but that one may lightly be deceyued They are like in the maner of felyng outward but they are full dyuers wythin And therfore they are not for to desyre gretly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght bi the spiryte of discrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyll that he were not begyled as saynt IohÌ„n sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“bare si ex deo sit Saynt IohÌ„n biddeth vs that we shold not trust to euery spiryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or noo wherfore by one assaye I shall telle the as me thynkith how thou shalt know the good fro euyll ¶ How y u shalt know whaÌ„ the shewing to the bodely wyyttê felyng of hem ben good or euyll Caplm xi IF it soo be that thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes wyth thy bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery wondful so wnyng wyth thy bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other than of kynde or ony hete in thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delite in ony part of thy body or if a spiryte bodely aperith vnto y â— as it were an angel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y â— or ony suche felyng whiche y u knowest wel y t it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creature beware in y t tyme or soo ne after wisely beholde y e stiryng of thi hert If y u be stirred bicause of y â— likyng that y u felist to draw out thy hert fro y e miÌ„de the beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacoÌ„n As fro prayer thynkyng of thiself thy defawâ—es fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set the syght of thy hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte thy rest pryncipally therin wenyng y â— it shold be a parte of heueÌ„ly ioye of angels blysse for thy the thynkith that y u sholdest nother pray ne thynke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte the therin This felyng is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so liking wondful refuse it asseÌ„t not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whaÌ„ he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacoÌ„n he is wondly wroth For he hateth no thyng more thenÌ„e for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowyng the loue of god y e whiche he wythout body of synÌ„e lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open synnes he wold hynd hym begile hym by suche vanyte of bodely sauours or swetnes in the wyttes for to brynge a soule in to ghostly pride in to a fals sikernes of hymself weninge y t he had therby a felyng of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth aboute hym whaÌ„ he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcoÌ„n he myght falle in errours or heresies or faÌ„tasies or in other bodely or ghostly myscheues Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felyng lette not thy hert fro ghostly ocupacoÌ„n but it makith the more deuoute more feruent for to pray it makith the more wise for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in the begynÌ„yng neuerthelesse afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desire of vertues and encreaseth thy loue more to god to thyn euencrysten Also it makith the more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokeÌ„s may thou knowe that it is of god made bi the presence the touchyng of a good angell that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her truste her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more ê‘fytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they beÌ„ ê‘fyte that feleÌ„ suche delyte it semyth thenÌ„e that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of y e glorifyeng of the body whiche it shal haue in y e blisse of heueÌ„ I wote not whether there be ony suche man liuyng in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semith to my sight in y â— tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in y e caue xxx wynter euery day was borne vp wyth angels was fed both bodi soule by y e preseÌ„ce of hem thus we rede in y e story of her Of this maner assayeÌ„g of werkyng of spyrites spekith saynt IohÌ„n in his pistle thus techeth thê° OiÌ„s spÌ„s q soluit ihÌ„m hic noÌ„ eÌ„ ex deo Euery spiryte y e loseth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god Thise wordes may be vndstoÌ„de in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vndstoÌ„de hem to this purpose y t I haue sayd ¶ what knytteth IhuÌ„ to maÌ„nes soule what loseth him therfro Ca xii THe knyttyng y e fastenyng of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by gode will grete desire to hym onÌ„ly for to haue him see him in his blysse ghostly The more y t this desire is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is y e loslyer is he knitte TheÌ„ne what spiryte or what feling y t it be the whiche lesseth this desire wold drawe it downe fro y e stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styeng vp to IhuÌ„ this spiryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkyng of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spiryte or a felyng or a reuelacoÌ„n make this desire more knytte the knottes of loue deuocoÌ„n to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowyng more clerly makith it more meke in it self this spiryte is of god Here may y u see soÌ„what that y u shalt not suffre thi hert wilfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felyng of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were gode but y u shalt holde hem in thy sighte nought or lityl in rewarde of ghostly desire on stedfaff thynking on ihuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy hert ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges shold a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupied Caplm xiii BVt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And that is that y u might knowe the wisdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hym in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placoÌ„n that other is none thus saith saynt poul In caritate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„prehendere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sit longitu do latitudo sublimitas ê“funduÌ„ Be ye roted grouÌ„ded in charite that ye myght knowe he saith neyther souÌ„de of the ere
he woll he comyth ayen full of grace of sothfastnes vysiteth the soule y t languyssheth in desire by sygheÌ„ges of loue to his presence towchyth it anoynteth it full softly wyth the oyle of gladnes· and makyth it sodeynly hole fro all pyne and thenÌ„e cryeth the soule to IhuÌ„ in ghostly voys wyth a gladde herte thus Oleum effusuÌ„ nomen tuum Oyle yshedde is thy name Thy name is Ihesu that is he le Thenne as longe as I fele my soule sore syke for synne pyned wyth the heuy burden of my body sory dredynge for perylles and wretchydnes of this lyfe soo longe lorde Ihesu thy name is oyle speryd not oyle yshed to me But whan I fele my soule sodeynly towched with the lighte of thy grace heled and softed fro all the fylthe of synne and comforted in loue and in lyghte wyth ghostly strengthe gladnes vnspekeable thenne maye I saye wyth lusty louynge ghostly myghte to the Oyle yshed is thy name IhuÌ„ to me For by the effecte of thy gracyous vysitynge I fele wel of thy name y e true expownynge that thou arte Ihesu hee le For oonly thy gracyous presence helith me fro sorowe fro synne Blessyd is that soule that is euer fedde in felynge of loue in his preseÌ„ce or is borne vp by desyre to hym in his absence A wyse louer is he well taughte that sadly reuerently hath hym in his presence and louely beholdeth hym wythoute dyssolute lyghtnes and pacyently easely beryth hym in his absence wythout venemoâ—â— dispeyre and ouer pyneful bytternesse This chauÌ„gabilyte oâ— absence and presence of IhuÌ„ that a soule felyth is not perfecâ—â—cyon of the soule ne it is not ayenste the grace of perfeccoÌ„n 〈◊〉 of contemplacyon but in soo moche perfeccyon is the 〈◊〉 For the more lettynge that a soule hath of itself fro contyâ—nuell felynge of grace the lesse is the grace and yet neuertheâ—les is the grace in itself grace of conteÌ„placoÌ„n This chauÌ„gâ—â—â—â—lyte of absence and presence falleth as well in the state of â—â—â—feccioÌ„ as in state of beginÌ„yng but in a nother maner for riâ—â— as there is dyuersyte of felynge in the preseÌ„ce of grace bytwix thise two states right so is there in the absence of grace And therfore he that knoweth not the absence of grace is redy to be dysceyued And he that kepyth not the presence of grace is vnkynde to the vysitynge whether he be in state of begynÌ„ers or perfite Neuertheles the more stablenes that there is in grace vnhurt vnbroken the louelyer is the soule and more lyke vnto hym in whom is noo chauÌ„gabilyte as the apostles say the And it is ful semely that the spouse be lyke to IhuÌ„ spouse in maners in vertues full acordynge to hym in stablynes of perfyte loue But that falleth seeldom now here but in y e specyall spouse For he that perceyueth noo chauÌ„gabylyte in felynge of his grace but ylike hole stable vnbroken vnhurt as hym thynketh he is eyther full perfyte or ful blynde He is perfyte that is sequestyrde fro all flesshly affeccoÌ„ns comonyng of all creatures and all meanes are broken awaye of corrupcoÌ„n of synÌ„e betwyx IhuÌ„ his soule fully oonyd to him with softnes of loue But this is onÌ„ly grace aboue mannis kynde He is ful blynde that feyneth hym in grace wythout ghostly felynge of goddis InspyracoÌ„n setteth hymself in a manere of stablynes as he were euer in felyng in worchynge of specyall grace demyng that al is grace that he dooth felith with out wythin thynkyng that what soo euer he doo or speke is grace holdynge hymselfe vnchauÌ„gable in specyalte of grace If there be ony suche as I hope there be none he is full blynde in felynge of grace But thenÌ„e myghte thou saye thus that we sholde lyue onÌ„ly in trouthe and not coueyte ghostly felynges ne rewarde hem yf they come For the apostle sayth Iustê° ex fide viuit That is The rightwysman lyueth in trouthe Vnto this I saye that bodily felynges ben they neuer so comfortable we shal not coueyte ne rewarde moche yf they come But ghostly felynges suche as I speke of yf they come in y e maner as I haue sayd before we sholde euer desyre that are sleenge of all worldly loue openynge of the ghostly eye puryte of spiryte pees of conscyence all other before sayd We sholde coueyte to fele euer the lyfly Inspyracyon of grace made by the ghostly presence of Ihesu in our soule if that we myghte and for to haue hym in our syghte wyth reuerence euer fele the swetnes of his loue by a wondfull homlynes of his presence This sholde be our lyfe our felyng in grace after the mesure of his yefte in whom all grace is to some more to some lesse For his presence is feled in dyuers manere wyse as he wouchith saaf And in this we sholde lyue worche that longeth to vs to worche for wythout this we shold not cuÌ„ne lyue For right as the soule is the lyfe of the body righ soo is IhuÌ„ the lyfe of the soule by his gracyous presence And neuertheles this maner felynge be it neuer soo moche it is yet but trouth as in rewarde of that y t shall be of theself Iesu in the blysse of heuen Lo this felynge sholde we desyre for eueryche a soule resonable owyth for to coueyte wyth all the myghtes of it nyghynge to IhuÌ„ oonynge to hym thrugh felynge of his gracyous vnseable presence How that presence is feled it maye better be knowen by experyence than by ony wrytynge for it is the lyfe the loue the myghte the lyghte the Ioye the reste of a choseÌ„ soule And therfore he that hath oues sothfastly feled it he maye not forbere it wythout payn he maye not vndesyre it it is soo good in itselfe and soo comfortable what is more comfortable to a soule here than for to be drawe out thrugh grace fro the vyle noye of worldly besynesse fylth of desyres and fro vayne affeccoÌ„n of all creatures in to reste softnes of ghostly loue pryuely perceyuyng y â— gracious presence of IhuÌ„ felably fedde with sauour of his vnseable blessed face Sothly noo thinge me thynketh No thinge maye make the soule of a louer full of myrthe but the gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ as he can shewe hym to a clene soule He is neuer heuy ne sory but whaÌ„ he is wyth hymself in flesshlynes He is neuer full gladde ne mery but whan he is out of hymself as he was with IhuÌ„ in his ghostlynes And yet is that noo full myrthe for euer there hangeth an heuy luÌ„pe of bodily corrupcoÌ„n on his soule bereth it downe moche letteth y e ghostly gladnes and y t must euer be whiles it is here in this life but neuertheles for I speke of chauÌ„gabilyte of grace how it comyth gooth that y â—
vppe thy frende whyche is Ihesu by deuoute prayer and meditacoÌ„n Here hast thou herde the membres of this ymage ¶ Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made and wherof the ymage of synne and how we ben passyng forthe in the ymage of synne Caplm lxxxvi THis is not the ymage of Ihesu but it is liker an ymage of the deuyll For the ymage of Ihesu is made of vertues wyth mekenes perfyte loue charyte but this is of false flesshly loue to thyself wyth al thyse membres festuyd therto This ymage berest thou euery man what that he be vntyll by grace of Ihesu it be somdele destroyed broken downe Thus it semyth that dauyd sayth in the sawter boke VeruÌ„p tamen in ymagine pertransit homo sed et frustra conturbat This is for to saye Though it be soo that a man were made in the begynÌ„yng to the ymage of god stable stedfast neuerthelesse by cause of synÌ„e he forthpassith liuyng in this worlde in this ymage of synne· bi the whiche he is vnstable trowbled in vayne Also saynt poul spekyth of this ymage thus Sicut portauimê° ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis sic portemê° ymagineÌ„ celestis That is to saye If we wol come to the loue of god as we haue here before borne y e ymage of the erthly maÌ„ fyrst adam that is the ymage of synÌ„e Right soo now lete vs bere the ymage of the heuenly man Ihesu whiche is the ymage of vertues ¶ How we sholde crucifye this ymage of synne and quycken the ymage of Ihesu Caplm lxxxvii WHat shall thou thenÌ„e doo wyth this ymage I answere the by a worde y u the Iewes sayd to pylat of cryste Crucifige euÌ„ Take thou this body of synne doo hym on y e crosse That is for to saye Breke down this ymage slee the false loue of synne in thyself as cristis body was slayne for our synne our trespaas Right soo the behouyth yf thou wolte be like to cryste slee thy bodily likynge and flesshely lustes in thyselfe Thus sayd saynt poul Qui autem cristi sunt cameÌ„ suam crucifixerunt cum viciis concupiscenciis Thise that arn cristis folowers hath crucifyed and slayne her flesshe that is the ymage of synne wyth all the lustes the vnskylfull lykynges of it Slee thenne and breke downe pryde and set vp mekenesse Also breke downe yre enuye and reyse vp loue charyte to thyn euen crysten Also in stede of couetyse pouertee in spiryte In stede of accidye feruour in deuocyon wyth glad redynes to all good dedes And in the stede of glotenye lecherye sobirte chastyte in body in soule This coÌ„sydered saynte poul whan he said thus Deponentes veterem homineÌ„ cuÌ„ suis actibus qui corruÌ„pitur scdm desideria erroris et induite nouuÌ„ homineÌ„ qui scdm deum creatus est in sanctitate iusticia ye shall put down the olde man that is the ymage of sinne of the olde adam wyth all his membres for he is rotin in desyres of errour and ye shal shape you clothe you in a new man whiche is the ymage of god by holynes ryghtwysnes and ful hede of vertues who shall helpe the. breke down this ymage Sothly thy lorde Ihesu In the vertue in the name of hym shall thou breke downe this mawmente of synne Praye hym besily and desyre and he shall helpe the ¶ What profyte comyth of kepyng of the herte And how moche the soule is what it louyth Caplm lxxxviii GAder thenne thyn herte togyder and doo after the couÌ„seyl of the wyse man whan he sayth thê° OmÌ„i custodia serua cor tuuÌ„ qmÌ„ ex ipÌ„o vita procedit with all thy besynes kepe thyn herte· for oute of it comyth lyfe And that is soth whan it is well kepte For thenne wyse thoughtes clene affeccyons and brennyng desyres of vertues of charyte and of the blisse of heuen comen oute of it and makith the soule to lyue a blessed lyf Also on the contrary wyse yf it be not kepte thenne as our lorde sayth in the gospel De corde exiuÌ„t cogitaciones male que coinquinant hominem Euyll thoughtes and vnclene affeccyons comen oute of the herte the whiche defoulen man as oure lorde sayth They eyther benymme the lyfe of the soule by dedely synne Or elles they feble the soule and maken it syke yf they ben venyall For what is a man but his thoughtes and his loues Thyse maken a man oonly good or badde As moche as thou louest god and thyn euen crysten and knowyst hym soo moche is thy soule And yf thou lityll loue hym lityll is thy soule yf thou nouhgt loue hym nougte is thy soule It is noughte as for good but it is moche as for synÌ„e And yf thou wylt wyte what thou louest loke where vpon thou thynkest For where the loue is there is the eye and where the likynge is there is moost the herte thynkynge If thou loue moche god the likyth for to thynke moche vpon hym And yf thou loue lityll thenne lityll thou thynkest vpon hym Rule well thy thoughtes and thyn affeccoÌ„ns and thenne arte thou vertuous ¶ How the ymage of synne shall be broken downe Caplm lxxxix BEgynne thenne on and breke this ymage whan thou hast Inwardely bethoughte the of thyselfe and of thy wretchydnesse as I haue sayd how prowde how vayne and how enuyous how malencolyous how couetous how flesshly and how full of corrupcyon Also how lityll knowyng felyng or sauour thou haast of god and of ghostly thynges How wyse how quicke and how moche sauour thou hast in erthly thynges And shortly that the thynketh the also full of synne as the hyde is full of flesshe Be thou not to moche adradde though thou thynke soo of thyselfe And whan thou hast doon thus lyft vp thenne the desyre of thy herte to thy lorde Ihesu and praye hym of helpe Erye to hym by grete desyres and syghinges that he wyll helpe the to bere this grete bourden of this ymage or elles that he wyll breke it Thynke also suche a shame it is for the to be fedde wyth swynes mete of flesshly sauours that sholdest fele a ghostly sauour of heueÌ„ly Ioye If thou doo thus thenne begynnest thou for to aryse ayenste the hole grounde of synne in the as I haue sayd And it maye soo be that thou shalt fele payn and sorow for thou shalt vnderstonde that there maye noo soule lyue wythout grete payne but yf he haue reste and delyte eyther in his creatour or in a creature Thenne whan thou rysest ayenst thyself by a feruente desyre for to fele of thy lorde Ihesu and for to draew out thy loue fro al bodyly thynges and fro reste in thy bodily felynge in soo moche that thou arte encombred of thiselfe And the thynketh that all creatures ryseÌ„ ayenst the and all thynges whiche thou haddest delyte in before tourneth
