manere of syghte knowynge the soule groundeth all his worchynge inwarde in al the affeccoÌ„ns For thenne it dredeth god in man as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This â—â—ighte and this goodnes and this knowynge of Ihesu wyth y â— blessed loue that comyth out of it may be called refourmyng of a soule in felynge and in fayth that I speke of It is in fayth For it is derke yet as in rewarde of that full knowynge of Ihesu wyth the blessed loue that comyth oute of it that shall be in heuen For thenne shall we see hym not oonly that he is but as he is As saynt IohÌ„n sayth Tunc videbimus eum sicut est That is Thenne shall we see him as he is Neuertheles it is in felynge also as in rewarde of that blynde knowynge that a soule hath stondynge oonly in faythe For this sowle knowyth somwhat of the very kynde of Ihesu god thrugh his gracyous syghte but that other knowyth not but oonly trowith it is soth Neuertheles that thou y e better may conceyue what I meane I shall shewe thyse thre manere refourmynge of a soule by ensample of thre men stoÌ„dyng in the lyght of the sonÌ„e Of the whiche thre one is blynde· a nother may see but he hath his eyen stopped the thyrde lokyth forth full syghte The blynde man hath noo maner knowynge that he is in the sonÌ„e but he trowyth it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is onÌ„ly refourmed in fayth y t trowyth in god as holy chyrche techeth wote not what This suffyceth as for saluacyon That other man seeth a lyght of the sonÌ„e· but he seeth it not clerly what it is for the lydde of is eye letteth hym that he maye not see But he seeth thrugh the lydde of his eye a glymerynge of grete lyghte And he betokenyth a soule that is refourmed in fayth in felyng and soo is he conteÌ„platyfe for he seeth somwhat of the godhede of IhuÌ„ thrugh grace Not clerly ne fully for the lydde that is his bodily kynde is yet a walle bytwixe his kynde and y e kynde of IhuÌ„ god lettyth hym fro the clere syghte But he seeth thrugh this walle after that grace towchyth hym more or lesse that IhuÌ„ is god that IhuÌ„ is souereyne goodnes souereyne beynge a blessed lyfe and all that other goodnes comyth of hym Thus seeth the soule by grace notayenstoÌ„dyng the bodily kynde and the more clene subtyll that the soule is made and the more it is departed fro flesshlyhede the sharper sighte it hath the myghtyer loue of y e godhede of IhuÌ„ This syghte is soo myghty that though none other man lyuynge wolde trowe in IhuÌ„ ne loue hym he wolde neuer trowe y e lesse ne loue hym the lesse for he seeth it sothfastly that he may not vntrowe it The thyrde maÌ„ y t hath full syghte of the sonÌ„e he trowyth it not for he seeth it fully And he betokeneth a full blessid soule that wythout ony walle of body or of synÌ„e seeth opeÌ„ly the face of IhuÌ„ in the blysse of heueÌ„ There is no fayth and therfore he is fully refourmed in felyng There is noo state aboue the seconde refourmynge that a soule may come to here in this lyfe for this is the state of perfeccyon the waye to heueÌ„warde Neuertheles al the soules that are in this state are not all lyke ferforth For some hath it lityll shortly seildom some leÌ„ger clerer oftiner and some hath it best clerest lengest after the abouÌ„dinge of grace yet all thyse haue the yefte of conteÌ„placoÌ„n For the soule hath not perfyte syght of IhuÌ„ all at ones but firste a lityll a lytyll and after that it profyteth comyth to more felynge And aslonge as it is in this life it maye waxe more in knowyng in this loue of Iesu and sothly I wote not what were more leyf to suche a soule that hath felte a lytill of it than vtterly all other thynges lefte sette at nought Tent onÌ„ly therto for to haue clerer sighte clenner loue of IhuÌ„ in whom is all the blessed trynyte This maner knowyng of IhuÌ„ as I vndstonde is the openinge of heuen to the eye of a clene soule of the whiche holy meÌ„ speke of in her writyng Not as some wene that the openynge of heuen is as yf a soule myghte see bi ymagynacoÌ„n thruâ— the skyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde IhuÌ„ sytteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an huÌ„dreth sonÌ„es Naye it is not soo ne though he see neuer soo hyghe on y â— maner sothly he seeth not the ghostly heuen The hygher he styeth aboue the sonÌ„e for to see IhuÌ„ god soo by suche ymagynacoÌ„n the lower he falleth bineth the sonÌ„e Neuertheles this maner syghte is sufferable to symple soules that can noo better seche him that is vnseable ¶ How IhuÌ„ is heuen to the soule and why he is called fyre Caplm xxxiii WHat is heuen to a resonable soule Sothly noughteelles but Ihesu god For yf that be heuen oonly that is aboue al thyng thenÌ„e is god onÌ„ly heueÌ„ tomanÌ„es soule for he is onÌ„ly aboue y e kynde of a soule thenÌ„e yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of that blessed kynde of IhuÌ„ â–ª sothly he seeth heuen for he seeth god Therfore there are many men that erren in vndstondynge of some wordes that are sayd of god for they vnderstonde hem not ghostly Holy wrytynge sayth that a soule that wol fynde god shall lyft vpwarde the Inner eye seke god aboue itselfe Thenne some men that wolde doo after this sayenge vnderstonde this worde aboue hemself as for hygher settynge in stede worthynes of place as one elemente or planete is aboue a nother in settynge worthines of a bodily place But it is not soo ghostly For a soule is aboue all bodily thynge not by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of kynde Right soo on the selfe wise god is aboue all bodily ghostly creatures not by settynge of stede but thrugh subtyltee worthynes of his vnchangable blessyd kynde And therfore he y t wol wisely seche god fynde hym he shall not renÌ„e out wyth his thoughte as he wolde clyme aboue the sonÌ„e parte the fyrmament and ymagin y e mageste as it were of an hundred sonnes he shall rather drawe downe the sonne all the fyrmament forgete it and caste it beneth hym there he is sett al this all bodily thinge also at noughte and thynke thenÌ„e yf he can ghostly both of hymself of god also And yf he doo thus thenÌ„e seeth the soule aboue itself thenÌ„e seeth it in to heuen VpoÌ„ this self maner shal this worde wythin be vnderstonde It is comynly sayd that a sowle shall see our lorde wythin all thynge wythin itselfe Soth it is that our lorde is wythin al creatures
maÌ„nes soule whiche maye be called a made trinyte was fulfylled in mynde syght loue of the vnmade moost blessyd trynite whyche is our lorde This is the dignyte the state the worshyp of a mannes soule by kynde of the fyrst makyng This state thou had in adam before the first synne of man But whan adam sinÌ„ed chesyng loue delyte in hymselfe and in creatures he lost all his worshyp his dignyte and thou also in him and fell fro that blessyd trinyte in to a fowle derke wretchyd trinyte that is in to foryetyng of god and vnknowyng of hym and in to a bestly likynge of hymself And that skilfully For as dauid sayth in the sawter Homo cuÌ„ in honore esset noÌ„ intellerit coÌ„peratus est iumentis insipientibus silis factus est illis A man whan he was in worshyp he knewe it not And therfore he lost it and was made lyke a best See now thenÌ„e the wretchydnes of thy soule For as the mynde was somtyme stablyd in god ryght soo now it hath forgoten hym and sekyth hys reste in creatures now from one to an nother and neuer maye fynde full reste For he hath loste hym in whom is full reste And ryght soo it is of reason and the loue also whyche was clene in ghostly sauour swetnes now it is tornyd in to a fowle bestly lust likyng in it self in creatures and in flesshly sauours both in the wyttes as in gloteny lechery and in ymagynyng as in pryde vaynglory couetyse In somoche that thou mayst vnnethes doo ony good dede but yf thou be defoyled wyth vaynglory Ne thou maye not well vse none of thy v. wyttes clenly in noo creature delectable but yf thy herte be taken engleymed wyth a veyne luste likyng of it whiche putteth out the loue of god fro the herte as in felyng and the ghostly sauour that it may not come therin Euery man that lyueth in spirite knowith wel al this This is the wretchidnes of the soule and the mischeif for y e fyrst synÌ„e of man without al other wretchydnes synÌ„es whiche thou hast wylfully put therto And wyte thou wel thouÈ thou had neuer done synÌ„e wyth thy body dedely ne venyal but oonly this that is called origynall for it is the fyrst synÌ„e and that is not elles but lesyng of thy rightfulnes whiche y u was made in shold thou neuer haue ben saued yf our lord IhuÌ„ cryste by his precious passion had not delyuerde the and restored the ayen ¶ How euery man may be saued