Behold ! where there is this inward 
 fight, the man perceiveth of a truth, 
 that ChrifVs life is the beft and nobleft 
 life, and therefore the moft to be pre- 
 
 * 1 Cor. xiii. 10. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 59 
 
 ferred, and he willingly accepteth and 
 endureth it, without a queftion or a 
 complaint, whether it pleafe or offend 
 nature or other men, whether he like 
 or diflike it, find it fweet or bitter and 
 the like. And therefore wherever this 
 perfect and true Good is known, there 
 alfo the life of Chrift muft be led, until 
 the death of the body. And he who 
 vainly thinketh otherwife is deceived, 
 and he who faith otherwife, lieth, and 
 in what man the life of Chrift is not, 
 of him the true Good and eternal 
 Truth will nevermore be known. 
 
6o Theologia Germanica. 
 
 - 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 How we cannot come to the true Light and 
 Chrift' s Life, by much Qjueftioning or Read- 
 ing, or by high natural Skill and Re af on > but 
 by truly renouncing ourf elves and all Things. 
 
 ET no one fuppofe, that we 
 may attain to this true light 
 and perfect knowledge, or life 
 of Chrift, by much queftioning, or by 
 hearfay, or by reading and ftudy, nor 
 yet by high fkill and great learning. 
 Yea fo long as a man taketh account 
 of anything which is this or that, 
 whether it be himfelf, or any other 
 creature; or doeth anything, or frameth 
 a purpofe, for the fake of his own likings 
 or defires, or opinions, or ends, he cometh 
 not unto the life of Chrift. This hath 
 Chrift himfelf declared, for he faith: 
 " If any man will come after me, let 
 
Theologia Germanica. 61 
 
 him deny himfelf, and take up his crofs, 
 and follow me."* " He that taketh 
 not his crofs, and followeth after me, is 
 not worthy of me.""f- And if he ** hate 
 not his father and mother, and wife, 
 and children, and brethren and fitters, 
 yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be 
 my difciple."J He meaneth it thus : 
 "he who doth not forfake and part with 
 every thing, can never know my eternal 
 truth, nor attain unto my life." And 
 though this had never been declared 
 unto us, yet the truth herfelf fayeth it, 
 for it is fo of a truth. But fo long as 
 a man clingeth unto the elements and 
 fragments of this world (and above all 
 to himfelf), and holdeth converfe with 
 them, and maketh great account of 
 them, he is deceived and blinded, and 
 perceiveth what is good no further 
 than as it is mofl: convenient and plea- 
 fant to himfelf and profitable to his 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 24. f Matt. x. 38. 
 
 X Luke. xiv. 26. 
 
62 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 own ends. Thefe he holdeth to be the 
 higheft good and loveth above all. 
 [Thus he never cometh to the truth.] 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 How, feeing that the Life of Chrift is moft 
 bitter to Nature and Self Nature will 
 have none of it, and choofeth a falfe carelefs 
 Life, as is moft convenient to her. 
 
 OW, fince the life of Chrift 
 is every way moft bitter to 
 nature and the Self and the 
 Me (for in the true life of Chrift, the 
 Self and the Me and nature muft be 
 forfaken and loft, and die altogether), 
 therefore, in each of us, nature hath a 
 horror of it, and thinketh it evil and 
 unjuft and a folly, and grafpeth after 
 fueh a life as fhall be moft comfortable 
 and pleafant to herfelf, and faith, and 
 believeth alfo in her blindnefs, that fuch 
 
Theologia Germanica. 63 
 
 a life is the beft poffible. Now, no- 
 thing is fo comfortable and pleafant to 
 nature, as a free, carelefs way of life, 
 therefore me clingeth to that, and 
 taketh enjoyment in herfelf and her 
 own powers, and looketh only to her 
 own peace and comfort and the like. 
 And this happeneth moft of all, where 
 there are high natural gifts of reafon, 
 for that foareth upwards in its own 
 light and by its own power, till at laft 
 it cometh to think itfelf the true Eter- 
 nal Light, and giveth itfelf out as fuch, 
 and is thus deceived in itfelf, and de- 
 ceiveth other people along with it, who 
 know no better, and alfo are thereunto 
 inclined. 
 
64 Theologia Germanica* 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 How a Friend of Chrift willingly fulfilleth by 
 his outward Works \Juch things as muft be 
 and ought to be, and doth not concern him- 
 Jelf with the reft. 
 
 O W, it may be afked, what is 
 the ftate of a man who fol- 
 loweth the true Light to the 
 utmoft of his power ? I anfwer truly, 
 it will never be declared aright, for he 
 who is not fuch a man, can neither 
 underftand nor know it, and he who is, 
 knoweth it indeed: but he cannot utter 
 it, for it is unfpeakable. Therefore 
 let him who would know it, give his 
 whole diligence that he may enter 
 therein ; then will he fee and find what 
 hath never been uttered by man's lips. 
 However, I believe that fuch a man 
 hath liberty as to his outward walk and 
 converfation, fo long as they confift 
 
Theologia Germanica. 65 
 
 with what mull be or ought to be; 
 but they may not confift with what he 
 merely willeth to be. But oftentimes a 
 man maketh to himfelf many muft-be's 
 and ought- to-be's which are falfe. The 
 which ye may fee hereby, that when 
 a man is moved by his pride or cove- 
 toufnefs or other evil difpofitions, to do 
 or leave undone anything, he ofttimes 
 faith, " It muft needs be fo, and ought 
 to be fo." Or if he is driven to, or 
 held back from anything by the defire 
 to find favour in men's eyes, or by love, 
 friendship, enmity, or the lufts and ap- 
 petites of his body, he faith, " It muft 
 needs be fo, and ought to be fo." Yet 
 behold, that is utterly falfe. Had we 
 no muft-be's, nor ought-to-be's, but 
 fuch as God and the Truth fhow us, 
 and conftrain us to, we mould have lefs, 
 forfooth, to order and do than now; 
 [for we make to ourfelves much dif- 
 quietude and difficulty which we might 
 well be fpared and raifed above.] 
 
66 Theologia Germanica, 
 
 that he knoweth not what he doeth 
 and leaveth undone, and hath no power 
 over himfelf, but the Evil Spirit hath the 
 maftery over him, and doeth and leav- 
 eth undone in, and with, and through, 
 and by the man what he will. It is 
 true in a fenfe that all the world is fub- 
 jedr. to and poffeffed with the Evil Spirit, 
 that is, with lies, falfehood, and other 
 vices and evil ways ; this alfo cometh 
 of the Evil Spirit, but in a different 
 fenfe. 
 
 Now, a man who mould be in like 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 How Jometimes the Sprit of God, and Jome- 
 times alfo the Evil Spirit may pojefs a Man 
 and have the maftery over him. 
 
 T is written that fometimes 
 the Devil and his fpirit do fo 
 enter into and poifefs a man, 
 
Theologia Germanica. 67 
 
 manner poflefTed by the Spirit of God, 
 fo that he mould not know what he 
 doeth or leaveth undone, and have no 
 power over himfelf, but the will and 
 Spirit of God mould have the maftery 
 over him, and work, and do, and leave 
 undone with him and by him, what 
 and as God would ; fuch a man were 
 one of thofe of whom St. Paul faith : 
 " For as many as are led by the Spirit 
 of God they are the fons of God/ 5 * 
 and they " are not under the law but 
 under grace,"*j- and to whom Chrift 
 faith : " For it is not ye that fpeak, but 
 the Spirit of your Father which fpeak- 
 eth in you." J 
 
 But I fear that for one who is truly 
 porTefTed with the Spirit of God, there 
 are a hundred thoufand or an innume- 
 rable multitude poffeffed with the Evil 
 Spirit. This is becaufe men have more 
 likenefs to the Evil Spirit than to God. 
 For the Self, the I, the Me and the 
 
 * Romans viii. 14. + Romans vi. 14. 
 
 % Matthew x. 20. 
 
68 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 like, all belong to the Evil Spirit, and 
 therefore it is, that he is an Evil Spirit. 
 Behold one or two words can utter all 
 that hath been faid bythefe many words: 
 " Be fimply and wholly bereft of Self." 
 But by thefe many words, the matter 
 hath been more fully fifted, proved, and 
 fet forth. 
 
 Now men fay, " I am in no wife 
 prepared for this work, and therefore 
 it cannot be wrought in me/' and thus 
 they find an excufe, fo that they nei- 
 ther are ready nor in the way to be fo. 
 And truly there is no one to blame for 
 this but themfelves. For if a man were 
 looking and ftriving after nothing but 
 to find a preparation in all things, and 
 diligently gave his whole mind to fee 
 how he might become prepared; verily 
 God would well prepare him, for God 
 giveth as much care and earneftnefs and 
 love to the preparing of a man, as to 
 the pouring in of His Spirit when the 
 man is prepared. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 69 
 
 Yet there be certain means thereunto, 
 as the faying is, " to learn an art which 
 thou knoweft not, four things are need- 
 ful."* The firft and moft needful of all 
 is, a great defire and diligence and con- 
 ftant endeavour to learn the art. And 
 where this is wanting, the art will never 
 be learned. The fecond is, a copy or 
 enfample by which thou mayeft learn. 
 The third is to give earneft heed to the 
 mailer, and watch how he worketh, 
 and to be obedient to him in all things, 
 and to truft him and follow him. The 
 fourth is to put thy own hand to the 
 work, and practife it with all induftry. 
 But where one of thefe four is wanting, 
 the art will never be learned and maf- 
 tered. So likewife is it with this pre- 
 paration. For he who hath the firft, 
 that is, thorough diligence and conftant, 
 perfevering delire towards his end, will 
 alfo feek and find all that appertaineth 
 thereunto, or is ferviceable and profit- 
 
 # See note, p. 73. 
 
70 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 able to it. But he who hath not that 
 earneftnefs and diligence, love and de- 
 fire, feeketh not, and therefore findeth 
 not, and therefore remaineth ever un- 
 prepared. And therefore he never at- 
 taineth unto that end. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 He who will Jubmit himfelf to God and be 
 obedient to Him, muft be ready to bear with 
 all things ; to wit, God, himfelf, and all 
 Creatures, and muft be obedient to them all, 
 whether he have tojuffer or to do, 
 
 HERE be fome who talk of 
 other ways and preparations 
 to this end, and fay we muft lie 
 ftill under God's hand, and be obedient 
 and refigned and fubmit to Him. This 
 is true ; for all this would be perfected 
 in a man who fhould attain to the ut- 
 termoft that can be reached in this pre- 
 
Theologia Germanica. yi 
 
 fent time. But if a man ought and is 
 willing to lie ftill under God's hand, 
 he muft and ought alfo to be ftill under 
 all things, whether they come from 
 God, himfelf, or the creatures, nothing 
 excepted. And he who would be obe- 
 dient, reiigned and fubmiffive to God, 
 muft and ought to be alfo reiigned, 
 obedient and fubmiflive to all things, 
 in a fpirit of yielding, and not of re- 
 fiftance, and take them in filence,refting 
 on the hidden foundations of his foul, 
 and having a fecret inward patience, 
 that enableth him to take all chances 
 or croffes willingly, and whatever be- 
 falleth, neither to call for nor defire any 
 redrefs, or deliverance, or refiftance, or 
 revenge, but always in a loving, fincere 
 humility to cry, " Father, forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do !" 
 
 Behold ! this were a good path to 
 that which is Beft, and a noble and 
 bleffed preparation for the fartheft goal 
 which a man may reach in this prefent 
 
72 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 time. This is the lovely life of Chrift, 
 for he walked in the aforefaid paths 
 perfectly and wholly unto the end of his 
 bodily life on earth. Therefore there 
 is no other and better way or prepara- 
 tion to the joyful life of Jefus Chrift, 
 than this fame courfe, and to exercife 
 onefelf therein, as much as may be. 
 And of what belongeth thereunto we 
 have already faid fomewhat; nay, all 
 that we have here or elfewhere faid and 
 written, is but a way or means to that 
 end. But what the end is, knoweth 
 no man to declare. But let him who 
 w r ould know it, follow my counfel and 
 take the right path thereunto, which 
 is the humble life of Jefus Chrift ; [let 
 him ftrive after that with unwearied 
 perfeverance, and £o 9 without doubt, he 
 mall come to that end which endureth 
 for ever. "For he that endureth to 
 the' end fhall be faved."]* 
 
 * Matt. x. 22. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 73 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 How that four things are needful before a 
 Man can receive divine ^ruth and be pof- 
 Jejfed with the Sprit of God* 
 
 OREOVER there are yet 
 other ways to the lovely life 
 of Chrift, befides thofe we 
 have fpoken of: to wit, that God and 
 man mould be wholly united, fo that it 
 can be faid of a truth, that God and man 
 are one. This cometh to pafs on this 
 wife. Where the Truth always reigneth, 
 fo that true perfect God and true per- 
 fect man are at one, and man fo giveth 
 
 * The heading of this Chapter appears to have 
 no relation to its contents, while it perfectly fuits 
 the latter half of Chap. xxii. (p. 69), which has 
 nothing correfponding to it in the heading of that 
 chapter. As however the heading of Chap. xxiv. 
 is common both to the Wurtzburg MS. and 
 Luther's editions, the translator has no option but 
 to retain it in its prefent pofition. 
 
74 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 place to God, that GodHimfelf is there 
 and yet the man too, and this fame 
 unity worketh continually, and doeth 
 and leaveth undone without any I, and 
 Me, and Mine, and the like ; behold, 
 there isChrift,and nowhere elfe. Now, 
 feeing that here there is true perfect 
 manhood, fo there is a perfect perceiving 
 and feeling of pleafure and pain, liking 
 and difliking, fweetnefs and bitternefs, 
 joy and forrow, and all that can be per- 
 ceived and felt within and without. 
 And feeing that God is here made man, 
 he is alfo able to perceive and feel love 
 and hatred, evil and good and the like. 
 As a man who is not God, feeleth and 
 taketh note of all that giveth him plea- 
 fure and pain, and it pierceth him to 
 the heart, efpecially what ofFendeth 
 him ; fo is it alfo when God and man 
 are one, and yet God is the man ; there 
 everything is perceived and felt that 
 is contrary to God and man. And fince 
 there man becometh nought, and God 
 
 
Theologia Germanica. 75 
 
 alone is everything, fo is it with that 
 which is contrary to man, and a forrow 
 to him. And this muft hold true of 
 God fo long as a bodily and fubftantial 
 life endureth. 
 
 Furthermore, mark ye, that the one 
 Being in whom God and man are 
 united, ftandeth free of himfelf and of 
 all things, and whatever is in him is 
 there for God's fake and not for man's, or 
 the creature's. For it is the property of 
 God to be without this and that, and 
 without Self and Me, and without 
 equal or fellow ; but it is the nature 
 and property of the creature to feek 
 itfelf and its own things, and this and 
 that, here and there ; and in all that it 
 doeth and leaveth undone its defire is 
 to its own advantage and profit. Now 
 where a creature or a man forfaketh 
 and cometh out of himfelf and his own 
 things, there God entereth in with His 
 own, that is, with Himfelf. 
 
j 6 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Of two evil Fruits that dofpring up from the 
 
 Seed of the Evil Spirit, and are two Sifters 
 
 who love to dwell together. The one is called 
 
 Jpiritual Pride and Highmindednefs y the 
 
 other is falfe y lawlefs Freedom. 
 
