oute of charyte fynde hym But I meane Ihesu cryst that blessyd persone god and man sonne of vyrgyn mary whom this name betokenith that is al goodnes endles wisdom loue and swetnes thy Ioy. thy worshyp and thyn euerlastyng blysse thy god thy lorde and thy saluacyon Thenne yf it be so thou seleâ—t a grete desyre in thyn hert to Ihesu eyther by mynde of this name Ihesu or by mynde and sayeng of ony other worde or in prayer or in ony dede y â— thou doost whiche desyre is somoche that it putteth oute as it were by strength al other thoughtes and desyres of y e worlde of the flesshe that they maye not reste in thyn herte Then sechest thou wel thy lorde Ihesu And whaÌ„ thou felyst this desyre to god to Ihesu al is one holpen and comforted by a ghostly myghte in somoche that it is tourned in to loue affeccion ghostely sauour swetnes In to lyght and knowynge of sothfastnes so moche that for the tyme the poynt of thy thought is set vpoÌ„ no thynge y t is made Ne is felyth no styrynge of vayn glory ne of itselfe nother ne none other euyl affeccyon for they mow not appere that tyme But onÌ„ly is enclosed rested softed enoynted in Ihesu thenne hast thou somwhat of Ihesu Not hym as he is but a shadowe of hym For the better that thou fyndest hym the more shalt thou desyre hym Then by what maner prayer or medytacyon or occupacyon that thou maye haue grettest clennest desyre to hym haue moost felyng of hyÌ„ by y e ocupacyoÌ„ thou sechest hym best best fyndest hym Therfore yf it come to my mynde as it were askynge what hast thou loste what sechest thou Lyfte vp thy mynde the desyre of thy hert to IhuÌ„ cryst though thou be blynde nought may see of his godhede And say y â— hyÌ„ hast thou lost hym wolde thou haue no thynge but hym to be with hym where he is None other Ioye none other blysse in heueÌ„ ne in erth but hym And though it be so y t thou fele hym in deuocyoÌ„ or in knowyng or in ony other yefte what y â— it be rest not there as thoughe thou had dest fully founde Ihesu But for yete y â— y â— thou hast fouÌ„de And alway by desyryng after Ihesu more more for to fynde hym better as thoughe thou haddest ryght nought fouÌ„de in hym for wyte thou wel what y t thou felyst of hym be it neuer so moche ye though thou were rauysshed in to the thyrde heueÌ„ with poul yet hast thou not founde Ihesu as he is in his Ioye Know thou or fele thou neuer so moche of hym he is yet aboue it therfore yf thou wol fully fynde hym as he is in y e blysse of louyng cease thou neuer whyle thou lyuest ne of ghostly desyrynge ¶ What profyte it is to haue the desyre of Ihesu Caplm xlvii SOthly I had leuer fele haue a sothfast desyre a clene in myn hert to my lorde Ihesu crist though I see ryght lytyll of hym with my ghostly eye than â—or to haue without this desyre al â—odely penauÌ„ce of all men lyuing al vysyons or reuelacyons of auÌ„gel sapperyng songes sowninges sauours smelliÌ„ges brenÌ„inges ony lykynges or bodely felynges And shortly for to say or al y e Ioy of heueÌ„ of erthe whiche I myght haue without this desyre to my lorde IhuÌ„ Dauyd the prophete felte as I saye as I vnderstoÌ„de whan he sayd thê° Quid enim michi est iÌ„ celo ate quid volui super terraÌ„ Lorde what thynge is to me in heuen or what wolde I without y e aboue erth As yf he had sayd thê° Lorde IhuÌ„ what heuenly Ioy is lykyng to me without desyre of y â— whyles I am iÌ„ erth or without loue of y â— wheÌ„ I come to heueÌ„ as who say ryght none TheÌ„ yf thou wyl fele oni thyng of hyÌ„ bodely or ghostly coueyâ—e not but for to fele sothfastly a desyre of his grace of his mercyfyl preseÌ„ce y t y e thynketh y â— thyn hert may fynde none other rest iÌ„ no thyng but in hyÌ„ Thus coueyted dauid whaÌ„ he sayd thê° CoÌ„cupiuit anima mea desiderare iustificaciones tuas iÌ„ omÌ„e teÌ„pore Lorde my soule coueyted y â— desyre of thy ryghtwysnes iÌ„ euery tyme Seke theÌ„ as dauid dyde desyre by desyre And yf thou may fele by thy desyre in prayers iÌ„ medytacoÌ„ns y e homely presence of IhuÌ„ crist in thy soule bynde thyn hert fast therto y â— it fal not therfro And yf thou stoÌ„ble that thou may soone fynde hym ayen ¶ Where with what thynge IhuÌ„ shal be sought founde Caplm xlviii SEke then IhuÌ„ whoÌ„ thou hast lost He wyl be sought he may then soÌ„what by founden for he sayth hymself Omnes qui querit inueniet Euery maÌ„ y â— sechyth shal fynde The sekyng is traueylous but the fyndyng is blysful Do therfore after y e counseylle of y e wyse man yf thou wyl fynde hyÌ„ Si quesieris quasi pecuniaÌ„ sapienciaÌ„ sicut thesauruÌ„ effoderis illaÌ„ tunc intelliges timoreÌ„ dnÌ„i scieÌ„ciaÌ„ inuenies If thou seke wisdoÌ„ y â— whiche is IhuÌ„ as syluer golde deluest depe ther after thou shalt fynde it The behouyth for to delue depe iÌ„ thyn hert for therin he is hylde cast out ful cleÌ„ly alloues lykynges sorowes dredes of al erthly thynges so shalt thou fynde wysdoÌ„ IhuÌ„ Be thou then lyke to y e womaÌ„ of y e gospel of y â— whiche our lorde sayth thê° Que mulieâ— habens dragmas deceÌ„ c. what woman is yt. y â— hath lost a drame y t she ne wyl lyght a lantern cast her hous vp so downe seche tyll she fynde it As who saye none And whan she hath fouÌ„den it she calleth her frendes sayth to heÌ„ thus Makyth myrth wyth me melodye for I haue fouÌ„den the drame y t I had lost This drame is IhuÌ„ y t thou hast loste And yf thou wylte fynde hyÌ„ lyght vp a laÌ„tern y t is goddes worde as dauyd sayth Lucerna pedibm meis verbuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Lorde thy worde to my fete is a laÌ„tern By this lantern shalt thou see where he is how thou shalte fynde hyÌ„ And yf thou wylte thou may with this lyght vp an other lantern y t is the reasoÌ„ of thy soule For as our lorde â—ayth Lucerna corporis tui est oculê° tuus The laÌ„terne of thy body is thy bodely eye Ryght so may be sayd y t y e lantern of thy soule is reasoÌ„ by y e whiche y t soule may se al ghostly thiÌ„ges By this laÌ„tern may thou fynde IhuÌ„ y t is soth yf thou holde vp the lantern fro vnderneth the busshel as our lorde sayth Nemo accendit lucernaÌ„ poniteaÌ„ sub mo diâ— sed super candelabruÌ„ There is
Ihesu whiche is coÌ„fortable deleccable to hem that by the mynde of it they felen hem fedde in her affeccoÌ„n And not onely of y e name but al other maner prayers as the Pater noster the Auee or ympnes or psalmes other deuoute sayenges of holy churche are turned as it were in to a ghostly mirthe swete songe by y e whiche they are coÌ„forted streÌ„gthed ayeÌ„st alsynnes moche releued of bodely desese Of this degree spekith saynt poul thus Nolite inebriari vico sed iÌ„pleamini spÌ„u scoÌ„ loquentes vobis metipÌ„is in ympnis canticis psalmis spuÌ„alibê° cantantes psalleÌ„tes in cordibê° vrÌ„is dnÌ„o Be ye not dronken with wyne but be ye fulfylled of y e holy gost sayenge to yourself in ympnes psalmes gostly soÌ„ges syngynge psalmynge in your hertes to our lord Who so hath this grace kepe he hymself in lownes that he be euer desyrynge for to come to more knowyng felyng of god in the thyrde part of coÌ„templacoÌ„n ¶ Of the thyrde part of contemplacyon Caplm viii THe thyrde part of conteÌ„placion the wiche is perfyte as it may here lyeth both in cognycoÌ„n in affeccoÌ„n That is to say in knowynge in perfyte louynge of god And that is whan a maÌ„nys soule fyrst is reformed by fulhede of vertues to the ymage of IhuÌ„ And afterwarde whaÌ„ he is vysyted he is taken in fro al erthly flesshly affeccoÌ„ns fro vayne thoughtes ymagyninges of al bodely creatures as it were moche rauysshed out of the bodely wyttes And then by y e grace of the holy ghost is illumined for to see by vnderstoÌ„dynge soth fastnes whiche is good ghostly thynges wyth a soft swete breÌ„nynge loue in hym so perfytly that he be rauysshed of his loue so the soule is onyd for the tyme coÌ„formyd to the ymage of the trynyte The begynÌ„ynge of this conteÌ„placoÌ„n may be felyd in this lyf but the fulhede of it is kept into y e blysse of heueÌ„ Of this onynge conformynge to our lord spekyth saynt poul thus Qui adhe â—t deo vnê° spÌ„s eÌ„ cuÌ„ illo that is to say Who so by rauysshynge of loue is fastened to god then god his soule are not two but both one And sothly in thys onynge is y e maryage made betwyxt god and the soule the whiche shal neuer be broken ¶ Of the twynÌ„ynge of the iii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n fro the ii part of the praysynge therof CaplmÌ„ ix THe other part may be callyd brennynge loue in deuocyon this breÌ„nynge loue in conteÌ„placyon y â— is lower this is y e hyer that is swetter to the bodely felynge this inwardly felynge better to the ghostly felynge For it is more iÌ„warde more worthy more ghostly more wondful for this is verely a tastyng so lytyl as is a ernest of the syght of heuenly ioy not clerly but half in derkenes the whyche shal be fulfylled openly clered in the blysse of heuen as saynt poulsayth Uide mê° 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 heuen shal we see opeÌ„ly face to face This is the illuminacoÌ„n of vnderstondynge in delytes of louynge as dauid sayth in the sawter Et nox illuÌ„inacio mea in delicus meis My nyght is my lyght in my delytys The other part is mylke for chyldren this is hole mete for perfyte men the whiche haue wittes assayde to knowe good fro euyl as saynt poul sayth ê‘fectorumeÌ„ solidê° cibus qui heÌ„nt seÌ„sus exercitatos ad discrecoÌ„em boni mali The werkynge of the ful vse of this yefte may no maÌ„ haue but he be fyrst refourmed to y â— lyknes of IhuÌ„ by fulhede of vertues Ne there maye no man lyuynge in dedely flesshe haue it contynuelly in his fulhede and in the ouerpassynge but by tymes whan he is vysyted And as I conceyue by the wrytynge of holy men it is a fulshort tyme for soone after he falleth in sobyrte of â—odely felynge and all this werke makyth charyte Thus as I vnderstonde sayth saynt poul of hymselfe Siue excedimus deo siue sobrâ— sumus vobis caritas xpÌ„i vrgit nos Whether we ouer passe oure bodely wyttes to god in conteÌ„placoÌ„n or we are more sobyr to you in bodely felynge the charyte of cryst streyneth vs. Of this part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n of reformynge to god spekyth saynt poule opeÌ„ly thus Nos auteÌ„ reuelata facie glaz dnÌ„ispeclamÌ„ transformati in candeÌ„ ymagineÌ„ a claritate iÌ„ claritateÌ„ taÌ„quamm a dnÌ„ispÌ„u And this is thus moche for to say Saynt poule in y e persone of hymself of perfyte men sayth thê° We fyrst reformed by vertues the face of our soule vnheled bi openynge of the ghostly eye beholden as in a myrrour heueÌ„ly ioye ful shapyd onyd to the ymage of our lorde fro clerete of fayth into clerete of vnderstoÌ„dynge or els fro clerete of desyre in to clerete of blessed loue al thys is wrought of the spyryte of oure lorde in a mannys soule as saynt poule sayth Thys part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n god ye uith where y t he wyl to leryd to lewde to men to wyÌ„ men ocupyed iÌ„ prelacye to solytary also But it is specyal not comyn and also though a maÌ„ whyche al his lyf is actyf haue the yeft of it by a specyal grace neuertheles the fulnes of it may no man haue but he be solytary in lyfe conteÌ„platyf ¶ How y e shewynge to the bodely wyttes and the felynge of hem may be bothe good and euyl Ca. x. BY this y â— I haue sayd may thou soÌ„what vndstonde that vysyoÌ„s or reuelacyons of ony maner of spyryte in bodely aperynge or in ymaginynge slepynge or wagynge or els ony other felynge in the bodely wyttys made as it were ghostly other in sownynge of ere or sauerynge in the mouth or smellynge at y e nose or els ony seÌ„syble hete as it were fyre glowynge warmynge y e breste or ony other parte of the body or ony other thynge y t may be felyd by bodely wytte thoughe it be neuer so confortable lykynge they ben not very coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n ne they beÌ„ but syÌ„ple secuÌ„dary though they ben good in rewarde of ghostly vertues of this ghostly knowyng louyng of god But al suche maner of felyng may be good wrought by a good auÌ„gel and they may be deceyuable wrought by a wycked auÌ„gel WhaÌ„ he traÌ„sfyguryth hym in to an auÌ„gel of lyght Wherfore syth they may be both good and euyl it semeth wel they are not y e best For wite thou wel y t the deuyl may whaÌ„ he hath leue feyne of bodely felynge the lykenes of y e same thynges the whiche a good auÌ„gel may werke For ryght as a good auÌ„gel comyth with lyght so can the deuyl And so of y â— other wyttê who so had felid
worshyppes of this worlde and not make hym hole if thou myghte thou plesest hym not Right soo it is to a man that is seke ghostly felyth y e payne of ghostly syknes no thynge is so dere ne so nedefull ne so moche coueyted of hym as is ghostly helth and that is Ihesu without whiche al the Ioyes of heuen may not lyke hyÌ„ And thys is the skylle as I hope why our lorde whaÌ„ he toke mankynde for our saluacyon he wolde not be called by no name that betokenyd his endles beyng or his wysdom or his ryghtwysnes but oonly by that y e betokenyd the cause of his comynge was the saluacyon of mannes soule whiche saluacyon betokened this name Ihesu ThenÌ„e by this it semyth soth that there shall no man be saaf but yf he loue saluacyon oonly for to haue it thrugh the mercy of our lorde Ihesu by the merytes of his passyon whiche loue he may haue that lyuyth deyeth in the lowest degree of charyte Also I maye saye on that other partye that he that can not loue thys blessyd name IhuÌ„ with gostly myrth ne encrease iÌ„ it with heueÌ„ly melodie here he shal neuer haue ne fele iÌ„ heueÌ„ y e fulhede of souereyne Ioye the whiche he that myght in this lyf by aboundaunce of perfyte charyte in Ihesu shal fele haue so maye her sayenge be vnderstonde Neuertheles he shal be faaf and haue ful mede in the syght of god yf he in this lyf be in y e lowest degre of chartte by kepynge of goddis commauudementes For our lorde sayth hymself thus In modo patris mei mansiones multisunt In my faders hous are many soundry dwellynges Some are perfyte soules y e whiche in this lyfe were fulfylled of charyte grace of the holy ghost and songe louynges to god in contemplacyon of hym with wonderful swetnes heuenly sauour Thyse soules for they had moost charyte grace of the holy ghost shal haue hyest mede in the blysse of heuen for thise arn called goddis derlynge Other soules that are not dysposyd to contemplacyon of god ne had not the fulhede of charyte as apostles marters had in the begynÌ„ynge of holy chyrche shal haue lower mede in the blysse of heuen for thyse arne called goddis frendes Thus calleth our lorde in holy wrytte chosen soules sayenge thus Comedite amici â–ª et inebriamini carissimi My frendes ete ye my derlynges be ye dronken As yf our lorde sayde thus ye that arne my frendes for ye kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes sette my loue before the loue of the worlde loued me more than ony erthly thynge 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 fulfylled my counceylles ouer that ye loued oonly enterly wyth al the myghtes of your soule brenned in my loue with ghostly delyte as dyden pryncypally y e apostles marters all other soules y t myght by grace come to the yeft of perfyccyon ye shall be made dronken with the hyest fresshest wyne in my celler y t is the souereyne Ioye of loue in heueÌ„ ¶ That a man sholde be besye to rekeÌ„ ayen his worthynes and reforme ayen in hym the ymage of the tryniâ—e Capitulum xlv NEuertheles thoughe this be sothe of the endles mercy of god vnto the to me to al mankynde we shal not therfore in trust of this be the more recheles wylfully in our lyuynge but the more besye for to pleyse hym namly nowe sythen we are restored ayen in hope by the passyon of our lorde to the dygnite the blysse whiche we had lost by adams synÌ„e And though we might neuer gete it fully here yet we sholde desyre that we myght recouer here lyuynge a fygure a lyknes of the dygnytee that our soule myght be refourmed as it were in a shadowe by grace to the ymage of the trinyte whiche we had by kynde after shal haue fully iÌ„ blysse for y t is the lyfe whiche is very conteÌ„platyf vnto begyn here in that felynge of loue ghostly knowyng of god by openynge of the ghostly eye whiche shal neuer be lost ne be taken away but y e same shall be fulfylled otherwyse in the blysse of heuen This behyght our lorde to mary mawdeleyne whiche was coÌ„teÌ„platyf sayd thê° of her Maria optimaÌ„ parteÌ„ elegit qui non auferetur ab ea That mary had chose y e better party y t is y e loue of god in coÌ„teÌ„placyoÌ„ â—or it shal neuer be take away fro her I say not y t thou may her lyuyng recouer so hole ne so perfyte clenÌ„es Innocence knowyng louyng of god as thou hadest fyrste ne as thou shalt haue ne thou maye not escape al y e wrechydnes paynes of syn ne thou lyuyng iÌ„ dedely flesshe may destroy quenche al holy the false vayne loue in thyself ne fle al venyal synÌ„es y t they ne wyl but yf they be stopped by grete feruour of charyte spryng out of thyn herr as water doth fro a stynkyÌ„g wel but I wolde y t yf thou myght not fully quenche it y t thou myght soÌ„what sleke it com to y e clenÌ„es of soule as nerÌ„ thou mayst for our lord behyÈt y e chyldreÌ„ of Israel whaÌ„ he lad heÌ„ in to y e loÌ„de of byhest And in fygure of heÌ„ to al crysteÌ„ men thê° Omne quod calcauerit pestuê° tuuÌ„ erit That is to say Al 's moche loÌ„de as thou myght trede vpon with thy fote of very desyre so here moche shal thou haue in y e loÌ„de of byhest y t is iÌ„ y e blysse of heueÌ„ whaÌ„ thou comest thyder ¶ How Ihesu shal be sought desyred founde Caplm xlvi SEke then that thou hast lost y t thou myght finde it wel I wote who so myght ones haue an iÌ„warde syght a lytyl of that dygnytee that ghostly fayrnes whiche a soule had by kynde and shal haue by grace he sholde lothe dyspyse in his hert al the blysse the lykynge the fayrnes of this worlde as the stynche of a cary on and he shal neuer haue wyl for to doo other dede nyght day sauynge the freylte and the bare nede of y e bodely kynde but besyre mourne praye and seke how he myght come ayen therto Neuertheles in as moche as thou haste not yet seen what it is fully For thy ghostly eye is not yet openyd I shall telle the oone worde for al the whiche thou shalt seke desyre and fynde it for iÌ„ that one worde is al that thou hast lost This worde is Ihesu I meane not this worde Ihesu paynted vpon a walle or wrytten by letters on the boke or fourmyd by lyppes in sounde of the mowthe or feyned in thy herte by traueyle of thy mynde For in thys maner wyse maye a man
haue mede for his good traueyle in the ayenstondynge And y t is a curtesye of oure lorde graunted to al those whiche arne specyally his seruauÌ„tes more homly of his courte as are al those y t for his loue forsaken in a good true wyl al worldly al flesshly syn euen heÌ„ holy body soule vnto his seruyse her myght her cuÌ„uyneg As done principally ancres encluse true relygous the whiche for the loue of god saluacyon of her soules entren in to ony relygyon approued by holy chyrche Or elles yf it be so y t they entreÌ„ fyrst for a worldly cause as for her bodely sustenaunce or for some other suche yf they repent heÌ„ tourne it in to a ghostly cause as for the seruyce of god Thyse as loÌ„ge as they kepe this wyll pursue it as they may vpon her freelte are true relygyous Also what maÌ„ or womaÌ„ y t he be in what degree he be in holy chyrche preste clerke or lewde man wydowe or mayden or wyf y t wyl for the loue of god saluacyoÌ„ of his soule forsake al y e worshippes lykynges of this worlde in this worlde in his hert truly fully betwyx god hym al wylful besynes erthly thynges to the bare nede And offre his wyl enteerly for to be his sernaunt vpon his myghte by deuoute prayers holy thoughtes with other gode dedes that he may do bodely ghostly kepith his wyl hole to god stedfastly Al thyse arne specyally goddes seruauÌ„tes in holy chyrche And for this good wyl good purpoos y t they haue of the yefte of god they shall encrese in grace in charyte here lyuynge And they shall haue for thys specyal wyl a specyal mede in the blysse of heuen before other chosen soules whiche offred not hooly her wyll her body to goddes seruyce neyther openly ne pryuely as they dyden Al thyse whiche I calle goddis seruauntes of his courte more specyall yf they by freelte by vncunnynge whan they fele suche styrynges of vayn glory for the tyme delyten therin perceyuen it not for her reason her wytte is letted by the lykynge y t they fele that it may not see this styryng They syn not dedely in this lykyng of vaynglory For y t wyl y t they haue generally sette in her herte before to plese god for to forsake al maner of syn yf they knewe it kepyth heÌ„ here in suche styrynges in al other that comen of freelte that they synne not dedely And shal kepe as long as y e grunde of that wyl is kept hole ¶ How dyuers states in holy chyrche shal haue dyuâ—rs medes in heuen And of two specyal medes in heuen Capitulum lxi ANd ouer this I say more in comforte of the al other hauyng the state of anker incluse and al so by grace of god in comforte of hem all that enter ony relygyon approued in holy chyrche that al those y t by y e mercy of our lorde shal be saaf they shall haue a specyal mede a singuler worshyp in the blysse of heuen for her state of lyuynge before other soules that had not y e state in holy chyrche though they ben neuer soo holy whiche worshyp is better than al the worshyp of this worlde withouten comparysoÌ„ For yf thou myght se what it were thou woldest not for the worshyp of this worlde yf thou myghtest haue it withouten synne chaunge the state eyther of anker or of relygyous ne lese that synguler mede in y e blysse of heuen whiche mede is callyd Accydental mede Neuertheles that other men mystake not thys that I saye Therfore I shal saye it more opeÌ„ly Thou shalte vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whiche our lorde gyuen to choseÌ„ soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louyuge and knowyng of hym after the mesure of charyte yeuen 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 lyuynge in holy chyrche more or lesse after the quantite y e mochenes of her charyte in his lyf what degre he be in For he y e most loueth god in charete he shall haue mooste mede in the blysse of heuen For he shal moost loue god and knowe hym that is the souereyne mede And as for this mede it shal falle that some maner of man or woman as a lorde or a lady knyght or squyre machaunte or plough man or what degree he be in man or woman shal haue more mede than some preste or frere monke chanon or anker incluse And why Sothly for he loued god more in charyte An other mede there is that is secundary whiche our lorde gyueth for specyall good dedes that a man dooth wylfully ouer that he is bouÌ„den to Of thre dedes pryncypal doctours of holy chyrche maken mynde Of marterdome prechynge and manhode Thyse thre werkes as for an excellence in as moche as they passen al other shal haue specyal mede whiche they callen aureole And that is nought elles but a synguler worshyp and specyal token ordeyned of god in rewarde of y e specyal dede byfore other men that dyde not soo ouer the souereyne mede of loue of god whiche is comyn to hym and to al other Ryght soo it is of al other specyal good dedes the whiche yf they ben done sothfastly arne specyally acceptable to the syght of god and in y e dome of holy chyrche they arne excellent As arne enclosynge of ankers doon by y e auctoryte of holy chyrche Also entryng iÌ„ to ony relygyon approued And the streyghter that the relygyon is the more excellent is the dede in the dome in holy chyrche Also after thyse and byneth thyse the takyng of the order of preste eyther for cure of mennes soules and for to mynyster the sacramentes of holy chyrche Or elles for synguler deuocyon to pleyse god profyten her eueÌ„ crysten by the sacryfyce of the precyous body of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst Sothly they arne specyal dedes excelleÌ„t openly shewed in the dome of holy chyrche and in y e syght of our lorde whan they arne done sothfastly for god they arne excellent and they shullen haue specyal mede eche man in his degree in the blysse of heuen The state of bysshop prelate is abouen al thyse dedes as for this accydentall mede That this is sothe it semyth by holy wrytte where it sayth thus in the prophete Danyel Tu autem vade ad tempus perfinitum et requiesces et stabis in sorte tua in fine dierum This is for to saye thus moche The auÌ„gel whan he had shewed to Danyel the pryuytees of god he sayd to hym thus Goo thou to the reste of thy bodely dethe and thou shalt stonde in thy sorte
