ON CONTEMPLATING GOD William of Saint Thierry Translated from the Latin by Geoffrey Webb and Adrian Walker © Akenside Press and Matthew C. Dallman, 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, Akenside Press. First British edition, 1955 by A. R. Mowbray and Co. Ltd, London Cover image "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" by Giovanni di paolo is licensed under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from original. CONTENTS Publisher's Foreword Translators' Introduction Preface I. The Soul which loves God asks to be purged of its vices and of all attachment to worldly things; it begs to be raised up to heaven II. The soul which desires God complains of how it is burdened by the body III. On whether the Saints receive love in an unequal measure, and on how this comes about IV. That God is to be loved for Himself alone and that all other things are to be loved on account of Him V. That there is nothing to be loved above God, and nothing to be desired beyond Him VI. That God has first loved us; through His Son, He incites us to return His love VII. With that love God loves us VIII. That by means of love we are made one with God IX. That loves consists in keeping the commandments X. The soul declares that it loves and adores God Go to TRANSLATORS' INTRODUCTION. © Akenside Press and Matthew C. Dallman, 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, Akenside Press.