 OW, after that a man hath 
 walked in all the ways that 
 lead him unto the truth, and 
 exercifed himfelf therein, not fparing 
 his labour ; now, as often and as long 
 as he dreameth that his work is alto- 
 gether finifhed, and he is by this time 
 quite dead to the world, and come out 
 from Self and given up to God alone, 
 behold ! the Devil cometh and foweth 
 his feed in the man's heart. From 
 this feed fpring two fruits ; the one is 
 fpiritual fulnefs or pride, the other is 
 falfe, lawlefs freedom. Thefe are two 
 
Theologia Germanica. yj 
 
 fiflers who love to be together. Now, 
 it beginneth on this wife : the Devil 
 puffeth up the man, till he thinketh 
 himfelf to have climbed the topmoft 
 pinnacle, and to have come fo near to 
 heaven, that he no longer needeth 
 Scripture, nor teaching, nor this nor 
 that, but is altogether raifed above any 
 need. Whereupon there arifeth a falfe 
 peace and fatisfaction with himfelf, 
 and then it followeth that he faith or 
 thinketh : " Yea, now I am above all 
 other men, and know and underftand 
 more than any one in the world ; there- 
 fore it is certainly juft and reafonable 
 that I mould be the lord and com- 
 mander of all creatures, and that all 
 creatures, and efpecially all men, mould 
 ferve me and be fubject unto me." And 
 then he feeketh and defireth the fame, 
 and taketh it gladly from all creatures, 
 efpecially men, and thinketh himfelf 
 well worthy of all this, and that it is his 
 due, and looketh on men as if they were 
 
78 Theologta Germanica. 
 
 thebeafts of the field, and thinketh him- 
 felf worthy of all that miniftereth to his 
 body and life and nature, in profit, or joy, 
 or pleafure, or even paftime and amufe- 
 ment, and he feeketh and taketh it 
 wherever he findeth opportunity. And 
 whatever is done or can be done for 
 him, feemeth him all too little and too 
 poor, for he thinketh himfelf worthy 
 of ftill more and greater honour than 
 can be rendered to him. And of all 
 the men who ferve him and are fubjecl: 
 to him, even if they be downright 
 thieves and murderers, he faith never- 
 thelefs, that they have faithful, noble 
 hearts, and have great love and faith- 
 fulnefs to the truth and to poor men. 
 And fuch men are praifed by him, and 
 he feeketh them and followeth after 
 them wherever they be. But he who 
 doth not order himfelf according to 
 the will of thefe highminded men, nor 
 is fubjecl: unto them, is not fought after 
 by them, nay, more likely blamed and 
 
Theologia Germanica. 79 
 
 fpoken ill of, even though he were as 
 holy as St. Peter himfelf. And feeing 
 that this proud and pufFed-up fpirit 
 thinketh that fhe needeth neither Scrip- 
 ture, nor instruction, nor anything of 
 the kind, therefore fhe giveth no heed 
 to the admonitions, order, laws and 
 precepts of the holy Chriftian Church, 
 nor to the Sacraments, but mocketh at 
 them and at all men who walk accord- 
 ing to thefe ordinances and hold them 
 in reverence. Hereby we may plainly 
 fee that thofe two lifters dwell to- 
 gether. 
 
 Moreover fince this fheer pride think- 
 eth to know and underftand more than 
 all men befides, therefore (lie choofeth 
 to prate more than all other men, and 
 would fain have her opinions and 
 fpeeches to be alone regarded and lif- 
 tened to, and counteth all that others 
 think and fay to be wrong, and hold- 
 eth it in derifion as a folly. 
 
8o Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 Touching Poornefs of Spirit and true Humility ', 
 and whereby we may difcern the true and 
 lawful free Men > whom the Truth hath made 
 free, 
 
 UT it is quite otherwife where 
 there is poornefs of fpirit, and 
 true humility; and it is fo 
 becaufe it is found and known of a truth 
 that a man, of himfelf and his own 
 power, is nothing, hath nothing, can 
 do and is capable of nothing but only 
 infirmity and evil. Hence followeth 
 that the man findeth himfelf altogether 
 unworthy of all that hath been or ever 
 will be done for him, by God or the 
 creatures, and that he is a debtor to God 
 and alfo to all the creatures in God's 
 ftead, both to bear with, and to labour 
 for, and to ferve them. And therefore 
 
Theologia Germanica. 8 1 
 
 he doth not in any wife ftand up for 
 his own rights, but from the humility 
 of his heart he faith, " It is juft and 
 reafonable that God and all creatures 
 mould be againft me, and have a right 
 over me, and to me, and that I fhould 
 not be againft any one, nor have a right 
 to any thing." Hence it followeth that 
 the man doth not and will not crave or 
 beg for any thing, either from God or 
 the creatures, beyond mere needful 
 things, and for thofe only with fhame- 
 facednefs, as a favour and not as a right. 
 And he will not minifter unto or gratify 
 his body or any of his natural defires, 
 beyond what is needful, nor allow that 
 any mould help or ferve him except in 
 cafe of neceffity, and then always in 
 trembling ; for he hath no right to any 
 thing and therefore he thinketh him- 
 felf unworthy of any thing. So like- 
 wife all his own difcourfe, ways, words 
 and works feem to this man a thing 
 of nought and a folly. Therefore he 
 
82 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 fpeaketh little, and doth not take upon 
 himfelf to admonifh or rebuke any, un- 
 lefs he be conftrained thereto by love 
 or faithfulnefs towards God, and even 
 then he doth it in fear, and fo little as 
 may be. 
 
 Moreover, when a man hath this poor 
 and humble fpirit, he cometh to fee and 
 understand aright, how that all men are 
 bent upon themfelves, and inclined to 
 evil and fin, and that on this account 
 it is needful and profitable that there 
 be order, cuftoms, law and precepts, 
 to the end that the blindnefs and fool- 
 ifhnefs of men may be corrected, and 
 that vice and wickednefs may be kept 
 under, and conftrained to feemlinefs. 
 For without ordinances, men would be 
 much more mifchievous and ungovern- 
 able than dogs and cattle. And few 
 have come to the knowledge of the 
 truth, but what have begun with holy 
 practices and ordinances, and exercifed 
 themfelves therein fo long as they knew 
 nothing more nor better. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 83 
 
 Therefore one who is poor in fpirit 
 and of a humble mind doth not defpife 
 or make light of law, order, precepts 
 and holy cuftoms, nor yet of thofe who 
 obferve and cleave wholly to them, but 
 with loving pity and gentle forrow, 
 crieth : " Almighty Father, Thou Eter- 
 nal Truth, I make my lament unto 
 Thee, and it grieveth Thy Spirit too, 
 that through man's blindnefs, infirmity, 
 and fin, that is made needful and rauft 
 be, which in deed and truth were nei- 
 ther needful nor right." [For thofe 
 who are perfect are under no law. 
 
 So order, laws, precepts and the like 
 are merely an admonition to men who 
 underftand nothing better and know 
 and perceive not wherefore all law and 
 order is ordained.] And the perfect 
 accept the law along with fuch ignorant 
 men as underftand and know nothing 
 better, and practife it with them, to 
 the intent that they may be reftrained 
 thereby, and kept from evil ways, or 
 
84 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 if it be poflible, brought to fomething 
 higher. 
 
 Behold ! all that we have faid of 
 poverty and humility is fo of a truth, 
 and we have the proof and witnefs 
 thereof in the pure life of Chrift, and 
 in his words. For he both pracflifed 
 and fulfilled every work of true hu- 
 mility and all other virtues, as fhineth 
 forth in his holy life, and he faith alfo 
 expreffly : " Learn of me, for I am 
 meek and lowly of heart and ye fhall 
 find reft unto your fouls." * Moreover 
 he did not defpife and fet at nought 
 the law and the commandments, nor 
 yet the men who are under the law. 
 [He faith : " I am not come to deftroy 
 the law or the prophets but to fulfil." 
 But he faith further, that to keep them 
 is not enough, we muft prefs forward 
 to what is higher and better, as is in- 
 deed true. [He faith : " Except your 
 righteoufnefs (hall exceed the righteouf- 
 * Matt. xi. 29. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 85 
 
 nefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye 
 fhall in no cafe enter into the kingdom 
 of Heaven."* For the law forbiddeth 
 evil works, but Chrift condemneth alfo 
 evil thoughts ; the law alloweth us to 
 take vengeance on our enemies, but 
 Chrift commandeth us to love them. 
 The law forbiddeth not the good things 
 of this world, but he counfelleth us to 
 defpife them. \id he hath fet his 
 feal upon all he faid, with his own holy 
 life ; for he taught nothing that he did 
 not fulfil in work, and he kept the law 
 and was fubject unto it to the end of 
 his mortal life.] Likewife St. Paul 
 faith: " Chrift was made under the law 
 to redeem them that were under the 
 law."*j* That is, that he might bring 
 them to fomething higher and nearer 
 to himfelf. He faid again, " The Son 
 of man came not to be miniftered unto 
 but to minifter/'J 
 
 In a word : in Chrift's life and 
 
 * Matt. v. 20. f Galat. iv. 4. J Matt. xx. 28. 
 
86 Theologia Germanica, 
 
 words and works, we find nothing but 
 true, pure humility and poverty fuch 
 as we have fet forth. And therefore 
 where God dwelleth in a man, and the 
 man is a true follower of Chrift, it will 
 be, and muft be, and ought to be the 
 fame. But where there is pride, and 
 a haughty fpirit, and a light carelefs 
 mind, Chrift is not, nor any true fol- 
 lower of his. 
 
 Chrift faid : " my foul is troubled, 
 even unto death." He meaneth his 
 bodily death. [That is to fay : from 
 the time that he was born of Mary, 
 until his death on the crofs, he had not 
 one joyful day, but only trouble, forrow 
 and contradiction.] Therefore it is 
 juft and reafonable that his fervants 
 mould be even as their Mafter. Chrift 
 faith alfo : " BlerTed are the poor in 
 fpirit," (that is, thofe who are truly 
 humble) " for theirs is the kingdom of 
 Heaven." And thus we find it of a 
 truth, where God is made man. For 
 
Theologia Germanica. 87 
 
 in Chrift and in all his true followers, 
 there muft needs be thorough humi- 
 lity and poornefs of fpirit, a lowly re- 
 tiring difpofition, and a heart laden 
 with a fecret forrow and mourning, 
 fo long as this mortal life lafteth. 
 And he who dreameth otherwife is de- 
 ceived, and deceiveth others with him 
 as aforefaid. Therefore nature and 
 Self always avoid this life, and cling to 
 a life of falfe freedom and eafe as we 
 have faid. 
 
 Behold ! now cometh an Adam or 
 an Evil Spirit, wifhing to juftify him- 
 felf and make excufe, and faith ; "Thou 
 wilt almoft have it that Chrift was be- 
 reft of felf and the like, yet he fpake 
 often of himfelf, and glorified himfelf 
 in this and that." Anfwer : when a 
 man in whom the truth worketh, hath 
 and ought to have a will towards, any 
 thing, his will and endeavour and works 
 are for no end, but that the truth may 
 be feen and manifefted; and this will 
 
88 Tbeologia Germanica. 
 
 was in Chrift, and to this end, words 
 and works are needful. And what 
 Chrift did becaufe it was the moft pro- 
 fitable and beft means thereunto, he no 
 more took unto himfelf than any thing 
 elfe that happened. Doft thou fay- 
 now : " Then there was a Wherefore 
 in Chrift?" I anfwer, if thou wert 
 to afk the fun, "why fhineft thou?" 
 he would fay : " I muft mine, and can- 
 not do otherwife, for it is my nature 
 and property ; but this my property, 
 and the light I give, is not of myfelf, 
 and I do not call it mine." So like- 
 wife is it with God and Chrift and all 
 who are godly and belong unto God. 
 In them is no willing, nor working nor 
 defiring but has for its end, goodnefs 
 as goodnefs, for the fake of goodnefs, 
 and they have no other Wherefore than 
 this. 
 
Theologia Germantca. 8o 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 How we are to take Chrijl's Words when he 
 bade us forfake all Things ; and wherein the 
 Union with the Divine Will ftandeth. 
 
 OW, according to what hath 
 been faid, ye muft obferve 
 that when we fay* as Chrift 
 alfo faith, that we ought to reiign and 
 forfake all things, this is not to be 
 taken in the fenfe that a man is neither 
 to do nor to purpofe any thing ; for a 
 man muft always have fomething to do 
 and to order fo long as he liveth. But 
 we are to underftand by it that the 
 union with God ftandeth not in any 
 man's powers, in his working or ab- 
 ftaining, perceiving or knowing, nor in 
 that of all the creatures taken to- 
 gether. 
 
 Now what is this union ? It is that 
 
90 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 we fhould be of a truth purely, fimply, 
 and wholly at one with the One Eter- 
 nal Will of God, or altogether with- 
 out will, fo that the created will fhould 
 flow out into the Eternal Will, and be 
 fwallowed up and loft therein, fo that 
 the Eternal Will alone fhould do and 
 leave undone in us. Now mark what 
 may help or further us towards this 
 end. Behold, neither exercifes, nor 
 words, nor works, nor any creature 
 nor creature's work can do this. In 
 this wife therefore muft we renounce 
 and forfake all things, that we muft 
 not imagine or fuppofe that any words, 
 works, or exercifes, any fkill or cun- 
 ning or any created thing can help or 
 ferve us thereto. Therefore we muft 
 fuffer thefe things to be what they are, 
 and enter into the union with God. 
 Yet outward things muft be, and we 
 muft do and refrain fo far as is ne- 
 ceffary, efpecially we muft fleep and 
 wake, walk and ftand ftill, fpeak and be 
 
Theologia Germanica. 91 
 
 filent and much more of the like. 
 Thefe muft go on fo long as we live. 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 How, after a Union with the divine Willy the 
 inward Man ft andeth immoveable, the while 
 the outward Man is moved hither and 
 thither. 
 
 OW, when this union truly, 
 cometh to pafs and becometh 
 eftablifhed, the inward man 
 ftandeth henceforward immoveable in 
 this union ; and God fuffereth the out- 
 ward man to be moved hither and thi- 
 ther, from this to that, of fuch things 
 as are neceffary and right. So that 
 the outward man faith in fincerity, " I 
 have no will to be or not to be, to live 
 or die, to know or not to know, to do 
 or to leave undone and the like ; but I 
 am ready for all that is to be,or ought 
 
92 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 to be, and obedient thereunto, whe- 
 ther I have to do or to fufFer." And 
 thus the outward man hath no Where- 
 fore or purpofe, but only to do his part 
 to further the Eternal Will. For it is 
 perceived of a truth, that the inward 
 man mall ftand immoveable, and that 
 it is needful for the outward man to 
 be moved. And if the inward man 
 have any Wherefore in the actions of 
 the outward man, he faith only that 
 fuch things muft be and ought to be, 
 as are ordained by the Eternal Will. 
 And where God Himfelf dwelleth in 
 the man, it is thus ; as we plainly fee 
 in Chrift. Moreover, where there is 
 this union, which is the offspring of a 
 Divine light and dwelleth in its beams, 
 there is no fpiritual pride, or irreverent 
 fpirit, but boundlefs humility, and a 
 lowly broken heart ; alfo an honeft 
 blamelefs walk, juftice, peace, content 
 and all that is of virtue muft needs be 
 there. Where they are not, there is 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 93 
 
 no right union, as we have faid. For 
 juft as neither this thing nor that can 
 bring about or further this union, fo 
 there is nothing which hath power to 
 fruftrate or hinder it, fave the man 
 himfelf with his felf-will, that doeth 
 him this great wrong. Of this be well 
 affured. 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 How a Man may not attain Jo high before 
 Death as not to be moved or touched by out- 
 ward Things, 
 
 HERE be fome who affirm, 
 that a man, while in this 
 prefent time, may and ought 
 to be above being touched by outward 
 things, and in all refpecl:s as Chrift 
 was after his refurreclion. This they 
 try to prove and eftablifh by Chrift's 
 words, " I go before you into Galilee, 
 
94 Theologia Germantca. 
 
 there mail ye fee me."* And again, 
 " A fpirit hath not flelh and bones as 
 ye fee me have/'-f* Thefe fayings 
 they interpret thus : " As ye have feen 
 me, and been followers of me, in my 
 mortal body and life, fo alfo it behov- 
 eth you to fee me and follow me, as I 
 go before you into Galilee ; that is to 
 fay, into a ftate in which nothing hath 
 power to move or grieve the foul ; on 
 which ftate ye fhall enter, and live and 
 continue therein, before that ye have 
 fuffered and gone through your bodily 
 death. And as ye fee me having fleili 
 and bones, and not liable to furTer, fo 
 fhall ye likewife, while yet in the body 
 and having your mortal nature, ceafe 
 to feel outward things, were it even 
 the death of the body." 
 
 Now, I anfwer, in the iirft place, to 
 this affirmation, that Chrift did not 
 mean that a man mould or could attain 
 
 * Matt. xxvi. 32, and xxviii. 7-10. 
 f Luke xxiv. 39. 
 
Theologia Germanic a. 95 
 
 unto this ftate, unlefs he have firft gone 
 through and fuffered all that Chrift 
 did. Now, Chrift did not attain there- 
 unto, before he had parTed through and 
 fuffered his natural death, and what 
 things appertain thereto. Therefore 
 no man can or ought to come to it fo 
 long as he is mortal and liable to furTer. 
 For if fuch a ftate were the nobleft and 
 beft, and if it were poflible and right 
 to attain to it, as aforefaid, inthisprefent 
 time, then it would have been attained 
 by Chrift ; for the life of Chrift is the 
 beft and nobleft, the worthieft and love- 
 lieft in God's fight that ever was or 
 will be. Therefore if it was not and 
 could not be fo with Chrift, it will never 
 be fo with any man. Therefore though 
 fome may imagine and fay that fuch a 
 life is the beft and nobleft life, yet it is 
 not fo. 
 
96 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 On what wife we may come to be beyond and 
 above all Cuftom, Order, Law, Precepts and 
 the like. 
 
