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 saluacoÌn 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 saluacoÌn of mannes soule whiche saluacoÌn betokened this name IhuÌ ThenÌe by this it semyth soth that there shal noo man be saaf but yf he loue saluacoÌn onÌly for to haue it thrugh the mercy of our lorde IhuÌ· by the merites of his passoÌn 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 abouÌdance 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 coÌmauÌdementes For our lorde sayth hymself thê° In domo patris mei mansiones multe suÌt 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 conteÌplacion 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 conteÌplacoÌn 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 caâissimi My frendes ete ye my derlynges be ye dronken As yf our lorde sayd thus ye that arne my trendes for ye kept my coÌmauÌdementes 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 coÌmauÌdementes but also of your owne free wyll fulfilled my couÌceylles and ouer that ye loued oonly enteerly with al the myghtes of your soule breÌned 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 perfeccoÌn ye shal be made droÌken 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 mankiÌde 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 synÌe 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 contemplacoÌn for it shall neuer be take awaye fro her I saye not that thou maye her liuyng recouer soo hole ne soo perfyte clenÌes 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 synÌe 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 cleÌnes 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 fouÌde 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 souÌde 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
synned anone his Inner eye was sperred ghostly lyghte wythdrawe and his vtter eyen were opened and he felte saw a newe light of flesshly likyng worldly loue that he sawe not before And so sawe he a newe day but this was an euyll daye For this was it that Iob waryed whan he sayd thus Pereat dies in qua natê° suÌ That is PerysshÌ the daye in the whiche I was borne He waryed not the daye rennynge in the yere that god made but he waryed this daye that man made that is the coÌcupiscens the loue of this worlde in the whiche he was borne though he felyd it not· ThenÌe this day this lyght he asked of god that it sholde perisshÌ noo lenger laste But the euerlastynge loue of IhuÌ is a true daye a blessyd lyght For god is bothe loue lyght and he is euerlastyng as saynt IohÌn sayth Qui diligit deuÌ manet in lumine That is He that loueth god dwellyth in the lyght Than what man perceyueth seeth the loue of this worlde fals faylinge and for that he woll forsake it seke the loue of IhuÌ He maye not assone fele the loue of hym but he must abyde awhyle in the nyghte for he may not sodenly come fro that one lyght to that other that is fro the loue of the worlââ to perfyte loue of god This nyght is nought elles but a forberynge and a wythdrawyng of the thoughte and of the soule fro erthly thynges by grete desyre yernyng for to loue and see and fele IhuÌ ghostly thynges This is the nyghte For ryghte as the nyghte is derke and euer hydynge from all bodily creature and a restynges of all bodily dedes Right soo a man that settyth hym fully for to thynke on Iesu and for to desyre only the loue of hym is besye for to hide his thoughte fro vayne beholdynge and perceyuynge and his affeccyon fro flesshly lykynge and louynge of alle bodily creatures Soo that his thoughte may be made free and not subgett ne his affeccyon bounde ne pyned ne troubled in noo thynge lower or woors than hymselfe And yf he maye doo soo thenÌe it is nyghte wyth hym for thenÌe he is in derknesse But this is a good nyghte a lighte derknesse for it is a stoppynge out of the fals loue of this worlde and it is a nyghing of the true day And soothly the derker that this nyghte is the nerer is the true daye of the loue of IhuÌ For the more that y e soule maye thrugh longyng to god be hydde fro noyse dynÌe of flesshli affeccoÌns vnclene thoughtes the nerer is it for to fele the lighte of the loue of hym for it is euen at it Thus semyth it the prophete meaned whan he said thus Cum in te nebris sedeo dnÌs lux mea est That is whan I sitte in derknes our lorde is my lyghte That is whan my soule is hydde fro all stirynges of synne as it were in slepe thenÌe is our lorde my lyghte for thenne nygheth he of his grace for to shewe me of his lyghte Neuertheles this nyghte is somtyme paynfull fyrste whan a maÌ is moche fowle and is not thrugh grace vsed to be often in this derknes but wolde fayne haue it and therfore he settyth his thought his desyre to godwarde asmoche as he maye he wolde not fele ne thinke but onÌly of hym and by cause that he maye not lyghtly haue it therfore it is paynfull For the custome the homelynes that he hath had wyth synÌes beforÌ of the worlde of flesshly affeccoÌns erthly thynges and his flesshly dedes prees so vpon hym and euer smyte in by maystry drawe downe all y e soule so hem that he may not well be hidde fro hem assone as he wolde Therfore this derkenes is paynfull to him and namly whaÌ grace towchith not habuÌdantly Neuertheles yf it be so wyth the. be not to heuy ne stryue not moche as though thou woldest thrugh maystry put hem oute of thy thoughte for thou maye not doo soo but abyde grace suffre easely and breke not thyself tomoche And slyely yf thou maye drawe thy desyre and thy ghostly beholdyng to IhuÌ as yf thou woldest not charge hem For wete thou well whan thou woldest desire Ihesu and oonly thynke on him and thou may not freely for precyng in of suche worldly thoughtes sothly thou art outwarde of the fals day and thou art entryng in to this derkenes But thy derkenes is not restfull by cause of disease vncuÌnynge and vnclenÌes of thy self And therfore vse it ofte it shal by processe thrugh felynge of grace be more easy and more restful to the And that is whan thy soule thrugh grace is made soo free soo myghty soo good and so gadred in to itself that it lyste not to thynke on right noughte ThenÌe is it in a good derknesse This nought I meane thus that a soule may thrugh grace be gadred into itself freely hooly and not be driuen ayenst the wyll ne drawen downe by maystry for to thynke or lyke or loue with cleuynge of affeccoÌn to ony synÌe or vaynly ony erthly thynge thenne thynketh the soule noughte For thenÌe thynkith it of none erthly thynge cleuyngly This is a ryche noughte And this nought this nyght is a grete ease for the soule that desyreth the loue of Ihesu It is in ease as for thoughte of ony eââdely thynge neuertheles it is full besy for to thynke on hym What thynge thenÌe makyth this derkenes Sothly noughte elles but a gracyous desyre for to haue the loue of IhuÌ For y t desyre that longyng that it hath that tyme to y e loue of god âor to see hym haue hym dryueth oute of the herte all worldly vanytees flesshly affeccoÌns and gadreth the soule in to itselfe and occupyeth it oonly for to thynke how it myghte come to the loue of hym And that tyme maye it freely deuoâtly beholde IhuÌ whed it woll pray or thinke soo it bryngith it to this ryghÌt nought sothly it is not al derke ne nouÈt whaÌ it thinkyth thê° For though it be derke fro fals lighte it is not al derke fro y e true light for ihuÌ y t is both loue lyÈte is in this derknes whed it be paynful or restfull If it be paynful thenÌe he is in y e soule as traueylyng in desyre loÌgynge to lyght but he is not yet as restynge in loue ne as shewynge his lyghte And therfore it is called nyghte derknesse in asmoche as the soule is hydde fro the fals lyghte of the worlde and hathe not yet fully felynge of true lighte but is in abidyng of that blessyd loue of god whiche it desireth ThenÌe yf thou wolte wyte whan thou arte in this syker derkenesse whan not y u may assay thê° seke no ferder but thus Whan thou felyst thyn entente thy wyll fully sette
of her myght and thou shalt be made so stronge that they shall not dere y â For thou shalt be hydde in reste fro hem And thenne shall our lorde fulfylle thy soule wyth shynynges That is whan thou arte broughte in to this ghostly reste thenÌe shalt thou more easely tente to god and noughte elles doo but loue hym and thenne he shall wyth bemes of ghostly lighte fulfyll all the myghtes of thy soule Haue thou noo wonder though I calle the forsakââge of worldly loue derkenes for the prophete calleth it soo ââynge thus to a soule Intra in tenebras tuas filia caldeorum Goo in to thy derkenesse thou doughter of caldee That is â Thou soule that arte as a doughter of Caldee for loue of the worlde forsake it and goo in to thy derkenes ¶ That in refourmynge of a soule the worchynge of onââ lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes that is callynge rightynge magnyfyenge gloryfyenge Caplm xxviii LOo I haue sayd to the a lytyl yf thou coueyte for to be reformed in felyng how thou shalt dyspose the towarde in thy forth gooing Neuertheles I saye not that thou may doo thus of thyselfe For I wote well that oure lorde Ihesu bryngith all this to the ende where soo he woll For he oonly thorugh his grace styreth a sowle and bryngyth it in to this derkenesse fyrste And sythen in to lighte as the prophete sayth Sicut tenebre eius ita lumen eius That is Ryght as the lyghte of knowyng and the felynge of ghostly loue is of IhuÌ Right soo the derkenes that is the forsakinge of worldly loue is of hym for he doth all He fourmyth refourmith He fourmyth onÌly by hymself· but he refourmith vs wyth vs For grace yeuen aplienge of our wyll to grace worcheth all this And on what maner wyse he doth that saynt poul reherceth thus Quos deus pÌscinit fieri conformes ymaginis filii eius hos vocauit Et quos vocauit hos iustificauit Et quos instificauit hos magnificauit Et quos magnificauit hos et glificauit Thyse that god knewe before sholde be made shapely to the ymage of his sone thise he called thise he righted thise he magnyfyed thise he gloryfyed Though thise wordes maye be sayd of all chosen soules in the lowest degree of charyte that are reformed onÌly in faith neuertheles they may be vndstonde more specially of thise soules that are reformed in felynge to the whiche our lorde god shewith moche plente of grace and doth moche more besynes aboute hem For they are his owne sones specyally that bere the ful shappe the lickenes of his sone IhuÌ In the whiche wordes saynt poule departeth the worchyng of our lorde in foure tymes Fyrste is y e tyme of caliynge of a soule fro worldly vanyte and that tyme is often easy comfortable For in begynÌynge of tornynge suche a man that is disposed to moche grace is soo quyckely soo felyngly inspired felith ofte soo grete swetnes of deuocoÌn hath so many teres in coÌpunccoÌn y t he thynkyth hym somtyme as he were halfe in heuen but this softnes passyth after for a tyme And thenÌe comyth the secoÌde tyme that is y e tyme of rightynge that is trauelous For whan he begynÌyth for to goo forth myÈtly in the waye of rightwisnes settith his wyll full ayenst all synÌe without within· stretchith oute his desire to vertues to the loue of IhuÌ thenÌe felyth he moche lettynge bothe wyth hymself of frowardenes hardnesse of his owne wyll and fro wythout forth thrugh temptacoÌn of his enmye that he is ofte in full grete tourment And that is noo wond For he hath soo longe be croked to the fals loue of the worlde that he maye not be made right as a crokyd staffe may not be made euen but yf he be caste weyked in y e fyre Therfore our lorde IhuÌ seenge seÌdeth what thynge is ââ houefull to a frowarde soule suffreth it to be traueyled taââed by suÌdry teÌptacyons and for to be well examyned thorugh ghostly trybulacyons that all the ruste of vnclenÌes mighte ââ brente oute of it And that shall be bothe wythin of ãâ¦ã dowtes perplexitees that it shall nerehande falle in disperââ and it shall seme as it were forsaken of god lefte all in the hondes of the fende out taken a lityll preuy truste that ãâ¦ã haue in the godenes of god in his mercy For that preuy ãâã our lorde leueth in suche a soule goo he neuer soo feâre ãâã it by the whiche the soule is borne vp fro dispeyre saued ãâã ghostly myscheyf And also wythout itselfe it shall be ãâã fyed pyned in the seÌsualyte eyther by dyuers syknes or ãâ¦ã able tourment of the fende or elles thrugh a preuy myghte ãâã god the sely soule by felynge berynge of the wrerched boây shall be soo pyned it shall not wyte how that it shall ãâã suffre for to be in the body ne were that our lorde IhuÌ kepâ ãâã therin And yet neuertheles had y e soule leuer for to be in ãâã this pyne than for to be blinded with the fals loue of y e woââde for that were helle to suche a soule But the sufferynge ãâã this manere pyne is noughte but purgatory and therfore he suffryth it gladly And he wolde not putte it awaye though he myghte for it is soo prouffytable All this dooth oure ãâã in grete prouffyte of the soule for to dryue it oure of the sensualytee that it myghte receyue ghostly lyghte For after this whan the soule is thus mortyfyed and brought fro worldely loue in to this derkenesse that it hathe noo more sauour ne delyte of worldly lykynge thanne of the strawe But he thynkyth it bytter as wormode Thenne commyth the thirde tyme of magnyfieng And that is whan the soule is refourmed in felynge in partie and receyueth the yeft of perfeccoÌn the grace of contemplacoÌn and that is a tyme of grete reste for thenÌe is IhuÌ more homely wyth a soule And after this comyth the fourth tyme of glorifyenge That is whan the soule shall be fully refourmed in the blysse of heuen For thyse soules that are thus called fro synÌe and thus righted or elles on other maner lyke by dyuers assayenge bothe thorugh fyre water and afterwarde are thus magnyfied they shulde be gloryfied For our lorde shall thenÌe yeue heÌ fully that they here coueyted and more than they cowde coâeyte for he shal areyse hem aboue al other chosen soules to the eueÌhede of cherubyn seraphyn sythen they passed all other in knowynge louyng of god here in this lyfe Therfore he that woll come to this magnifyeÌg drede not this rightyng for that is y e way For our lorde sayth by his prophete a worde of grete coÌfort to all suche soules that are examyned wyth fyre of trybulacy on thus Puer meus noli timere Si
thus Diligite inimicos vroÌs vnÌfacite hiis qui oderuÌt vos c· Loueth your enmyes doo good to hem that haten you prayeth for hem that pursuen you And therfore yf thou wol folowe cryst be lyke to hym in this crafte Lere for to loue thyn enmyes synfull men for all thise arn thy euen crysteÌ Loke bethynke the how cryst loued Iudas whiche was bothe his dedely enmye and a synfull caytyf How goodly cryst was to hym how benygne how curteyes how lowly to hym that he knewe dampnable and neuertheles he chase hym to his apostle sent hym for to preche wyth other apostles He yaaf hym power for to werche myracles ⪠he shewed the same to him gode chere in worde in dede as he dyde to other apostles He wysshe his fete fedde hym wyth his precyous body and prechid to hym as he dyde to other appostles he wryed hym not openly for it was preuy ne myssaied hym not ne dispysed hym not ne spake neuer euyll of hym yet though he had done all thise he had sayd but soth And ouermore whan Iudas toke hym he kyssed hym called hym his frende All this charyte shewed cryst vnto Iudas the whyche he knewe for dampnable in noo maner feynyng ne flateryng but in the sothfastnes of good loue clene charyte For though it were soth that Iudas was not worthy for to haue had ony yefte of god or ony sygne of loue for his wyckidnes neuertheles it was worthy skylfull that our lorde shold sheew as he is He is loue goodnes to all his creatures as he dide to Iudas I saye not that he loued hym for his synne ne he loued hym not for his chosen as he loued saynt peter but he loued hym in asmoche as he was his creature shewed hym tokens of loue yf he wolde haue be amended therby Folowe after soÌwhat yf thou maye for though thou art stoken in an hous wyth thy body· neuertheles in thyn herte where the stede of loue is thou sholde mow haue parte of suche loue to thyn euen crysten as I speke of Who soo weneth hymself to be a perfyte louer folower of crystis techyng in his liuyng as some man weneth y t he is in asmoche as he precheth techeth is poor of worldly gode as cryst was and can not folow criste in this loue charyte for to loue his euen crysten eche man good bad frendes fooes wythouten feynynge flaterynge dispisyng in herte ayenst the man angrynes malicyous repreuyng sothly he begyleth hymselfe The nerer that he weneth he be the ferder he is For cryste sayd to hem that wolde be hys discyples thê° Hoc est preceptuÌ meuÌ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos This is my biddyng that ye sholde loue togyder as I haue loued you For yf ye loue as I haue loued thenÌe are ye my discyples But now sayste thou how shalte thou loue hym that is badde aswell as hym that is good As vnto thys I saye thus that thou shalt loue bothe good badde in charite but not for the same cause as I shall telle how Thou shalte loue thyn euen cristen as thyself Now y u shalt loue thyself onÌly in god or elles for god In god thou louest thyself whan y u arte ryghtfull by grace vertuous and louest not thyself but oonly for that ryghtwysnesse and vertues that god yeuyth y e thenne louest thou thyself in god for thou louest not thyselfe but god Also for god thou louest thyself as yf thou were in dedeli synne and woldest be made ryghtfull wertuous thenÌe louest thou thyself not as thou arte for thou arte vnryghtful but as thou woldest be Ryght soo shall thou loue thyn euen crysten If they ben good rightfull thou shalt loue hem by charyte in god oonly for they ben good ryghtful for thenne louest thou god in hem as goodnes and ryghtwysnes more than yf they ben badde in dedely synÌe as thyn enmyes that haten the or other of the whiche thou hast full euydeÌce that they are not in grace yet shalt thou loue hem not as they arne ne as good men ryghtfull men for they arn badde and vnryghtfull but thou shalt loue hem for god that they myghte be good ryghtful And soo shalt thou noo thynge hate in hem but that thynge that is contrary to ryghtwysnesse and that is synne This is as I vndstonde the techyng of saynt Austyn for to departe the loue of the man fro the hate of the synne the loue of thyn euen crysten He that is meke or wolde sothfastly be me can loue thus his euen crysten· and none but he ¶ How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hidde in his herte Caplm lxxi· LIfte well vppe this ymage and loke well abowte and thou shalt mowe see couetyse and loue of erthly thynges occupye a grete partye of this ymage though it seme lityl Thou hast forsaken rychesse and moche hauour of this worlde and art spered in a dongeon but hast thou forsaken clenly the loue of all this I hope not yet It is lesse maystry for to forsake worldly good than to forsake the loue of it PeraueÌture thou hast not forsaken thy couetyse but thou hast chaunged it fro grete thynges in to smale as fro a pownde vnto a peny and fro a siluer pece vnto a disshe of an halfpeny This is a symple chaunge thou arte noo good marchaunt Thyse ensamples arn chyldisshe neuertheles they betoken more If thou trowe not me assaye thyself If thou haue loue and delite in the hauyng holdyng of ony thyng that thou hast suche as it is wyth y e whiche loue thou fedest thyn herte for a tyme Or yf thou haue desire yernyng for to haue somÌ thyng that y u haste not wyth whyche desire thyn herte is traueyled stourbled by vnskylfull belynesse that the clene desire of vertu of god maye not rest therin this is a token that there is couetise in this ymage And yf thou wolte assaye better loke yf ony thyng that thou hast be taken awaye fro the by maystry or by borowyng or by ony other wise and thou maye not gete it ayen and for thy thou arte disesed angred trowbled in thyn herte bothe for thou wantest that thyng that thou woldest haue and maye not haue it and also ayenste hym that hath it y u arte styred for to stryue chyde wyth hym for he myghte restore the ayen wyll not this is a token that thou louest worldly goodes For thus done worldly men whan her good her rychesse is takeÌ fro hem they arn heuy sory angry and chidynge striuyng ayenst hem that haue it openly by worde by dede but thou doost all this in thyn hert pryuely where god seeth and yet thou art in more defawte than a worldly man For y u hast forsaken in lyckenes the loue of