inperfyte soules hadden that knewe not specyally the pryuyte of the Incarnacyon Ryght soo all chosen soules vnder the newe testamente hathe trouthe in cryste that he is come eyther openly and felyngly and ghostly men and wyse men haue or elles generally as chyldern haue that deyen crystned and other symple and lewde soules haue that arne nourysshed in the bosom of holy chyrche Syth this is sothe thenne thynketh me that thyse men gretly and greuously erren that sayen that Iewes and sarrasyns by kepynge of her owne lawe maye be made saaf though they trowen not in Ihesu cryste as holy chyrche trowyth In as moche as they wene that her owne trouth is good and syker and suffysaunt to her saluacyon And in that trouthe they done as it semyth many good dedes of ryghtwysnesse And perauenture yf they knewe that crysten fayth were better than her owne is they wolde leue her owne and take it therfore that they sholde be saaf Naye it is not ynough soo For cryste god and man is bothe waye and ende And he is medyatour betwyx god man And wythoute hym maye noo soule be reconsyled ne come to the blysse of heuen And therfore they that trowen not in hym that is both god and man maye neuer be saaf ne come to blysse Other men also that louen not cryste nor his passion arne not refourmed in the soule to the lycknesse of hym And thise men arne fals crysten men the whiche arne oute of charytee and lyuen and deyen in dedely synne Thyse men trowen well as it semyth that Ihesu is goddis sone And that his passyon suffysyth to saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule And they trowe also all the other artycles of the fayth But it is an vnshaply trouthe and a dede for they loue hym not ne they chese not the frute of his passyon but they lyen stylle in her synne and in the false loue of this worlde vnto her laste ende And soo they ben not refourmed to the lyckenesse of god but goon to the paynes of helle endelesly as Iewes and sarrasyns done and in to moche more gretter payne than they In as moche as they had the trouthe and kepte it not For that was more trespaas than that they had neuer hadde it Thenne yf thou wolte wyte whyche soules arne refourmed here in this lyffe to the ymage of god thorugh the vertue of his passyon soothly oonly those that trowen in hym and louen him in whiche soules the ymage of god that was thorugh synne forshapen· as it were in to a fowle bestes lyckenes is restored refourmed to the fyrst shape and to the worthynes worshyp that it had in the begynnynge wythoute whiche restorynge and refourmyng shal neuer soule be saaf ne come to blysse ¶ Of two maner of refourmynges of this ymage one in fulnesse a nother in fayth Caplm iiii NOw sayest thou how may this be soth that the ymage of god the whiche is manÌ„es soule might be refourmed here in this lyfe to his lyckenesse in ony creature It semyth naye it myghte not be soo For yf it were refourmed thenne sholde it haue stable mynde clere syghte and clere brennynge loue in god and ghostly thinges euerlastyngly as it had in the beginnynge But that is noo creature as thou trowest liuynge here in this lyfe For as ayenst thyself thou canst wel saye the thynke the full ferre therfro Thy mynde thy reason and the loue of thy soule arne soo moche sette in beholdynge and in loue of erthly thynges that of ghostly thynges thou felyst ryght lytyll Thou felyste noo refourmynge in thyselfe but thou arte so vnbilapped wyth this blacke ymage of synÌ„e for ought that y u maye doo that vpon what syde y u the turne thou felist thiself defoyled spotted wyth flesshly stirynges of this foule ymage other chauÌ„gyng felyst y u none fro flesshlynes in to ghostlines neither in pryue myÈtes of thi soule w c in ne in bodyly felynge wythoute wherfore ye thynken that it myghte not be that this ymage myghte be refourmed Or elles yf it myght be refourmed ThenÌ„e askest thou how it myght be refourmed To this I answere and saye thus There is two manere of refourmyng of the ymage of god whiche is mannes soule One is in fulnesse A nother is in partye Refourmynge in fulnesse maye not be had in this lyfe but it is delayed after this lyfe to the blysse of heuen where mannes sowle shall fully be refourmed not to that state that it had at the fyrste begynnynge by kynde or myghte haue had thorugh grace yf it had stonde hole But it shall be restored to moche more blysse and moche hyer Ioye thorough the grete mercy and the endles goodnesse of god than it shold haue had yf it had neuer fallen For thenne shall the soule receyue the hole and the full felynge of god in all myghtes of it wythoute medelynge of ony other affeccyon And it shall see mankynde in the persone of Ihesu aboue the kynde of aungels onyd to the godhede For thenne shall Ihesu bothe god and man be all in all and oonly he and none other but he as the prophete sayth Dominus solê° exaltabitur in illa die That is our lorde Ihesu in that daye that is euerlastynge daye shall be hyghed oonly and none but he And also the body of man shall thenÌ„e be gloryfyed For it shall receyue fully the ryche dowary of vnde delynes wyth all that longeth therto This shall a soule haue wyth the body and moche more than I can say But that shall be in the blysse of heueÌ„ and not in this lyfe For though it be soo that the passyon of our lorde be cause of all this full refourmynge of mannes soule neuerthelesse it was not his wylle for to graunte this full refourmynge ryght anone after his passyon to all chosen sowles that were lyuynge in tyme of his passyon But he delayed it vnto the laste daye And that was for this skylle Sooth it is that oure lorde Ihesu Cryste of his mercy hath ordeyned a certayn nomber of soules to saluacion whyche nombre was not fulfylled in the tyme of his passyon And therfore it neded that by length of tyme thorugh kyndly generacyon of men it sholde be fulfylled Thenne yf it had soo be that as sone after the dethe of our lorde euery soule that wolde haue trowed in hym sholde by his lyfe haue be blessyd and full refourmed wythout ony other abidynge there wolde noo creature that lyued thenÌ„e haue be that he ne wold haue receyued the faythe for to haue be made blessyd and thenne sholde generacyon haue ceased And soo sholde we that are now chosen soules liuynge and other soules that come after vs not haue ben borne and soo sholde our lorde haue fayled of his nomber But that maye not be And therfore our lorde purueyed moche better for vs in that that he delayed the full refourmyng of mannes soule tyll the laste ende as saynt poul sayth Deo
manere of syghte knowynge the soule groundeth all his worchynge inwarde in al the affeccoÌ„ns For thenne it dredeth god in man as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This â—â—ighte and this goodnes and this knowynge of Ihesu wyth y â— blessed loue that comyth out of it may be called refourmyng of a soule in felynge and in fayth that I speke of It is in fayth For it is derke yet as in rewarde of that full knowynge of Ihesu wyth the blessed loue that comyth oute of it that shall be in heuen For thenne shall we see hym not oonly that he is but as he is As saynt IohÌ„n sayth Tunc videbimus eum sicut est That is Thenne shall we see him as he is Neuertheles it is in felynge also as in rewarde of that blynde knowynge that a soule hath stondynge oonly in faythe For this sowle knowyth somwhat of the very kynde of Ihesu god thrugh his gracyous syghte but that other knowyth not but oonly trowith it is soth Neuertheles that thou y e better may conceyue what I meane I shall shewe thyse thre manere refourmynge of a soule by ensample of thre men stoÌ„dyng in the lyght of the sonÌ„e Of the whiche thre one is blynde· a nother may see but he hath his eyen stopped the thyrde lokyth forth full syghte The blynde man hath noo maner knowynge that he is in the sonÌ„e but he trowyth it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is onÌ„ly refourmed in fayth y t trowyth in god as holy chyrche techeth wote not what This suffyceth as for saluacyon That other man seeth a lyght of the sonÌ„e· but he seeth it not clerly what it is for the lydde of is eye letteth hym that he maye not see But he seeth thrugh the lydde of his eye a glymerynge of grete lyghte And he betokenyth a soule that is refourmed in fayth in felyng and soo is he conteÌ„platyfe for he seeth somwhat of the godhede of IhuÌ„ thrugh grace Not clerly ne fully for the lydde that is his bodily kynde is yet a walle bytwixe his kynde and y e kynde of IhuÌ„ god lettyth hym fro the clere syghte But he seeth thrugh this walle after that grace towchyth hym more or lesse that IhuÌ„ is god that IhuÌ„ is souereyne goodnes souereyne beynge a blessed lyfe and all that other goodnes comyth of hym Thus seeth the soule by grace notayenstoÌ„dyng the bodily kynde and the more clene subtyll that the soule is made and the more it is departed fro flesshlyhede the sharper sighte it hath the myghtyer loue of y e godhede of IhuÌ„ This syghte is soo myghty that though none other man lyuynge wolde trowe in IhuÌ„ ne loue hym he wolde neuer trowe y e lesse ne loue hym the lesse for he seeth it sothfastly that he may not vntrowe it The thyrde maÌ„ y t hath full syghte of the sonÌ„e he trowyth it not for he seeth it fully And he betokeneth a full blessid soule that wythout ony walle of body or of synÌ„e seeth opeÌ„ly the face of IhuÌ„ in the blysse of heueÌ„ There is no fayth and therfore he is fully refourmed in felyng There is noo state aboue the seconde refourmynge that a soule may come to here in this lyfe for this is the state of perfeccyon the waye to heueÌ„warde Neuertheles al the soules that are in this state are not all lyke ferforth For some hath it lityll shortly seildom some leÌ„ger clerer oftiner and some hath it best clerest lengest after the abouÌ„dinge of grace yet all thyse haue the yefte of conteÌ„placoÌ„n For the soule hath not perfyte syght of IhuÌ„ all at ones but firste a lityll a lytyll and after that it profyteth comyth to more felynge And aslonge as it is in this life it maye waxe more in knowyng in this loue of Iesu and sothly I wote not what were more leyf to suche a soule that hath felte a lytill of it than vtterly all other thynges lefte sette at nought Tent onÌ„ly therto for to haue clerer sighte clenner loue of IhuÌ„ in whom is all the blessed trynyte This maner knowyng of IhuÌ„ as I vndstonde is the openinge of heuen to the eye of a clene soule of the whiche holy meÌ„ speke of in her writyng Not as some wene that the openynge of heuen is as yf a soule myghte see bi ymagynacoÌ„n thruâ— the skyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde IhuÌ„ sytteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an huÌ„dreth sonÌ„es Naye it is not soo ne though he see neuer soo hyghe on y â— maner sothly he seeth not the ghostly heuen The hygher he styeth aboue the sonÌ„e for to see IhuÌ„ god soo by suche ymagynacoÌ„n the lower he falleth bineth the sonÌ„e Neuertheles this maner syghte is sufferable to symple soules that can noo better seche him that is vnseable ¶ How IhuÌ„ is heuen to the soule and why he is called fyre Caplm xxxiii WHat is heuen to a resonable soule Sothly noughteelles but Ihesu god For yf that be heuen oonly that is aboue al thyng thenÌ„e is god onÌ„ly heueÌ„ tomanÌ„es soule for he is onÌ„ly aboue y e kynde of a soule thenÌ„e yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of that blessed kynde of IhuÌ„ â–ª sothly he seeth heuen for he seeth god Therfore there are many men that erren in vndstondynge of some wordes that are sayd of god for they vnderstonde hem not ghostly Holy wrytynge sayth that a soule that wol fynde god shall lyft vpwarde the Inner eye seke god aboue itselfe Thenne some men that wolde doo after this sayenge vnderstonde this worde aboue hemself as for hygher settynge in stede worthynes of place as one elemente or planete is aboue a nother in settynge worthines of a bodily place But it is not soo ghostly For a soule is aboue all bodily thynge not by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of kynde Right soo on the selfe wise god is aboue all bodily ghostly creatures not by settynge of stede but thrugh subtyltee worthynes of his vnchangable blessyd kynde And therfore he y t wol wisely seche god fynde hym he shall not renÌ„e out wyth his thoughte as he wolde clyme aboue the sonÌ„e parte the fyrmament and ymagin y e mageste as it were of an hundred sonnes he shall rather drawe downe the sonne all the fyrmament forgete it and caste it beneth hym there he is sett al this all bodily thinge also at noughte and thynke thenÌ„e yf he can ghostly both of hymself of god also And yf he doo thus thenÌ„e seeth the soule aboue itself thenÌ„e seeth it in to heuen VpoÌ„ this self maner shal this worde wythin be vnderstonde It is comynly sayd that a sowle shall see our lorde wythin all thynge wythin itselfe Soth it is that our lorde is wythin al creatures
And not onÌ„ly of y â— name but al other maner prayers as the Pater nost the Auee or ympnes or psalmes other deuout sayeÌ„ges of holy chirche are turned as it were in to a ghostly mirth swete soÌ„ge â— by y â— whiche they are coÌ„forted streÌ„gthed ayeÌ„st al synÌ„es moche releuyd of bodely disese Of this degree spekith saint poul thus â—olite inebriari vino sed iÌ„pleaminâ— spÌ„u scoÌ„ loquentes vobis metipÌ„is in ympnis canticis psalmis spuÌ„alibus cantaÌ„tes psalleÌ„tes in cordibus vrÌ„is dnÌ„o Be ye not droÌ„ken with wyne but be ye fulfilled of y e holi gost saieÌ„g to yourself in ympnes psalmes ghostly soÌ„ges synging psalmyng in your hertes to our lord who so hath this grace kepe he hymself in lowenes that he be euer desiryng for to come to more knowing felyng of god in the thyrde part of coÌ„templacoÌ„n ¶ Of the thyrde part of contemplacion Caplm viii THe thirde part of conteÌ„placion the whiche is perfite as it may here lyeth both in cognicoÌ„n in affeccoÌ„n That is to say in knowyng in perfite louyng of god And that is whaÌ„ a maÌ„nys soule fyrst is reformed by fulhede of vertues to the ymage of IhuÌ„ And afterwarde whaÌ„ he is visited he is taken in fro all erthly flesshly affeccoÌ„ns fro vayn thought ymaginynges of all bodely creatures as it were moche rauysshed out of the bodely wyttes And thenÌ„e by y e grace of the holy ghost is illumyned for to see by vndstoÌ„dyng soth fastnes whiche is god ghostly thynges wyth a softe swete breÌ„nyng loue in hym so ê‘fitly that he be rauysshed of his loue so the soule is onyd for the tyme coÌ„formyd to the ymage of y e trinite The begynÌ„yng of this conteÌ„placoÌ„n may be felid in this lyf but the fulhede of it is kept into the blisse of heueÌ„ Of this onyng conformyng to our lord spekith saynt poul thê° Qui adheet deo vnê° spÌ„s â— cuÌ„ illo That is to say who so by rauysshiÌ„g of loue is fastened to god thenÌ„e god his soule are not two but both one And sothly in this onyng is y e mariage made betwix god the soule the whiche shal neuer be brokeÌ„ ¶ Of the twynÌ„ing of the iii. part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n fro the ii part of the praysing therof Caplm ix THe other part may be callid brenÌ„yng loue in deuocoÌ„n this breÌ„nyng loue in conteÌ„placion y t is lower this is y e hier that is swetter to the bodily feling this inwardly felyng better to the ghostly felyng For it is more inwarde more wothy more ghostly more wondful For this is verely a tasting so lityl as is a ernest of the sight of heueÌ„ly ioy not clerli but half in derkenes the whiche shal be fulfylled opeÌ„ly clered in the blisse of heuen as saynt poul saith Videmê° nuÌ„c ê‘ spclm iÌ„ enigmate tuÌ„c auteÌ„ videbimê° facie ad facieÌ„ we see now god by a myrrour as it were in a derknes but in heueÌ„ shal we see opeÌ„ly face to face This is the illumynacoÌ„n of vndstondyng in delites of louyng as dauid saith in the sawter Et nox illuÌ„i naroÌ„ mea in deliciis meis 〈◊〉 nyght is my light in my delytâ— Thother part is milke for children this is hole mete for ê‘fyte men the whiche haue wittes assayd to knowe good fro euyll as saynt poul saith Pfectorum eÌ„ solidê° ribus q heÌ„nt seÌ„sus exercitatos ad discreâ—oÌ„em boni mali The werkynge of the ful vse of this yefte may no man haue but he be fyrst refourmed to y e lyknes of IhuÌ„ bi fulhede of vertues Ne there maye no man liuyng in dedely flesshe haue it coÌ„tynuelly in his fulhede in the ouerpassyng but by tymes whan he 〈…〉 iiii is visited And as I coÌ„ceyue bi the writyng of holy men it is a ful short tyme. for soone after he falleth in a sobirte of bodely felynge al this werke makith charite Thê° as I vndstonde saith saynt poul of hymself Siue excedimê° deo siue sobrii sumê° vobis caritas xpÌ„i vrget nos wherther we ouerpasse oure bodely wyttes to god in conteÌ„placoÌ„n or we are more sobir to you in bodely felyng y e charite of crist streyneth vs. Of this part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n of reforming to god spekith saynt poul opeÌ„ly thê° Nos auteÌ„ reuelata facie gliam dnÌ„i speclamÌ„ traÌ„sformati in eandeÌ„ ymagineÌ„ a claritate iÌ„ claritatē· taÌ„quamm a dnÌ„i spÌ„u And this is thê° moche for to say Saynt poul in the ê‘sone of hymself of ê‘fyte men saith thê° we fyrst reformed by vertues the face of our soule vnhelid bi openyng of the ghostli eye beholden as in a myrrour heueÌ„ly ioye fulshapid ouyd to thymage of our lord fro clerete of faith into clerete of vndstondyng or els fro clerete of desire in to clerete of blessed loue al this is wrouÈt of the spirite of our lord in a mannis soule as saynt poul saith This part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n god yeuyth where y t he wyll to leryd to lewde to men to wymÌ„en ocupied in prelacye to solitary also But it is speciall not comyn also though a man whiche al his lyf is actyf haue the yeft of it by a special grace neuertheles the fulnes of it may no man haue but he be solitary in lyf conteÌ„platyf ¶ How the shewynge to the bodely wyittes the felynge of hem may be both good euyll Caplm .x. By this that I haue sayd may y u soÌ„what vndstoÌ„de that visyoÌ„s or reuelacoÌ„ns of ony maner of spiryte in bodely aperyng or in ymaginynge slepyng or wakyng or els ony other felyng in y â— bodely wyth made as it were ghostly other in sownyng of ere or sauering in the mouth or smellyng at y e nose or els ony seÌ„sible hete as it were fyre glowyng warmyng y e breste or ony other parte of y e body or ony other thyng y t may be felyd by bodely wytte though it be neuer soo coÌ„fortable lykyng they ben not very conteÌ„placoÌ„n ne they â—en but symple secuÌ„dary though they ben good in rewarde of ghostly vertues of this ghostly knowyng louyng of god But al suche maner of felyng maye be good wrought by a good angel and they may be deceyuable wrought by a wickyd angel whan he traÌ„sfygurith hym in to an angel of light wherfor syth they may be both good euyl it semith wel they are not the best For wyte y u wel that the deuyll may whaÌ„ he hath leue feyne in bodely felyng the lykenes of the same thynges the whiche a good angel may werke For right as a good angel comyth wyth lyght soo can y e deuyll And soo of the other wyttê who so had felid bothe he shold wel telle whyche were good whiche were euyll But he that neuer felid neyther or els
hym hole if thou myghte thou plesest hym not Right soo it is to a man that is seke ghostly and felyth the payne of ghostly syknes noo thyng is soo dere ne soo nedefull ne soo moche coueyted of hym as is ghostly helth and that is IhuÌ„ wythout whiche all the Ioyes of heuen may not lyke hym And this is the skille as I hope why our lord whaÌ„ he toke mankynde for our saluacoÌ„n he wold not be called by noo name that betokenid his endles beyng or his myghte or his wysdom or his ryghtwysnes but oonly by that y e betoke nyd the cause of his comyng was the saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule whiche saluacoÌ„n betokened this name IhuÌ„ ThenÌ„e by this it semyth soth that there shal noo man be saaf but yf he loue saluacoÌ„n onÌ„ly for to haue it thrugh the mercy of our lorde Ihū· by the merites of his passoÌ„n whiche loue he may haue that liuyth deyeth in the lowest degree of charytee Also I maye saye on that other partie that he that can not loue this blessid name IhuÌ„ wyth ghostly myrth ne encrease in it with heuenly melodie here he shall neuer haue ne fele in heuen y t fulhede of souereyne Ioye the whiche he that myght in thys lyf by abouÌ„dance of perfite charyte in IhuÌ„ shall fele haue soo maye her sayeng be vndstonde Neuertheles he shall be saaf and haue full mede in the syght of god yf he in this lyf be in the lowest degree of charyte by kepyng of goddis coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For our lorde sayth hymself thê° In domo patris mei mansiones multe suÌ„t In my faders hous are many soundry dwellynges Some are perfyte soules the whiche in this lyf were fulfilled of charyte grace of the holy ghost and songe louynges to god in conteÌ„placion of hym wyth wonderfull swetnes heuenly sauour Thise soules for they had moost charyte grace of the holy ghost shall haue hyest mede in the blysse of heuen for thyse arn called goddis derlynges Other soules that ar not disposid to conteÌ„placoÌ„n of god ne had not the fulhede of charyte as apostles marters had in the begynnyng of holy chirche shal haue lower mede in the blysse of heuen for thise arne called goddis frendes Thus calleth oure lorde in holy writte chosen soules sayeng thus Comedite amici et inebriamini caâ—issimi My frendes ete ye my derlynges be ye dronken As yf our lorde sayd thus ye that arne my trendes for ye kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes sette my loue before the loue of y e worlde loued me more thaÌ„ ony erthly thyng ye shall be fed wyth ghostly fode of the brede of lyf But ye y t arne my frendes that ye not oonly kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes but also of your owne free wyll fulfilled my couÌ„ceylles and ouer that ye loued oonly enteerly with al the myghtes of your soule breÌ„ned in my loue with ghostly delite as dyden principally the apostles marters and all other soules that myghte by grace come to the yeft of perfeccoÌ„n ye shal be made droÌ„ken wyth the hyest fresshest wyne in my celler that is the souereyne Ioye of loue in heuen ¶ That a man sholde be besye to reken ayen his worthynes and refourme ayen in hym the ymage of the Trinyte Caplm xlv NEuertheles though this be soth of the endles merci of god vnto the to me to al mankiÌ„de we shal not therfore in trust of this be y e more recheles wylfully in our lyuinge but the more besye for to pleyse hym namly now sythen we are restored ayen in hope by the passion of our lord to the dignyte the blysse whiche we had lost by adams synÌ„e And though we myght neuer gete it fully here yet we shold desire that we myght recouer here lyuynge a fygure a lyknes of y e dignytee that our soule myght be refourmed as it were in a shadowe by grace to the ymage of the trynite whiche we had by kynde· and after shall haue fully in blysse for that is the lyfe whiche is very contemplatyf vnto begynne here in that felynge of loue ghostly knowyng of god by openynge of the ghostly eye whyche shal neuer be lost ne be taken away but y e same shall be fulfylled otherwyse in y e blysse of heuen This behyght our lorde to mary mawdeleyne whiche was contemplatif and sayd thê° of her Maria optimaÌ„ parteÌ„ elegit que noÌ„ auferetur ab ea· That mary had chose the better partye that is the loue of god in contemplacoÌ„n for it shall neuer be take awaye fro her I saye not that thou maye her liuyng recouer soo hole ne soo perfyte clenÌ„es Innocence knowyng louinge of god as thou hadest first ne as thou shalt haue ne y u may not escape all y e wretchydnes paynes of synÌ„e ne thou liuynge in dedely flesshe maye destroye quenche all hooly the false vayne loue in thyselfe ne flee all venyall synnes that they ne wyll but yf they be stopped by grete feruour of charyte sprynge out of thyn hert as water dooth fro a stynkyng well But I wold that yf thou might not fully quenche it that y u might somwhat sleke it and come to the cleÌ„nes of soule as nere as thou mayst For our lorde behiÈte the chyldren of Israel whaÌ„ he ladde hem in to the londe of byhest And in fygure of hem to all crysten men thus Omne quod calcauerit pes tuus tuuÌ„ erit That is to saye Al 's moche londe as thou myghte trede vpon with thy fote of very desyre soo here moche shall thou haue in the londe of byhest that is in the blysse of heueÌ„ whan thou comyst thider ¶ How Ihesu shall be soughte desyred fouÌ„de ca xlvi SEke thenne that thou hast lost that thou myghte fynde it well I wote who soo myght ones haue an inwarde syghte a lityll of that dignytee and that ghostly fayrnes whyche a soule had by kynde and shall haue by grace he sholde lothe and dispise in his hert all the blysse the likyng and the fayrnes of this worlde as the stenche of a carion and he shal neuer haue wyll for to doo other dede nyghte daye sauynge the freelte and the bare nede of the bodily kynde but desyre mourne praye and seke how he myghte come ayen therto Neuertheles in as moche as thou hast not yet seen what it is fully For thy ghostly eye is not yet openyd I shall telle the oo worde for all in the whyche thou shalt seke desyre and fynde it for in that one worde is all that thou hast lost This worde is Ihesu I meane not this worde Ihesu paynted vpon y e walle or wrytten by lettres on the boke or fourmyd by lippes in souÌ„de of the mowthe or feyned in thy herte by traueyle of thy mynde For in this maner wyse maye a man oute of charyte fynde hym But I meane Ihesu crist