 OME fay further, that we can 
 and ought to get beyond all 
 virtue, all cuftom and order, 
 all law, precepts and feemlinefs, fo that 
 all thefe mould be laid afide, thrown 
 off and fet at nought. Herein there 
 is fome truth, and fome falfehood. Be- 
 hold and mark : Chrift was greater than 
 his own life, and above all virtu e, cuftom , 
 ordinances and the like, and fo alfo is 
 the Evil Spirit above them, but with 
 a difference. For Chrift was and is 
 above them on this wife, that his words, 
 and works, and ways, his doings and 
 refrainings, his fpeech and iilence, his 
 fufferings, and whatfoever happened to 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 97 
 
 him, were not forced upon him, neither 
 did he need them, neither were they 
 of any profit to himfelf. It was and is 
 the fame with all manner of virtue, order, 
 laws, decency, and the like ; for all that 
 may be reached by them is already in 
 Chrift to perfection. In this fenfe, 
 that faying of St. Paul is true and re- 
 ceiveth its fulfilment, " As many as are 
 led by the Spirit of God, they are the 
 fons of God," " and are not under the 
 law but under grace."* That mean- 
 eth, man need not teach them what 
 they are to do or abftain from ; for 
 their Mafler, that is, the Spirit of God, 
 (hall verily teach them what is need- 
 ful for them to know. Likewife they 
 do not need that men mould give them 
 precepts, or command them to do right 
 and not to do wrong, and the like ; for 
 the fame admirable Matter who teach- 
 eth them what is good or not good, 
 what is higher and lower, and in fhort 
 * Rom. viii. 10 and vi. 14. 
 H 
 
98 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 leadeth them into all truth, He reign- 
 eth alfo within them, and biddeth them 
 to hold faft that which is good, and to 
 let the reft go, and to Him they give 
 ear. Behold ! in this fenfe they need 
 not to wait upon any law, either to 
 teach or to command them. In an- 
 other fenfe alfo they need no law; 
 namely, in order to feek or win fome- 
 thing thereby or get any advantage for 
 themfelves. For whatever help to- 
 ward eternal life, or furtherance in the 
 way everlafting they might obtain from 
 the aid, or counfel, or words, or works 
 of any creature, they poffefs already 
 beforehand. Behold ! in this fenfe 
 alfo it is true, that we may rife above 
 all law and virtue, and alfo above the 
 works and knowledge and powers of 
 any creature. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 99 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 How we are not to caft off the Life of Chrift, 
 but praffife it diligently, and walk in it 
 until Death. 
 
 UT that other thing which 
 they affirm, how that we 
 ought to throw off and caft 
 afide the life of Chrift, and all laws and 
 commandments, cuftoms and order and 
 the like, and pay no heed to them, bat 
 defpife and make light of them, is alto- 
 gether falfe and a lie. Now fome may 
 fay;— "fince neither Chrift nor others 
 canever gain anything, eitherbyaChrif- 
 tian life, or by all thefe exercifes and 
 ordinances, and the like, nor turn them 
 to any account, feeing that they pof- 
 fefs already all that can be had through 
 them, what caufe is there why they 
 mould not henceforth efchew them al- 
 
ioo Theologia Germanka. 
 
 together? Muft they ftill retain and 
 practife them?" 
 
 Behold, ye muft look narrowly into 
 this matter. There are two kinds of 
 Light ; the one is true and the other 
 is falfe. The true light is that Eter- 
 nal Light which is God ; or elfe it is a 
 created light, but yet divine, which is 
 called grace. And thefe are both the true 
 Light. So is the falfe light Nature or 
 of Nature. But whv is the firft true, 
 and the fecond falfe ? This we can bet- 
 ter perceive than fay or write. To God, 
 as Godhead, appertain neither will, nor 
 knowledge, nor manifeftation, nor any- 
 thing that we can name, or fay, or con- 
 ceive. But to God as God,* it be- 
 longeth to exprefs Himfelf, and know 
 and love Himfelf, and to reveal Him- 
 felf to Himfelf; and all this without 
 any creature. And all this refteth in 
 God as a fubftance but not as a work- 
 ing, fo long as there is no creature. 
 
 # That is, as a Perfon ; — "God" being ufed 
 here as a proper name. — Tr. 
 
Theologia Germanica* 101 
 
 And out of this expreffing and reveal- 
 ing of Himfelf unto Himfelf, arifeth 
 the diftindtion of Perfons. But when 
 God as God is made man, or where God 
 dwelleth in a godly man, or one who 
 is " made a partaker of the divine na- 
 ture/' in fuch a man fomewhat apper- 
 tained unto God which is His own, 
 and belongeth to Him only and not to 
 the creature. And without the crea- 
 ture, this would lie in His own Self as a 
 Subftance or well-fpring, but would not 
 be manifested or wrought out into deeds. 
 NowGodwillhaveittobeexercifed and 
 clothed in a form, for it is there only 
 to be wrought out and executed. What 
 elfe is it for ? Shall it lie idle? What 
 then would it profit ? As good were it 
 that it had never been ; nay better, for 
 what is of no ufe exifteth in vain, and 
 that is abhorred by God and Nature. 
 However God will have it wrought out, 
 and this cannot come to pafs (which it 
 ought to do), without the creature. 
 Nay, if there ought not to be, and 
 
102 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 were not this and that — works, and a 
 world full of real things, and the like, — 
 what were God Himfelf, and what had 
 He to do, and whofe God would He 
 be ? Here we muft turn and flop, or 
 we might follow this matter and grope 
 along until we knew not where we 
 were, nor how we mould find our way 
 out again. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 How God is a true, fimple, perfeff Good, and 
 how He is a Light and a Reajon and all 
 Virtues, and how what is higheft and heft, 
 that is, God, ought to be moft loved by us. 
 
 N fhort I would have you to 
 underftand, that God (in fo 
 far as He is good) is good- 
 nefs as goodnefs, and not this or that 
 good. But here mark one thing. Be- 
 hold ! what is fometimes here and 
 fometimes there is not everywhere, and 
 above all things and places; fo alfo, 
 
Theologia Germanica. 103 
 
 what is to-day, or to-morrow, is not 
 always, at all times, and above all time ; 
 and what is fome Thing, this or that, 
 is not all things and above all things. 
 Now behold, if God were fome thing, 
 this or that, he would not be all in 
 all, and above all, as He is ; and fo alfo, 
 He would not be true Perfe&ion. 
 Therefore God is, and yet He is nei- 
 ther this nor that which the creature, 
 as creature, can perceive, name, con- 
 ceive or exprefs. Therefore if God 
 (in fo far as He is good) were this or 
 that good, He would not be all good, 
 and therefore he would not be the One 
 Perfed: Good, which He is. Now 
 God is alfo a Light and a Reafon,* the 
 property of which is to give light and 
 fhine, and take knowledge ; and inas- 
 much as God is Light and Reafon, He 
 muft give light and perceive. And 
 all this giving and perceiving of light 
 
 * Cognition is the word which comes neareft to 
 the original Erkenntnifs^ but would not harmonize 
 with the ftyle of the tranflation. 
 
104 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 exifteth in God without the creature ; 
 not as a work fulfilled, but as a fub- 
 ftance or well-fpring. But for it to flow 
 out into a work, fomething really done 
 and accomplifhed,* there muft be crea- 
 tures through whom this can come to 
 pafs. Look ye : where this Reafon 
 and Light is at work in a creature, it 
 perceiveth and knoweth and teacheth 
 what itfelf is ; how that it is good in 
 itfelf and neither this thing nor that 
 thing. This Light and Reafon knoweth 
 and teacheth men, that it is a true, 
 fimple, perfect Good, which is neither 
 this nor that fpecial good, but compre- 
 hended! every kind of good. 
 
 Now, having declared that this Light 
 teacheth the One Good, what doth it 
 teach concerning it? Give heed to this. 
 Behold ! even as God is the one Good, 
 and Light and Reafon, fo is He alfo 
 Will and Love and Juflice and Truth, 
 and in fhort all virtues. But all thefe 
 
 * Or, be realized. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 105 
 
 are in God one Subftance, and none of 
 them can be put in exercife and 
 wrought out into deeds without the 
 creature, for in God, without the crea-, 
 ture, they are only as a Subftance or 
 well-fpring, not as a work. But where 
 the One, who is yet all thefe, layeth 
 hold of a creature, and taketh poffef- 
 fion of it, and diredleth and maketh 
 ufe of it, fo that He may perceive in 
 it fomewhat of His own, behold, in 
 fo far as He is Will and Love, He is 
 taught of Himfelf, feeing that He is 
 alfo Light and Reafon, and He willeth 
 nothing but that One thing which He is. 
 Behold ! in fuch a creature, there is 
 no longer anything willed or loved 
 but that which is good, becaufe it is 
 good, and for no other reafon than 
 that it is good, not becaufe it is this or 
 that, or pleafeth or difpleafeth fuch a 
 one, is pleafant or painful, bitter or 
 fweet, or what not. All this is not 
 afked about nor looked at. And fuch 
 
106 Theologla Germanica. 
 
 a creature doth nothing for its own 
 fake, or in its own name, for it hath 
 quitted all Self, and Me, and Mine, 
 and We and Ours, and the like, and 
 thefe are departed. It no longer faith, 
 " I love myfelf, or this or that, or 
 what not." And if you were to 
 afk Love, "what loveft thou?" me 
 would anfwer, " I love Goodnefs." 
 " Wherefore ?" " Becaufe it is good, 
 and for the fake of Goodnefs." So it 
 is good and juft and right to deem that 
 if there were ought better than God, 
 that muft be loved better than God. 
 And thus God loveth not Himfelf as 
 Himfelf, but as Goodnefs. And if 
 there were, and He knew, ought bet- 
 ter than God, He would love that and 
 not Himfelf. Thus the Self and the 
 Me are wholly fundered from God, 
 and belong to Him only in fo far as 
 they are neceflary for Him to be a 
 Perfon. 
 
 Behold ! all that we have faid muft 
 
Theologia Germanica. 107 
 
 indeed come to pafs in a godlike man, 
 or one who is truly " made a partaker 
 of the divine nature;" for elfe he 
 would not be truly fuch. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 How when a Man is made truly godlike, his 
 Love is pure and unmixed, and he loveth all 
 Creatures, and doth his b eft for them. 
 
 ENCE it followeth, that in a 
 truly godlike man, his love 
 is pure and unmixed, and full 
 of kindnefs, infomuch that he cannot 
 but love in fincerity all men and things, 
 and wifh well, and do good to them, 
 and rejoice in their welfare. Yea, let 
 them do what they will to fuch a man, 
 do him wrong or kindnefs, bear him 
 love or hatred or the like, yea, if one 
 could kill fuch a man a hundred times 
 over, and he always came to life again, 
 he could not but love the very man 
 
 jiff 
 IS34 
 
io8 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 who had fo often flain him, although 
 he had been treated fo unjuftly, and 
 wickedly, and cruelly by him, and could 
 not but wifh well, and do well to him, 
 and (how him the very greateft kind- 
 nefs in his power, if the other would 
 but only receive and take it at his hands. 
 The proof and witnefs whereof may be 
 feen in Chrift; forhefaid to Judas, when 
 he betrayed him : " Friend, where- 
 fore art thou come ?" Juft as if he had 
 faid : " Thou hateft me, and art mine 
 enemy, yet I love thee and am thy 
 friend. Thou defireft and rejoiceft in 
 my affliction, and dofi the worft thou 
 canft unto me ; yet I defire and wifh 
 thee all good, and would fain give it 
 thee, and do it for thee, if thou wouldft 
 but take and receive it." As though 
 God in human nature were faying : " I 
 am pure, fimple Goodnefs, and there- 
 fore I cannot will, or defire, or rejoice 
 in, or do or give anything but goodnefs. 
 If I am to reward thee for thy evil and 
 
Theologia Germanica. 109 
 
 wickednefs, I muft do it with goodnefs, 
 for I am and have nothing elfe." Hence 
 therefore God, in a man who is " made 
 partaker of His nature/' defireth and 
 taketh no revenge for all the wrong 
 that is or can be done unto him. 
 This we fee in Chrift, when he faid : 
 " Father, forgive them, for they know 
 not what they do." 
 
 Likewife it is God's property that 
 He doth not conftrain any by force to 
 do or not to do anything, but He al- 
 loweth every man to do and leave un^ 
 done according to his will, whether it 
 be good or bad, and refifteth none. 
 This too we fee in Chrift, who would 
 not refift or defend himfelf when his 
 enemies laid hands on him. And when 
 Peter would have defended him, he 
 faid unto Peter : " Put up thy fword 
 into the fheath : the cup which my 
 Father hath given me, fhall I not drink 
 it ?" Neither may a man who is made 
 a partaker of the divine nature, opprefs 
 
no 
 
 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 or grieve any one. That is, it never 
 entereth into his thoughts, or intents, 
 or wiflies, to caufe pain or diftrefs to 
 any, either by deed or neglect, byfpeech 
 or filence. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 How that if a Man will attain to that which 
 is heft, he muft for/wear his own Will; and 
 he who helpeth a Man to his own Willhety- 
 eth him to the worft 'Thing he can. 
 
 OME may fay : " Now fince 
 God willeth and defireth and 
 doeth the beft that may be 
 to every one, He ought fo to help 
 each man and order things for him, 
 that they mould fall out according to 
 his will and fulfil his defires, fo that 
 one might be a Pope, another a Bifhop, 
 and fo forth/' Be aflured, he who 
 helpeth a man to his own will, helpeth 
 him to the worft that he can. For the 
 
Theologia Germanica. 
 
 in 
 
 more a man followeth after his own 
 felf-will, and felf-will groweth in him, 
 the farther off is he from God, the true 
 Good, [for nothing burneth in hell 
 but felf-will. Therefore it hath been 
 faid, " Put off thine own will, and there 
 will be no hell."] Now God is very 
 willing to help a man and bring him 
 to that which is beft in itfelf, and is of 
 all things the beft for man. But to 
 this end, all felf-will muft depart, as we 
 have faid. And God would fain give 
 man his help and counfel thereunto, 
 for fo long as a man is feeking his own 
 good, he doth not feek what is beft for 
 him, and will never find it. For a 
 man's higheft good would be and truly 
 is, that he mould not feek himfelf nor 
 his own things, nor be his own end in 
 any refpect, either in things fpiritual or 
 things natural, but mould feek only the 
 praife and glory of God and His holy 
 will. This doth God teach and ad- 
 monifh us. 
 
ii2 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 Let him therefore who wifheth that 
 God mould help him to what is beft, 
 and beft for him, give diligent heed to 
 God's counfels and teachings, and obey 
 His commandments ; thus, and not elfe, 
 will he have, and hath already, God's 
 help. Now God teacheth and admo- 
 nifheth man to forfake himfelf and all 
 things, and to follow Him only. " For 
 he who loveth his foul,"* that is him- 
 felf, and will guard it and keep it, " he 
 fhall lofe it;" that is, he who feeketh 
 himfelf and his own advantage in all 
 things, in fo doing lofeth his foul. "But 
 he who hateth his foul for my fake 
 fhall keep it unto life eternal ; " that is, 
 
 * Mark viii. 35. Our authorized verfion ufes 
 the word " life," in this verfe, but as that would 
 not quite bring out the force of the original, I have 
 ventured to ufe the fame word for 4^%3 here, by 
 which it is tranflated in the two fucceeding verfes. 
 
 Except in this and another pafTage, where in 
 quoting John iii. 8. Trnv/xa. is tranflated, as in Lu- 
 ther's verfion, Spirit inftead of Wind, our autho- 
 rized verfion has been always adhered to. — Tr. 
 
 
Theologia Germanica. 1 1 3 
 
 he who forfaketh himfelf and his own 
 things, and giveth up his own will, 
 and fulfilleth God's will, his foul will 
 be kept and preferved unto Life Eternal. 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 How there is deep and true Humility and Poor- 
 ness of Spirit in a Man who is "made a Par- 
 taker of the Divine Nature. 1 ' 
 
 OREOVER, in a man who is 
 " made a partaker of the di- 
 vine nature," there is a tho- 
 rough and deep humility, and where 
 this is not, the man hath not been 
 " made a partaker of the divine nature." 
 So Chrift taught in words and fulfilled 
 in works. And this humility fpringeth 
 up in the man, becaufe in the true Light 
 he feeth (as it alfo really is) that Sub- 
 ftance, Life, Perceiving, Knowledge, 
 Power, and what is thereof, do all be- 
 1 
 
ii4 Theologia Germanic a. 
 
 long to the True Good, and not to the 
 creature ; but that the creature of itfelf 
 is nothing and hath nothing, and that 
 when it turneth itfelf afide from the 
 True Good in will or in works, nothing 
 is left to it but pure evil. And therefore 
 it is true to the very letter, that the crea- 
 ture, as creature, hath no worthinefs in 
 itfelf, and no right to anything, and no 
 claim over any one, either over God or 
 over the creature, and that it ought to 
 give itfelf up to God and fubmit to Him 
 becaufe this is juft. And this is the 
 chiefeft and moft weighty matter. 
 
