John Tauler · 6 of 121

Secondly, of the work and knowledge of grace. · 60.

Next have we to speak of the knowledge which is by grace. This signifies that to man in that state is given the power of distinguishing the Holy Scriptures, so that he comprehend them in full truth, and that in bearing and reading he should understand them in the best and most profitable way. And this knowledge is by grace and not from nature; for by mere nature you cannot come to a true knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. For the Holy Scriptures are from the Holy Ghost, and therefore whoso wisheth to understand them properly he must be enlightened with the grace of the Holy Ghost. An objection might be made, that many understand the Holy Scriptures who have not much grace, nor walk in a holy life. That is true; but they only understand them according to the sense, and not rightly according to the foundation and groundwork thereof. For whoso wisheth to understand them on their right ground, that must issue from the life and from the divine grace. Hence it is that Holy Writ is understood in the light of grace, and not in the light of nature. For genuine poverty is full of grace, and therefore is Holy Writ understood by a genuinely poor man. Wherefore Christ said, “To the poor the Gospel,” for they alone understand it rightly. And this is found in the Apostles, who preached the Gospel and converted the people, and did not do this by cleverness of natural knowledge. Rather did they it in the power of poverty, for therewith they overcame all things, and in it they understood all things. Doubtless grace is a flowing out from God, and it floweth into the soul, but into one that is empty and poor in all things that are not God. Then if Holy Writ is only to be understood by grace, and if a poor man is alone receptive of the grace of God, then a poor man only understandeth Holy Writ properly. Not that a poor man understandeth Holy Writ in all the ways in which it can be understood, but he understands it in its essence, and he understands the naked truth for which all Holy Writ hath been written. For a poor man hath understood the essence of all truth. Wherefore it is not needful for him to take the truth according to accidents, and that he should understand all figures of speech which are in Holy Writ. As Christ said to His disciples, “To you it is given to know the mystery of God, but to others it must be given in parables.” He who understandeth the naked truth needeth not a parable. Therefore because a poor man is empty of all things that are not like the truth he thence understandeth the naked truth, and therewith he has enough.