lykynges of it Slee then breke downe pryde set vp mekenesse Also breke downe yre and enuye reyse vp loue charyte to thyn euen crysteÌ„ Also in stede of couetyse pouerte in spyryte In stede of accydye feruour in deuocyon with glad redynes to al gode dedes And in the stede of glotenye lecherye sobyrte chastyte in body in soule This consydered saynt poul whaÌ„ he sayd thus Deponentes veterem homineÌ„ cuÌ„ suis actibus qui corruÌ„pitur scdm desideria erroris et induite nouuÌ„ homineÌ„ qui sedm deum treatus est in sanctitate iusticia ye shal put down the olde man that is y e ymage of synne of the olde adam with all hys membres for he is rotyn in desyres of errour and ye shal shape you clothe you in a new man whiche is y e ymage of god by holynes ryghtwysnes and full hede of vertues who shal helpe the breke downe this ymage Sothly thy lorde Ihesu In the vertue in the name of hym shal thou breke downe this mawmente of synne Praye hym besyly desyre he shal helpe the ¶ What profyte comyth of kepyng of y â— hert And how moche the soule is what it louyth CaplmÌ„ lxxxviii GAder then thyn herte togyder do after the couÌ„seyle of y e wyse man whan he sayth thus OmÌ„i custodia serua cor tuum qmÌ„ exipÌ„o vita procedit With al thy besynes kepe thyn herte for out of it comyth lyfe And that is sothe whan it is wel kepte For thenÌ„e wyse thoughtes clene affeccyons and brennynge desyres of vertues of charyte of y e blisse of heuen comynour of it and makyth the soule to lyue a blessyd lyf Also on y e contrary wyse yf it be not kepte then as our lorde sayth in the gospel De corde exiuit togitationes male que coinquinant hominem Euyl thoughtes vnclene affeccyons comen out of the herte the whiche defoulen man as our lorde sayth They eyther benymme the lyfe of y e soule by dedely synne Or elles they feble the soule maken it syke yf they ben venyall For what is a man but his thoughtes and his loues Thyse maken a man oonly gode or badde As moche as thou louest god and thyn euen erysten knowest hym so moche is thy soule And yf thou lytyl loue hym lytyl is thy soule yf thou nought loue hym nought 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 vpoÌ„ thou thynkest For where the loue is there is the eye and where the lykynge is there is moostyÌ„ herte thynkyng If thou loue moche god y e lyketh for to thyÌ„ke vpoÌ„ hyÌ„ moche yf thou loue lytyl thenÌ„e lytyl thou thynkest vpoÌ„ hym Rule wel thy thoughtes thin affeccyon then arte thou vertuous ¶ How the ymage of synne shal be â—roken downe Capitulum lxxxix BEginne then on breke this ymage whan thou hast Inwardely bethought the of thyselfe and of thy wrecchydnesse as I haue sayd howe prowde howe vayne and how enuyous how malencolyous how couetous how flesshly how ful of corrupcioÌ„ Also how lytyl knowyng felyng or sauour thou haast of god and of ghostly thynges How wyse how quycke how moche sauour thou hast iÌ„ erthly thynges And shortly that the thynketh the also ful of syn as y e hyde is ful of flesshe Be thou not to moche adradde though thou thynke soo of thyself And whan thou haste doon thus lyft vp then the desyre of thy herte to thy lorde Ihesu praye hym of helpe Crye to hym by grete desyres syghinges that he wyl helpe the to bere this grete bourden of this ymage or elles that he wyl breke it Thynke also suche a shame it is for the to be fedde with swynes mete of flesshly sauours that sholde fele a ghostly sauonr of heueÌ„ly Ioy If thou do thus then begynnest thou for to aryse ayenste the hole grounde of synne in the as I haue sayd And it maye so be that thou shalt fele payne and sorowe for thou shalt vnderstonde that there maye noo soule lyue without grete payne but yf he haue reste or delyte eyther in his creatour or in a creatour Thenne whan thou rysest ayenst thyself by a feruent desyre for to fele of thy lorde Ihesu for to drawe out thy loue fro al bodely thynges and fro reste in thy bodely felyng in so moche that thou arte encombred of thyselfe And the thynketh that al creatures rysen ayenst the al thynges whiche thou haddest delyte in before tourneth y e to payne And whaÌ„ thou forsakest thus thyself and thou maye not lyghtly fynde comforte in god nedelynges thy soule shal suffre payne Neuerthelesse I hope who soo wolde suffre this payne a whyle stedfastly cleuyng vpon y e desyre and naked mynde of Ihesu cryste and vpon desyre y t he wolde not haue but his lorde falle not lyghtly therfro ne seche no comforte outwarde for a tyme for it lastyth not longe Our lorde is nyghe and sone shal ease the herte For he wyl helpe to bere thi body ful of corrupcoÌ„n And he wol with his mercyful myght of gracyous presence breke downe this false ymage of loue in thyselfe Not al atones but lytyl and lytyl tyl thou be somdele refourmed to his lyckenesse ¶ How a man shall haue hyÌ„ to y e styryng of pryde al other vices Caplm lxxxx AFter suche an hole rysyng ayenst thyself whan it is passyd thou shalt more sobyrly more easely rule thiself And y e more sadly for to kepe thy thouÈtes thyne affeccyons for to knowe hem whether they ben good or bad And then yf that thou fele a styryng of pryâ—de in ony maner of speche of it Besoone wel waar yf y t thou maye and suffre not it scape lyghtly awaye But take it in mynde and rente it breke it and dyspise it do al the shame that thou maye therto Loke thou spare it not ne trowe it not speke he neuer so fayre for it is fals though it seme soth as the prophete sayth Popule meê° qui te beatuÌ„ dicunt ipsi te desipiunt et in erroreÌ„ mittuÌ„t That is to saye thus Thou man of my peple they that sayen thou arte blessyd and holy they begyle and bryngen the into errour And yf thou doo thus often besyly thou shalt by the grace of IhuÌ„ within shorte tyme stoppe moche of the sprynge of pryde moche abate y â— vayne delyte therof y t thou shalt vnethes fele it And whan thou felyst it it shal be so weyke and as it were halfe dede that it shal not moche greue the And thenne shall thou mow haue a ghostly syght of mekenesse how good and how fayre it is thou shalt desyre it loue it for y e goodnes of itselfe that the shall lyken for to beholdeÌ„ as thou arte
y t adam was that fyrst trespaced And so though he ought it not for his owne persone for hymself myghte not synne Neuertheles he oughte 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 myght yelde to god ony thynge of his owne that he ought not but oonly this blessyd Ihesu For he myght paye god one thynge that he ought not as for hymselfe and that was nought but one thynge that was to yeue his precyous lyfe by wylful takyng of dethe for loue of sothfastnes This ought he not As moche good as he myght do to y â— worshyp of god in this lyfe al 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 boonde to deye for dethe is oonly a payne ordeyned to man for his owne synne but our lorde Ihesu synned neuer ne he might not synne and therfore he ought not for to deye Thenne sythen he ought not for to deye â–ª and yet wylfully he deyed thenne payde he to god more thaÌ„ he ought And sythen that was the beste mannes dede moost worthy that euer was done Therfore was it resonable that the synne of mankynde sholde be foryeuen In as moche as mankynde had founde a maÌ„ of y e same kynde without wemme of synne that is Ihesu that myght make amendes for the trespaas done myght paye our lorde god al that he ought and ouer more y t he ought not Then syth that our lorde Ihesu god man deyed thus for saluacyon of mannes soule it is ryghtful y t syn sholde be foryeuen manÌ„es soule y t was his ymage sholde mow be reformed restored to the fyrst lyknes to y e blysse of heuen This passyon of our lorde this precyous dethe is the grounde of al y e refourmyng of al mannes soule without whiche myght neuer mannes soule haue be refourmed to the lyckenesse of hym ne come to the blysse of heuen But blessyd may he be in al his werkynge Now is it so that thorough the vertue of his precyous passyon the brennyng swerde of Cherubyn that droue adam out of paradyce is now put awaye and y e endles gates of heuen arn open to euery man that wyl 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 y t yate redy to receyue euery soule y t wyl be refourmed here iÌ„ this lyf to his lycknes For now may euery soule yf y t he wyl be refourmed to y e lykenesse of god syth y t the trespaas is for yeuen the amendes thorugh Ihesu is made for the fyrste gylte Neuertheles though this be sothe al soules haue not the profyte ne the frute nf this precyous passyon ne arne not refourmed to y e lyckenes of hym That the Iewes paynyms also fals crysten men beÌ„ not refourmed effectually thorough the vertue of y e passyon for her owne defawte Caplm iii TWo manere of men arne not refourmed by the vertue of this passyon One is of hem y t trowe it not An other is of heÌ„ y t loue it not Iewes paynems haue not the benefyce of his passyon for they trowe it not Iewes trow not y t IhuÌ„ the sone of y e vyrgyn mary is goddys sone of heuen Also the paynems trowe not y t the souereyne wysdome of god wolde become the son of man and in manhede wolde suffre the paynes of deth And therfore the Iewes helde the prechynge of y e crosse of the passyon of cryste nought but sclaunder blasphemye the paynems helde it nought but fantome folye But true crysten men helde it the souereyne wysdom of god his grete myghte Thus sayd saynt poul Predicamus vobis crystuÌ„ crucifixum iude is quidam scandeluÌ„ gentibus autem stulticiam ipÌ„is auteÌ„ vocatis iudeis grecis xpÌ„m dei virtutem et dei sapienciam That is we preche to you that ye trowe that Ihesu cryst crucyfyed the son of mary is goddis son scuereyne vertue wysdom of god the whiche Ihesu to Iewes paynems that trowe not in hym is put sclaunder and foly And therfore thyse men by her vntrouthe putten hemselfe fro the refourmynge of her owne soule stondynge her vntrouthe shal they neuer be saaf ne come to the blysse of heuen For sothe it is fro the begynnynge of y e worlde vnto the laste endyng was there neuer maÌ„ saaf ne shal be â—aaf but yf he had trouth generall or specyall in Ihesu cryste to come or I come For ryght as al chosen soules that were before the Incarnacyon vnder y e 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 generaly as chyldern and other symple and inperfyte soules hadden that knewe not specyally the pryuyte of the Incarnacyon Ryght so all chosen soules vnder the newe testamente hathe trouthe in cryste that he is come eyther openly or felyngly ghostly men wyse men haue or elles generally as chyldern haue that dyen crystned and other symple lewde soules haue that arne nourysshed in the bosom of holy chirche Syth this is sothe then thynketh me that thyse meÌ„ gretly and greuously erren that sayen that Iewes sarasyns by kepynge of her owne lawe may be made saaf though they trowen not in IhuÌ„ cryste as holy chyrche trowyth In as moche as they wene y â— her owne trouth is good and syker and suffysaunt to her saluacoÌ„n And in that trouthe they done as it semyth many gode dedes of ryghtwysnes And perauenture yf they knewe that crysten fayth were better than her owne is they wolde leue her owne and take it therfore y t they sholde be saaf Naye it is not ynough soo For cryste god and man is bothe waye and ende And he is medyatour betwene god and man And withoute hym maye no 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 passyon arne not refourmed in the soule to the lyckenes of hym And thyse men arne false crysten men the whiche arne oute of charyte lyuen deyen in dedely synne Thyse men trowen wel as it semyth that Ihesu is goddis son And that his passyon suffyseth to saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule And they trowe also all the other artycles of the faythe But it is an vushaply 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 so they ben not refonrmed to the lyckenesse of god but goon to the paynes of helle endelesly as Iewes and sarasyns done and in to moche more gretter payne than they In as moche as they had y e trouthe and kepte it not For that was more trespaas than that they had neuer hadde it Thenne yf thou wolte wyte whiche soules arne refourmed here in this lyfe to the ymage of god thoroughe the vertue of his passyon soothly oonly those that trowen in hym and louen hym in whiche soules the ymage of god that was thorough synne forshapen \ as it were in to a fowle bestes lyckenes is restored refourmed to y e fyrst shape and to the worthynes and worshyp that it had in the begynnynge Withoute whiche restorynge and refourmynge shall neuer soule be faaf ne come to blysse Of two maner refourmynges of this ymage one iÌ„ fulnes another in fayth Capl'm iiii NOw sayest thou how maye this be soth that the ymage of god the whiche is mannes soule myghte be refourmyd here in this lyfe to his lyckenesse in ony creature It semyth naye it myght not be so For yf it were refourmed then sholde it haue stable mynde clere syght clere brennynge loue in god ghostly thynges euerlastyngly as it had in the begynnyng But y t is no creature as thou trowest lyuynge here in this lyfe For as ayenst thyself thou canst wel saye the thynke the ful ferre therfro Thy mynde thy reason y e loue of thy soule arne so moche sette in beholdyng iÌ„ loue of erthly thynges that of ghostly thynges thou felyst ryght lytyl Thou felyst no refourmynge in thyselfe but thou arte so vnbylapped with this blacke ymage of synne for ought y t thou maye do that vpon what syde thou the tour ne thou felyst thyself defoyled spotted with flesshly styrynges of this foule ymage other chauÌ„gyng felyst thou none fro flesshlynes into ghostlynesse neyther in pryue myghtes of thy soule with in ne in bodely felynge with out Wherfore ye thynken that it myghte not be y t this ymage myght be refourmed Or elles yf it myght be refourmed Thenne askest thou how it myght be refourmed To this I answere laye 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 y e blysâ—e of heuen where mannes soule shal fully be refourmed not to that state that it had at the fyrste begynnyng by kynde or myght haue had thorough grace yf it had stonde hole But it shal be restored to moche more blysse and moche hyer Ioye thorough the grete mercy the endles goodnesse of god than it shold haue had yf it had neuer fallen For then shal the soule receyue the hole y e ful felyng of god in al mightes of it without medelyng of ony other affeccyon And it shal see mankynde in the persone of Ihesu aboue y e kynde of angels onyd to the godhede For then shal IhuÌ„ bothe god man be al in al oonly he none other but he as y e prophete sayth Dominus solus exaltabitur in illa die That is our lorde Ihesu in that daye y t is euerlastyng daye shal be hyghed oonly none but he And also y e body of man shal then be gloryfyed For it shall receyue fully the ryche dowary of vndedelynes with al y t longeth therto This shal a soule haue with y e body moche more than I can saye But that shall be in the blysse of heuen not in this lyfe For though it be so y t the passyoÌ„ of our lorde be cause of al this ful refourmynge of mannes soule neuerthelesse it was not his wyl for to graunte this full refourmynge ryght anone after his passyon to al chosen soules 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 y t our lorde Ihesu Cryste of his mercy hath ordeyned a certayne nomber of soules to saluâ—cyoÌ„ whiche nomber was not fulfylled in the tyme of his passyon And therfore it neded that by length of tyme thorough kyndly generyon of men it sholde be fulfylled Thenne yf it had so 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 ful refourmed without ony other abydynge there wolde no creature that lyued thenne haue be that he ne wolde haue receyued y e faythe for to haue be made blessyd And thenne sholde generacyon haue ceased And so sholde we that arne now chosen souled lyuynge and other soules that come after vs not haue ben borne And so sholde our lorde haue fayles 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 tyl the laste ende as saynt poul sayth Deo pro nobis melius prouidente ne siue 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 beforne sholde not make a ful ende without vs that come after A nother skylle is this For syth that man in his fyrst fourmynge of god was sette in his free wyl and had free chesynge whether he wolde haue fully god or no. It was therfore resonable that syth he wolde not cheâ—e god thenne but wretchydly felle from hym If he sholde afterwarde be refourmed that he sholde be sette agayne in the same free chesynge that he was fyrst in whether he wolde haue y e profyte of his refourmynge or no And this maye be a skylle why mannes soule was not refourmed fully as faste after the passyon of Ihesu cryste That refourmyng in party is iÌ„ two maners one in fayth another in felynge CaplmÌ„ v. ANother refourmynge of this ymage is in partye and this refourmynge maye be had in this lyfe and but yf he had in this lyfe it maye neuer be had ne the soule may neuer be saaf But this refourmynge is on two maners One is in fayth oonly A nother is in fayth and in felynge The fyrst refourmynge in fayth oonly suffyseth to saluacyon The seconde is worthy to haue passynge mede in the blysse of heuen The fyrst maye be hadde lyghtly and in shorte tyme The seconde maye not soo but thoroughe lengthe of tyme and moche ghostly traueyle The fyrste maye be hadde with the felynge of the ymage of synne for thoughe a man fele noo thynge in hymselfe but all styrynges of synne and flesshly desyres not ayenstondynge that felynge yf he wylfully assent not therto he maye be refourmed in fayth to the lyckenesse of god But the seconde refourmynge puttyth out the lykynge in felynge
