The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage

First Book

Translator’s Preface . . . . . . . . . 7
Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1. Here begins the "Active Life" original: "Tätige Leben"; in the theology of Jan van Ruysbroeck, this refers to the first stage of the spiritual path, where the soul focuses on moral discipline and outward acts of virtue. . . . . . . 12
2. That we should distinguish three kinds of Christ’s coming . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3. On two kinds of humility in Christ . . . . 20
4. On the Love of Christ adorned with all virtues . . 22
5. On Christ’s patient suffering unto death . 23
6. On the second coming of Christ . . . . . 25
7. How one grows spiritually daily through receiving the holy sacraments . . . . . . . 27
8. On the third coming of Christ . . . . . . 28
9. How Christ will conduct Himself at the Last Judgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
10. On five classes of men who must come to judgment . . . . . . . . . . . 29
11. On a spiritual "going-out" toward all virtues original: "geistlichen Ausgehen"; a technical mystical term describing the movement of the soul as it turns its attention and energy outward toward the practice of virtue. . . . . . . . . . . . 32
12. How humility is the foundation of all virtues . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
13. On obedience . . . . . . . . . . . 35
14. On the denial of one’s own will . . . 36
15. On patience . . . . . . . . . . . 37
16. On gentleness . . . . . . . . . . 37
17. On goodness . . . . . . . . . . . 38
18. On compassion . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Preface original: "Vorwort"; the translator's modern introduction.
Prologue original: "Vorrede"; Ruysbroeck's original introductory text.
Active Life original: "Tätige Leben"; the foundational stage of Christian life according to medieval tradition.
Coming of Christ original: "Ankunft Christi"; Ruysbroeck structures his work around Christ's arrival in the flesh, in the soul, and at the end of time.
Humility original: "Demut"; considered the root of all other virtues.
Love of Christ original: "Liebe Christi"; the central motivating force of the spiritual marriage.
Sacraments original: "Sakramente"; the ritual means of receiving divine grace.
Judgment original: "Gericht"; referring to the final assessment of souls at the end of the world.
Classes of Men original: "Menschengattungen"; a categorization of different types of believers and non-believers based on their spiritual state.
Virtues original: "Tugenden"; the specific character traits listed in chapters 12 through 18.
Obedience original: "Gehorsam".
Denial original: "Verleugnung".
Patience original: "Geduld".
Gentleness original: "Sanftmut".
Goodness original: "Güte".
Compassion original: "Mitleiden".