Some man in the begynnyng But the sadde felyng of it shall he not haue for cryst is the doore and he is porter and wythouten his leue his lyuereye maye there noo man come in as he sayth hymselfe Nemo venit ad patreÌ nisi per me Noo man comyth to the fader but by me That is for to saye Noo man maye come to the contemplacyon of the godhede but he be fyrste refourmed by fulnesse of mekenesse and charyte to the kycknesse of Ihesu in his manhede ¶ The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in redynge therof that it was made to Caplm lxxxxiii LOo I haue tolde the a lityll as me thynketh fyrste of coÌtemplatyf lyf what it is and sithen of the wayes whyche by grace leden therto noughte for I haue it in felyng and in werchyng as I haue it in sayeng Neuerthelesse I wolde bi thyse wordes suche as they aren fyrste styre myne owne necligence for to doo better than I haue done And also my purpoos is for to styre the or ony other man or woman that hathe taken the state of lyfe contemplatyf for to traueyle more besily and more mekely in that maner of lyfe by suche symple wordes as god hath gyue me grace for to saye And therfore yf ony worde be therin that styreth the or comforteth the more to the loue of god thanke god for it is his gyfte and not of the worde And yf it coÌforte the not or elles thou takest it not redely studie not tolonge theraboute but laye it besyde the tyll a nother tyme and yeue the to thy prayer or to other ocupacoÌn Take it as it woll come and not all at ones Also thise wordes that I write take hem not to streytly but there that the thynkith by gode auysement that I speke to shortly eyther for lackynge of englysshe or wantyng of reason I praye the amende it oonly where nede is Also thyse wordes that I wryte to the they longen not all to a man that hath actyf life but to the or to ony other whiche hath the state of lyfe contemplatyf ¶ THE grace of our Lorde Ihesu Cryste be wyth the AMEN ¶ Here begynnen the chapytours of the ii boke ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body Caplm primum How it nedeth to mankynde that oonly thorough the passion of cryst sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the firste synne Caplm scdm That the Iewes and paynems and also fals crysten men beÌ not refourmed effetually thorough the vertue of the passion for her owne defawte Caplm iii. Of two manere of refourmynges of this ymage one in fulnes a nother in fayth Caplm iiii That refourmyng in partye is in two maners one in fayth a nother in felynge Caplm v. That thorugh the sacrament of baptym that is grounded in the passyon of cryste this ymage is refourmed fro origynall synne Caplm vi That thorugh the sacrament of penauÌce that stondeth in contricoÌn confessyon satisfaccoÌn this ymage is refourmed fro actuall synne Caplm vii How in the sacrament of baptym of penaunce thorough a pryue vnperceyuable werchyng of the holy ghost this ymage is refourmed though it be not seen ne felte Caplm viii That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmyng of this ymage yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne a true tournyng of our wyll to gode liuyng Caplm ix· That all the soules that lyuen mekely in y e fayth of holy chirche and haue her fayth quyckened in loue and charyte ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall gyfte of deuocyon or of ghoostly felynge CapÌlm x. That soules refourmed neden euer to fyghte and to stryue strongly ayenst the stirynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to stiryng and whan not Caplm xi That this ymage is bothe fayr and foule whyle it is in this lyfe here though it be refourmed· and of dyuersyte of felynges pryuely had bytwene thyse soules that ben refourmed other that ben not Caplm xii Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not refourmed and some ben refourmed onÌly in fayth and some in fayth and in felynge Caplm xiii How men that ben in synne forshape hemself into dyuers bestes lyknes they ben callyd the louers of this worlde xiiii How louers of this world vnablen hem in diuers maners to the refourmyng of her owne soule Caplm xv A lityll counceylle how louers of this worlde sholden doo yf they will be refourmed in her owne soule byfore her partyng hens Caplm xvi That refourmyng in fayth and in felyng maye not sodenly begoten but by grace and moche bodily ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii The cause why soo fewe soules in rewarde of the multitude of other comyth to this reformyng in fayth in felyng xviii An other cause also of the same and how wilfull bodily customes indiscretly rewarded vsed somtyme hyndreth soules fro felyng of more grace Caplm xix How that wythout moche bodily ghostly besynesse wythoute moche grace and mekenesse soules maye not be refourmed in felyng ne be kepte therin after they come therto xx An entree how a soule shall haue her in meanynge and werchynge that woll come to this refourmynge by ensample of a pylgryme goynge to Iherusalem And of two manere of mekenesse Caplm xxi Of taryenges temptacyons that soules felen by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng and gooyng to Iherusalem and of remedyes ayenst hem Caplm xxii Of a generall remedie ayenst wicked stirynges and paynful taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the worlde and of the fende CapÌlm xxiii Of an euyll daye and a good nyghte what it meanyth and how the loue of the worlde is lykned to an euyll day and the loue of god to a good nyghte Caplm xxiiii How that the desyre of Ihesu felte in this lyghtsome derknes sleeth all stirynges of synne and ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu Caplm xxv How a man shall knowe fals illumynacyons feyned by the fende fro the true lyghte of knowyng that comyth out of ihesu and by what tokens Caplm xxvi How grete profyte it is to the soule to be broughte thorough grace in to lyghtsome derkenesse and how a man shall dispose hym yf he wyll come therto Caplm xxvii That in refourmynge of a soule the werkynge of oure lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes that is callyng ryghtyng magnifyenge glorifyenge Caplm xxviii How it fallyth somtyme that soules begynnynge and perfytyng in grace seme to haue more loue as bi outwarde tokens than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin Caplm xxix On what manere a man shal haue knowynge of his owne soule and
and ayenstondeth dedely stirynges of the sensualyte and foloweth hem not But lyueth resonably in ruelynge and gouernaunce of worldly thynges and setteth his entente and hys wyll for to pleyse god bi his outwarde werkes is refourmed to the lyknesse of god in faythe And though he fele the same stirynges of synÌe as that other dooth it shall not dysease him for he resteth not in hem as that other dooth But a nother soule that fleeth thorugh grace all dedely styrynges of the sensualyte and venyals also ferforth that he felyth hem not is refourmed in felynge for he folowyth the ouerparty of reason in beholdynge of god and ghostly thynges· as I shall telle the afterwarde ¶ How men that ben in synne forshapen hemselfe in to dyuerse bestes lyckenesse And they beÌ called the louers of the worlde Caplm xiiii A wretchyd man is he thenne that knowyth not the worthynesse of his soule ne wylle not knowe it how it is moost worthy creature that euer god made oute take an angell whom it is lyke to hye aboue all other kynde bodily to the whiche noo thynge maye suffyse as full reste but oonly god And therfore he sholde noo thynge loue ne lyke but hym oonly ne coueyte ne seke but how he myghte be refourmyd to his liknes but for he knowith not this therfore he sekyth coueytith his rest his likyng outwarde in bodily creatures werse than hymself is Vnkyndly he dooth vnresonably he werkith y t leuith the souereyn gode euerlastyng lyfe y t is god vnsought and vnloued vnknowen and vnworshypped and chesyth his reste his blysse in a passynge delyte of an erthely thynge Neuerthelesse thus done all the louers of this worlde that haue her Ioye her blysse in this wretchyd lyffe Some haue it in pryde vaynglory of hemself that whan they haue loste the drede of god they traueyle studye nyght day how they mow come to worshyppe praysyng of the worlde and maken noo force how it be soo that they myght come therto and ouerpasse all men eyther in clergye or in crafte in name or in fame In ryches or in reuerence in souereynte mastershyp in hye state lordshyp Some men haue her reste in ryches and in outragyous hauour of erthly good and setteÌ her hertes soo fully for to gete it that they seke not elles but how they mighte come therto Some haue her likynge in flesshly lustes of glotenye lecherye and in other bodily vnclennes And some in oo thyng and some in a nother And thus wretchydly thise that done thus forshapen hemself fro the worthynes of man and torne hem in to dyuers bestes lickenes The proude maÌ is torned into a lyon for pride for he wold be drade worshypped of all men and that noo man ayenstonde y e fulfyllyng of his flesshly wyll nother in worde ne in dede And yf ony man wolde lette his mysproude wyll he weâith felle wrothe and woll be wrokeÌ of him as a lyon wrekith hym on a lityll beest This man that dooth thus is noo man for he dooth vnresonably ayenste the kynde of a man and so he is tourned transfourmed in to a lyon ânuyous angry men arn torned in to houndes thorugh wrath an enuye that berkyth ayen her euen crysteÌ and bityth hem by wycked malicyous wordes and greuytgh hem that haue not trespassed wyth wrongfull dedes harmynge hem in body in soule ayeÌste goddis biddyng Some men arne forshapen in to asses y e arne slowe to the seruyse of god and euyll wylled for to doo ony good dede to her euen crysten They arn redy ynough for to renne for worldly profyte for erthly worshyp or for pleisauÌce of an erthly maÌ But for ghostly mede· for helpe of her owne soules or for the worshyp of god they are soone yrke they woll not therof And yf they oughte done they goon but a pase and wyth frowarde wyll Some are torned in to swyne for they are soo blynde in wytte so bestly in maners that they haue noo drede of god but folowen onÌly the lustes lykynges of her flesshÌ and haue noo rewarde to the honeste of man ne for to rule hem after the biddynge of reason ne for to restrayne the vnskylfull stirynges of the flesshly kynde but assone as a flesshly stirynge comyth of synÌe they are redy for to falle therto and folowe as swyne done Some men are torned in to wulfes that lyuen by raueyn as fals couetous men done that thrugh maystry ouerledynge robben her euen criâââ of her worldly goodes Some men are torned in to foxes as fals men deceyuable men that lyuen in trecherye gyle All thise and many other moo that lyueÌ not in drede of god but breken his coÌmauÌdementes forshapen hemself fro the ãâã of god and maken hem lyke to bestes· ye worse than bestes for they are lyke to the fende of helle And therfore sothly ãâã men that lyuen thus yf they ben not refourmed whan ãâã hour of dethe cometh and the soules of hem are departed ãâã the bodies thenÌe shall her eye be opened that is now stopped wyth synÌe and thenne shall they fele fynde the payne of ãâã wretchydnes that they lyued in here And for asmoche as the ymage of god was not refourmed thrugh the sacramente of penauÌce in hem neyther in fayth ne in felynge here in this lyfe they shall be as cursed caste oute fro the blessyd face of our creatour and they shall be dampned with the deuyll in to the depnesse of helle there for to be without ende Thus sayth saynt IohÌn in thapocalipse Tumidis et incredulis execratis homicidis fornicatoribus venificis et ydolatris omÌibus men dacibus pars illorum erit in stagno ardenti igne sulphure That is To prowde men mystrowyng men to cursed and to meÌ sleers to lecherous couetous to poyseners worshyppers of mawmetes and to all fals lyers her dele shall be wyth the deuyll in the pytte of helle breÌnynge wyth fyre brymston If y e louers of this worlde wolde ofte thynke on this how all thys worlde shall passe drawe to an ende and how all wycked loue shall be harde punysshed they sholde wythin shorte tyme looth all worldly lustes that they now most lyke and they sholde lyfte vp her herte for to loue god they wolde besyly seke traueylle how they myghte be refourmed to his lyckenes or they passe hens ¶ How louers of this worlde vnable hem in dyuers maners to the refourmyng of her owne soule Caplm xv BVt now sayth some of hem thê° I wold fayne loue god be a gode man· forsake the loue of the worlde yf that I myghte but I haue noo grace therto If I had the same grace that a good man hath I sholde doo as he dooth But for I haue it not therfore I maye not soo it is not to me to wyte
ayeÌst the. but settest thy herte fully for to suffre al that may falle ease or vnease praysyng or lackyng and that thou wolt charge noo thyng wyth that y t thou myght kepe thy thoughte and thy desyre hoole to the loue of god thenÌe are they moche abasshed But thenne woll they assaye the wyth flaterynge and vayne plesynge And that is whan they brynge to the syghte of thy soule all thy good dedes vertues bere vpon the that all men praysen the speken gode of thy holynes and how al men loue the worshyp the for thy holy liuynge Thus done thin enmyes that thou sholde thynke her sayenge soth haue delite in this vayne Ioye and reste the there in But yf thou doo well thou shalt holde all suche Iangelynge falsed flateringe of thyn enmye that profereth the to drynke venym tempered wyth honye And therfore refuse it saye thou woll not therof but thou wolde be at Ihrlm Suche lettynges thou shalt fele or elles other lyke what of thy flesshe what of the worlde what of the fende moo thanÌe I may reherce now For a maÌ aslonge as he suffreth his thoughte wylfully renne aboute the worlde in beholdynge of soÌdry thynges he perceyueth fewe lettynges But assoone as he drawyth all his thoughte his yernynge to one thynge oonly for to haue that for to knowe that for to loue that and that is onÌly IhuÌ thenÌe shall he well fele many paynfull lettynges For euery thynge that he feleth is not that y t he coueyteth is lettynge to hym Therfore I haue tolde the of some specyally as for example And ouermore I say generally that what styrynge that thou felyste of thy flesshe or of the fende pleysauÌte or paynfull bytter or swete likynge or dredefull gladsom or sorowfull that wolde drawe downe thy thoughte thy desyre fro y e loue of IhuÌ to worldly vanyte and lette vtterly thy gostly couetyse that thou haste to the loue of hym that thy herte sholde be occupyed with that stirynge restyngly sette it at nought receyue it not wylfully tarye not therwyth toloÌge But yf it be of worldly thynge y t behoueth nedes to be done to thyselfe or to thyn euencrysten spede the soone of it and bryng it to an ende that it haÌge not on thyn hert If it be a nother thinge y t nedeth not or elles it towcheth not the. charge it not Ian gill not therwith ne angre the not drede it not like it not but smyte oute of thyn herte redely and saye thus I am noughte I haue noughte Nought I seke ne coueyte but the loue of Iesu ârnyghte thy thoughte to this desyre strengthe it and mayntene it wyth prayer with other ghostly werkes that thou forgete it not and it shall lede the in thi right waye saue the fro all perylles that though thou fele hem thou shalte not perysshÌ And I hope that it shal brynge the to perfite loue of oure lorde IhuÌ Neuertheles on that other syde I saye also what werke or what stirynge it be that maye helpe thy desyre strengthe it nourysshÌ it and make thy thoughte ferrest fro luste â mynde of the worlde more hole more brenÌynge to the loue of god whether it be prayenge or thynkyng stilnes or spekinge redynge or herynge onÌlynes or comonynge goynge or âââtynge kepe it for the tyme werche therin aslonge as ãâã lastyth If it be so that thou take therwyth mete drynke ãâã as a pilgryme doth and kepe discrecoÌn in thy worching ãâã counseyle ordynauÌce of the souereyne For haue he ãâã soo grete haste in his goynge yet he woll ete drynke ãâã Doo thou lyke wyse For though it lett the one tyme ãâ¦ã forther the a nother tyme ¶ Of an euyll daye a gode nyghte what it meaneth ãâã the loue of the worlde is lykened to an euyll day ⪠and ãâ¦ã of god to a good nyghte Caplm xxiâââ ⪠YF thou wolt wyte thenÌe what this desyre is ãâ¦ã IhuÌ for he makith this desyre in the yeueth it ãâ¦ã he it is that desyreth in the and he it is that is desired ãâ¦ã and he dooth al yf thou myghte see hym Thou doost noughte but suffrest hym worche in thy soule and assentyst to hym wyth grete gladnesse of herte that he wouche sauf for to âoo soo in the Thou arte noughte elles but a resonable Instrument wherin y t he worcheth And therfore whan y u felyst thy thouÈte by towchiÌge of his grace take vp wyth desire to IhuÌ with a mighty deuout wyll for to plese him loue hym thenÌ thynke that thou hast Ihesu for he it is that thou desirest Beholde hym well for he gooth before the not in bodily lyknes but vnsenseably by pryue presence of his myghte Therfore see hym ghostly yf thou may and fasten al thy thoughte thine affeccoÌn to hym folowe hym where soo he gooth for he shall lede the the right waye to Ihrlm that is the syghte of pees conteÌplacoÌn Thus prayed the prophete to y e fader of heuen sayeng thus Emitte luceÌ tuaÌ veritateÌ tuaÌ ipÌa me dedux eruÌt et adduxeruÌt in monteÌ scmÌ tuuÌ in tabÌnacula tua That is Fader of heuen sende out thy lyght thy sothfastnesse y t is thy sone IhuÌ he shall lede me by desyre in me to y e holy hylle and in to thy tabernacles that is to the felyng of perfyte loue heyghte in conteÌplacoÌn Of this desyre spekyth the prophete thus Memoriale tuuÌ in desiderio aiÌe mee AiÌa mea desiderauit te in nocte sed spÌus meus in pÌcordiis meis That is For de IhuÌ the mynde of the is prynted in desyre of my soule for my soule hath desyred the in the nyghte and my spiryte hath coueyted the in all thynkynges And why the prophete sayth he hath desyred god all in the nyghte as a tymefull space bytwix dayes two For whaÌ one daye is ended a nother comith not anone but fyrst comyth nyght departeth the dayes somtyme longe soÌtyme shorte and thenÌe after comyth a nother daye The prophete meaned not onÌly of this maner of nighte but he meaned a ghostly nyghte Thou shalt vndstoÌde that there ben two dayes or two lyghtes The fyrste is a fals lygte the seconde is a true lyghte The fals lyghte is the loue of this worlde that a man hath in hymself of corrupcoÌn of hys flesshe The true light is the perfyte loue of Ihesu felyd thorugh grace in a manÌes soule The loue of this worlde is a false lyghte For it passeth awaye and lasteth not and soo it perfourmeth not that y e it behoteth This lyghte behighte the feÌde to Adam whan he stired hym to synne and sayd thus Aperientur oculi vestri et eritis sicut dii That is your eyen shall be opened and ye shall be as goddis And he sayd sothe there For whan Adam had