by the passion of cryst be he neuer soo wretched Caplm xliiii ANd therfore yf thou thinke that I haue here before spoken to hye to the. for thou mayst not take it ne fulfylle it as I haue sayd or shall saye I wyll now fall downe to the as lowe as thou wyll for my profyte as well as for thyn ThenÌ„e say I thus though thou be neuer somoche a wretche haue thou doo neuer somoche synne forsake thyself all thy werkes good bad crye mercy and aske onÌ„ly saluacoÌ„n bi vertue of this precious passion mekely trustly and wythoute dowte thou shal haue it And fro this origynal synÌ„e al other thou shalt be saaf ye and thou shal be saaf as an anker incluse And not oonly thou but all crysten soules whiche trusten vpon this passion and meken hemself knowlegynge her wretchidnes asking mercy foryeuenes and the fruyt of this precyous passoÌ„n oonly lowenge hemself to the sacramentes of holy chyrche though it be so that thei haue ben encombred wyth synne all her lyf tyme and neuer had felyng of ghostly sauour or swetnes or ghostly knowynge of god they shallen in this faythe in her good wyll by vertue of this precyous passyon of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst be saaf come to the blysse of heuen All this knowest thou well· but yet it liketh me for to saye it See here the endles mercy of our lord how low he falleth to the to me and to al synfull caytyfs ThenÌ„e aske mercy and haue it Thus sayd the prophete in the persone of oure lorde Ois enim quicuÌ„que inuocauerit nomen dnÌ„i saluê° erit Euery man what y â— he be that calleth the name of god that is to saye askith saluacoÌ„n by IhuÌ„ his passion he shall be saaf This certefye of our lorde some men takeÌ„ well and beÌ„ saued therby and some men in truste of this mercy this curtesye lyÌ„en styll in her synne and wene for to haue it whan hem lust and thenne mow they not for they are taken or they were and soo they dampne hemself But thenne sayst thou yf this be soth thenne wonder I gretly for that I fynde in some holy mennes bokes Some sayeÌ„ as I vndstonde that he that can not loue this blessyd name IhuÌ„ ne fynde ne fele in it ghostly Ioye delectable wyth ghostly swetnes in the blysse of heuen he shall be alyene and neuer shall he come therto Sothly thyse wordes whan I hem red stonyed me and made me gretly aferde For I hope as thou sayst that by the mercy of oure lorde shall be saaf by kepyng of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes and by very repentauÌ„ce for her euyll liuyng before doon whyche felt neuer ghostly swetnes ne inly sauour in the name of Ihesu And therfore I merueyle me the more that they saye contrari herto as it semyth And vnto this I may say as me thynketh that her sayeng yf it be well vndstonde is soth and is not coÌ„trary to that y t I haue sayd For this name IhuÌ„ is nouÈt elles for to saye vpon englisshe but heler or he le Now euery man that lyueth in this wretchyd lyfe is ghostly seke For there is noo man that lyueth wythoute synne whiche is ghostly syknes as saynt IohÌ„n sayth of hym selfe of other perfyte men thus Si dixerimus qr pccmÌ„ non habemê° ipÌ„i nos seducimus et veritas in nobis noÌ„ est If we saye that we haue noo synÌ„e we begyle ourself and there is no sothfastnes in vs. And therfore he maye neuer come to the Ioye of heuen vnto he be fyrste made hole of this ghostly syckenes But this ghostly hele maye noo man haue that hath vse of reason but yf he desyre it loue it and haue delyte therin· in asmoche as he hopith for to gete it Now the name of IhuÌ„ is noo thyng elles but thys ghostly he le wherfore it is soth that they say that there may noo man be saaf but yf he loue lyke in the name of Ihesu For there maye noo man be ghostly hole but yf he loue desyre ghostly helth For right as yf a maÌ„ were bodily seke there were noo erthly thyng soo dere ne soo nedful to hym ne so moche sholde be desired of hym as bodily helth for though y u woldest yeue hym all the rychesse 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 and felyth the payne of ghostly syknes noo thyng is soo dere ne soo nedefull ne soo moche coueyted of hym as is ghostly helth and that is IhuÌ„ wythout whiche all the Ioyes of heuen may not lyke hym And this is the skille as I hope why our lord whaÌ„ he toke mankynde for our saluacoÌ„n he wold not be called by noo name that betokenid his endles beyng or his myghte or his wysdom or his ryghtwysnes but oonly by that y e betoke nyd the cause of his comyng was the saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule whiche saluacoÌ„n betokened this name IhuÌ„ ThenÌ„e by this it semyth soth that there shal noo man be saaf but yf he loue saluacoÌ„n onÌ„ly for to haue it thrugh the mercy of our lorde Ihū· by the merites of his passoÌ„n whiche loue he may haue that liuyth deyeth in the lowest degree of charytee Also I maye saye on that other partie that he that can not loue this blessid name IhuÌ„ wyth ghostly myrth ne encrease in it with heuenly melodie here he shall neuer haue ne fele in heuen y t fulhede of souereyne Ioye the whiche he that myght in thys lyf by abouÌ„dance of perfite charyte in IhuÌ„ shall fele haue soo maye her sayeng be vndstonde Neuertheles he shall be saaf and haue full mede in the syght of god yf he in this lyf be in the lowest degree of charyte by kepyng of goddis coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For our lorde sayth hymself thê° In domo patris mei mansiones multe suÌ„t In my faders hous are many soundry dwellynges Some are perfyte soules the whiche in this lyf were fulfilled of charyte grace of the holy ghost and songe louynges to god in conteÌ„placion of hym wyth wonderfull swetnes heuenly sauour Thise soules for they had moost charyte grace of the holy ghost shall haue hyest mede in the blysse of heuen for thyse arn called goddis derlynges Other soules that ar not disposid to conteÌ„placoÌ„n of god ne had not the fulhede of charyte as apostles marters had in the begynnyng of holy chirche shal haue lower mede in the blysse of heuen for thise arne called goddis frendes Thus calleth oure lorde in holy writte chosen soules sayeng thus Comedite amici et inebriamini caâ—issimi My frendes ete ye my derlynges be ye dronken As yf our lorde sayd thus ye that arne my trendes for ye kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes sette my loue before the loue of y e worlde loued me more thaÌ„ ony erthly thyng ye shall be fed wyth ghostly fode of the brede of lyf But ye y t arne my frendes that ye not oonly kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes but also of your owne free wyll fulfilled my couÌ„ceylles and ouer that ye loued oonly enteerly with al the myghtes of your soule breÌ„ned in my loue with ghostly delite as dyden principally the apostles marters and all other soules that myghte by grace come to the yeft of perfeccoÌ„n ye shal be made droÌ„ken wyth the hyest fresshest wyne in my celler that is the souereyne Ioye of loue in heuen ¶ That a man sholde be besye to reken ayen his worthynes and refourme ayen in hym the ymage of the Trinyte Caplm xlv NEuertheles though this be soth of the endles merci of god vnto the to me to al mankiÌ„de we shal not therfore in trust of this be y e more recheles wylfully in our lyuinge but the more besye for to pleyse hym namly now sythen we are restored ayen in hope by the passion of our lord to the dignyte the blysse whiche we had lost by adams synÌ„e And though we myght neuer gete it fully here yet we shold desire that we myght recouer here lyuynge a fygure a lyknes of y e dignytee that our soule myght be refourmed as it were in a shadowe by grace to the ymage of the trynite whiche we had by kynde· and after shall haue fully in blysse for that is the lyfe whiche is very contemplatyf vnto begynne here in that felynge of loue ghostly knowyng of god by openynge of the ghostly eye whyche shal neuer be lost ne be taken away but y e same shall be fulfylled otherwyse in y e blysse of heuen This behyght our lorde to mary mawdeleyne whiche was contemplatif and sayd thê° of her Maria optimaÌ„ parteÌ„ elegit que noÌ„ auferetur ab ea· That mary had chose the better partye that is the loue of god in contemplacoÌ„n for it shall neuer be take awaye fro her I saye not that thou maye her liuyng recouer soo hole ne soo perfyte clenÌ„es Innocence knowyng louinge of god as thou hadest first ne as thou shalt haue ne y u may not escape all y e wretchydnes paynes of synÌ„e ne thou liuynge in dedely flesshe maye destroye quenche all hooly the false vayne loue in thyselfe ne flee all venyall synnes that they ne wyll but yf they be stopped by grete feruour of charyte sprynge out of thyn hert as water dooth fro a