 Now, if we ought to be, and defire to 
 be, obedient and fubmit unto God, we 
 muft alfo fubmit to what we receive at 
 the hands of any of his creatures, or 
 our fubmiffion is all falfe. From this 
 latter article floweth true humility, as 
 indeed it doth alfo from the former.* 
 And unlefs this verily ought to be, and 
 
 * Namely, God's having a right to our obe- 
 dience. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 1 1 5 
 
 were wholly agreeable to God's juftice, 
 Chrift would not have taught it in words, 
 and fulfilled it in his life. And here- 
 in there is a veritable manifeftation of 
 God ; and it is fo of a truth, that of 
 God's truth and juftice this creature 
 fhall be fubjecl: to God and all creatures, 
 and no thing or perfon fhall be fubjecl: 
 or obedient to her. God and all the 
 creatures have a right over her and to 
 her, but (he hath a right to nothing : 
 (he is a debtor to all, and nothing is 
 owing to her, fo that fhe fhall be ready 
 to bear all things from others, and 
 alfo if needs be to do all things for 
 others. And out of this groweth that 
 poornefs of fpirit of which Chrift faid : 
 " Bleffed are the poor in fpirit" (that is 
 to fay, the truly humble) " for theirs is 
 the Kingdom of Heaven." All this 
 hath Chrift taught in words and ful- 
 filled with his life. 
 
1 1 6 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 How nothing is contrary to God but Sin only ; 
 and what Sin is in Kind and AcJ. 
 
 URTHER ye {hall mark: 
 when it is faid that fuch a 
 thing, or fuch a deed is con- 
 trary to God, or that fuch a thing is 
 hateful to God and grieveth His Spirit, 
 ye muft know that no creature is con- 
 trary to God, or hateful or grievous 
 unto Him, in fo far as it is,liveth,know- 
 eth, hath power to do, or produce 
 ought, and fo forth, for all this is not 
 contrary to God. That an evil fpirit, 
 or a man is, liveth, and the like, is al- 
 together good and of God ; for God is 
 the Being of all that are, and the Life 
 of all that live, and the Wifdom of all 
 the wife ; for all things have their being 
 more truly in God than in themfelves, 
 
Theologia Germanka. 117 
 
 and alfo all their powers, knowledge, 
 life, and the reft; for if it were not fo, 
 God would not be all good. And thus 
 all creatures are good. Now what is 
 good is agreeable to God, and He will 
 have it. Therefore it cannot be con- 
 trary to Him. 
 
 But what then is there which is 
 contrary to God and hateful to Him ? 
 Nothing but Sin. But what is Sin ? 
 Mark this : Sin is nothing elfe than 
 that the creature willeth otherwife than 
 God willeth, and contrary to Him. 
 Each of us may fee this in himfelf; 
 for he who willeth otherwife than I, 
 or whofe will is contrary to mine, is 
 my foe ; but he who willeth the fame 
 as I, is my friend, and I love him. It 
 is even fo with God : and that is fin, 
 and is contrary to God, and hateful and 
 grievous to Him. And he who willeth, 
 fpeaketh, or is filent, doeth or leaveth 
 undone, otherwife than as I will, is 
 contrary to me, and an offence unto 
 
1 1 8 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 me. So it is alfo with God : when a 
 man willeth otherwife than God, or 
 contrary to God, whatever he doeth or 
 leaveth undone, in fhort all that pro- 
 ceedeth from him, is contrary to God, 
 and is fin. And whatfoever Will willeth 
 otherwife than God, is againft God's 
 will. As Chrift faid : " he who is not 
 with me is againft me." Hereby may 
 each man fee plainly whether or not he 
 be without fin, and whether or not he 
 be committing fin, and what fin is, and 
 how fin ought to be atoned for, and 
 wherewith it may be healed. And 
 this contradiction to God's will is what 
 we call, and is, difobedience. And 
 therefore Adam, the I, the Self, Self- 
 will, Sin, or the Old Man, the turning 
 afide or departing from God, do all 
 mean one and the fame thing. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 119 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 How in God, as God, there can neither be 
 Grief, Sorrow, Difpleafure, nor the like, 
 but how it is other wife in a Man who is 
 cf made a Partaker of the Divine Nature." 
 
 N God, as God, neither forrow 
 nor grief nor difpleafure can 
 have place, and yet God is 
 grieved on account of men's fins. Now 
 fince grief cannot befall God without 
 the creature, this cometh to pafs where 
 He is made man, or when He dwelleth 
 in a godlike man. And there, behold, 
 fin is fo hateful to God, and grieveth 
 Him fo fore, that He would willingly 
 fuffer agony and death, if one man's 
 fins might be thereby wafhed out. And 
 if He were afked whether He would 
 rather live and that fin mould remain, 
 or die and deftroy fin by His death, He 
 
120 
 
 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 would anfwer that He would a thou- 
 fand times rather die. For to God one 
 man's fin is more hateful, and grieveth 
 Him worfe than His own agony and 
 death. Now if one man's fin grieveth 
 God fo fore, what mufl the fins of 
 all men do ? Hereby ye may confider, 
 how greatly man grieveth God with his 
 fins. 
 
 And therefore where God is made 
 man, or when He dwelleth in a truly 
 godlike man, nothing is complained of 
 but fin, and nothing elfe is hateful ; for 
 all that is, and is done, without fin, is 
 as God will have it, and is His. But 
 the mourning and forrow of a truly 
 godlike man on account of fin, mufl 
 and ought to laft until death, mould 
 he live till the day of judgment, or for 
 ever. From this caufe arofe that hidden 
 anguifh of Chrift, of which none can 
 tell or knoweth ought fave himfelf 
 alone, and therefore is it called a myf- 
 tery. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanka. 121 
 
 Moreover, this is an attribute of God, 
 which He will have, and is well pleafed 
 to fee in a man ; and it is indeed God's 
 own, for it belongeth not unto the man, 
 he cannot make fin to be fo hateful to 
 himfelf. And where God findeth this 
 grief for fin, he loveth and efteemeth it 
 more than ought elfe; becaufe it is, of 
 all things, the bitterer! and faddeft that 
 man can endure. 
 
 All that is here written touching 
 this divine attribute, which God will 
 have man to poflefs, that it may be 
 brought into exercife in a living foul, 
 is taught us by that true Light, which 
 alfo teacheth the man in whom this 
 godlike forrow worketh, not to take it 
 unto himfelf, any more than if he were 
 not there. For fuch a man feeleth in 
 himfelf that he hath not made it to 
 fpring up in his heart, and that it is 
 none of his, but belongeth to God 
 alone. 
 
122 Theologia Gerrnanica* 
 
 IfiSl 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 How we are to put on th e Life of Chrifi from 
 Love, and not for the fake of Reward, and 
 how we muft never grow carelejs concern- 
 ing it, or caft it off, 
 
 OW, wherever a man hath 
 been made a partaker of the 
 divine nature, in him is ful- 
 filled the beft and nobleft life, and the 
 worthieft in God's eyes, that hath been 
 or can be. And of that eternal love 
 which loveth Goodnefs as Goodnefs 
 and for the fake of Goodnefs, a true, 
 noble, Chrift-like life is fo greatly be- 
 loved, that it will never be forfaken or 
 caft off. Where a man hath tafted this 
 life, it is impoffible for him ever to part 
 with it, were he to live until the Judg- 
 ment Day. And though he muft die 
 a thoufand deaths, and though all the 
 
Theologia Germanka. 123 
 
 fufferings that ever befell all creatures 
 could be heaped upon him, he would 
 rather undergo them all, than fall away 
 from this excellent life ; and if he could 
 exchange it for an angel's life, he would 
 not. 
 
 This is our anfwer to the queftion, 
 " if a man, by putting on Chart's life, 
 can get nothing more than he hath 
 already, and ferve no end, what good 
 will it do him ? " This life is not chofen 
 in order to ferve any end, or to get 
 anything by it, but for love of its no- 
 blenefs, and becaufe God loveth and 
 efteemeth it fo greatly. And whoever 
 faith that he hath had enough of it, 
 and may now lay it afide, hath never 
 tafted nor known it ; for he who hath 
 truly felt or tafted it, can never give it 
 up again. And he who hath put on 
 the life of Chrift with the intent to 
 win or deferve ought thereby, hath 
 taken it up as an hireling and not for 
 love, and is altogether without it. For 
 
124 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 he who doth not take it up for love, hath 
 none of it at all ; he may dream indeed 
 that he hath put it on, but he is de- 
 ceived. Chrift did not lead fuch a life 
 as his for the fake of reward, but out 
 of love ; and love maketh fuch a life 
 light and taketh away all its hardfhips, 
 fo that it becometh fweet and is gladly 
 endured. But to him who hath not 
 put it on from love, but hath done fo, 
 as he dreameth, for the fake of reward, 
 it is utterly bitter and a wearinefs, and 
 he would fain be quit of it. And it is 
 a fure token of an hireling that he wifh- 
 eth his work were at an end. But he 
 who truly loveth it, is not offended at 
 its toil nor fuffering, nor the length of 
 time it lafteth. Therefore it is written, 
 " to ferve God and live to Him, is 
 eafy to him who doeth it." Truly it 
 is fo to him who doth it for love, but 
 it is hard and wearifome to him who 
 doth it for hire. It is the fame with 
 all virtue and good works, and likewife 
 
Theologia Germanica. 125 
 
 with order, laws, obedience to precepts, 
 and the like. But God rejoiceth more 
 over one man who truly loveth, than 
 over a thoufand hirelings. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. 
 
 How God will have Order ; Cuftom, Meafure, 
 and the like in the Creature, feeing that he 
 cannot have them without the Creature, and 
 of four forts of Men who are concerned with 
 this Order, Law, and Cuftom. 
 
 T is faid, and truly, God is 
 above and without cuftom, 
 meafure, and order, and yet 
 giveth to all things their cuftom, order, 
 meafure, fitnefs, and the like. The 
 which is to be thus underftood. God 
 will have all thefe to be, and they can- 
 not have a being in Himfelf without 
 the creature, for in God, apart from 
 the creature, there is neither order nor 
 
126 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 diforder, cuftom nor chance, and fo 
 forth ; therefore He will have things fo 
 that thefe fhall be, and fhall be put in 
 exercife. For wherever there is word, 
 work, or change, thefe muft be either 
 according to order, cuftom, meafure 
 and fitnefs, or according to unfitnefs 
 and diforder. Now fitnefs and order are 
 better and nobler than their contraries. 
 But ye muft mark : There are four 
 forts of men who are concerned with 
 order, laws, and cuftoms. Some keep 
 them neither for God's fake, nor to 
 ferve their own ends, but from con- 
 ftraint : thefe have as little to do with 
 them as may be, and find them a burden 
 and heavy yoke. The fecond fort obey 
 for the fake of reward : thefe are men 
 who know nothing belide, or better 
 than, laws and precepts, and imagine 
 that by keeping them they may obtain 
 the kingdom of Heaven and Eternal 
 Life, and not otherwife ; and him who 
 praclifeth many ordinances they think 
 to be holy, and him who omitteth any 
 
Theologia Germanica. 1 27 
 
 tittle of them they think to be loft. 
 Such men are very much in earneft and 
 give great diligence to the work, and 
 yet they find it a wearinefs. The third 
 fort are wicked, falfe-hearted men, who 
 dream and declare that they are perfect 
 and need no ordinances, and make a 
 mock of them. 
 
 The fourth are thofe who are enlight- 
 ened with the True Light, who do not 
 practife thefe things for reward, for 
 they neither look nor defire to get any- 
 thing thereby, but all that they do is 
 from love alone. And thefe are not fo 
 anxious and eager to accomplifh much 
 and with all fpeed as the fecond fort, 
 but rather feek to do things in peace 
 and good leifure ; and if fome not 
 weighty matter be neglected, they do 
 not therefore think themfelves loft, for 
 they know very well that order and 
 fitnefs are better than diforder, and 
 therefore they choofe to walk orderly, 
 yet know at the fame time that their 
 falvation hangeth not thereon. There- 
 
128 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 fore they are not in fo great anxiety as 
 the others. Thefe men are judged and 
 blamed by both the other parties, for 
 the hirelings fay that they neglect their 
 duties and accufe them of being un- 
 righteous, and the like ; and the others, 
 (that is, the Free Spirits,*) hold them in 
 derifion, and fay that they cleave unto 
 weak and beggarly elements, and the 
 like. But thefe enlightened men keep 
 the middle path, which is alfo the beft ; 
 for a lover of God is better and dearer to 
 him than a hundred thoufand hirelings. 
 It is the fame with all their doings. 
 
 Furthermore, ye muft mark, that to 
 receive God's commands and his coun- 
 fel and all his teaching, is the privilege 
 of the inward man, after that he is 
 united with God. And where there is 
 fuch a union, the outward man is furely 
 taught and ordered by the inward man, 
 fo that no outward commandment or 
 
 # This is evidently an allufion to the " Brethren 
 of the Free Spirit," mentioned in the Historical 
 Introduction. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 129 
 
 teaching is needed. But the com- 
 mandments and laws of men belong to 
 the outer man, and are needful for 
 thofe men who know nothing better, 
 for elfe they would not know what to 
 do and what to refrain from, and would 
 become like unto the dogs or other 
 beafls. 
 
 CHAP. XL. 
 
 A good Account of the Falfe Light and its Kind. 
 
 O W I have faid that there is a 
 Falfe Light ; but I muft tell 
 you more particularly what 
 it is, and what belongeth thereunto. 
 Behold, all that is contrary to the True 
 Light belongeth unto the Falfe. To 
 the True Light it belongeth of necef- 
 iity, that it feeketh not to deceive, nor 
 confenteth that any mould be wronged 
 or deceived, neither can it be deceived. 
 K 
 
130 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 But the falfe is deceived and a delufion, 
 and deceiveth others along with itfelf. 
 For God deceiveth no man, nor willeth 
 that any mould be deceived, and fo it 
 is with His True Light. Now mark, 
 the True Light is God or divine, but 
 the Falfe Light is Nature or natural. 
 Now it belongeth to God, that He is 
 neither this nor that, neither willeth 
 nor defireth, nor feeketh anything in 
 the man whom He hath made a par- 
 taker of the divine nature, fave Good- 
 nefs as Goodnefs, and for the fake of 
 Goodnefs. This is the token of the 
 True Light. But to the Creature and 
 Nature it belongeth to be fomewhat, 
 this or that, and to intend and feek 
 fome thing, this or that, and not fimply 
 what is good without any Wherefore. 
 And as God and the True Light are 
 without all felf-will, felnfhnefs, and 
 felf-feeking, fo do the I, the Me, 
 the Mine, and the like, belong unto 
 the natural and falfe Light ; for in all 
 
Theologia Germanica. 131 
 
 things it feeketh itfelf and its own 
 end's, rather than Goodnefs for the fake 
 of Goodnefs. This is its property, and 
 the property of nature or the carnal 
 man in each of us. 
 
 Now mark how it firfl: cometh to 
 be deceived. It doth not defire nor 
 choofe Goodnefs as Goodnefs, and for 
 the fake of Goodnefs, but defireth and 
 choofeth itfelf and its own ends, rather 
 than the Higheft Good ; and this is an 
 error, and is the firft deception. 
 
 Secondly, it dreameth itfelf to be 
 that which it is not, for it dreameth 
 itfelf to be God, and is truly nothing 
 but nature. And becaufe it imagineth 
 itfelf to be God, it taketh to itfelf what 
 belongeth to God ; and not that which 
 is God's, when He is made man, or 
 dwelleth in a godlike man, but that 
 which is God's, and belongeth unto 
 Him, as He is in eternity, without the 
 creature. For, as it is faid, God needeth 
 nothing, is free, not bound to work, 
 
132 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 apart by himfelf, above all things, and 
 fo forth (which is all true) ; and God 
 is unchangeable, not to be moved by 
 anything, and is without confcience, 
 and what He doeth that is well done ; 
 " So will I be," faith the Falfe Light, 
 " for the more like God one is, the 
 better one is, and therefore I will be 
 like God and will be God, and will lit 
 and go and ftand at His right hand : " 
 as Lucifer the Evil Spirit alfo faid.* 
 Now God in Eternity is without con- 
 tradiction, furTering and grief, and no- 
 thing can hurt or vex him of all that 
 is or befalleth. But with God, when 
 He is made Man, it is otherwife. 
 