the worlde in worshippes and riches in al other worldly thynges before sayd for the loue of god loueth not it ne pursewyth not it but is well payd that he hathe right nought of it ne wolde haue though he myghte sothly to hym the worlde is dede for he hath noo sauour ne delyte therin Also yf the worlde sette hym at nought and hath noo rewarde to hym ne fauour ne worshyp ne sette noo pryce by hym but forgeteth hym as a dede man thenne is he dede to the worlde And in this plyght was saynt poul sette perfitly and soo must a nother man in partye that wolde folowe and come to the perfite loue of god For he may not lyue to god fully but yf he deye fyrst to the worlde This deyenge to the worlde is this derkenes and it is the gate of contemplacoÌn and to refourmyng in felyng and none other than this There may be many sundry wayes seere werkes lettinge and ledyng suÌdry soules to contemplacoÌn For after diuers disposynges of men and after suÌdry states as are religyous and seculers that they are in are dyuers exercises in worchyng Neuertheles there is noo gate but one For what exercises it be that a soule hath but yf he maye come by that exercyse to this knowynge and to a meke felynge of hymself and that is that he be mortifyed dede to the worlde as in his loue and that he maye feâle hymself somtyme in this restful derkenes bi the whiche he maye be hydde fro vanytee of the worlde as in his loue and y t he maye fele hymself what he is sothly he is not yet come to the refourmynge in felynge ne hath not fully contemplacoÌn He is full ferre therfro and yf he woll come by ony gate he is but a theyf and a breker of the walle And therfore as vnworthy he shall be caste oute But he that can brynge hymselfe fyrste to nought thrugh grace of mekenes and deye on thys manere he is in the gate for he is dede to the worlde and he lyueth to god Of the whyche saynt poul spekith thus Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cuÌ xpÌo in deo ¶ ye are dede That is ye that for the loue of god forsaken all the loue of the worlde are dede to the worlde wyth cryste in god That is ye lyue ghostly in the loue of Ihesu But your lyf is hydde from worldly men as cryste lyueth and is hidde in his godhede fro the loue and the syght of flesshly louers This gate oure lorde hymself shewed in the gospell whan he sayd thus OmÌis qui reliquerit patrem aut matrem fratrem aut sororem propter me centupluÌ accipiet et vitam etnam possidebit Euery man that forsakyth for my loue fader or moder suster or brother or ony good erthly he shall haue an hundreth folde in this lyf and afterwarde the blysse of heuen This huÌdreth folde that a soule shall haue yf he forsake the worlde is noughte but the profyte of this lightly derkenes the whyche I calle the gate of contemplacoÌn For he that is in this derkenes and is hydde thorugh grace fro worldly vanytee he coueyteth noughte of worldly good he sechyth it not he is not taried therwyth he lokyth not after it he loueth it not And therâfore hath he an hundreth folde more than the kynge or than he hath that coueyteth moost of erthly good For he that noughte coueyteth but Ihesu hath an hundreth folde For he hathe more reste more pees in herte more very loue and delyte in soule in one daye thanne he that mooste coueyteth of the worlde And hath al the well of it vnder his welht hath in all his lyfe tyme ¶ This is thenne a goode derkenesse and a ryche noughte that bringeth a soule to soo moche ghostly ease and soo stylle softenesse I trowe daâyd meaned of this nyghte or of this noughte whan he sayd thus Ad nichilum redactus sum et nesciui That is I was broughte to noughte and I wyste not That is The grace of our lorde Ihesu sente in to myn herte hath slay ne in me and broughte to noughte all the loue of the worlde and I wyste not how For thrugh noo worchynge of myself ne by myn owne wytte I haue it not but of the grace of oure lorde Ihesu And therfore me thynkyth he that woll haue the lyghte of grace and fulsomly fele the loue of IhuÌ in his sowle he must forsake all the fals lyght or worldly loue and abyde in this derkenes And neuertheles yf he be adradde fyrst for to wonÌe therin torne not ayen to the loue of y e worlde but suffre awhyle and put all his hope and his truste in Ihesu and he shall not loÌge be wythout some ghostly lyghte Thus byddeth the prophete Qui ambulat in tenebris et non est lumen ei speret in dnÌo inuitatur super deum suuÌ who soo gooth in derkenes and hath noo lyghte that is who soo woll hyde hym fro the loue of the worlde and may not redily fele lyght of ghostly loue dispeyre not torne not ayen to the worlde but hope in our lorde and leen vpon hym that is truste in god clene to hym by desyre and abyde awhyle and he shall haue lyight â For it falleth therby as it dooth yf a man had be a grete whyle in the sonne and after that came sodeynly in to a derke hous there noo sonne shyneth he sholde be as he were blynde and see right noughte But yf he woll abyde awhyle he shall mow see soone aboute hym Firste grete thynges and sythen smale And sythen all that euer is in the hous Ryght soo it is ghostly He that forsakyth the loue of the worlde comyth to hymself in to his owne coÌscyeÌce y â is fyrst derke somwhat and blynde to his syghte But yf he stonde stylle and holde forth wyth besye prayenge and often thynkyng of the same wyll to the loue of IhuÌ he shall mow see afterwarde grete thynges smale that he first knewe not Thê° semith it y t the prophete behight thus sayeÌg Oriet in tenebris lux tua tenebre tue eruÌt sicnt meridâes et reqeÌ dabit tibi dnÌs ds tuus et implebit aiÌam tuaÌ splendoribus Lyghte shall sprynge to th in derkenesse That is Thou that forsakest sothfastly the lyghte of all worldly loue and hydest thy thoughte in this derkenes lyghte of blessyd loue ghostly knowyng of god shall sprynge to the and thy derkenes shall be as myddaye that is thy derkenes of traueylynge desyre thy blynde truste in god y â thou hast fyrste shall torne in to clere knowynge in to sykernes of loue And thy lorde god shall yeue reste to the That is Thy flesshly desyres and thy paynfull dredes doubtes wicked spirytes that haue contynuelly before honde traueyled the all thise shall worche and lese moche
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 fouÌde 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 suÌdry 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 thenÌe it is good ynough For yf he wolle yeue one soule on one daye the full grace of contemplacoÌn 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 grouÌde it in saynt poullis wordes where he sayth thus Nolite coÌformari 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 synÌes 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 agnicioÌe voluÌtatis eiê° in omÌi intellectu et sapiÌa spuÌali 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 thenÌe hath the soule newe gracyous felynges That this is soth he sheweth in a nother place thus Renouamini spÌu mentis vestre et induite nouuÌ hoiÌem q scdm deuÌ creatus est in iusticia sciÌtate 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 agnicoÌne 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 menÌes 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 opeÌly 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 begynÌyng prouffitynge in grace that knowen god louen hym all manly not ghostly wyth manly affeccoÌns 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 ymagynacoÌn For the vnderstondyng is lady the ymagynacoÌn is a mayden seruynge to the vndstondyng whan nede is ârnowyng is hole brede mete for perfyte soules and it is refourmynge in felynge ¶ How god openeth the InÌer 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 onÌly 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 onÌly 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 brenÌnyng 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 affeccoÌn of the soule fro beholdyng and the mynde of all erthly thynge therto for to reste therin euermore yf it myghte And of this
manere of syghte knowynge the soule groundeth all his worchynge inwarde in al the affeccoÌns For thenne it dredeth god in man as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This ââighte 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 IohÌn 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 stoÌdyng in the lyght of the sonÌe 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 sonÌe but he trowyth it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is onÌly 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 sonÌe· 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 conteÌplatyfe 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 notayenstoÌdyng 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 sonÌe he trowyth it not for he seeth it fully And he betokeneth a full blessid soule that wythout ony walle of body or of synÌe seeth opeÌly 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 heueÌwarde Neuertheles al the soules that are in this state are not all lyke ferforth For some hath it lityll shortly seildom some leÌger clerer oftiner and some hath it best clerest lengest after the abouÌdinge of grace yet all thyse haue the yefte of conteÌplacoÌn 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 onÌly 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 ymagynacoÌn thruâ the skyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde IhuÌ sytteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an huÌdreth sonÌes 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 sonÌe for to see IhuÌ god soo by suche ymagynacoÌn the lower he falleth bineth the sonÌe 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 thenÌe is god onÌly heueÌ tomanÌes soule for he is onÌly aboue y e kynde of a soule thenÌe yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of that blessed kynde of IhuÌ âª 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 renÌe out wyth his thoughte as he wolde clyme aboue the sonÌe 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 thenÌe yf he can ghostly both of hymself of god also And yf he doo thus thenÌe seeth the soule aboue itself thenÌe 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
fro the fyre that brenÌeth in the hye awter of heuen but it is feyned by the fende enflaÌmed of helle for it is fully menged wyth the heyght of pryde of presuÌpcion of heÌ selfe despyte demyuge disdeyne of hem that thus punisshÌ hem They wene that all this is charite that they suffre al y t for the loue of god but they are begyled of the myddaye feÌde A true louer of ihuÌ whaÌ he suffreth harme of his eueÌcristen is soo streÌghthed thrugh grace of the holy ghost is made soo meke soo pacyente soo peasyble that soo sthofastly y t what wronge or harme it be that he sufffe of his euencristen he kepeth euer mekenes He dispiseth him not he demyth hym not but he prayeth for hym in his herte hath of hym pyte compassyon moche more tendly than of a nother maÌ that neuer dide hym harme And sothly better loueth him more feruently desyreth the saluacoÌn of his soule· by cause that he seeth y t he shall haue so moche ghostly profyte of the euyl dede of that other man though it be ayenst his wyll But this loue this mekenes worcheth oonly the holy ghoste aboue the kynde of man in hem that he maketh the true louers of IhuÌ Â¶ How loue sleeth couetyse lecherye glotenye and sleeth y e flesshly sauour delyte in all the v. bodily wyttes softly easely thrugh a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ Caplm xxxix COuetyse also is slayne in a sowle by the worchynge of loue for it makyth the soule soo coueytous of ghostly gode and to heuenly ryches soo ardauÌt that it setteth ryght nough tby all erthly thynges It hathe noo more deynte in hauyng of a precyous stone thanne a chalke stone ne more loue hath he in a hundreth pounde of golde thanne in a pounde of leed It setteth all thynge that shall perysshe at one pryce No more he chargeth that one than that other as in his loue For it semith well that all thise erthly thynges that worldly men lete soo grete pryce of loue soo deyntly sholde passe awaye torne to nought both the thynge in itself the loue of it And therfore he bringeth it in his thought by tyme in to that plighte that it shall be after and soo acouÌteth it as noughte And whan wordly louers stryuen fyghten plede for erthly gode who maye fyrste haue it the louer of IhuÌ stryueth wyth noo maÌ but kepyth hymself in pees and holdeth hym payd wyth that y t he hath wol stryne for nomore For hym thynkyth y t he nedeth nomore of al the riches in erthe than a skant bodily sustenauÌce for to saue the bodily lyfe wyth all asloÌge as god woll and that he maye lyghtly haue And therfore wol he no more than skantly hym nedeth for the tyme that he maye freely be discharged fro besynes aboute the kepynge the dispeÌdyng of it and fully yeue his herte his besynes aboute the sekynge of IhuÌ for to fynde hym in clenÌes of spirite for that to all his couetyse For why oonly clene of herte shall see hym Also flesshly loue of fader moder and other worldly frendes haÌgeth not vpon hym It is euen kutte fro his herte with the swerde of ghostly loue that he hath nomore affeccioÌ to fâder or moder or to ony worldly freÌde than he hath to a nother man but yf he see or fele in hem more grace or more vertue than in other men Oute take this that his fader his moder had the self grace y t some other meÌ haue But neuertheles yf they ben not soo thenÌe loueth he other men better than hem that is charyte And soo sleeth goddis loue couetyse of y e worlde bringeth in to the soule pouerte in spiryte And y t dooth loue not onÌly in hem that haue right noughte of worldly gode but also in somÌ creatures that are in grete worldly state haue dispendynge of erthly ryches Loue sleeth in some of hem couetise so ferforth y t thei haue no more likinge ne sauour in hauynge of hem than of a strawe Ne though they be lost for defawte of hem that sholde kepe hem they sette noughte therby For why the herte of goddis louer is thrugh the yefte of y e holy ghost taken so fully wyth the syghte of the loue of a nother thynge that is IhuÌ that is soo precyous soo worthy y t it wol receyue none other loue restyngly that is contrary therto And not onÌly dooth loue this but also it sleeth the lykyng of lecherye all other bodily vnclenÌes and bryngeth in to the soule very chastyte· torneth it in to likynge For the soule felyth so grete delyte in the syghte of IhuÌ that it liketh for to be chaste is noo grete hardnes to it for to kepe chastite for it is soo moost ease moost rest And vpon the selfe wyse the yefte of loue sleeth lustes of glotenye makyth the soule sobre temperaunte and bereth it vp soo myghtily that it maye not reste in likynge of mete drynke but it taketh mete drynke what it be that leest greueth the bodyly coÌplexion yf he maye lyghtly come therto Not for loue of itself but for the loue of god On this maner wyse the louer of god seeth well y t him nedeth for to kepe his bodily lyfe wyth mete drynke aslong as god woll suffre hem to be togyder ThenÌe shall this be y e discrecoÌn of the louer of IhuÌ as I vndstonde that hath feling worchynge in the loue that vpon what maner that he may moost kepe his grace hole leest be letted fro worchynge in it thrugh takynge of bodily sustenauÌce soo shall he doo That maner of mete that leest letteth leest troubleth the herte and maye kepe the body in strengthe be it flesshe be it fysshe be it brede ale y t I trow the soule cheseth for to hane yf it may come therby For all the besynes of y e soule is for to thynke on IhuÌ wyth reuerent loue euer wythoute lettynge of ony thynge yf y t it myghte And therfore sythen it must nedis soÌwhat be letted hyndred the lesse that it is letted hindred by mete or drynke or ony other thynge the leuer it is It had leuer vse the beste mete moost of price vnd the sonÌe yf it lesse letted y e kepynge of his herte than for to take but brede warter yf y t letted hym more For he hath noo rewarde for to gete hym grete mede for the payne of fastynge be put therby fro softnes in herte but all his besynes is for to kepe his herte as stably as he maye in the syghte of IhuÌ in the felynge of his loue And sothly as I trowe he myghte with lesse likynge vse y e beste mete that is gode in the owne kynde than a nother man that worcheth al in
stylnes fro the grete cryenge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth InspyracoÌn of the holy ghost in beholdynge of IhuÌ For why His voyse is soo swete soo myghty that it putteth scylence in a sowle to Ianglyng of all other spekers· for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Vox dnÌi in virtute That is The voys of our lord Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Viuê° est sermo dei efficax et penetrabilior omÌi gladio that is quycke is the worde of IhuÌ spedy more perisshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne and the sowle kepte in scylence fro all wicked stirynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ est scilenciuÌ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scilence was made in heuen as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lifte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌuersacoÌn and soo it is in scylence But for as moche as that scylence maye not laste hoole contynually for corrupcyon of the bodily kynde Therfore it is lyckened to the tyme of halfe an houre A full shorte tyme the soule thinketh that it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And theÌne hath it pees in conscyence For why Grace puttyth oute gnawynge pryckynge and stryuynge and flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde and makyth Iesu and a sowle bothe one in full acordaunce of wyll There is none vpbradynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuynge of defawtes made that tyme in a sowle For they haue kyssed and made frendes and all is forgyuen that was mysse done Thus felyth the soule thenne wyth full meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And conceyueth a full grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in conscyence of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heuenly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth IpÌe spiritus testimonium perhibet spiritui nostro quoniaÌ filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost beryth wytnesse to our spiryâte that we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscyenâce sothfastly felte thrugh grace is the very Ioye of the sowle as the apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimonium consciencââ mee That is My Ioye is the wytnesse of my conscyeÌce ãâã that is whan it wytnessyth pees and acorde true loue and freÌdshyppe betwyxe Ihesu and a sowle And whan it is in thââ pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan the soule is bounden wyth loue of the worlde thenÌe ãâã it byneth all creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it and ââryth it downe by maystry that it maye not see Ihesu ne ãâã hym For right as the loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh soo the beholdynge and thynkynge· and the vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle But thenne thrugh openynge of the ghostly eye in to Ihesu the loue is torned And the sowle is reysed vppe after hys owne kynde aboue all bodyly creatures And thenne the beholdynge and thynkynge and the vsynge of hem is ghostly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hathe thenne ful grete disdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue heÌ thrugh grace It setteth noughte by all y e worlde for why all shal passe perisshÌ Vnto this hienes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comith none errour ne deceyte of the feÌde for IhuÌ is sothfastly in syghte of the soule that tyme all thynge byneth him Of this y e prophete spekyth thus Accedat hoÌ ad cor altuÌ et exaltabit deê° Come man to hyghe herte god shall be hyghed That is a man y t thrugh grace comyth to the highnes of thoughte shall see that IhuÌ is onÌly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And thenÌe is the soule aboue moche strauÌged fro felyship of worldly louers Though her body be in myddes amoÌge hem full ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccoÌns of creatures It chargeth not though it neuer see man ne speke wyth hym ne haue coÌforte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth soo grete homlynes of the blessed presence of our lorde IhuÌ somoche sauour of hym that it may lyghtly for his loue foryete the flesshly affeccioÌ the flesshly minde of all creatures I saye not that it shall not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time see hem loue hem ghostly freely not flesshely painfully as it dide before Of this onÌlynes speketh the prophete thus DucaÌ eaÌ in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌly stede I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ ledeth a soule fro noyous coÌpany of flesshly desyres in to onÌlynes of thought makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of his Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth IhuÌ tentyth fully to hym and hath loste the sauour the coÌforte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this onÌly nes it fleeth the companye of all men yf it maye and sechyth onÌlynes of body for that moche helpeth to onÌlynes of y â soule to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge that it hath wythout of vayne Ianglynge or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge and soo it is in pryuytee of herte All wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed blynded wyth worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshÌ or of the feÌde synketh in and gooth thorugh it But thenne thrugh grace it is drawen in to the preuy chambre in to the syghte of oure lorde IhuÌ and hereth his preuy counseyle and is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus SecretuÌ meum michi· secretum meuÌ michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ thrugh InspyracoÌn of grace taken vp fro outwarde felynge of worldly loue rauysshed in to the preuite of ghostly loue yeldeth than kynge to hym sayenge thus My pryuete to me That is ⪠My lorde IhuÌ thy preuyte is shewed to me and preuyly hydde frâ all louers of the worlde For it is called hydde manna y t may lightlyer be asked than tolde what it is And that our lorde Iesu behoteth to his louer sayenge thus Dabo sibi manna abâ condituÌ quod nemo nouit nisi qui accipit That is I shal yeue manna hidde that noo man knoweth but he that takith â This manna is heuenly mete and angels fode as holy wryte
