the mystical theology of valentin weigel - DataSpace at Princeton ...

die Blinden an ein ander gehetzett, in der finsternis zu fechten”), they could not
distinguish between friend and enemy, and would strike out at whatever their weapon fell
upon. 336 Weigel deplores this way of discerning truth about theological matters and
becomes increasingly agitated as he reads more and more books. He is “harte bekummert”
and turns to God with an inward sigh of despair (“mitt einem Innigen seuftzen”), begging
that God illuminate his message for Weigel (“Las mir leuchten dein Wort”). As he prays,
he is struck by God’s grace (“wiederfhur mir gnade von oben herab”) and is shown a
special book, which he calls the book of life (“das buch des lebens”). 337 This vision both
comforts him (“mich erfrewete”) and enlightens his heart (“mein Hertz erleuchtete”),
because Weigel is now able to see, judge and understand all things (“alle dinge sehen
urteilen und erkennen konte”) more clearly by this special book than if all the teachers in
the entire world had taught him everything written in their books (“das mich alle lerer
mitt ihren buchern in der gantzen Welt mochten geleren”). 338
One part of this gracious revelation is to be able to understand and judge things by
it, but equally important is receiving the knowledge that this book of life exists in the first
place. Many weltgelerten (Weigel’s word for university theologians) deny its existence
(“verneinen und verleugnen”), insisting that written books are the only source of
knowledge; they cling to the dead written letter, as Weigel puts it (“kleben...am todten
buchstaben”). 339 Weigel’s vision allows him to know better—that this book not only
exists, but exists in the hearts of all people, young and old, learned and unlearned (“dis
336 Weigel, Griff, 90.
337 Ibid.
338 Ibid.
339 Ibid.
127