 In a word : all that can be deceived 
 is deceived by this Falfe Light. Now 
 fince all is deceived by this Falfe Light 
 that can be deceived, and all that is 
 creature and nature, and all that is not 
 God nor of God, may be deceived, and 
 iince this Falfe Light itfelf is nature, it 
 * Ifaiah xiv. 13, 14. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 133 
 
 is poffible for it to be deceived. And 
 therefore it becometh and is deceived 
 by itfelf, in that it rifeth and climbeth 
 to fuch a height that it dreameth itfelf 
 to be above nature, and fancieth it to 
 be impoffible for nature or any creature 
 to get fo high, and therefore it cometh 
 to imagine itfelf God. And hence it 
 taketh unto itfelf all that belongeth 
 unto God, and fpecially what is His as 
 He is in Eternity, and not as He is 
 made Man. Therefore it thinketh and 
 declareth itfelf to be above all works, 
 words, cuftoms, laws and order, and 
 above that life which Chrift led in the 
 body which he pofTefTed in his holy hu- 
 man nature. So likewife it profefTeth 
 to remain unmoved by any of the crea- 
 ture's works ; whether they be good or 
 evil, againft God or not, is all alike to 
 it ; and it keepeth itfelf apart from all 
 things, like God in Eternity, and all 
 that belongeth to God and to no crea- 
 ture it taketh unto itfelf, and vainly 
 
134 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 dreameth that this belongeth unto it; 
 and deemeth itfelf well worthy of all 
 this, and that it is juft and right that 
 all creatures mould ferve it, and do it 
 homage. And thus no contradiction, 
 fuffering or grief is left unto it ; indeed 
 nothing but a mere bodily and carnal 
 perceiving : this muft remain until the 
 death of the body, and what fuffering 
 may accrue therefrom. Furthermore, 
 this Falfe Light imagineth, and faith, 
 that it has got beyond Chrift's life in 
 the fleih, and that outward things have 
 loft all power to touch it or give it 
 pain, as it was with Chrift after his 
 refurreclion, together with many other 
 ftrange and falfe conceits which arife 
 and grow up from thefe. 
 
 And now fince this Falfe Light is 
 nature, it porTeifeth the property of na- 
 ture, which is to intend and feek itfelf 
 and its own in all things, and what 
 may be moft expedient, eafy and plea- 
 fant to nature and itfelf. And becaufe 
 
Theologia Germanica. 135 
 
 it is deceived, it imagineth and pro- 
 claimed! it to be beft that each mould 
 feek and do what is beft for himfelf. 
 It refufeth alfo to take knowledge of 
 any Good but its own, that which it 
 vainly fancieth to be Good. And if 
 one fpeak to it of the One, true, ever- 
 lafting Good, which is neither this nor 
 that, it knoweth nothing thereof, and 
 thinketh fcorn of it. And this is not 
 unreafonable, for nature as nature can- 
 not attain thereunto. Now this Falfe 
 Light is merely nature, and therefore 
 it cannot attain thereunto. 
 
 Further, this Falfe Light faith that 
 it hath got above confcience and the 
 fenfe of fin, and that whatever it doeth 
 is right. Yea, it was faid by fuch a 
 falfe free fpirit, who was in this error, 
 that if he had killed ten men he mould 
 have as little fenfe of guilt as if he had 
 killed a dog. Briefly : this falfe and 
 deceived Light fleeth all that is harm 
 and contrary to nature, for thisbelongeth 
 
136 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 to it, feeing that it is nature. And fee- 
 ing alfo that it is fo utterly deceived as 
 to dream that it is God, it were ready- 
 to fwear by all that is holy, that it 
 knoweth truly what is beft, and that 
 both in belief and practice it hath 
 reached the very fummit. For this 
 caufe it cannot be converted or guided 
 into the right path, even as it is with 
 the Evil Spirit. 
 
 Mark further : in fo far as this Light 
 imagineth itfelf to be God and taketh 
 his attributes unto itfelf, it is Lucifer, 
 the Evil Spirit ; but in fo far as it 
 fetteth at nought the life of Chrift, 
 and other things belonging to the True 
 Light, which have been taught and ful- 
 filled by Chrift, it is Antichrift, for it 
 teacheth contrary to Chrift. And as 
 this Light is deceived by its own cun- 
 ning and difcernment, fo all that is not 
 God, or of God, is deceived by it, that 
 is, all men who are not enlightened by 
 the True Light and its love. For all 
 
Theologia Germanica. 137 
 
 who are enlightened by the True Light 
 can never more be deceived, but whofo 
 hath it not and choofeth to walk by 
 the Falfe Light, he is deceived. 
 
 This cometh herefrom, that all men 
 in whom the True Light is not, are bent 
 upon themfelves, and think much of 
 themfelves, and feek and propofe their 
 own ends in all things, and whatever is 
 moft pleafant and convenient to them- 
 felves they hold to be beft. And whofo 
 declareth the fame to be beft, and help- 
 eth and teacheth them to attain it, him 
 they follow after, and maintain to be 
 the beft and wifeft of teachers. Now 
 the Falfe Light teacheth them this very 
 doctrine, and fhoweth them all the 
 means to come by their defire ; there- 
 fore all thofe follow after it, who know 
 not the True Light. And thus they 
 are together deceived. 
 
 It is faid of Antichrift, that when he 
 cometh, he who hath not the feal of God 
 in his forehead, folio weth after him, but 
 
138 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 as many as have the feal follow not after 
 him. This agreethwith what hath been 
 faid. It is indeed true, that it is good for 
 a man that he mould defire, or come by 
 his own good. But this cannot come to 
 pafs fo long as a man is feeking, or pur- 
 pofing his own good ; for if he is to 
 find and come by his own higheft good, 
 he muft lofe it that he may find it. 
 [As Chrift faid : " He who loveth his 
 life mall lofe it." That is ; he mall 
 forfake and die to the defires of the 
 fleih, and mail not obey his own will 
 nor the lufts of the body, but obey the 
 commands of God and thofe who are 
 in authority over Him, and not feek 
 his own, either in fpiritual or natural 
 things, but only the praife and glory 
 of God in all things. For he who thus 
 lofeth his life fhall find it again in 
 Eternal Life. That is : all the good- 
 nefs, help, comfort, and joy which are 
 in the creature, in heaven or on earth, 
 a true lover of God findeth compre- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 139 
 
 hended in God Himfelf ; yea, unfpeak- 
 ably more, and as much nobler and 
 more perfect as God the Creator is bet- 
 ter, nobler, and more perfect than His 
 creature. But by thefe excellences in 
 the creature the Falfe Light is de- 
 ceived, and feeketh nothing but itfelf 
 and its own in all things. Therefore 
 it cometh never to the right way.] 
 
 Further, this Falfe Light faith, that 
 we mould be without confcience or 
 fenfe of fin, and that it is a weaknefs 
 and folly to have anything to do with 
 them : and this it will prove by faying 
 that Chrifl was without confcience 
 and fenfe of fin. We may anfwer and 
 fay : Satan is alfo without them, and 
 is none the better for that. Mark what 
 a fenfe of fin is. It is that we perceive 
 how man has turned away from God 
 in his will (this is what we call fin), 
 and that this is man's fault, not God's, 
 for God is guiltlefs of fin. Now, who 
 is there that knoweth himfelf to be free 
 
140 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 from fin lave Chrift alone ? Scarcely 
 will any other affirm this. Now he 
 who is without fenfe of fin is either 
 Chrift or the Evil Spirit. 
 
 Briefly : where this True Light is, 
 there is a true, juft life fuch as God 
 loveth and efteemeth. And if the man's 
 life is not perfect as Chrift's was, yet 
 it is framed and builded after his, and 
 his life is loved, together with all that 
 agreeth with decency, order, and all 
 other virtues, and all Self-will, I, Mine, 
 Me, and the like, is loft; nothing is 
 purpofed or fought but Goodnefs, for 
 the fake of Goodnefs, and as Goodnefs. 
 But where that Falfe Light is, there men 
 become heedlefs of Chrift's life and all 
 virtue, and feek and intend whatever 
 is convenient and pleafant to nature. 
 From this arifeth a falfe, licentious free- 
 dom, fo that men grow regardlefs and 
 carelefs of everything. For the True 
 Light is God's feed, and therefore it 
 bringeth forth the fruits of God. And 
 
 
Theologia Germanica. 141 
 
 fo likewife the Falfe Light is the feed 
 of the Devil; and where that is fown, 
 the fruits of the Devil fpring up — nay, 
 the very Devil himfelf. This ye may 
 underftand by giving heed to what hath 
 been faid. 
 
 CHAP. XLI. 
 
 How that he is to be called, and is truly, a 
 Partaker of the Divine Nature, who is 
 illuminated with the Divine Light, and 
 inflamed with Eternal Love, and how Light 
 and Knowledge are worth nothing without 
 Love. 
 
 OME may afk, " What is it 
 to be * a partaker of the divine 
 nature/ or a godlike man?" 
 Aniwer: he who is imbued with or 
 illuminated by the Eternal or divine 
 Light, and inflamed or confumed with 
 Eternal or divine love, he is a godlike 
 man and a partaker of the divine na- 
 
142 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 ture ; and of the nature of this True 
 Light we have faid fomewhat already. 
 But ye muft know that this Light or 
 knowledge is worth nothing without 
 Love. This ye may fee if ye call to 
 mind, that though a man may know very 
 well what is virtue or wickednefs, yet 
 if he doth not love virtue, he is not vir- 
 tuous, for he obeyeth vice. But if he 
 loveth virtue he followeth after it, and 
 his love maketh him an enemy to wick- 
 ednefs, fo that he will not do or prac- 
 tife it, and hateth it alfo in other men ; 
 and he loveth virtue fo that he would 
 not leave a virtue unpractifed even if 
 he might, and this for no reward, but 
 fimply for the love of virtue. And to 
 him virtue is its own reward, and he is 
 content therewith, and would take no 
 treafure or riches in exchange for it. 
 Such an one is already a virtuous man, 
 or he is in the way to be fo. And he 
 who is a truly virtuous man would not 
 ceafe to be fo, to gain the whole world, 
 
Theologia Germanic a. 143 
 
 yea, he would rather die a miferable 
 death. 
 
 It is the fame with juftice. Many 
 a man knoweth full well what is juft. 
 or unjuft, and yet neither is nor ever 
 will become a juft man. For he lov- 
 eth not juftice, and therefore he work- 
 eth wickednefs and injuftice. If he 
 loved juftice, he would not do an unjuft 
 thing; for he would feel fuch hatred and 
 indignation towards injuftice where- 
 ever he faw it, that he would do or 
 fuffer anything that injuftice might be 
 put an end to, and men might become 
 juft. And he would rather die than 
 do an injuftice, and all this for nothing 
 but the love of juftice. And to him, 
 juftice is her own reward, and reward- 
 eth him with herfelf; and fo there 
 liveth a juft man, and he would rather 
 die a thoufand times over than live as 
 an unjuft man. It is the fame with 
 truth : a man may know full well 
 what is true or a lie, but if he loveth 
 
144 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 not the truth he is not a true man; 
 but if he loveth, it is with truth even 
 as with juftice. Of juftice fpeaketh 
 Ifaiah in the 5th chapter : " Woe 
 unto them that call evil good, and good 
 evil; that put darknefs for light, and 
 light for darknefs ; that put bitter for 
 fweet, and fweet for bitter !" 
 
 Thus may we perceive that know- 
 ledge and light profit nothing without 
 Love. We fee this in the Evil Spirit ; 
 he perceiveth and knoweth good and 
 evil, right and wrong, and the like; but 
 fince he hath no love for the good that 
 he feeth, he becometh not good, as he 
 would if he had any love for the truth 
 and other virtues which he feeth. It 
 is indeed true that Love muft be guided 
 and taught of Knowledge, but if Know- 
 ledge be not followed by Love, it will 
 avail nothing. It is the fame with 
 God and divine things. Let a man 
 know much about God and divine 
 things, nay, dream that he feeth and 
 
Theologia Germanka. 145 
 
 underftandeth what God Himfelf is, 
 if he have not Love, he will never be- 
 come like unto God, or a " partaker of 
 the divine nature." But if there be 
 true Love along with his knowledge, 
 he cannot but cleave to God, and for- 
 fake all that is not God or of Him, and 
 hate it and fight againft it, and find it 
 a crofs and a forrow. 
 
 And this Love fo maketh a man one 
 with God, that he can nevermore be 
 feparated from Him. 
 
 CHAP. XLII. 
 
 A Qjueftion : whether we can know God and 
 not love Hint, and how there are two kinds 
 of Light and Love — a true and a falfe. 
 
 ERE is an honeft queftion ; 
 namely, it hath been faid that 
 he who knowethGod and lov- 
 eth Him not, will never beiaved by his 
 
 L 
 
 X 
 
 iPfi 
 
 ij 
 
 « 
 
146 Theologia Gertnanica. 
 
 knowledge ; the which founds as if 
 we might know God and not love Him. 
 Yet we have faid elfe where, that where 
 God is known, He is alfo loved, and 
 whofoever knoweth God muft love 
 Him. How may thefe things agree ? 
 Here ye muft mark one thing. We 
 have fpoken of two Lights — a True and 
 a Falfe. So alfo there are two kinds 
 of Love, a True and a Falfe. And each 
 kind of Love is taught or guided by its 
 own kind of Light or Reafon. Now, 
 the True Light maketh True Love, 
 and the Falfe Light maketh Falfe Love; 
 for whatever Light deemeth to be beft, 
 fhe delivereth unto Love as the beft, 
 and biddeth her love it, and Love obey- 
 eth, and fumlleth her commands. 
 
 Now, as we have faid, the Falfe Light is 
 natural, and is Nature herfelf. There- 
 fore every property belongeth unto it 
 which belongeth unto nature, fuch as 
 the Me, the Mine, the Self, and the like ; 
 and therefore it muft needs be deceived 
 
Theologia Germanka. 147 
 
 in itfelf and be falfe ; for no I, Me, or 
 Mine, ever came to the True Light 
 or Knowledge undeceived, fave once 
 only ; to wit, in God made Man. And 
 if we are to come to the knowledge of 
 the fimple Truth, all thefe muft depart 
 and perifh. And in particular it be- 
 longeth to the natural Light that it 
 would fain know or learn much, if it 
 were pofhble, and hath great pleafure, 
 delight and glorying in its difcernment 
 and knowledge ; and therefore it is al- 
 ways longing to know more and more, 
 and never cometh to reft and fatisfac- 
 tion, and the more it learneth and 
 knoweth, the more doth it delight and 
 glory therein. And when it hath come 
 fo high, that it thinketh to know all 
 things and to be above all things, it 
 ftandeth on its higheft pinnacle of de- 
 light and glory, and then it holdeth 
 Knowledge to be the beft and nobleft 
 of all things, and therefore it teacheth 
 Love to love knowledge and difcern- 
 
148 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 ment as the befl and mofl excellent of 
 all things. Behold, then knowledge 
 and difcernment come to be more loved 
 than that which is difcerned, for the 
 falfe natural Light loveth its knowledge 
 and powers, which are itfelf, more than 
 that which is known. And were it 
 poffible that this falfe natural Light 
 mould underftand the fimple Truth, as 
 it is in God and in truth, it ftill would 
 not lofe its own property, that is, it 
 would not depart from itfelf and its 
 own things. Behold, in this fenfe there 
 is knowledge, without the love of that 
 which is or may be known. 
 
 Alfo this Light rifeth and climbeth 
 fo high that it vainly thinketh that it 
 knoweth God and the pure, fimple 
 Truth, and thus it loveth itfelf in Him. 
 And it is true that God can be known 
 only by God. Wherefore as this Light 
 vainly thinketh to underftand God, it 
 imagineth itfelf to be God, and giveth 
 itfelf out to be God, and wifheth to be 
 
Theologia Germanica. 149 
 
 accounted fo, and thinketh itfelf to be 
 above all things, and well worthy of all 
 things, and that it hath a right to all 
 things, and hath got beyond all things, 
 fuch as commandments, laws, and vir- 
 tue, and even beyond Chrift and a 
 Chriftian life, and fetteth all thefe at 
 nought, for it doth not fet up to be 
 Chrift, but the Eternal God. And 
 this is becaufe Chrift's life is diftafteful 
 and burdenfome to nature, therefore 
 fhe will have nothing to do with it; 
 but to be God in eternity and not man, 
 or to be Chrift as he was after his re- 
 furredtion, is all eafy, and pleafant, and 
 comfortable to nature, and fo fhe hold- 
 eth it to be beft. Behold, with this 
 falfe and deluded Love, fomething may 
 be known without being loved, for the 
 feeing and knowing is more loved than 
 that which is known. 
 
 Further, there is a kind of learning 
 which is called knowledge ; to wit, 
 when, through hearfay, or reading, or 
 
150 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 great acquaintance with Scripture, fome 
 fancy themfelves to know much, and 
 call it knowledge, and fay, " I know 
 this or that." And if you afk, "How 
 doft thou know it?" they anfwer, " I 
 have read it in the Scriptures," and the 
 like. Behold, this they call under- 
 standing and knowing. Yet this is 
 not knowledge, but belief, and many 
 things are known and loved and feen 
 only with this fort of perceiving and 
 knowing. 
 
 There is alfo yet another kind of 
 Love, which is efpecially falfe, to wit, 
 when fomething is loved for the fake 
 of a reward, as when juftice is loved 
 not for the fake of juftice, but to ob- 
 tain fomething thereby, and fo on. And 
 where a creature loveth other crea- 
 tures for the fake of fomething that 
 they have, or loveth God, for the fake 
 of fomething of her own, it is all falfe 
 Love; and this Love belongeth pro- 
 perly to nature, for nature as nature 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 151 
 
 can feel and know no other love than 
 this; for if ye look narrowly into it, 
 nature as nature loveth nothing befide 
 herfelf. On this wife fome thing may 
 be feen to be good and not loved. 
 