be ouerlayd wyth erthly besynes ne vayne thoughtes erthly affeccyons but aye vpwarde aboue all vayne thought erthly thynges as moche as thou maye And yf thou doo soo thou shalt see thenne all the molle all the fylthe and smalle motes in thy hous for why he is lyghte That is to saye all flesshly loues and dredes in thy soule Not all· for as dauyd sayd Delicta quis intelliget who may know al his trespasses As who saye noo man And thou shalt cast out of thyn hert all suche synÌ„es and swepe thy soule clene wyth the besome of the drede of god and wyth the water of thyn eyen wasshe it and so shalt thou fynde thy drame Ihesu He is drame he is peny he is thyne heritage This drame wyll not be founden soo lightly as it is sayd for this werke is not of one houre ne of one daye but many dayes and yeres wyth moche swete swynke of body and traueylle of the soule And yf thou cease not but seche besily sorowe and syghe depe mourne stylly stowpe lowe tyll thyn eyen watren for anguysshe for payne for y u hast lost thy tresour IhuÌ„ at the last whan he wyll well shall thou fynde thy drame Ihesu And yf thou fynde hym as I haue sayd that is yf thou maye in clennes of conscyence fele y e homely and the peesfull presence of that blessed man Ihesu cryste as a shadowe or a glemeryng of hym Thou maye yf thou wyll calle all thy freÌ„des to the for to make myrth wyth the melodye for thou hast founden the â–ª drame Ihesu ¶ Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy Caplm xlix SEe now thenÌ„e the curtesye the mercy of IhuÌ„ y u hast loste hym but where Sothly in thy hous that is in thy sowle That is to saye yf thou haddest lost all the reason of thy soule by the fyrste synne thy soule sholde neuer haue founde hym ayen but he lefte to the thy reason and soo he is in thy soule and neuer shall be lost oute of it Neuertheles thou arte neuer the nerer to hym tyll thou haue founde hym He is in the though he be lost fro the But thou arte not in hym tyll thou haue fouÌ„de hym Thenne was this his mercy that he wold suffre hym to be loste oonly where he maye be founde It nedeth not to renne to Rome ne to Iherusalem for to seche hym there but tourne thy thoughte in to thyne owne soule where he is hydde as the prophete sayth Vere tu es deus absconditus Sothly lorde thou art an hydde god seche hym there Thus sayth hymself in the gospell Simile est regnuÌ„ celorum thesauro abscondito in agro quem qui inuenit homo abscondit pre gaudio illiê° vadit· vendit vniuersa que habet et emit agrum illuÌ„ The kyngdom of heuen is likened to a tresoure hyd in the felde the whiche whan a man fyndeth for Ioye of it he gooth and selleth alle that he hathe and byeth the felde Ihesu is tresour hydde in thy soule Thenne yf thou myghte fynde hym in thy soule and thy soule in hym I am syker for Ioye of it thou wolde yeue the likyng of all erthly thyng for to haue it Ihesu slepith in thy herte ghostly· as he dyde somtyme bodily whan he was in the shyppe wyth his discyples But they for drede of perysshynge wakened hym and soone after he saued hem fro tempeste Doo thou soo styre hym by prayer and wake hym wyth grete cryenge of desyre and he shall soone ryse and helpe the ¶ What letteth a man to here and see Ihesu wythin him selfe Caplm L. NEuertheles I hope better that thou slepest ofter to him than he dooth to the For he callyth the full ofte wyth hys swete pryue voys styreth thyn hert full stylly y t thou sholdest leue all other Ianglyng of al other vanitees in thy soule and oonly take kepe of hym for to here hym speke Thus sayth Dauyd of our lorde Audi filia vide et inclina aurem tuam obliuiscere populum tuum domum patris tui My doughter here and see and bowe thyne ere to me and foryete the folke of thy worldly thoughtes and the housse of thy flesshly and kyndely affeccyons Loo here maye thou see how our lorde callyth the and all other whyche wyile herken to hym what lettyth the thenÌ„e that thou may nother see him ne here hym Sothly there is soo moche dynne and cryenge in thyne herte of vayne thoughtes and flesshly desyres that y u maye nother here hym ne see hym Therfore put awaye vnrestfull dynne and breke the loue of synne of vanytee and brynge in to thyne herte loue of vertues and full charyte and thenne shalt thou here thy lorde speke to the ¶ That mekenes and charyte ben the specyall lyuerey of Ihesu thrugh the whyche mannes soule is refourmed to the lyknes of hym Caplm li. AS longe as Ihesu fyndeth not his ymage refourmed in the. he is strauÌ„ge and the ferther fro the For thy shape the for to be arayed in his liknes that is in mekenes and charyte the whiche arn his lyuereys And thenne wyll he homelyche knowe the and shewe to the his pryuetees Thus sayd he hymself to his disciples Qui diligit me diligetur a patre meo et manifestabo ei meipÌ„m who soo loueth me he shall be loued of my fader and I shal shew myself vnto him There is noo vertue ne noo werke that thou maye doo that maye make the lyke to our lorde wythoute mekenes and charyte for thyse two arn specyally to god moost leyf And that semyth well in the gospell where our lorde spekyth of mekenes thus Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne of me he sayd not for to goo bare fote ne for to goo in to Deserte and there for to fast fourty dayes ne yet also for to chese you dyscyples But lerne of me mekenes for I yf y u drewe in to thyself thy hert thou sholdest not fynde noughte but thou sholdest fynde Ihesu Not oonly the naked mynde of this name but thou sholdest tynde Ihesu cryst in conscieÌ„ce redely techyng the Thou sholdest fynde lyght of vnderstondyng and noo derknes of vncuÌ„nyng Thou sholdest fynde loue likyng of hym and noo payne of bitternes heuynes But for thou arte not refourmed therfore whan thy soule cometh in fro all bodily thynges and fyndeth nought but derkenes heuynes hym thynketh an hundred wynter to he be oute ayen by some bodily delite or vayn thought and that is no wonder For who soo comyth home vntill his hous and fyndeth noo thyng therin but stynke smoke and a chidyng wyf he wolde soone renne out of it Right soo thy soule whan it tyndeth noo comforte in it self but blacke smoke of ghostly blyndnes and grete chidyng of flesshly thoughtes cryeng vp on the that
this delyte and Ioye that he felyth for god as the reste of his soule the whyche is synne wythouten displesyng or ayen stondyng of wyll For he weneth it were a Ioye in god and it is not soo and therfore synneth he dedely Iob saith thus of an ypocrite Gaudium ypocrite ad instar puÌ„cti Si ascenderit in celum superbia eius capud eius nubes tetigerit velut sterquiliniuÌ„ in fine perdetur The Ioye of an ypocryte is noo more than a poynte For yf he stye in to heuen wyth reysynge of hert and his heued touche the skyes at the last ende he shal be casten oute as a dounge hepe The Ioye of an ypocryte is but a poynt For yf he worshyppe hymself neuer soo moche and Ioye in hymself neuer soo moche al his lyf tyme and depeynte hymself wyth all his good dedes in syghte and in louynge of the worlde at the last it is ryght nought but sorowe payne But now sayst â–ª thou that there are fewe suche or elles none that is soo blynde that wold holde and chese vayne Ioye in hymself as for Ioye in god As vnto this I can not saye ne wylle not though I cowde but one thynge I telle that there are many ypocrytes and neuertheles they wene that they beÌ„ none and that be many that dredeÌ„ hemself as ypocrites and sothly they are none whyche is one and whiche is other god knoweth and none but he who soo wyll mekely drede â–ª he shall not be bigyled And who so weneth to be syker he may lyghtly falle For saynt poul sayth Qui se existimat aliquid esse cum nichil sit ipse se seducit who soo weneth hymselfe to be oughte whan he is ryght nought he begyleth hymself ¶ How stirynges of pryde and vainglory in good men beÌ„ but veniall synnes Caplm lx NEuertheles a man or woman whyche disposyth hym to lyue contemplatyf yf it be soo that he forsake hym selfe as in wyll and offre hym holy to god wyth a full generall wyll that he wold not synne in pryde wyttyngly ne haue Ioye in hymselfe wylfully but oonly in god yf he cowde and myghte And after this full wyll offred to god he felyth many stirynges of vaynglory and delyteth in hem for the tyme for he perceyueth hem not This likyng is but venyall synne and namly yf it be soo that whan he comyth to hymselfe he repreuyth hymself and ayenstondeth this stiryng wyth displesyng of wyll and askyth mercy and helpe of god Thenne the likyng whiche before was synne out lorde of his mercy soone forgyueth it And yet he shall haue mede for his goode traueyle in the ayenstondyng And that is a curtesye of oure lorde graunted to all those whyche arn specyally his seruauntes and more homely of his courte as are alle those that for his loue forsaken in a good true wyll all worldly and al flesshly synne and yeuen hem hooly body and soule vnto his seruyse in her myghte and her cunnynge As done pryncypally ancres encluse and true religyous the whyche for the loue of god and saluacion of her soules entren in to ony religyon approued by holy chyrche Or elles yf it be soo that they entren fyrst for a worldly cause as for her bodily sustenaunce or for some other suche if they repent hem and tourne it in to a goostly cause as for the seruyce of god Thyse as longe as they kepe this wyll and pursue it as they maye vpon her freelte are true religyous Also what man or woman that he be in what degree he be in holy chirche preste clerke or lewde man wydowe or mayden or wyf that wyll for the loue of god and saluacyon of his soule forsake all the worshyppes and likynges of this worlde in this worlde in his herte truly and fully betwix god and hym and all wylful besynes and erthly thinges to the bare nede And offre his wyllâ—nteerly for to be his seruaunt vpon his myghte by deuoute prayers and holy thoughtes wyth other good dedes that he maye doo bodely and goostly and kepyth his wyll hoole to god stedfastly All thyse arne specyally goddis seruauntes in holy chyrche And for this good wyll and good pourpoos that they haue of the yefte of god they shall encrese in grace and in charyte here lyuynge And they shall haue for this specyall wyll a specyall mede in the blysse of heuen before other chosen soules whyche offred not hooly her wyll and her bodi to goddis seruyce neither openly ne pryuely as they dyden All thyse whyche I calle goddis seruauntes and of his courte more specyall yf they by freelte and by vnkunnyng whan they fele suche stirynges of vaynglory for the tyme delyten therin and perceyuen it not for her reason and her wytte is letted by the likynge that they fele that it maye not see this stirynge They synne not dedely in this likynge of vayne glory For that wyll that they haue generally sette in her herte before to plese god and for to forsake all maner of synne yf they knewe it kepith hem here in suche stirynges and in all other that comen of freelte that they synne not dedely And shall kepe as longe as the grounde of that wyll is kepte hole ¶ How dyuers states in holy chyrche shall haue dyuers medes in heuen And of two specyall medes in heuen Caplm lxi ANd ouer this I say more in comforte of the and of all other hauyng the state of anker incluse and also by grace oâ— god in comforte of hem all that entre ony religyon approued in holy chyrche that all those that by the mercy of oure lorde shal be saaf they shall haue a specyall mede and a synguler worshyp in the blysse of heuen for her state of lyuynge before other soules that had not that state in holy chyrche though they ben neuer soo holy whyche worshyp is better than all the worshyp of this worlde wythouten comparyson For yf thou myghte see what it were thou woldest not for y e worship of this worlde yf thou myghtest haue it withouten synÌ„e chaunge the state eyther of anker or of religyous ne lese that synguler mede in the blysse of heuen whyche mede is callyd Accydentall mede Neuerthelesse that other men mystake not this that I saye Therfore I shall saye it more openly Thou shalt vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whyche oure lorde gyueth to chosen soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louynge and knowynge of hym after the mesure of charytee gyuen of god to a soule lyuynge in dedely flesshe This mede is beste and souereyne for it is god hymself And it is comyn to all the soules that shollen be saaf in what state or degree that they ben lyuyng in holy chirche more or lesse after the quantyte and the mochenes of her charyte in his life what degree he be in For he that moost loueth god in charyte he shall haue
and yre fastenyd therto with many dyuers braunches spryngyng oute of theym The whyche letten loue and charyte the whiche thou sholdest haue to thyn euen crysten The braunches of yre and enuye are thyse Hatrede euyll suspecion fals and vnskylfull demynge malecolye risyng of herte ayenst hem dyspisyng and vnkyndnes and bachityng and myssayenge vnskylfull blamyng myslikyng anguisshe and heuynes ayeÌ„ste hem that dispisen the or speke ony euyll of the· or ayenst y e A gladnes of her disese a felnes ayenst synful men and other that wylle not doo as the thynketh they shold doo wyth grete desyre of thyne herte vnder colour of charyte ryghtwysnesse that they were well punysshed and chastysed for her synne This stiryng semyth good Neuertheles yf y u ransake it well thou shalt fynde it more somtyme flesshly ayenst the persone than ghostly ayenst the synÌ„e Thou shalt loue the man be he neuer soo synfull and thou shalt hate the synne in eche man what he be Many are begyled in this for they sett the bytter in stede of the swete and taken derknes in the stede of lyghte ayenst the prophete sayeng Ve vobis que dicitis maluÌ„ bonuÌ„ bonum maluÌ„ ponentes lucem tenebras amaruÌ„ dulce woo be to hem that sayen good is euyll and euyll is good and setten lyghte as derknes and bytter in stede of swete Thus done all tho that whan they sholde hate the synne of her euen crysten and loue the persone they hate the persone in stede of the synne and wene that they hate the synne wherfore it is a crafte by it self who soo cowde doo it well ¶ That it is maystry to loue mennes persones and wysely hate her synnes Caplm lxv IT is noo maystry for to wake faste tyll thyn hede ake ne for to renne to Rome to Iherusalem vpon thy thy bare fete ne for to sterte aboute preche as yf thou woldest torne all men by thy prechyng Ne it is no maystâ—â— for to make chirches or chapels for to fede poor men make hospitals but it is a maistry a man to loue his eueÌ„cristen in charite wisely hate y e synÌ„e of hym loue the man For though it be soo y â— al thise dedes before sayd are gode in heÌ„self neuertheles they are comyn to good men and to bad for eche man myghte doo hem yf that he wolde had wherof And for thy for to doo that eche man may doo I holde it no maistry But for to loue his euen crysten in charyte hate his synÌ„e may noo man it doo but oonli good men whiche haue it of the yefte of god and not of her traueile as saynt poul saith Caritas dei diffusa est in cordibus vestris per spÌ„m sccmÌ„ qui datus est vobis Loue charyte is shed spred in your hertes by y e holy ghost whiche is yeueÌ„ to you And therfore it is more precyous the more deynte for to come by All other good dedes wythouten this make not a man gode ne worthy the blisse of heuen but this alone and oonly this maketh a man gode al his good dedes medeful All other yeftes of god werkes of man are comin to good to bad to chosen to reproued but this yeft of charyte is onÌ„ly of godd of chosen soules ¶ That for the same dedes dyuers men shall haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi A Good man for the loue of god fasteth waketh gooth on pilgrymage and forsakyth all the likynges of y e worlde sothfastly in his herte wythouten feynynge he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen And an ypocrite for vaynglori of hymself dooth the same dedes and receyueth his mede here Also a very precher of goddis worde fulfylled of charyte of mekenes sent of god and of holy chirche receyued yf he preche and teche goddis worde he shall haue a specyall mede of god that is the aureole for his prechyng An ypocryte or an heretyke that hath noo mekenes ne charytee ne arne sende of god nor yet of holy chyrche yf they preche they haue her mede here Also a good man in wordly state for loue of god makyth many chyrches chapelles abbeys hospytals and dooth many other good dedes of mercy he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen not for the dede in it selfe but for y e good will the charyte y t he hath of y e yeft of god for to doo tho good dedes An other man for vanytee of hymselfe and worshyp and pleysyng of the worlde and for his owne name dooth the same good dedes and hath his mede here The cause is in all thyse that the tone hath charyte and the tother none whiche is one and whiche is other our lorde knowith and none but he ¶ That all mennes good dedes shall be aproued that hathe liknes of good saaf the opyn heretike and the cursyd maÌ„ Caplm lxvii ANd therfore we sholde loue and worship al men in our hertes aproue examyn receyue all her dedes y t haue the lyknesse of goodnes though y â— doers in goddis syght ben bad saue of the opyn heretyke and of the opyn cursed maÌ„ Of thise two specyally we shall flee and eschewe the presence the coÌ„minyng wyth hem And we shal reproue and refuse her dedes seme they neuer soo good as longe as they arne rebell to god holy chyrche As yf a worldly cursed man make a chyrche or fede poor men thou maye sykerly holde it nought and deme it as it is Also yf an opyn heretyke whyche is rebell to holy chyrche preche teche though he conuerte a huÌ„dred thousande soules holde the dede as to hymself ryght nought For thyse men are opynly out of charyte wythout whyche is all noughte that a man dooth ¶ That noo good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte And that charyte fele they onÌ„ly y t beÌ„ meke ca lxviii ANd therfore it is a grete maistry a man to cun loue his euen crysten in charyte All this sayeng may be openly proued by saynt poulis wordes thus Si linguis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil sum Et si habuero omneÌ„ fidem ita vt montes transferaÌ„ caritatem auteÌ„ noÌ„ habeam nichil sum Et si nouerim misteria oiÌ„a et si destribuero omÌ„es facultates meas in cibos pauperuÌ„ et tradidero corpus meum igni vt ardeam caritatem autem non habuero nichil michi prodest Saynt poul in praysynge of charytee sayth thus If I speke the langage of all men and of angels also yf I haue noo charyte I am ryght noughte And yf I haue soo grete fayth that I maye tourne hylles and bere hem awaye and I haue noo charite I am ryght nought And also though I had all maner of knowyng of all pryuâ—tees without charyte I am ryght nought And yf I yeue al y t