stynkyng well But I wold that yf thou might not fully quenche it that y u might somwhat sleke it and come to the cleÌ„nes of soule as nere as thou mayst For our lorde behiÈte the chyldren of Israel whaÌ„ he ladde hem in to the londe of byhest And in fygure of hem to all crysten men thus Omne quod calcauerit pes tuus tuuÌ„ erit That is to saye Al 's moche londe as thou myghte trede vpon with thy fote of very desyre soo here moche shall thou haue in the londe of byhest that is in the blysse of heueÌ„ whan thou comyst thider ¶ How Ihesu shall be soughte desyred fouÌ„de ca xlvi SEke thenne that thou hast lost that thou myghte fynde it well I wote who soo myght ones haue an inwarde syghte a lityll of that dignytee and that ghostly fayrnes whyche a soule had by kynde and shall haue by grace he sholde lothe and dispise in his hert all the blysse the likyng and the fayrnes of this worlde as the stenche of a carion and he shal neuer haue wyll for to doo other dede nyghte daye sauynge the freelte and the bare nede of the bodily kynde but desyre mourne praye and seke how he myghte come ayen therto Neuertheles in as moche as thou hast not yet seen what it is fully For thy ghostly eye is not yet openyd I shall telle the oo worde for all in the whyche thou shalt seke desyre and fynde it for in that one worde is all that thou hast lost This worde is Ihesu I meane not this worde Ihesu paynted vpon y e walle or wrytten by lettres on the boke or fourmyd by lippes in souÌ„de of the mowthe or feyned in thy herte by traueyle of thy mynde For in this maner wyse maye a man oute of charyte fynde hym But I meane Ihesu crist
worldly thynges but a worldly man hath not so and therfore he is exscused though he stryue and pursue for his goodes by lawfull wayes for to haue hem ayen But now sayest thou that the behoueth for to haue thy necessaryes of suche thynges as longen to the as well as a worldly man I graunte well therto but thou sholde not loue it for it self ne likyng haue in the holdyng ne in y e kepyng ne sorowe ne heuynesse fele in the lesyng or in y e withdrawyng of it For as saynt gregory sayth Asmoche sorow as thou hast in lesyng of a thing so moche loue haddest thou in the kepyng And therfore yf thyn herte were made hoole thou haddest sothfastly felt desire of ghostly thynges and had there wyth all a syghte of the leest ghostly thynge that is all y e loue the likyng of ony erthly thynge thou sholdest sette it at noughte it sholde not cleue vpon the For to loue and for to haue more than the nedeth skylfully oonly for luste likynge it is a grete defawte Also for to fetchen thi loue vpon y e thinge that the nedeth for it selfe it is defawte but not soo grete But for to haue vsen that thyng that the nedeth wythouteÌ„ loue of it more than kynde or nede asketh wythouteÌ„ whiche the thyng maye not be vsed it is noo defawte â—othli in this poynte as I trowe many that haue the state and the lyknesse of pouertee arn moche letted hyndered fro the loue of god I ne accuse noo man ne noo state reproue for in eche astate some arn good and some arn other But one thyng I saye to euery man or woman that hath taken the state of wylfull pouerte whether he be religyous or seculer or what degree he be in as longe as his loue his affeccyon is bounden and fastened as it were glewed wyth y e loue of ony erthly thing that he hath or wolde haue he may not haue ne fele sothfastly the clene loue and the clere syghte of ghostly thynges For saynt Austyn sayd to our lorde thus Lorde he loueth the but lytill y e louyth ony thynge wyth the that he loueth not for the For y e more loue and couetyse of ony erthly thynge is wyth the the lesse is the loue of god in thyn herte For though it be so that this loue of erthly thyng putteth hem not oute of charite but yf it be soo moche that it strangle the loue of god and of her euen crysten sothely it hyndreth hem and letteth hem fro the feruour of charyte also fro that speciall mede whiche they shold haue in the blisse of heuen for perfite pouerte and that is a grete losse yf they myghte see it For who soo myght know ghostly mede how good how precyous and how worthy it is for it is aye lastynge he wolde not for the loue of all erthly Ioye or hauour of all erthly thyng yf he myghte haue it wythouteÌ„ synÌ„e lette ne lesse the lest mede of the blysse of heueÌ„ whiche he myghte haue yf that he wold I speke ferther than I doo But I praye the doo thus as I saye by y e grace of god if thou maye or ony other man who soo wyll For that were a comforte to my herte that yf I maye not haue it in myself as I saye that I myghte haue it in the Or in ony other creature whiche hath receyued more plente of his grace than I But see now thenne syth couetyse in the naked grounde letteth a man or a woman soo moche fro the ghostly felyng of the loue of god how moche more thenÌ„e it letteth combreth worldly men wymÌ„en the whiche by all her wyttes bodily besynes nyghte daye studye and traueyle how they myghte gete ryches and plente of worldly good They can none other delyte haue but in worldly thinges ne they wyll not for they seche it not I say no more of hem at this tyme for in this wrytyng I speke not to hem But this I saye yf they myghte see and wolde see what they doo they sholde not doo soo ¶ How a man shall knowe whan he synneth not in etynge drynkyng and whan he synneth venyally and whan dedely Caplm lxxii YEt maye thou see more in this ymage though it be derke and that is flesshli loue to thiself in glotenye accidie and lecherye Thise flesshly likynges maken a man full bestly and ferre fro the inly sauour of the loue of god and fro y e clere syghte of ghostly thynges But now sayest thou Syth the behoueth nedelynges ete drynke and slepe and that may thou not doo wythouten likyng therfore the thynkyth this lykynge is noo synne As vnto this I saye that yf thou kepe in etynge or drynkynge and in other nedefull thynges of thy body mesure in thy nede and thou receyuest noo more likynge than kynde askyth And alle this thou doost for ghostely delite whiche thou felyst in thy soule I grauÌ„te y e forsothe that thou thenne synnest ryght nought therin for thenne can thou well ete slepe Sothly and wythouten doubte I am full ferre fro that knowyng and ferd fro the werchynge For to ete I haue by kynde but to cuÌ„ne ete I maye not but by the grace of god Saynt poul had by grace this cunnyng as he sayth hymself thê° Vbique in oiÌ„bus institutus suÌ„ scio saciari esurire habuÌ„ dare penuriaÌ„ pati OiÌ„a possuÌ„ in eo qui me coÌ„fortat I am enformed kenned in all thynges For I can huÌ„ger I can ete I can wyth plente and I can wyth pouerte I maye all in hym that strenghthith me Saynt austyn sayd tyll our lorde thus Lorde thou hast teched me that I sholde take mete as a medicine HuÌ„ger is a syknes of kynde and mete is a medicyne ther to Therfore the likyng that comyth wyth all in asmoche as it is kyndly nedfull it is noo synÌ„e but whan it passith into lust into wylfull likyng thenÌ„e it is synne And therfore therÌ„ lyeth all the maystrye for to cuÌ„ne departe wysely nede fro luste wylfull likyng they are soo knytte togyder and that one comyth wyth that other so that it is harde for to receyue that one as the nede repreue that other as wylfull luste the whiche ofte comyth vnd colour of nede Neuerthelesse syth it is soo y t nede is the grouÌ„de of this â–ª and that nede is noo synne for be a man neuer soo holy hym behouyth to ete drynke and slepe therfore the luste the likynge that comyth vnd the colour of this nede passyth this nede is the lesse synÌ„e For a man synneth not dedely comynly in glotenye but yf he be encombred wyth other dedely synnes beforn done thenÌ„e may he the lyght lyer synne dedely in this For it is soth he that chesyth luste lykynge of his flesshe delytes in welfare of mete or
