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John Van Ruysbroeck, The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
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THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
CHAPTER II SHOWING HOW WE SHALL CONSIDER THE COMING OF CHRIST IN THREE WAYS
CHAPTER VI OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER VII OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENTS
CHAPTER VIII OF THE THIRD COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER X OF THE FIVE KINDS OF MEN WHO SHALL APPEAR AT THE JUDGMENT
CHAPTER XI OF A SPIRITUAL GOING OUT WITH ALL VIRTUES
CHAPTER XII HOW HUMILITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OTHER VIRTUES
CHAPTER XIV OF THE RENUNCIATION OF SELF WILL
CHAPTER XX OF ZEAL AND DILIGENCE
CHAPTER XXI OF TEMPERANCE AND SOBRIETY
CHAPTER XXIII OF THREE ENEMIES TO BE OVERCOME BY RIGHTEOUSNESS
CHAPTER XXIV OF THE KINGDOM OF THE SOUL
CHAPTER XXV OF A SPIRITUAL MEETING OF GOD AND OURSELVES
CHAPTER XXVI OF THE DESIRE TO KNOW THE BRIDEGROOM IN HIS NATURE
CHAPTER I HOW WE ACHIEVE SUPERNATURAL SIGHT IN OUR INWARD WORKINGS
CHAPTER II OF A THREE-FOLD UNITY WHICH IS IN US BY NATURE
CHAPTER III OF THE INFLOW OF THE GRACE OF GOD INTO OUR SPIRIT
CHAPTER IV SHOWING HOW WE SHOULD FOUND OUR INWARD LIFE ON A FREEDOM FROM IMAGES
CHAPTER V OF A THREE-FOLD COMING OF OUR LORD IN THE INWARD MAN
CHAPTER VI OF THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD IN THE INWARD MAN
CHAPTER VII OF THE THIRD COMING OF OUR LORD
CHAPTER VIII HOW THE FIRST COMING HAS FOUR DEGREES
CHAPTER XIV OF TWO GRIEFS WHICH ARISE FROM INWARD GRATITUDE
CHAPTER XV A SIMILITUDE HOW WE SHOULD PERFORM THE FIRST DEGREE OF OUR INWARD EXERCISE
CHAPTER XVI ANOTHER SIMILITUDE CONCERNING THE SAME EXERCISE
CHAPTER XVII OF THE SECOND DEGREE OF OUR INWARD EXERCISE, WHICH INCREASES INWARDNESS BY HUMILITY
CHAPTER XVIII OF THE PURE DELIGHT OF THE HEART AND THE SENSIBLE POWERS
CHAPTER XIX OF SPIRITUAL INEBRIATION
CHAPTER XX WHAT MAY HINDER A MAN IN THIS INEBRIATION
CHAPTER XXI A SIMILITUDE HOW A MAN SHOULD ACT AND BEAR HIMSELF IN THIS CASE
CHAPTER XXII OF THE THIRD DEGREE OF THE SPIRITUAL COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER XXIII OF THE PAIN AND RESTLESSNESS OF LOVE
CHAPTER XXIV OF ECSTACIES AND DIVINE REVELATIONS
CHAPTER XXV AN EXAMPLE SHOWING HOW ONE IS HINDERED IN THIS EXERCISE
CHAPTER XXVII A PARABLE OF THE ANT
CHAPTER XXVIII OF THE FOURTH DEGREE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER XXIX SHOWING WHAT THE FORSAKEN MAN SHOULD DO
CHAPTER XXX A PARABLE: HOW ONE MAY BE HINDERED IN THIS FOURTH DEGREE
CHAPTER XXXI OF ANOTHER HINDRANCE
CHAPTER XXXIIOF FOUR KINDS OF FEVER WHEREWITH A MAN MAY BE TORMENTED
CHAPTER XXXIIISHOWING HOW THESE FOUR DEGREES IN THEIR PERFECTION ARE FOUND IN CHRIST
CHAPTER XXXIVSHOWING HOW A MAN SHOULD LIVE IF HE WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED
CHAPTER XXXVOF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, OR, THE FOUNTAIN WITH THREE RILLS
XXXVICHAPTER XXXVITHE FIRST RILL ADORNS THE MEMORY[1]
CHAPTER XXXVIITHE SECOND RILL ENLIGHTENS THE UNDERSTANDING
CHAPTER XXXVIIITHE THIRD RILL ESTABLISHES THE WILL TO EVERY PERFECTION
CHAPTER XXXIXSHOWING HOW THE ESTABLISHED MAN SHALL GO OUT IN FOUR WAYS
CHAPTER XLHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS GOD AND TOWARDS ALL SAINTS
CHAPTER XLIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS ALL SINNERS
CHAPTER XLIIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS HIS FRIENDS IN PURGATORY
CHAPTER XLIIIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS HIMSELF AND TOWARDS ALL GOOD MEN
CHAPTER XLIVSHOWING HOW WE MAY RECOGNISE THOSE MEN WHO FAIL IN CHARITY TO ALL
CHAPTER XLVHOW CHRIST WAS, IS, AND EVER WILL BE THE LOVER OF ALL
CHAPTER XLVIREPROVING ALL THOSE WHO LIVE ON SPIRITUAL GOODS IN AN INORDINATE MANNER