do but louen hym than shal he with bemys of ghostly lyght fulfyl al the myghtes of thy soule Haue thou no wonder though I cal the forsakynge of worldly loue derknes for the prophete callyth it so seyeng thê° to a sole Intra iÌ„ tenebras tuas filia caldeorum Go in to thy derknes thou doughter of caldee y t is Thou souse y e arte as a doughter of caldee for loue of y e worlde forsake it go in to thy derknes ¶ That in refourmynge of a soule y t werkynge of our lorde IhuÌ„ is departed in to foure tymes y t is callynge ryghtynge magnyfyenge and gloryfyenge Capitulum xxviii LO I haue sayd to y t a lytyl yf thou coueyte for to be refourmed in felynge how thou shalt dyspose y t towarde in thy forthgoyng Neuertheles I say not y t thou mayste do thus of thys elfe â–ª for I wote wel y t our lorde IhuÌ„ bryngeth al this to y e ende where that he wolde For he oonly thorugh his grace styreth a soule bryngeth a soule iÌ„ to this derknes fyrst sytheÌ„ iÌ„ lyghte as y e prophete sayth Sicut tenebre eius ita lumeÌ„ eiê° That is Ryght as the lyght of knowyng the feleng of ghostly loue is of IhuÌ„ ryght so the derknes that is y t for sakyng of worldly loue is of hym for he doth al He fourmyth refourmyth He fourmyth onÌ„ly by hymself but he refourmyth vs with vs For grace yeuen aplyenge of our wyl 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 iustificauit hos magnificauit Et quos magnificauit hos et glorificabit Thise y e god knewe before sholde be made shapely to the ymage of his sonne thyse he called thyse he ryghted thyse he magnyfyed and thyse he gloryfyed Though thyse wordes maye be sayd of all chosen soules in the lowest degre of charyte that are refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth neuertheles they may be vnderstonde more specyally of thyse soules that arne refourmed in felynge to the whiche our lorde god shewyth moche plente of grace and doth moche more besynes aboute hem For they are his owne sones specyally that here the fulshappe and the lyckenes of his sonne IhuÌ„ In the whiche wordes saynt poule departeth the worchyng of our lorde in foure tymes Fyrst is the tyme of callynge of a soule fro worldly vanyte and that tyme is often easy and comfortable For in begynnynge of tornynge suche a man that is disposed to moche grace is soo quyckely so felyngly inspyred and felyth oft so grete swetnes of deuocion and hath so many teres in compunction y â— he thynkyth hym somtyme as he were halfe in henen but this softnes passyth after for a tyme And theÌ„ne comyth the seconde tyme that is the tyme of ryghtynge y t is trauelous For whan he begynneth for to goo forth myghtely in the waye of ryghtwysnes settyth his wylful ayenst al synne without and within And stretchith out his desyre to vertues and to the loue of IhuÌ„ thenne felyth he moche lettynge bothe wyth hymself of frowardenes hardnes of his owne wyl and fro without forth thrugh temptacion of his enmye that he is ofte in ful grete tourment And that is no wonder For he hath so longe be croked to the fals loue of the worlde that he maye not be made ryght as a crokyd staffe may not be made euen but yf he be caste and weyked in the fyre Therfore our lorde IhuÌ„ seenge seÌ„deth what thynge is behoueful to a frowarde soule suffreth it to be traueyled taryed by suÌ„dry teÌ„ptacyons and for to be wel examyned thorugh ghostly tribulacyons that al the ruste of vncleÌ„nes myght be brente out of it And that shal be both within of dredes and dowtes and perplexitees that it shal nere hande falle in dyspeyre it shal seme as it were forsakeÌ„ of god and lefte all in the hondes of the fende out taken a lytyl preuy trust that it shal haue in y e goodnes of god and in his mercy For that preuy truste our lorde leueth in suche a soule goo he neuer soo ferre fro it by the whyche the soule is borne vp fro dispeyre saued fro ghostly myscheyf And also wythout itselfe it shal be mortifyed and pyned in the seÌ„sualyte eyther by dyuers syknes or by feable tourment of the fende or elles thrugh a preuy myghte of god the sely soule by felynge and berynge of the wretched body shal be soo pyned And it shal not wyte how that it shall mow suffre for to be in the boâ—y ne were that our lorde Ihesu kept it therin And yet neuertheles had the soule leuer for to be in alle this pyne than for to be blinded wyth the fals loue of the worlde for that were helle to suche a soule But the sufferynge of this manere pyne is noughte but purgatory therfore he suffryth it gladly he wolde not putte it awaye though he myghte for it is soo prouffytable All this dooth oure lorde in grete prouffyte of the soule for to dryue it oute of the seÌ„sualyte that it myghte receyue ghostly lyghte For after this whan the soule is thus mortyfied and brought fro worldly loue in to this derknesse y t it hathe noo more sauour ne delyte of worldly lykynge than of y e strawe But he thynkye it bytter as wormode Thenne commyth the thirde tyme of magnyfieng And that is whan the soule is refourmed in felynge in partye and receyueth the yefte of perfeccyon and the grace of contemplacyon and that is a tyme of grete reste for thenne is Ihesu more homely with a soule And after this comyth the fourth tyme of gloryfyenge That is whan the soule shall be fully refourmed in the blysse of heuen For thyse soules that arne thus called fro synne and thus ryghted or elles on other maner lyke by dyuers assayenge bothe thoroughe fyre and water and afterwarde are thus magnyfyed they sholde be gloryfyed For our lorde shal then yeue heÌ„ fully y t they here coueyted and more than they cowde couete for he shall areyse hem aboue al other chosen soules to the eueÌ„ hede of cherubyn and seraphyn sythen they passed all other in knowynge and louyng of god here in this lyfe Therfore he that woll come to this magnifyeng drede not this rightyng for that is the way For our lorde sayth by his prophete a worde of grete confort to all suche soules that are examined wyth fyre of tribulacyon thus Puer meus noli timere Si transieris perignem flamma non nocebitte That is My chylde yf thou passe thorugh fyre drede not for the flame shal not deere the It shall cleÌ„se the fro all flesshly fylthe and make the able to receyue ghostly fyre of the loue
god For some maye be true and some may be feyned as I haue sayd before ¶ How this maner of spekynge of refourmyng in felinge of a soule shal be take And on what wyse it is refourmed and how it is founde in saynt poules wordes CaplmÌ„ 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 refourmynge to the hygher refourmyng that is in felynge Not in that entent that I wolde bi thyse wordes sette goddis worchyng vnder a lawe of my spekinge As for to saye thê° worcheth god in a soule and none other wyse Nay I meane not soo But I saye after my symple felinge that oure lorde worcheth thus in some creatures as I hope And I hope well that he worcheth other wyse also that passyth my witte and my felinge Neuertheles whether he worche thus of other wyse by sundry meanes in lenger tyme or shorter tyme wyth moche traueyle or lityl traueyle yf all come to one ende that is to the perfyte loue of hym thenne it is good ynoughe For yf he wol yeue one soule on one daye the full grace of contemplacyon and with oute ony traueyle as he well maye as good is that to that soule as yf he had be examined pynyd mortyfyed and purifyed twenty wynter And therfore vpon this maner wise take in my sayenge as I haue sayd and naÌ„ly as I thynke to saye For now by the grace of our lorde Ihesu shall I speke a lytyll as me thynketh more openly of refourmyng in felynge what it is and how it is made and whyche 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 grounde it in saynt poullis wordes where he sayth thus Nolite conformari huic seculo sed reformamini in nouitate sensê° 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 and in other synnes but be ye refourmed in newehede of felynge Loo here thou maye see that saynt poul spekyth of refourmynge in felinge And what that newe felinge is he expowneth in a nother place thus Ut impleamini in agnicione voluÌ„tatis eius in omni intellectu et sapiÌ„a spirituali That is we praye god that ye maye be fulfylled in knowinge of goddis wyll in all vnderstondynge and in all maner ghostly wysdom This is refourmynge in felinge For thou shalt vnderstonde that the soule hath ii maner of felinges One without of the fyue bodili wyttes a nother within of the ghostly wyttes the whiche are properly the myghtes of the soule Mynde reason and wylle whaÌ„ thyse myghtes are thrugh grace fulfylled in al vnderstondynge of the wyll of god and ghostly wysdoÌ„ theÌ„ ne hath the soule newe gracyous felynges That this is soth he sheweth in a nother place thus Renouamini spiritu mentis vestre induite nouuÌ„ hominem qui secuÌ„dum deum creatus est in iusticia sciÌ„tate et veritate 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 maÌ„ that is shapen after god in rightwysnes holinesse and sothfastnesse That is your reason that is properly the ymage of god thrugh grace of the holy ghoste shall be clothed in a newe lyghte of sothfastnesse holynes and ryghtwysnes And thenne it is reformed in felynge For whan the soule hath perfyte knowynge of god thenne it is refourmed Thus fayth saynt poul Expoliantes vetereÌ„ homineÌ„ cuÌ„ actibus â—uis induite nouuÌ„ qui renouatur in angnicoÌ„ne dei scdm ymagyneÌ„ eiê° qui creauit eum Spoyle yourself of y e olde man with al his dedes That is cast fro you y e loue of y e worlde with al worldly maners And clothe you in a newe maÌ„ That is ye shal be renewed in y e knowynge of god after y e lyckenes of hym y t made you By thyse wordes thou may vnderstonde y t saynt poul wolde haue mennes soules refourmed in perfyte knowyng of god for y t is y e nowe felynge y t he speketh of gernerally And therfore vpon his wordes I shal saye more openly of this refourmyng as god yeueth me grace For there is two maner knowynge of god One is had pryncipally in ymagynacyon lytyl in vnderstondyng This knowyng is in chosen soules begynnynge and prouffytynge in grace y t knowen god and louen hym al manly not ghostly with manly affeccyons with bodely lyknes as I haue before sayd This knowynge is good and it is lykned to mylke by y t whiche they are tenderly nourysshed as chyldern vntyl they ben able for to come to the faders borde take of his honde hole brede A nother knowyng pryncipally feled in vnderstondynge lytyl in ymagynacyon For y e vnderstondynge is lady ymagynacyon is a mayden seruynge to the vnderstondynge whan nede is knowynge his hole brede mete for profyte soules and it is refourmed in felynge ¶ How god openeth the Inner eye of the soule to see hym not al at ones but by dyuerse tymes And of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample Capitulum xxxii A Soule y t is called fro the loue of worlde after y t is ryghted assayed mortifyed puryfyed as I haue before sayd our lorde IhuÌ„ of his mercyful goodnes refourmyth it in felyng whan he wouchyth saaf He openeth the Inner eye of the soule whan he lyghtneth y e reasnÌ„ thrugh towychynge and shinynge of his blessyd lyght for to se hym and knowe hym not al fully at ones but lityll and 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 oonly in the blysse of heueÌ„ But he seeth hym y t he is an vnchaungable beynge a souereyne myght souereyne sothfastenes souereyne goodnes a blessed lyf an endles blysse This seeth y e soule and moche more that comyth wyth al not blyndly and nakydly vnsauourly as doth a clerke that seeth hym by his clergye onÌ„ly thorugh myght of his naked reason but he seeth hym in vnderstondynge that is comforted lyghted by the yefte of the holy ghost with a woÌ„derful reuerence and a preuy brennyng loue and wyth ghostly sauour heuenly delyte more clerly more fully thaÌ„ it maye be wryteÌ„ or sayd This syghte though it be but shortly lytyl is so worthy so myghty that it draweth and rauyssheth al the affeccioÌ„ of the soule fro beholding the mynde of al erthly thynge therto for to reste therin euermore yf it myghte And of this manere of syghte knowynge the soule groundeth al his worchyng inwarde in al
the affeccions For thenne it dredeth god in maÌ„ as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This syghte and this goodnes and this knowynge of Ihesu with the 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 ful knowynge of IhuÌ„ wyih the blessed loue that comith onte of it y t shal be in heuen For then shal we se hym not oonly y t he is but as he is As saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Tunc videbimus eum sicut est That is Thenne shal we see hym as he is Neuertheles it is in felynge also as in rewarde of y e blynde knowynge that a soule hath stondynge oonly in faythe For this soule knowyth somwhat of the very kynde of Ihesu god thorughe his gracyous syght but y e other knowyth not but oonly trowith it is soth Neuertheles y t thou y e better maye conceyue what I meane I shal shewe thyse thre maner refourmyng of a soule by ensaÌ„ple of thre men stondyng inlyÈt of the son Of the whiche thre one is blynde a nother may see but he hath his eyen stopped the thyrde lokyth forth full syght The blynde man hath no maner knowyng that he is in the sonÌ„e but he trowith it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is oonly 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 sonne but he seeth it not clerly what it is for the lyd of his eye letteth hym that he maye not see But he seeth thorugh the lyd of his eye a glymerynge of grete lyghte And he betokeneth a soule that is refourmed in fayth and in felynge and soo is he contemplatyfe For he seeth some what of the godhede of Ihesu thoroughe grace Not clerly ne fully for the lydde that is hys bodyly kynde is yet a walle bytwyxe hys kynde and the kynde of Ihesu god and lettythe hym frome the clere syghte But he seeth thoroughe thys walle after that grace towchyth hym more or lesse that Ihesu is god and that Ihesu is souereyne good nesse and souereyne beynge and a blessyd lyfe and all that other goodnesse comyth of hym Thus seethe the sowle by grace notayenstondynge the bodily kynde and the more clene and subtyl that the soule is made and y e more it is depared fro flesshly hede the sharper sight it hath the myghtyer loue of the godhede of Ihesu This syght is so myghty that thoughe none other man lyuynge wolde trowe in Ihesu ne loue hym he wolde neuer trowe the lesse ne loue hym the lesse for he seeth it sothfastly that he may not vntrowe it The thyrde man y t hath ful syght of the sonne he trowith it not for he seeyth it fully And he betokeneth a ful blessyd soule that without ony walle of body or of synne seeth openly the face of Ihesu in the blysse of heueÌ„ There is no fayth therfore he is fully refourmed in felynge There is no state aboue the seconde refourmyng that a soule may come to here in this lyfe for this is the state of perfeccyon the way to heuen warde Neuertheles al y e soules that are in this state are not al lyke ferforth For some hath it lytyl shortly seeldom some lenger clerer and oftiner and some hath it best clerest and lengest after y e aboundyng of grace yet al thyse haue the yefte of contemplacion For the soule hath not perfyte syght of Ihesu al at ones but fyrst a lytyl a lytyl and after y t it profyteth and comyth to more felyng And aslonge as it is in this lyfe it maye waxe more in knowyng in this loue of Ihesu and sothly I wote not what were more leyf to suche a soule that hath felte a lytyl of it than vtterly al other thynges lefte and sette at nought Tent onÌ„ly therto for to haue clerer syght clenner loue of Ihesu in whoÌ„ is al the blessed trynyte This maner knowyng of Ihesu as I vnderstonde is the openynge of heâ—en to the eye of a clene soule of the whiche holy meÌ„ speke of in her wrytynge Not as some wene that the openynge of heuen is as yf a soule myghte see bi ymaginacioÌ„ thrugh the scyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde Ihesu syeteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an hundreth sonnes Nay it is nat soo ne though he see neuer so hyghe on that maner sothly he seeth not the gostly heuen The hygher he styeth aboue the sonne for to see Ihesu god so by suche ymagynacioÌ„ the lower he falleth bineth the sonne Neuertheles this maner syght is sufferable to siÌ„ple soules that can noo better seche him that is vnseable ¶ Howe IhuÌ„ is heuen to the soule And why he is called fyre Caplm xxxiii WHat is heuen to a resonable soule Sothly noughte elles but Ihesu god For yf that be heueÌ„ only that is aboue al thyng then ne is god onely heuen to maÌ„nes soule for he is onely aboue the kiÌ„de of a soule theÌ„ne yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of y e blessed kynde of Ihesu sothly he seeth heueÌ„ for he seeth god Therfore there are many men that erren in vnderstoÌ„dynge of some wordes that are sayd of god for they vnderstonde them not gostly Holy wrytynge sayth that a soule that woll fynde god shall lyft vpwarde the Inner eye seke god aboue itselfe Thenne some meÌ„ that wolde doo after this sayenge vnderstoÌ„de this worde aboue hemself as for hygher settynge in stede worthynes of place as one elemente or planete is aboue a nother in settyne worthynes of a bodely place But it is nat soo gostly For a soule is aboue al bodily thynge that by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of kynde Right soo on the selfe wise god is aboue all bodily gostly creatures not by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of his vnchangeable blessyd kynde And therfore he that wol wisely see he god fynde hym he shall not renne out w t his thought as he wolde clyme aboue the sonne parte the firmament and ymagyn that mageste as it were of an hundred sonnes he shall rather drawe downe the sonne al the fyrmameÌ„t and forget it and caste it beneth hym there he is and sett all and all bodily thinge also at nought And thynke thenne yf he can ghostly both of him selfe and of god also And yf he doo thus thenne seeth the soule aboue it selfe thenne seeth it in to heuen Upon this self maner shall this worde within be vnderstond It is comynly sayd that a soule shall see our lord within all thynge and within itselfe Soth it is y t our lorde is within all creatures but not on that maner y t a
kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lytyll bodily thynge is holdon within a nother moche but he is within all creatures as holdynge and kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtyltee and myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous and moost clene is layed nerest Right soo by that lyknes it is sayde that the kynde of god that is moost precyous moost clene moost goodly ferrest fro bodily hede is hydde within al thynges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shall forgete fyrste all bodily thynges for all that is w t out and his owne body and he shall forgete thiÌ„kynge of his owne soule and thynke on the vnmade kynde that is Ihesu y t made hym quiknith hym holdith hym and yeueth hym reason mynde and loue the whiche is within hym thrugh his myghte and souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace towchyth it or elles it woll but lytell auayle to seâ—he Ihesu And to fynde hym wythin it self and wythin al creatures as me thiÌ„kyth Also it is sayd in holy wryte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Deus lux iÌ„ That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lyghte but it is vnderstonde thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth ang sothfastnes for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte Thenne he that most gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god aÌ„d neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyght for this skill Ryght as the soÌ„ne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it rihht so sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe al other gostly thynge that nedeth to y e knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete Domine in lumine tuo videbimê° iumeÌ„ Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lyghte That is we shal see the that art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus nost ignis consumens est That is Our lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and breÌ„neth it but god is loue and charyte For as fyre wasted all bodily thynge y t may be wasted Ryght soo y e loue of god breÌ„neth wasteth all synne out of the soule And maketh it clene as fyre makyth clene all maner metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of our lorde in holy wrytte by bodely lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo sauour in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy wrytte is this For we are so 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 lytyll syght of Ihesu Thenne shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes y e whiche of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondynge This ghostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowynge of the godhede whiche I calle refournynge in fayth and felynge For thenne the soule the whiche somwhat feleth in vnderstondynge of that thynge whiche y t it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„yngâ— of contemplacioÌ„ of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plaÌ„tibm nobis qÌ„ videÌ„tur sed qÌ„ non videÌ„tuâ— Quia que videntur temporalia sunt que autem non videntur eterna sunt That is Our contemplacioÌ„ is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seen 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 autem vita eterna vt cognoscant te verum deum quem misisti IhesuÌ„ xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe y t thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanith And how we be beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makynge but more for our ayen byeng but althermooste for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiiii BUt nowe wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse y e ende of a soule why theÌ„ne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thynge of this sighte y t a soule sholde coueyte this Unto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the lyght but it is also for the blyssed loue that comith out of that syght Neuertheles for loue comyth out of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syght pryncipally of god with loue is the blysse of a soule and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this â—oue that comith of it may not the soule come without â—oue therfore sayd I that thou sholdest coueyte loue â—or loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng â—nd to this loue that comith of it And on what manÌ„â—hat is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„â— soth it is that ther is two maner of gostly loue One â—s called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed ¶ Loue vnfourmed is god hym self the thirde persoâ—e in trynyte that is the holy gost He is loue vnfourâ—ed vnmade as saiÌ„t Io. sayth Deê° dileccoÌ„ est God â—s loue That is the holy gost Loue fourmed is the affeccioÌ„ of the soule made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng of sothfastnes that is god oonly tyred and sette in hym This loue is called fourmed â—or it is made by the holy ghost This loue is not god â—n hymself for it is made but it is the loue of the sowle â—ellte of the syght of Ihesu stired to hym oonly Now â—ay thou see that loue formed is not cause why a souâ—e comyth to y e ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men wolde thynke that they wolde loue god soo breÌ„nyngly as it were by theyr owne mighte that they were worthy for to haue the ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue vn vnformed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is so ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myght neuer come to it ne were it y e endles mochenes of the loue of god But theÌ„ne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he