sayth For angels are fully fedde and fylled wyth clere syghte in brennynge loue of oure lorde Ihesu and that is manna For we mowe aske what it is but not wyte what it is But the louer of Ihesu is not fylled yet here but he is fed ãâã by a lytyll taastynge of it whyles he is bounden in this bodyly lyfe This tastynge of this manna is a lyfly felynge of grace had thrugh openynge of the ghostly eye And this grace is not an other grace that a chosen soule felith in the begynnyng of his coÌuersyon but it is the same the selfe grace but it is otherwise felte and shewed to a soule For why grace wexeth wyth y e soule and the soule wexeth wyth grace And the more clene y e the soule is ferre departed fro the loue of the worlde the more myghty is the grace more Inwarde more ghostly shewyng in the preseÌce of our lorde IhuÌ soo y t the same grace y t torneth hem fyrste fro synÌe makith hem begynÌynge profityng by yeftes of vertue exercise of good werkes maken heÌ also perfyte And that grace is called a lyfly felynge of grace for he y t hath it feleth it wel knoweth well bi experyeÌce that he is in grace It is ful lyfly to hym for it quyckneth the soule wondfully makyth it soo hole that it feleth noo paynfull dysease of the body though it be feble sykly For why thenÌe is y e body mightiest moost hole moost restful the soule also with out this grace the soule can not lyue but in payne for it thynkyih y t it myght euer kepe it noo thynge sholde put it away And neuertheles yet it is not soo for it passeth awaye ful lyghtly But neuertheles though the souereyne felinge passeth a waye wythdrawe the releif leueth still kepeth the soule in sadnes makith it for to desyre the comynge ayen And this is also the waker slepe of the spouse of y â whiche holi writte sayth thus Ego dormio et cor meuÌ vigilat I slepe my herte wakith That is I slepe ghostly whan thrugh grace the loue of the world is slayne in me wycked stirynges of flesshly desyres are dede somoche that vnethes I fele heÌ I am not taryed wyth hem my herte is made free And thenÌe it wakith for it is sharpe redy for to loue IhuÌ see hym The more I slepe fro outwarde thinges the more waker I am in knowyng of IhuÌ of Inwarde thynges I may not wake to IhuÌ but if I slepe to the worlde And therfore the grace of the holy ghost speryng the flesshly eye dooth y e soule selpe fro worldly vanyte openynge the ghostly eye wakith in to the syghte of god dis mageste helid vnd the clowde of his precyous manhede As the gospel sayth of the apostles whan they were with oure lorde IhuÌ in his transfyguracoÌn Fyrst they slepte Et euigilantes videruÌt magestateÌ They wakynge sawe his mageste By slepe of the apostles is vnderstonde deyeng of worldly loue thrugh InspiracoÌn of the holy ghost by her walkynge conteÌplacoÌn of IhuÌ Thrugh this slepe the soule is broughte in to reste fro noyse of flesshly luste And thrugh walkinge it is reysed vp in to the syghte of IhuÌ ghostly thynges The more that the eyen are spered in this maner slepe fro the appetyte of erthly thyng the sharper is the Inner syghte in louely beholdynge of heuenly fayrhede This slepynge this wakyng loue worcheth thrugh the lyght of grace in the soule of the louer of our lorde Ihesu ¶ How specyall grace in beholdynge of our lorde IhuÌ wythdrawyth soÌtyme fro a soule And how a soule shall haue her in the absence presence of IhuÌ And how a soule shall desyre that in it is alwaye the gracyous presence of Ihesu Caplm xli SHewe me thenÌe a soule that thrugh InspyracoÌn of grace hath openynge of the gostly syghte in to beholdynge of IhuÌ that is departed drawen out fro the loue of the worlde so ferforth that it hath puryte pouerte of spiryte ghosty ââste Inwarde scylence pees in conscyeÌce highnes of thoughtâ onÌlynes pryuete of hert waker slepe of the spouse that hatâ loste lykynge Ioyes of the worlde taken with delyce of heuââly sauour· euer thristynge softly shyghynge y t blessed presenâce of IhuÌ and I dare hardly pronouÌce that this soule brenÌeth all in loue shyneth in ghostly lyghte worthy for to come to the name to the worshyp of the spowse for it is refourmeâ in felynge made able redy to contemplacion Thyse are the tokeÌs of InspiracoÌn in openyng of the ghostly eye For why whan the eye is opened the sowle is in full felynge of all thyse vertues before sayde for that tyme Neuerthelesse it falleth often tymes that grace withdrawyth in partye for corrupcyon of mannes freelte and suffreth thenÌe the sowle for to fall in to itselfe in flesshlyhede as it was beforne And thenne is the soule in payne and in sorowe for it is blynde vnsauery can noo good It is weyke vnmyghty encoÌbred wyth y e body wyth al the bodily wyttes It secheth desyreth after y e grace of IhuÌ ayen it maye not fynde it For holy wrytte saythe of our lorde thê° PostqmÌ vultuÌ suuÌ abscoÌderit noÌ eÌ qui coÌteÌplet euÌ That is After whaÌ our lorde IhuÌ hath hidde his face there is none that maye beholde him whaÌ he sheweth him the soule maye not vnsee hym for he is lyghte whan he hydeth hym it may not see hym for the soule is derke His hidynge is but a subtyll assayenge of the sowle His shewynge is a wond mercyfull goodnes in coÌforte of the soule Haue ye no wond though the felynge of grace be wythdrawe somtyme fro a louer of IhuÌ For holy wrytt sayth y e same of the spouse that she fareth thus Quesiui et noÌ inueni illuÌ vocaui noÌ respondit michi I seched I fouÌde hym not I called he answered not That is whan I falle downe to my freelte thenÌe grace wythdraweth ⪠for my fallyng is cause therof not his fleenge But thenÌe fele I peyne of my wretchidnes in his absence And therfore I sought hym by grete desyre of herte he yaue to me noo feable answerynge And thenÌe I cryed wyth all my soule Reuertere dilecte mi Torne ayeÌ thou my loued And yet it semid as he herde me not The paynfull felyng of myself the assaylinge of flesshly loues dredes in this tyme the wantynge of my ghostly strengthe is a coÌtynuell cryeng of my sowle to IhuÌ And neuertheles our lorde makith strauÌge comyth not crye I neuer soo faste For he is syker ynouhÌ of his louer that he wol not torne ayen to worldly loue fully he may noo sauour haue therin therfore abideth he y â lenger But at y e laste whan
they accorden wond well TheÌne for asmoche as a soule of a louer is made meke thrugh inspiracoÌn of grace by openynge of the ghostly eye and seeth y t it is nought of itself but onÌly hangeth in the mercy the godenes of IhuÌ lastyngly is bornÌ vp by fauour helpe of him onÌly and truly desyrynge the presence of him therfore seeth it Iesu For it seeth sothfastnes of holy writt wonderly shewed opened aboue studye traueyle reason of mannes kyndly wytte And that maye well be called the felynge the perceyuynge of IhuÌ For IhuÌ is well of wysdome by a lityll heel dynge of his wysdom in to a clene soule he maketh the soule wyse ynough for to vndstonde all holy wrytt not all at ones in special beholding but thrugh that grace the soule receiueth a newe ablynes a gracyous habyte for to vndstonde it specyally whan it comith to mynde This openyng this clernesse of wytte is made by the ghostly presence of IhuÌ For right as the gospell sayth of ii discyples goynge to the castell of Emaus brenÌynge in desyre spekyng of our lorde IhuÌ our lorde appered to hem presently as a pylgryme and taught hem y t prophecyes of hymselfe And as the gospell sayth Apperuit illis sensum vt intelligerent scripturas He opened to hem clernes of wytte that they myghte vnderstonde holy writynge Right so the ghostly presence of Ihesu openyth the wytte of his louer that it brenÌeth in desyre to hym and bryngeth to his minde by mynystracoÌn of angels the wordes the sentences of holy wrytte vnsoughte and vnauysed one after a nother and expowneth hem redily be they neuer soo harde ne soo preuy The harder that they ben and ferder fro mannes resonable vnderstondynge the more delectable is the true shewynge of hem Whan Ihesu is mayster it is expowned and declared litterally morally mystily heuenly yf the mater suffre it By letter that is lyghteste and moost playne is bodily kynde comforted By moralte of holy wrytte the soule is infourmed of vyces vertues wysely to cuÌne departe that one fro that other By mystyhed it is illumyned for to see y e werkes of Ihesu in holy chirche redily for to applye the wordes of holy wrytte to cryst our hede and to holy chirche that is his mysty body And the fourth that is heuenly longeth onÌly to the worchynge of loue And that is whan alle sothfastnes in holy writte is applyed to loue And for that is mooste lyke to heuenly felynge therforÌ I calle it heuenly The louer of IhuÌ is his frende not for he hath deserued it but for IhuÌ of his mercyfull goodnes makyth hym his frende by true accorde And therfore as to â true frende that pleyseth hym wyth loue not serueth hym ãâã drede as a thralle he shewith his preuyte Thus he saith hymâselfe to his apostles Iam vos dixi amicos qr quecunque audâui a patre meo nota feci vobis Now I saye that ye are frenâdes For I make knowen to you all thynges that I haue herde of my fader To a clene sowle that hathe the palett puryfyed from fylthe of flesshly loue holy wrytte is lyfely foode and sustenaunce delectable It sauoureth wonder swetely whan it is wel chewed by goostly vnderstondynge For why the spiryte of lyffe is hydde therin that quyckenyth all the myghtes of the sowle and fylleth theym full of swetnesse of heuenly sauoure and ghostly delyte But sothly hym nedeth to haue whyte teeth sharpe well pycked that sholde byte of this ghostly brede For flesshly louers heritykes maye not to wche the Inwarde floure of it Her teeth are blody ful of fylthe therfore they ben fasting fro felynge of this brede By teeth are vnderstonde the Inly wyttes of y e soule the whiche in flesshly louers in heretykes ben blody full of synne of worldly vanytees They wolde they can not come by curyosite of her kyndly wytte to y â soth fastnes in knowynge of holy wrytte for her wytte is corrupte by origynall synne and actuell also And is not yet helyd thrugh grace And therfore they doo but gnawe vpon the barke wythoute speke they neuer soo moche therof The Inner sauour wythin they fele not of They ben not meke they beÌ not clene for to see it They ben not frendes to Ihesu and therfore he sheweth hem not his couÌseyle The preuyte of holy wrytte is closed vnd a keye seeled wyth a sygnett of IhuÌs fynger that is the holy ghost And therfore wythouten his loue his leue may noo man come in He hath onÌly the keye of cuÌnynge in his kepynge as holy wrytte sayth and he is keye hymselfe And he letteth in whom he woll by InspyracoÌn of his grace and breketh not the selle and y t dooth IhuÌ to his louers Not to all ylike but to hem that are specyally Inspyred for to seke sothfastnes in holy wrytte wyth grete deuocoÌn in prayeng and wyth moche besynes in studyenge goynge before Thise maye come to the fyndyng whaÌ our lorde IhuÌ wol shewe it See now thenÌe how grace openeth the ghostly eye clereth y e wytte of the soule wondly aboue the freelte of corrupte kynde It yeuyth the soule a newe ablenesse whether it woll rede holy wrytte or here or thynke it for to vndstonde it truely sauourly the sothfastnes of it in the maner before sayd And for to torne redily all reasons wordes that are bodily sayd in to ghostly vndstonding that is noo grete merueyle For the same spiryte expownyth it and declareth it in a clene soule in comfort of it that fyrst made it and that is the holy ghost And this grace maye be is aswel in lewde as in lettred men as anenstes the substauÌce the true felynge of sothfastnes and the ghostly sauoure of it in generall though they see not so many reasons in specyall for that nedeth not And whan the soule is thus abled lightned thrugh grace thenÌe it lyste for to be alone some tyme oute of lettynge or comonynge of all creatures that he myght freely assaye his InstrumeÌt that I calle his reason in beholdyng of sothfastnes that is coÌteyned in holy wrytte And thenÌe there falle to mynde wordes reasons and sentences ynough to occupye hym in full ordynate full sadly And what comforte ghostly delyte sauour swetnesse a soule may fele thenÌe in his ghostly werke thruhÌ dyuers IllumynacoÌns Inly perceyuynges preuy knowynges and sodeyn towchynges of the holy ghost by assaye the sowle maye wyte and elles not And I hope that he shal not erre be soo that his teeth that ben his Inwarde wyttes be kepte whyte clene fro ghostly pryde fro curyosite of kyndly wytte â hope that Dauyd felte full grete delyte in this maner werkâ whan he sayd thus Qââ dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua sâper mel ori meo How swete are thy spekynges lorde IhuÌ
ãâã my chekes ouer hony to my mouth That is Lorde IhuÌ thyâ holy wordes endyted in holy wrytte broughte to my ãâã thrugh grace are swetter to my chekes that are y e affecoÌns oâ my soule than hony is to my mouthe Sothly this is a fayre werke wythoute paynfull traueylle for to see Ihesus thus This is one manere of syghte of Ihesu as I sayde before Not as he is but clothed vnder lyckenesse of werkes and of wordes Per speculum in enigmate By a myrroure and by a âyckenesse As the appostle saythe Ihesu is endeles myghte wysdome and goodnes Ryghtwysnesse soothfastnesse holynesse and mercy And what this Ihesu is in hym selfe maye noo sowle see ne here But by effecte of his worchynge he maye be seen thrugh the lyght of grace as thus His myght is seen by makynge of all creatures of nought his wysdome in ordynate disposynge of hem his goodnes in sauyng of hem his mercy in foryeuenesse of synÌes his holynesse in yeftes of grace his rightwysnes in harde punysshynge of synÌe his softnes in true rewardyng of good werkes And al this is expressed in holy wrytte and this seeth a soule in holy wrytte with all other accidentes that fallen herto And wite thou wel that suche gracyous knowynges in holy wrytt or in other writinge that is made thorugh grace are noughte elles but swete letters senden made betwyxe a louynge soule IhuÌ loued Or elles yf I shall saye sothlyer betwyxe IhuÌ the true louer the soules loued of hym He hath full grete tendnes of loue to al his chosen childern that are here closed in claye of this bodily lyfe And therfore though he be absent fro hem highe hid aboue in the bosom of the fader fulfylled in delyces of the blessed godhede yet notwythstondyng he thynketh vpon hem vysyteth hem full ofte thrugh his gracyous ghostly presence coÌforteth hem by his letters of holy wrytte and dryueth oute of her hertes heuynes werynes dowtes dredes and maketh heÌ gladde mery in hym truely trowynge to all his byhetynges and mekely abydinge fulfyllyng of his wyll Saynt poul sayth thus QuecuÌque scripta suÌt ad nostraÌ doctrinaÌ scripta sunt vt per consolacioneÌ scripturarum speÌ habeamê° All that is wryten to our techynge it is wryten that by comforte of wrytynge we myghte haue hope of saluacyon And this is a nother werke of coÌtemplacoÌn for to see IhuÌ in scryptures after openynge of the ghostly eye The clenner the syghte is in beholdynge the more comforted is the affeccion in the tastynge â A full lytyll sauour felte in a clene soule of holy wrytte in thys maner before sayd sholde make the soule sette lytyll pryce by knowynge of all the vii artes or of all the worlde of all woldly cuÌnynges For the ende of this knowinge is saluacoÌn of a mannes soule in euerlastynge lyf and the ende of that other as for hemselfe is but vanytee and a passynge delyte but yf they be torned thrugh grace to this ende ¶ Of the preuy voys of Ihesu sownyng in a soule wherby it shall be knowen And how al the gracyous IllumynacoÌns made in a soule ben called the spekynges of IhuÌ c. xliiii âO thyse are fayr newe felynges in a clene soule and if a sowle were fulfylled wyth suche it myghte be sayd sothly that it were refourmed somwhat in felynge but not yet fully ⪠for why yet Ihesu sheweth more and ledeth the soule Inner and begynneth to speke more homely and more louely to a soule and redy is the soule thenne to folowe the styâyng of grace For the prophete sayth QuocuÌque ibat spuÌs iâ luc gradiebantur et rote sequentes euÌ whed soo yede the spiâyte thider yede the wheles folowynge hym By wheles are vnderstonde the true louers of IhuÌ For they are rouÌde in vertue wythout angyle of frowardenes and lyghtly whyrlynge thorugh redynesse of wyll to the styryng of grace For after thaâ grace styreth and techeth soo they folowe and worche as thâ prophete sayth But they haue fyrste a full siker assaye and â true knowinge of the voys of grace or they maye doo so thââ they be not deceyued by her owne feynyng of by the myddaââ fende Our lorde Ihesu sayth thus of his louers Oues ãâã vocem meaÌ audiuÌt et cognosco eas cognoscuÌt me mee ãâã shepe heren my voys and I knowe hem and they knowe me The preuy voys of Ihesu is full true and it makyth a soule true There is noo feynyng in it ne fantasye ne pryde ne ypocrysy But softnesse mekenesse pees loue and charytee And it is full of lyfe loue grace And therfore whan it so wnyth in a sowle it is of soo grete myghte some tyme that the soule sodeynly layeth of honde all that there is prayenge spekynge redynge or thynkynge in the manere before sayd all maner bodily werke lystnyth therto fully heryng perceyuinge in rest in loue the swete steuen of this goostly voys as it were rauysshed fro y e mynde of all erdely thynges And thenÌe some tyme sheweth IhÌu in this pees hymself as an hawtful mayster and somtyme as a reuerent fader soÌtyme as a louely sponse And it kepyth a soule in a wondfull reuerence in a louely beholdynge of hym that y e soule lyketh well thenne and neuer soo well as thenne For it felyth soo grete sykernesse and soo grete reste in IhÌu soo moche fauour of his goodnes y t it wolde euer be soo and neuer doo other werke It thinkith y t it touchith IhÌu and thruhÌ vertue of y e vnspekable touchynge it is made hole stable in itselfe reuerently beholdyng onÌly IhÌu· as yf there were noo thynge but IhÌu oo thyng and be a nother borne vp onÌly by y e sauour and y e wondful goodnes of hym y â is that thynge y t he felyth and seeth And this felynge is ofte tymes wythoute specyall beholdynge of holy wrytte ne but wyth fewe wordes formyd in y e herte nought but thus amonge fallen in swete wordes accordynge to y â felynge eyther louynge or worshyppyng or wondryng or other wyse sownynge as the herte lykyth The soule is full moche departed fro loue or likynge of the worlde thorugh veââue of this gracyous felynge And also fro mynde of the worlde moche in the meane tyme It takyth none hede therof for it hath noo tyme therto But thenÌe soÌtyme anone wyth this fallyth ân to a soule diuers IllumynacioÌs thruhÌ grace y t whiche IllumynacoÌns I calle the spekinges of IhuÌ the sight of ghostly âhynges For wyte y u wel that all the besynes y t IhuÌ makith a ââut a soule is for to make it a true perfyte spouse to him in ââe hynes the fulnes of loue And y t may not be done so sodeÌââ therfore IhuÌ y t is loue of all louers the wysest assayeth by many wyses by many wondful meanes or it may come