how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god and man one persone Caplm xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shall be take and on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poulis wordes Caplm xxxi How god openyth the Inner eye of the soule to see hym not all at ones but by dyuers tymes and of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii How IhuÌ„ is heuen to y e soule why he is called fyre xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed and vnfourmed what it meaneth and how we ben beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyeng but althermoost for our sauynge thrugh the yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiii How that some soule loueth ihesu by bodily feruours and by her owne manly affeccoÌ„ns that ben stired by grace and by reison And how some louen Ihesu more restfully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thorugh specyall grace of the holy ghost Caplm xxxv That the yette of loue amonge al the yeftes of Ihesu is worthyest and moost profytable And how Ihesu dooth al that is well done in his louers oonly for loue and how loue makith the vsyng of all vertues all good dedes lyght eesy xxxvi How loue thorugh gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu sleeth al styrynges of pryde and makyth the soule for to lese sauour and delyte in all erthly worshyp Caplm xxxvii How loue sleeth all stirynges of wrath and enuye softly and refourmyth in the soule the vertues of pees and pacyeÌ„ce and of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles Caplm xxxviii How loue sleeth couetyse lecherye and gloteny and sleeth the flesshly sauour and delyte in all the fyue bodily wyttes softly and easely thorugh a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ xxxix What vertues and graces a soule receyueth thorugh openynge of the Inner eye in to the gracyous beholdynge of Ihesu And it maye not be goten oonly thorugh mannys traueylle but thorugh specyall grace traueyle also Caplm xl How specyall grace in beholdyng of Ihesu wythdrawith soÌ„tyme fro a soule and how a soule shal haue her in the absence and presence of Ihesu And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye the gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ Caplm xli A coÌ„mendacyon of prayer offryd to Ihesu of a soule contemplatyffe And how stablenesse in prayer is a syker werke to stonde in And how euery felynge of grace in a chosen soule maye be sayd Ihesu but the more clener a soule is the worthier is his grace Caplm xlii How a soule thrugh the openyng of the ghostly eye receyueth a gracyous loue able to vnderstonde holy wrytte And how Ihesu that is hydde in holy wrytte sheweth hymself to his louers Caplm xliii Of the pryue voys of Ihesu sownynge in a soule wherby it shall be knowen and how all the gracyous Illumynacyons made in a soule beÌ„ called the spekynges of IhuÌ„ Caplm xliiii How thorugh gracyous openynge of the gholy eye a soule is made wyse mekely and sothfastly to see the dyuersite of degrees in holy chirche as traueyllyng and for to see angels kynde fyrst of reproued Caplm xlv How by the same lyghte of grace the blessyd angelles kynde maye be seen and how Ihesu is god and man aboue all creatures after that the soule maye see hym here Caplm xlvi ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the seconde boke ¶ Here after folowyth the seconde boke of mayster walterÌ„ Hylton ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body Caplm primum FOr asmoche as thou couetyst gretly and askyst it for charyte for to here more of an ymage the whiche I haue before tymes in partie discriued to the therfore I wyll gladly wyth drede fall to thy desyre and helpyng the grace of our lorde Iesu cryst in whom I fully truste I shall open to the a lityll more of this ymage At the begynnyng yf thou wylt wyte plainly what I meane by this ymage I telle the forsoth that I vndstonde nought elles but thyn owne soule For thy soule and my soule and euery resonable soule is an ymage and that a worthy ymage for it is the ymage of god as the apostle saythe Vir est ymago dei That is to saye A man is the ymage of god and made to the ymage and to the lyknes of hym not in the bodily shappe wythoute but in the myghtes of it within as holy wrytte sayth Formauit deus homineÌ„ ad ymagineÌ„ similitudineÌ„ suaÌ„ That is Our lorde god shope man in his soule to his owne ymage lyknes This is the ymage that I haue spoken of This ymage made to the ymage of god in the fyrst shapyng was wonderly fayr and bryghte full of brennyng loue and ghostly lyghte but thorugh synne of y e fyrst man adam it was disfygured and forshapen in to a nether lyknes as I haue before sayd For it fell fro y e ghostly lyÈte that heuenly fode in to paynfull derknes and lust of this wretchyd lyfe exyled and flemyd oute fro the herytage of heuen that it sholde haue had yf it had stonde stylle in to y e wretchydnes of this erthe and afterwarde in to the prison of helle there to haue be wythoute ende Fro the whyche pryson to y e heuenly herytage it myghte neuer haue come agayen but yf it had be refourmed to the fyrste shappe and the fyrste lickenes But that refourmynge myghte not be made by none erthly man for euery man was in the same myscheyff And none myghte suffyse to helpe hymselfe and soo moche lesse a nother man Therfore it nedeth to be done by hym that is more than man that is oonly god and that was skylfull that he sholde refourme and restore man to blysse yf he sholde be saaf whiche of his endles goodnes fyrste shope hym therto How thenne it myghte be refourmed and how it is refourmed to the fyrste lyckenes by hym that fourmed it by the grace of god I shall telle the For that is the entente of this wrytynge ¶ How it neded to mankynde that oonly thorugh the passyon of cryste it sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii THe ryghtwysnes of god asketh that a trespace done be not foryeuen but yf amendes be made for it yf it maye be done Now it is sooth mankynde that was hole in adam the fyrste man trespassed ayenste god soo wonder greuously whan it forfeyted the speciall byddyng of hym and assented to the false counseylle of the fende that it deserued ryghtfully for to haue be departed fro hym and dampned to helle wyth outen ende soo ferforth that stondynge the ryghtwysnesse of god it myghte not be foryeuen but yf amendes were first made and full satysfaccyon therfore But this amendes myghte noo man make that was man oonly and comen oute of adam by kyndely
generacyon for this skylle For the trespasse and vnworshyppe was endles grete and therfore it passyd mannys myghte for to make amendes for it And also for this skylle He that hath trespassed and shall make amendes hym behouyth for to yeue to hym that he hath trespassed vnto all that he owyth though he had not trespassed And also ouer that hym behouyth yeue sōwhat that he owyth not but oonly for that he trespassed But mankynde had not wherewyth that he myghte paye god for his trespaas ouer that he oughte hym For what good dede that man myght doo in body or in soule it was but his dette For euery man oughte as the gospel sayth for to loue god wyth all his herte and al his soule and all his myghtes and better myght he not doo than this And neuertheles this dede suffyced not to the refourmynge of mankynde Ne this myghte he not doo but yf he had be fyrst refourmed Thenne neded it that yf mannes soule sholde be refourmed and the trespaas made good that our lorde god hymselfe sholde refourme this ymage and make amendes for this trespaas sythen that noo man myghte But that myghte he not doo in his godhede for he myghte not ne oughte not to make amendes by sufferynge of payne in his owne kynde therfore it neded that he sholde take the same mankynde that had trespassed and become man And that myghte he not doo by the comyn lawe of generacion For it was impossyble goddis sone to be borne of towchyd woman Therfor̄ hym muste become man thorugh a gracyous generacyon by the werkynge of the holy ghoste of a clene gracyous mayden our lady saynt Mary and soo was it done For our lorde Ihesu goddis sone became man and thorugh his precyous deth that he suffred made amendes to the fader of heuen for mannys gylte And that myghte he well doo for he was god and he oughte not for hymselfe but in as moche as he was man borne of the same kynde that adam was that firste trespaced And soo though he oughte it not for his owne persone for hymself myghte not synne Neuerthelesse he oughte it of his free wyll for the trespaas of mankynde the whiche mankynde he toke for the saluacyon of man of his endeles mercy For soth it is there was neuer man that myghte yelde to god ony thynge of his owne that he oughte not but oonly thys blessyd Ihesu For he myghte paye god one thyng that he oughte not as for hymselfe and that was nought but one thynge that was to yeue his precyous lyfe by wylfull takynge of dethe for loue of sothfastnes This oughte he not As moche good as he myghte doo to the worshyp of god in this lyfe all were but dette But for to take dethe for loue of ryghtwysnesse he was not bounde therto He was bounde to ryghtwysnesse but he was not bounde to deye for dethe is oonly a payne ordeyned to man for his owne synne But our lorde Ihesu synned neuer ne he myghte not synne and therfore he oughte not for to deye Thenne sythen he oughte not for to deye and yet wilfully he deyed thenne payd he to god more than he oughte And sythen that was the beste mannes dede and moost worthy that euer was done therfor̄ was it resonable that the synne of mankynde sholde be foryeuen In as moche as man kynde had founde a man of the same kynde wythoute wem̄e of synne that is Ihesu that myght make amendes for the trespaas done and myghte paye our lorde god all that he oughte and ouer more that he oughte not Thenne syth that our lorde Ihesu god and man deyed thus for saluacyon of mannes soule it was ryghtfull that synne sholde be foryeuen and mānes soule that was his ymage sholde mow be reformed and restored to the fyrste lyckenesse and to the blysse of heuen This passion of our lorde and this precyous dethe is the grounde of all the refourmynge of of mannes soule wythoute whiche myght neuer mannes soule haue be refourmed to the lyckenesse of hym ne come to the blysse of heuen But blessyd maye he be in all his werkynge Now is it soo that thorugh the vertue of his precyous passion the brennyng swerde of Cherubyn that droue adam oute of paradyce is now put awaye and the endles gates of heuen arn open to euery man that wylle entre in therto For the persone of Ihesu is bothe god kynge of heuen in the blysse to the fader as man he is porter at the yate redy to receyue euery soule that wyll be refourmed here in this lyf to his lyckenesse For now maye euery soule yf that he wyll be refourmed to the lyckenesse of god syth that the trespaas is foryeuen and the amendes thorugh Ihesu is made for the fyrste gilte Neuertheles though this be sothe all soules haue not the profyte ne the frute of this precyous passyon ne ame not refourmed to the lickenes of him ¶ That Iewes and paynems and also false crysten men ben not refourmed effectuelly thorugh the vertue of the passyon for her owe defawte Caplm iii. TWo manere of men arne not refourmed by the vertue of this passyon One is of hem that trowe it not An other is of hem that loue it not Iewes and paynems haue not the benefyce of this passyon for they trowe it not Iewes trow not that Ihū the sone of the virgyn mary is goddis sone of heuen Also the paynems trowe not that the souereyne wisdom of god wold become the sone of man and in mā hede wolde suffre the paynes of deth And therfore the Iewes helde the prechynge of the crosse and of the passyon of cryste noughte but sclaunder and blasphemye and the paynems helde it noughte but fantome and folye But true crysten men helde it the souereyne wysdom of god and his grete myghte Thus sayd saynt poul Predicamus vobis cristū crucifirum iudeis quidem scandalū gentibus autem stulticiam ip̄is autē vocatis iudeis grecis xp̄m dei virtutem et dei sapienciam That is we preche to you that ye trowe that Ihesu cryst crucyfyed the sone of mary is goddis sone souereyne vertue and wysdom of god the whiche Ihesu to Iewes paynems that trowe not in hym is but sclaunder and foly And therfore thise men by her vntrouthe putten hemselfe fro the refourmynge of her owne soule and stondynge her vntrouthe shall they neuer be saaf ne come to the blysse of heuen For sothe it is fro the begynnyng of the worlde vnto the laste endynge was there neuer man saaf ne shall be saaf but yf he had trouth generall or specyall in Ihesu cryste to come or I come For righte as all chosen soules that were before the Incarnacōn vnder the olde testamente hadden trouthe in cryste that he sholde come and refourme mannes soule eyther openly as patryarkes and prophetes and other holy men hadde or elles pryuely and generally as chyldern and other symple and
pro nobis melius prouidente ne sine nobis consuÌ„marentur That is Our lorde purueyeth better for vs in the delaye of our refourmynge than yf he had graunted it thenne For this skylle that the chosen soules here beforn sholde not make a full ende wythoute vs that come after A nother skylle is this For syth that man in hys fyrste fourmynge of god was sette in his free wyll and had free chesyng whether he wolde haue fully god or noo· It was therfore resonable that syth he wolde not chese god thenÌ„e but wretchydly felle from hym If he sholde afterwarde be refourmed that he sholde be sette agayn in the same free chesinge that he was fyrst in whether he wolde haue the profyte of his refourmynge or noo And this maye be a skylle why manÌ„es soule was not refourmed fully as faste after the passyon of Ihesu cryste ¶ That refourmyng in partye is in two maners one in fayth a nother in felynge Caplm v. A Nother reforming of this ymage is in partie and this refourming may be had in this lyf but yf it be had in this lyf it maye neuer be hadde ne the soule maye neuer be saaf But this refourmynge is on two maners One is in faythe oonly A nother is in fayth and in felynge The fyrste refourmynge in fayth oonly suffiseth to saluacyon The seconde is worthy to haue passynge mede in the blysse of heuen The fyrste maye be had lyghtly and in shorte tyme The seconde maye not soo but thorugh lengthe of tyme and moche ghostly traueyle The fyrst maye be had wyth the felynge of the ymage of synne for though a man fele noo thynge in hymselfe but all stirynges of synne and flesshly desyres not ayenstondynge that felynge yf he wylfully assente not therto he maye be refourmed in fayth to the lycknesse of god But the seconde reformyng puttyth oute the likyng in felynge of flesshly stirynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynnyng and profitynge soules and of actyf men The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyf men· For by the firste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmyng destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synÌ„e and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thorugh the werkynge of the holy ghoste The fyrste is good the seconde is better but the thyrde that is in the blysse of heuen is moos beste Fyrste lete vs speke of that one and syth of that other and soo we shall come to the thyrde ¶ That thorugh the sacrament of baptym that is grounded in the passion of Cryste this is refourmed fro origynall synne Caplm vi TWo maner of synÌ„es makith a soule to lese y e shape the lyknes of god That one is called origynall y t is the firste synÌ„e thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done synne thyse ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blisse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to thendles payne of helle but yf it be thoruÈ the grace of god reformyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens oute of this lyfe Neuerthelesse two remedyes aren there ayenst thise two synnes by the whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is the sacramente of baptym ayenste origynall synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenste actuell synne A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of origynall synne hath noo lyckenesse of god He is noughte but an ymage of the fende and a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thrugh the vertue of faythe of holy chirche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of the fende and made lyke an angell of heuen Also the same falleth to a Iewe or to a farracyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne noughte but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour and falleÌ„ mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy ghoste sothly wythoute ony more taryeng they arne refourmed to the lickenesse of god soo fully as holy chirche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe oute of this worlde they sholde streyghte flee to heuen wythoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer soo moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe and neuer sholde they fele the payâ—ne of helle ne of purgatori And that pryuelege sholde they hâ—ue by the meryte of crystis passion ¶ That thorugh the sacrament of penauÌ„ce that stondâ—â—h in contricyon confession and satisfaccion this ymage is refourmed fro actuall synne Caplm vii ALso what crysten man or woman that hath lost the lickenesse of god thorough a dedely synne brekynge godâ—dis commaundementes yf he thorugh towchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricion of herte and be in full wylle for to amende hym and torne him to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wylle receyuyth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyll therto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans that was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyll thorugh dedely synne is now by the sacrament of penauÌ„ce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curteysie of oure lorde and an cudeles mercy that soo lyghtly foryeuyth all manere of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abideth not grete penaunce dooyng ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne and a full forsakyng in wyll of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournynge of the herte to him This askith he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this wythoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shall not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycoÌ„n and loue be the more And therfore shall he goo and shewe hym and shryue hym to his ghostly fader and receyue penaunce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyll it soo that bothe the synÌ„e and the payne maye be done away or he passe hens And that is the skylfull ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that though the synne be foryeuen thorugh the vertue of contricyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllyng of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shall yf he maye shewe to his preste plener confessyon for that is his token his warraunte of foryeuenesse ayenste all his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenste a kynge of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a full sykernesse for to haue oonly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a
