CHAPTER VIII.

Of certain visions.

HE had at this time very many visions of future and hidden things, and God gave him an experimental knowledge, so far as was possible, of how things were in heaven, hell, and purgatory. It happened to him commonly, that many souls appeared to him upon 31their leaving this world, and told him how it had fared with them, what sins were the cause of their purgatory, how they could be helped, or what was^ their reward from God. Among others there appeared to him the blessed Master Eckart, and the holy brother John der Fucrer of Strasburg. The Master signified to him, that he was in exceeding glory, into which his soul was quite transformed, and made godlike in God. Upon, this the Servitor besought him to tell him two things. The first was, the manner in which those persons dwell in God, who with real and genuine detachment have sought to rest in the supreme Truth alone? To this he answered, that no words can tell the way in which these persons are taken up into the modeless abyss of the divine essence. The second thing was; what exercise is most calculated to help forward him, whose earnest desire is to arrive at this state? The Master replied, that he must die to himself by deep detachment, receive every thing as from God and not from creatures, and establish himself in unruffled patience towards all men, however wolfish they may be.

The other brother, John, also showed him in a vision the ravishing beauty with which 32his soul was glorified, and of him too he asked the explanation of another point. The question was:—which among all spiritual exercises is the most painful, and at the same time the most profitable? The brother answered, that there is nothing more painful, and yet more profitable for a man, than, when forsaken by God, to go out of himself by patience, and thus to leave God for God.

The Servitor’s own father, who had led a very worldly life, appeared to him after death, and with a woful aspect showed him his agonising purgatory, and the chief sins for which he had incurred it, and explained to him distinctly how he was to help him. The Servitor did this; and afterwards his father appeared to him, and told him that he had been set free. His holy mother also, in whose heart and body God worked many marvels in her lifetime, appeared to him in a vision, and made known to him the great reward which she had received from God. The like happened to him in the case of numberless other souls; and it was a source of pleasure to him, and during a long time it gave him instruction and support in the course which he was then pursuing.