is hydde in the grounde of his herte Caplm lxix By what tokens thou shall knowe yf thou louest thyne enmye And what ensample thou shall take of crist for to loue hym Caplm lxx How a man shall know how moche couetise is hidde in his hert Caplm lxxi How a man shal knowe whan he synÌeth not in etyng drinkyng whan he synÌeth venyall whan dedeli Caplm lxxii How the grouÌde of lecheri shold be destrdyed with ghostli trauayle with bodely ca. lxxiii That a maÌ shold be besie to put away al stirynges of sinÌe but more besie of ghostli sinÌes than of bodely Caplm lxxiiii That hunger and other bodely paynes letten moche ghostly werkyng CaplmÌ lxxv what remedye a man shall vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng Caplm lxxvi That thorough besye desyre traueyle for mekenes charite a man cometh sooner to other vertues than by traueyle in heÌ selfe Caplm lxxvii Of the derkenes of the ymage of synÌe and what comyth in by the wyndowes therof Caplm lxxviii That the soule for defawte of knowyng of it self gooth oute by the v. wyttes to seche outwarde likyng Caplm lxxix That a soule shold not begge wythout forth but wythin of IhuÌ that it nedeth Caplm lxxx That the hole of the ymagynacioÌ nedeth to be stopped aswel as the wyndowes of the wyttes Caplm lxxxi whan the vse of the wittes is dedely synÌe and whan veniall Caplm lxxxii ¶ How a ghostly man or woman shall haue hem that come to hem Caplm lxxxiii Of the derke ymage of synÌe of the clothyng therof lxxxiiii whyche ben the lymÌes of the ymage of synÌe caplm lxxxv wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made and wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passyng forth in thymage of synne CaplmÌ lxxxvi ¶ How we shold crucifye this ymage of synÌe and quycken the ymage of IhuÌ Caplm lxxxvii what profite comyth of kepyng of the hert and how moche the soule is and what it louyth Caplm lxxxviii How the ymage of synÌe shall be broken downe lxxxix How a man shall haue him to the stiryng of pryde and of all other vyces Caplm lxxxx what thynge helpyth moost a mannes knowynge and geteth to hym that hym lackyth and moost destroyeth synne in hym Caplm lxxxxi How a man shall be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu and Ihesu shapen in hym Caplm lxxxxii The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in reding therof· that was made to Caplm lxxxxiii HEre endeth the chapytours of the fyrst book And after foloweth the fyrste parte of this present volume That the Inner hauynge of mannes soule sholde be lyke the vtter Caplm primuÌ GHosti suster in Ihesu cryst I praye the that in the callyng whiche our lorde hath callid the to his seruyse thou holde the payd and stoÌde stedfastly therin traueyling besely wyth all the myghtes of thy soule by the grace of IhuÌ cryst for to fulfylle in sothfastnes of good liuyng the state whiche thou haste take in liknes in semyng And as thou hast forsake the worlde as it were a dede man turned to our lord bodely in ãâã of men Right so y t in thyn hert myght be as it were ãâã all erthly loues dredes turned holy to our lord IhuÌ ãâã wyte thou well a bodely turnyng to god wythout thâ ãâã lowrng is but a fygure a lyknes of vertues noo ãâã wherfore a wretchyd man or woman is he ãâã leuyth the Inwardly keping of himself shapeth ãâã out forth oonly a forme liknes of holynes in ãâã thyng In speche in bodely werkes beholdyng ãâã dedes and de ming her defawtes wenyng himself ãâã whan he is right not and soo begyleth hymself ãâã not so but turne thy hert with thy body pryncipall ãâ¦ã shape the within to his lyâknes by mekenes ãâã ghostly vertues and thenÌe art thou truly torned to ãâã not that thou soo lightly on the fyrst day may be to ãâã thy soule by fulhede of vertues as thou myght with ãâã be closid in a hous but that thou shold knowe that the ãâã of thy bodely closyng is that thou myghte the beter comâââ ghostly closing And as thy body is closyd fro bodely coÌueâââcoÌn of men right soo that thyn hert myght be enclosed froâ flesshly loues dredes of al erthly thynges And that thâââââghte the beter come therto· I shall telle the in this lityl writinge as me thynkith ¶ Of actyf lyf the werkes therof Caplm ii THou shalte vnderstoÌde that there is in holy chirche two maner of lyues as saynt gregory sayth in the whyche cristen men shold be sauf That one is called actyf y e other conteÌplatyff wythout one of thise ii noo man may be sauid Actyff lyf lieth in loue charyte shewed outwarde by gode bodely werkes in fulfillyng of goddis coÌmauÌdementes of the vii werkes of mercy bodely ghostly to a manÌes euyn cristen This lyf longeth to all worldly men whiche haue richesse plenty of worldly goodes for to spende And soo to all other the whiche haue state offyce or cure of other men And haue goodes for to spende lerid lewde temporell or spirytuell And generally all worldly men are bouÌde to fulfylle it after her myght cuÌnyng as reson discrecoÌn asketh If he moche good haue moche gode for to doo If he lityll haue lesse may he doo And yf he nouÈt haue thenÌe must he haue a gode will Thise ben werkes of actyf lyf other bodely or ghostly Also a grete part of actyf lyf lyeth in grete bodely dedes the whiche a man dooth to hymself as grete fastyng moche wakyng and other sharpe penauÌce dooyng for to chastise the flesshe wyth descrecoÌn for trespace before done And by suche penauÌce for to refrayne lustes likynges of it and to make hym buxum redy to the wylle of the spiryte Thise werkes though they beÌ actiff they helpe right moche ordeneth a man in the begiÌnyng to come to coÌteÌplatyf lyf yf thei beÌ vsed with descrecioÌ Â¶ Of conteÌplatiff lyf the werkes therof Caplm iii. COnteÌplatyf lyf lieth in perfyte loue charite felyd inwardly by ghostly vertues by sothfast knowyng sight of god ghostly thynges This lyf longeth to hem specyalli the whiche for the loue of god forsakith all worldly rychesse warshippes outwarde besines hooly yeueÌ hem body soule after her myght cuÌnyng to the seruise of god by ghostly ocupacoÌn Now thenÌe sith it is soo that thy state askith for to be conteÌplatiff for that is th eÌtent of thy enclosing that thou myÈt more frely enteerly yeue y â to gostly ocupacoÌn ThenÌe behouyth the for to be right besie both nyght daye with traueyle of body of spirite for to come to that lyf as nygh as thou mayst by suche meanes as thou hopest were best to the. Neuertheles before that I telle the of the
And not onÌly of y â name but al other maner prayers as the Pater nost the Auee or ympnes or psalmes other deuout sayeÌges of holy chirche are turned as it were in to a ghostly mirth swete soÌge â by y â whiche they are coÌforted streÌgthed ayeÌst al synÌes moche releuyd of bodely disese Of this degree spekith saint poul thus âolite inebriari vino sed iÌpleaminâ spÌu scoÌ loquentes vobis metipÌis in ympnis canticis psalmis spuÌalibus cantaÌtes psalleÌtes in cordibus vrÌis dnÌo Be ye not droÌken with wyne but be ye fulfilled of y e holi gost saieÌg to yourself in ympnes psalmes ghostly soÌges 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 coÌtemplacoÌn ¶ Of the thyrde part of contemplacion Caplm viii THe thirde part of conteÌplacion the whiche is perfite as it may here lyeth both in cognicoÌn in affeccoÌn That is to say in knowyng in perfite louyng of god And that is whaÌ a maÌnys 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 affeccoÌns fro vayn thought ymaginynges of all bodely creatures as it were moche rauysshed out of the bodely wyttes And thenÌe by y e grace of the holy ghost is illumyned for to see by vndstoÌdyng soth fastnes whiche is god ghostly thynges wyth a softe swete breÌnyng loue in hym so êfitly that he be rauysshed of his loue so the soule is onyd for the tyme coÌformyd to the ymage of y e trinite The begynÌyng of this conteÌplacoÌn 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° spÌs â cuÌ illo That is to say who so by rauysshiÌg of loue is fastened to god thenÌe 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 Â¶ Of the twynÌing of the iii. part of conteÌplacoÌn fro the ii part of the praysing therof Caplm ix THe other part may be callid brenÌyng loue in deuocoÌn this breÌnyng loue in conteÌplacion 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 heueÌly ioy not clerli but half in derkenes the whiche shal be fulfylled opeÌly clered in the blisse of heuen as saynt poul saith Videmê° nuÌc ê spclm iÌ enigmate tuÌc auteÌ videbimê° facie ad facieÌ we see now god by a myrrour as it were in a derknes but in heueÌ shal we see opeÌly face to face This is the illumynacoÌn of vndstondyng in delites of louyng as dauid saith in the sawter Et nox illuÌi naroÌ mea in deliciis meis ãâã nyght is my light in my delytâ Thother part is milke for children this is hole mete for êfyte men the whiche haue wittes assayd to knowe good fro euyll as saynt poul saith Pfectorum eÌ solidê° ribus q heÌnt seÌsus exercitatos ad discreâoÌem 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 coÌtynuelly in his fulhede in the ouerpassyng but by tymes whan he ãâ¦ã iiii is visited And as I coÌceyue 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 xpÌi vrget nos wherther we ouerpasse oure bodely wyttes to god in conteÌplacoÌn or we are more sobir to you in bodely felyng y e charite of crist streyneth vs. Of this part of coÌteÌplacoÌn of reforming to god spekith saynt poul opeÌly thê° Nos auteÌ reuelata facie gliam dnÌi speclamÌ traÌsformati in eandeÌ ymagineÌ a claritate iÌ claritateÌ· taÌquamm a dnÌi spÌu And this is thê° moche for to say Saynt poul in the êsone of hymself of êfyte 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 heueÌly 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 coÌteÌplacoÌn god yeuyth where y t he wyll to leryd to lewde to men to wymÌen 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 conteÌplatyf ¶ 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 soÌwhat vndstoÌde that visyoÌs or reuelacoÌns 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 seÌsible 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 coÌfortable lykyng they ben not very conteÌplacoÌn ne they âen but symple secuÌdary 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 traÌsfygurith 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
more therwith ne hange noo lenger therupon as thou woldest by maistry not fele suche wretchidnes âeue of goo to some other good dede bodily or ghostly and thynke for to doo better a nother tyme But though thou fall on a nother tyme in the same ye an huÌdred tymes ye a thousande tymes yet doo as I haue sayd and all shall be well Ferder more a soule that neuer may fynde rest of hert in prayer but all her lyf tyme is striuyng wyth her thoughtes and taryeth trowbleth wyth hem yf she kepe her in mekenes charyte in other sydes she shal haue ful moche mede in heuen for her good traueyle ¶ Of meditacoÌn of synful men after that they ben hooli tourned to god Caplm xxxiiii Now of meditacoÌn shal I telle y t a lityll as me thynketh Thou shalt vndstonde that in meditacoÌns may no certen rule wel be set euery man for to kepe for they are in free yeft of our lord after the dyuers disposynges of chosen sowles and after the state that they ben in And also after y t they profyten in vertues in her astate soo he encreaseth her meditacoÌns both in ghostly knowyng louyng of hym For who soo is euer ylike wyse in knowyng of god ghostly thynges it semyth that he wexeth but a lityl in the loue of god that may be shewed opinly in thapostles whaÌ they in y e day of peÌtecost were fulfylled wyth brenÌyng loue of y e holy ghost thei were made neyther foles ne foltis but they were made woÌder wyse both in knowyng spekyng of god of ghostly thynges asmoche as a man myght haue in flesshe liuyng Thus spekyth holy wrytte of hem Repleti suÌt oeÌs spÌu sctoÌ et ceperuÌt loqui magnalia dei They were fulfylled of the holy ghoost and they began to speke the grete merueyles of god And all that knowyng they had by rauisshyng in loue of the holy ghost Dyuerse meditacyons there ben whiche our lorde putteth in a mannes hert Some shall I telle the as me thynkith for this entent If thou fele ony of hem that y u sholdest y e better traueyle in hem In the begynnyng of coÌuersion of suche a man that hath be moche foyled wyth worldly or flesshely synnes comynly his thought is moost vpon his synÌes wyth grete compunccion sorowe of herte wyth grete wepynges and many teres of the eye mekely besely asking merci for yeuenes of god for hem And yf he be towchyd sharpely for our lord wyll make hym soone clene hym shall thynke that his synnes are euer in his syght so fowle soo horryble that vneth shal he mow bere hymself And though he shryue him neuer so clerly yet shal he fynde fightyng fretyng and bitynge of his conscyence that him shall thynke that he is not shriuen ryght And vnneth shall he mow haue ony rest in somoche that he shold not endure suche traueyle ne were it that oure lorde of his mercy comforteth hym somtyme as he wyll bi grete deuocoÌn of his passion or of some other as he wylle yeue it Vpon this maner werketh our lorde in some menÌes hertes more or lesse as he wylle And all this is the grete mercy of our lord that not oonly wyll foryeue the synne or the trespase but he wyll both forgyue the trespase the payne for it in purgatory for suche a lityl payne here of bityng of coÌscience And also yf he will dispose a man to receyue ony specyall yefte of the loue of god hym behouyth fyrst to be scowred clensed by suche a fyre of compunccoÌn for al the grete synÌes before done Of this maner traueylle spekith dauid in many places of the sawter and specyally in the psalme Miserere mei deus ¶ That the meditacoÌn of the manhede of cryst or of hys passyon is yeuen freely of the holy ghost And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen Caplm xxxv ANd thenne somtyme after this traueyle and somtyme wyth all suche a man or elles a nother the whyche by grace of god hath be kept in InnoceÌce our lorde yeuith a meditacoÌn of his manhede as of his birth or of his passoÌn and of the compassyon of our lady saynt mary whan this medytacoÌn is made by the holy ghost thenne it is right profitable gracyous And that thou shalt wite by this token Whan it is so that thou arte styred to a meditacoÌn in god and thy thoughte is sodenly draweÌ out fro all worldly flesshly thynges and the thynketh as thou seest in thy soule thy lorde IhuÌ in a bodily lyknes as he was in erthe and how he was taken of the Iewes and bouÌden as a theyf beten dispysed scourged demid to deth How lowely he bare the crosse vpon his backe and how cruelly he was neyled therupon Also of the crowne of thornes vpon his hede and of the sharpe spere that stykked hym to the hert and thou in this ghostly sight felyst thyn herte styred to so grete compassion pyte of thy lorde Ihesu y e thou mornest wepest criest wyth all the myghtes of thi body and of thy soule woÌderyng the goodnes the loue the pacyence the mekenes of thy lorde IhuÌ that he wold for so sifull a caytif as thou arte suffre soo moche payne And neuertheles thou felist somoche goodnes mercy in our lorde that thyn hert ryseth vp in to a loue a gladnes of hym wyth many swete teres hauyng grete trust of foryeuenes of thy synÌes and of saluacyon of thy soule by the vertue of this precyous passion That whan the mynde of crystis passion or ony poynt of his manhede is thus made in thyn hert bi suche a ghostly syghte wyth deuowte affeccoÌn answeryng therto wyte y u well thenne that it is not of thyn owne werkyng ne feynynge of noo wyckid spiryte but by the grace of the holy ghost For it is an openyng of the ghostly eye in to crystis manhede And it maye be called the flesshly loue of god As saynt bernarde callith it In as moche as it is sette in the flesshly kinde of cryst And it is right good and a grete helpe in destroyeng of grete synnes and a gode waye to come to wertues and so after to contemplacyon of the godhede For a man shall not come to ghostly lyghte in contemplacyon of crystis godhede but yf he come fyrst in ymagynacoÌn bi bitternes and bi compassion and by stedfast thynkyng of his manhede Thus saynt poul dyde Fyrst he sayd thus Nichil indicaui me scire inter vos nisi ihÌm xpÌm et hunc crucifixum I shewed you righte nought that I couth· but Ihesu cryst and hym crucifyed As yf he had sayd My knowyng and my trust is oonly in y e passion of cryst And therfore sayd he thus also Michi auteÌ absit gloriari nisi in cruce dnÌi nostri ihuÌ cristi ForbodeÌ be fro me all
maÌnes 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 sinÌed 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 coÌperatus 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 thenÌe 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 synÌe of man without al other wretchydnes synÌes whiche thou hast wylfully put therto And wyte thou wel thouÈ thou had neuer done synÌe wyth thy body dedely ne venyal but oonly this that is called origynall for it is the fyrst synÌe 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 ThenÌe 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 onÌly saluacoÌn bi vertue of this precious passion mekely trustly and wythoute dowte thou shal haue it And fro this origynal synÌe 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 passoÌn 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 ThenÌe aske mercy and haue it Thus sayd the prophete in the persone of oure lorde Ois enim quicuÌque inuocauerit nomen dnÌi saluê° erit Euery man what y â he be that calleth the name of god that is to saye askith saluacoÌn 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 lyÌen 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 coÌmauÌdementes and by very repentauÌce 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 coÌtrary 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 IohÌn sayth of hym selfe of other perfyte men thus Si dixerimus qr pccmÌ non habemê° ipÌi nos seducimus et veritas in nobis noÌ est If we saye that we haue noo synÌe 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