Nichil dampnacoÌ„nis in hiis qui noÌ„ scdm carnem ambulant That is Thyse soules that arne refourmed to the ymage of god in fayth thorugh the sacrameÌ„t of baptym or of penauÌ„ce shall not be dampned for felynges of this ymage of synne yf it soo be that they goo not after y e stirynges of the flesshe by dede doynge ¶ That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne a true torning of our wyll to good liuyng Ca· ix OF this refourmynge in fayth spekyth saynt poul thus Iustus ex fide viuit The rightwisman lyueth in fayth That is He that is made rightfull by baptym or by penaunce he lyueth in fayth whiche suffyseth vnto saluacoÌ„n and to heuenly pees as saynt poul sayth Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus ad deuÌ„ That is we that arne ryghted and refourmed thorugh faythe in cryste hathe pees and accorde made betwyx god and vs. noughte ayenstondynge the vycious felynges of our body of synne For though this reformyng be pryue and maye not well be felte here in this lyfe neuerthelesse who so trowyth it stedfastly and shapyth his werkes bisely for to accorde to his trouth and that he tourne not ayen to dedely synÌ„e Soothly whan the houre of dethe comyth and the soule is departed fro this bodily lyfe thenne shall he fynde it sooth that I saye now Thus sayd saynt IohÌ„n in comforte of chosen soules that lyuen here in fayth vnder the felynge of this painfull ymage Barissimi nunc sumus filii dei sed non duÌ„ apparuit quid erimus Scimus auteÌ„ qmÌ„ cum cristus apparuit tunc apparebimus cum eo similes ei in gloria That is My dere frendes we arne now whyle we lyue here the sonnes of god for we arn refourmed bi faythe in cryste to his lyckenes But it shewyth not yet what we arn but it is all pryue Neuerthelesse we knowe well that whan our lorde shall shewe hym at the laste daye thenne shall we appere wyth hym lyke vnto hym in endles Ioye If thou wolte wyte thenne yf thy soule be refourmed to the ymage of god or noo by that I haue sayd thou maye haue entree Ransake thy conscyence and loke what thy wyll is for there in stondeth all If it be tourned fro all maner of dedely synne that thou woldeste for noothynge wyttyngly and wylfully breke the coÌ„maundement of god And for that thou haste mysdone here before ayenste his biddynge thou haste shryuen the therof mekely wyth full herte to leue it and arte sory that thou dydest it I saye thenne sykerly that thy soule is refourmed in faythe to the lyckenesse of god ¶ That all the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche and haue her faythe quyckened in loue and chaâ—ryte ben refourmed by this sacramente though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall yefte of deuocyon or of ghostly felynge Caplm x· IN this refourmynge that is oonly in faythe the 〈◊〉 parte of chosen soules leden her lyfe that setteÌ„ her wyll stedfastly for to flee all manere of dedely synne and for to kâ—pe hem in loue charyte to her euen crysten and for to kepâ— the coÌ„maundementes of god after her cunnynge And whan it soo is that wycked stirynges and euyll wylles rysen in her hertes of pryde or of enuye of yre or lecherye or of ony other hede synne they ayenstonde hem and stryuen ayenst hem by dysplesynge of wyll soo that they folowe not in dede thyse wycked wylles And neuerthelesse yf they falle lyghtly as it were ayenste her wyll thorugh freelte or vncuÌ„nynge as soone her conscyence greuyth hem and pynyth hem soo greuously that they mow haue noo reste tyll they be shryuen and maye haue foryeuenes Sothly all thise soules that thus lyuen in this refourmynge and ben founde therin in the houre of dethe they shall be saaf and come to the full refourmynge in the blysse of heuen though it be soo that they myghte neuer haue ghostly felynge ne Inwarde sauour ne specyall grace of deuocoÌ„n in all her lyfe tyme For elles yf thou say that noo soule shall be saaf but it were refourmed in ghostly felynge that it myght fele deuocoÌ„n and ghostly sauour in god as some soules doon thorugh specyall grace thenÌ„e sholde fewe soules be saaf in rewarde of multytude of other Nay it is not for to trowe that that for the soules that oonly arn deuoute and bi grace come to ghostly felyng and for noo moo our lorde Ihesu sholde haue take mankynde and suffred that harde passyon of dethe It had be a lityll purchaas to hym for to haue come fro so ferre to soo nere and fro soo hye to soo lowe for soo fewe soules Nay his mercy is spradde larger than soo Neuertheles on the contrary wyse yf thou trowe that the passyon of our lorde is soo precyous and his mercy somoche that there shal noo soule be dampned and namely of noo crysten man doo he neuer soo euyll as some fooles wene soothly thou erreste gretely Therfore goo in the meane and holde the in the middes and trow as holy chirche trowyth And that is that the moost sinfull man that lyueth in erthe yf he torne his will thorugh grace fro dedely synne wyth sothfaste repentaunce to the seruyse of god he is refourmed in his soule And yf he deyed in that state he shall be saaf Thus behighte our lorde by his prophete sayenge thus In quacuÌ„que hora conuersus fuerit peccator ingemuerit vita viuet et non morietur That is In what tyme that it be that the synful man is tourned to god fro synÌ„e and he haue sorow therfore he shall lyue and he shal not deye endelesly And on the other syde who soo liuyth in dedely synÌ„e and wylle not leue it ne amende hym therof ne receyue the sacrament of penaunce or elles yf he receyue it he takyth it not soothfastly for the loue of god that is for the loue of vertue clennesse but oonly for drede or shame of the worlde or for drede oonly of paynes of helle he is not refourmed to the lyknesse of god And yf he deye in that plyghte he shall not be saaf His trouth shall not saue hym for his trouthe is dede and lackyth loue and therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened wyth loue charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degree of charite as arn symple soules the whiche felen not the yeft of speciall deuocyon ne ghostly knowynge of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chirche trowith and knowyth not fully what that is for it nedeth not to hem· And in that trowyth they kepe hem in loue and charytee to her euen crysten as they maye and fleen all dedely synne after her cuÌ„nynge and dooen the dedes of mercy to her euen crysten
All thise longen to the blysse of heuen For it is wrytteÌ„ in the apoc· thus Qui timetis deum pusilli et magni laudate 〈◊〉 This is ye that dreden god bothe smale grete thanke hym By grete arn vnderstonde soules that arn profytyng in 〈◊〉 or elles perfyte in the loue of god the whiche arn refourmâ—â— in ghostly felynge By smale arn vnderstonde soules vnperfyte of worldly men wymmen and other that haue but a châ—â—dis knowynge of god and full lityll felynge of hym but 〈◊〉 broughte forth in the bosom of holy chyrche and nourysshed wyth the sacramente as chylderne arn fedde wyth mylke All thise shold loue god and thanke hym for saluacoÌ„n of her soules by his endeles mercy goodnesse For holy chirche that is moder of all thyse and hath tender loue to all her chyldern goostly prayeth and asketh for hem all tenderly of her spowse that is Ihesu and geteth hem hele of soule thorugh vertue of his passyon And namly for hem that can not speke for hem selfe by ghostly prayer for her nede Thus I fynde in the gospell That the woman of Chanee asked of our lorde he le to her doughter that was traueyled wyth a fende and our lorde made fyrste dauÌ„geour by cause she was an alyene Neuerthelesse she ceased not for to crye till our lorde had grauÌ„ted her askynge and sayd to her thus Aa woman moche is thy trouth be it to y e right as y u wolt In the same hour was her douÈter hole This woman betokenith holy chirche that asketh helpe of our lorde for symple vncuÌ„nynge soules that are traueyled wyth temptacoÌ„n of the worlde and can not speke perfitly to god by feruour of deuocyon ne brennyng loue in contemplacyon And though it seme that our lorde make dauÌ„geour fyrste by cause that they arn as it were alyened fro hym neuerthelesse for the grete trouthe deserte of holy chyrche he grauÌ„teth to her all that she wyll And soo arn thyse symple soules that trowen stedfastly as holy chirche trowyth putten hem fully in the mercy of god and mekeÌ„ hem vnder the sacrameÌ„t and lawes of holy chyrche made saaf thorugh prayer and trouth of her moder holy chirche ¶ That soules refourmed neden euer to fyghte and stryue ayenste the stirynge of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye wyte whan it assentyth to the stiryng and whan not Caplm xi THis refourmyng in fayth is lyghtly goten but it maye not so lyghtly beholde And therfore what man or woman that is refourmed to the sickenesse of god in trouth moche traueylle and besynesse must they haue yf they wyll kepe this ymage hole clene that it falle not downe ayen thorugh weykenesse of wyll to the ymage of synne He maye not be ydle ne reklees for the ymage of synne is soo nere festnyd to hym and soo contynually pressyth vpon hym by dyuerse styrynges of synne that but yf he be ryght well waare he shall full lyghtly thorough assente falle ayen therto And therfore hym nedeth euer be stryuynge and fyghtynge ayenste wycked stirynges of this ymage of synne and that he make none accorde therwyth ne take noo freÌ„dshyp to it for to be buxum to his vnskylfull biddynges For yf he doo he begyleth hymself But soothly yf he stryueth wyth hem hym nedeth not moche drede of assentynge For stryfe brekyth pees and fals accorde It is good that a man haue pees wyth all thynge sauf wyth the fende and wyth this ymage of synÌ„e for ayenste hem him nedeth euer fighte in his thoughte and in his dede tyll he haue geten on hem the maystry and that shal neuer be fully in this lyfe as longe as he bereth and felyth this ymage I saye not but that a soule maye thorugh grace haue the hier honde ouer this ymage soo ferforthe that he shall not folowe ne sente to the vnskylfull stirynges of it But for to be soo clene delyuerde fro this ymage that he sholde fele noo suggestyon ne Ianglynge of flesshly affeccyon ne of vayne thoughte noo tyme maye noo man haue in this lyfe I hope that a soule that is refourmed in felynge by rauysshyng of loue in contemplacyon of god maye be soo ferre fro the sensualyte and fro vayn ymagynacoÌ„n aad soo ferre drawen out and departed fro the flesshly felynge for a tyme that it shall not fele but god but that lasteth not euer And therfore say I that euery maÌ„ behoueth stryffe ayenste this ymage of synne and namely he that is refourmed in fayth oonly that soo lyghtly maye be disceyued therwyth In the persone of whiche men sayth saynt poul Caro concupiscit aduersus spirituÌ„ et spuÌ„s aduersus cameÌ„ That is A soule refourmed to the lickenesse of god fightith ayenste the flesshly stirynges of this ymage of synne and also this ymage of synne stryueth ayenst the wyll of the spiryte This manere of fyghtynge of this dowble ymage saynt poul knewe whan he sayd thus Inueni legem in membris me is repugnanteÌ„ legi mentis mee et captiuum me ducentem in legem peccati That is I haue founde two lawes in myself One lawe in my soule wythin and a nother in my flesshly lymÌ„es wythoute fyghtynge wyth it that ofte ledeth me as a wretched prysoner to the law of synne By thise two lawes in a soule I vnderstonde this double ymage By the lawe of the spiryte I vnderstonde the reason of the soule whan it is refourmed to the ymage of god By the lawe of the flesshe I vnderstonde the sensualytees whiche I calle the ymage of synne In thise two lawes a soule refourmed ledeth his lyf as saynt poul sayth MeÌ„te enim seruio legi dei carne enim legi peccati In my soule that is in my wyll and in my reason I serue to the lawe of god but in my flesshe that is in my flesshli appetyte I serue to the lawe of synne Neuertheles that a soule refourmed shal not dispeyre though he serue to the lawe of synne by felynge of the vicyous sensualyte ayenste the wyll of the spiryte by cause of corrupcoÌ„n of the bodily kynde saynte poul excusyth it sayeng thus of his owne persone Non eniÌ„ quod volo bonum hoc ago sed malum quod odi hoc facio Si auteÌ„ malum quod odi hoc facio noÌ„ ego operor illud sed quod habitat in me peccatuÌ„ I doo not that good that I wolde doo That is I wolde fele noo flesshly stiryng and that doo I not But I doo that euyll that I hate That is The synful stirynges of my flesshe I hate and yet I fele hem Neuerthelesse sith it is soo that I haue the wicked stirynges of my flesshe and yet I fele hem and ofte delyte in hem ayenst my will they shall not be reherced ayenste me for dampnacoÌ„n as yf I had done hem And why For the corrupcyon of this ymage of synne dooth hem· and not I. â—oo saynt poul in
I be blacke bi cause of my body of synÌ„e as a reproued soule y t is one of the tabernacles of the fende neuertheles I am within full fayr thorugh trouthe good wyll lyke to an angell of heuen For soo sayth he in a nother place Nolite considerare me qd fusca suÌ„ qmÌ„ decolorauit me sol That is Beholde me not that I am swart for the sonne hath defaded me The sonÌ„e makyth a skynne swarte onÌ„ly wythout and not wythin and it betokenith this flesshly lyfe Therfore sayth a chosen soule thê° Repreue me not for I am swart for the swartnesse that I haue is all wythoute of touchyng of berynge of this ymage of synne but it is noo thynge wythin And therfore soothly though it be soo y t a chosen soule reformed in fayth dwelle in this body of sinÌ„e and fele the same flesshly stirynges and vse the same bodily werkes as dooth a tabernacle of cedar soo ferforth that in maÌ„nes dome there sholde noo dyfference be bytwyx that one and that other Neuertheles within in her soules there is a ful grete dyuersite· and in the syghte of god there is ful moche twinnynge But the knowyng of this whiche is one and whiche is other is oonly kepte to god â–ª for it passeth mannes dome manÌ„es felynge and therfore we shall noo man deme as euill for that thynge that maye be vsed bothe euyll well A soule that is not refourmed is take soo fully wyth the loue of the worlde and soo moche ouerlayed wyth the likynge of his flesshe in all his seÌ„sualyte that he chesyth it as a full reste of his herte and in his pryue meanynge he wolde not elles haue but y t he myght euer be syker therof He felith noo lycour of grace stiryng him for to lothe his flesshly lyf ne for to desire heuenly blysse And therfore I may say that he bereth not this ymage of synÌ„e but he is borne of it as a man that were seke and soo weyke that he myghte not bere hymselfe And therfore he is layed in a bedde and borne in a lytere Ryght soo suche a synfull soule is soo weyke and soo vnmyghti for lackyng of grace that he maye neyther meue honde ne fote for to doo ony good dede ne for to ayenstonde by displesyng of wyll the leest stirynge of synne whan it comyth but it falleth downe therto as it were a beest vpon careyne But a soule that is refourmed though he vse his flesshly wyttes and fele flesshly stirynges neuerthelesse he lotheth hem in his herte· for he wolde for noo thynge fully reste in hem but he fleeth the reste as the bitynge of an adder and had leuer haue his rest and the loue of his herte in god yf that he cowde· and somtyme desyreth therto and often grutcheth of the lykynge of this lyfe for loue of the lyfe euerlastynge This soule is not borne in this ymage of synne as a seke man though he fele it but he beryth it For thorugh grace he is made myghty stronge for to suffre and bere his body wyth all the euyll stirynges of it wythoute hurtynge or defoylynge of hymself and that is in asmoche as he loueth hem not ne foloweth hem not· ne seÌ„teth not to hem the whiche arn dedely synnes as a nother dooth This was bodily fulfylled in the gospel of a man that was in the palsye and was soo feble that he myghte not goo and therfore was he layed and borne in a lytere and broughte to our lorde And whan our lorde sawe hym in myscheyf of his gâ—â—odnesse he sayd to hym Surge et tolle grabatum tuuÌ„ et 〈◊〉 in domum tuaÌ„ That is Rise vp and take thy bedde and 〈◊〉 in to thy hous And soo he dyde and was hole And soothly right as this man bare vpon his backe whan he was made hole the bedde that before bare hym Right soo it maye be sayd ghostly that a soule refourmed in fayth berith this ymage of synne the whyche bare hym before And therfore be not adradde tomoche of thy blackenesse that thou haste of beryng of this ymage of synne But as ayenste the shame the dyscoÌ„forte that y u hast of the beholdyng of it and also ayen vpbraydyng that thou felist in thy hert of thy ghostly enmyes whan thei say to the thê° where is thy lord IhuÌ„s what sekest yu. wherÌ„ is y e fairnes that y u spekest of what felist y u ouÈte but blindnes of synne where is that ymage of god that thou sayest is refourmed in the Comforte thiselfe and be faythfull styfly as I haue before sayd And yf thou doo soo thou shalt by this trouth destroye all the temptacyons of thyn enmyes Thus sayde the appostle poul Accipe scutuÌ„ fidei in quo omnia tela hostis nequissima poteris extinguere That is Take to the a shelde of stedfaste trouth thorugh the whiche thou may quenche al the brennyng dartes of thyn enmye ¶ Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not refourmed and some ben refourmed oonly in fayth and some in fayth and in felynge Caplm xiii BY this that I haue said maye thou see that after dyuers partyes of the soule arne dyuers states of men Some men arne not refourmed to the lyckenesse of god and some arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god And some arn refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth and some arne refourmed in fayth and in felynge For thou shalt vnderstonde that a soule hath two partyes That one is called sensualyte and that is flesshly felynge by the fyue outewarde wyttes the whiche is comon to man and to beest Of the whiche sensualyte whan it is vnskilfully and vnordynatly ruled is made the ymage of synne whan it is not ruled after reason for thenne is the sensualyte synÌ„e That other partye is called reason and that is departed in two In the ouer partye in the nether The ouer party is lickened to a man for it sholde be mayster and souereyne and that is propirly the ymage of god For by that oonly the soule knowyth god and louyth hym And the neyther is lyckened to a woman for it sholde be buxum to the ouer partye of reison as woman is buxum to maÌ„ and that lyeth in knowyng and rulynge of erthly thynges for to vse hem discretly after nede for to refuse hem whaÌ„ it is noo nede for to haue euer with it an eye vpwarde to the ouerpartie of reason with drede reuerence for to folow it Now maye I saye y t a soule that lyueth after likynges and the lustes of his flesshe as it were an vnskylfull beest and neyther hath knowyng of god ne desyre to vertues ne to good liuynge But is all blynded in pryde frette wyth enuy ouerlayed wyth couetyse defoyled wyth lecherye and other grete synnes Is not refourmed to y e lyckenesse of god for it lyeth and resteth fully in the ymage of synne that is sensualyte A nother soule that dredeth god
but I am excused Vnto thise meÌ„ I say thê° Soth it is as they saye that they haue no grace and therfore they lyen styll in her synÌ„e maye not ryse oute But that auayleth hem not ayenst god for it is her owne defawte They vnable hem by dyuers wayes somoche that the lighte of grace maye not shine to heÌ„ne rest in her hertes For some are so frowarde that they woll noo grace hauene they woll noo good men be For they wote wel that yf they sholde be good men they must nedes forbere the grete likyng the luste of this worlde that they haue in erthly thynges and that woll they not For hem thynken it is soo swete that they woll not forgoo it And also they muste nedes take werkes of penaunce As in fastynge wakynge prayenge And many other goode dedes dooynge In chastysynge of theyr flesshe And in wythdrawynge of theyr flesshly wyll and that maye they not doo For it is made soo sharpe and soo dredfull to her thynkynge that they vggen lothen for to thinke vpon it and soo cowardly wretchydly dwelle they stylle in her synÌ„e Some wolde haue grace as it semith and begynÌ„en to able hem therto but her wyll is wonder weeke For assone as ony stirynge of synÌ„e comyth though it be contrary to the biddynge of god they falle anone therto for they are so bouÌ„de thrugh custome by oft fallynge and ofte assentynge to synÌ„e before that hem thynke it impossyble for to ayenstoÌ„de it and soo feyned hardnes of perfourmyng weekyth her will and smytith it downe ayen So me also felen stirynge of grace as whan they haue bityng of conscyence for her euyll lyuyng that they sholde leue it But that is soo paynfull to hem heuy that they woll not suffre it ne abyde it but they flee therfro foryete it yf they may soo ferforth that they seke likynge comforte outwarde in flesshly creatures soo that they sholde not fele this bityng of coÌ„scieÌ„ce wythin her soule And more ouer some men are so blynde soo bestly that they wene there is none other lyf but this ne that there is noo soule other than of a best that the soule of a maÌ„ deyeth wyth the body as the soule of a beest and therfore they saye Ete we drynke we make we mery here for of this lyfe we beÌ„ syker we see none other heuen Sothly suche are some wretches that sayen thus in her hertes though they saye it not wyth her mouth Of the whiche men the prophete sayth thê° Dixit insipieÌ„s in corde suo noÌ„ est deê° That is â— vnwyse man sayd in his herte there is noo god This vnwâ—se maÌ„ is euery wretchyd maÌ„ that lyueth loueth synÌ„e and â—hesith the loue of this worlde as rest of his soule he sayth there is noo god not with his mouth for he woll speke of hym some tyme whan he fareth wel flesshly as it were in reuerence whaÌ„ he sayth blessyd be god Somtyme in dyspyte whan he is angry ayenst god or his eueÌ„ crysten and sweryth by his blessyd body or ony of his meÌ„bres But he sayth in his thought that there is noo god and that is eyther for he weneth that god seeth not his synÌ„e or that he wyll not punysshe it so harde as holy wrytt sayth or that he woll foryeue hym that synÌ„e though he see it not or elles that there shall noo crysten man be daÌ„pned doo he neuer soo euyll Or elles yf he fast our lady faste or saye euery daye a certeyn oryson or here euery daye ii masses or iii. or do a certain bodily dede as it were in worship of god he shall neuer goo to helle doo he neuer somoche synÌ„e though he forsake it not this man sayth in his herte that there is noo god But he is vnwyse as the prophete sayth For he shall fele fynde in paine that he is a god whom he forgate sette nought by but sette by the we le of the worlde as the prophete sayth Sola vexacio dabit intellectuÌ„ auditui That is OnÌ„ly payne shall yeue vndstondynge For he that knowyth not this here ne woll not knowe it shall well knowe it whan he is in payne ¶ A lityll counseyle how louers of this worlde sholde doo yf they woll be refourmed in her soule byfore her partyng hens Caplm xvi THyse men though they wote well that they arne out of grace in dedely synÌ„e they haue no care ne sorow ne thoughte therfore But they make flesshly myrth worldly solace asmoche as they maye And the ferder they ben fro grace y e more myrthe they make perchauÌ„ce some holdeÌ„ hem wel payd that they haue noo grace that they maye as it were the more fully freely folow the likyng of flesshly lustes as though god were a slepe myghte not see hem And this is one of y e moost defawte that maye be And thus by her owne frowardenes they stoppe the lyghte of grace fro her owne soule that it maye not reste therin the whiche grace in asmoche as in it is shyneth to all ghostly creatures redy for to entre in there it is receyued as the sonÌ„e shyneth ouer all creatures bodily therâ— it is not letted thê° sayth saynt IohÌ„n in the gospel Lux in true bris lucet et tenebre eaÌ„ non coÌ„prehenderuÌ„t That is the lyghte of grace shyneth in derknesse that is to menÌ„es hertes that are derke thrugh synne But the derknesse taketh it not That is thise blynde hertes receyue not y e gracyous lyghte ne haue not the profyte of it But ryght as a blynde man is vmbilapped wyth the lyghte of the sonÌ„e whan he stoÌ„deth therin yet seeth it not ne hath noo profyte therof for to goo therby right soo ghostly a soule blynded wyth dedely synne is all vmbylapped wyth this ghostly lyghte yet he is neuer the better for he is blynded woll not see ne knowe his blyndenesse And that is one of the moost lettynge of grace that a wretchyd maÌ„ woll not be a knowe of his owne blyndnesse for pryde of hymself or elles yf he knowe it he chargeth not but makyth myrthe game as he were ouer all syker Therfore vnto al thise men that are thus blynded bouÌ„de wyth the loue of this worlde are fowle forshape fro the fayrhede of man I saye couÌ„seyle that they thynke on her soule· that they able hem vnto grace asmoche as they maye and that maye they doo vpon this wyse yf that they woll Whan that they fele hemself out of grace ouerlayed wyth dedely synÌ„e thenne that they thynke what myscheyf what peryll it is to hem for to be put out of grace departed fro god as they ben For there is no thyng that holdeth hem fro the pytte of helle that they ne sholde right soone falle therin but a bare syngyll threde of this bodily lyfe wheâ—by they hange what