bothe he sholde well tel whyche were good whyche were euyll But he that neuer felyd neyther or els but y â— one maye lyghtly be deceyued They are lyke in y e maner of felynge outward but they are ful dyuers within And therfore they are not for to desyre greatly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght by the spyryte of dyscrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyl y t he were not begyled as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“ba re siex deo sit Saynt IohnÌ„ beddeth vs that we sholde not trust to euery spyryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or no wherfore by one allay I shal tel the as me thynketh how thou shalt knowe the good fro euyl ¶ How thou shalt know whaÌ„ the shewynge to the bodely wyttis felynge of hem beÌ„ good or euyl Ca xi IF it so be y t thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes with the bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery woÌ„derful sownynge with bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other thaÌ„ of kynde or ony hete iÌ„ thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delyte in ony part of thy body or yf a spyryte bodely aperyth vnto y e as it were an aungel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y e or ony suche felynge whiche thou knowest wel y e it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creatnre beware in y e tyme or sone after wysely beholde y e styrynge of thy hert If thou be styrred by cause of y e lykynge y t thou felyst to draw out thy hert fro y e mynde beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacyon As fro prayer thynkynge on thy selfe thy defawtes fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set y e syght of thi hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte and thy rest pryncypally therin wenyng y t it shold be a part of heueÌ„ly ioy of auÌ„gels blys for thy y â— thiÌ„kith y t thou sholdest nother pray ne thinke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte therin This felynge is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so lykynge wonderful refuse it assent not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whan he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ he is woÌ„derly wroth For he hateth no thynge more then for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowynge the loue of god y e whiche he without body of synne lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open syÌ„nes he wolde hynder hym begile hym hy suche vanyte of bodely â—auours or swetnes in y e wyttes for to bryÌ„ge a soule in to ghostly pryde in to a fals sykernes of hymself wenynge y t he had therby a felynge of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth about hym whan he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcyon he myght falle in errours or heresyes or faresyes or iÌ„ other bodely or ghostly myschenes Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felynge lette not thy hert fro grostly ocupacyon but it makyth the more deuout more feruent for to pray it makyth the more wyse for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in y e begynÌ„ynge neuertheles afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desyre of vertues and encrenseth thy loue more to god to thyn euen crysten Also it makyth y e more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokens may thou knowe that it is of god made by the presence the touchynge of a good auÌ„gel that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her trust her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more perfytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they ben perfyte that felen suche delyte it semith then that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of the gloryfyenge of the body whiche it shall haue in y e blysse of heuen I wote not whether there be ony suche man lyuynge in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semyth to my syght iÌ„ y e tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in the caue .xxx. wynter euery day was borne vp with auÌ„gels was fed both body soule by the presence of hem thus we rede in y â— story of her Of this maner assayenge of werkynge of spyrytes speketh saynt IohnÌ„ in his pistle thus techeth thus O iÌ„sspÌ„s qui sol uit thmÌ„ hic non eÌ„ ex deo Euery speryte y â— losyth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god thise wordes may be vnderstonde in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vnderstonde hem to this purpose that I haue sayd ¶ What knytteth Ihesu to mannes soule what loseth hym therfro Caplm xii THe knyttynge y e fastynge of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by good wyl grete desyre to hym onÌ„ly for to haue hym see hym iÌ„ his blysse ghostly The more y e this desyre is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is the loslyer is he knytte TheÌ„ what spyryte or what felynge y t it be y t whiche lesseth this desyre wolde drawe it downe fro the stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styenge vp to IhuÌ„ this spyryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkynge of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spyryte or a felynge or a reuelacioÌ„ make this desyre more knytte y e knottes of loue deuocyoÌ„ to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowynge more clerly maketh it more meke in it self this spyryte is of god Here may thou see soÌ„what y t thou shalt not suffre thy here wylfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felynge of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were good but thou shalt holde hem iÌ„ thy syght nouÈt or lytyl in rewarde of ghostly desyre on stedfast thynkynge on IhuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy herte ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges sholde a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupyed Calm xiii BUt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And y â— is y â— thou myght knowe the wysdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hyÌ„ in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placyoÌ„ that other is none thus sayth saynt poul In carâ—â—ate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„preheÌ„dere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sic longitudo laâ—itudo suolimitas
as the semyth is contrary therto For that styrynge is not thy fayth but the fayth of holy chyrche is thy fayth thoughe thou neuer see it ne fele it And bere then suche styrynges pacyently as a scourge of our lorde by the whiche he wyl clense thy hert make thy fayth stedfast Also the behoueth to loue worshyp in thy herte al the lawes ordynaunce made by prelates rulers of holy chyrche other in declarynge of the fayth or of the sacramentes or in general of al crysten men mekely truly assent to hem though it be so that thou knowe not the cause of her ordynaunce And thoughe the thynke that some were vnskylful thou shalt not deme hem ne repreue hem but worshyp hem all though they longe but lytyl to the Ne receyue thou non opinyon ne faÌ„tasye ne synguler conceyte vnder colour of more holynes as some done y t are not wyse nother by thyn owne ymaginynge ne by techynge of none other man Whiche contraryeth to the the lest ordynaunce or general techyng of al holy chyrche And ouer this thou shalt hope stedfastly y t thou art ordened of our lorde to be saued as one of his chosen by his mercy styre not fro this hope what so thou heryst or seest or what teÌ„ptacioÌ„ thou be in And thoughe thou thynke so y â— grete a wretche y t thou were worthy to sinke in to helle for that thou doost noo gode ne seruest god as thou sholdest doo yet holde the in this trouth in this hope aske mercy al shal be ryght wel ye though al y e deuylles of helle apered in bodely lyknes slepynge or wakyng sayenge to y e that thou sholdest not be saued or al men lyuynge in erth or al the auÌ„gels in heuen If it myght be sayd to the the same thou sholdest not leue hem ne be styred moche fro the hope of saluacyoÌ„ This I say to the for some beÌ„ so weyke so simple y t whan they haue yeuen hemself al hooly to serue god after her cunÌ„ynge yf they fele ony styrynge within by thyn castynge of theÌ„mye or elles fro without of ony of the deuylles prophetis whiche meÌ„ callen soth sayers that they sholde not be saued or her state of her maner of lyuynge were not pâ—esaunt to god they ben astonyed styred with suche wordes so for vncâ—nynge they falle soÌ„tyme in a grete hâ—uynes as it werein a dyspayr of saluacyon wherfore as me thynke it is spedfull to eâ—ery creature whiche by our lorde Ihesu cryst is in ful wyl to forsake synne as clerly as his coÌ„scyence tellyth hym he suffreth noo dedely synne rest in hym y t he ne shriueth hym sone therof make hym to y e sacrameÌ„tes of holy chyrche for to haue a trust of saluacyon And moche more than they that yeueÌ„ hem hooly to god fleen venyal synnes after her myght And on the contrary wyse as peryllous it is to hym whiche lyeth wyttyngly in dedely synne for to haue truste of saluacyon iÌ„ hope of y e trust wyl not forsake his synÌ„e ne low hym truly to god holy chyrche ¶ How a stable entent is nedeful to thyse y t sholde plese god dyscrecyon in bodely werkes Ca xxii THe iii. thynge whiche is nedeful to the for to haue in thy begynnynge is an hole a stable entencyon that is for to saye A hole wyll a desyre onely for to plese god for that is charyte without whiche all is nought that thou doost And thon shal set thin entent alway for to serche and traueyle how thou myght plese hym noo tyme for to cesse wylfully of good ocupacyon other bodely or ghostly Ne thou shalt not set a tyme in thy hert as thus longe thou woldest serue god sythen to suffre thyn hert wylfully fall downe in to vayne thoughtes ydle ocupacions wenynge that it were nedful for sauynge of thy bodely kynde leuynge y e kepynge of thy hert good ocupacyon sekynge a rest coÌ„fort for a tyme outwarde by thy bodely wyttes or inwardly vanytees as it were for recreacyoÌ„ of thy spyryte \ for it sholde be more sharper afterwarde to ghostly traueyle for I trow it is not soth I say not that thou may in dede performe thyn entent for oft sythes thy bodely nede eâ—ynge drynkynge slepyng spekyng y e fraylte of y e flesshe shal let the be thou neuer so besye hynder the But I wolde that thy wyl thy extent were alway hole to traueyle ghostly or bodely no tyme to be ydle but alway lyftynge vp thy hert by desyre to god to y e blysse of heuen whether thou ete or drynke or ony other bodely traueyle that thou vsest asmoche as thou may wylfully leue it not For yf thou haue this entent it shall make the euer quicke sharpeiÌ„ thi trauayle yf thou fal by fraylte or neclygence in ony ydle ocupacyon or vaynspeche it shal smyâ—e vpon thy hert sharply as a prycke make y t for to yrke be wery of al vanytees for to torne ayeÌ„ hastly to inwarde thynkyng of IhuÌ„ cryst or to some gode ocupacyon For anence thy bodely kynde it is good for to vse descresyon in etynge drynkynge slepynge in al maner bodely penaunce in loÌ„ge prayer by speche or in bodely felynge by grete feruour of deuocyon other in wepynge or suche other also in ymagynyng of the spyryte whan a man felyth no grace In all thyse werkes it is gode to kepe discrecyon for the meane is y e best But in desâ—ruynge of synÌ„e by kepyng of thyn herâ— in coÌ„tynue â–ª desyre of vertues y e blysse of heuen for to haue the ghostly knowynge the louynge of IhuÌ„ cryst holde thou no meane For the more that it is of this the bettter it is For thou shalt haue synÌ„e al flesshly loues dredes in thyn hert without seeyng And thou shalt loue vertues clenÌ„es desyre hem without stintynge yf thou myght I say not that it is nedful to saluacyoÌ„ but I hope it is spedful yf thou kepe it thou shalt profyte more in one yere in vertues thaÌ„ thou shalt without this profyte in viâ— yeres ¶ Of a lytyl â—ehersynge of thynges sayd before of makynge of offerynge that sholde be offered to god Caplm xxiii NOw I haue tolde the fyrst of ende whiche thou shalt beholde in thy desyre drawe towarde it as nygh as thou may Also I haue sayd the of the beginnyng what y e nedeth for to haue as mekenes siker trouth an hole entent to god vpon y e whiche grouÌ„de thou shalt sette thy ghostly hous by prayer by medytacyon other ghostly vertues ThenÌ„e say I to the thus pray thou or thynke thou or ony other dede y t thou doost gode by grace or bad by thyn owne freilte or what y t thou felyst seest or herest smellest or
no maÌ„ y t lyghteth a laÌ„tern for to set it vnder a busshel but vpoÌ„ a candelstycke That is to say Thy reason shal not be ouerlayd wyth erthly besynes ne vayne thoughtes erthly affeccyons but aye vpwarde aboue al vayne thoughtê erthly thyÌ„ges as moche as thou may yf thou do so thou shalt see then al the molle al y e fylthe smalle motes iÌ„ thy hous for why he is lyght That is to say al flesshly loues dredes in thy soule Not al. for as dauid sayd Delicta quis iÌ„telliger who may know al his trespasses â–ª As who say no maÌ„ thou shalt cast out of thyn hert all suche synÌ„es swepe thy soule clene with y e besome of y e drede of god and with the water of thyn eyeÌ„ wasshe it so shalt thou fynde thy drame Ihesu He is drame he is peny he is thyne herytage This drame wyll not be founden soo lyghtly as it is sayd for this werke is not of one houre ne of one day but many dayes and yeres with moche swete swynke of body traueyle of the soule yf thou cease not but seche besely sorowe syghe depe mourne stylly stowpe lowe tyl thyn eyen water for anguysshe and for payne for thou hast lost thy tresour IhuÌ„ at the last whan he wyl wel shal thou fynde thy drame Ihesu And yf thou fynde hym as I haue sayd that is yf thou maye in clennes of conscience fele the homely and the peesful presence of that blessed name Ihesu cryste as a shadowe or a glemerynge of hym Thou maye yf thou wyl calle all thy frendes to the for to make myrth with the and melodye for thou hast founden the drame IhuÌ„ ¶ Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy Caplm xlix SEe now then the curtesye and the mercy of IhuÌ„ thou hast lost hym â–ª but where Sothly in thy hous that is in thy soule That is to saye yf thou haddest lost al 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 so he is in thy soule neuer shall be lost out of it Neuertheles thou art neuer the nerer to hym tyl thou haue founde hym He is in the thoughe he be lost fro the But thou arte not in hym tyl thou haue founde hym Thenne was this his mercy that he wolde 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 thought iÌ„ to thyn owne soule where he is hydde as the prophete sayth Ueretues deus absconditus Sothly lorde thou art an hydde god leche hym there Thus sayth hymselfe in the gospel Simile est regnum relorum thesauro abscoÌ„dito in agro queÌ„ qui inuenit homo abscondit pregaudio illius dadit et vendit vniuersa que habet et emit agrum illuÌ„ The kyngdom of heuen is lykened to a tresoure hyd in the felde the whiche whan a man fyndeth for Ioye of it he gooth and selleth al that he hathe byeth the felde Ihesu is tresour hydde in thy soule Then yf thou myght fynde hym in thy soule and thy soule in hym I am syker for Ioye of it thou wolde yeue the lykyng of all erthly thyng for to haue it Ihesu slepyth in thy hert ghostly as he dyde somtyme bodely whan he was in the shippe with his discyples But they for drede of perysshynge wakened hym and soone after he saued hem fro tempeste Doo thou so styre hym by prayer wake hym with grete cryenge of desyre he shal soone ryse helpe the ¶ What letteth a man to here see Ihesu wythin hymselfe CaplmÌ„ L NEuertheles I hope better that thou slepest ofter to hym than he doth to the For he callyth y e full ofte with his swete pryue voys styreth thyn hert ful stylly y â— thou sholdest leue al other Ianglyng of al other vanytes in thy soule oonly take kepe of hym for to here hym speke Thus sayth dauyd of our lorde Audi filia vide et inclina aurem tuam obliuiscere populuÌ„ tuuÌ„ domum patris tui My doughter here see and bowe thyn ere to me and foryete the folke of thy worldly thoughtes and the hous of thy flesshly and kyndely affeccyons Lo here may thou see how our lorde callyth y â— al other whiche wyl herken to hym what lettyth the then that thou may nother see hym ne here hym Sothly there is so moche dynne and cryenge in thyn herte of vayne thoughtes and flesshly desyres that thou may nother here hym ne see hym Therfore put awaye vnrestfull dynne and breke the loue of synne of vanytee and brynge in to thyn hert loue of vertues ful charite and then shalt thou here thy lorde speke to the. ¶ That mekenes charyte beÌ„ y e specyallyuerey of IhuÌ„ thrugh the whiche mannes soule is refourmed to y e lyknes of hym CaplmÌ„ li AS longe as IhuÌ„ fyndeth not his ymage refourmed in the. he is straunge and the ferther fro y e For thy shape the for to be arayed in his lyknes that is in mekenes and charyte the whiche arne his lyuereys And then wyl he homelyche knowe the and shewe to the his pryuytees Thus sayd he hymself to hys dyscyples 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 shewe myself vnto hym There is no vertue ne no werke that thou maye do y e thou maye make the lyke to our lorde without mekenes and charyte for thyse two arne specyally to god moost leyf And y â— semyth wel in the gospel where our lorde spekyth of mekenes thus Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne of me he sayd not for to go bare fote ne for to goo into Deserte and there for to fast fourty dayes ne yet also for to chese you dysyples But lerne of me meknes for I am mylde meke in hert Also of charyte he sayth thus Hoc est peccatum meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos Item In hoc cognoscent omnes qr discipuli mei estis si dilexcionem habueritis ad iuuicem This is my byddynge that ye loue you togyder as I loued you for in that shal men knowe you for my dyscyples Not for ye werke myracles or casteÌ„ out deuylles or prechen or teche but yf echone of you loue other in charyte And yf thou wyl be lyke to hym haue meknes and chayte That charyte is that thou know dest wel loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe ¶ HOw a man shal fynde the grounde of synne within hymselfe Caplm lii NOw hast thou herde a lytyl what thy soule is what worshyp it had and how