And not onÌ„ly of y â— name but al other maner prayers as the Pater nost the Auee or ympnes or psalmes other deuout sayeÌ„ges of holy chirche are turned as it were in to a ghostly mirth swete soÌ„ge â— by y â— whiche they are coÌ„forted streÌ„gthed ayeÌ„st al synÌ„es moche releuyd of bodely disese Of this degree spekith saint poul thus â—olite inebriari vino sed iÌ„pleaminâ— spÌ„u scoÌ„ loquentes vobis metipÌ„is in ympnis canticis psalmis spuÌ„alibus cantaÌ„tes psalleÌ„tes in cordibus vrÌ„is dnÌ„o Be ye not droÌ„ken with wyne but be ye fulfilled of y e holi gost saieÌ„g to yourself in ympnes psalmes ghostly soÌ„ges synging psalmyng in your hertes to our lord who so hath this grace kepe he hymself in lowenes that he be euer desiryng for to come to more knowing felyng of god in the thyrde part of coÌ„templacoÌ„n ¶ Of the thyrde part of contemplacion Caplm viii THe thirde part of conteÌ„placion the whiche is perfite as it may here lyeth both in cognicoÌ„n in affeccoÌ„n That is to say in knowyng in perfite louyng of god And that is whaÌ„ a maÌ„nys soule fyrst is reformed by fulhede of vertues to the ymage of IhuÌ„ And afterwarde whaÌ„ he is visited he is taken in fro all erthly flesshly affeccoÌ„ns fro vayn thought ymaginynges of all bodely creatures as it were moche rauysshed out of the bodely wyttes And thenÌ„e by y e grace of the holy ghost is illumyned for to see by vndstoÌ„dyng soth fastnes whiche is god ghostly thynges wyth a softe swete breÌ„nyng loue in hym so ê‘fitly that he be rauysshed of his loue so the soule is onyd for the tyme coÌ„formyd to the ymage of y e trinite The begynÌ„yng of this conteÌ„placoÌ„n may be felid in this lyf but the fulhede of it is kept into the blisse of heueÌ„ Of this onyng conformyng to our lord spekith saynt poul thê° Qui adheet deo vnê° spÌ„s â— cuÌ„ illo That is to say who so by rauysshiÌ„g of loue is fastened to god thenÌ„e god his soule are not two but both one And sothly in this onyng is y e mariage made betwix god the soule the whiche shal neuer be brokeÌ„ ¶ Of the twynÌ„ing of the iii. part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n fro the ii part of the praysing therof Caplm ix THe other part may be callid brenÌ„yng loue in deuocoÌ„n this breÌ„nyng loue in conteÌ„placion y t is lower this is y e hier that is swetter to the bodily feling this inwardly felyng better to the ghostly felyng For it is more inwarde more wothy more ghostly more wondful For this is verely a tasting so lityl as is a ernest of the sight of heueÌ„ly ioy not clerli but half in derkenes the whiche shal be fulfylled opeÌ„ly clered in the blisse of heuen as saynt poul saith Videmê° nuÌ„c ê‘ spclm iÌ„ enigmate tuÌ„c auteÌ„ videbimê° facie ad facieÌ„ we see now god by a myrrour as it were in a derknes but in heueÌ„ shal we see opeÌ„ly face to face This is the illumynacoÌ„n of vndstondyng in delites of louyng as dauid saith in the sawter Et nox illuÌ„i naroÌ„ mea in deliciis meis 〈◊〉 nyght is my light in my delytâ— Thother part is milke for children this is hole mete for ê‘fyte men the whiche haue wittes assayd to knowe good fro euyll as saynt poul saith Pfectorum eÌ„ solidê° ribus q heÌ„nt seÌ„sus exercitatos ad discreâ—oÌ„em boni mali The werkynge of the ful vse of this yefte may no man haue but he be fyrst refourmed to y e lyknes of IhuÌ„ bi fulhede of vertues Ne there maye no man liuyng in dedely flesshe haue it coÌ„tynuelly in his fulhede in the ouerpassyng but by tymes whan he 〈…〉 iiii is visited And as I coÌ„ceyue bi the writyng of holy men it is a ful short tyme. for soone after he falleth in a sobirte of bodely felynge al this werke makith charite Thê° as I vndstonde saith saynt poul of hymself Siue excedimê° deo siue sobrii sumê° vobis caritas xpÌ„i vrget nos wherther we ouerpasse oure bodely wyttes to god in conteÌ„placoÌ„n or we are more sobir to you in bodely felyng y e charite of crist streyneth vs. Of this part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n of reforming to god spekith saynt poul opeÌ„ly thê° Nos auteÌ„ reuelata facie gliam dnÌ„i speclamÌ„ traÌ„sformati in eandeÌ„ ymagineÌ„ a claritate iÌ„ claritatē· taÌ„quamm a dnÌ„i spÌ„u And this is thê° moche for to say Saynt poul in the ê‘sone of hymself of ê‘fyte men saith thê° we fyrst reformed by vertues the face of our soule vnhelid bi openyng of the ghostli eye beholden as in a myrrour heueÌ„ly ioye fulshapid ouyd to thymage of our lord fro clerete of faith into clerete of vndstondyng or els fro clerete of desire in to clerete of blessed loue al this is wrouÈt of the spirite of our lord in a mannis soule as saynt poul saith This part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n god yeuyth where y t he wyll to leryd to lewde to men to wymÌ„en ocupied in prelacye to solitary also But it is speciall not comyn also though a man whiche al his lyf is actyf haue the yeft of it by a special grace neuertheles the fulnes of it may no man haue but he be solitary in lyf conteÌ„platyf ¶ How the shewynge to the bodely wyittes the felynge of hem may be both good euyll Caplm .x. By this that I haue sayd may y u soÌ„what vndstoÌ„de that visyoÌ„s or reuelacoÌ„ns of ony maner of spiryte in bodely aperyng or in ymaginynge slepyng or wakyng or els ony other felyng in y â— bodely wyth made as it were ghostly other in sownyng of ere or sauering in the mouth or smellyng at y e nose or els ony seÌ„sible hete as it were fyre glowyng warmyng y e breste or ony other parte of y e body or ony other thyng y t may be felyd by bodely wytte though it be neuer soo coÌ„fortable lykyng they ben not very conteÌ„placoÌ„n ne they â—en but symple secuÌ„dary though they ben good in rewarde of ghostly vertues of this ghostly knowyng louyng of god But al suche maner of felyng maye be good wrought by a good angel and they may be deceyuable wrought by a wickyd angel whan he traÌ„sfygurith hym in to an angel of light wherfor syth they may be both good euyl it semith wel they are not the best For wyte y u wel that the deuyll may whaÌ„ he hath leue feyne in bodely felyng the lykenes of the same thynges the whiche a good angel may werke For right as a good angel comyth wyth lyght soo can y e deuyll And soo of the other wyttê who so had felid bothe he shold wel telle whyche were good whiche were euyll But he that neuer felid neyther or els
it is soth no lees And thenÌ„e y u shal desire nyght day after thi myght for to come as nere as thou mayst to y t state whyche y u hast take trowyng stedfastly that it is best to the by the mercy of god for to traueyle in And though it be soo that thou may not come to the fulhede of it here in this lyf that y u miÈt be in the begynÌ„yng of it trust sikerly for to haue the fulhede by the mercy of god in the blysse of heuen For sothly that is my lyf I fele me soo wretchyd soo freyle flesshly so ferÌ„ fro true felyng fro that y e I speke that I can not ellis but crie mercy desire after as I may wyth an hope y â— our lord wyll brynge me therto in the blysse of heuen Doo thou soo beter after that god yeuyth the grace The felyng of thys lownes shall put out of thyn hert vnskylful beholdyng of other menÌ„es dedes and it shall dryue the hooly to beholde thyselfe as there were no man liuyng but god thou And thou shal deme holde thyself more vyle more wretche thaÌ„ is ony creature y t beryth lyf that vneth shal y u suffre thiself for the gretnes noÌ„bre of synÌ„e fylthe that thou shall fele in the Thus behouyth the for to fele somtyme yf thou wilt be very meke For I telle the sothly yf thou wylt be truely meke thou shalt thynke a venyal synÌ„e in thiself more greuous painful to y â— and greter be in thy sight somtyme than grete dedely synÌ„es of other men This is soth to the yf thou wyll be contemplatife for this skyll That thing the whiche puttith thy soule or lettith it moost fro the felyng knowyng of god oweth to be moost greuous paynfull to the But a venyall synne of thiself lettith the more fro the felyng perfyte loue of Ihesu cryst than ony other manÌ„es synÌ„e may do be it neuer somoche Semyth it thenÌ„e that thou sholde more aryse in thyn owne hert ayenst thyself for to hate deme in thyself all maner of siÌ„ne whyche letteth the fro the sight of god more than ayenst the defawtes of other men For yf thyn hert be clene of thyn owne synÌ„es sothly the synÌ„es of all other meÌ„ shold not dere yâ—â—nd therfore yf thou wyll fynde rest here in the blisse of heuen after the couÌ„seyle of one of the holy faders say euery day what am I and deme thou noo man ¶ who sholde blame menÌ„es defawtes deme hem and who not Caplm xvii BVt now seest thou how may this be sith it is a dede of charyte for to blame men of her defawtes and for to deme hem far her amendyng it is a dede of mercy As to thys I answere as me thynkith y t to the or to ony other the whyche hath statâ— purpoos of lyf coÌ„templatyf it fallyth not for to leue the kepyng of hemself and for to beholde to blame other men of her defawtes but yf it were ful grete nede soo that a man shold perysshÌ„ but yf thou blamyd hym But the men whiche are actyf· and haue soueraynte cure ouer other as prelates curates suche other they are bouÌ„de by their offyce by waye of charite for to see seke deme rightfully other menÌ„es defawtes Not of desire delyte for to chastise heÌ„ but oonly for nede wyth drede of god in his name for loue of saluacoÌ„n of her soules Other meÌ„ that are actyf haue no cure of other men they are bouÌ„de for to blame other men of her defawtes by the way of charyte onÌ„ly that whan the synÌ„e is dedely and it may not