 But true Love is taught and guided 
 by the true Light and Reafon, and this 
 true, eternal and divine Light teacheth 
 Love to love nothing but the One true 
 and Perfect Good, and that limply for 
 its own fake, and not for the fake of a 
 reward, or in the hope of obtaining 
 anything, but iimply for the love of 
 Goodnefs, becaufe it is good and hath 
 a right to be loved. And all that is 
 thus feen by the help of the True Light 
 muft alfo be loved of the True Love* 
 Now that Perfect Good, which we call 
 God, cannot be perceived but by the 
 True Light; therefore He muft be 
 loved wherever He is feen or made 
 known. 
 
152 Theologia Germanica, 
 
 CHAP. XLIII. 
 
 Whereby we may know a Man who is made 
 a -partaker of the divine Nature, and what 
 belongeth unto him ; and further y what is 
 the token of a Falfe Light, and a Falfe 
 Free-thinker. 
 
 URTHER mark ye; that 
 when the True Love and 
 True Light are in a man, 
 the Perfect Good is known and loved 
 for itfelf and as itfelf ; and yet not fo 
 that it loveth itfelf of itfelf and as itfelf, 
 but the one True and Perfect Good 
 can and will love nothing elfe, in fo 
 far as it is in itfelf, fave the one, true 
 Goodnefs. Now if this is itfelf, it muft 
 love itfelf, yet not as itfelf nor as of it- 
 felf, but in this wife : that the One 
 true Good loveth the One Perfect 
 Goodnefs, and the One Perfect Good- 
 nefs is loved of the One, true and Per- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 153 
 
 fed Good. And in this fenfe that 
 faying is true, that "God loveth not 
 Himfelf as Himfelf." For if there 
 were ought better than God, God would 
 love that, and not Himfelf. For in 
 this True Light and True Love there 
 neither is nor can remain any I, Me, 
 Mine, Thou, Thine, and the like, but 
 that Light perceiveth and knoweth that 
 there is a Good which is all Good and 
 above all Good, and that all good things 
 are of one Subftance in the One Good, 
 and that without that One, there is no 
 good thing. And therefore, where this 
 Light is, the man's end and aim is not 
 this or that, Me or Thee, or the like, 
 but only the One, who is neither I 
 nor Thou, this nor that, but is above 
 all I and Thou, this and that ; and in 
 Him all Goodnefs is loved as One Good, 
 according to that faying :. "All in One 
 as One, and One in All as All, and 
 One and all Good, is loved through 
 the One in One, and for the fake of 
 
154 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 the One, for the love that man hath to 
 the One." 
 
 Behold, in fuch a man muft all 
 thought of Self, all felf-feeking, felf- 
 will, and what cometh thereof, be ut- 
 terly loft and furrendered and given 
 over to God, except in fo far as they are 
 neceffary to make up a perfon. And 
 whatever cometh to pafs in a man who 
 is truly godlike, whether he do or fuf- 
 fer, all is done in this Light and this 
 Love, and from the fame, through the 
 fame, unto the fame again. And in 
 his heart there is a content and a 
 quietnefs, fo that he doth not defire to 
 know more or lefs, to have, to live, to 
 die, to be, or not to be, or anything of 
 the kind; thefe become all one and 
 alike to him, and he complaineth of 
 nothing but of fin only. And what 
 fin is, we have faid already, namely, to 
 defire or will anything otherwife than 
 the One Perfect Good and the One 
 Eternal Will, and apart from and con- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 155 
 
 trary to them, or to wifh to have a will 
 of one's own. And what is done of 
 fin, fuch as lies, fraud, injustice, trea- 
 chery, and all iniquity, in fhort, all that 
 we call fin, cometh hence, that man 
 hath another will than God and the 
 True Good; for were there no will 
 but the One Will, no fin could ever be 
 committed. Therefore we may well 
 fay that all felf-will is fin, and there is 
 no fin but what fpringeth therefrom. 
 And this is the only thing which a truly 
 godlike man complaineth of; but to 
 him, this is fuch a fore pain and grief, 
 that he would die a hundred deaths in 
 agony and fhame, rather than endure it; 
 and this his grief muft laft until death, 
 and where it is not, there be fure that 
 the man is not truly godlike, or a par- 
 taker of the divine nature. 
 
 Now, feeing that in this Light and 
 Love, all Good is loved in One and as 
 One, and the One in all things, and in 
 all things as One and as All, therefore 
 
156 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 all thofe things mull be loved that 
 rightly are of good report ; fuch as 
 virtue, order, feemlinefs, juftice, truth, 
 and the like; and all that belongeth to 
 God in the true Good and is His own, is 
 loved and praifed ; and all that is with- 
 out this Good, and contrary to it, is a 
 forrow and a pain, and is hated as fin, 
 for it is of a truth fin. And he who 
 liveth in the true Light and true Love, 
 hath the beft, nobleft, and worthieft 
 life that ever was or will be, and there- 
 fore it cannot but be loved and praifed 
 above any other life. This life was 
 and is in Chrift to perfection, elfe he 
 were not the Chrift. 
 
 And the love wherewith the man 
 loveth this noble life and all goodnefs, 
 maketh, that all which he is called 
 upon to do, or fuffer, or pafs through, 
 and which muft needs be, he doeth or 
 endureth willingly and worthily, how- 
 ever hard it may be to nature. There- 
 fore faith Chrift : " My yoke is eafy, 
 
Theologia Germanka. 1 57 
 
 and my burden is light.*" This com- 
 eth of the love which loveth this ad- 
 mirable life. This we may fee in the 
 beloved Apoftles and Martyrs; they fuf- 
 fered willingly and gladly all that was 
 done unto them, and never afked of God 
 that their fuffering and tortures might 
 be made fhorter, or lighter or fewer, but 
 only that they might remain fteadfaft 
 and endure to the end. Of a truth all 
 that is the fruit of divine Love in a tru- 
 ly godlike man is fo fimple, plain and 
 ftraightforward, that he can never pro- 
 perly give an account of it by writing 
 or by fpeech, but only fay that fo it is. 
 And he who hath it not doth not even 
 believe in it ; how then can he come 
 to know it ? 
 
 On the other hand, the life of the 
 natural man, where he hath a lively, 
 fubtle, cunning nature is fo manifold 
 and complex, and feeketh and invent- 
 eth fo many turnings and windings and 
 
 * Matt. xi. 30. 
 
158 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 falfehoods for its own ends, and that 
 fo continually, that this alfo is neither 
 to be uttered nor fet forth. 
 
 Now, fince all falfehood is deceived, 
 and all deception beginneth in felf-de- 
 ception, fo is it alfo with this falfe Light 
 and Life, for he who deceive th is alfo 
 deceived, as we have faid before. And 
 in this falfe Light and Life is found every- 
 thing that belongeth to the Evil Spirit 
 and is his, infomuch that they cannot 
 be difcerned apart; for the falfe Light 
 is the Evil Spirit, and the Evil Spirit is 
 this falfe Light. Hereby we may know 
 this. For even as the Evil Spirit think- 
 eth himfelf to be God, or would fain 
 be God, or be thought to be God, and 
 in all this is fo utterly deceived that he 
 doth not think himfelf to be deceived, 
 fo is it alfo with this falfe Light, and 
 the Love and Life that is thereof. And 
 as the Devil would fain deceive all men, 
 and draw them to himfelf and his works, 
 and make them like himfelf, and ufeth 
 
Theologia Germanica. 159 
 
 much art and cunning to this end, fo 
 is it alfo with this falfe Light ; and as 
 no one may turn the Evil Spirit from 
 his own way, fo no one can turn this 
 deceived and deceitful Light from its 
 errors. And the caufe thereof is, that 
 both thefe two, the Devil and Nature, 
 vainly think that they are not deceived, 
 and that it itandeth quite well with 
 them. And this is the very worft and 
 moft mifchievous delufion. Thus the 
 Devil and nature are one, and where 
 nature is conquered the Devil is alfo 
 conquered, and in like manner where 
 nature is not conquered the Devil is 
 not conquered. Whether as touching 
 the outward life in the world, or the 
 inward life of the fpirit, this falfe Light 
 continueth in its ftate of blindnefs and 
 falfehood, fo that it is both deceived 
 itfelf and deceiveth others with it, 
 wherefoever it may. 
 
 From what hath here been faid, ye 
 may underftand and perceive more than 
 
160 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 hath been expreffly fei forth. For 
 whenever we fpeak of the Adam, and 
 difobedience, and of the old man, of 
 felf- fee king, felf-will, and felf-ferving, 
 of the I, the Me, and the Mine, na- 
 ture, falfehood, the Devil, fin ; it is all 
 one and the fame thing. Thefe are all 
 contrary to God, and remain without 
 God. 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 
 How nothing is contrary to God but Self-will, 
 and how he who feeketh his own Good for 
 his own Jake, findeth it not ; and how a 
 Man of himjelf neither knoweth nor can 
 do any good 'Thing, 
 
 O W, it may be afked ; is there 
 ought which is contrary to 
 God and the true Good? I 
 fay, No. Likewife there is nothing 
 without God, except to will otherwife 
 than is willed by the Eternal Will ; 
 
Theologia Gertnanica. 161 
 
 that is, contrary to the Eternal Will. 
 Now the Eternal Will willeth that 
 nothing be willed or loved but the 
 Eternal Goodnefs. And where it is 
 otherwife, there is fomething contrary 
 to Him, and in this fenfe it is true that 
 he who is without God is contrary to 
 God ; but in truth there is no Being 
 contrary to God or the true Good. 
 
 We muft underftand it as though God 
 faid : " he who willeth without Me, or 
 willeth not what I will, or otherwife 
 than as I will, he willeth contrary to 
 Me, for My will is that no one mould 
 will otherwife than I, and that there 
 mould be no will without Me, and 
 without My will ; even as without Me, 
 there is neither Subflance, nor Life, nor 
 this, nor that, fo alfo there mould be 
 no Will apart from Me, and without 
 My will." And even as in truth all 
 beings are one in fubftance in the Per- 
 fect Being, and all good is one in the 
 One Being, and fo forth, and cannot ex- 
 
 M 
 
1 62 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 ift without that One, fo fhall all wills 
 be one in the One Perfedt Will, and 
 there fhall be no will apart from that 
 One. And whatever is otherwife is 
 wrong, and contrary to God and His 
 will, and therefore it is fin. Therefore 
 all will apart from God's will (that is, 
 all felf-will), is fin, and fo is all that is 
 done from felf-will. So long as a man 
 feeketh his own will and his own high- 
 eft Good, becaufe it is his, and for his 
 own fake, he will never find it ; for fo 
 long as he doeth this, he is not feek- 
 ing his own higheft Good, and how 
 then mould he find it ? For fo long as 
 he doeth this, he feeketh himfelf, and 
 dreameth that he is himfelf the high- 
 eft Good ; and feeing that he is not the 
 higheft Good, he feeketh not the high- 
 eft Good, fo long as he feeketh himfelf. 
 But whofoever feeketh, loveth, and 
 purfueth Goodnefs as Goodnefs and for 
 the fake of Goodnefs, and maketh that 
 his end, for nothing but the love of 
 
Theologia Germanica. 163 
 
 Goodnefs, not for love of the I, Me, 
 Mine, Self, and the like, he will find 
 the higheft Good, for he feeketh it 
 aright, and they who feek it otherwife 
 do err. And truly it is on this wife that 
 the true and Perfect Goodnefs feeketh 
 and lovethandpurfuethitfelf,and there- 
 fore it findeth itfelf. 
 
 It is a great folly when a man, or any 
 creature dreameth that he knoweth or 
 can accomplifh aught of himfelf, and 
 above all when he dreameth that he 
 knoweth or can fulfil any good thing, 
 whereby he may deferve much at God's 
 hands, and prevail with Him. If he 
 understood rightly, he would fee that 
 this is to put a great affront upon God. 
 But the True and Perfect Goodnefs hath 
 compaffion on the foolifh fimple man 
 who knoweth no better, and ordereth 
 things for the befl for him, and giveth 
 him as much of the good things of God 
 as he is able to receive. But as we have 
 faid afore, he findeth and receiveth not 
 
164 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 the True Good fo long as he remaineth 
 unchanged; for unlefs Self and Me 
 depart, he will never find or receive it. 
 
 CHAP. XLV. 
 
 How that where there is a Chriftian Life, 
 Chrift dwelleth, and how Chri/l's Life is 
 the beft and moft admirable Life that ever 
 hath been or can be, 
 
 E who knoweth and under- 
 ftandeth Chaffs life, know- 
 eth and underftandeth Chrift 
 limfelf ; and in like manner, he who 
 underftandeth not his life, doth not 
 underftand Chrift himfelf. And he who 
 believeth on Chrift, believeth that his 
 life is the beft and nobleft life that can 
 be, and if a man believe not this, nei- 
 ther doth he believe on Chrift himfelf. 
 And in fo far as a man's life is accord- 
 ing to Chrift, Chrift himfelf dwelleth 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 165 
 
 in him, and if he hath not the one 
 neither hath he the other. For where 
 there is the life of Chrift, there is 
 Chrift himfelf, and where his life is 
 not, Chrift is not, and where a man 
 hath his life, he may fay with St. Paul, 
 " I live, yet not I, but Chrift liveth in 
 me."* And this is the nobleft and beft 
 life; for in him who hath it, God 
 Himfelf dwelleth, with all goodnefs. 
 So how could there be a better life ? 
 When we fpeak of obedience, of the 
 new man, of the True Light, the True 
 Love, or the life of Chrift, it is all the 
 fame thing, and where one of thefe is, 
 there are they all, and where one is 
 wanting, there is none of them, for 
 they are all one in truth and fubftance. 
 And whatever may bring about that 
 new birth which maketh alive in 
 Chrift, to that let us cleave with all 
 our might and to nought elfe ; and let 
 us forfwear and flee all that may hinder 
 
 * Galatians ii. 20. 
 
1 6 6 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 it. And he who hath received this life 
 in the Holy Sacrament, hath verily and 
 indeed received Chrift, and the more 
 of that life he hath received, the more 
 he hath received of Chrift, and the lefs, 
 the lefs of Chrift. 
 
 CHAP. XLVI. 
 
 How entire Satisfaction and true Reft are to 
 be found in God alone, and not in any Crea- 
 ture ; and how he who will be obedient 
 unto God, muft alfo be obedient to the Crea- 
 tures, with all Quietnefs, and he who would 
 love God, muft love all things in One. 
 
 T is faid, that he who is con- 
 tent to find all his fatisfadion 
 in God, hath enough; and 
 this is true. And he who findeth fatif- 
 faclion in ought which is this and that, 
 findeth it not in God; and he who 
 findeth it in God, findeth it in nothing 
 
Theologia Germanica. 167 
 
 elfe, but in that which is neither this 
 nor that, but is All. For God is One 
 and muft be One, and God is All and 
 muft be All. And now what is, and 
 is not One, is not God ; and what is, 
 and is not All and above All, is alfo 
 not God, for God is One and above 
 One, and All and above All. Now 
 he who findeth full fatisfaclion in God, 
 receiveth all his fatisfaction from One 
 fource, and from One only, as One. 
 And a man cannot find all fatisfaction 
 in God, unlefs all things are One to 
 him, and One is All, and fome thing 
 and nothing are alike.* But where it 
 fhould be thus, there would be true 
 fatisfaction, and not elfe. 
 
 Therefore alfo, he who will wholly 
 commit himfelfunto God and be obedi- 
 ent to Him, muft alfo refign himfelf to 
 all things, and be willing to fufTer them, 
 
 # Literally ought and nought, icht undnlcht ; but 
 ought means any thing, the idea of the original is 
 emphatically y^/w^ thing, a part, not the whole. — Tr. 
 
1 68 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 without refitting or defending himfelf 
 or calling for fuccour. And he who 
 doth not thus refign or fubmit himfelf 
 to all things in One as One, doth not 
 refign or fubmit himfelf to God. Let 
 us look at Chrift. And he who mail 
 and will lie ftill under God's hand, 
 muft lie ftill under all things in One 
 as One, and in no wife withftand any 
 fufFering. Such an one were a Chrift. 
 And he who fighteth againft affliction 
 and refufeth to endure it, is truly fight- 
 ing againft God. That is to fay, we 
 may not withftand any creature or thing 
 by force or war, either in will or works. 
 But we may indeed without fin prevent 
 afBidrion, or avoid it, or flee from it. 
 