good men whiche haue it of y â— yefte of god and not of her traueyle as saynt poule sayth Caritas dei deffusa est in cordibus vestris per spÌ„m sccmÌ„ quidatus est vobis Loue and charyte is shed spred in your hertes by the holy ghost whiche is yeuen to you And therfore it is more precyous y e more daynte for to come by All other good dedes withouten this make not a man good ne worthy y e blysse of heuen but this alone oonly this maketh a man good and al his good dedes medeful Al other yeftes of god werkes of man are comyn to good badde to chosen to reproued But this yeft of charyte is oonly of god and of chosen soules ¶ That for y e same dedes dyuers men shal haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi A Good man for the loue of god fasteth waketh gooth on pylgrymage forsakyth al the lykynges y e worlde sothfastly in his herte withouten feynyng he shal haue his mede in the blysse of heuen And an ypocryte for vaynglory of hymself dooth the same dedes receyueth his mede here Alâ—o a very precher of goddes worde fulfylled of charyte and of mekenes sent of god of holy chyrche receyued if he preche teche goddes worde he shal haue a specyall mede of god y t is the aureole for his prechyng An ypocryte or an heretyke y t hath no mekenes ne charyte ne arne sende of god nor yet of holy chyrche yf they preche they haue her mede here Also a good man in worldly state for loue of god makyth many chyrchis chapelles abbeys hospytals dooth many other good dedes of mercy he shal haue his mede in y e blysse of heuen not for y e dede in it self but for y e good wyl the charyte y t he hath of y e yeft of god for to do tho good dedes An other man for vanytee of hymself worshyp plesynge of the worlde for his owne name dooth the same good dedes hath his mede here The cause is in al thyse that the tone hath charyte y â— tother none whiche is one whiche is other our lorde knoweth none but he ¶ That al mennes good dedes shal be aproued that hathe lyknes of good saaf the opyn heretyke the cursyd man Caplm lxvii ANd therfore we sholde loue and worshyp al meÌ„ in our hertes aproue examyn receyue all her dedes y t haue the lyknesse of goodnes though the doers in goddes syght ben bad saue of the opyn heretyke of the opyn â—ursyd man Of thyse two specyally we shall flee escâ—ewe the presence the coÌ„myng with heÌ„ And we shal reproue and refuse her dedes seme they neuer so good as longe as they arne rebel to god holy chyrche As yf a worldly cursed maÌ„ make a chyrche or fede poor men thou may sykerly holde it nought and deme it as it is Also yf an opin heretyke whiche is rebel to holy chyrche preche teche though he conuerte a hundred thousaÌ„de sonles holde the dede as to hymself ryght nought For thyse men are openly out of charyte without whiche is al nought that a man dooth ¶ That no good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte And that charyte fele they oonly y â— ben meke Capitulum lxviii ANd therfore it is a grete maystry a man to cun loue his euen crysten in charyte Al this sayeng may be openly proued by saynt poules wordes thus Si linguis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil sum Et si habuero omneÌ„ fidem ita vt moÌ„tes transferaÌ„ caritatem auteÌ„ noÌ„ habeam nichil suÌ„ Et si nouerim misteria oiÌ„a et si destribuero omÌ„es facultates meas in cibos pauperuÌ„ et tradidero corpê° me um igni vt ardeam caritatem autem non habuero nichil michi prodest Saynt poul in praysyng of charyte sayth thus If I speke y e langage of all men of auÌ„gels also yf I haue no charyte I am ryght noughte And yf I haue so grete fayth that I maye tourne hylles bere hem awaye and I haue no charyte I am ryght nought And also though I had al maner of knowynge of al pryuytees without charyte I am ryght nought And yf I yeue al y â— I haue to poor men and my body to the fire to be brent I haue no charyte it profyteth me ryght nought Here it semyth by saynt poules wordes that a man maye do al good dedes bodely withouten charyte And that charyte is nought elles but for to loue god and his euen crysteÌ„ as hymself How sholde then ony wretched caytyf lyuynge in erth what y t he be haue delyte or trust or sykernes in hymself for ought that he can or may do with al his bodely myghtes or his kyndely reason syth all this is nought worthe withouten loue charyte to his euen crysten And this charyte maye not be goten with werkynge of hymselfe for it is a free yefte of god sente in to a meke soule as saynt poul sayth who then dare hardely saye that I haue charyte or I am in charyte Sothly noo man maye saye it sykerly but he that is perfytly and sothfastly meke Other men may trowe of hemselfe hope that they ben in charyte by tokens But he that is perfytly meke felytth it therfore myghte he sykerly saye it Thus meke was saynt poul and for thy sayd he thus hymselfe Quis seperabit nos a caritate dei TribulacoÌ„ an angustia c who shall depart me fro y e charite of god TribulacioÌ„ or aÌ„guyssh c And he answereth hymself and sayth There shall noo creature put me fro the charyte of god whiche I haue iÌ„ cryste Ihesu Many men done dedes of charyte and haue noo charyte as I haue sayd For to reproue a synner for his synne to his amendynge in couenable tyme it is a dede of charyte â–ª but to hate the synner in stede of the synne it is ayenst charite he that is verely meke can depart that one fro that other and noo man but he For though a man had al moral vertues of al phylosophers he cowde not do this He sholde cuÌ„ne hate the synne in al other men for he hateth it in hymselfe But he cowde not loue y e man in charyte for al his phylosophye Also yf a man had knowyng of al clergye of dyuinite be not sothfastly meke he shal lyghtly erre stomble take the one for that other But mekenes is worthy to receyue a yefte of god the whiche maye not be lerned by cunnynge of man And therfore he that is meke can hate y e synne and truely loue the man But now parauenture thou begynnest to drede for that I haue sayd that charite maye not be goten by no werke that thou maye doo How shalt thou then do As
the .ii. boke ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule not after the body Caplm primum ¶ Howit neded to mankynde y e oonly thorough y e passyoÌ„ of cryste it sholde be restored refourmed y â— was for shape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii That the Iewes paynyms also fals crysten men beÌ„ not refourmed effectually thorough the vertue of y e passyon for her owne defawte Caplm iii Of two maner refourmynges of this ymage one iÌ„ fulnes another in fayth Caplm iiii That refourmyng in party is iÌ„ two maners one in fayth another in felynge CaplmÌ„ v. That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y t stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is reâ—ourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii How in y â— sacrament of baptym of penauÌ„ce thorough a pryue vmperceyuable werchynge of y e holy ghost this ymage is reâ—ourmed thouÈe it be not seen ne felt ca. viii That we sholde by leue stedfastly refourmyng of this ymage yf our coÌ„science wytnes to vs a ful forsakynge of syn a true tournyng of our wyl to gode lyuyÌ„g \ ca iâ— That al y e soules y t lyuen mekely in y e fayth of holy chyrche haue her fayth quyckened in loue charyte ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be so y t they maye not fele y e specyal gyfte of deuocyon or of ghostly felynge Capitulum x. That soules refourmed neded euer to fyght to stryue strongly ayenst y t styrynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to styrynge whan not CaplmÌ„ xi That this ymage is bothe fayr foule whyle it is iÌ„ this lyfe here though it be rofourmed of dyuersyte of felynges pryuely had bytwene thyse soules y â— ben refourmed other that ben not CaplmÌ„ xii Of thre maner of men of y e whiche some ben not refourmed some ben refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth some in fayth in felynge CaplmÌ„ xiii How meÌ„ y â— ben in syn forshape heÌ„self into dyuers bestes lyknes they ben callyd y e louers of this worlde xiiii How louers of this worlde vnable heÌ„ in dyuers maners to y e refourmyng of her owne soule CaplmÌ„ xv A lytyl counceyle how louers of this worlde sholden do yf they wyll be refourmed in her owne soule byfore her partyng hens CaplmÌ„ xvi That refourmyng in fayth in felyng maye not sodenly be goten but by grace moche bodely ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme CaplmÌ„ xvii The cause why so fewe soules in rewarde of y e multytude of other comyth to this refourmynge in fayth in felynge CaplmÌ„ xviii Another cause also of y e same how wylful bodely customes indiscretly rewarded vsed somtyme hyndreth soules fro felyng of more grace CaplmÌ„ xix How that without moche bodely ghostly besynesse without moche grace mekenesse soules may not be refourmed in felyngne be kepte theriÌ„ after they come therto CaplmÌ„ xx An entree how a soule shal haue her in meanyng werchyng that wol come to this refourmynge by ensample of a pylgryme goynge to Ierusalem And of two maner of mekenesse CaplmÌ„ xxi Of taryeÌ„ges a teÌ„ptacyons y e soules felen by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng goyng to IerusaleÌ„ of remedyes ayenst hem CaplmÌ„ xxii Of a general remedy ayenst wycked styrynges paynful taryenges y e fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the worlde of the fende CaplmÌ„ xxiii Of an enyl daye a good nyght what it meanyth and how y e loue of y e worlde is lykned to an euyl daye y e loue of god to a good nyght Caplm xxiiii How y â— the desyre of Ihesu felte in this lyghtsome derknes sleeth al styrynges of synne ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu CapÌ„lm xxv How a man shal knowe false illuminacyons feyned by y e fende fro y e true lyght of knowynge y e comyth out of Ihesu by what tokens CapÌ„lm xxvi How grete profyte it is to the soule to be brought thoroughe grace in to lygtsome derkenesse how a man shal dyspose hym yf he wyl come therto CapmÌ„ xxvii That in refourmyng of a soule the werkyng of our lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes y â— is callyng ryghtyng magnyfyeng gloryfyenge CaplmÌ„ xxviii How it fallyth soÌ„tyme y e soules begynnyng perfytyng in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokens than some haue that ben perfyte yet it is not so in soth within CaplmÌ„ xxix On what maner a man shal haue knowyng of his owne soule how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god man one persone CaplmÌ„ xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shal be take on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poules wordes CaplmÌ„ xxxi How god openyth y e Inner eye of y e soule to se hym not al at ones but by dyuers tymes of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample CaplmÌ„ xxxii How IhuÌ„ is heueÌ„ to y e soule and why he is called fyre Capitulum xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed vnfourmed what it meaneth how we ben beholde to loue IhuÌ„ moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyenge but alther most for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue xxxiii How y â— some soule loueth Ihesu by bodely feruours by her owne manly affeccyons y e ben styred by grace by reason And how some louen Ihesu more restfully by ghostly affeccyons oony styred In warde thorough specyal grace of the holy ghost CaplmÌ„ xxxv That the yefte of loue amonge al the yefter of Ihesu is worthyest moest profytable And how Ihesu dooth al y â— is wel done in his louers onÌ„ly for loue how loue makyth the vsyng of al vertues al good dedes lyght eesy Capitulum xxxvi How loue thorugh gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu â—leeth al styrynges of pryde makyth y e soule for to lese sauour delyte in al erthly worshyp CaplmÌ„ xxxvii How loue sleeth all styrynges of wrath enuye softly refourmyth in the soule the vertues of pees pacyence of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles CaplmÌ„ xxxviii How loue sleeth couetyse lechery gloteny sleeth the flesshly sauour delyte in al the fyue bodely wyttes softly and easely thorough a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ Capitulum xxxix What vertues graces a soule receyueth thorugh openyÌ„g of y â— Inner eye in to the gracyous beholdynge of IhuÌ„ And it maye not be goteÌ„ onÌ„ly thorugh manÌ„es traueyle but thorugh specyal grace traueyle also CaplmÌ„ xl How specyal
of flesshly styrynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynâ—ynge and profytynge soules and of actyfmen The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyfmen For by the fyrste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmynge destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synne and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thoroughe 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 moost beste Fyrste lette vs speke of that one and sythe of that other And soo we shall come to the thyrde That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi TWo manere of synnes makyth a soâ—le to lese y e shape the lyknesse of god That one is called orygynal y t is y e fyrst syn thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done syn thise ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blysse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to theÌ„dles payn of hel but if it be thorough the grace of god refourmyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens out of this lyfe Neuertheles two remedyes arne there ayenst thyse two synnes by y t whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is y e sacramente of baptym ayenste orygynal synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenst actuel synÌ„e A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of orygynal synne hath no lyckenesse of god He is nought but an ymage of the fende a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thorugh the vertue of fayth of holy chyrche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of y e fende made lyke an angel of heuen Also y e same falleth to a Iewe or to a sarazyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne nought but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour fallen mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy sthost sothly without ony more taryenge they arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god soo fully as holy chyrche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe out of this worlde they sholde streyght flee to heuen withoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer so moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe neuer sholde they fele the paynes of helle ne of purgatory And y e pryuelege sholde they haue by the meryte of crystis passyon That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y e stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is refourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii ALso what crysten man or woman y t hath lost y e lyckenesse of god thoroughe a dedely synne brekynge goddis commaundementes yf he thoroughe to wchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricyon of herte and be in ful wyl for to amende hym and torne hym to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wyl receyueth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyltherto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans y t was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyl thorough dedely synne is nowe by the sacrament of penaunce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curtesye of our lorde and an endles mercy that so lyghtly foryeuyth al maner of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abydeth not grete penaunce doynge ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne a ful forsakynge in wyl of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournyng of y e hert to hym This askyth he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this withoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shal not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycyon loue be the more And therfore shal he go and shewe hym shriue hym to his ghostly rader and receyue penauÌ„ce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyl it so that bothe the synne y e payne maye be done awaye or he passe hens And that is the skylful ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that thoughe the synne be foryeuen thorough the vertue of contrycyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllynge of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shal yf he may shewe to his preste plener confessyoÌ„ for y t is his token his warraunt of foryeuenesse ayenste al his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenst a kyng of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a fulsykernesse for to haue onÌ„ly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a charter the whiche may be his token his warraunt agaynste al other men Ryght so maye it be sayd ghostly If a man haue forfeyted agaynst the kynge of heuen his lyfe thorough dedely synne It is not ynough to hym to fulsykernesse for to haue foryeuenes of god oonly by contrycyon betwene god and hym but yf he haue a charter made by holy chyrche yf he maye come therto And that is the sacrament of penaunce the whiche is his charter his token of foryeuenes For syth that he forfeyted both ayenste god and holy chyrche it is skylful that he haue foryeuenesse for that one and a warrant for y e other And this oo skylle why that confession is nedeful A nother skylle is this For syth this refourmyng of the soule stondyth in fayth oonly not in felyng therfore a flesshly man that is rude boystouse can not deme lyghtly but outwarde of bodely thynges sholde not mow haue crowyd y t his synnes had ben foryeueÌ„ hym but yf he had some bodely token and that is confessyon thorough the whiche token he is made â—ll syker of foryeuenes yf y t he do that in hym is This is the trouth of holy chyrche as I vnderstonde it Also a nother skylle is this Though the grounde of foryeuenesse stonde not pryncypally in confessyon but in contrycyon of y e herte and in forthyn kynge of synne neuertheles I hope that there is many a soule that sholde neuer a felyd very contricyoÌ„ nor had full forsakynge of synne yf confessyon had not be For it fallyth oft sythes that in the tyme of coufessyon grace of compunccyon comyth to a soule that before neuer felyd grace but euer was colde and drye and ferder fro felyng of grace And therfore syth confessyon was so profytable to the more partye of crysten men holy chyrche ordeyned for the more sykernesse
generally to al crysteÌ„ men that euery man woman sholde ones in the yere at the lest be shryuen of all her synnes that come to her mynde to her ghostly fader though they had neuer soo moche contrycyon before tyme Neuertheles I hope wel that yf al men had ben as besye aboute the kepyng of themselfe in eschewynge of almaner of synne And had comyn to as moche grete knowynge and felyng of god as some man hathe That holy chyrche sholde not haue ordeyned the token of confessyon as for nedeful bonde for it had not neded But for al men arne not so perfyte and perauenture moche of the more partye of crysten men is vnperfyte therfore holy chyrche ordeyned confessyon by waye of general bonde to al crysten men that wyl knowe holy chyrche as her moder wol be buxome to her byddynge If this be soth as I hope it is then erreth he gretely that generally sayth that confessyon of synnes for to shewe a preste is neyther nedeful to a synner ne behoful and that no man is bounde therto For by that that I haue sayd it is both nedeful spedful to al soules that in this wretchyd lyfe are defoyled thorough synne and namely to those y t arne thorough dedely synne forshapen fro the lyknes of god whiche mye not be refourmed to his lykenesse but by the sacrament of penaunce that pryncypally stondeth in contrycyon and sorowe of herte and secundary in shryfte of mouthe folowynge after yf it maye be hadde Upon this mauere by this sacrament of penaunce is a synful soule refourmed to the ymage of god and to hys lyckenesse ¶ How in the sacramente of baptym and of penaunce thorough a preuy vnperceyuable worchynge of the holy ghost this ymage is refourmed though it be not seen ne felt CalpmÌ„ viii BUT this refourmange stondeth in fayth not in felyng For ryght as the propyrte of the fayth is for to trowe y t thou seest not ryght so it is for to trowe y e thou felyst not But he y t is refourmed in his soule by y e sacrament of penaunce to y e ymage of god he felyth no chauÌ„gynge in hymself neyther in his bodely kynde without ne in the pryue substaunce of the soule within other than he dyde for he is as he was vnto his felynge and he felyth the same styrynges of synne the same corrupcyon of his flesshe in passyons worldly rysynge in his herte as he dyde before And neuertheles he shal trowe y t he is thorugh grace refourmed to y e lyknes of god though he nother fele it ne see it He may wel fele sorowe for his synne a tornyng of his wyll fro synÌ„e to cleÌ„nesse of lyuynge yf y t he haue grace take good kepe of hymselfe but he may nother see ne fele the refourmyng of his soule how it is wonderly vnperceyuably chaunged fro y e fylthe of the fende vnto the fayrnes of an angel thorough a pryue gracyous werchyng of the holy ghost That maye he not see but he shal trowe it And yf he trowe it then is his soule refourmed in trouthe For ryght as holy chyrche trowith by y e sacrament of baptym sothfastly receyued a Iewe or a sarasyn or a chylde borne is refourmed in soule to the lyckenesse of god thorough a pryue vnperceyuable werthyng of the holy ghost not ayeÌ„ stoÌ„dyng al y e flesshly styrynges of his body of syn y e whiche he shal fele after his baptim as wel as he dyde before Ryght so by y e sacrament of penauÌ„ce mekely truly recoÌ„maundement of god And for that thou haste mysdone here before ayenste his byddyng thou hast shryuen y â— therof mekely with ful herte to leue it arte sory that thou dydest it I saye then sykerly that thy soule is refourmed in fayth to the lyknes of god ¶ That al the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche haue her fayth quyckened in loue chary ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be soo y e they may not fele y â— specyal yefte of deuocoÌ„n or of ghostly felynge CalpmÌ„ x IN this refourmynge that is oonly in fayth y e moste parte of chosen soules leden her lyfe that setteÌ„ her wyl stedfastly for to flee al manere of dedely synne and for to kepe hem in loue charyte to her euen crysteÌ„ and for to kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god after her cuÌ„nynge And whan it so is that wycked styrynges euyl wylles rysen in her hertes of pryde or of enuye of yre or lecherye or of ony other hede synne they ayenstonde heÌ„ and stryuen ayenst hem by dysplesyng of wyl soo that they folowe not in dede thyse wycked wylles And neuertheles yf they falle lyghtly as it were ayenst her wyl thorugh freelte or vncuÌ„nynge as soone her conscyence greuyth hem and pynyth hem soo greuously that they mowe haue noo reste tyll they be shryuen and maye haue foryeuenesse Sothly al thyse soules that thus lyuenin 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 Thoughe it be soo that they myghte neuer haue ghostly felynge ne Inwarde sauoure ne specyall grace of deuocyon in al her lyfe tyme For elles yf thou saye that noo soule shall be â—aaf but it were refourmed in ghostly felyng that it myght fele deuocyon ghostly sauour in god as some soules doon thorough specyal grace then sholde fewe soules be saaf in rewarde of multytude of other Nay it is not for to trowe that y e for the soules that oonly arne deuoute and by grace come to ghostly felynge and for no mo our lorde IhuÌ„ sholde haue take maÌ„kynde suffred y e harde passyon of dethe It had be a lytyl purchaas to hym for to haue come fro so ferre to so nere and fro soo hye to so lowe for so fewe soules Nay his mercy is spred larger than soo Neuertheles on the contrary wyse yf thou trowe y t the passyon of our lorde is soo precyous his mercy so moche y t there shal no soule be dampned namely of no crysten man do he neuer so euyll as some fooles wene sothly thou eâ—rest gretly Therfore go in y e meane holde the in y e myddes trowe as holy chyrche trowith And that is that the moost synful man y t lyueth in there yf he torne his wyl thorough grace fro dedely synne with sothfaste repentaunce to the seruyce of god he is refourmed in his soule And yf he deyed in y e state he shal be saaf Thus behyght our lorde by his prophete sayenge thus In quacuÌ„que hora conuersus fuerit peccator ingemuerit vita viuit noÌ„ morietur That is In what tyme that it be that the synful man is tourned to god fro synne and he haue sorow therfore he shal lyue and he shal deye endelesly And on the other