well be corrected by none other man and whan he trowyth that he the sooner shold be ameÌ„ded by his vndtakyng Els it is beter that he cesse That this is soth it semyth by saynt IohÌ„n whiche helde the state of conteÌ„platyf lyf saynt peter whiche had the state of actyâ— lyf whaÌ„ our lorde in his last sowper wyth his discyples at the preuy stirynge of saynt peter to saiÌ„t IohÌ„n tolde saynt IohÌ„n how Iudas sholde bitraye hym saynt IohÌ„n tolde it not to saynt peter as he askid but he turned hym layed his hede vpon cristis brest and was rauysshid by loue in to conteÌ„placoÌ„n of goddis priuitees And soo medefully to him that he forgate both Iudas sainte peter in tokenyng techyng to other men whiche wold be conteÌ„platyf that they shold dispose hem for to doo the same ¶ Why men shold worship other and low heÌ„self in her owne herte vnd al other Caplm xviii THenÌ„e seest thou here somwhat that thou shalt nother deme other men ne conceyue ayenst hem wylfully none euyll suspicoÌ„n but thou shalt loue hem ne see thou noo defawte in hem and worship hem in thy hert suche as ledeth in y e worlde actyf lyf and suffren many trybulacoÌ„ns teÌ„ptacyons whyche thou sittyng in thy hous felyst noughte of And they haue full moche traueyle disese for her owne other menÌ„es sustynauÌ„ce and many of hem had wel leuer serue god if thei myghte as thou doost in bodely reste And neuertheles they in her worldly besynes flee many synÌ„es the whiche yf thou were in her state thou sholdest falle in and they doo many good dedes whiche thou cowde not doo It is noo doubte that mani done thus whiche they ben thou wost not And therfore thou shalt worship al. sette hem in thi hert al aboue the as thy souereyns and cast the downe vnd her fete that thou be vylest lowest in thin owne sight for it is noo drede ne noo peryll to the how moche thou may lowe thyself bynethe al other though it were soo that in goddis sight thou haddest more grace than ony other But it is peryll to the to hye the lyft thiself in thy thought wylfully aboue ony other maÌ„ though he were the moost wretche or the moost synful caytiff that is in erthe For our lorde sayth· Qui se huliat exaltabit et qui se exaltat huliabit who so hieth himself he shal be lowed and who so lowyth hymself· he shal be hyed This part of mekenes y â— behouyth for to haue in thy begynÌ„yng and by this bi grace shal thou come to the fulhede of it soo of all other vertues For who soo hath one vertue he hath al other vertues Asmoche as thou hast of mekenes somoche hast thou of charite of pacyence of other vertues though they ben not shewed outwarde Be thenÌ„e besie to gete mekenes holde it for it is y e firste the last of all vertues It is the fyrst for it is the grounde as saynt austyn sayth If thou thynke for to bilde an hye house of vertues ordeyne the fyrst a depe grouÌ„de of mekenes Also it is the last for it is kepyng sauyng of all other
brenneth wasteth al bodely thynge where it comith Ryght soo ghostly fyre as is the loue of god brenneth and wasteth all flesshly loues likynges in a mannes soule And this fyre is stokyn in my bones as the ê“phete saith of hymself That is for to say This loue fulfyllith the myght of my soule· as mynde reason wylle of grace ghostly swetnes as marow fyllith ful the bone that wythin not wythout in y e wyttes Neuertheles it is soo myghty wythin that it smyteth oute in to the body and makith al the body quake tremyse It is sofer tro the bodely kynde soo vnkouth that he can noo skyll on it and may not bere it but faylith fallyth downe as the prophete sayth And therfore our lord temperith it and with drawyth the feruour suffreth the hert to falle in to a sobirte of more softnes who can pray thus oft he spedyth soone in his traueyle He shal gete more of vertues in a lityl tyme thaÌ„ some man wythout this or a nother as good shal gete in loÌ„ge tyme. for al y e bodely penauÌ„ce that he myght doo And who hath this it nedeth not for to charge y e bodely kynde wyth more penauÌ„ce than it berith yf he haue it ofte ¶ Of the thyrde maner of prayer that is onÌ„ly in the herte wythout speche outwarde Caplm xxxii THe iii. maner of prayer is onÌ„ly in the herte wythout speche by grete reste softnes of the body of the soule A clene hert hym behoueth to haue that shal pray wel thus For it is of suche men wymÌ„en that by longe traueylle bodely ghostly or elles by suche sharpe smytinges of loue as I haue before sayd comen in to rest of spiryte soo that her affeccion is tourned in to ghostly sauour that they mowe nygh contynuelly praye in her herte and loue prayse god wythout grete lettyng of temptacoÌ„ns or of vanytees as I haue before sayd in the seconde part of contemplacyon Of this maner of prayer sayth saynt poul thus Nam si orem lingua spiritus meus orat mens autem mea sine fructu est· Quid ergo Orabo spiritu orabo mente· psallam spiritu psallam mente That is to saye yf I pray wyth my tonge onÌ„ly by y e wille of spirite by traueyle y e prayer is medeful but my soule is not fedde For it felyth not the fruyt of ghostly swetnesse by vnderstondynge What shall I thenne doo sayth saynt poul And he answerith sayth I shall praye by traueyle desire of the spiryte And I shal praye also more Inwardly in my spyrite wythoute traueyle in ghostly sauour swetnes of y e loue the sight of god by the whiche sight felyng of loue my soule is fedde Thus as I vndstonde saynt poul cowde praye Of this maner of prayer spekith our lorde in holy wrytte by fygure thus Ignis in altari meo seÌ„ê‘ ardebit cotidie sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extinguat This is for to saye The fyre of loue shal euer be light in the soule of a deuoute clene man or woman the whiche is the awter of our lorde And the prest shall euery daye at morne laye to styckes norysshe the fyre That is to say This man shal bi holy psalmes clene thoughtes feruent desyre norysshe the fyre of loue in his hert that it goo not out in ony tyme This rest our lord yeâ—yth to some of his seruauÌ„tes as it were a reward of her traueyle a shadowe of the loue whiche they shal haue in the blysse of heuen ¶ How men shold doo that ben traueyled with vayne thoughtes in her prayers Caplm xxxiii· BVt now seest thou that I speke ouer hye to the in thys maner of prayer for it is no maystry to me for to saye it but for to doo it there is the maystry Thou sayest that y u canst not praye thus deuoutli ne so holy in hert as I speke of For whan thou woldest haue the mynde of thyn hert vpwarde to god in thy prayer thou felyst so many thoughtes in veyne of thyn owne dedes before doon or what thou shalt doo of other menÌ„es dedes and suche many other lettyng taryeÌ„g the soo that thou mayst nother fele sauour ne rest ne deuocoÌ„n in thy sayeng and oftsithes the more thou traueilest to kepe thyn hert the ferder it is fro the the hardersomtyme fro the begynÌ„yng to the last ende that the thynke it is but lost al that thou doost And vnto this that thou sayest that I speke to hie to the of prayer I graunt well that I speke otherwyse than I can or may doo Neuertheles I saye it for this entent that y u sholdest knowe how we ought to pray yf we dyde wel And sithen we may not doo so that we know thenÌ„e our feblenes mekely· and crye god mercy Our lord bad thus hymsel whaÌ„ he sayd Diliges dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ ex toto corde tuoex tota aia tua ex oibus viribus tuis Thou shalt loue god of al thyn hert and al thy soule al thy myght It is impossible to ony man for to fulfylle this biddyng soo fully as it is sayd lyuynge in erthe And yet neuertheles our lord bad vs for to loue soo for this entent as saynt bernarde sayth that we shold know therby our feblenes and thenne mekely crye after mercy and we shal haue it Neuertheles I shal telle y e as me thynkith in this askyng whan thou shalt praye make thin entent thy wylle in the begynÌ„yng as hole as clene to god as thou mayst shortly in thy mynde and thenÌ„e begynÌ„e doo as thou mayst And though y u be neuer somoche letted ayeÌ„st thy fyrste wyll be not adrad ne to angry wyth thyself ne inpacyeÌ„t ayenst god that he yeueth the not the sauour ghostly swetnes wyth deuocoÌ„n as the thynketh that he yeueth to other creatures But see therby thyn owne feblenes and bere it easely holdiÌ„g in thyn owne syght thyn owne prayer feble as it is wyth mekenes of herte trustyng also sikerly in the mercy of our lord that he shal make it gode profytable to the more than thou knowest or felest For wite thou wel that thou art exscused of thy dette thou shalte haue mede for it as for an other good dede y t thou doost in charite though thyn hert were not therupon in the doyng Therfore doo that longeth to the. and suffre our lorde to yeue what he wyll and teche hym not And though thou thinke thyself recheles neclygent and as thou were in grete defawte for suche thynges Neuertheles yet shalt thou for this defawte all other venyals whyche may not be eschewed in this wretchyd lyf lyft vp thyn hert to god knowlegyng thy wretchydnes crye mercy wyth a good trust of foryeuenes and stryue noo