 Now, he who (hall or will love God, 
 loveth all things in One as All, One 
 and All, and One in All as All in One ; 
 and he who loveth fomewhat, this or 
 that, otherwife than in the One, and 
 for the fake of the One, loveth not 
 God, for he loveth fomewhat which is 
 
Theologia Germanica. 169 
 
 not God. Therefore he loveth it more 
 than God. Now he who loveth fome- 
 what more than God or along with God, 
 loveth not God, for He muft be and 
 will be alone loved, and verily nothing 
 ought to be loved but God alone. And 
 when the true divine Light and Love 
 dwell in a man, he loveth nothing elfe 
 but God alone, for he loveth God as 
 Goodnefs and for the fake of Goodnefs, 
 and all Goodnefs as One, and One as 
 All ; for, in truth, All is One and One is 
 All in God. 
 
170 Tkeologia Germanica. 
 
 CHAP. XLVII. 
 
 A ^ueflion : Whether, if we ought to love 
 all things, we ought to love Sin alfo ? 
 
 OME may put a queftion here 
 and fay : "If we are to love 
 all things, muft we then love 
 fin too ?" I anfwer : No. When I fay 
 " all things/' I mean all Good; and all 
 that is, is good, in fo far as it hath 
 Being. The Devil is good in fo far as 
 he hath Being. In this fenfe nothing 
 is evil, or not good. But fin is to will, 
 defire, or love otherwife than as God 
 doth. And Willing is not Being, there- 
 fore it is not good. Nothing is good 
 except in fo far as it is in God and with 
 God. Now all things have their Be- 
 ing in God, and more truly in God 
 than in themfelves, and therefore all 
 things are good in fo far as they have 
 a Being, and if there were aught that 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 171 
 
 had not its Being in God, it would not 
 be good. Now behold, the willing or 
 deiiring which is contrary to God is not 
 in God ; for God cannot will or defire 
 anything contrary to Himfelf, or other- 
 wife than Himfelf. Therefore it is evil 
 or not good, and is merely nought. 
 
 God loveth alfo works, but not all 
 works. Which then ? Such as are 
 done from the teaching and guidance 
 of the True Light and the True Love; 
 and what is done from thefe and in 
 thefe, is done in fpirit and in truth, and 
 what is thereof, is God's, and pleafeth 
 Him well. But what is done of the 
 falfe Light and falfe Love, is all of the 
 Wicked One ; and efpecially what 
 happeneth, is done or left undone, 
 wrought or fuffered from any other 
 will, or defire, or love, than God's will, 
 or defire, or love. This is, and cometh 
 to pafs, without God and contrary to 
 God, and is utterly contrary to good 
 works, and is altogether fin. 
 
172 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 CHAP. XLVIII. 
 
 How we muft believe certain Things of God's 
 Truth beforehand^ ere we can come to a 
 true Knowledge and Experience thereof. 
 
 HRIST faid, "He that be- 
 lieveth not/' or will not or 
 cannot believe, " fhall be 
 damned." It is fo of a truth ; for a 
 man, while he is in this prefent time, 
 hath not knowledge ; and he cannot 
 attain unto it, unlefs he firft believe. 
 And he who would know before he 
 believeth, cometh never to true know- 
 ledge. We fpeak not here of the ar- 
 ticles of the Chriftian faith, for every 
 one believeth them, and they are com- 
 mon to every Chriftian man, whether 
 he be finful or faved, good or wicked, 
 and they muft be believed in the firft 
 place, for without that, one cannot come 
 
Theologia Germanica. 173 
 
 to know them. But we are fpeaking 
 of a certain Truth which it is poffible 
 to know by experience, but which ye 
 muft believe in, before that ye know it 
 by experience, elfe ye will never come 
 to know it truly. This is the faith of 
 which Chrift fpeaketh in that faying of 
 His. 
 
 CHAP. XLIX. 
 
 Of Self-will \ and how Lucifer and Adam fell 
 away from God through Self-will. 
 
 T hath been faid, that there is 
 of nothing fo much in hell 
 as of felf-will. The which is 
 true, for there is nothing elfe there than 
 felf-will, and if there were no felf-will 
 there would be no Devil and no hell. 
 When it is faid that Lucifer fell from 
 Heaven, and turned away from God and 
 the like, it meaneth nothing elfe than 
 that he would have his own will, and 
 
174 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 would not be at one with the Eternal 
 Will. So was it likewife with Adam 
 in Paradife. And when we fay Self- 
 will, we mean, to will otherwife than 
 as the One and Eternal Will of God 
 willeth. 
 
 CHAP. L. 
 
 How this prefent 'Time is a Paradife and 
 outer Court of Heaven, and how therein 
 there is only one Tree forbidden, that is, 
 Self-will, 
 
 HAT is Paradife ? All things 
 that are ; for all are goodly 
 and pleafant, and therefore 
 may fitly be called a Paradife. It is 
 faid alfo, that Paradife is an outer court 
 of Heaven. Even fo this world is verily 
 an outer court of the Eternal, or of 
 Eternity, and fpecially what ever in 
 Time, or any temporal things or crea- 
 tures, manifefteth or remindeth us of 
 
Theologia Germanic a. 175 
 
 God or Eternity ; for the creatures are 
 a guide and a path unto God and Eter- 
 nity. Thus this world is an outer court 
 of Eternity, and therefore it may well 
 becalledaParadife, for it isfuchin truth. 
 And in this Paradife, all things are law- 
 ful, fave one tree and the fruits there- 
 of. That is to fay : of all things that 
 are, nothing is forbidden and nothing is 
 contrary to God but one thing only : 
 that is, Self-will, or to will otherwife 
 than as the Eternal Will would have it. 
 Remember this. For God faith to 
 Adam, that is, to every man, " What- 
 ever thou art, ordoeft, orleaveft undone, 
 or whatever cometh to pafs, is all law- 
 ful and not forbidden if it be not done 
 from or according to thy will, but for 
 the fake of and according to My will. 
 But all that is done from thine own 
 will is contrary to the Eternal Will." 
 
 It is not that every work which is thus 
 wrought is in itfelf contrary to the 
 Eternal Will, but in fo far as it is 
 
176 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 wrought from a different will, or other- 
 wife than from the Eternal and Divine 
 Will. 
 
 CHAP. LI. 
 
 Wherefore God hath created Self-will, feeing 
 that it isfo contrary to Him. 
 
 OW fome may a(k : " fince 
 this tree, to wit, Self-will, is 
 fo contrary to God and the 
 Eternal Will, wherefore hath God cre- 
 ated it, and fet it in Paradife ?" 
 
 Anfwer : whatever man or creature 
 defireth to dive into and underftand 
 the fecret counfel and will of God, fo 
 that he would fain know wherefore 
 God doeth this, or doeth not that, and 
 the like, defireth the fame as Adam 
 and the Devil. For this defire is fel- 
 dom from ought elfe than that the man 
 taketh delight in knowing, and glorieth 
 therein, and this is fheer pride. And 
 
Theologia Germanica. 177 
 
 fo long as this defire lafteth, the truth 
 will never be known, and the man is 
 even as Adam or the Devil. A truly- 
 humble and enlightened man doth not 
 defire of God that He mould reveal His 
 fecrets unto him, and afk wherefore 
 God doeth this or that, or hindereth or 
 alloweth fuch a thing, and fo forth ; but 
 he defireth only to know how he may 
 pleafe God, and become as nought in 
 himfelf, having no will, and that the 
 Eternal Will may live in him, and have 
 full porTefllon of him, undifturbed by 
 any other will, and how its due may be 
 rendered to the Eternal Will, by him 
 and through him. 
 
 However, there is yet another an- 
 fwer to this queftion, for we may fay : 
 the moft noble and delightful gift that 
 is bellowed on any creature is that of 
 perceiving, or Reafon, and Will. And 
 thefe two are fo bound together, that 
 where the one is, there the other is 
 alfo. And if it were not for thefe two 
 
 N 
 
178 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 gifts, there would be no reafonable 
 creatures, but only brutes and brutifh- 
 nefs ; and that were a great lofs, for 
 God would never have His due, and 
 behold Himfelf and His attributes 
 manifefted in deeds and works ; the 
 which ought to be, and is neceffary to 
 perfection. Now, behold, Perception 
 and Reafon are created and beftowed 
 along with Will, to the intent that they 
 may inftruct the will and alfo them- 
 felves, that neither perception nor will 
 is of itfelf, nor is nor ought to be unto 
 itfelf, nor ought to feek or obey itfelf. 
 Neither fhall they turn themfelves to 
 their own advantage, nor make ufe of 
 themfelves to their own ends and pur- 
 pofes ; for His they are from Whom 
 they do proceed, and unto Him fhall 
 they fubmit, and flow back into Him, 
 and become nought in themfelves, that 
 is, in their felfifhnefs. 
 
 But here ye muft confider more par- 
 ticularly, fomewhat touching the Will. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 179 
 
 There is an Eternal Will, which is in 
 God a firft principle and fubftance, 
 apart from all works and effects,* and 
 the fame will is in Man, or the creature, 
 willing certain things, and bringing 
 them to pafs. For it belongeth unto 
 the Will and is its property that it fhall 
 will fomething. What elfe is it for ? 
 For it were in vain, unlefs it had fome 
 work to do, and this it cannot have 
 without the creature. Therefore there 
 muft be creatures, and God will have 
 them, to the end that the Will may be 
 put in exercife by their means, and 
 work, which in God is and muft be 
 without work. Therefore the will in 
 the creature, which we call a created 
 will, is as truly God's as the Eternal 
 Will, and is not of the creature. 
 
 And now, fince God cannot bring His 
 will into exercife, working and caufing 
 changes, without the creature, there- 
 fore it pleafeth Him to do fo in and 
 
 * Or realization^ wirklichkeit. 
 
180. Theologia Germanka. 
 
 with the creature. Therefore the will 
 is not given to be exerted by the crea- 
 ture, but only by God, who hath a 
 right to work out His own will by 
 means of the will which is in man, and 
 yet is God's. And in whatever man 
 or creature it mould be purely and 
 wholly thus, the will would be exerted 
 not by the man but by God, and thus 
 it would not be felf-will, and the man 
 would not will otherwife than as God 
 willeth ; for God Himfelf would move 
 the will and not man. And thus the 
 will would be one with the Eternal 
 Will, and flow out into it, though the 
 man would ftill keep his fenfe of liking 
 and difliking, pleafure and pain, and the 
 like. For wherever the will is exerted, 
 there muft be a fenfe of liking and dif- 
 liking ; for if things go according to his 
 will, the man liketh it, and if they do 
 not, he difliketh it, and this liking and 
 difliking are not of the man's pro- 
 ducing, but of God's. [For whatever 
 
Theologia Germanica. 1 8 1 
 
 is the fource of the will, is the fource 
 of thefe alfo.]* Now the will cometh 
 not of man but of God, therefore liking 
 and difliking come from Him alfo. 
 But nothing is complained of, fave only 
 what is contrary to God. So alfo there 
 is no joy but of God alone, and that 
 which is His and belongeth unto Him. 
 And as it is with the will, fo is it alfo 
 with perception, reafon, gifts, love, and 
 all the powers of man ; they are all of 
 God, and not of man. And wherever 
 the will mould be altogether furren- 
 dered to God, the reft would of a cer- 
 tainty be furrendered like wife, and God 
 would have His right, and the man's 
 will would not be his own. Behold, 
 therefore hath God created the will, but 
 not that it mould be felf-will. 
 
 Now cometh the Devil or Adam, 
 that is to fay, falfe nature, and taketh 
 this will unto itfelf and maketh the 
 
 * This fentence is found in Luther's edition, but 
 not in that bafed on the Wurtzburg Manufcript. 
 
1 82 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 fame its own, and ufeth it for itfelf 
 and its own ends. And this is the 
 mifchief and wrong, and the bite that 
 Adam made in the apple, which is for- 
 bidden, becaufe it is contrary to God. 
 And therefore, (o long as there is any 
 felf-will, there will never be true love, 
 true peace, true reft. This we fee 
 both in man and in the Devil. And 
 there will never be true bleffednefs 
 either in time or eternity, where this 
 felf-will is working, that is to fay, 
 where man taketh the will unto him- 
 felf and maketh it his own. And if it 
 be not furrendered in this prefent time, 
 but carried over into eternity, it may be 
 forefeen that it will never be furren- 
 dered, and then of a truth there will 
 never be content, nor reft, nor bleffed- 
 nefs ; as we may fee by the Devil. If 
 there were no reafon or will in the 
 creatures, God were, and muft remain 
 for ever, unknown, unloved, unpraifed 
 and unhonoured, and all the creatures 
 
Theologia Germanica. 183 
 
 would be worth nothing, and were of no 
 avail to God. Behold thus the queftion 
 which was put to us is anfwered.* And 
 if there were any, who, by my much 
 writing (which yet is brief and profit- 
 able in God), might be led to amend 
 their ways, this were indeed well-pleaf- 
 ing unto God. 
 
 That which is free, none may call 
 his own, and he who maketh it his 
 own, committeth a wrong. Now, in 
 the whole realm of freedom, nothing 
 is fo free as the will, and he who mak- 
 eth it his own, and fufFereth it not to 
 remain in its excellent freedom, and 
 free nobility, and in its free exercife, 
 doeth a grievous wrong. This is what 
 is done by the Devil and Adam and all 
 their followers. But he who leaveth 
 the will in its noble freedom doeth 
 right, and this doth Chrift with all his 
 followers. And whofo robbeth the 
 will of its noble freedom and maketh 
 
 * Namely, why God hath created the will. 
 
184 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 it his own, muft of neceffity as his re- 
 ward, be laden with cares and troubles, 
 with difcontent, difquiet, unreft, and 
 all manner of wretchednefs, and this 
 will remain andendure in time and in 
 eternity. But he who leaveth the will 
 in its freedom, hath content, peace, reft 
 and bleffednefs in time and in eternity. 
 Wherever there is a man in whom the 
 will is not enflaved, but continueth 
 noble and free, there is a true freeman 
 not in bondage to any, one of thofe to 
 whom Chrift faid : " the truth fhall 
 make you free ; " and immediately after, 
 he faith : " if the Son mall make you 
 free, ye fhall be free indeed."* 
 
 Furthermore, mark ye that where the 
 will enjoyeth its freedom, it hath its 
 proper work, that is, willing. And 
 where it choofeth whatever it will un- 
 hindered, it always choofeth in all things 
 what is nobleft and beft, and all that is 
 not noble and good it hateth, and findeth 
 to be a grief and offence unto it. And 
 
 * John viii. 32 — 36. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 185 
 
 the more free and unhindered the will is, 
 the more is it pained by evil, injuftice, 
 iniquity, and in fhort all manner of wick- 
 ednefs and fin, and the more do they 
 grieve and afflict it. This we fee in 
 Chrift, whofe will was the pureft and the 
 leaft fettered, or brought into bondage 
 of any man's that ever lived. So like- 
 wife was ChrifYs human nature the 
 moft free and fingle of all creatures, 
 and yet felt the deepeft grief, pain, and 
 indignation at fin that any creature ever 
 felt. But when men claim freedom 
 for their own, fo as to feel no forrow 
 or indignation at fin and what is con- 
 trary to God, but fay that we muft heed 
 nothing and care for nothing, but be, 
 in this prefent time, as Chrift was after 
 his refurrec~tion,and the like; — this is no 
 true and divine freedom fpringing from 
 the true divine Light, but a natural, 
 unrighteous, falfe, and deceitful free- 
 dom, fpringing from a natural, falfe and 
 deluded light. 
 
1 86 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 Were there no felf-will, there would 
 be alfo no ownerfhip. In heaven there 
 is no ownerfhip ; hence there are found 
 content, true peace and all bleffednefs. 
 If any one there took upon him to call 
 anything his own, he would ftraight- 
 way be thruft out into hell, and would 
 become an evil fpirit. But in hell every 
 one will have felf-will, therefore there 
 is all manner of mifery and wretched- 
 nefs. So is it alfo here on earth. But 
 if there were one in hell who mould 
 get quit of his felf-will and call nothing 
 his own, he would come out of hell 
 into heaven. Now, in this prefent 
 time, man is fet between heaven and 
 hell, and may turn himfelf towards 
 which he will. For the more he hath 
 of ownerfhip, the more he hath of hell 
 and mifery; and the lefs of felf-will, the 
 lefs of hell, and the nearer he is to the 
 Kingdom of Heaven. And could a 
 man, while on earth, be wholly quit of 
 felf-will and ownerfhip, and fiand up 
 
Theologia Gertnanica. 187 
 
 free and at large in God's true light, 
 and continue therein, he would be fure 
 of the Kingdom of Heaven. He who 
 hath fomething, or feeketh or longeth 
 to have fomething of his own, is him- 
 felf a Have, and he who hath nothing 
 of his own, nor feeketh nor longeth 
 thereafter, is free and at large, and in 
 bondage to none. 
 