soule whan it is refourmed to y e ymage of god By the lawe of the flesshe I vnderstonde y e sensualytees whiche I calle y â— ymage of synne In thyse two lawes a soule refourmed ledeth his lyfe as saynt poul sayth MeÌ„te enim seruio legi dei carne enim legi peccati In my soule that is in my wyl and in my reason I serue to the lawe of god but in my flessh y t is iÌ„ my flesshly appetyte I serue to the lawe of synne Neuertheles y t a soule refourmed shal not dispeyre thoughe he serue to the lawe of synne by felynge of the vycyous sensualyte ayenste the wyl of the spyryte by cause of corrupcyon of the bodely kynde Saynt poul excusyth it sayeng thus of his owne persone Non eniÌ„ quod volo bonuÌ„ hoc ago sed malum quod odi hoc facio Si auteÌ„ maluÌ„ quod odi hoc facio noÌ„ ego operor illud sed quod habitat iÌ„ me peccatuÌ„ I do not that good y t I wolde do That is I wolde fele no flesshly styryng that do I not But I doo that euyl y t I hate That is The synful styryng of my flesshe I hate and yet I fele hem Neuertheles syth it is so y t I haue y e wycked styrynges of my flesshe yet I fele hem and ofte delyte in hem ayenst my wyl they shal not be reherced ayenste me fro dampnacyon as yf I hadde done hem And why For the corrupcyon of this ymage of synne doth hem not I. Loo saynt poul in his persone god And yf he deye in y t plyght he shall not be saaf His trouth shal not saue hym for his trouth is dede lackyth loue therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened with loue and charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degre of charyte as arn symple soules y e whiche felen not y e yeft of specyal deuocyon ne ghostly knowyng of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chyrche trowyth and knowyth not fully what y t 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 al dedely synne after her cuÌ„nynge and dooen y e dedes of mercy to her euen crysten Al thyse longen to the blysse of heuen For it is wrytten in the apoc thus Qui timetis deum pusilli et magni lauâ—ate eum This is ye that dreden god bothe smale grete thanke hym By grete arn vnderstode soules y t arne profytyng in grace or elles perfyte in y e loue of god the whiche arn refourmyd in ghostly felynge By â—male arn vnderstoÌ„de soules vnperfyte of worldly men wymmen other that haue but a chyldys knowynge of god ful lytyl felynge of hym but arn brought forth in the bosom of holy chyrche nourysshed with the sacrament as chylderne arn fedde with mylke Al thyse sholde loue god thanke hym for saluacyon of her soules by his endles mercy goodnesse For holy chyrche that is moder of al thyse hath tender loue to al her chylderne ghostly prayeth asketh for hem al tenderly of her spowse that is Ihesu geteth hem hele of soule thorough vertue of his passyon And namly for hem that can not speke for hemselfe by ghostly prayer for her nede Thus I fynde in the gospel That y â— woman of Chanee asked of our lorde he le to her doughter that was traueyled with a fende our lorde made fyrst daungeour by cause she was an alyene Neuertheles she ceased not for to cry tyl our lorde had grauÌ„ted her askyng and sayd to her thus Aa woman moche is thy trouth be it to y e ryght as thou wolt In the same hour was her doughter hole This woman betokenith holy chyrche y â— asketh helpe of our lorde for symple vncuÌ„nynge soules that are traueyled with teÌ„ptacyon of y e worlde and can not speke perfytly to god by feruour of deuocoÌ„n ne brennyng loue in conteÌ„placyon 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 dyserte of holy chyrche he graunteth to her al y t she wyll And so arn thyse symple soules y t trowen stedfastly as holy chyrche trowyth putten hem fully in y e mercy of god maken hem vnder the sacrament and lawes of holy chyrche made saaf thorugh prayer trouth of her moder holy chyrche ¶ That soules refourmed neden euer to fyght to stryue ayenste the styrynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to y e styrynge whan not CaplmÌ„ xi THis refourmyng in fayth is lyghtly goten but it maye not so lyghtly beholde therfore what maÌ„ or woman y t is refourmed to the lyekenesse of god in trouth moche traueyle besynesse must they haue yf they wyl kepe this ymage hole clene y t it falle not downe ayen thorugh wekenesse of wyl to the ymage of synÌ„e He maye not be ydle ne reklees for y e ymage of synne is so nere festnyd to hym so contynually pressyth vpon hym by dyuerse styrynges of syn that but yf he be right wel waar he shal ful lyghtly thorugh assent fal ayeÌ„ ther comforteth al soules that thorough grace arne refourmed in fayth y â— they sholden not tomoche drede y e bourden of this ymage with the vnskylful styrynges therof yf it so be they sente not wylfully therto Neuertheles in this poynte many soules y â— arne refourmed in trouthe arne oft tymes moche tormented trowbled in vayne as thus Whan they haue felte flesshly styrynges of pryde or enuye of couetyse or lechery or of ony other he desynÌ„e they wote not somtyme whether they sent therto or no. that is no grete woÌ„der For in tyme of temptacyon a freel mannes thought is so trowbled so ouer layed y t he hath no clere syght ne fredom of hymself but is taken oft with lykyng vnwarly gooth forth a grete whyle or then he perceyue it And therfore fallen some in dowte dwere wheder they synÌ„ed in tyme of teÌ„ptacyon or no As ayenst this poynt I saye as me thynke y t a soule maye haue assayeng in this manere whed y t he assente or no If it be so y t a man is styred to ony maner of synne the lykynge is soo grete in his flesshly felynge y t it trowblyth his reason as it were with maystry ocupyeth the affeccoÌ„n of y e soule neuertheles he kepyth hym y t he foloweth not in dede ne he wolde not yf he myght but is rather paynful to hym for to fele the lykyng of y e synne fayne he wolde put it awaye yf he myght And then whan y e styryng is ouerpassed he is
more y t he be torned to me lyue For our lorde wol that the moost frowarde man y t lyueth forshapen thorugh synne yf he torne his wyl aske grace that he be refourmed to his lyknesse ¶ That refourmyng in fayth in felyng may not sodēly be goten by grace moche bodely ghostly traueyle ī lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii THis refourmyng is in fayth as I haue before sayd y t lyghtly may be had But after this comyth refourmyng in fayth in felynge that maye not lyghtly begote but thorugh longe trauyle moche besynesse For refourmynge in fayth in comyn to al chosen soules though they ben in the lowest degree of charyte But refourmynge in felynge is specyally of thyse soules y t may come to the state of perfeccyon that maye not sodeynly be had but after grete plente of grace moche ghostly traueyle a soule maye come therto and that is whan he is fyrste helyd of his ghostly syknes and whan al bytter passyons flesshly lustes other olde felynges arne brente oute of the herte with fyre of desyre newe gracyous felynges arne brought Inne with brennynge loue ghostly lyght Then̄e ryght nyghe hygheth a soule to perfeccyon and to refourmynge in felynge ¶ For soth it is ryght as a man that is broughte nye to deth thorough bodely syknesse though he receyue a medicyne by the whiche he is restored and syker of his lyfe he maye not therfore anone ryse vp and go to werke as an hole maye for the feblenes of his body holdeth hym downe that he muste abyde good whyle and kepe hym wel with medicynes and dyete hym by mesure after y e techynge of a leche tyl he maye fully recouer bodely he le Ryght so ghostly he that is brought to ghostly dethe thorugh dedely synne though he thorugh medycyne of the sacrament of penaūce be restored to lyfe that he shal not be dampned neuertheles he is not anone hole of all his passyons and of al his flesshly desyres ne able to contemplacyon but hym behouyth abyde a grete whyle and take good kepe of hymselfe and rule hym soo that he myght recouer ful hele of soule for he shal langern a grete whyle or that he be fully hole Neuertheles yf that he take medecynes of a good leche vse hem in tyme with mesure with dyscrecyon he shall moche the sooner be restored to his ghostly strength and come to refourminge in felynge For refourmynge in fayth is y e lowest state of al chosen soules For byneth y t myght they not well be But refourmynge in felyng is the hyest state in this lyfe that the soule maye come to But fro the lowest to y e hyest maye not a soule sodenly styrte no more than a mā that wol clymbe vpon a ladder hye and setteth his fote vpon the lowest stele may at the nexte flee vp to y e hyest But hym behoueth go by processe one after a nother tyl he maye come to the ouerest Ryght so it is ghostly noo man is made sodenly souereyne in grace but thorough longe exercyse and slye werkynge of a soule maye come therto namly whan he helpyth and techyth a wretchid soule in whome al grace lyeth For without specyal helpe and Inwardly techynge of hym maye noo soule come therto ¶ The cause why so fewe soules in rewarde of y t multytude of other comen to this refourmg in fayth in felynge Caplm̄ xviii BUt now sayst thou Syth our lorde is so curteys of his goodnes of his gracyous yeftes so free wonder it is then that so fewe sowles as it semyth in rewarde of the multytude of other maye come to this refourmynge in felynge It semyth y t he were dangerous that is not sothe or that he toke no rewarde of his creatures the whiche by takyng of fayth are become his seruauntes Unto this I may answere saye as me thynketh that one enchesen is this Many that are refourmed in fayth setten not her hertes for to profyte in grace ne for to seke none hyer estate of good lyuynge thorugh besye traueyle in prayeng a thynkyng and other bodely ghostly werkynge but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe hemselfe out of dedely synne for to stonde stylle in that plyght as they are in For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degre in heuen They wol coueyte no more Thus perchaunce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worlde actyflyfe and that is lytyl wonder of hem For they are so occupyed with worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly we tkynge And neuertheles it is peryllous to hem for they falle out al daye and are nowe vp now downe maye not come to the stablenes of gode lyuyng Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge But other men wymmen y t are free fro worldly besynesse yf they woll maye haue her nedeful sustynaunce without grete bodely besynes specyally as relygyous men wymmen may that bynden hemselfe to the state of perfeccyon by takynge of relygion and other men also in seculer state that haue moche reason in grete kyndly wytte myght yf they wolde dyspose hem there to come to moche grace Thyse men are more to blame for they stōde stylle as they were ydle wol not prouffyte in grace ne in no ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god For sothly it is peryllous to a soule that is refourmed oonly in sayth and wol no more seke profyte ne yeue hym besyly to ghostly traueyle for he maye so lyghtly lese that he hath and falle ayen to dedely synne For a soule may not stonde styl alwaye in one state whyle that it is in the flesshe For it is eyther profytynge in grace or peyrynge in syn̄e For it fareth by hym as it dooth by a man that were drawe out of a pytte whan he were vp he wolde no ferder go than y e pyttes brynke Sothly he were a moche foole for a lytyl puffe of wynde or an vnwarly styryng of hȳ selfe sholde soone caste hym downe ayen wors than he was byfore Neuertheles yf he fle fro y e brynke as ferre as he maye go forth on the erthe then though there come a grete storme he is the more syker for he falleth not in the pytte Ryght so ghostly he that is drawen out of y e pytte of synne thoroughe refourmynge of faythe and whan he is our of dedely synne he thynketh hymselfe syke◠ynoughe And therfore he wol not profyte but holde hym stylle as he is by the pyttys brynke as nere as he maye sothely he is not wyse For atte the leest temptacyon of hys enmye or of hys flesshe he falleth in to synne ayen But neuerthelesse yf he flee fro the pytte that is yf he sete
worlde sette hym at nought 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 perfytly soo must a nother maÌ„ in partye that wolde folowe 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 coÌ„templacoÌ„n to refourmyng in felyng and none other than this There may be many suÌ„dryd wayes seere werkes lettinge and ledyng suÌ„dry soulys to conteÌ„placion For after diuers disposynges of men after sundry states as are religyous 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 knowyng and to a meke felynge of hymself and that is that he be mortifyed and dede to the worlde as in his loue and that he maye fele hymself somtyme in this restful derkenes by the whiche he maye be hydde fro vanytee of the worlde as in his loue and that he maye fele hymselfe what he is sothly he is not yet come to the refourmynge in felynge ne hath not fully contemplacioÌ„ He is ful ferre therfro yf he woll come by any gate he is but a theyf and a breker of y e walle And therfore as vnworthy he shal be cast 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 cum christo 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 god hede fro the loue the syghte of flesshly louers This gate oute lorde hym selfe shewed in the gospell whan he sayd thus ¶ Omnis qui reliquerit patrem aut matrem fraterm autsororem proptet me sentuplum acciptet et vitam etecnam possidebit ¶ Euery man that forsakyth for my loue fader or moder syster or brother or ony good erthly he shall haue an hundreth folde in this lyfe and afterwarde y e blysse heuen This hundreth folde that a soule shal haue yf he forsake the worlde is nought but y e profyte of this lyghtly derknes the whiche I calle the gate of contemplacoÌ„n For he y t is in this derkenes and is hyd thorughe grace fro worldly vanytee he coueyteth nought of worldly gode he sechyth it not he is not taried therwith he lokyth not after it he loueth it not And therfore hath he an huÌ„dreth folde more thaÌ„ the kynge or thaÌ„ he hath that coueiÌ„teth most of erthly good For he y t nonght 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 than he that mooste coueyteth of the worlde And hathe al the wel of it vnder his welthe hathe in al his lyfe tyme This is then a good derkenesse and a ryche nought y t bryngeth a soule to soo moche ghostly ease and soo stylle softenesse I trowe dauyd meaned of this nyghte or of this nought whan he sayd thus Ad michilum redactê° sum et nesciui That is I was brought to nought and I wyste not That is The grace of our lorde Ihesu sente in to myn herte hath slayne in me And broughte to nought al the loue of the worlde and I wyst not how For thrugh noo worchynge of myself ne by myn owne wyt I haue it not but of the grace of oure lorde Ihesu And therfore me thynkyth he that woll haue the lyghte of grace fulsomly fele the loue of Ihesu in his soule he must forsake all the fals lyght or worldly loue and abide in this derknes And neuertheles yf he be adrad fyrst for to wonÌ„e therin torne not ayen to the loue of the worlde but suffre a whyle and put al his hope and his truste in Ihesu and he shal not longe be without some ghostly lyghte Thus byddeth the prophete Qui ambulat in tenebris et non est lumen ei speret in dnÌ„o inuitarursuper deuÌ„ suum who soo gooth in derkenes and hath noo lyght That is Who so wol hyde hym fro the loue of the worlde and may not redily fele lyght of ghostly loue dyspeyre not tourne not agayne to the worlde but hope in our lorde and leen vpon hym that is truste in god and cleue to hym by desyre And abyde a whyle and he shal haue lyghte For it falleth therby as it doth yf a man hadde be a grete whyle in the sonne And after that came sodeynly in to a derkehous there noo sonne shyneth He sholde be as he were blynde see ryght nouÈt but yf he wolde abyde a whyle he shal mow see sone aboute hym Fyrst grete thynges sytheÌ„ smale and after al y t euer is in the hous Ryght so it is ghostly he that forsaketh the loue of the worlde comyth to hymselfe in to his owne conscyence it is fyrst derke somwhat blynde to his syght but yf he stonde styll holde forth with besyprayeng often thynkyng of y e same wyl to the loue of IhuÌ„ he shal mow see afterwarde grete thynges smale y t he fyrst knew not thus semyth y e prophete behiÈt sayâ—ng thus Orietur in tenebris lux tua tenebre tue erunt sicut meridies requiem da bit tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus implebit aiÌ„am tuam splendori bus That is Lyght shal sprynge to y t in derknes that is thou that forsakyst sothfastly the lyght of al worldly loue hydest thy thought in this derknes lyght of blyssed loue ghostly knowyng of god shal sprynge to the. thy derknes shal be as myd daye that is thy derknes of traueylynge desyre and thy blynde trust in god y t thou hast fyrst shal turne in to clere knowyng iÌ„ to sykernes of loue thy lorde god shal yeue reste to y e y t is thy flesshly desyres thy paynful dredes doutes wycked spyrytes that haue contynuelly before tyme traueylyd the all thise shal weyken lese moche of her myght thou shalt be made so strong that they shal not dere y â— for thou shalt be hyd in rest fro hem than shall our lorde Ihesu fulfyl thy soule with shynynges that is whan thou art brought in to this ghostly reste than shalt thou more esely tente to god nought elles
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„yng at 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 CaplmÌ„ xxix BUt 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 compunction for her synnes and some haue grete deuocyons feruours in her prayers and often haue sundry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vnderstonding and some men haue other maner felynges of confortable hete and grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre and lastyng loue and thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be reformed iÌ„ felynge or noughte It semeth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other meÌ„ that stoÌ„de only iÌ„ fayth fele not of Unto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynge whether they stonde in compunction or deuocyon or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shal haue and fele iÌ„ the grace of contemplacion I say not but they are sothfast and gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet y â— yefte of perfeccioÌ„ ne ghostly the brenninge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god thaÌ„ other that haue the yefte of perfeccyon in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge knelinge spekynge and other bodily styrynge soo ferforth that it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo wel I wote that thise maner felinges and feruours of deuocioÌ„ and compunccion that thise men fele are gracious â—eftes of god sent in to choseÌ„ soules for to drawe heÌ„ out of worldly loue and flesshly luste that hath ben longe tyme roted in her hert fro the whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirynge of grete feruours neuer theles y t the feruours is somoche in outwarde shewyng it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes and weyknes of her soule that may not bere a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it were fleshly festned to the flesshe neuer was yet departed fro ghostly mortifyeng and therfore the lest towching of loue and the lest sperkyl of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heuen in to suche a soule is so moche so comfortable so delectable ouer al the likinge that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thynge y t it is ouertaken with it And also it is so newe and sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth and shewyth out in wepynge sobbyng other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell y t is olde whan it receyueth new wine that is fresshe And myghty the costrel boyleth oute and is in poynte for to cleue and brest vntyl the wyne hath boylled and spourged oute al vnclennesse but also sone as the wyne is fyned and cleryd thenne it stondeth styl aud the costrel hole Right so a sonle that is olde thrugh synne whan it receyueth a lytyl of the loue of god that is soo fresshe and so myghty y t 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 weping and at y e mouth by spekyng and y t is more for weyknes and feblenes of the soule thaÌ„ for mykylnes of loue For afterwarde whan loue hath boyled al the vnclennes oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours then is the loue clere stondeth styl And then is both the body and the soule moche more in pees and yet hath the soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewelesse outwarde For it is now al hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye y t thyse soules y t feleâ— suche grete hodily feruours though they beÌ„ in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretely dysposed towarde For I trowe that suche a man naÌ„ly y t hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente and purifyed wyth suche grete compunccyons goynge before Another soule that neuer was moche defoyleth wyth loue of y e worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete synnes in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer and more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde comÌ„ to this refourmynge Thenne is this soch as I hope that suche comfortes and feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytyng are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his trauely Right as a pylgryme traueyleth al daye meteles drynkles and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke is wel refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that wol forsake the loue of the worlde wolde fayne loue god and settyth al his besynes therto prayeth and traueyleth al daye bodely and ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocyon TheÌ„ our lorde hauynge pyte ouer al his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne iÌ„to heuynes or grutchynge sendeth it amonge his ghostly foode comforteth it in deuocyon as he wouchith saaf And whaÌ„ the soule feleth ony comforte thenne holdeth he hym wel payd for all his traueylle and all the disease that it had on the day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The self wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferforth in grace They felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syght of ghostly thynges and in affeccy of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why al suche felynges come to heÌ„ in that state as it were vnwarly for they come or they wyte it gooth 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 with heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soules is not opyned to y e beholdyng of gostly thiÌ„ges but they nyghe faste towarde therfore they are not yet refourmed iÌ„ felyng ne they haue not yet y e ful yeft of conteÌ„placioÌ„ ¶ On what maner a man shal haue knowynge of hys owne soule and how a man sholde sette his loue