thou maye not be in peas sothly it is soone weri tyll it be out ayen This is the derknes of conscyence ¶ Who soo wyll fynde Ihesu him behouith abidyngly to traueyle in ghostly derkenes ayenst the ymage of synne Caplm liiii· NEuertheles in this derke coÌscience behoueth the to swinke and swete That is to saye The behouith to draw in to thyself thy thought fro all bodily thynges as moche as thou may And thenne whan thou fyndest ryght nought but sorowe payne and blyndnes in this derknes yf thou wyll fynde Ihesu the payne of this derke conscyence the behouyth suffre and abyde awhyle therin And here the behoueth to be waar that thou take Ihesu cryste in thy thoughte ayenst this eche derkenes in thy mynde And by besye prayer and feruent desyre to god Not settynge the poynt of thy thoughte in that forsayd noughte but in Ihesu cryste whyche thou desyrest Thynke styfly on the passyon and on his mekenes and thorugh myghte of hym thou shalt aryse Doo as thou woldest bere it downe and goo thrugh it Thou shalt agryse lothe this derkenes and this nought ryght as the deuyll and thou shalt despise it and al to breste it For al wythin this nought is IhuÌ hydde in his Ioye whom thou may not fynde by thy sechyng but yf thou passe the derknes of this conscyence This is the ghostly traueyle that I speke of And this traueile is cause of all this wrytynge for to styre the therto if thou fele grace This derkenes of conscyence this nought that I speke of is the ymage of the fyrst adam Saynt poul knewe it well for he sayd thus of it Sicut portauimê° ymagineÌ terreni hominis ita portemê° ymagineÌ iam celestis As we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man that is the first adam ryght soo that we myght now bere the ymage of the heuenly man whiche is Ihesu the seconde adam He bare this ymage oft full heuy for it was soo comberous to hym that he cryed out on it layeng thus O quis liberabit me de corpore mortis huiê° O who shall delyuer me fro this body this ymage of dethe And thenne he comforted hymself other also thus Gracia dei per ihÌm xpÌm The grace of god by Ihesu cryste ¶ What is propirly the ymage of synne what comyth oute therof Caplm lv NOw haue I tolde the a lityll of this ymage how it is nought Neuertheles yf it be fer fro thy knowing how it myght be an ymage for nought is but nought but so mighte y u not liÈtly vndstonde it I shall telle y e more opeÌly of thys ymage as me thynketh This ymage is a fals mysruled loue vnto thyself Out fro this comen all maner of synnes by seuen Ryuers whyche arne thyse Pryde Enuye Ire Accidie Couetise Glotenye and Lecherie Loo this is somwhat that thou maye fele By one of thyse ryuers renÌeth out al maner of synÌe and putteth the oute of charyte yf it be dedely synÌe or it letteth the feruour of charyte yf it be venyall âow may y u grope that this ymage is not nought but it is moche of bad for it is a grete sprynge of loue vnto thyself wyth suche vii ryuers as I haue said But now sayst thou how may this be soth I haue forsaken the worlde and I am stoken in an house I medle wyth no man I chyde not I stryue not I neyther bye ne selle I ne haue noo worldly besynes but by the mercy of god I kepe me chaste and wythholde me fro delytes And ouer this I praye I wake I traueyle bodily and ghostly as I maye How shold thenne this ymage be soo moche in me as thou spekest of As to this I answere graunt to the that I hope thou doost all thise werkes moo therto ⪠and yet may it be soth as I saye Thou art besye vpon thy myght for to stoppe the ryuers wythouteÌ but the sprynge wythin on happe y u leuest hole Thou arte like to a man the whiche had in his yerde a stinkyng welle wyth many rennynges fro it He yede he stopped the rennynges and lefte the sprynge hole and weÌde all had be syker but the water sprange vp at the grouÌde of the welle and stode stylle somoche that it corrupted all the fayrnes of his garden and yet renÌeth noo water out âyght so maye it be wyth the If it be soo that thou hast by grace stopped the ryuers of this ymage wythoute somoche it is well but be ware of the sprynge within Sothly but yf thou stoppe clense that as moche as thou maye it wyll corrupte all y e floures of the gardyne of thy soule shewe they neuer so fayr outwarde in syghte of men But now sayst yu. wherby shal I knowe that the grounde is stopped yf I traueylle aboute it As vnto this I shall telle by assaye how thou shalte knowe thys ymage yf it be in the and how moche it is in y e and therby shalt thou wyte how moche it is stopped how lityl also in the And asmoche as pryde is the pryncipall Ryuer I shall telle the therof fyrst ¶ What pryde is And whan it is synne Caplm lvi ⪠PRyde is not elles as clerkes sayeÌ but loue of thyn owne excellence y t is of thyn owne worshyp ThenÌe the more thou louest likest in thyn owne worshyp the more is the pryde and soo the more is the ymage in the If thou fele in thyn herte a stiryng of pryde thou that arte holyer Wyser better ⪠and more vertuous than a nother is that god hath yeuen the grace for to serue hym better than other done thou thynkest al other byneth the and the abouen hem or ony other thoughte of thiself whiche sheweth to thy syght of thy soule an excellence an ouerpassynge of other men or wymÌen and of this stiryng thou felyst loue delyte and vayn plesyng in thyself that thou art so this is a token that thou berest this blacke ymage whiche yf it be pryue fro mennes eyen neuertheles it sheweth hym opeÌly in goddis syghte But now sayst thou that thou may not flee suche styringes of pryde for ofte thou felist hem ayenst thy wyll and therfore thou holdest hem noo synne or yf they ben synÌe they ben nought but venyall As to this I saye thus that the felyng of thyse stirynges of pryde or of ony other the whiche spryngen out eyther of the corrupcoÌn of this fowle ymage or by incastyng of the enmye it is noo synne in as moche as thou felyst hem and that is a grace a pryuylege by vertue of the passion of Ihesu cryste grauÌted to all crysteÌ men baptized in water in the holy ghost For sothly to Iewes sarrazyns whiche trowe not in Ihesu cryst all suche stirynges are dedely synnes For saynt poul sayth OmÌe quod non est ex fide pccmÌ est All
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 puÌcti 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 ⪠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 ⪠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 wyllânteerly 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 synÌe chaunge the state eyther of anker or of religyous ne lese that synguler mede in the blysse of heuen whyche mede is callyd Accydentall mede Neuerthelesse that other men mystake not this that I saye Therfore I shall saye it more openly Thou shalt vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whyche oure lorde gyueth to chosen soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louynge and knowynge of hym after the mesure of charytee gyuen of god to a soule lyuynge in dedely flesshe This mede is beste and souereyne for it is god hymself And it is comyn to all the soules that shollen be saaf in what state or degree that they ben lyuyng in holy chirche more or lesse after the quantyte and the mochenes of her charyte in his life what degree he be in For he that moost loueth god in charyte he shall haue
and yre fastenyd therto with many dyuers braunches spryngyng oute of theym The whyche letten loue and charyte the whiche thou sholdest haue to thyn euen crysten The braunches of yre and enuye are thyse Hatrede euyll suspecion fals and vnskylfull demynge malecolye risyng of herte ayenst hem dyspisyng and vnkyndnes and bachityng and myssayenge vnskylfull blamyng myslikyng anguisshe and heuynes ayeÌste hem that dispisen the or speke ony euyll of the· or ayenst y e A gladnes of her disese a felnes ayenst synful men and other that wylle not doo as the thynketh they shold doo wyth grete desyre of thyne herte vnder colour of charyte ryghtwysnesse that they were well punysshed and chastysed for her synne This stiryng semyth good Neuertheles yf y u ransake it well thou shalt fynde it more somtyme flesshly ayenst the persone than ghostly ayenst the synÌe Thou shalt loue the man be he neuer soo synfull and thou shalt hate the synne in eche man what he be Many are begyled in this for they sett the bytter in stede of the swete and taken derknes in the stede of lyghte ayenst the prophete sayeng Ve vobis que dicitis maluÌ bonuÌ bonum maluÌ ponentes lucem tenebras amaruÌ dulce woo be to hem that sayen good is euyll and euyll is good and setten lyghte as derknes and bytter in stede of swete Thus done all tho that whan they sholde hate the synne of her euen crysten and loue the persone they hate the persone in stede of the synne and wene that they hate the synne wherfore it is a crafte by it self who soo cowde doo it well ¶ That it is maystry to loue mennes persones and wysely hate her synnes Caplm lxv IT is noo maystry for to wake faste tyll thyn hede ake ne for to renne to Rome to Iherusalem vpon thy thy bare fete ne for to sterte aboute preche as yf thou woldest torne all men by thy prechyng Ne it is no maystââ for to make chirches or chapels for to fede poor men make hospitals but it is a maistry a man to loue his eueÌcristen in charite wisely hate y e synÌe of hym loue the man For though it be soo y â al thise dedes before sayd are gode in heÌself neuertheles they are comyn to good men and to bad for eche man myghte doo hem yf that he wolde had wherof And for thy for to doo that eche man may doo I holde it no maistry But for to loue his euen crysten in charyte hate his synÌe may noo man it doo but oonli good men whiche haue it of the yefte of god and not of her traueile as saynt poul saith Caritas dei diffusa est in cordibus vestris per spÌm sccmÌ qui datus est vobis Loue charyte is shed spred in your hertes by y e holy ghost whiche is yeueÌ to you And therfore it is more precyous the more deynte for to come by All other good dedes wythouten this make not a man gode ne worthy the blisse of heuen but this alone and oonly this maketh a man gode al his good dedes medeful All other yeftes of god werkes of man are comin to good to bad to chosen to reproued but this yeft of charyte is onÌly of godd of chosen soules ¶ That for the same dedes dyuers men shall haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi A Good man for the loue of god fasteth waketh gooth on pilgrymage and forsakyth all the likynges of y e worlde sothfastly in his herte wythouten feynynge he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen And an ypocrite for vaynglori of hymself dooth the same dedes and receyueth his mede here Also a very precher of goddis worde fulfylled of charyte of mekenes sent of god and of holy chirche receyued yf he preche and teche goddis worde he shall haue a specyall mede of god that is the aureole for his prechyng An ypocryte or an heretyke that hath noo mekenes ne charytee ne arne sende of god nor yet of holy chyrche yf they preche they haue her mede here Also a good man in wordly state for loue of god makyth many chyrches chapelles abbeys hospytals and dooth many other good dedes of mercy he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen not for the dede in it selfe but for y e good will the charyte y t he hath of y e yeft of god for to doo tho good dedes An other man for vanytee of hymselfe and worshyp and pleysyng of the worlde and for his owne name dooth the same good dedes and hath his mede here The cause is in all thyse that the tone hath charyte and the tother none whiche is one and whiche is other our lorde knowith and none but he ¶ That all mennes good dedes shall be aproued that hathe liknes of good saaf the opyn heretike and the cursyd maÌ Caplm lxvii ANd therfore we sholde loue and worship al men in our hertes aproue examyn receyue all her dedes y t haue the lyknesse of goodnes though y â doers in goddis syght ben bad saue of the opyn heretyke and of the opyn cursed maÌ Of thise two specyally we shall flee and eschewe the presence the coÌminyng wyth hem And we shal reproue and refuse her dedes seme they neuer soo good as longe as they arne rebell to god holy chyrche As yf a worldly cursed man make a chyrche or fede poor men thou maye sykerly holde it nought and deme it as it is Also yf an opyn heretyke whyche is rebell to holy chyrche preche teche though he conuerte a huÌdred thousande soules holde the dede as to hymself ryght nought For thyse men are opynly out of charyte wythout whyche is all noughte that a man dooth ¶ That noo good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte And that charyte fele they onÌly y t beÌ meke ca lxviii ANd therfore it is a grete maistry a man to cun loue his euen crysten in charyte All this sayeng may be openly proued by saynt poulis wordes thus Si linguis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil sum Et si habuero omneÌ fidem ita vt montes transferaÌ caritatem auteÌ noÌ habeam nichil sum Et si nouerim misteria oiÌa et si destribuero omÌes facultates meas in cibos pauperuÌ et tradidero corpus meum igni vt ardeam caritatem autem non habuero nichil michi prodest Saynt poul in praysynge of charytee sayth thus If I speke the langage of all men and of angels also yf I haue noo charyte I am ryght noughte And yf I haue soo grete fayth that I maye tourne hylles and bere hem awaye and I haue noo charite I am ryght nought And also though I had all maner of knowyng of all pryuâtees without charyte I am ryght nought And yf I yeue al y t
how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god and man one persone Caplm xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shall be take and on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poulis wordes Caplm xxxi How god openyth the Inner eye of the soule to see hym not all at ones but by dyuers tymes and of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii How IhuÌ is heuen to y e soule why he is called fyre xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed and vnfourmed what it meaneth and how we ben beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyeng but althermoost for our sauynge thrugh the yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiii How that some soule loueth ihesu by bodily feruours and by her owne manly affeccoÌns 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 pacyeÌce 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 soÌtyme 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 coÌmendacyon 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
inperfyte soules hadden that knewe not specyally the pryuyte of the Incarnacyon Ryght soo all chosen soules vnder the newe testamente hathe trouthe in cryste that he is come eyther openly and felyngly and ghostly men and wyse men haue or elles generally as chyldern haue that deyen crystned and other symple and lewde soules haue that arne nourysshed in the bosom of holy chyrche Syth this is sothe thenne thynketh me that thyse men gretly and greuously erren that sayen that Iewes and sarrasyns by kepynge of her owne lawe maye be made saaf though they trowen not in Ihesu cryste as holy chyrche trowyth In as moche as they wene that her owne trouth is good and syker and suffysaunt to her saluacyon And in that trouthe they done as it semyth many good dedes of ryghtwysnesse And perauenture yf they knewe that crysten fayth were better than her owne is they wolde leue her owne and take it therfore that they sholde be saaf Naye it is not ynough soo For cryste god and man is bothe waye and ende And he is medyatour betwyx god man And wythoute hym maye noo soule be reconsyled ne come to the blysse of heuen And therfore they that trowen not in hym that is both god and man maye neuer be saaf ne come to blysse Other men also that louen not cryste nor his passion arne not refourmed in the soule to the lycknesse of hym And thise men arne fals crysten men the whiche arne oute of charytee and lyuen and deyen in dedely synne Thyse men trowen well as it semyth that Ihesu is goddis sone And that his passyon suffysyth to saluacoÌn of mannes soule And they trowe also all the other artycles of the fayth But it is an vnshaply trouthe and a dede for they loue hym not ne they chese not the frute of his passyon but they lyen stylle in her synne and in the false loue of this worlde vnto her laste ende And soo they ben not refourmed to the lyckenesse of god but goon to the paynes of helle endelesly as Iewes and sarrasyns done and in to moche more gretter payne than they In as moche as they had the trouthe and kepte it not For that was more trespaas than that they had neuer hadde it Thenne yf thou wolte wyte whyche soules arne refourmed here in this lyffe to the ymage of god thorugh the vertue of his passyon soothly oonly those that trowen in hym and louen him in whiche soules the ymage of god that was thorugh synne forshapen· as it were in to a fowle bestes lyckenes is restored refourmed to the fyrst shape and to the worthynes worshyp that it had in the begynnynge wythoute whiche restorynge and refourmyng shal neuer soule be saaf ne come to blysse ¶ Of two maner of refourmynges of this ymage one in fulnesse a nother in fayth Caplm iiii NOw sayest thou how may this be soth that the ymage of god the whiche is manÌes soule might be refourmed here in this lyfe to his lyckenesse in ony creature It semyth naye it myghte not be soo For yf it were refourmed thenne sholde it haue stable mynde clere syghte and clere brennynge loue in god and ghostly thinges euerlastyngly as it had in the beginnynge But that is noo creature as thou trowest liuynge here in this lyfe For as ayenst thyself thou canst wel saye the thynke the full ferre therfro Thy mynde thy reason and the loue of thy soule arne soo moche sette in beholdynge and in loue of erthly thynges that of ghostly thynges thou felyst ryght lytyll Thou felyste noo refourmynge in thyselfe but thou arte so vnbilapped wyth this blacke ymage of synÌe for ought that y u maye doo that vpon what syde y u the turne thou felist thiself defoyled spotted wyth flesshly stirynges of this foule ymage other chauÌgyng felyst y u none fro flesshlynes in to ghostlines neither in pryue myÈtes of thi soule w c in ne in bodyly felynge wythoute wherfore ye thynken that it myghte not be that this ymage myghte be refourmed Or elles yf it myght be refourmed ThenÌe askest thou how it myght be refourmed To this I answere and saye thus There is two manere of refourmyng of the ymage of god whiche is mannes soule One is in fulnesse A nother is in partye Refourmynge in fulnesse maye not be had in this lyfe but it is delayed after this lyfe to the blysse of heuen where mannes sowle shall fully be refourmed not to that state that it had at the fyrste begynnynge by kynde or myghte haue had thorugh grace yf it had stonde hole But it shall be restored to moche more blysse and moche hyer Ioye thorough the grete mercy and the endles goodnesse of god than it shold haue had yf it had neuer fallen For thenne shall the soule receyue the hole and the full felynge of god in all myghtes of it wythoute medelynge of ony other affeccyon And it shall see mankynde in the persone of Ihesu aboue the kynde of aungels onyd to the godhede For thenne shall Ihesu bothe god and man be all in all and oonly he and none other but he as the prophete sayth Dominus solê° exaltabitur in illa die That is our lorde Ihesu in that daye that is euerlastynge daye shall be hyghed oonly and none but he And also the body of man shall thenÌe be gloryfyed For it shall receyue fully the ryche dowary of vnde delynes wyth all that longeth therto This shall a soule haue wyth the body and moche more than I can say But that shall be in the blysse of heueÌ and not in this lyfe For though it be soo that the passyon of our lorde be cause of all this full refourmynge of mannes soule neuerthelesse it was not his wylle for to graunte this full refourmynge ryght anone after his passyon to all chosen sowles that were lyuynge in tyme of his passyon But he delayed it vnto the laste daye And that was for this skylle Sooth it is that oure lorde Ihesu Cryste of his mercy hath ordeyned a certayn nomber of soules to saluacion whyche nombre was not fulfylled in the tyme of his passyon And therfore it neded that by length of tyme thorugh kyndly generacyon of men it sholde be fulfylled Thenne yf it had soo be that as sone after the dethe of our lorde euery soule that wolde haue trowed in hym sholde by his lyfe haue be blessyd and full refourmed wythout ony other abidynge there wolde noo creature that lyued thenÌe haue be that he ne wold haue receyued the faythe for to haue be made blessyd and thenne sholde generacyon haue ceased And soo sholde we that are now chosen soules liuynge and other soules that come after vs not haue ben borne and soo sholde our lorde haue fayled of his nomber But that maye not be And therfore our lorde purueyed moche better for vs in that that he delayed the full refourmyng of mannes soule tyll the laste ende as saynt poul sayth Deo