CHAPTER XLVIISHOWING HOW CHRIST HAS GIVEN HIMSELF TO ALL IN COMMON IN THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR
CHAPTER XLVIIIOF THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE IN THE TRINITY OF THE PERSONS
CHAPTER XLIXSHOWING HOW GOD POSSESSES AND MOVES THE SOUL BOTH IN A NATURAL AND A SUPERNATURAL WAY
CHAPTER LSHOWING HOW A MAN SHOULD BE ADORNED IF HE IS TO RECEIVE THE MOST INWARD EXERCISE
CHAPTER LIOF THE THIRD COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER LIISHOWING HOW THE SPIRIT GOES OUT THROUGH THE DIVINE STIRRING
CHAPTER LIIIOF AN ETERNAL HUNGER FOR GOD
CHAPTER LIVOF A LOVING STRIFE BETWEEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND OUR SPIRIT
CHAPTER LVOF THE FRUITFUL WORKS OF THE SPIRIT, THE WHICH ARE ETERNAL
CHAPTER LVIIOF THE ESSENTIAL MEETING WITH GOD WITHOUT MEANS IN THE NAKEDNESS OF OUR NATURE
CHAPTER LVIIISHOWING HOW ONE IS LIKE UNTO GOD THROUGH GRACE AND UNLIKE UNTO GOD THROUGH MORTAL SIN
CHAPTER LIXSHOWING HOW ONE POSSESSES GOD IN UNION AND REST, ABOVE ALL LIKENESS THROUGH GRACE
CHAPTER LXIOF HOW GOD AND OUR SPIRIT VISIT EACH OTHER IN THE UNITY AND IN THE LIKENESS
CHAPTER LXIISHOWING HOW WE SHOULD GO OUT TO MEET GOD
CHAPTER LXIIIOF THE ORDERING OF ALL THE VIRTUES THROUGH THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST
CHAPTER LXIVOF THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF THE MOST INTERIOR LIFE
CHAPTER LXVOF THREE KINDS OF MOST INWARD PRACTICES
CHAPTER LXVISHOWING HOW SOME MEN LIVE CONTRARY TO THESE EXERCISES
CHAPTER LXVIIOF ANOTHER KIND OF PERVERTED MEN
CHAPTER I SHOWING THE THREE WAYS BY WHICH ONE ENTERS INTO THE GOD-SEEING LIFE
CHAPTER III HOW OUR SPIRIT IS CALLED TO GO OUT IN CONTEMPLATION AND FRUITION
CHAPTER IV OF A DIVINE MEETING WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE HIDDENNESS OF OUR SPIRIT
Now, if we wish to possess these virtues, and to cast out their opposites, we must possess righteousness, and we must practise and preserve it in purity of heart unto death; for we have three powerful adversaries, who tempt us and make war on us at all times, in all places, and in many ways. If we make peace with one of these three, and become subject to him, we are vanquished; for the three of them agree together in all iniquity.
These three adversaries are the devil, the world and our own flesh; and this last is the nearest to us and often the worst and most harmful of all three to us; for our fleshly lusts are the weapons with which our enemies make war on us. Idleness and indifference to virtue and the glory of God, these are the causes and the occasions of the struggle. But the weakness of our nature, our carelessness and ignorance of truth, these are the swords with which our enemies often wound, and sometimes conquer us.
And for this reason we should build up a wall and make a separation within ourselves. And the lower part of ourselves, which is beastly and contrary to the virtues, and which wills our separation from God, we should hate and persecute, and we should torment it by means of penances and austerity of life; so that it be always repressed, and subject to reason, that thereby righteousness and purity of heart may always have the upper hand in all the works of virtue. And all the suffering, grief, and persecution, which God sends us through these enemies of virtue, we should gladly bear for the glory of God, and for the honour of the virtues, and that we may obtain and possess righteousness in purity of heart; for Christ says: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. For a righteousness which is maintained in suffering and in virtuous deeds is like the penny which is counted as heavy as the kingdom of God; and with it is bought eternal life.
And with these virtues a man goes out towards God, towards himself, and towards his neighbour, in good customs, in virtues, and in righteousness.