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 Lo this the loue that I spake of that thou sholdest oonly coueyte and dysyre this vnfourmed loue that is the holy ghost For sothly a lesse thynge or a lesse yefte than he is maye nat auayle vs for to brynge vs to the blessed syght of IhuÌ„ And therfore sholde we fully desyre and aske of Ihesu oonly this yeft of loue y t he wolde for the mochenes of his loue so blessed touch our herte wyth his vnseable lyghte to the knowynge of hym and departe wyth vs of his loue y t as he loueth vs that we myght loue hym ayen Thus sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Nos diligamê° deum qmÌ„ ipse prior dilexit nos That is Loue we god now for he fyrst loueth vs He loued vs moche whan he made vs to his lyknes But he loued vs more whan he bought vs wyth his precyous blode thrugh wylfull takynge of deth in his man hede fro the power of the fende and fro the pyne of hell but he loueth vs moost whan he yeueth vs the yefte of the holy ghost that is loue be y t whiche we knowe him and loue hym and are made syker that we are his sones chosen to saluacion For this loue are we more to hym bouÌ„de thaÌ„ for ony other loue that euer shewed he for vs. eyther in our makynge or in our ayenbyenge For though he had made vs and bought vs but yf he saue vs with all what profyteth it elles to vs our makynge or our byenge Sothly ryght nought Therfoâ— the mooste token of loue shewed to vs as me thynketh is this That he yeueth hiÌ„selfe in his manhode to ouâ— soules ¶ He gaaf hym selfe fyrste in his maÌ„hede to â—e for our Raunson whanne he offred hymselfe to the fader of heuen vpon the awter of the crosse ¶ This was a ryght fayre yefte and a ryght grete token of loue But what tyme he gyueth hymselfe in his godhege ghostly to our soules for our saluacion And maketh vs for to knowe hym and for to loue hym Thenne louyth he vs fully For theÌ„ne yeueth he hymselfe to vs And more myght he not yeue vs Ne lesse myghte not suffyce to vs ¶ And for this skylle it is sayd that the ryghtynge of a synfull soule thorugh foryeuenesse of synnes is areâ—ted and appropered pryncypally to the worchynge of the holy ghoste For the holy ghost is loue And in the ryghtynge of a soule our lorde Ihesu sheweth to a soule moost of his loue For he doth awaye all synne and â—onyth 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 makynge of the soule is appropred to the fader as for the souereyne myghte and power y t 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 feÌ„de pryncypally thrugh wysdome and not thrugh strenghte But the ryghtynge and the full sauynge of a soule by foryeuenesse of synnes is approprede to the thyrde persone that is the holy ghoste For therin sheweth Ihesu mooste loue vnto mannes soule And for that chynge shall he be mooste loued of vs ayen His makynge is comen to vs and to all vnresonable creatures For as he made vs of noughte â–ª soo made he hem And therfore is this werke greteste of myghte but not mooste of loue Also the byenge is comen to vs and to all resonable soules as to Iewes and saracyns and to fals crysten men For he deyed for all soules ylyke and bought hem yf they woll haue the perfyte loue of it also it suffyceth for the bienge of al though it be so that al haue it not And this werke was most of wysdome not most of loue But the ryghtynge and the halowynge of our soules thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost that is oonly in that worchynge of loue And that is not comen to all but it is a specyall gyfte oonly to them whiche be chosen soules And sothly that is mooste 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 y e holy gost This loue vnformed whaÌ„ it is yeueÌ„ to vs it worâ—heth in our soule all y e gode is all y e longeth to godenes This loue loueth vs or that we loue hym for it cleÌ„seth vs fyrst of our synnes and maketh vs for to loue hym maketh our wyll stronge for to ayenstond all synnes and styreth vs for to assaye our self thrugh dyuers exercyse both bodily gostly in all vertues It stireth vs also for to forsake the synne and flesshly affeccions and worldly dredes It kepeth vs fro malycyous temptacions of the fende and dryueth vs out fro besynes vanyte of the worlde and fro conuersacion of worldly louers All this dooth the loue of god vnformed whaÌ„ he yeueth hymself to vs we do right nought but suffre hym and assente to him for that is the moost that we doo that we assente wylfully to his gracyous worchynge in vs and yet is not that wyl of vs but of his makynge so that me thynketh that he dooth in vâ— all that is well done yet see we it not And not oonly dooth he thus but after this loue dooth more for he openeth the eye of the soule and shewith to y e soule that syght of Ihesu wonderfully and the kâ—owynge of him as the soule maye suffre it thus by lytyll and by lytyll and by that syghte he rauyssheth all the affeccion of the soule to hym thenne begynneth the soule for to knowe hym ghostly and brynnyngly for to loue hym ThiÌ„â—ne seeth the soule somwhat of the kynde of the blessed godhede of Ihesu howe that he is all and that he worcheth all and that all gode dedes the whiche are done and gode thouhtes are oonly of hym for he is all seuereyn myght all souereiÌ„ sothfastnes al souerein godnes therfore euery gode dede is donÌ„ of him by him he shal oonly haue the worship the thanke for all good dedes and noo thynge but he For though wretched meÌ„ stele his worchypp here for a whyle Neuerthelesse att the laste ende shall sothfastnesse shewe well that Ihesu dyde alle And man dyde ryght uoughte of hym selfe And thenne shall theues of goddes that are not acorded wyth hym here in this lyfe for her trespaas be demyd to deth IhuÌ„ shal be fully worshipped thanked of al blessed creatures for his worchynge This loue is not elles but Ihesu hymself that for loue worcheth al this iÌ„ mannes soule and refourmeth it iÌ„ felynge to his lykenes as I haue before sayd and somwhat as I shall saye
This loue bryngeth in to the soule the full hede of all vertues and makyth al clene and true soft and easy and torneth him al in to loue and in to likynge And on what maner wyse he dooth that I shall telle the a lytyll after warde This loue drawyth the soule fro vayne beholdynge of worldly thynges in to contemplacyon of ghostly creatures and of goddis pryuites 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 affeccions that ben styred by grace and by reason And how some louen Ihesu more rest fully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyally grace of the holy ghost Capitulum xxxv THeÌ„ne maye I saye that he that most haâ—h of this loue here in this lyfe most pleseth god and most clere sighte shal haue of hym and moost fully loue hym in the blysse of heuen for he hath the most yeft of loue here in erth This loue may not be had by a maÌ„nes owne traueyle as some wene It is freely had of the gracyous yefte of Ihesu after moche bodyly and ghostly traueyle goyng before For there are some louers of god y t maken hymself to loue god as it were by her owne myght for they streyne hemself thrugh grete vyolence and panten so strongly that they brast in to bodily feruours as they wolde drawe downe god fro heuen to hem And they sayen in her hertes and 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 moche grace And soth it is me thynketh this worchynge is gode and medfully yf it be well tempred wyth mekenes with dyscrecion But neuertheles thyse meÌ„ 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 beholding of IhuÌ„ as I meane or elles yf be haue it not yet but wolde haue it he is not besy for to strayne hymself ouer his myghte as it were by bodyly strength for to haue it by bodyly feruours and soo for to fele the loue of god but hym thynketh that he is ryght nought and that he can doo ryght noughte of hymselfe but as it were a dede thyng oonly hangyng borne vp by the mercy of god He seeth well that IhuÌ„ is al and dooth all and therfore asketh he noughte elles but the yefte of loue Horly theÌ„ that the soule seth that his owne loue is noughte therfore it wolde haue his loue for that is ynough Therfore praieth he and that desireth he that the loue of god wolde towche hym with his blessed lyghte that he myghte see a lytyll of hym by his gracyous presence for then 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 nough yth itself thorugh grace by syght of his sothfastnes some tyme wythoute ony feruour outwarde shewed and the lesse y t it thynkith that it loueth or seeth god the nerer it nygheth for to precyuâ—e the yefte of the blessed loue For then is loue mayster worcheth in the sowle and maketh it forgete itselfe and for to se beholde onÌ„ly how loue doth And then is y e soule more suffrynge than doyng and that is clene loue Thus saynt poul meaned whan he sayd thus QuicuÌ„que spÌ„u dei agunt hii filii dei sunt All thise that are wrought wyth the spyryte of god are goddes soÌ„nes y t is soules y t are made so meke so buxomÌ„ to god that thei werke not of hemself but suffre y e holy ghost styre hem worche hem in the felynges of loue wyth a swete corde to his styrynges Thyse arn specyally godd is soÌ„nes most lyke vnto hym Other soules that can not loue thus buttraueylen heÌ„self by her owne afflyccyoÌ„s styre hyÌ„self thrugh her owne thinkynge of god bodyly exercyse for to drawe out of heÌ„self by mastry y e feliÌ„g of loue by feruours other bodily sygnes loue not ghostly they done wel medful yf so y t they wol know â—â—ekly y t her werching is not y e kyndly gracyous felyng of loue but it is manly doyng by a soule at y e byddyng of reason neuertheles thrugh y e godenes of god by cause y t the soule doth y â— in it is thyse maÌ„ly offeccoÌ„ns of y e soule styred in to god by mannes werchyng are â—orned in to ghostly affeccyons and are medeâ—ulas yf they had he done ghostly in the fyrste begynnynge And this is a grete curtesye of oure lorde shewed to meke soules that torneth all thyse manly affeccyons of kyndely loue in to the affeccyon and in to the mede of his owne loue As yf he hadde wroughte hym all fully by hymselfe And soo thyse manly affeccyons soo tourned maye be called affeccyons of ghostely loue thoroughe purchase not thoroughe kyndely bryngynge fourthe of the holy ghoste I saye not that a soule maye worche suche manly affeccyons oonly of itselfe without grace for I wot wel that saynt paul sayth that we maye ryght noughte done thynke that gode is of ourself without grace Non enÌ„iqd sumê° sufficientes cogitare aliquid ex nobis qua si ex nobis sed sufficiencia nâ—a ex deo est That is â–ª we y e loue god wene not y t we suffyse for to loue or for to thynke good of ourselfe oonly but our suffysynge is of god For god worcheth in al both good werke and good wyl as saynt poul sayth Deus est qui eperatur in nobis et velle perficere probona voluntate That is It is god that worcheth in vs good wyl and fulfyllynge of good wyl But I saye that suche affeccyon are good made by the wyll meane of a soule after the general grace that â—e yeueth to al chosen soules not of specyal grace made ghostly by towchynge of his gracyous presence as he worcheth in his perfyte louers as I sayd before for â—n vnperfyte louers loue worcheth ferly by the affeccyons of man but inperfyte louers loue worchyth nerely by her owne ghostly affeccyons sleeth in a soule for y e tyme al other affeccyons bothe flesshly kyndly manly y t is propeely the werchynge of loue by hymselfe Thus loue maye be had in a lytyl in partye here in a clene soule thrugh y e ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ but in y e blysse of heueÌ„ it is fulfylled by clere syghte of his godhede For there shall none affeccyon be feled in a soule but godly and ghostly ¶ That the yefte of loue amonge al other yeftes of IhuÌ„ is worthyest moost profytable And how IhuÌ„ doth al that is weldone in his louers onÌ„ly for loue And how loue makyth the vsynge of al vertues all good dedes lyght and
worchynge of loue And the more it traueyleth so the more reste he feleth This restful traueylle is full ferre fro flesshly ydlenes blynde sykernes It is ful of ghostly werke but it is callyd reste For grace looseth the heuy yocke of flesshly loue fro the soule makyth it myghty free thorugh the yeft of ghostly loue for to worche gladly softly and delectably in al thynge that grace styreth it for to worche in And therfore it is called an holy ydlenes and a rest most besy and so it is in inrewarde stylnes fro the grete cryeÌ„ge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth Inspyracyon of the holy ghost in beholynge of IhuÌ„ For why His voyse is soo swete so myghty that it putteth sylenee in a sowle to IaÌ„glynge of al other spekers for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i iÌ„ virtute That is The voys of our lorde Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Uiuê° est sermo dei et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio That is quycke is y e worde of IuÌ„ spedy more perysshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne the soule kepte in scyleÌ„ce fro al wycked styrynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ„ est scilenciuÌ„ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scylence was made iÌ„ heueÌ„ as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lyfte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌ„uersacoÌ„n so it is in sylence 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 y e soule thinketh y t it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And thenne hath it pees in conscience For why Grace puttyth out gnawynge prickynge stryuynge flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde makyth Ihesu a soule bothe one in ful accordaunce of wyll ¶ There is none vpbardynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuyng of defawtes made y e tyme in a soule For they haue kyssed and made frendes and al is forgiuen y t was mysse done Thus felyth the soule then with ful meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And coÌ„ceyueth a ful grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in consciency of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heueÌ„ly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth Ipse spiritus testimonium peâ—hibet spiritui nostro quontam filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost berith wytnes to our spyryte y t we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscience sothfastly felt thrugh grace is y e very Ioye of y e soule as y e apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimoniuÌ„ conscientie mee That is my Ioye is y e wytnesse of my conscyeÌ„ce y t is whan it wytnessyth pees acorde true loue freÌ„dshyp betwyxe IhuÌ„ a soule And whan it is in this pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan y â— soule is bounden with loue of y e worlde then is it byneâ—h al creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it beryth it downe by maystry y t it maye not see Ihesu ne loue hym For ryght as y e loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh so the beholdynge and thynkynge and vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle ¶ But then thrugh openyng of y e ghostly eye in to IhuÌ„ y e loue is torned And y e sowle is receysed vp after hys owne kynde a boue all bodily creatures And then the beholdynge thynkyng and the vsynge of heÌ„ is ghogly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hath then ful grete dysdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue hem thorugh grace It setteth noughte by al the worlde for why al shall passe perysshe vnto this hynes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comyth none errour ne deceyte of the fende for Ihesu is fothfastly in syght of the soule that tyme al thyng byneth hym Of this y e prophete speketh thus Accedat hoÌ„ ad cor altuÌ„ et exaltabitur deus Come man to hyghe herte god shal be highed That is a man y â— thrugh grace comyth to the hyghnes of thoughte shal see that IhuÌ„ is oonly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And then is y e soule aboue moche strauÌ„ged fro felyshyp of worldly louers Though her body be in middes amoÌ„ge hem ful ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccions of creatures I chargeth not though it neuer se man ne speke with hym ne haue comforte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth so grete homlynes of the blessed presence of oure lorde Ihesu and somoche sauour of hym that it may lightly for his loue foryete y t flesshly affecccoÌ„n the flesshly minde of al creatures I saye not that it shal not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time and see hem and loue hem ghostly freely not flesshly and paynfully as it dyde before Of this oonlynes speketh the prophete thus Ducam eam in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌ„ly stede and I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ„ ledeth a soule fronoyous coÌ„pany of flesshly desyres in to oonlynes of thought and makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of hys Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth Ihesu and tentyth fully to him and hath loste the sauour and the conforte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this oonlynes it fleeth y e companye of all men yf it maye And sechyth oonlynes of body for that moche helpeth to oonlynes of the soule and to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge y t it hath wythout of vayne Ianglyng or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge so it is in pryuyte of herte Al wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed and blynded with worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshe or of y e fende 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 Ihesu and hereth his preuy counseyle And is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus Secretum meum michi secretum meum michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ„ thrugh Inspyracyon of grace taken vp fro outwarde