that blessid persone god and man sone of virgin mary whom this name betokenith that is all goodnes endles wysdom loue and swetnes thy Ioye thy worshyp and thyn euerlastyng blysse thy god thy lorde and thy saluacyon Thenne yf it be soo that thou felyst a grete desyre in thyn herte to Ihesu eyther by mynde of this name Ihesu or by mynde and sayenge of ony other worde or in prayer or in ony dede y t thou doost whiche desire is soo moche that it putteth oute as it were by strength al other thoughtes and desyres of the worlde of the flesshe that they maye not reste in thyne herte Thenne sechest thou well thy lorde Ihesu And whan thou felyst this desyre to god to Ihesu all is one holpen and comforted by a ghostly myghte in somoche that it is torned in to loue and affeccōn ghostly sauour and swetnes In to lyght and knowyng of sothfastnes somoche that for the tyme the poynt of thy thoughte is sette vpō noo thynge that is made Ne it felyth noo stiryng of vaynglory ne of itself nother ne none other euyll affeccōn for they mow not appere that tyme But oonly is enclosed rested softed enoynted in Ihesu thenne hast thou founde somwhat of Ihesu Not hym as he is but a shadowe of hym For the better that thou fyndest hym the more shalt thou desire hym Thenne by what maner prayer or meditacōn or occupacōn that thou maye haue grettest and clennest desyre to hym and haue moost felynge of hym by that ocupacyon thou sechest hym best and beste fyndest hym Therfore yf it come to thy mynde as it were askynge what hast thou loste and what sechest thou Lyfte vp thy mynde and the desyre of thy herte to Ihesu cryste though thou be blynde and noughte maye see of his godhede And saye that hym hast thou lost and hym wolde thou haue and noo thyng but hym to be wyth hym where he is None other ioye none other blysse in heuen ne in erth but hym And though it be soo that thou fele hym in deuocōn or in knowinge or in ony other yefte what that it be rest not there as though thou haddest fully founde Ihesu But foryete that that y u hast foūde and alway by desiryng after Ihesu more and more for to fynde hym better as though thou haddest ryght noughte founde in hym For wyte thou well what that thou felyst of hym be it neuer soo moche ye though thou were rauisshed in to the thyrde heuen wyth poul yet hast thou not founde Ihesu as he is in his Ioye Know thou or fele thou neuer soo moche of hym he is yet aboue it And therfore yf thou woll fully fynde hym as he is in the blysse of louyng cease y u neuer whyle thou lyuest ne of ghostly desyryng ¶ What profyte it is to haue the desyre of Ihesu Caplm xlvii SOthly I had leuer fele and haue a sothfaste desyre and a clene in myn herte to my lorde Ihesu cryst though I see ryght lityll of hym wyth my ghostly eye than for to haue wythout thys desyre all bodily penaunce of all men liuynge all vysions or reuelacōns of angels apperyng songes and so wnynges sauours and smelles bren̄ynges and ony likynges or bodily felynges And shortly for to saye or all the Ioye of heuen and of erthe whyche I myghte haue wythout this desire to my lorde Ihesu Dauyd the prophete felte as I saye as I vndstonde whan he sayd· thus Quid enim michi est in celo et a te quid volui super terram Lorde what thynge is to me in heuen or what wolde I wythout the aboue erthe As yf he had sayd thus Lorde Ihesu what heuenly Ioye is likynge to me wythout desyre of the whyles I am in erthe or wythoute loue of the whan I come to heuen As who saye ryght none Thenne yf thou wyll fele ony thynge of hym bodily or ghostly coueyte not but for to fele sothfastly a desyre of his grace and of his mercyful presence that the thynketh that thyn herte maye fynde none other reste in noo thynge but in hym Thus coueyted dauyd whan he sayd thus Concupiuit anima mea desiderare iustificacōnes tuas in om̄i tempore Lorde my soule coueyted the desyre of thy rightwysnes in euery tyme Seke thenne as dauyd dide desyre by desyre And yf thou maye fele by thy desyre in prayers and in meditacōns the homely presence of Ihesu cryst in thy soule bynde thyn hert fast therto that it fall not therfro And yf thou stomble· that thou maye soone fynde hym ayen ¶ Where and wyth what thyng Ihesu shall be soughte founde Caplm xliii SEke thenne Ihesu whom thou hast lost He wyll be sought and he may thenne somwhat be founden for he saith hymselfe Omnis qui querit inueniet Euery man that sechyth shal fynde The sekyng is traueylous but the fyndynge is blysfull Doo therfore after the counseylle of the wyse man yf thou wyll fynde hym Si quesieris quasi pecuniā sapienciam sicut thesaurum effoderis illam tunc intelliges timorem dn̄i scienciā inuenies If thou seke wysdom the whyche is Ihesu as syluer golde and delueste depe therafter thou shalt fynde it The behouyth for to delue depe in thyn hert for therin he is hidde and cast out full clenly all loues likynges sorowes and dredes of all erthly thynges and soo shalt thou fynde wysdom Ihesu Be thou thenne lyke to the woman of the gospell of the whyche our lorde saythe thus Que mulier habens dragmas decem c· what woman is that that hathe lost a drame that she ne wyll lighte a lantem and cast her hous vpsodowne and seche tyll she fynde it As who saye none And whan she hath founden it she calleth her frendes and saith to hem thus Makyth myrth wyth me melodie for I haue founden the drame that I had lost This drame is Ihesu that thou hast loste And yf thou wylte fynde hym lyghte vp a latern that is goddis worde as dauid sayth Lucerna pedibus meis verbū tuū Lorde thy worde to my fete is a lanterne Bithys lantern shalte thou see where he is and how thou shalte fynde hym And yf thou wylt thou maye wyth this lyght vp an other latern that is the reason of thy soule For as our lorde sayth Lucerna corporis tui est oculus tuus The laterne of thy body is thy bodily eye Right soo maye be sayd that the lantern of thy soule is reason by the whyche the soule maye see all ghostly thynges By this lantern may thou fynde Ihū and that is soth yf thou holde vp the lantern fro vndneth the busshell as our lorde sayth Nemo accendit lucernam ponit eam sub modio sed super candelabrū There is no man that lyghteth a lanterne for to sette it vnder a busshell but vpon a candelstycke That is to saye Thy reason shall not
this delyte and Ioye that he felyth for god as the reste of his soule the whyche is synne wythouten displesyng or ayen stondyng of wyll For he weneth it were a Ioye in god and it is not soo and therfore synneth he dedely Iob saith thus of an ypocrite Gaudium ypocrite ad instar puÌ„cti Si ascenderit in celum superbia eius capud eius nubes tetigerit velut sterquiliniuÌ„ in fine perdetur The Ioye of an ypocryte is noo more than a poynte For yf he stye in to heuen wyth reysynge of hert and his heued touche the skyes at the last ende he shal be casten oute as a dounge hepe The Ioye of an ypocryte is but a poynt For yf he worshyppe hymself neuer soo moche and Ioye in hymself neuer soo moche al his lyf tyme and depeynte hymself wyth all his good dedes in syghte and in louynge of the worlde at the last it is ryght nought but sorowe payne But now sayst â–ª thou that there are fewe suche or elles none that is soo blynde that wold holde and chese vayne Ioye in hymself as for Ioye in god As vnto this I can not saye ne wylle not though I cowde but one thynge I telle that there are many ypocrytes and neuertheles they wene that they beÌ„ none and that be many that dredeÌ„ hemself as ypocrites and sothly they are none whyche is one and whiche is other god knoweth and none but he who soo wyll mekely drede â–ª he shall not be bigyled And who so weneth to be syker he may lyghtly falle For saynt poul sayth Qui se existimat aliquid esse cum nichil sit ipse se seducit who soo weneth hymselfe to be oughte whan he is ryght nought he begyleth hymself ¶ How stirynges of pryde and vainglory in good men beÌ„ but veniall synnes Caplm lx NEuertheles a man or woman whyche disposyth hym to lyue contemplatyf yf it be soo that he forsake hym selfe as in wyll and offre hym holy to god wyth a full generall wyll that he wold not synne in pryde wyttyngly ne haue Ioye in hymselfe wylfully but oonly in god yf he cowde and myghte And after this full wyll offred to god he felyth many stirynges of vaynglory and delyteth in hem