lyghtlyer may be lost than a sengyl â—hâ—ede may be broken in two For were the breth stopped in her body that may lyghtly falle her soule shall passe forth anone be in helle wythoute ende And yf they wolde thynke thus they sholde quake shake for drede of the rightfull domes of god of the harde punysshyng of synÌ„e and they sholde make sorow morne for her synÌ„e for lackyng of grace and thenÌ„e sholde they crye pray y t they myght haue grace yf they dyde thus thenÌ„e sholde grace falle in put oute derknesse hardnes of herte and weyknes of wyll and yeue hem mighte strengthe for to forsake the fals loue of this worlde as moche as is dedely synÌ„e For there is noo soule soo ferre fro god thorugh wickidnes of wyll in dedely synÌ„e I out take none that lyueth in this body of synÌ„e that he ne maye thrugh grace be righted refourmed to clennesse of lyuynge yf he woll bowe his wyll to god wyth mekenesse for to amende his lyfe and hertly axe grace foryeuenes of him excuse our lorde â–ª and fully accuse hymself For holy wrytte sayth Nolo morteÌ„ pccoÌ„ris sed magis vt coÌ„nertat et viuat That is Our lorde sayth I wol not the dethe of a synÌ„er but I woll more that he be torned to me lyue For our lorde woll that the moost frowarde man that liueth forshapen thrugh synÌ„e yf he torne his wyll and aske grace that he be refourmed to his lyknesse ¶ That refourmyng in fayth in felynge maye not sodenly be goten by grace moche bodily and ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii THis refourmyng is in fayth as I haue before sayd that lyghtly may be had But after this comyth refourminge in fayth in felynge that maye not lyghtly begote but thorugh longe traueylle moche besynesse For refourmynge in fayth is comyn to all chosen soules though they ben in the lowest degree of charyte But refourmyng in felyng is specyally of thise soules that maye come to the state of perfeccyon that maye not sodeynly be had but after grete plente of grace moche ghostly traueylle a soule maye come therto and y t is whan he is fyrste helyd of his ghostly syknes and whan alle bytter passions flesshly lustes other olde felynges are brente oute of the herte wyth fyre of desyre and newe gracyous felynges arne broughte Inne wyth brennynge loue and ghostly lyghte Thenne right nyghe hygheth a soule to perfeccyon and to refourmynge in felynge For soth it is right as a man y t is brouÈt nye to deth thrugh bodily siknes though he receyue a medicyne by the whiche he is restored siker of his lyfe he maye not therfore anone rise vp goo to werke as an hole maye for the feblenes of his body holdeth hym downe that he muste abyde a good whyle kepe hym well wyth medicynes· dyete hym by mesure after yeâ—echynge of a leche tyll he maye fully recouer bodily hele Righte soo ghostly· he that is broughte to ghostly dethe thrugh dedely synÌ„e though he thrugh medicyne of the sacrament of penauÌ„ce be restored to lyfe that he shall not be daÌ„pned neuertheles he is not anone hole of all his passions of all his flesshly desyres ne able to contemplacoÌ„n but hym behoueth abyde a grete whyle take good kepe of hymself and rule hym so that he myghte recouer full hele of soule for he shall langern a grete whyle or that he be fully hole Neuertheles yf that he take medicynes of a good leche vse hem in tyme with mesure discrecoÌ„n he shall moche the sooner be restored to hys ghostly strength come to refourmynge in felynge For refourmynge in fayth is the lowest state of all chosen soules for byneth that myghte they not well be But refourmyng in felynge is the hiest state in this lyfe that the soule may come to But fro the lowest to the hyest maye not a soule sodenly 〈◊〉 nomore than a man that woll clymbe vpon a ladder 〈◊〉 setteth his fote vpon the lowest stele may at the nexte flee vp to the hyeste But hym behoueth goo by processe one after another tyll he maye come to the ouerest Right soo it is ghostly no maÌ„ is made sodeÌ„ly souereyn in grace but thrugh long exercyse and slye werkyng of a soule may com therto namly whan he helpyth techyth a wretchyd soule in whom al grace lyeth For wythout specyall helpe Inwardly techynge of hym maye noo soule come therto ¶ The cause why soo fewe soules in rewarÌ„de of the multytude of other comen to this refourmynge in faythe and in felynge Caplm xviii BVt now sayst thou Syth our lorde is soo curteys of his goodnes of his gracyous yeftes soo free wonder it is thenÌ„e that soo fewe soules as it semyth in rewarde of y e multytude of other maye come to this refourmyng in felynge It semyth that he were dangerous that is not sothe or that he toke noo rewarde of his creatures the whiche by takynge of fayth are become his seruauntes Vnto this I may answere say as me thynketh that one enchesen is this Many that are refourmed in faythe sentten not her hertes for to profyte in grace ne for to seke none hyer estate of good liuynge thruhÌ„ besye traueylle in prayenge thynkyng and other bodily goostly werkyng but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe heÌ„selfe out of dedely synÌ„e and for to stonde stylle in that plyghte as they are in For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degree in heuen They wol coueyte noo more Thus perchauÌ„ce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worlde actyf lyfe and that is lityll wonder of hem For they are soo occupyed wyth worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly werkynge And neuertheles it is peryllous to hem for they falle oute all daye and are now vp now downe maye not come to the stablynes of gode liuyng Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge But other men wymÌ„en that are free fro worldly besynesse yf they woll maye haue her nedfull sustynauÌ„ce with oute grete bodily besynes specyally as religyous men wymmen may that bynden hemself to the state of perfeccoÌ„n by takynge of relygion and other men also in seculer state that haue moche reason in grete kyndly wytte mighte yf they wolde dyspose hem there to come to moche grace Thise meÌ„ are more to blame for they stonde stylle as they were ydle woll not prouffyte in grace ne in noo ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god â—For sothly it is peryllous to a soule that is refourmed oonly in fayth and woll noo more seke profyte ne yeue hym besily to ghostly traueyle for he
the worlde in worshippes and riches in al other worldly thynges before sayd for the loue of god loueth not it ne pursewyth not it but is well payd that he hathe right nought of it ne wolde haue though he myghte sothly to hym the worlde is dede for he hath noo sauour ne delyte therin Also yf the worlde sette hym at nought and hath noo rewarde to hym ne fauour ne worshyp ne sette noo pryce by hym but forgeteth hym as a dede man thenne is he dede to the worlde And in this plyght was saynt poul sette perfitly and soo must a nother man in partye that wolde folowe and come to the perfite loue of god For he may not lyue to god fully but yf he deye fyrst to the worlde This deyenge to the worlde is this derkenes and it is the gate of contemplacoÌ„n and to refourmyng in felyng and none other than this There may be many sundry wayes seere werkes lettinge and ledyng suÌ„dry soules to contemplacoÌ„n For after diuers disposynges of men and after suÌ„dry states as are religyous and seculers that they are in are dyuers exercises in worchyng Neuertheles there is noo gate but one For what exercises it be that a soule hath but yf he maye come by that exercyse to this knowynge and to a meke felynge of hymself and that is that he be mortifyed dede to the worlde as in his loue and that he maye feâ—le hymself somtyme in this restful derkenes bi the whiche he maye be hydde fro vanytee of the worlde as in his loue and y t he maye fele hymself what he is sothly he is not yet come to the refourmynge in felynge ne hath not fully contemplacoÌ„n He is full ferre therfro and yf he woll come by ony gate he is but a theyf and a breker of the walle And therfore as vnworthy he shall be caste oute But he that can brynge hymselfe fyrste to nought thrugh grace of mekenes and deye on thys manere he is in the gate for he is dede to the worlde and he lyueth to god Of the whyche saynt poul spekith thus Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cuÌ„ xpÌ„o in deo ¶ ye are dede That is ye that for the loue of god forsaken all the loue of the worlde are dede to the worlde wyth cryste in god That is ye lyue ghostly in the loue of Ihesu But your lyf is hydde from worldly men as cryste lyueth and is hidde in his godhede fro the loue and the syght of flesshly louers This gate oure lorde hymself shewed in the gospell whan he sayd thus OmÌ„is qui reliquerit patrem aut matrem fratrem aut sororem propter me centupluÌ„ accipiet et vitam etnam possidebit Euery man that forsakyth for my loue fader or moder suster or brother or ony good erthly he shall haue an hundreth folde in this lyf and afterwarde the blysse of heuen This huÌ„dreth folde that a soule shall haue yf he forsake the worlde is noughte but the profyte of this lightly derkenes the whyche I calle the gate of contemplacoÌ„n For he that is in this derkenes and is hydde thorugh grace fro worldly vanytee he coueyteth noughte of worldly good he sechyth it not he is not taried therwyth he lokyth not after it he loueth it not And therâ—fore hath he an hundreth folde more than the kynge or than he hath that coueyteth moost of erthly good For he that noughte coueyteth but Ihesu hath an hundreth folde For he hathe more reste more pees in herte more very loue and delyte in soule in one daye thanne he that mooste coueyteth of the worlde And hath al the well of it vnder his welht hath in all his lyfe tyme ¶ This is thenne a goode derkenesse and a ryche noughte that bringeth a soule to soo moche ghostly ease and soo stylle softenesse I trowe daâ—yd meaned of this nyghte or of this noughte whan he sayd thus Ad nichilum redactus sum et nesciui That is I was broughte to noughte and I wyste not That is The grace of our lorde Ihesu sente in to myn herte hath slay ne in me and broughte to noughte all the loue of the worlde and I wyste not how For thrugh noo worchynge of myself ne by myn owne wytte I haue it not but of the grace of oure lorde Ihesu And therfore me thynkyth he that woll haue the lyghte of grace and fulsomly fele the loue of IhuÌ„ in his sowle he must forsake all the fals lyght or worldly loue and abyde in this derkenes And neuertheles yf he be adradde fyrst for to wonÌ„e therin torne not ayen to the loue of y e worlde but suffre awhyle and put all his hope and his truste in Ihesu and he shall not loÌ„ge be wythout some ghostly lyghte Thus byddeth the prophete Qui ambulat in tenebris et non est lumen ei speret in dnÌ„o inuitatur super deum suuÌ„ who soo gooth in derkenes and hath noo lyghte that is who soo woll hyde hym fro the loue of the worlde and may not redily fele lyght of ghostly loue dispeyre not torne not ayen to the worlde but hope in our lorde and leen vpon hym that is truste in god clene to hym by desyre and abyde awhyle and he shall haue lyight â— For it falleth therby as it dooth yf a man had be a grete whyle in the sonne and after that came sodeynly in to a derke hous there noo sonne shyneth he sholde be as he were blynde and see right noughte But yf he woll abyde awhyle he shall mow see soone aboute hym Firste grete thynges and sythen smale And sythen all that euer is in the hous Ryght soo it is ghostly He that forsakyth the loue of the worlde comyth to hymself in to his owne coÌ„scyeÌ„ce y â— is fyrst derke somwhat and blynde to his syghte But yf he stonde stylle and holde forth wyth besye prayenge and often thynkyng of the same wyll to the loue of IhuÌ„ he shall mow see afterwarde grete thynges smale that he first knewe not Thê° semith it y t the prophete behight thus sayeÌ„g Oriet in tenebris lux tua tenebre tue eruÌ„t sicnt meridâ—es et reqeÌ„ dabit tibi dnÌ„s ds tuus et implebit aiÌ„am tuaÌ„ splendoribus Lyghte shall sprynge to th in derkenesse That is Thou that forsakest sothfastly the lyghte of all worldly loue and hydest thy thoughte in this derkenes lyghte of blessyd loue ghostly knowyng of god shall sprynge to the and thy derkenes shall be as myddaye that is thy derkenes of traueylynge desyre thy blynde truste in god y â— thou hast fyrste shall torne in to clere knowynge in to sykernes of loue And thy lorde god shall yeue reste to the That is Thy flesshly desyres and thy paynfull dredes doubtes wicked spirytes that haue contynuelly before honde traueyled the all thise shall worche and lese moche
of her myght and thou shalt be made so stronge that they shall not dere y â— For thou shalt be hydde in reste fro hem And thenne shall our lorde fulfylle thy soule wyth shynynges That is whan thou arte broughte in to this ghostly reste thenÌ„e shalt thou more easely tente to god and noughte elles doo but loue hym and thenne he shall wyth bemes of ghostly lighte fulfyll all the myghtes of thy soule Haue thou noo wonder though I calle the forsakâ—â—ge of worldly loue derkenes for the prophete calleth it soo â—â—ynge thus to a soule Intra in tenebras tuas filia caldeorum Goo in to thy derkenesse thou doughter of caldee That is â— Thou soule that arte as a doughter of Caldee for loue of the worlde forsake it and goo in to thy derkenes ¶ That in refourmynge of a soule the worchynge of onâ—â— lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes that is callynge rightynge magnyfyenge gloryfyenge Caplm xxviii LOo I haue sayd to the a lytyl yf thou coueyte for to be reformed in felyng how thou shalt dyspose the towarde in thy forth gooing Neuertheles I saye not that thou may doo thus of thyselfe For I wote well that oure lorde Ihesu bryngith all this to the ende where soo he woll For he oonly thorugh his grace styreth a sowle and bryngyth it in to this derkenesse fyrste And sythen in to lighte as the prophete sayth Sicut tenebre eius ita lumen eius That is Ryght as the lyghte of knowyng and the felynge of ghostly loue is of IhuÌ„ Right soo the derkenes that is the forsakinge of worldly loue is of hym for he doth all He fourmyth refourmith He fourmyth onÌ„ly by hymself· but he refourmith vs wyth vs For grace yeuen aplienge of our wyll to grace worcheth all this And on what maner wyse he doth that saynt poul reherceth thus Quos deus pÌ„scinit fieri conformes ymaginis filii eius hos vocauit Et quos vocauit hos iustificauit Et quos instificauit hos magnificauit Et quos magnificauit hos et glificauit Thyse that god knewe before sholde be made shapely to the ymage of his sone thise he called thise he righted thise he magnyfyed thise he gloryfyed Though thise wordes maye be sayd of all chosen soules in the lowest degree of charyte that are reformed onÌ„ly in faith neuertheles they may be vndstonde more specially of thise soules that are reformed in felynge to the whiche our lorde god shewith moche plente of grace and doth moche more besynes aboute hem For they are his owne sones specyally that bere the ful shappe the lickenes of his sone IhuÌ„ In the whiche wordes saynt poule departeth the worchyng of our lorde in foure tymes Fyrste is y e tyme of caliynge of a soule fro worldly vanyte and that tyme is often easy comfortable For in begynÌ„ynge of tornynge suche a man that is disposed to moche grace is soo quyckely soo felyngly inspired felith ofte soo grete swetnes of deuocoÌ„n hath so many teres in coÌ„punccoÌ„n y t he thynkyth hym somtyme as he were halfe in heuen but this softnes passyth after for a tyme And thenÌ„e comyth the secoÌ„de tyme that is y e tyme of rightynge that is trauelous For whan he begynÌ„yth for to goo forth myÈtly in the waye of rightwisnes settith his wyll full ayenst all synÌ„e without within· stretchith oute his desire to vertues to the loue of IhuÌ„ thenÌ„e felyth he moche lettynge bothe wyth hymself of frowardenes hardnesse of his owne wyll and fro wythout forth thrugh temptacoÌ„n of his enmye that he is ofte in full grete tourment And that is noo wond For he hath soo longe be croked to the fals loue of the worlde that he maye not be made right as a crokyd staffe may not be made euen but yf he be caste weyked in y e fyre Therfore our lorde IhuÌ„ seenge seÌ„deth what thynge is â—â— houefull to a frowarde soule suffreth it to be traueyled taâ—â—ed by suÌ„dry teÌ„ptacyons and for to be well examyned thorugh ghostly trybulacyons that all the ruste of vnclenÌ„es mighte â—â— brente oute of it And that shall be bothe wythin of 〈…〉 dowtes perplexitees that it shall nerehande falle in disperâ—â— and it shall seme as it were forsaken of god lefte all in the hondes of the fende out taken a lityll preuy truste that 〈…〉 haue in the godenes of god in his mercy For that preuy 〈◊〉 our lorde leueth in suche a soule goo he neuer soo feâ—re 〈◊〉 it by the whiche the soule is borne vp fro dispeyre saued 〈◊〉 ghostly myscheyf And also wythout itselfe it shall be 〈◊〉 fyed pyned in the seÌ„sualyte eyther by dyuers syknes or 〈…〉 able tourment of the fende or elles thrugh a preuy myghte 〈◊〉 god the sely soule by felynge berynge of the wrerched boâ—y shall be soo pyned it shall not wyte how that it shall 〈◊〉 suffre for to be in the body ne were that our lorde IhuÌ„ kep◠〈◊〉 therin And yet neuertheles had y e soule leuer for to be in 〈◊〉 this pyne than for to be blinded with the fals loue of y e woâ—â—de for that were helle to suche a soule But the sufferynge 〈◊〉 this manere pyne is noughte but purgatory and therfore he suffryth it gladly And he wolde not putte it awaye though he myghte for it is soo prouffytable All this dooth oure 〈◊〉 in grete prouffyte of the soule for to dryue it oure of the sensualytee that it myghte receyue ghostly lyghte For after this whan the soule is thus mortyfyed and brought fro worldely loue in to this derkenesse that it hathe noo more sauour ne delyte of worldly lykynge thanne of the strawe But he thynkyth it bytter as wormode Thenne commyth the thirde tyme of magnyfieng And that is whan the soule is refourmed in felynge in partie and receyueth the yeft of perfeccoÌ„n the grace of contemplacoÌ„n and that is a tyme of grete reste for thenÌ„e is IhuÌ„ more homely wyth a soule And after this comyth the fourth tyme of glorifyenge That is whan the soule shall be fully refourmed in the blysse of heuen For thyse soules that are thus called fro synÌ„e and thus righted or elles on other maner lyke by dyuers assayenge bothe thorugh fyre water and afterwarde are thus magnyfied they shulde be gloryfied For our lorde shall thenÌ„e yeue heÌ„ fully that they here coueyted and more than they cowde coâ—eyte for he shal areyse hem aboue al other chosen soules to the eueÌ„hede of cherubyn seraphyn sythen they passed all other in knowynge louyng of god here in this lyfe Therfore he that woll come to this magnifyeÌ„g drede not this rightyng for that is y e way For our lorde sayth by his prophete a worde of grete coÌ„fort to all suche soules that are examyned wyth fyre of trybulacy on thus Puer meus noli timere Si