herte he yaue to me no feble answerynge And then I cryed with al my soule Reuertere dilecte mi Torne ayen thou my loued And yet it semyd as he herde me not The paynful felynge of myself the assaylynge of flesshly loues dredes in this tyme y e wantyng of my ghostly strength is a contynuel cryenge of my soule to Ihesu And neuertheles our lorde makyth straunge comyth not crye I neuer so fast For he is syker ynough of his louer y t he wol not torne ayen to worldly loue fully he may no sauour haue therin therfore abydeth he the lenger But at the last whan he wol he comyth ayen ful of grace of sothfastnes vysyteth the soule y e languyssheth in desyre by syghynges of loue to his presence to wchyth it anoynteth it ful softly with the oyle of gladnes makyth it sodeynly hole fro al pyne and then cryeth the soule to Ihesu in ghostly voys with a glad herte thus Oleum effusum nomen tuum Oyle yshedde is thy name Thy name is Ihesu that is he le Then aslonge as I fele my soule sore syke for synne pyned with y e heuy burden of my body sory and dredynge for perylles and wretchydnes of this lyfe so longe lorde IhuÌ„ thy name is oyle speryd not oyleshed to me But whaÌ„ I fele my souâ—e sodeynly towched with the lyght of thy grace heled softed fro all the fylthe of synne comforted in loue in lyght with ghostly strength gladnes vnspekable then maye I saye with lusty louynge ghostly myghte to the Oyle yshed is thy name IhuÌ„ to me For by the affecte of thy grayous vysytynge I fele wel of thy name the true expownynge y â— thou art IhuÌ„ heele For oonly thy gracyous presence helyth me fro sorowe fro synÌ„e Blessed is y â— soule that is euer fedde in felyng of loue in his preseÌ„ce or is borne vp by desyre to hym in his absence A wyse loâ—er is he wel taught y â— sadly reuereutly hath hym in his presence louely beholdeth hym wythout dyssolute lyghtnes and pacyently easely beryth hym in his absence without venemous dispeyre ouer pynful bytternesse This chaungabilyte of absence presence of IhuÌ„ that a soule felyth is not perfeccyon of the soule ne it is not ayenst the grace of perfeccyon or of contemplacyon but in so moche perfeccyon is the lesse ¶ For the more lettynge y â— a soule hath of itself fro contynuel felynge of grace the lesse is the grace and yet neuertheles is y e grace in itself grace of conteÌ„placyon This chaungabylyte of absence presence falleth as wel in the state of perfeccyon as in state of begynnynge but in a nother maner for ryght as there is dyuersyte of felynge in the presence of grace bytwex thyse two states ryght 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 kepith not the presence of grace is vnkynde to y e vysytyng whether he be in state of begynners or perfyte Neuertheles the more stablenes that there is in grace vnhurâ—e vnbroken the louelyer is the soule and more lyke vnto hym in whom is no chaungabylyte as y e apostles sayth And it is ful â—emely that the spouse be lyke to IhuÌ„ spouse in maners in vertues ful acordynge to hym in stablynes of peâ—fyre loue But y â— falleth seeldom now here but in the specyal spouse For he that perceyueth no chauÌ„gabylyte in felyng of his grace but ylyke hole stable vnbroken vnhurt as hym thynketh he is eytherful perfyte or ful blynde He is perfyte that is sequestyrde fro al flesshly affeccyons comonynge of al creatures and al meanes are broken awaye of corrupcyon of synÌ„e betwyx IhuÌ„ his soule fully ooned to hym with softnes of loue But this is onÌ„ly grace aboue mannys kynde He is ful blynde y t feyneth hym in grace without ghostly felynge of goddys Inspyracyon setteth hymself in a maner of stablynes as he were euer in felyng in worchynge of specyal grace demyng that al is grace that he dooth felyth without within thynkynge that what so euer he do or speke is grace holdyng hymself vnchauÌ„gable in specyallyte of grace If there be ony suche as I hope there be none he is ful blynde in felynge of grace Buâ— then myght thou saye thus that we sholde loue onÌ„ly in trouthe not coueyte ghostly felynges ne rewarde hem yf they come For the apostle sayth Iustê° ex fide viuit That is The ryghtwysman lyueth in trouthe Unto this I say y â— bodyly felynges ben they neuer so comfortable we shal not coueyte ne rewarde moche yf they come But ghostly felynges suche as I spake of yf they come in the maner as I haue sayd before we sholde euer desyre y t are sleenge of al worldly loue openyng of y â— ghostly eye puryte of spiâ—ite pees of coÌ„science al other before sayd We sholde coueyte to fele euer the lyfly Inspyracyon of grace made by y e ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ in our soule yf y t we myght for to haue hym in our syght with reuereÌ„ce and euer fele y e swetnes of his loue by a woÌ„derful homlynes of his presence This sholde be our lyfe our feling in grace after y e mesure of his yefte in whom al 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 cunne lyue For ryghte as the soule is the lyfe of the body ryghte soo is Ihesu 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 â— shal be of these Ilâ—hesu in the blysse of heuen Lo this felynge sholde we desyre for eueryche a soule resonable o wyth for to coueyte with al the myghtes of it nyghyng to IhuÌ„ oonynge to hym thorugh felynge of his gracyous vnseable presence How y â— presence is feled it may better be knowen by experyence than by ony wrytynge for it is the lyfe the loue the myght the lyght the Ioye the reste of a chosen soule And therfore he that hath ones sothfastly feled it maye not forbere it without payne he maye not vndesyre it it is so 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 belynesse fylthe of desyres and fro vayne affeccyon of al creatures in to rest softnes of ghostly loue pryuely perceyuynge y e gracyous presence of Ihesu felably fed wyth sauour of his vnseable blessed face Sothly ne thynge me thynketh No
thynge maye make the soule of a louer ful of myrthe but the gracyous presence of Ihesu as he can shewe hym to a clene soule He is neuer heuy ne sory but whan he is with hymself in flesshlynes He is neuer ful gladde ne mery but whan he is out of hymselfe as he was with Ihesu in his ghostlynes And yet is that no ful myrthe for euer there hangeth an heuy luÌ„pe of bodyly corrupcyon on his soule bereth it downe moche letteth y â— ghostly gladnes and y â— must euer be whyles it is here in this lyfe but neuerthese for I speke of chaungabylyte of grace howe it comyâ—th goth that thou mystake it not therfore I meane not of the comyn grace that is had felte in trouth in good wyl to god without the whiche hauynge lastynge therin no man maye be saaf for it is in the leest chosen so uâ—e y â— lyueth but I meane of specyal grace felt by Inspyracyon of y e holy ghost in the maner as it is before sayd The comen grace that is charyte lasteth hole what so euer a man do aslonge as his wyll his entente is true to god withoute the whiche hauynge lastynge that he wolde not synne dedely ne the dede y â— he wylfully dooth is not forbede as for dedely synne For this grace is not losts but for dedely synÌ„e And then it is dedely syÌ„ne whan his concyence wytnesseth with a vysement that it is dedely synne yet neuertheles he dooth it or elles his conscyence is so blynded that he holdeth it no dedely synÌ„e al though he doo the dede wylfully the whiche is forbode of god holy chyrche as dedely synne Specyal grace felt thrugh the vnseable presence of Ihesu that makyth a soule a perfyte louer lastyth not euerylyke hole in the hyghnes of felyng but chauÌ„gably comyth gooth as I haue sayd before Thus our lorde sayth SpuÌ„s vbi vult spirat vocem eius audis nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat The holy ghost spyreth where he woll and thou herest his voys but thou wost not whaÌ„ he comith ne whether he gooth He comyth pryuely some tyme whan thou arte leest waar of hym but thou shalt well knowe hym or thou go For woÌ„derfully he styryth myghtyly torneth thin herte in to beholding of his godenes and doth thin hert melte delectably as waxe ayenst y â— fyre in to softnes of his loue and this is the voys that he sowneth But then he gooth or thou wote it for he withdrawyth hym soÌ„what nought in al but fro excesse in to sobirte The hyghnes passeth but y e substaunce theffectte of grace dwelleth stylle And that is asloÌ„ge as y e soule of a louer kepyth hym clene falleth not wylfully to recheleshede or dissolucion in flesshlynes ne to outwarde vanyte as somtymÌ„ it dooth though it haue no delyte therin for frelte of itself Of this chauÌ„gabylyte iÌ„ grace speke I of now ¶ A commendacyon 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 felynge of grace in a chosen soule may be sayd IhuÌ„ but the more clenner the soule is the worthyer is the grace CaplmÌ„ xlii THe soule of a man whyle it is not towched with specyal grace is blunt boystous to ghostly werke câ— nought theron It may not therof for weyknes of itself It is both olde drye vndeuoute vnsauery in itself But thenne comyth the lyghte of grace thrugh towchyng makyth it sharpe suptyl redy able to ghostly werke and yeueth it a grete fredom and an hole redynes in wyl for to be buxom to al the styrynge of grace redy for to worche after that grace styreth the soule For by openynge of y e ghostly eye it is applyed al fully to grace redy to pray And how the soule prayeth thenne shal I telle the The moost specyal prayer that y â— soule vseth and 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 other seruyce of holy chirche for lettred The soule prayeth thenne not in maner as it dyde before in comyn maner of men by hyghnes of voys or by renable spekynge oute but in ful grete stylnesse of voys softnes of herte For why his mynde is not trowbled ne taryed with outwarde thynges but hole gadred togyder in itself And the soule is set as it were in a ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ and therfore euery worde euery syllable is sowned sauerly swete delectably with ful acorde of mouthe of herte For why the soule is torned then al in to fyre of loue And therfore euery worde that it preuely prayeth is leke to a spercle springyng out of a fyre bronde y â— chafeth al y e myghtes of the soule torneth heÌ„ iÌ„ to loue lyÈtneth heÌ„ so coÌ„fortably y t y e soule lyst euer for to pray do none other thyng The more it prayeth y e better it may y e myghtier it is for grace helpeth y e soule wel makyth al thyng lyght easy y t it lyste ryght wel to psalme synge the louynges of god with ghostly myrth in heueÌ„ly delyte This ghostly werke is fode of y e soule this prayer is of moche vertue For it wasteth bryngeth to nouÈt al teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns of y e fende preuy a perte it sleth al y e mynde y e lykynge of y e worlde of flesshly synÌ„es it bereth vp y e body y e soule fro paynful felynge of wretchydnes of this lyf It kepyth y e soule iÌ„ felyng of grace worchyng of loue norysshe it euer ylyke hote fresshe as styckes norissheth fyre It puttith awaye alyrkyng heuynes of hert holdeth it iÌ„ smight iÌ„ ghostly gladnesse Of this prayer spekyth dauyd thus Dirigat oracio mea sicut insensuÌ„ in conspectu tuo That is Dressed be my prayer lorde as enceÌ„ce in thy sighte For ryght as ensence y t is cast in y e fyre makyth a swete smel by y e reke styghyng vp to the ayre ryght so a psalme sauourly softly songe or sayd in a brennynge herte yeuyth vp a swete smelle to y e face of our lorde IhuÌ„ and to al the courte of heuen There dare no flesshe flye rest vpon the pottes brynke boylynge on the fyre Right soo may there no flesshly delyte reste vpon a clene soule y t is happed warmed al in y e fyre of loue boylytige and blowinge psalmes louynges to IhuÌ„ This prayer is euer herde of Ihesu It yeldyth grace to Ihesu And receyueth grace agayne It makyth a soule homely felowly with IhuÌ„ and wyth alle the angels of heuen Use it who soo maye The werke is good and gracyous in itselfe And though it be not al fully contemplacyon
meo seÌ„per ardebit et sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extynguatur Fyre shal euer bren in myn auter the prest rysyng at morowe shal put vnder styckes y t it be not quenched this fyre is loue desyre to god in a soule y e whiche loueth for to be norysshed kept by layeÌ„g to y e stickes y t it go not out thyse styckes are so douers maters some are of o tre somÌ„ are of an other a man that is lettered hath vnderstoÌ„dyng of holy wryt yf he haue this fyre of deuocyon in his hert it is good to hym to gete hym styckes of holy ensaÌ„ples deuoute prayers norysshe y e fyre with heÌ„ An other man vnlettered may not so redely haue at his honde holy wrytte ne doctours sayenge and therfore it nedeth to hym for to do many good dedes outwarde to his euen crysten kyndel the fyre of loue with hem And soo it is good that eche man in his degre after that he is dysposed that he gete hym styckes of o thynge or of other eyther prayers or medytacions or redyng in holy wryt or gode bodyly werkis for to norysshe y e fyre of loue in his soule that it be not quenched for the affeccyon of loue is tendre lyghtly wyl vanysshe awaye but yf it be wel kept by good dedes bodyly and ghostly contynuelly norysshed Now chanue sythen our lorde hath sent in to thyn herte a lytyl sparke of this blyssed fyre that is hym selfe as holy wrytte saythe ¶ Dominus noster ignis consumens est ¶ Oure lorde god is fyer wastynge for as bodely fyer wasteth al bodyly thyng y t may be wasted ryght soo ghostly fyre y t is god wastith al maner of synÌ„e therfore our lorde is lykned to fyer wastyng I pray y e norysshe this fyer this fyer is not elles but loue charyte this hath he sent in to y e erthe as he sayth iÌ„ y e gospel IgneÌ„ veni mittere iÌ„ terraÌ„ ad quid nisi vt ardeat I am comeÌ„ to seÌ„de fyre iÌ„to y e erth wherto but y t it sholde breÌ„ y t is god hath sent fyre of loue a gode desyre a grete wyl for to plese hym in to maÌ„nes soule vnto this ende y â— maÌ„ shal know it kepe it noryssh it strength it therby be saued y e more desyre y t thou hast to hyÌ„ for hiÌ„ y e more is y e fyre of loue in ye. the lesse that this desyre is in the. the lesse is the fyre y e mesure of this desyre how mekyl it is neyther in thyself or ony other knowest thou not ne no man of himself but god only y â— yeueth it therfore dyspute not with thyselfe as though thou woldest know how mekyl thy desyre is be besy for to desyre as mekyl as thou mayst but not for to wyte y e mesure of desyre ¶ What is desyre to god for hymself how in clennes of conscyence is very coÌ„fort swetnes Ca viii SAynt austyn sayth y t the lyf of euery good crysten maÌ„ is a contynuel desyre to god that is of grete vertu â—or it is a grete cryeng in y e ere 's of god y e feruentlyer thou desyrest the hygher thou cryest y e better thou prayest y e wiselyer thou thynkest what is this desyre sothly no thynge butlo thyng of al this worldes blysse of al flesshly lykynge in thyn herte a wonderful louyng with a restful yernyng of endles blysse heueÌ„ly Ioy. this thyng may be called a desyre to god for hymself yf thou haue this desyre as I hope sikerly y t thou hast I praye y â— kepe it wel norysshe it wysly whan thou shalt pray or thynke make this desyre begynnyng endyng of al thy werke for to encrece it loke after none other feling iÌ„ thy bodyly wittes ne seke after none other bodyly swetnes neyther sownyng ne sauouryng ne wondfullyÈt ne auÌ„gels syght ne though our lorde hymself as vnto thy syght wolde apere to y e bodely charge it but a lytyl but that al thy besynes be y â— thou myÈtest fele sothfastly thy thouÈt a lothyng a ful forsakyng of al maner of synne of all maner of vnclennes with a ghostly syght of it howe foule how vgly how paynful it is that thou myghtest haue a myghty desyryng to vertues to meknes to charite to y e blysse of heuen this thinketh me were ghostly comfort ghostly swetnes in mannes soule as for to haue celennes iÌ„ conscyence fro wyckednes of al worldly vynyte with stable trouth meke hope ful desyre to god how so euer that it be of other comfortis swetnessis me thynketh that swetnes syker sothfast that is feled in cleÌ„nes of conscyence by myghty forsakyng lethyng of al synÌ„e with inwarde syght feruent desyre of ghostly thynges Al other comfortis and swetnessys of ony maner of felynge but yf they helpe lede to this ende that is to clennes of conscyence ghostly desyre of god are not syker to rest on But now askest thou whether this desyre be loue to god as vnto this I saye that this desyre is not properly loue but it is a begynnyng a tastyng of loue for loue properly is a ful cowpelynge of the louer they loued togyder as god a soule in to one this cowpelyng may not be fully had in this lyf but only in desyre longyng therto as by this ensample If a man loue an other maÌ„ whiche is absent he desyreth gretly his presence Ryght so ghostly as longe as we are in this lyf our lorde is absent fro vs y t we may neyther se hym ne here hym ne fele hym as he is therfore we maye not haue y e vse of thys ful loue here in ful lykyng but we may haue a desyre a grete yernyng for to be present to hym for to se hym in his blysse fully for to be oned to hym in loue this desyre may we haue of his yefte in this lyf by the whiche we shall be safe for it is loue vnto hym as it may be had here thus saynt poul sayth ¶ Scientes qmÌ„ duÌ„ sumus iÌ„ hoc corpore pegrinamur a dnÌ„o per fide menim ambulamus non pec spÌ„em audemus bonam voluntatem heÌ„mus magis peregrinari a corpore presences eÌ„e ad deuÌ„ ioÌ„ contendimus siue absentes siue presentes placere illi Saynt poul sayth that as long as we are in this body we are pylgrymes fro our lorde y t is we are absent fro heuen in this excile we goo by trouth not by syght y t is we lyue in trouthe not in bodely felynge we dare we â—â—â—ue a good wyl to be absent fro the body be present to god y â— is we for clennes in
conscyence syker trust of saluacyoÌ„ dare desyre partyng fro our body by bodely deth by present to our lorde neuertheles for we maye not yet therfore we stryuen whether we be absent or present for to plese hym y â— is we stryue ayens synnes of y e worlde lykyng of y e flessh by desyre to hym for to bren in the fyre of desyre all thynge y t lettyth vs fro hym But yet askest thou me may a man haue thys desyre in his herte coÌ„tynuelly y â— thynketh nay as vnto this I may saye as me thynketh y t this desyre maye be had as for vertu profyt of it iÌ„ hert coÌ„tynuelly but not in werkyng ne vsyng as by this ensaÌ„ple yf thou were seke thou sholdest haue as eche maÌ„ hath a kyndely desyre of bodely hele contynuelly iÌ„ thyn hert what y t thou dedyst whether thou slepe or wake but not aye ylyke for yf thou slepe or wake thynkest on somÌ„ worldly thynges than thou hast thy desyre in hert only not in werkyng but whaÌ„ thou thynkest on thy bodyly syknes on thyn hele thaÌ„ thou hast it iÌ„ vsyng ryght so it is gostly of desyre to god he y t hath this desyre of y e yeft of god yf he slepe or elles thynke not on god but on worldly thynges yet he hath this desyre iÌ„ hert iÌ„ his soule tyl y t he syn dedly but anone as he thynketh on god or on cleÌ„nes of liuyng or of ioyes of heuen thaÌ„ werketh his desyre to god as loÌ„ge as he kepeth his thought his entent to plese god eyther iÌ„ prayers or in medytacion or in ony other gode dede y t al his besynes be for to stere his desyre vse it by dyscrecoÌ„n now in oo dede now in an other after he is dysposed hathe grace therto this desyre is roote of al thy weâ—kynge yf it be medeful for wyte thou wel what good dede y t thou doost for god bodely or ghostly it is an vsynge of this desyre whan thou prayest or thynkest doute not than yf thou desyre god therfore whan thou doost a good dede or thynkest on god dout not thynkyng iÌ„ thyn herte whether thou desyrest or not for thy dede sheweth thi desyre Some are vncunnyng wene y t they desyre not god but yf they euer be cryenge on god with wordes of her mouthe the hele lykyng ay lastyng wysdom loue pees worshyp sykernes rest ioye blysse ynought euer withouten ende the more feruently shalt thou desyre the ioye y e rest of y t blyssed lyf Many men are couetous of worldly catel worshyppes erthly ryches thynke now dremyng now wakynge how by what meanes they myght come therto therfore they foryeten the mynde of heÌ„self the peynes of helle the ioyes of heuen sothly they are not wys they are lyke to chyldren y t renneÌ„ after butterflyes for they loke not to theyr feete they fal somtyme sone downe breken her leggis What is al the poupe the worshyp of this worlde in ryches or in iolyte but a butterflye sothly no thyng ellis yet mekyl lesse therfore I pray y e be thou coueytous of y e Ioyes of heuen thou shalt haue worshyp ryches y t euer shal laste For at the laste ende whan worldly coueytous men bryng no good in her hondis for al her worshyppes al her rychessys are turned into nought saâ— sorowe peyne thaÌ„ shal worldly men y t forsake trewly al vayn worshyppes rychessys of this worlde or elles yf they haue ryches worshyppes they setten nought by hem ne they setten not her loue ne lykyng in hem but lyue euer in drede in mekenes in hope soÌ„tyme in sorowe abyden y e mercy of god pacyently they shal than haue fully y â— they heâ—e coueyted for they shal be crowned as kynges stye vp with our lorde IhuÌ„ in to the blysse of heuen Also there ben many other medytacyons mo than I can saye whiche y â— god putteth in to a manÌ„es mynde for to styre the affeccyon y e reson of mannes soule to lothe vanytees of this worlde for to desyre the Ioyes of heuen Thyse wordes I saye not to the as I hadde fully shewed the y â— maner of medytacyons as they are wrought in a mannes soule but I touche heÌ„ to the a lytyll y â— thou myghtest by this haue more vnderstondynge ¶ How a man shal do whan he felyth no sauour ne comfort in his medytacyons Caplm xv NEuertheles me thynketh it is good to the y e whaÌ„ thou dysposyst the to thynke on god as I haue before sayd or on otherwise perauenture thou felyst no sauour ne deuocyon in thy thynkynge but oonly a naked mynde a weyke wyl y t thou woldest fayne thynke on god but thou canst not than I hope it is good to the y t thou stryue not to mekyl with thyself for thou myghtest so lyghtly falle it too more derknes but yf thou were more sly in thy werkyng therfore I holde it most syker vnto y â— for to saye thy pater noster thyn Aue. or ellis thy matynes or ellys for to rede vpon thy sauter for y â— seuermore a syker standarde y t wyl not fayle who so maye cleue therto he shal not erre yf thou mayst by thy prayer gete deuocyon loke than this deuocyon be only in affeccyon y t is to saye in grete desyre to god with ghostly delyte holde forth thaÌ„ thy sayeng breke not lyghtly of for often it fallyth y t prayeng with y e mouth getyth kepeth deuocyon yf a maÌ„ cese of sayeng deuocyon vanyssheth awaye Neuertheles yf deuocyon of prayers bryng in to thyn hert a deuout thought of the manhed of our lorde or of ony of the other before sayd this thought sholde be letted by thy sayeng thaÌ„ mayst thoncese of thy sayenge and occupye the with medytacyon tyll it passe awaye Where of a man nedeth â—o be ware iÌ„ medytacon Caplm xvi BUt of certeyn thynges the behoneth to beware in thy medytacyons some shal I tel ye. One is whan thou hast had a gostly thought or ymagynacyon of the manhed of our lorde or of suche bodyly thynges thy soule hath ben coÌ„forted fed ther with it passyth awaye by theself be not to besy to holde it styl with maystry for it is than turned to peyne to bytternes also yf it passe not away but dwelle styl in thy mynde withouten ony traueyle of thyself thou for comfort of it wyl not leue it therfore it reueth the of thy slepe in nyghtes or ellis iÌ„ dayes fro other good dedes or elles for grete feruour of thy body thy body or thyn hed fallyth into gret febylnes than shalt thou wylfully breke of whaÌ„ tyme cometh soÌ„tyme whan thou hast most deuocion were lothest for to leuen it as whan it passyth