Conference

A Conference between an Eminent Divine of the Fourteenth Century and a Poor Beggar, on the Means of Attaining to Christian Perfection

Translated from the works of J. Thaulerius, D.D., printed at Paris, 1623.

There was a great divine who prayed, for the space of eight years, that God would vouchsafe to direct him to a man who might show him the way of truth. Now it happened, on a certain day, whilst he found his soul excited to offer this petition with a more than ordinary fervor, he heard a voice from Heaven, which said to him, “Go out to the church porch, and there thou shalt meet with a man who will teach thee the way of truth.” On going thither he found a poor beggar, whose feet were covered with dirt, and mire, and all the clothes on his back not worth three farthings. Having courteously saluted him, he wished him a good morning. To which the beggar replied, “I never remember to have had a bad morning.” — “God prosper you,” said the doctor. “What say you?” said the beggar; “I never was otherwise than prosperous.” — “I wish you all happiness,” replied the doctor; “but what do you mean by speaking in this manner?” — “Why,” said the poor man, “I never was unhappy.” — “God bless you,” said the doctor; “explain yourself, for I cannot well understand your meaning.” The poor man answered, “That I shall do very willingly. You wished me, master doctor, a good morning; and I answered that I never had a bad morning; for if I am hungry I praise God; if I suffer cold I praise God; if it hail, snow, or rain, if the weather be fair or foul, I give praise to God; if I am miserable and despised by all the world, I still give praise to God; and therefore I never met with a bad morning. You also prayed that God would prosper me; to which I answered, that I never was otherwise than prosperous; for, having learned to live with God, I know for certain that all he does must necessarily be for the best; and therefore whatever happens to me by his will, or his permission, whether it be pleasant or disagreeable, sweet or bitter, I always receive with joy, as coming from his merciful hand, for the best; and therefore I never was otherwise than prosperous. You wished me also all happiness; and I, in like manner, replied, that I had never been unhappy; for I have resolved to adhere to the divine will alone, and have so absolutely relinquished self-will as to will always whatever God wills, and therefore I was never unhappy; for I never desire to have any other will than his, and therefore I resign my will entirely to him.” “But what would you say,” said the doctor, “if it should be the will of this Lord of majesty to cast you down into the bottomless pit?” — “How,” said he, hastily, “cast me down into the bottomless pit! Why, if he should really do so, I have two arms, — the one of true humility, by which I am united to his most sacred humanity, which I place under him; the other, which is my right arm of love, by which I am united to his divinity; and with both I would embrace him so closely, and hold him so firmly, that he would be obliged to go down with me; and I would much rather choose to be, even in hell, with God, than in heaven without him.” From this discourse the doctor learned that true resignation, accompanied with profound humility, is the shortest way to God. Having afterwards asked the beggar, whence he came, he answered, “God.” — “But where,” said the doctor, “did you find God?” —“I found him,” said he, “where I forsook all creatures.” — “And where or with whom did you leave God?” said the doctor. “I left him,” said he, “with the clean of heart, and amongst men of good will.” — “But I pray thee tell me who, or what, art thou.” — “I am a king,” replied he. The doctor further asking him where his kingdom was, he replied, “My kingdom is in my soul; for I can govern both my exterior and interior senses so absolutely that all the affections and forces of my soul are in perfect subjection to me; which kingdom is doubtless more excellent than all the kingdoms of this world.” The doctor asked him how he had attained to this perfection. He answered, “By silence, meditation, and by tending always to an union with God; for I could never rest,” said he, “in anything less than God; and now, having found him, I enjoy peace and everlasting rest.”

About ReligiousBookshelf.com · A Supernerd Media project