transieris per igneÌ„ flamma non nocebit te That is My chylde yf thou passe thorugh fyre drede not for the flaÌ„me shall not deere the It shall clense the fro all flesshly fylthe and make the able to receyue ghostly fyre of the loue of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌ„ynge att profytynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokeÌ„s than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin Caplm xxix BVt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete coÌ„punccoÌ„n for her synÌ„es somÌ„ haue grete deuocoÌ„ns feruours in her prayers ofteÌ„ haue suÌ„dry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vndstonding some meÌ„ haue other maner felynges of comfortable hete grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre lastyng loue thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be refourmed in felynge or noughte It semyth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other men that stonde oonly in fayth fele not of Vnto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynges whether they stonde in compuÌ„ccion or deuocoÌ„n or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shall haue fele in y e grace of conteÌ„placoÌ„n I say not but they are sothfast gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet the yefte of perfeccoÌ„n ne ghostly the brenÌ„inge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god than other that haue the yefte of perfeccoÌ„n in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge kneâ—â—â—ge spekynge other bodily stirynge soo ferforth y t it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo well I wote that thise maner felinges feruours of deuocoÌ„n coÌ„punccoÌ„n that thise meÌ„ fele are gracious yeftes of god sent in to chosen soules for to drawe hem out of worldly loue flesshly luste that hath ben loÌ„ge tyme roted in her hert fro y e whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirige of grete feruours neâ— theles y t the feruour is somoche in outward shewing it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes weyknes of her soule y t may not berÌ„ a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it werÌ„ fleshly festned to y e flesshÌ„ neu was yet deê‘ted fro it bi gostly mortifyeÌ„g therforÌ„ y e lest towching of loue y e lest sperkil of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heueÌ„ in to suche a soule is somoche so coÌ„fortable so delectable ouer al y e likiÌ„g that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thyng that it is ouertaken wyth it And also it is soo newe sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth shewyth oute in wepynge sobbynge other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell that is olde whan it receyueth new wyne that is fresshe myghty the costrell bolneth oute and is in poynte for to cleue brest vntyll the wyne hath boylled spourged oute all vnclenÌ„esse but also sone as the wyne is fyned cleryd thenÌ„e it stondeth styll the costrel hole Right so a soule that is olde thrugh synÌ„e whan it receyueth a lityll of the loue of god that is soo fresshe soo myghty that the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by wepyng and at y e mouth by spekynge and that is more for weyknes feblenes of the soule than for mykilnes of loue For afterward whan loue hath boylled all the vnclenÌ„es oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours thenÌ„e is the loue clere stondeth styll And thenÌ„e is both the body the soule moche more in pees and yet hath y e soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewe lesse outwarde For it is now all hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye that thise soules that feleÌ„ suche grete bodily feruours though they ben in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretly dysposed towarde For I trowe y t suche a man namly that hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente puryfyed wyth suche grete coÌ„punccoÌ„ns goynge before A nother soule that neuer was moche defoylled wyth loue of the worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete sinÌ„es in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde come to this refourmyng ThenÌ„e is this soth as I hope that suche comfortes feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytynge are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his traueyle Right as a pilgryme traueyleth all daye meteles drynkles· and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke and is well refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that woll forsake the loue of the worlde· wolde fayne loue god and settyth all his besynes therto prayeth traueylleth all daye bodyly ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocon ThenÌ„e our lorde hauynge pyte ouer all his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne in to heuynes or grutchyng sendeth it amonge his ghostly fode comforteth it in deuocoÌ„n as he wouchith saaf And whan the soule feleth ony coÌ„forte thenÌ„e holdeth he hym well payd for all his traueylle all the disease that it had on y â— day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The selfe wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferfor the in grace Thei felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syghte of ghostly thynges and in affeccion of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why all suche felinges come to hem in that state as it were vnwâ—arly for they come or they wyte it and goth fro hem or they wyte it and they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes wyth heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soule is not opyned to the beholdynge of ghostly thynges·
is not good to hem to reste in suche felinges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue· to more stablynesse of thoughte in god For some maye be true some maye be feyned as I haue sayd before ¶ How this maner of spekynge of refourmynge in felynge of a soule shal be take And on what wyse it is reformed and how it is fouÌ„de in saynt poules wordes Caplm xxxi NOw I haue sayd to the a lityll of refourmynge in faythe and also I haue towched to the a lityll of the forth-goynge fro that refourmyng to the hygher refourmyng that is in felynge Not in that entent that I wolde bi thise wordes sette goddis worchynge vnd a lawe of my spekinge As for to saye thus worcheth god in a soule none other wise Nay I meane not so But I saye after my symple felinge that oure lorde worcheth thê° in some creatures as I hope And I hope wel that he worcheth other wyse also that passyth my witte my felynge Neuertheles whether he worche thus or other wyse by suÌ„dry meanes in lenger tyme or shorter tyme wyth moche traueyle or lityll traueyle yf all come to one ende that is to the perfite loue of hym thenÌ„e it is good ynough For yf he wolle yeue one soule on one daye the full grace of contemplacoÌ„n wythout ony traueyle as he well maye as good is y â— to that soule as yf he had be examyned pynyd mortifyed and purifyed twenty wynter And therfore vpon this maner wyse take in my sayenge as I haue sayd namly as I thynke to saye For now by the grace of our lorde Ihesu shall I speke a lityll as me thynketh more openly of refourmyng in felyng what it is and how it is made and whiche are ghostly felynges that a soule receyueth Neuertheles fyrste that I take not this maner of spekynge of refourmyng of a soule in felynge as feynyng or fantasye therfore I shall grouÌ„de it in saynt poullis wordes where he sayth thus Nolite coÌ„formari huic sclosed reformamini in nouitate sensus vestri That is ye that are thrugh grace refourmed in fayth conforme you not hensforwarde to the maners of the worlde in pride in couetyse in other synÌ„es but be ye refourmed in newehede of felynge Loo here thou maye see that saynt poul spekyth of refourmynge in felynge And what that newe felynge is he expowneth in a nother place thê° Vt impleamini in agnicioÌ„e voluÌ„tatis eiê° in omÌ„i intellectu et sapiÌ„a spuÌ„ali That is we praye god that ye maye be fulfylled in knowinge of goddis wyll in all vndstondynge and in all maner ghostly wysdom This is refourmynge in felynge For thou shalt vnderstonde that the soule hath ii maner of felinges One without of y e fyue bodili wittes a nother wythin of y e ghostly wyttes the whiche are properly the myghtes of the soule Mynde reason wylle whan thyse myghtes are thrugh grace fulfylled in all vnderstondynge of the wyll of god ghostly wysdom thenÌ„e hath the soule newe gracyous felynges That this is soth he sheweth in a nother place thus Renouamini spÌ„u mentis vestre et induite nouuÌ„ hoiÌ„em q scdm deuÌ„ creatus est in iusticia sciÌ„tate vitate Be ye renued in spiryte of your soule That is ye shall be refourmed not in bodily felynge ne in ymaginacion but in the ouer partye of your reason And clothe you in a newe man y t is shapen after god in rightwysnes holinesse sothfastnesse That is your reason y t is properli the ymage of god thrugh grace of the holy ghoste shall be clothed in a newe lyghte of sothfastnesse holynes ryghtwysnes And thenne it is reformed in felynge For whan the soule hath perfyte knowynge of god thenne it is refourmed Thus sayth saynt poul Expoliantes vetereÌ„ homineÌ„ cuÌ„ actibus suis induite nouuÌ„ qui re nouatur in agnicoÌ„ne dei scdm ymagineÌ„ eiê° qui creauit eum Spoyle yourself of the olde man with all his dedes That is caste fro you the loue of the worlde with all worldly maners And clothe you in a newe man That is ye shall be renewed in the knowynge of god after the lycknes of hym that made you By thyse wordes thou maye vndstonde that saynt poul wolde haue menÌ„es soules refourmed in perfyte knowyng of god for that is the newe felynge that he spekyth of generally And therfore vpoÌ„ his wordes I shall saye more opeÌ„ly of this reformyng as god yeueth me grace For there is two maner knowyng of god One is had pryncipally in ymagynacyon lityll in vndstondyng This knowinge is in chosen soules begynÌ„yng prouffitynge in grace that knowen god louen hym all manly not ghostly wyth manly affeccoÌ„ns wyth bodily lyknes as I haue before sayd This knowynge is good and it is lykned to mylke by the whiche they are tendly nouryshed as childn vntyl they ben able for to come to the faders borde and take of his honde hole brede A nother knowyng is pryncypally feled in vnderstondyng lityll in ymagynacoÌ„n For the vnderstondyng is lady the ymagynacoÌ„n is a mayden seruynge to the vndstondyng whan nede is â—rnowyng is hole brede mete for perfyte soules and it is refourmynge in felynge ¶ How god openeth the InÌ„er eye of the soule to see him not all at ones but by dyuerse tymes And of thre maner of refourmyng of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii A Soule that is called fro the loue of world after that is righted and assayed mortifyed purifyed as I haue before sayd our lorde Ihesu of his mercyfull goodnes refourmyth it in felynge whan he wouchyth saaf He openeth the Inner eye of the soule whan he lyghtneth the reason thrugh towchynge and shinynge of his blessyd lyghte for to see hym and knowe hym not all fully attones but lityll lityll by dyuers tymes as the sowle maye suffre hym He seeth hym not what he is for that maye noo creature doo in heuen ne in erthe Nor he seeth hym not as he is for that syght is onÌ„ly in y â— blysse of heuen But he seeth hym that he is an vnchanble beinge a souereyne myght souereyne sothfastnes souereyne goodnes a blessed lyf an endles blysse This seeth the soule and moche more that comyth wyth al not blyndly nakydly and vnsauourly as dooth a clerke that seeth hym by his clergye onÌ„ly thrugh myght of his naked reason but he seeth him in vnderstondynge that is comforted lyghted by the yefte of y e holy ghoste wyth a wonderfull reuerence a preuy brenÌ„nyng loue and with ghostly sauour heuenly delyte more clerly more fully than it maye be wryten or sayd This syghte though it be but shortly lityll is soo worthy soo mighty that it draweth rauyssheth all the affeccoÌ„n of the soule fro beholdyng and the mynde of all erthly thynge therto for to reste therin euermore yf it myghte And of this
but not on that maner that a kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lityll bodily thynge is holden within a nother moche but he is wythin all creatures as holdynge kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtylte myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous most clene is layed inerest right soo by that lyknes it is sayd that the kynde of god that is moost precyous most clene and mooste goodly ferrest fro bodilyhede is hydde wythin all thinges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shal gorgete fyrste all bodily thynges for al that is without his owne body and he shall forgete thynkyng of his owne soule thinke on the vnmade kynde that is IhuÌ„ that made him quiknith hym holdith hym yeueth hym reson mynde loue the whiche is wythin hym thrugh his myghte souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace to wchyth it or elles it woll but lityl auayle to seche Ihesu and to fynde him wythin itselfe wythin all creatures as me thynkyth Also it is sayd in holy wrytte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohÌ„n Deê° lux est That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lighte but it is vnderstoÌ„de thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth and sothfastnesse for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte ThenÌ„e he that moost gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god And neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyghte for this skylle Right as the sonne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it right soo sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe alle other ghostly thynge that nedeth to the knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete DnÌ„e in lumine tuo videbimê° lumen Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lighte That is we shall see the thaâ— art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus noster ignis consumens est That is 〈◊〉 lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and brenÌ„eth it but god is loue charyte For as fyre wasteth all bodily thynge that maye be wasted Ryght soo the loue of god brenneth and wasteth all synne oute of the soule And makyth it clene as fyre makyth clene alle manere metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of oure lorde in holy wrytte by bodyly lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo â—aâ—our in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy writte is this For we are soo flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lityll syght of IhuÌ„ thenÌ„e shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondinge This goostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowyng of the godhede I calle refourmynge in fayth felynge for thenÌ„e the soule somwhat feleth in vnderstondinge of that thynge that it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„ynge of contemplacoÌ„n of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plantibus nobis que vident sed que noÌ„ videntur Quia que videntur teÌ„poralia suÌ„t que auteÌ„ non videntur etna sunt That is Our contemplacoÌ„n is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seeÌ„ are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ„ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est auteÌ„ vita eterna vt cognoscaÌ„tte verum deuÌ„ et quem misisti ihÌ„m xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe that thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanyth And how we be beholde to loue IhuÌ„ moche for oure makynge but more for our ayen byenge but all thermooste for our sauyng thrugh the yeftes of his loue caplm xxxiiii BVt now wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse the ende of a soule why thenne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thyng of this sighte that a soule sholde coueyte this Vnto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the syght but it is also for the blessed loue that comyth out of that syghte Neuertheles for loue comyth oute of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syghte pryncypally of god wyth loue is y â— blisse of a sowle and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this loue that comyth of it may not the soule come without loue therfore said I that y u sholdest coueyte loue for loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng and to this loue that comyth of it And oâ— what maner that is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„ and soth it is that there is two maner of ghostly â—â—ue One is called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed Loue vnformed is god hymself the thirde persone in the â—â—â—nyte that is the holy ghost He is loue vnfourmed and 〈◊〉 as saynt IohÌ„n sayth Deus dileccoÌ„ est God is loue 〈◊〉 is the holy ghost Loue fourmed is the affeccyon of the 〈◊〉 made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng 〈◊〉 sothfastnes that is god oonly styred and sette in hym 〈◊〉 loue is called fourmed for it is made by the holy ghost 〈◊〉 loue is not god in himself for it is made but it is the loue 〈◊〉 the soule felte of the syghte of Ihesu and stired to hym 〈◊〉 Now may y u see that loue formed is not cause why a 〈◊〉 comyth to the ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men 〈◊〉 thynke that they wolde loue god soo brennyngly as it 〈◊〉 by theyr owne mighte· that they were worthy for to haue thâ— ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue 〈◊〉 fourmed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is soo ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myghte neuer come to it ne were it the endles mochenes of the loue of god But thenne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he yeueth vs his loue that is the holy
ghost He is the yeuer and the yeft and maketh vs thenne by that yefte for to knowe and loue hym â—o this is the loue that I spake of that thou sholdest onÌ„ly coueyte and desyre this vnfourmed loue that is the holy ghost For sothly a lesse thynge or a lesse yefte than he is maye not auayle vs for to brynge vs to the blessed sight of IhuÌ„ And therforÌ„ sholde we fully desyre and aske of IhuÌ„ onÌ„ly this yefte of loue that he wolde for the mochenes of his loue so blessed towche our hertes wyth his vnseable lyghte to the knowyng of him and departe wyth vs of his loue that as he loueth vs that we myghte loue hym ayen Thus sayth saynt IohÌ„n â—os diligamê° deuÌ„ qmÌ„ ipÌ„e prior delixit nos That is Loue we god now for he fyrste loued vs He loued vs moche whan he made vs to his liknes â–ª but he loued vs more whan he bouÈte vs with his precyous blode thrugh wylful takinge of dethe in his maÌ„hede fro the power of the fende fro the pyne of helle but he loueth vs moost whan he yeueth vs the yefte of the holy goost that is loue· by the whiche we knowe hym loue hym are made syker that we are his sones chosen to saluacion For this loue are we more to hym bouÌ„de than for ony other loue that euer shewed he for vs. eyther in our makynge or in our ayeÌ„byenge For though he had made vs and boughte vs but yf he saue vs wyth all what profyteth it elles to vs our makynge or our byenge Sothly ryght noughte Therfore the mooste token of loue shewed to vs as me thynketh is this That he yeueth hymselfe in his godhede to our soules He gaaf hym selfe fyrste in his manhede to vs for our Raunson whanne he offred himselfe to the fader of heuen vpon the awter of the crosse This was a ryghte fayre yefte and a ryght grete token of loue But what tyme he gyueth hymselfe in his godhede ghoostly to oure soules for oure saluacyon And maketh vs for to knowe hym and for to loue hym Thenne louyth he vs fully for thenne yeueth he hymselfe to vs and more myghte he not yeue vs ne lesse myghte not suffyce to vs And for this skylle it is sayd that the ryghtyng of a synfull soule thorugh foryeuenesse of synnes is arected and appropered pryncypally to the worchynge of the holy ghoste For the holy ghoste is loue And in the ryghtynge of a soule our lorde Ihesu sheweth to a soule most of his loue for he doth awaye all synne and oonyth it to hym And that is the beste thynge that he maye doo to a soule and therfore it is appropred to the holy ghost The makyng of the soule is appropred to the fader as for the souereyne myghte and power that he shewyth in makynge of it The byenge of it is aretted to the sone as for the souereyne wytte and wysdome that he shewed in his manhede For he ouercome the fende pryncypally thrugh wysdom and not thorugh strengthe But the ryghtynge anâ— the full sauynge of a soule by foryeuenesse of synnes is aprâ—pred to the thyrde persone that is the holy ghoste For therin sheweth Ihesu mooste loue vnto manÌ„es soule And for thâ—â— thynge shall he be mooste loued of vs ayen His makynge iâ— comen to vs and to all vnresonable creatures For as he made vs of noughte soo made he hem And therfore is this weâ—ke greteste of myghte but not mooste of loue Also the byeâ—â—ge is comen to vs and to all resonable soules as to Iewes â—â—arracyns and to fals crysten men For he deyed for al souleâ— ylyke and bought hem yf thei woll haue the perfyte loue 〈◊〉 it And also it suffyceth for the bienge of all though it be soâ— that all haue it not And this werke was moost of wysdome not moost of loue But the ryghtynge and the halowyng of our soules thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost that is oonly y e worchynge of loue And that is not comen but it is specyalle gyfte oonly to chosen soules And sothly that is moost worchynge of loue to vs that are his chosen chylderne This is the loue of god that I spake of whiche thou sholde coueyte and desyre for this loue is god hymself and the holy ghoste This loue vnformed whan it is yeuen to vs it worcheth in our soule al that gode is â–ª and all that longeth to godenes This loue loueth vs or that we loue hym for it cleÌ„seth vs fyrst of our synnes and makyth vs for to loue hym makyth our wyll stronge for to ayenstonde all synÌ„es and styreth vs for to assaye ourself thrugh dyuers exercyse both bodily ghostly in al vertues It stireth vs also for to forsake the synÌ„e and flesshly affeccoÌ„ns and worldly dredes It kepeth vs fro malycyous temptacoÌ„ns of the fende· and dryueth vs oute fro besynes vanyte of the worlde and fro conuersacoÌ„n of worldly louers All this dooth the loue of god vnfourmed whan he yeueth hymself to vs we doo right nought but suffre him and assente to hym for that is the moost that we do that we assente wylfully to his gracyous worchyng in vs And yet is not that wyll of vs but of his makyng so that me thinkyth that he dooth in vs all that is well done yet see we it not And not onÌ„ly dooth he thus but after this loue dooth more for he openeth the eye of the soule and shewith to the soule y â— syghte of IhuÌ„ wonderfully and the knowyng of hym as the soule maye suffre it thus by lytyll by lytyll and by y e syghte he rauyssheth all the affeccyon of the soule to hym and thenÌ„e begynÌ„eth the soule for to knowe him ghostly brenÌ„yngly for to loue hym ThenÌ„e seeth the soule somwhat of the kinde of the blessed godhede of IhuÌ„ how that he is all and that he worcheth all that al gode dedes y t are done gode thouÈtes are onÌ„ly of him for he is al souerein myÈt al souerein sothfastnes al souereyne godenes And therforÌ„ euery gode dede is done of hym by him he shal onÌ„ly haue y e worship the thaÌ„ke for al good dedes and noo thynge but he For though wretched meÌ„ stele his worshypp here for a whyle Neuerthelesse att the laste ende shall sothfastnesse shewe well that Ihesu dyde alle â–ª and man dyde ryght noughte of hym sefe And thenne shall theues of goddes good that are not acorded wyth hym here in this lyfe for her trespaas be demyd to deth and Ihesu shall be fully worshypped thanked of alle blessed creatures for his worchynge This loue is not elles but IhuÌ„ hymselfe that for loue worcheth all this in mannes soule· and refourmeth it in felynge to his lyknes as I haue before sayd som what as I shall saye This loue bryngeth in to the soule the full hede of all vertues and makyth hym all
