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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
From this unity, wherein the spirit is united with God without intermediary, grace and all gifts flow forth: and out of this same unity, where the spirit rests above itself in God, Christ the Eternal Truth says: Behold, The Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him. Christ, who is the light of Eternal Truth, says: Behold: for through Him we become seeing; for He is the light of the Father, and without Him there were no light, neither in heaven nor on earth. This speaking of Christ within us is nothing else than an inrush of His light and His grace. This grace pours into us in the unity of our higher powers and of our spirit; wherefrom, through the power of the grace received, the higher powers flow out to become active in all virtues, and whereto, because of the bond of love, they ever return again.
In this unity lie the power for, and beginning and end of, every natural and supernatural work of the creature in so far as it is wrought in a creaturely way, through grace and Divine gifts, and by the creature’s own strength. And therefore God pours His grace into the unity of the higher powers, that therewith man may always fulfil the virtues, through the power and the richness and the thrust of grace. For God gives us grace, therewith to work; and above all graces He gives Himself, for fruition and for rest. The unity of our spirit is our dwelling-place, in the peace of God and in the riches of charity; and there all the manifold virtues are gathered together, and live in the simplicity of the spirit.
Now the grace of God, pouring forth from God, is an inward thrust and urge of the Holy Ghost, driving forth our spirit from within and exciting it towards all virtues. This grace flows from within, and not from without; for God is more inward to us than we are to ourselves, and His inward thrust or working within us, be it natural or supernatural, is nearer to us and more intimate to us, than our own working is. And therefore God works in us from within outwards; but all creatures work from without inwards. And thus it is that grace, and all the gifts of God, and the Voice of God, come from within, in the unity of our spirit; and not from without, into the imagination, by means of sensible images.