for the tyme for he perceyueth hem not This likyng is but venyall synne and namly yf it be soo that whan he comyth to hymselfe he repreuyth hymself and ayenstondeth this stiryng wyth displesyng of wyll and askyth mercy and helpe of god Thenne the likyng whiche before was synne out lorde of his mercy soone forgyueth it And yet he shall haue mede for his goode traueyle in the ayenstondyng And that is a curtesye of oure lorde graunted to all those whyche arn specyally his seruauntes and more homely of his courte as are alle those that for his loue forsaken in a good true wyll all worldly and al flesshly synne and yeuen hem hooly body and soule vnto his seruyse in her myghte and her cunnynge As done pryncypally ancres encluse and true religyous the whyche for the loue of god and saluacion of her soules entren in to ony religyon approued by holy chyrche Or elles yf it be soo that they entren fyrst for a worldly cause as for her bodily sustenaunce or for some other suche if they repent hem and tourne it in to a goostly cause as for the seruyce of god Thyse as longe as they kepe this wyll and pursue it as they maye vpon her freelte are true religyous Also what man or woman that he be in what degree he be in holy chirche preste clerke or lewde man wydowe or mayden or wyf that wyll for the loue of god and saluacyon of his soule forsake all the worshyppes and likynges of this worlde in this worlde in his herte truly and fully betwix god and hym and all wylful besynes and erthly thinges to the bare nede And offre his wyllâ—nteerly for to be his seruaunt vpon his myghte by deuoute prayers and holy thoughtes wyth other good dedes that he maye doo bodely and goostly and kepyth his wyll hoole to god stedfastly All thyse arne specyally goddis seruauntes in holy chyrche And for this good wyll and good pourpoos that they haue of the yefte of god they shall encrese in grace and in charyte here lyuynge And they shall haue for this specyall wyll a specyall mede in the blysse of heuen before other chosen soules whyche offred not hooly her wyll and her bodi to goddis seruyce neither openly ne pryuely as they dyden All thyse whyche I calle goddis seruauntes and of his courte more specyall yf they by freelte and by vnkunnyng whan they fele suche stirynges of vaynglory for the tyme delyten therin and perceyuen it not for her reason and her wytte is letted by the likynge that they fele that it maye not see this stirynge They synne not dedely in this likynge of vayne glory For that wyll that they haue generally sette in her herte before to plese god and for to forsake all maner of synne yf they knewe it kepith hem here in suche stirynges and in all other that comen of freelte that they synne not dedely And shall kepe as longe as the grounde of that wyll is kepte hole ¶ How dyuers states in holy chyrche shall haue dyuers medes in heuen And of two specyall medes in heuen Caplm lxi ANd ouer this I say more in comforte of the and of all other hauyng the state of anker incluse and also by grace oâ— god in comforte of hem all that entre ony religyon approued in holy chyrche that all those that by the mercy of oure lorde shal be saaf they shall haue a specyall mede and a synguler worshyp in the blysse of heuen for her state of lyuynge before other soules that had not that state in holy chyrche though they ben neuer soo holy whyche worshyp is better than all the worshyp of this worlde wythouten comparyson For yf thou myghte see what it were thou woldest not for y e worship of this worlde yf thou myghtest haue it withouten synÌ„e chaunge the state eyther of anker or of religyous ne lese that synguler mede in the blysse of heuen whyche mede is callyd Accydentall mede Neuerthelesse that other men mystake not this that I saye Therfore I shall saye it more openly Thou shalt vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whyche oure lorde gyueth to chosen soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louynge and knowynge of hym after the mesure of charytee gyuen of god to a soule lyuynge in dedely flesshe This mede is beste and souereyne for it is god hymself And it is comyn to all the soules that shollen be saaf in what state or degree that they ben lyuyng in holy chirche more or lesse after the quantyte and the mochenes of her charyte in his life what degree he be in For he that moost loueth god in charyte he shall haue
how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god and man one persone Caplm xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shall be take and on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poulis wordes Caplm xxxi How god openyth the Inner eye of the soule to see hym not all at ones but by dyuers tymes and of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii How IhuÌ„ is heuen to y e soule why he is called fyre xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed and vnfourmed what it meaneth and how we ben beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyeng but althermoost for our sauynge thrugh the yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiii How that some soule loueth ihesu by bodily feruours and by her owne manly affeccoÌ„ns that ben stired by grace and by reison And how some louen Ihesu more restfully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thorugh specyall grace of the holy ghost Caplm xxxv That the yette of loue amonge al the yeftes of Ihesu is worthyest and moost profytable And how Ihesu dooth al that is well done in his louers oonly for loue and how loue makith the vsyng of all vertues all good dedes lyght eesy xxxvi How loue thorugh gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu sleeth al styrynges of pryde and makyth the soule for to lese sauour and delyte in all erthly worshyp Caplm xxxvii How loue sleeth all stirynges of wrath and enuye softly and refourmyth in the soule the vertues of pees and pacyeÌ„ce and of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles Caplm xxxviii How loue sleeth couetyse lecherye and gloteny and sleeth the flesshly sauour and delyte in all the fyue bodily wyttes softly and easely thorugh a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ xxxix What vertues and graces a soule receyueth thorugh openynge of the Inner eye in to the gracyous beholdynge of Ihesu And it maye not be goten oonly thorugh mannys traueylle but thorugh specyall grace traueyle also Caplm xl How specyall grace in beholdyng of Ihesu wythdrawith soÌ„tyme fro a soule and how a soule shal haue her in the absence and presence of Ihesu And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye the gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ Caplm xli A coÌ„mendacyon of prayer offryd to Ihesu of a soule contemplatyffe And how stablenesse in prayer is a syker werke to stonde in And how euery felynge of grace in a chosen soule maye be sayd Ihesu but the more clener a soule is the worthier is his grace Caplm xlii How a soule thrugh the openyng of the ghostly eye receyueth a gracyous loue able to vnderstonde holy wrytte And how Ihesu that is hydde in holy wrytte sheweth hymself to his louers Caplm xliii Of the pryue voys of Ihesu sownynge in a soule wherby it shall be knowen and how all the gracyous Illumynacyons made in a soule beÌ„ called the spekynges of IhuÌ„ Caplm xliiii How thorugh gracyous openynge of the gholy eye a soule is made wyse mekely and sothfastly to see the dyuersite of degrees in holy chirche as traueyllyng and for to see angels kynde fyrst of reproued Caplm xlv How by the same lyghte of grace the blessyd angelles kynde maye be seen and how Ihesu is god and man aboue all creatures after that the soule maye see hym here Caplm xlvi ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the seconde boke ¶ Here after folowyth the seconde boke of mayster walterÌ„ Hylton ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body Caplm primum FOr asmoche as thou couetyst gretly and askyst it for charyte for to here more of an ymage the whiche I haue before tymes in partie discriued to the therfore I wyll gladly wyth drede fall to thy desyre and helpyng the grace of our lorde Iesu cryst in whom I fully truste I shall open to the a lityll more of this ymage At the begynnyng yf thou wylt wyte plainly what I meane by this ymage I telle the forsoth that I vndstonde nought elles but thyn owne soule For thy soule and my soule and euery resonable soule is an ymage and that a worthy ymage for it is the ymage of god as the apostle saythe Vir est ymago dei That is to saye A man is the ymage of god and made to the ymage and to the lyknes of hym not in the bodily shappe wythoute but in the myghtes of it within as holy wrytte