clene true soft easy and torneth hym all in to loue in to likynge And on what maner wyse he dooth that I shall telle the a lityll afterwarde This loue drawyth the soule fro vayne beholdynge of worldly thynges in to conteÌ„placyon of ghostly creatures of goddis pryuitees fro flesshlihede in to ghostlynes fro erthly felynge in to heuenly sauour ¶ How that some soule loueth IhuÌ„ by bodily feruours by her owne manly affeccoÌ„ns that ben styred by grace by 〈◊〉 And how some louen IhuÌ„ more restfully bi ghostly affeccâ—oÌ„s oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyall grace of the holy ghost â–ª Caplm xxxv THenne maye I saye that he that moost hath of this loâ—â— here in this lyfe moost pleseth god and moost clere 〈◊〉 shal haue of hym and moost fully loue hym in the 〈◊〉 of heuen for he hath the most yeft of loue here in erth The loue may not be had by a manÌ„es owne traueyle as some 〈◊〉 It is freely had of the gracyous yefte of IhuÌ„ after mochâ— bodily ghostly traueyle goyng before For there are some â—â—uers of god that makeÌ„ hemself to loue god as it were by her owne myght for they streyne hemself thrugh grete vyolence and panten soo strongly that they brast in to bodily feruours as they wolde drawe donwe god fro heuen to hem And they sayen in her hertes wyth her mouthe A lorde I loue the and I wolde loue the I wolde for thy loue suffre deth And in this maner of worchynge they fele grete feruour and moche grace And soth it is me thynketh this worchynge is gode medfull yf it be well tempred wyth mekenes wyth discrecyon But neuertheles thyse men loue not ne haue not the yefte of loue on that maner as I speke of ne they aske it not soo For a soule that hath the yeft of loue thrugh gracyous beholdynge of Ihesu as I meane or elles yf he haue it not yet but wolde haue it he is not besy for to strayne hymselfe ouer his myghte as it were by bodyly strengthe for to haue it by bodyly feruours and soo for to fele the loue of god but hym thynkyth that he is right noughte â–ª that he can doo right noughte of hymself but as it were a dede thyng onÌ„ly hangyng borne vp by the mercy of god He seeth well that IhuÌ„ is all dooth all and therfore asketh he noughte elles but the yefte of loue For sythen that the soule seeth that his owne loue is noughte therfore it wolde haue his loue for that is ynough Therfore prayeth he and that desireth he that the loue of god wolde towche hym wyth his blessed lyght that he myghte see a lytyll of hym by his gracyous presence for thenne sholde he loue hym And soo by this waye comyth the yefte of loue that is god in to a soule The more that a soule noughtith itselfe thrugh grace by syght of this sothfastnes some tyme wythoute ony feruour outward shewed and the lesse that it thinkith that it loueth or seeth god the nerer it nygheth for to perceyue the yefte of the blessed loue For thenne is loue mayster worcheth in the sowle and maketh it forgete itselfe and for to see and beholde onÌ„ly how loue dooth And thenÌ„e is the soule more suffrynge than doyng and that is clene loue Thê° saint poul meaned whan he sayd thus QuicuÌ„que spÌ„u dei agunt hii filii dei suÌ„t All thise that are wrought wyth the spiryte of god are goddis sones y â— is soules y â— are made so meke so buxomÌ„ to god y t they werke not of hemself but suffre y e holy goost stire hem and worche hem in the felynges of loue wyth a swete corde to his styrynges Thyse arne specyally goddis sones moost lyke vnto hym Other soules that can not loue thus but traueylen hemself by her owne afflyccoÌ„ns and styre hemself thrugh her owne thynkynge of god bodily exercyse for to drawe oute of hemself by maystry the felynge of loue by feruours other bodily sygnes loue not ghostly They 〈◊〉 ne well medefully yf so that they woll knowe mekely that her werchyng is not the kyndely gracyous felyng of loue but it is manly doynge by a soule at the biddynge of reason And neuertheles thrugh the godenes of god by cause that the soule dooth that in it is thise manly affeccoÌ„ns of the soule stired 〈◊〉 to god by mannes werchynge are torned in to ghostly affeâ—â—coÌ„ns and are medefull as yf they had be done ghostly in y e fâ—â—ste begynnyng And this is a grete curtesye of our lorde shewed to meke soules that torneth all thyse manly affeccyons of kindly loue in to the affeccoÌ„n and in to the mede of his owne loue as yf he had wroughte hem all fully by hymself And 〈◊〉 thise manly affeccoÌ„ns soo torned may be called affeccoÌ„ns 〈◊〉 ghostly loue thrugh purchase not thrugh kyndly bryngyng fourth of the holy ghost I saye not that a soule may worche â—â—che manly affeccoÌ„ns onÌ„ly of itself without grace for 〈◊〉 well that saynt poul sayth that we maye right noughte 〈◊〉 ne thynke that good is of ourself wythout grace Non 〈◊〉 sumê° sufficieÌ„tes cogitare aliquid ex nobis quasi ex nobis 〈◊〉 sufficieÌ„cia nrÌ„a ex deo eÌ„ That is we that loue god wene 〈◊〉 that we suffyse for to loue or for to thynke good of ourselfâ— oonly but our suffisynge is of god For god worcheth in 〈◊〉 bothe good werke and good wyll as saynt poul saith Deê° â— qui operat in nobis et velle ê‘ficere ê“ bona voluÌ„tate That is It is god that worcheth in vs good wyll and fulfyllynge of good wyll But I saye that suche affeccoÌ„ns are good made by the wyll meane of a soule after the generall grace that he yeueth to all chosyn soules not of specyall grace made goostly by towchynge of his gracyous presence as he worcheth in his perfyte louers as I sayd before for in vnperfite louers loue worcheth ferly by the affeccioÌ„s of maÌ„ but inê‘fyte louers loue werchyth nerely by her owne ghostly affeccions sleeth in a soule for the tyme all other affeccoÌ„ns bothe flesshly kyndly manly and y â— is properly the werchynge of loue by hym selfe Thus loue maye be had in a lytyll in party here in a clene soule thrugh the ghostly syghte of IhuÌ„ but in the blysse of heuen it is fulfylled by clere syghte in his godhede For there shall none affeccoÌ„n be feled in a soule but godly ghostly ¶ That the yefte of loue amonge all other yeftes of IhuÌ„ is worthiest moost profitable And how IhuÌ„ dooth all that is well done in his louers onÌ„ly for loue And how loue makyth the vsynge of all vertues and all gode dedes lyghte and easy Caplm xxxvi ASke thou thenne of god noo thyng but this yeft of loue that is the holy ghoste For amonge all the yeftes y t our
stylnes fro the grete cryenge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth InspyracoÌ„n of the holy ghost in beholdynge of IhuÌ„ For why His voyse is soo swete soo myghty that it putteth scylence in a sowle to Ianglyng of all other spekers· for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Vox dnÌ„i in virtute That is The voys of our lord Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Viuê° est sermo dei efficax et penetrabilior omÌ„i gladio that is quycke is the worde of IhuÌ„ spedy more perisshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne and the sowle kepte in scylence fro all wicked stirynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ„ est scilenciuÌ„ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scilence was made in heuen as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lifte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌ„uersacoÌ„n and soo it is in scylence But for as moche as that scylence maye not laste hoole contynually for corrupcyon of the bodily kynde Therfore it is lyckened to the tyme of halfe an houre A full shorte tyme the soule thinketh that it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And theÌ„ne hath it pees in conscyence For why Grace puttyth oute gnawynge pryckynge and stryuynge and flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde and makyth Iesu and a sowle bothe one in full acordaunce of wyll There is none vpbradynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuynge of defawtes made that tyme in a sowle For they haue kyssed and made frendes and all is forgyuen that was mysse done Thus felyth the soule thenne wyth full meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And conceyueth a full grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in conscyence of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heuenly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth IpÌ„e spiritus testimonium perhibet spiritui nostro quoniaÌ„ filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost beryth wytnesse to our spiryâ—te that we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscyenâ—ce sothfastly felte thrugh grace is the very Ioye of the sowle as the apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimonium consciencâ—â— mee That is My Ioye is the wytnesse of my conscyeÌ„ce 〈◊〉 that is whan it wytnessyth pees and acorde true loue and freÌ„dshyppe betwyxe Ihesu and a sowle And whan it is in thâ—â— pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan the soule is bounden wyth loue of the worlde thenÌ„e 〈◊〉 it byneth all creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it and â—â—ryth it downe by maystry that it maye not see Ihesu ne 〈◊〉 hym For right as the loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh soo the beholdynge and thynkynge· and the vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle But thenne thrugh openynge of the ghostly eye in to Ihesu the loue is torned And the sowle is reysed vppe after hys owne kynde aboue all bodyly creatures And thenne the beholdynge and thynkynge and the vsynge of hem is ghostly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hathe thenne ful grete disdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue heÌ„ thrugh grace It setteth noughte by all y e worlde for why all shal passe perisshÌ„ Vnto this hienes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comith none errour ne deceyte of the feÌ„de for IhuÌ„ is sothfastly in syghte of the soule that tyme all thynge byneth him Of this y e prophete spekyth thus Accedat hoÌ„ ad cor altuÌ„ et exaltabit deê° Come man to hyghe herte god shall be hyghed That is a man y t thrugh grace comyth to the highnes of thoughte shall see that IhuÌ„ is onÌ„ly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And thenÌ„e is the soule aboue moche strauÌ„ged fro felyship of worldly louers Though her body be in myddes amoÌ„ge hem full ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccoÌ„ns of creatures It chargeth not though it neuer see man ne speke wyth hym ne haue coÌ„forte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth soo grete homlynes of the blessed presence of our lorde IhuÌ„ somoche sauour of hym that it may lyghtly for his loue foryete the flesshly affeccioÌ„ the flesshly minde of all creatures I saye not that it shall not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time see hem loue hem ghostly freely not flesshely painfully as it dide before Of this onÌ„lynes speketh the prophete thus DucaÌ„ eaÌ„ in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌ„ly stede I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ„ ledeth a soule fro noyous coÌ„pany of flesshly desyres in to onÌ„lynes of thought makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of his Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth IhuÌ„ tentyth fully to hym and hath loste the sauour the coÌ„forte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this onÌ„ly nes it fleeth the companye of all men yf it maye and sechyth onÌ„lynes of body for that moche helpeth to onÌ„lynes of y â— soule to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge that it hath wythout of vayne Ianglynge or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge and soo it is in pryuytee of herte All wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed blynded wyth worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshÌ„ or of the feÌ„de synketh in and gooth thorugh it But thenne thrugh grace it is drawen in to the preuy chambre in to the syghte of oure lorde IhuÌ„ and hereth his preuy counseyle and is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus SecretuÌ„ meum michi· secretum meuÌ„ michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ„ thrugh InspyracoÌ„n of grace taken vp fro outwarde felynge of worldly loue rauysshed in to the preuite of ghostly loue yeldeth than kynge to hym sayenge thus My pryuete to me That is â–ª My lorde IhuÌ„ thy preuyte is shewed to me and preuyly hydde frâ— all louers of the worlde For it is called hydde manna y t may lightlyer be asked than tolde what it is And that our lorde Iesu behoteth to his louer sayenge thus Dabo sibi manna abâ— condituÌ„ quod nemo nouit nisi qui accipit That is I shal yeue manna hidde that noo man knoweth but he that takith â— This manna is heuenly mete and angels fode as holy wryte
mystake it not· therfore I meane not of the comyn grace that is had felte in trouth in good wyll to god wythout the whiche hauynge lastynge therin noo man maye be saaf for it is in the leest choseÌ„ soule that lyueth but I meane of specyall grace felte by InspiracoÌ„n of y e holy ghost in the maner as it is before sayd The comen grace that is charyte lasteth hole what soo euer a man doo aslonge as his wyll his enteÌ„te is true to god wythout the whiche hauynge lastynge that he wolde not synÌ„e dedely ne the dede y t he wylfully dooth is not forbede as for dedely synne For this grace is not lost but for dedely sinÌ„e And thenÌ„e it is dedely sinÌ„e whan his conscyence wytnesseth wyth a vysement that it is dedely synÌ„e and yet neuertheles he dooth it· or elles his conscieÌ„ce is soo blynded that he holdeth it noo dedely synÌ„e all though he doo the dede wylfully y â— whiche is forbode of god holy chirche as dedely synne Specyall grace felte thrugh the vnseable preseÌ„ce of IhuÌ„ that makyth a soule a perfyte louer lastith not euer ylike hole in the hyÈnes of felyng but chauÌ„gably comith gooth as I haue sayd before Thus our lorde sayth SpuÌ„s vbi vult spirat et vocem eius audis nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat The holy ghost spyreth where he woll thou herest his voys but thou wost not whan he comyth ne· whether he gooth He comyth pryuely some tyme whan thou arte leest waar of hym but thou shalt well knowe hym or y u goo For wondfully he stiryth myghtily torneth thin herte in to beholdyng of his godenes doth thyn hert melte delectably as waxe ayenste the fyre in to softnes of his loue and this is the voys that he sowneth But thenne he gooth or thou wote it for he withdrawith hym soÌ„what nought in all but fro excesse in to sobirte The hiÈnes passeth but the substauÌ„ce theffecte of grace dwelleth stylle And that is aslonge as the soule of a louer kepith him clene and falleth not wylfully to recheleshede or dissolucyon is flesshlynes ne to outwarde vanyte as some tyme it dooth though it haue noo delite therin for freeltee of it self Of this chauÌ„gabylite in grace speke I of now ¶ A coÌ„mendacoÌ„n of prayer offred to IhuÌ„ of a soule contemplatyfe And how stablynes in prayer is a syker werke to stoÌ„de in And how euery felinge of grace in a chosen soule maye be sayd IhuÌ„ but the more clenner the soule is y e worthyer is the grace Caplm xlii THe soule of a man whyle it is not towched wyth specyall grace is blunte boystous to ghostly werke can noughte theron It maye not therof for weyknes of itself It is bothe olde drye vndeuoute vnsauery in itselfe But thenÌ„e comyth the lyghte of grace· and thrugh towchyng makyth it sharpe subtyl redy able to ghosty werke and yeueth it a grete fredom an hole redynes in wyll for to be buxom to al the stirynge of grace redy for to worche after that grace styreth y e soule For by openynge of the ghostly eye it is applied all fully to grace redy to pray And how the soule prayeth thenÌ„e shal I telle the The moost specyall prayer that the soule vseth hath moost coÌ„forte in I hope is the Pater noster· or elles psalmes of the sawter The pater noster for lewde men and psalmes ympnes and other seruyce of holy chyrche for lettred The soule prayeth thenÌ„e not in maner as it dyde beforÌ„ in comyn maner of meÌ„ by hyghnes of voys or by renable spekynge oute but in full grete stylnesse of voys softnesse of herte For why his mynde is not trowbled ne taryed wyth outwarde thynges but hole gadred togider in itselfe And the soule is sette as it were in a ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ and therfore euery worde euery syllable is sowned sauerly swete delectably wyth full accorde of mouthe of herte For why the sowle is torned thenÌ„e all in to fyre of loue And therfore euery worde that it pryuely prayeth is lyke to a spercle spryngyng out of a fyre bronde y t chaffith all y e myghtes of the soule torneth heÌ„ in to loue· and lyghtneth hem soo comfortably that the soule lyste euer for to praye doo none other thynge The more it prayeth the better it may the myghtyer it is for grace helpeth the soule well and makyth all thynge lyghte easy that it lyste right wel to psalme synge the louynges of god wyth goostly myrthe in heuenly delyte This ghostly werke is fode of the soule and this prayer is of moche vertue For it wasteth bryngeth to nought al temptacoÌ„ns of the fende preuy aperte it sleeth al the mynde the likyng of the worlde and of flesshly synnes It bereth vp the body the soule fro paynfull telynge of wretchydnesse of this lyfe It kepyth the soule in felynge of grace worchynge of loue and nourysshe it euer ylyke hote fresshe as styckes norissheth fyre It puttyth awaye all yrkynge and heuynesse of herte â–ª and holdeth it in mighte in ghostly gladnesse Of this prayer spekyth dauyd thus Dirigatur oracio mea sicut incensuÌ„ in conspectu tuo That is Dressed be my prayer lorde as encense in thy syghte For ryght as encense that is cast in the fyre makyth swete smelle by the reke styghyng vp to the ayre ryght soo a psalme sauourly and softly songe of sayd in a brenÌ„ynge herte yeuyth vp a swete smelle to the face of our lorde IhuÌ„ and to al the courte of heuen There dare noo flesshe flye rest vpon the pottes brynke boylynge on the fyre Right soo may ther noo flesshly delyte reste vpon a clene soule that is happed warmed al in the fyre of loue boylynge and blowynge psalmes louynges to Ihesu This prayer is euer herde of Ihesu It yeldyth grace to Ihesu And receyueth grace agayn It makyth a soule homely and felowly wyth Ihesu· and wyth alle the angels of heuen Vse it who soo maye The werke is good and gracious in itselfe And though it be not al fully contemplacoÌ„n in itselfe ne the werkynge of loue by itselfe Neuertheles it is a partie of contemplacyon For why It maye not be done on this manere wyse but in plentee of grace thrugh openynge of the ghostly eye And therfore a soule that hath this fredom this gracyous felynge in prayenge wyth ghostly sauour heuenly delyte hath the grace of conteÌ„placyon in maner as it is This prayer is a ryche offrynge fylled all in fatnes of deuocyon receyued by angels preseÌ„ted to the face of IhuÌ„ The prayer of other men that are besy in actyf werkes is made of two wordes for they oft tymes fourmeth in her hertes one worde thrugh thynkyng of worldly be synes and sownen in her mouth a