 All that hath here been faid, Chrift 
 taught in words and fulfilled in works 
 for three and thirty years, and he teach- 
 eth it to us very briefly when he faith : 
 " Follow me." But he who will fol- 
 low him muft forfake all things, for he 
 renounced all things fo utterly as no 
 man elfe hath ever done. Moreover, 
 he who will come after him muft take 
 up the crofs, and the crofs is nothing 
 elfe than ChrifVs life, for that is a bitter 
 crofs to nature. Therefore he faith : 
 "And he that taketh not his crofs, and 
 followeth after me, is not worthy of me, 
 and cannot be my difciple." * But na- 
 * Matt. x. 38, and Luke xiv. 27. 
 
1 88 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 ture in her falfe freedom, weeneth fhe 
 hath forfaken all things, yet fhe will 
 have none of the crofs, and faith fhe 
 hath had enough of it already, and 
 needeth it no longer, and thus fhe is 
 deceived. For had fhe ever tafted the 
 crofs fhe would never part with it 
 again. He that believeth on Chrift 
 muft believe all that is here written. 
 
 CHAP. LII. 
 
 How we muft take thqfetwo Sayings of Chrift: 
 Cf No Man cometh unto the Father, but by 
 me" and cc No Man cometh unto me, except 
 the Father which hathftent me draw him." 
 
 HRISTfaith : " no man cometh 
 
 unto the Father but by me."* 
 
 Now mark how we mufl 
 
 come unto the Father through Chrift. 
 
 The man fhall fet a watch over him- 
 
 # John xiv. 6. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 189 
 
 felf and all that belongeth to him with- 
 in and without, and mail fo direct, 
 govern, and guard his heart, as far as 
 in him lieth, that neither will nor de- 
 fire, love nor longing, opinion nor 
 thought, fhall fpring up in his heart, or 
 have any abiding-place in him, fave 
 fuch as are meet for God and would 
 befeem Him well, if God Himfelf were 
 made Man. And whenever he becom- 
 eth aware of any thought or intent 
 rifing up within him that doth not be- 
 long to God and were not meet for 
 Him, he muft refift it and root it out 
 as thoroughly and as fpeedily as he may. 
 By this rule he muft order his outward 
 behaviour, whether he work or refrain, 
 fpeak or keep filence, wake or fleep, go 
 or ftand ftill. In ihort : in all his ways 
 and walks, whether as touching his 
 own bufinefs, or his dealings with other 
 men, he muft keep his heart with all 
 diligence, left he do ought, or turn afide 
 to ought, or fuffer ought to fpring up 
 
190 Theologia Gerrnanica. 
 
 or dwell within him or about him, or 
 left anything be done in him or through 
 him, otherwife than weremeet for God, 
 and would be poffible and feemly if 
 God Himfelf were verily made Man. 
 Behold! he, in whom it mould be thus, 
 whatever he had within, or did with- 
 out, would be all of God, and the man 
 would be in his life a follower of Chrift 
 more truly than we can underftand or 
 fet forth. And he who led fuch a life 
 would go in and out through Chrift; for 
 he would be a follower of Chrift: there- 
 fore alfo he would come with Chrift 
 and through Chrift unto the Father. 
 And he would be alfo a fervant of Chrift, 
 for he who cometh after him is his 
 fervant, as he himfelf alfo faith : " If 
 any man ferve me, let him follow me ; 
 and where I am, there fhall alfo my fer- 
 vant be."* And he who is thus a fer- 
 vant and follower of Chrift, cometh to 
 that place where Chrift himfelf is; that 
 is, unto the Father. As Chrift him- 
 
 * John xii. 26. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 191 
 
 felf faith : " Father, I will that they alfo, 
 whom thou haft given me, be with me 
 where I am."* Behold, he who walketh 
 in this path, " entereth in by the door 
 into the fheep-fold," that is, into eternal 
 life ; " and to him the porter openeth ;"*j* 
 but he who entereth in by fome other 
 way, or vainly thinketh that he would 
 or can come to the Father or to eter- 
 nal bleffednefs otherwife than through 
 Chrift, is deceived ; for he is not in the 
 right Way, nor entereth in by the right 
 Door. Therefore to Him the porter 
 openeth not, for he is a thief and a 
 murderer, as Chrift faith. 
 
 Now, behold and mark, whether 
 one can be in the right Way, and enter 
 in by the right Door, if one be living 
 in lawlefs freedom or licenfe, or dis- 
 regard of ordinances, virtue or vice, 
 order or diforder, and the like. Such 
 liberty we do not find in Chrift, neither 
 is it in any of his true followers. 
 
 * John xvii. 24. f John x. 1, 3. 
 
192 Theologia Gennanica. 
 
 CHAP. LIII. 
 
 Confidereth that other faying of Chrift, " No 
 Man can come unto me, except the Father 
 which hathjent me draw him" 
 
 HRIST hath alfo faid : " No 
 man cometh unto me, except 
 the Father which hath fent 
 me draw him/'* Now mark : by the 
 Father, I underftand the Perfect, Sim- 
 ple Good, which is All and above All, 
 and without which and befides which 
 there is no true Subftance, nor true 
 Good, and without which no good 
 work ever was or will be done. And in 
 that it is All, it muft be in All and 
 above All. And it cannot be any one 
 of thofe things which the creatures, as 
 creatures, can comprehend or under- 
 ftand. For whatever the creature, as 
 
 * John vi. 44. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 193 
 
 creature (that is, in her creature kind), 
 can conceive of and underftand, is fome- 
 thing, this or that, and therefore is 
 fome fort of creature. And now if the 
 Simple Perfect Good were fomewhat, 
 this or that, which the creature under- 
 ftandeth, it would not be the All, nor 
 the Only One, and therefore not Per- 
 fect. Therefore alfo it cannot be 
 named, feeing that is none of all the 
 things which the creature as creature 
 can comprehend, know, conceive, or 
 name. Now behold, when this Per- 
 fect Good, which is unnameable, flow- 
 eth into a Perfon able to bring forth, 
 and bringeth forth the Only-begotten 
 Son in that Perfon, and itfelf in Him, 
 we call it the Father. 
 
 Now mark how the Father draweth 
 men unto Chrift. When fomewhat of 
 this Perfect Good is difcovered and re- 
 vealed within the foul of man, as it were 
 in a glance or flam, the foul conceiveth 
 a longing to approach unto the Perfect 
 o 
 
i94 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 Goodnefs, and unite herfelf with the 
 Father. And the ftronger this yearn- 
 ing groweth, the more is revealed unto 
 her ; and the more is revealed unto her, 
 the more is (he drawn toward the Father, 
 and her defire quickened. Thus is the 
 foul drawn and quickened into a union 
 with the Eternal Goodnefs. And this 
 is the drawing of the Father, and thus 
 the foul is taught of Him who draweth 
 her unto Himfelf, that (lie cannot enter 
 into a union with Him except fhe come 
 unto Him by the life of Chrift. Behold ! 
 now fhe putteth on that life of which 
 I have fpoken afore. 
 
 Now fee the meaning of thefe two 
 fayings of Chrift's. The one, " no 
 man cometh unto the Father but by 
 me ;" that is, through my life, as hath 
 been fet forth. The other faying, " no 
 man cometh unto me except the Father 
 draw him;" that is, he doth not take 
 my life upon him and come after me, 
 except he be moved and drawn of my 
 
Theologia Germanica. 195 
 
 Father ; that is, of the Simple and Per- 
 fect Good, of which St. Paul faith: 
 " when that which is perfect is come, 
 then that which is in part fhall be done 
 away." That is to fay ; in whatever 
 foul this Perfect Good is known, felt and 
 tafted, io far as may be in this prefent 
 time, to that foul all created things are 
 as nought compared with this Perfect 
 One, as in truth they are ; for befide or 
 without the Perfect One, is neither true 
 Good nor true Subftance. Whofoever 
 then hath, or knoweth, or loveth, the 
 Perfect One, hath and knoweth all 
 goodnefs. What more then doth he 
 want, or what is all that " is in part" 
 to him, feeing that all the parts are 
 united in the Perfect, in One Sub- 
 ftance ? 
 
 What hath here been faid, concern- 
 eth the outward life, and is a good way 
 or accefs unto the true inward life ; but 
 the inward life beginneth after this. 
 When a man hath tafted that which is 
 
196 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 perfect as far as is poflible in this prefent 
 time, all created things and even himfelf 
 become as nought to him. And when 
 he perceiveth of a truth that the Per- 
 fect One is All and above All, he needs 
 muft follow after Him, and afcribe all 
 that is good, fuch as Subftance, Life, 
 Knowledge, Reafon, Power, and the 
 like, untoHim alone and to no creature. 
 And hence followeth that the man 
 claimeth for his own neither Subftance, 
 Life, Knowledge, nor Power, Doing 
 nor Refraining, nor anything that we 
 can call good. And thus the man be- 
 cometh fo poor, that he is nought in 
 himfelf, and fo are alfo all things unto 
 him which are fomewhat, that is, all 
 created things. And then there begin- 
 neth in him a true inward life, wherein 
 fromhenceforward, God Himfelf dwell- 
 eth in the man, fo that nothing is left 
 in him but what is God's or of God, 
 and nothing is left which taketh any- 
 thing unto itfelf. And thus God Him- 
 
Theologia Germanica. 197 
 
 felf, that is, the One Eternal Perfect- 
 nefs alone is, liveth, knoweth, worketh, 
 loveth, willeth, doeth and refraineth in 
 the man. And thus, of a truth, it mould 
 be, and where it is not fo, the man hath 
 yet far to travel, and things are not al- 
 together right with him. 
 
 Furthermore, it is a good way and 
 accefs unto this life, to feel always that 
 what is beft is deareft, and always to 
 prefer the beft, and cleave to it, and 
 unite onefelf to it. Firft : in the crea- 
 tures. But what is beft in the crea- 
 tures ? Be affured : that, in which the 
 Eternal Perfect Goodnefs and what is 
 thereof, that is, all which belongeth 
 thereunto, moft brightly fhineth and 
 worketh, and is beft known and loved. 
 But what is that which is of God, and 
 belongeth unto Him ? I anfwer : what- 
 ever with juftice and truth we do, or 
 might call good. 
 
 When therefore among the creatures 
 the man cleaveth to that which is the 
 
198 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 beft that he can perceive, and keepeth 
 fteadfaftly to that, in finglenefs of heart, 
 he cometh afterward to what is better 
 and better, until, at laft, he findeth and 
 tafteth that the Eternal Good is a Per- 
 fect Good, without meafure and number 
 above all created good. Now if what 
 is beft is to be deareft to us, and we are 
 to follow after it, the One Eternal Good 
 muft be loved above all and alone, and 
 we muft cleave to Him alone, and unite 
 ourfelveswith Him as clofelyas we may. 
 And now if we are to afcribe allgoodnefs 
 to the One Eternal Good, as of right 
 and truth we ought, fo muft we alfo 
 of right and truth afcribe unto Him 
 the beginning, middle, and end of our 
 courfe, fo that nothing remain to man 
 or the creature. So it mould be of a 
 truth, let men fay what they will. 
 
 Now on this wife we mould attain 
 unto a true inward life. And what 
 then further would happen to the foul, 
 or would be revealed unto her, and 
 
Theologia Germanica. 199 
 
 what her life would be henceforward, 
 none can declare or guefs. For it is 
 that which hath never been uttered by 
 man's lips, nor hath it entered into the 
 heart of man to conceive. 
 
 In this our long difcourfe, are brief- 
 ly comprehended thofe things which 
 ought of right and truth to be fulfilled : 
 to wit, that man mould claim nothing 
 for his own, nor crave, will, love, or 
 intend anything but God alone, and 
 what is like unto Him, that is to fay, 
 the One, Eternal, Perfect Goodnefs. 
 
 But if it be not thus with a man, 
 and he take, will, purpofe, or crave, 
 fomewhat for himfelf, this or that, 
 whatever it may be, befide or other 
 than the Eternal and Perfect Goodnefs 
 which is God Himfelf, this is all too 
 much and a great injury, [and hinder- 
 eth the man from a perfect life ; where- 
 fore he can never reach the Perfect 
 Good, unlefs he firfl forfake all things 
 and himfelf firft of all. For no man 
 
200 Theologia Germanka. 
 
 can ferve two mailers, who are contrary 
 the one to the other; he who will 
 have the one, muft let the other go. 
 Therefore if the Creator fhall enter in, 
 the creature muft depart. Of this be 
 affured.] 
 
 CHAP. LIV. 
 
 How a Man fhall not feek his own, either in 
 Things fpiritual or natural, but the Honour 
 of God only ; and how he muft enter in by 
 the right Door, to wit, by Chrift, into Eter- 
 nal Life. 
 
 F a man may attain thereunto, 
 to be unto God as his hand 
 is to a man, let him be there- 
 with content, and not feek further. 
 [This is my faithful counfel, and here 
 I take my ftand. That is to fay, let 
 him ftrive and wreftle with all his might 
 to obey God and His commandments 
 fo thoroughly at all times and in all 
 
Theologia Germanica. 201 
 
 things, that in him there be nothing, 
 fpiritual or natural, which oppofeth 
 God ; and that his whole foul and body 
 with all their members may ftand ready 
 and willing for that to which God hath 
 created them ; as ready and willing as 
 his hand is to a man, which is fo wholly 
 in his power, that in the twinkling of 
 an eye, he moveth and turneth it whi- 
 ther he will. And when we find it 
 otherwife with us, we muft give our 
 whole diligence to amend our ftate; and 
 this from love and not from fear, and 
 in all things whatfoever,feek and intend 
 the glory and praife of God alone. We 
 muft not feek our own, either in things 
 fpiritual or in things natural.] It muft 
 needs be thus, if it is to ftand well with 
 us. And every creature oweth this of 
 right and truth unto God, and efpeci- 
 ally man [to whom, by the ordinance 
 of God, all creatures are made fubject, 
 and are fervants, that he may be fub- 
 ject to and ferve God only]. 
 
202 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 Further, when a man hath come fo 
 far, and climbed fo high, that he think- 
 eth and weeneth he ftandeth fure* let 
 him beware left the Devil ftrew afhes 
 and his own bad feed on his heart, and 
 nature feek and take her own comfort, 
 reft, peace, and delight in theprofperity 
 of his foul, and he fall intoafoolifh,law- 
 lefs freedom and licentioufnefs, which is 
 altogether alien to, and at war with a 
 true life in God. And this will happen 
 to that man who hath not entered, or 
 refufeth to enter in by the right Way 
 and the right Door (which is Chrift, 
 as we have faid), and imagineth that he 
 would or could come by any other way 
 to the higheft truth. He may perhaps 
 dream that he hath attained thereunto, 
 but verily he is in error. 
 
 And our witnefs is Chrift, who de- 
 clareth : "Verily, verily, I fay unto you, 
 He that entereth not by the door into the 
 fheepfold, but climbeth up fome other 
 way, the fame is a thief and a robber. " * 
 
 * John x. i. 
 
Theologia Gerrnanica. 203 
 
 [A thief, for he robbeth God of His ho- 
 nour and glory, which belong to God 
 alone; he taketh them unto himfelf,and 
 feeketh and purpofeth himfelf. A mur- 
 derer, for he flayeth his own foul, and 
 taketh away her life, which is God. For 
 as the body liveth by the foul, even fo 
 the foul liveth by God. Moreover, he 
 murdereth all thofe who follow him, 
 by his doctrine and example. For 
 Chrift faith: "I came down from hea- 
 ven, not to do mine own will, but the 
 will of Him that fent me."* And 
 again : " Why call ye me Lord, Lord ? -f* " 
 as if he would fay, it will avail you no- 
 thing to Eternal Life. And again : 
 " Not every one that faith unto me 
 Lord, Lord, mall enter into the King- 
 dom of Heaven ; but he that doeth the 
 will of my Father which is in Heaven/' J 
 But he faith alfo : " If thou wilt enter 
 into life, keep the commandments. "§ 
 
 * John vi. 38. f Luke vi. 46. 
 
 % Matt. vii. 21. § Matt. xix. 17. 
 
204 Theologia Germanica. 
 
 And what are the commandments ? 
 " To love the Lord thy God with all 
 thy heart, with all thy foul, and with 
 all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind ; 
 and to love thy neighbour as thyfelf."* 
 And in thefe two commandments all 
 others are briefly comprehended. 
 
 There is nothing more precious to 
 God, or more profitable to man, than 
 humble obedience. In His eyes, one 
 good work, wrought from true obe- 
 dience, is of more value than a hun- 
 dred thoufand, wrought from felf-will, 
 contrary to obedience. Therefore he 
 who hath this obedience need not dread 
 Him, for fuch a man is in the right way, 
 and following after Chrift.] 
 
 That we may thus deny ourfelves, 
 and forfake and renounce all things for 
 God's fake, and give up our own wills, 
 and die unto ourfelves, and live unto 
 God alone and to His will, may He 
 help us, who gave up His will to His 
 * Luke x. 27. 
 
Theologia Germanica. 205 
 
 Heavenly Father,— Jefus Chrift our 
 Lord, to whom be bleffing for ever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
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