Nichil dampnacoÌnis in hiis qui noÌ scdm carnem ambulant That is Thyse soules that arne refourmed to the ymage of god in fayth thorugh the sacrameÌt of baptym or of penauÌce shall not be dampned for felynges of this ymage of synne yf it soo be that they goo not after y e stirynges of the flesshe by dede doynge ¶ That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne a true torning of our wyll to good liuyng Ca· ix OF this refourmynge in fayth spekyth saynt poul thus Iustus ex fide viuit The rightwisman lyueth in fayth That is He that is made rightfull by baptym or by penaunce he lyueth in fayth whiche suffyseth vnto saluacoÌn and to heuenly pees as saynt poul sayth Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus ad deuÌ That is we that arne ryghted and refourmed thorugh faythe in cryste hathe pees and accorde made betwyx god and vs. noughte ayenstondynge the vycious felynges of our body of synne For though this reformyng be pryue and maye not well be felte here in this lyfe neuerthelesse who so trowyth it stedfastly and shapyth his werkes bisely for to accorde to his trouth and that he tourne not ayen to dedely synÌe Soothly whan the houre of dethe comyth and the soule is departed fro this bodily lyfe thenne shall he fynde it sooth that I saye now Thus sayd saynt IohÌn in comforte of chosen soules that lyuen here in fayth vnder the felynge of this painfull ymage Barissimi nunc sumus filii dei sed non duÌ apparuit quid erimus Scimus auteÌ qmÌ cum cristus apparuit tunc apparebimus cum eo similes ei in gloria That is My dere frendes we arne now whyle we lyue here the sonnes of god for we arn refourmed bi faythe in cryste to his lyckenes But it shewyth not yet what we arn but it is all pryue Neuerthelesse we knowe well that whan our lorde shall shewe hym at the laste daye thenne shall we appere wyth hym lyke vnto hym in endles Ioye If thou wolte wyte thenne yf thy soule be refourmed to the ymage of god or noo by that I haue sayd thou maye haue entree Ransake thy conscyence and loke what thy wyll is for there in stondeth all If it be tourned fro all maner of dedely synne that thou woldeste for noothynge wyttyngly and wylfully breke the coÌmaundement of god And for that thou haste mysdone here before ayenste his biddynge thou haste shryuen the therof mekely wyth full herte to leue it and arte sory that thou dydest it I saye thenne sykerly that thy soule is refourmed in faythe to the lyckenesse of god ¶ That all the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche and haue her faythe quyckened in loue and chaâryte ben refourmed by this sacramente though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall yefte of deuocyon or of ghostly felynge Caplm x· IN this refourmynge that is oonly in faythe the ãâã parte of chosen soules leden her lyfe that setteÌ her wyll stedfastly for to flee all manere of dedely synne and for to kâpe hem in loue charyte to her euen crysten and for to kepâ the coÌmaundementes of god after her cunnynge And whan it soo is that wycked stirynges and euyll wylles rysen in her hertes of pryde or of enuye of yre or lecherye or of ony other hede synne they ayenstonde hem and stryuen ayenst hem by dysplesynge of wyll soo that they folowe not in dede thyse wycked wylles And neuerthelesse yf they falle lyghtly as it were ayenste her wyll thorugh freelte or vncuÌnynge as soone her conscyence greuyth hem and pynyth hem soo greuously that they mow haue noo reste tyll they be shryuen and maye haue foryeuenes Sothly all thise soules that thus lyuen in this refourmynge and ben founde therin in the houre of dethe they shall be saaf and come to the full refourmynge in the blysse of heuen though it be soo that they myghte neuer haue ghostly felynge ne Inwarde sauour ne specyall grace of deuocoÌn in all her lyfe tyme For elles yf thou say that noo soule shall be saaf but it were refourmed in ghostly felynge that it myght fele deuocoÌn and ghostly sauour in god as some soules doon thorugh specyall grace thenÌe sholde fewe soules be saaf in rewarde of multytude of other Nay it is not for to trowe that that for the soules that oonly arn deuoute and bi grace come to ghostly felyng and for noo moo our lorde Ihesu sholde haue take mankynde and suffred that harde passyon of dethe It had be a lityll purchaas to hym for to haue come fro so ferre to soo nere and fro soo hye to soo lowe for soo fewe soules Nay his mercy is spradde larger than soo Neuertheles on the contrary wyse yf thou trowe that the passyon of our lorde is soo precyous and his mercy somoche that there shal noo soule be dampned and namely of noo crysten man doo he neuer soo euyll as some fooles wene soothly thou erreste gretely Therfore goo in the meane and holde the in the middes and trow as holy chirche trowyth And that is that the moost sinfull man that lyueth in erthe yf he torne his will thorugh grace fro dedely synne wyth sothfaste repentaunce to the seruyse of god he is refourmed in his soule And yf he deyed in that state he shall be saaf Thus behighte our lorde by his prophete sayenge thus In quacuÌque hora conuersus fuerit peccator ingemuerit vita viuet et non morietur That is In what tyme that it be that the synful man is tourned to god fro synÌe and he haue sorow therfore he shall lyue and he shal not deye endelesly And on the other syde who soo liuyth in dedely synÌe and wylle not leue it ne amende hym therof ne receyue the sacrament of penaunce or elles yf he receyue it he takyth it not soothfastly for the loue of god that is for the loue of vertue clennesse but oonly for drede or shame of the worlde or for drede oonly of paynes of helle he is not refourmed to the lyknesse of god And yf he deye in that plyghte he shall not be saaf His trouth shall not saue hym for his trouthe is dede and lackyth loue and therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened wyth loue charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degree of charite as arn symple soules the whiche felen not the yeft of speciall deuocyon ne ghostly knowynge of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chirche trowith and knowyth not fully what that is for it nedeth not to hem· And in that trowyth they kepe hem in loue and charytee to her euen crysten as they maye and fleen all dedely synne after her cuÌnynge and dooen the dedes of mercy to her euen crysten
I be blacke bi cause of my body of synÌe as a reproued soule y t is one of the tabernacles of the fende neuertheles I am within full fayr thorugh trouthe good wyll lyke to an angell of heuen For soo sayth he in a nother place Nolite considerare me qd fusca suÌ qmÌ decolorauit me sol That is Beholde me not that I am swart for the sonne hath defaded me The sonÌe makyth a skynne swarte onÌly wythout and not wythin and it betokenith this flesshly lyfe Therfore sayth a chosen soule thê° Repreue me not for I am swart for the swartnesse that I haue is all wythoute of touchyng of berynge of this ymage of synne but it is noo thynge wythin And therfore soothly though it be soo y t a chosen soule reformed in fayth dwelle in this body of sinÌe and fele the same flesshly stirynges and vse the same bodily werkes as dooth a tabernacle of cedar soo ferforth that in maÌnes dome there sholde noo dyfference be bytwyx that one and that other Neuertheles within in her soules there is a ful grete dyuersite· and in the syghte of god there is ful moche twinnynge But the knowyng of this whiche is one and whiche is other is oonly kepte to god ⪠for it passeth mannes dome manÌes felynge and therfore we shall noo man deme as euill for that thynge that maye be vsed bothe euyll well A soule that is not refourmed is take soo fully wyth the loue of the worlde and soo moche ouerlayed wyth the likynge of his flesshe in all his seÌsualyte that he chesyth it as a full reste of his herte and in his pryue meanynge he wolde not elles haue but y t he myght euer be syker therof He felith noo lycour of grace stiryng him for to lothe his flesshly lyf ne for to desire heuenly blysse And therfore I may say that he bereth not this ymage of synÌe but he is borne of it as a man that were seke and soo weyke that he myghte not bere hymselfe And therfore he is layed in a bedde and borne in a lytere Ryght soo suche a synfull soule is soo weyke and soo vnmyghti for lackyng of grace that he maye neyther meue honde ne fote for to doo ony good dede ne for to ayenstonde by displesyng of wyll the leest stirynge of synne whan it comyth but it falleth downe therto as it were a beest vpon careyne But a soule that is refourmed though he vse his flesshly wyttes and fele flesshly stirynges neuerthelesse he lotheth hem in his herte· for he wolde for noo thynge fully reste in hem but he fleeth the reste as the bitynge of an adder and had leuer haue his rest and the loue of his herte in god yf that he cowde· and somtyme desyreth therto and often grutcheth of the lykynge of this lyfe for loue of the lyfe euerlastynge This soule is not borne in this ymage of synne as a seke man though he fele it but he beryth it For thorugh grace he is made myghty stronge for to suffre and bere his body wyth all the euyll stirynges of it wythoute hurtynge or defoylynge of hymself and that is in asmoche as he loueth hem not ne foloweth hem not· ne seÌteth not to hem the whiche arn dedely synnes as a nother dooth This was bodily fulfylled in the gospel of a man that was in the palsye and was soo feble that he myghte not goo and therfore was he layed and borne in a lytere and broughte to our lorde And whan our lorde sawe hym in myscheyf of his gââodnesse he sayd to hym Surge et tolle grabatum tuuÌ et ãâã in domum tuaÌ That is Rise vp and take thy bedde and ãâã in to thy hous And soo he dyde and was hole And soothly right as this man bare vpon his backe whan he was made hole the bedde that before bare hym Right soo it maye be sayd ghostly that a soule refourmed in fayth berith this ymage of synne the whyche bare hym before And therfore be not adradde tomoche of thy blackenesse that thou haste of beryng of this ymage of synne But as ayenste the shame the dyscoÌforte that y u hast of the beholdyng of it and also ayen vpbraydyng that thou felist in thy hert of thy ghostly enmyes whan thei say to the thê° where is thy lord IhuÌs what sekest yu. wherÌ is y e fairnes that y u spekest of what felist y u ouÈte but blindnes of synne where is that ymage of god that thou sayest is refourmed in the Comforte thiselfe and be faythfull styfly as I haue before sayd And yf thou doo soo thou shalt by this trouth destroye all the temptacyons of thyn enmyes Thus sayde the appostle poul Accipe scutuÌ fidei in quo omnia tela hostis nequissima poteris extinguere That is Take to the a shelde of stedfaste trouth thorugh the whiche thou may quenche al the brennyng dartes of thyn enmye ¶ Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not refourmed and some ben refourmed oonly in fayth and some in fayth and in felynge Caplm xiii BY this that I haue said maye thou see that after dyuers partyes of the soule arne dyuers states of men Some men arne not refourmed to the lyckenesse of god and some arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god And some arn refourmed onÌly in fayth and some arne refourmed in fayth and in felynge For thou shalt vnderstonde that a soule hath two partyes That one is called sensualyte and that is flesshly felynge by the fyue outewarde wyttes the whiche is comon to man and to beest Of the whiche sensualyte whan it is vnskilfully and vnordynatly ruled is made the ymage of synne whan it is not ruled after reason for thenne is the sensualyte synÌe That other partye is called reason and that is departed in two In the ouer partye in the nether The ouer party is lickened to a man for it sholde be mayster and souereyne and that is propirly the ymage of god For by that oonly the soule knowyth god and louyth hym And the neyther is lyckened to a woman for it sholde be buxum to the ouer partye of reison as woman is buxum to maÌ and that lyeth in knowyng and rulynge of erthly thynges for to vse hem discretly after nede for to refuse hem whaÌ it is noo nede for to haue euer with it an eye vpwarde to the ouerpartie of reason with drede reuerence for to folow it Now maye I saye y t a soule that lyueth after likynges and the lustes of his flesshe as it were an vnskylfull beest and neyther hath knowyng of god ne desyre to vertues ne to good liuynge But is all blynded in pryde frette wyth enuy ouerlayed wyth couetyse defoyled wyth lecherye and other grete synnes Is not refourmed to y e lyckenesse of god for it lyeth and resteth fully in the ymage of synne that is sensualyte A nother soule that dredeth god
but I am excused Vnto thise meÌ I say thê° Soth it is as they saye that they haue no grace and therfore they lyen styll in her synÌe maye not ryse oute But that auayleth hem not ayenst god for it is her owne defawte They vnable hem by dyuers wayes somoche that the lighte of grace maye not shine to heÌne rest in her hertes For some are so frowarde that they woll noo grace hauene they woll noo good men be For they wote wel that yf they sholde be good men they must nedes forbere the grete likyng the luste of this worlde that they haue in erthly thynges and that woll they not For hem thynken it is soo swete that they woll not forgoo it And also they muste nedes take werkes of penaunce As in fastynge wakynge prayenge And many other goode dedes dooynge In chastysynge of theyr flesshe And in wythdrawynge of theyr flesshly wyll and that maye they not doo For it is made soo sharpe and soo dredfull to her thynkynge that they vggen lothen for to thinke vpon it and soo cowardly wretchydly dwelle they stylle in her synÌe Some wolde haue grace as it semith and begynÌen to able hem therto but her wyll is wonder weeke For assone as ony stirynge of synÌe comyth though it be contrary to the biddynge of god they falle anone therto for they are so bouÌde thrugh custome by oft fallynge and ofte assentynge to synÌe before that hem thynke it impossyble for to ayenstoÌde it and soo feyned hardnes of perfourmyng weekyth her will and smytith it downe ayen So me also felen stirynge of grace as whan they haue bityng of conscyence for her euyll lyuyng that they sholde leue it But that is soo paynfull to hem heuy that they woll not suffre it ne abyde it but they flee therfro foryete it yf they may soo ferforth that they seke likynge comforte outwarde in flesshly creatures soo that they sholde not fele this bityng of coÌscieÌce wythin her soule And more ouer some men are so blynde soo bestly that they wene there is none other lyf but this ne that there is noo soule other than of a best that the soule of a maÌ deyeth wyth the body as the soule of a beest and therfore they saye Ete we drynke we make we mery here for of this lyfe we beÌ syker we see none other heuen Sothly suche are some wretches that sayen thus in her hertes though they saye it not wyth her mouth Of the whiche men the prophete sayth thê° Dixit insipieÌs in corde suo noÌ est deê° That is â vnwyse man sayd in his herte there is noo god This vnwâse maÌ is euery wretchyd maÌ that lyueth loueth synÌe and âhesith the loue of this worlde as rest of his soule he sayth there is noo god not with his mouth for he woll speke of hym some tyme whan he fareth wel flesshly as it were in reuerence whaÌ he sayth blessyd be god Somtyme in dyspyte whan he is angry ayenst god or his eueÌ crysten and sweryth by his blessyd body or ony of his meÌbres But he sayth in his thought that there is noo god and that is eyther for he weneth that god seeth not his synÌe or that he wyll not punysshe it so harde as holy wrytt sayth or that he woll foryeue hym that synÌe though he see it not or elles that there shall noo crysten man be daÌpned doo he neuer soo euyll Or elles yf he fast our lady faste or saye euery daye a certeyn oryson or here euery daye ii masses or iii. or do a certain bodily dede as it were in worship of god he shall neuer goo to helle doo he neuer somoche synÌe though he forsake it not this man sayth in his herte that there is noo god But he is vnwyse as the prophete sayth For he shall fele fynde in paine that he is a god whom he forgate sette nought by but sette by the we le of the worlde as the prophete sayth Sola vexacio dabit intellectuÌ auditui That is OnÌly payne shall yeue vndstondynge For he that knowyth not this here ne woll not knowe it shall well knowe it whan he is in payne ¶ A lityll counseyle how louers of this worlde sholde doo yf they woll be refourmed in her soule byfore her partyng hens Caplm xvi THyse men though they wote well that they arne out of grace in dedely synÌe they haue no care ne sorow ne thoughte therfore But they make flesshly myrth worldly solace asmoche as they maye And the ferder they ben fro grace y e more myrthe they make perchauÌce some holdeÌ hem wel payd that they haue noo grace that they maye as it were the more fully freely folow the likyng of flesshly lustes as though god were a slepe myghte not see hem And this is one of y e moost defawte that maye be And thus by her owne frowardenes they stoppe the lyghte of grace fro her owne soule that it maye not reste therin the whiche grace in asmoche as in it is shyneth to all ghostly creatures redy for to entre in there it is receyued as the sonÌe shyneth ouer all creatures bodily therâ it is not letted thê° sayth saynt IohÌn in the gospel Lux in true bris lucet et tenebre eaÌ non coÌprehenderuÌt That is the lyghte of grace shyneth in derknesse that is to menÌes hertes that are derke thrugh synne But the derknesse taketh it not That is thise blynde hertes receyue not y e gracyous lyghte ne haue not the profyte of it But ryght as a blynde man is vmbilapped wyth the lyghte of the sonÌe whan he stoÌdeth therin yet seeth it not ne hath noo profyte therof for to goo therby right soo ghostly a soule blynded wyth dedely synne is all vmbylapped wyth this ghostly lyghte yet he is neuer the better for he is blynded woll not see ne knowe his blyndenesse And that is one of the moost lettynge of grace that a wretchyd maÌ woll not be a knowe of his owne blyndnesse for pryde of hymself or elles yf he knowe it he chargeth not but makyth myrthe game as he were ouer all syker Therfore vnto al thise men that are thus blynded bouÌde wyth the loue of this worlde are fowle forshape fro the fayrhede of man I saye couÌseyle that they thynke on her soule· that they able hem vnto grace asmoche as they maye and that maye they doo vpon this wyse yf that they woll Whan that they fele hemself out of grace ouerlayed wyth dedely synÌe thenne that they thynke what myscheyf what peryll it is to hem for to be put out of grace departed fro god as they ben For there is no thyng that holdeth hem fro the pytte of helle that they ne sholde right soone falle therin but a bare syngyll threde of this bodily lyfe wheâby they hange what