sayth Formauit deus homineÌ„ ad ymagineÌ„ similitudineÌ„ suaÌ„ That is Our lorde god shope man in his soule to his owne ymage lyknes This is the ymage that I haue spoken of This ymage made to the ymage of god in the fyrst shapyng was wonderly fayr and bryghte full of brennyng loue and ghostly lyghte but thorugh synne of y e fyrst man adam it was disfygured and forshapen in to a nether lyknes as I haue before sayd For it fell fro y e ghostly lyÈte that heuenly fode in to paynfull derknes and lust of this wretchyd lyfe exyled and flemyd oute fro the herytage of heuen that it sholde haue had yf it had stonde stylle in to y e wretchydnes of this erthe and afterwarde in to the prison of helle there to haue be wythoute ende Fro the whyche pryson to y e heuenly herytage it myghte neuer haue come agayen but yf it had be refourmed to the fyrste shappe and the fyrste lickenes But that refourmynge myghte not be made by none erthly man for euery man was in the same myscheyff And none myghte suffyse to helpe hymselfe and soo moche lesse a nother man Therfore it nedeth to be done by hym that is more than man that is oonly god and that was skylfull that he sholde refourme and restore man to blysse yf he sholde be saaf whiche of his endles goodnes fyrste shope hym therto How thenne it myghte be refourmed and how it is refourmed to the fyrste lyckenes by hym that fourmed it by the grace of god I shall telle the For that is the entente of this wrytynge ¶ How it neded to mankynde that oonly thorugh the passyon of cryste it sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii THe ryghtwysnes of god asketh that a trespace done be not foryeuen but yf amendes be made for it yf it maye be done Now it is sooth mankynde that was hole in adam the fyrste man trespassed ayenste god soo wonder greuously whan it forfeyted the speciall byddyng of hym and assented to the false counseylle of the fende that it deserued ryghtfully for to haue be departed fro hym and dampned to helle wyth outen ende soo ferforth that stondynge the ryghtwysnesse of god it myghte not be foryeuen but yf amendes were first made and full satysfaccyon therfore But this amendes myghte noo man make that was man oonly and comen oute of adam by kyndely
is not good to hem to reste in suche felinges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue· to more stablynesse of thoughte in god For some maye be true some maye be feyned as I haue sayd before ¶ How this maner of spekynge of refourmynge in felynge of a soule shal be take And on what wyse it is reformed and how it is fouÌ„de in saynt poules wordes Caplm xxxi NOw I haue sayd to the a lityll of refourmynge in faythe and also I haue towched to the a lityll of the forth-goynge fro that refourmyng to the hygher refourmyng that is in felynge Not in that entent that I wolde bi thise wordes sette goddis worchynge vnd a lawe of my spekinge As for to saye thus worcheth god in a soule none other wise Nay I meane not so But I saye after my symple felinge that oure lorde worcheth thê° in some creatures as I hope And I hope wel that he worcheth other wyse also that passyth my witte my felynge Neuertheles whether he worche thus or other wyse by suÌ„dry meanes in lenger tyme or shorter tyme wyth moche traueyle or lityll traueyle yf all come to one ende that is to the perfite loue of hym thenÌ„e it is good ynough For yf he wolle yeue one soule on one daye the full grace of contemplacoÌ„n wythout ony traueyle as he well maye as good is y â— to that soule as yf he had be examyned pynyd mortifyed and purifyed twenty wynter And therfore vpon this maner wyse take in my sayenge as I haue sayd namly as I thynke to saye For now by the grace of our lorde Ihesu shall I speke a lityll as me thynketh more openly of refourmyng in felyng what it is and how it is made and whiche are ghostly felynges that a soule receyueth Neuertheles fyrste that I take not this maner of spekynge of refourmyng of a soule in felynge as feynyng or fantasye therfore I shall grouÌ„de it in saynt poullis wordes where he sayth thus Nolite coÌ„formari huic sclosed reformamini in nouitate sensus vestri That is ye that are thrugh grace refourmed in fayth conforme you not hensforwarde to the maners of the worlde in pride in couetyse in other synÌ„es but be ye refourmed in newehede of felynge Loo here thou maye see that saynt poul spekyth of refourmynge in felynge And what that newe felynge is he expowneth in a nother place thê° Vt impleamini in agnicioÌ„e voluÌ„tatis eiê° in omÌ„i intellectu et sapiÌ„a spuÌ„ali That is we praye god that ye maye be fulfylled in knowinge of goddis wyll in all vndstondynge and in all maner ghostly wysdom This is refourmynge in felynge For thou shalt vnderstonde that the soule hath ii maner of felinges One without of y e fyue bodili wittes a nother wythin of y e ghostly wyttes the whiche are properly the myghtes of the soule Mynde reason wylle whan thyse myghtes are thrugh grace fulfylled in all vnderstondynge of the wyll of god ghostly wysdom thenÌ„e hath the soule newe gracyous felynges That this is soth he sheweth in a nother place thus Renouamini spÌ„u mentis vestre et induite nouuÌ„ hoiÌ„em q scdm deuÌ„ creatus est in iusticia sciÌ„tate vitate Be ye renued in spiryte of your soule That is ye shall be refourmed not in bodily felynge ne in ymaginacion but in the ouer partye of your reason And clothe you in a newe man y t is shapen after god in rightwysnes holinesse sothfastnesse That is your reason y t is properli the ymage of god thrugh grace of the holy ghoste shall be clothed in a newe lyghte of sothfastnesse holynes ryghtwysnes And thenne it is reformed in felynge For whan the soule hath perfyte knowynge of god thenne it is refourmed Thus sayth saynt poul Expoliantes vetereÌ„ homineÌ„ cuÌ„ actibus suis induite nouuÌ„ qui re nouatur in agnicoÌ„ne dei scdm ymagineÌ„ eiê° qui creauit eum Spoyle yourself of the olde man with all his dedes That is caste fro you the loue of the worlde with all worldly maners And clothe you in a newe man That is ye shall be renewed in the knowynge of god after the lycknes of hym that made you By thyse wordes thou maye vndstonde that saynt poul wolde haue menÌ„es soules refourmed in perfyte knowyng of god for that is the newe felynge that he spekyth of generally And therfore vpoÌ„ his wordes I shall saye more opeÌ„ly of this reformyng as god yeueth me grace For there is two maner knowyng of god One is had pryncipally in ymagynacyon lityll in vndstondyng This knowinge is in chosen soules begynÌ„yng prouffitynge in grace that knowen god louen hym all manly not ghostly wyth manly affeccoÌ„ns wyth bodily lyknes as I haue before sayd This knowynge is good and it is lykned to mylke by the whiche they are tendly nouryshed as childn vntyl they ben able for to come to the faders borde and take of his honde hole brede A nother knowyng is pryncypally feled in vnderstondyng lityll in ymagynacoÌ„n For the vnderstondyng is lady the ymagynacoÌ„n is a mayden seruynge to the vndstondyng whan nede is â—rnowyng is hole brede mete for perfyte soules and it is refourmynge in felynge ¶ How god openeth the InÌ„er eye of the soule to see him not all at ones but by dyuerse tymes And of thre maner of refourmyng of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii A Soule that is called fro the loue of world after that is righted and assayed mortifyed purifyed as I haue before sayd our lorde Ihesu of his mercyfull goodnes refourmyth it in felynge whan he wouchyth saaf He openeth the Inner eye of the soule whan he lyghtneth the reason thrugh towchynge and shinynge of his blessyd lyghte for to see hym and knowe hym not all fully attones but lityll lityll by dyuers tymes as the sowle maye suffre hym He seeth hym not what he is for that maye noo creature doo in heuen ne in erthe Nor he seeth hym not as he is for that syght is onÌ„ly in y â— blysse of heuen But he seeth hym that he is an vnchanble beinge a souereyne myght souereyne sothfastnes souereyne goodnes a blessed lyf an endles blysse This seeth the soule and moche more that comyth wyth al not blyndly nakydly and vnsauourly as dooth a clerke that seeth hym by his clergye onÌ„ly thrugh myght of his naked reason but he seeth him in vnderstondynge that is comforted lyghted by the yefte of y e holy ghoste wyth a wonderfull reuerence a preuy brenÌ„nyng loue and with ghostly sauour heuenly delyte more clerly more fully than it maye be wryten or sayd This syghte though it be but shortly lityll is soo worthy soo mighty that it draweth rauyssheth all the affeccoÌ„n of the soule fro beholdyng and the mynde of all erthly thynge therto for to reste therin euermore yf it myghte And of this