lyghtlyer may be lost than a sengyl âhâede may be broken in two For were the breth stopped in her body that may lyghtly falle her soule shall passe forth anone be in helle wythoute ende And yf they wolde thynke thus they sholde quake shake for drede of the rightfull domes of god of the harde punysshyng of synÌe and they sholde make sorow morne for her synÌe for lackyng of grace and thenÌe sholde they crye pray y t they myght haue grace yf they dyde thus thenÌe sholde grace falle in put oute derknesse hardnes of herte and weyknes of wyll and yeue hem mighte strengthe for to forsake the fals loue of this worlde as moche as is dedely synÌe For there is noo soule soo ferre fro god thorugh wickidnes of wyll in dedely synÌe I out take none that lyueth in this body of synÌe that he ne maye thrugh grace be righted refourmed to clennesse of lyuynge yf he woll bowe his wyll to god wyth mekenesse for to amende his lyfe and hertly axe grace foryeuenes of him excuse our lorde ⪠and fully accuse hymself For holy wrytte sayth Nolo morteÌ pccoÌris sed magis vt coÌnertat et viuat That is Our lorde sayth I wol not the dethe of a synÌer but I woll more that he be torned to me lyue For our lorde woll that the moost frowarde man that liueth forshapen thrugh synÌe yf he torne his wyll and aske grace that he be refourmed to his lyknesse ¶ That refourmyng in fayth in felynge maye not sodenly be goten by grace moche bodily and ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii THis refourmyng is in fayth as I haue before sayd that lyghtly may be had But after this comyth refourminge in fayth in felynge that maye not lyghtly begote but thorugh longe traueylle moche besynesse For refourmynge in fayth is comyn to all chosen soules though they ben in the lowest degree of charyte But refourmyng in felyng is specyally of thise soules that maye come to the state of perfeccyon that maye not sodeynly be had but after grete plente of grace moche ghostly traueylle a soule maye come therto and y t is whan he is fyrste helyd of his ghostly syknes and whan alle bytter passions flesshly lustes other olde felynges are brente oute of the herte wyth fyre of desyre and newe gracyous felynges arne broughte Inne wyth brennynge loue and ghostly lyghte Thenne right nyghe hygheth a soule to perfeccyon and to refourmynge in felynge For soth it is right as a man y t is brouÈt nye to deth thrugh bodily siknes though he receyue a medicyne by the whiche he is restored siker of his lyfe he maye not therfore anone rise vp goo to werke as an hole maye for the feblenes of his body holdeth hym downe that he muste abyde a good whyle kepe hym well wyth medicynes· dyete hym by mesure after yeâechynge of a leche tyll he maye fully recouer bodily hele Righte soo ghostly· he that is broughte to ghostly dethe thrugh dedely synÌe though he thrugh medicyne of the sacrament of penauÌce be restored to lyfe that he shall not be daÌpned neuertheles he is not anone hole of all his passions of all his flesshly desyres ne able to contemplacoÌn but hym behoueth abyde a grete whyle take good kepe of hymself and rule hym so that he myghte recouer full hele of soule for he shall langern a grete whyle or that he be fully hole Neuertheles yf that he take medicynes of a good leche vse hem in tyme with mesure discrecoÌn he shall moche the sooner be restored to hys ghostly strength come to refourmynge in felynge For refourmynge in fayth is the lowest state of all chosen soules for byneth that myghte they not well be But refourmyng in felynge is the hiest state in this lyfe that the soule may come to But fro the lowest to the hyest maye not a soule sodenly ãâã nomore than a man that woll clymbe vpon a ladder ãâã setteth his fote vpon the lowest stele may at the nexte flee vp to the hyeste But hym behoueth goo by processe one after another tyll he maye come to the ouerest Right soo it is ghostly no maÌ is made sodeÌly souereyn in grace but thrugh long exercyse and slye werkyng of a soule may com therto namly whan he helpyth techyth a wretchyd soule in whom al grace lyeth For wythout specyall helpe Inwardly techynge of hym maye noo soule come therto ¶ The cause why soo fewe soules in rewarÌde of the multytude of other comen to this refourmynge in faythe and in felynge Caplm xviii BVt now sayst thou Syth our lorde is soo curteys of his goodnes of his gracyous yeftes soo free wonder it is thenÌe that soo fewe soules as it semyth in rewarde of y e multytude of other maye come to this refourmyng in felynge It semyth that he were dangerous that is not sothe or that he toke noo rewarde of his creatures the whiche by takynge of fayth are become his seruauntes Vnto this I may answere say as me thynketh that one enchesen is this Many that are refourmed in faythe sentten not her hertes for to profyte in grace ne for to seke none hyer estate of good liuynge thruhÌ besye traueylle in prayenge thynkyng and other bodily goostly werkyng but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe heÌselfe out of dedely synÌe and for to stonde stylle in that plyghte as they are in For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degree in heuen They wol coueyte noo more Thus perchauÌce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worlde actyf lyfe and that is lityll wonder of hem For they are soo occupyed wyth worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly werkynge And neuertheles it is peryllous to hem for they falle oute all daye and are now vp now downe maye not come to the stablynes of gode liuyng Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge But other men wymÌen that are free fro worldly besynesse yf they woll maye haue her nedfull sustynauÌce with oute grete bodily besynes specyally as religyous men wymmen may that bynden hemself to the state of perfeccoÌn by takynge of relygion and other men also in seculer state that haue moche reason in grete kyndly wytte mighte yf they wolde dyspose hem there to come to moche grace Thise meÌ are more to blame for they stonde stylle as they were ydle woll not prouffyte in grace ne in noo ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god âFor sothly it is peryllous to a soule that is refourmed oonly in fayth and woll noo more seke profyte ne yeue hym besily to ghostly traueyle for he
hole this desyre to IhuÌ yf thou be free and art not bounde but vnd the comyn lawe and that doo Bynde the not to wylfull customes vnchaungably that sholde lette the fredom of thyne herte for to loue IhuÌ yf grace wolde visyte the specyally For I shall telle the whiche customes are euer gode and nedeful to be kept Loo suche custome is euer gode to holde y t stoÌdeth in getyng of vertue lettyng of synÌe that custome sholde neuer be left for y u shal euer be meke pacyeÌt· sobre chast yf thou wel doo so of al other vtues But the custome of a nother thynge that lettyth a better is goode for to leue whan tyme is there a man maye As thus If a man haue in custome for to saye thus many beedes or for to thynke this maner of thouÈte thê° longe tyme or for to wake or knele thus longe or ony other suche bodily dede this custome is for to leue somtyme whaÌ resonable cause lettith or elles yf more grace comyth otherwyse ¶ Of tarienges temptacoÌns that soules fele bi her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowinge and gooyng to Ihrlm and of remedyes ayenste hem Caplm xxii NOw arte thou in the way woost how thou shalt goe Now bewaar of enmyes that woll be besy for to lette the yf they maye for her entent is for to putt out of thyn herte that desyre that longyng that thou hast to the loue of IhuÌ and for to dryue the home ayen to the loue of worldly vany te for there is noo thinge that greueth hem somoche Thyse enmyes are pryncipally flesshly desyres vayne dredes that risen oute of thyn herte thrugh corrupcoÌn of thy flesshly kynâe and wolde lette thy desyre of the loue of god that they myght fully restfully ocupye thyn herte Thise are thyn next enâââes Also other enmyes there are as vnclene spirytes that aââbesy wyth sleyghtes wyles for to disceyue the But one rââmedie shalt thou haue that I sayd before What so it be thââ they saye trowe hem not but holde forth thy waye onÌly ãâã the loue of IhuÌ AnswerÌ euer thê° I am nought I haue âââughte I coueyte noughte but onÌly the loue of our lorde Ihââ If thyn enmyes saye to the fyrst thus by stirynges in hert thââ thou arte not shryuen aright or there is some olde synÌe ãâã thyn herte that thou knowest not ne neuer were shriuen ãâã And therfore thou must torne home ayeÌ leue thy desire ãâã shryue the better Trowe not this sayeng for it is fals for y â arte shryue trust sikerly that thou arte in y e waye the nedeth nomore ransakyng of shryfte for that y â is passed Holde forthe thy waye thynke on Ihrlm Also yf they saye that thou arte not worthy to haue the loue of god wherto shalt thou coueyte that thou maye not hauene arte not worthy therto Trowe hem not but goo forth and saye thus Not for I am worthy but for I am vnworthy· therfore wolde I loue god For yf I had it that sholde make me worthy And sythen I was made therto though I sholde neuer haue it yet woll I coueyte it and therfore woll I praye thynke that I myght gete it And thenne yf thyne enmyes see that thou begynnest to waxe bolde and wel wylled to thy werke they begyn to wexe aferde of the Neuerthelesse they woll not cease of taryenge the whanne they maye as longe as thou arte gooynge in the waye what wyth drede manassynge on that one syde what wyth flaterynge and fals pleysynge on that other syde for to make the breke thy purpose and tourne home ayen they woll saye thus If thou holde forth thy desyre to Ihesu soo fully trauelynge as thou begynnest thou shalt falle in to syckenes or in to fantasyes or in to frenesyes as thou seest that some donÌ Or thou shalt falle in to pouertee and bodily myscheyf and noo man shall well helpe the Or thou myghte falle in to priue temptacoÌns of the fende that thou shalt not helpe thyselfe For it is wonder peryllous to ony man for to yeue hym fully to the loue of god and leue all the worlde and noo thynge coueyte but oonly the loue of hym· for so many perylles may falle that a man knoweth not of And therfore torne home ayen and leue this desyre for thou shal neuer brynge it to the ende and doo as other worldly men done Thus sayen thyn enmyes but trowe hem not but holde for the thy desyre and saye not elles but thou woldest haue Ihesu and be at Ihrlm And yf they perceyue thenne thy wyll so stroÌge that thou wolt not spare for synÌe ne for syknesse for fantasyes ne for frenesyes for dowtes ne for dredes of ghostly teÌptacoÌns for myscheyf ne for pouerte for lyfe ne for deth but euer forth thou wolt wyth one thynge and noo thyng but one make deef ere to hem as though y u herde hem not holdeste y e forth styfly in thy prayer in thyne other ghostly werkes without stintyng with discrecoÌn after couÌseyle of thy souereyn or of thy ghostly fader thenne begyn they for to be wrothe and to goo a lytyll nerer the. ThenÌe they begyn for to robbe the bete the and do the all the shame that they can And that is whan they make that all the dedes that thou doost ben they neuer soo well done are denyed of other men as euyll torned in to the wors partye And what so euer it be that thou woldest haue done in helpe of thy body or of thy soule it shall be letted or hyndred by other men so that thou shalt be put fro thy wyll in all thyng that thou skilfully coueytes And al this they done that y u sholdest be styred to yre or maleÌcoly or euyll wyll ayeÌst thy eueÌcristen But ayenst all thise diseases al other that thou maye fele vse this remedye Take IhuÌ in thy mynde and anger y â not with hem Tarye not wyth hem but thynke on thy lesson y â thou arte noughte that thou hast noughte thou may noughtelese of erthly good thou coueytest nought but the loue of IhuÌ and holde forth thy waye to Ihrlm wyth thy occupacoÌn ãâã neuertheles yf thou be taryed soÌtyme thrugh freelte of thyâââ wyth suche vneases that fallen to thy bodily lyfe thrugh ãâã wyll of man or malyce of the fende assoone as thou maye ãâã ayen to thyself leue of the thynkyng of thy dysease ãâã forth to thy werke Abyde not longe wyth hem for ãâã thyn enmyes ¶ Of a generall remedye ayenst wycked stirynges ãâã taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the ãâã and of the fende Caplm xxiiâ ANd after this whan thin enmyes see that thou aâte ãâã well wylled that thou arte not angry nor heuy ne wââthe ne moche stired ayenste noo creature for oughte that they may doo or speke
is none But the true sonÌe shewith him whan the fyrmament is clere or moche clered fro the blacke clowdes Now to our purpose Some men as it semith forsaketh the loue of the worlde wold come to the loue of god and ãâã the lyghte of vndstondynge of hym but they woll not comâ thrugh this derknes that I haue spokeÌ of before They woll knowe hemselfe truely ne mekely what they haue ben ãâã ne what they are yet thrugh synÌe ne how noughte they are ãâã her owne kynde ayenste god They are not besy for to entree in to hemself all other thynges outwarde left and flee al wicked stirynges y e rysen in her hertes of pryde enuy yre or other synÌes thrugh lastynge desyre to IhuÌ in prayenge in thynkynge in scylence in wepynge and in other bodily ghostly exercyse as deuoute men holy men haue done But assone as they haue forsake the worlde as it were outwarde in lyknesse or elles soone after they wene that they are holy and able for to haue the ghostly vnderstondyng of the gospell and of holy wrytte and namly yf they maye fulfill letterly the coÌmaundementes of god kepe hem fro bodily synÌes that they wene y t they loue god perfytly And therfore they woll anone preche teche all other men as yf they had receyued grace of vndstondynge in perfeccoÌn of charyte thrugh specyall yeft of the holy ghost And also they are moche more styred for as moche as they fele somtyme moche knowing as it were sodenly yeuen to hem wythout grete studye before had and also moche feruour of loue as it semyth for to preche trouth rightwisnes to her euencrysten Therfore they holde it as a grace of god y t vysiteth hem wyth his blessid lyghte before other soules Neuertheles yf they woll loke wel aboute heÌ they shal fynde that this lyghte of knowynge and that hete that they fele comyth not of the true sone that is our lorde IhuÌ but it comith fro y e myddaye fende that feyneth lyghte lykneth hym to the sonÌe And therfore shall he be knowen by example before sayd Liyghte of cuÌnynge that is feyned by the fende to a derke sowle is shewed bitwix two blacke reyny clowdes The ouer clowde is presuÌpcyon higheng of hemself The nether clowde is downe puttyng a lowenge of his euencristen ThenÌe what lyghte of knowyng or felyng of feruour that it be y t shyneth to a soule wyth presuÌpcion highenge of it self disdeyne of his eueÌcrysteu the same tyme felyd it is not lyghte of grace yeuen of the holy ghoste though the knowyng in itself were so thefast but it is eyther of the fende yf it come sodenly or elles of mannes owne wytte yf it come by studye· And so it maye well be knowen y t this feyned lyghte of knowyng is not the lyghte of the true sonne Therfore they that haue this knowyng on this maner are full of ghostly pryde seen it not they are so blynde with this feyned liÈte y t they holde the hiÈnes of her ownÌ hert thuÌbuxoÌnes to y e lawes of holi chirche as it were êfite mekenes to y e gospel to y e lawes of god they wene that the folowynge of her owne wyll were freedom of spiryte therfore they begyn to reyne as blacke clowdes water of errours heresyes for the wordes that they sheweÌ by prechynge sownen all to bacbitynge to stryuynge to discorde makynge repreuynge of states of persones and yet sayen they that al this is charyte zele of ryghtwysnes But it is not so the. for saynt Iames thapostle saith thus Vbi enim zelê° coÌtencio ibi inconstancia omÌe opus prauuÌ Non est sapiencia hec desursuÌ desceÌdens a patre luminuÌ sed est trena aiÌalis diabolica That is where soo enuye is flitynge there is vnstablynes all euyll werke And therfore that cuÌnynge that bryngeth forth suche synnes comyth not from the fader of lyghte that is god but it is erthly beestly fendly And so by thise tokeÌs that are pryde presuÌpcyon vnbuxomnes IndignacoÌn ãâã bitynge other suche synÌes for thise folowen after maye the feyned lyghte be knowen fro the true For the true sonne shineth sheweth hym not by specyall vysitacoÌn for to yeue lyghte of vnderstondyng or perfyte charyte to a soule but the fyrmament be fyrst made bryghte clere fro clowdes that is ⪠but yf the conscyence be made clene thrugh fyre of brennyng desyre to Ihesu in this derkenes the whiche wasteth brenÌeth all wycked stirynges of pryde vaynglory yre enuye al other ãâã in the soule as the prophete sayth Ignis ante ipÌm ãâã et inflaÌmabit incircuitu inimicos eius Fyre shall goo ãâã hym That is desyre of loue shall goo byforÌ Ihesu in ãâã soule it shall brenÌe all his enmyes that is it shall waste all synes For but yf a soule be fyrst smyten downe fro the heighte of itselfe by drede mekenes and be well examyned brente in this fyre of desyre and as it were purifyed fro all ghostly fylthe by longe tyme in deuoute prayers and other ghostly exercyses it is not able to suffre the shinynges of ghostly lyghte ne for to receyue the precyous lycour of perfyte loue of Iesu But whan it is purifyed and made subtyll thorugh thys fyre thenne maye it receyue the gracyous lyghte of ghostly knowynge and the perfeccyon of loue that is true sonne Thus sayth holy wrytte Vobis qui timetis deuÌ vrietur sol iusticie The true sonne of rightwysnes that is our lorde Ihesu shall sprynge to you that dreden hym that is to meke soules that meken hemself vnder her euencrysten by knowynge of her owne wretchydnesse and casten hemself downe vnder god by noughtynge of hemself in her owne substaunce thorugh reuerente drede and ghostly beholdynge of hym lastyngly for that is perfyte mekenes Vnto thise soules the true sonÌe shall sprynge and Illumyn her reason in knowynge of sothfastnes and kyndleth her affeccoÌn in brennynge of loue and thenne shall they bothe brenne and shine They shal thorugh vertue of this heuenly sonne brenne in perfyte loue and shyne in knowynge of god and ghostly thynges for thenne they ben refourmed in felyng Therfore he that woll not be deceyued I hope it is good to hym to drawe downe hymselfe and hyde hym in this derkenes Fyrste from entermetynge of other men as I haue sayd forgete all the worlde yf he maye and folowe Ihesu wyth lastynge desyre offred in prayers and thynkynge on hym Thenne I trowe the lyghte that comith after this derkenes is syker and sothfaste and that it shyneth of the cite of Ihrlm from the true sonne to a soule that traueleth in derknes and cryeth after lyght for to wyssyn it the waey and comforte it in traueyle For I hope after true derkenes before comyth neuer feyned lyghte ⪠That is yf a man truely and
fully sette hym to forsake the loue of the worlde And maye thorugh grace come to felyng and knowynge of hymselfe And holde hym mekely in that felynge he shall not be dysceyued wyth none errours ne heresyes ne wyth fantasyes For alle thyse comen by the gate of pryde Thenne yf that pryde maye be stopped out thenne there shall noo suche synne reste in a soule And though that they come and profer hem they shal not entre For grace that the soule felyth in this meke derkenes shall teche the soule sothe fastnes shew to it y t al suche proferynges are of theÌmye ¶ How grete profite is it to the soule to be broughte thrugh grace in to lyhtsome derkenes And how a man shall dispose hym yf he woll come therto Caplm xxvii THere are many deuoute soules that thrugh grace come in to this derkenes felen the knowing of hemself· and yet wote they not fully what it is and that vnknowynge in partye hyndreth hem They fele well often her thought her affeccoÌn draweÌ out and departed fro the mynde of erthly thinges and brought in to grete reste of a delectable softnes with out pinfull trowblynge of vayne thoughtes or of her ãâã wyttes and they fele that tyme soo grete freedom of spirite â they maye thynke on Ihesu peasible and offre her psalmes â prayers myghtily sauourly swetly to hym as longe as ãâã of bodily kynde maye suffre it They wote well that thââ felynge is good but they noot what it is Therfore vnto ãâã suche soules I saye as me thynketh that this maner of ãâã though it be but shorte and but seldom it is sothfastly ãâã derkenesse that I speke of For it is a felynge of hemself ãâã and a rysynge aboue hemself thrugh brenÌynge desire to the ââyghte of IhuÌ Or elles yf I shall saye more sothly this griââous felynge is a ghostly syghte of IhuÌ And yf they maye kepe hem in that reste or brynge it thrugh grace in to a custome soo that they myghte lyghtly freely haue it whan hem lyke and holde hem in it they sholde neuer be ouercome by teÌptacion of the fende ne of the flesshe ne by errours ne heresyes for they are sette in the gate of contemplacyon able and redy for to receyue the perfyte loue of Ihesu Therfore he that hath it it is good that he knowe it mekely ârepe it tenderly and poursew it feruently that noo crature lette hym vtterly from it that he ne folowe it whan he maye And that he forgete and sette at noughte all thynge that sholde putte hym fro this yf he be free of hymself and maye doo what he woll wythoute sclaunder or disease of his euencrysten For me thynkith that he maye not come to this rest lyghtly but yf he haue grete pleÌte of grace and sette hymself for to folowe after the stirynge of grace And that oweth he for to doo For grace woll euer be free namely fro synne and worldly besynes and from all other thynges that letten the worchyng of it though they are noo synne Neuertheles a nother soule that hath not yet receyued this fulnesse of grace yf he desyre for to come to this gostly knowynge of Ihesu as moche as in him is he muste able hymself to it and putt awaye all lettynges that stoppen grace as moche as he maye He muste lerne for to deye to y e worlde and forsake the loue of it truely Fyrste pryde bodily ghostly that he desyre noo worshyp worldly cuÌnynge ne worldly crafte benefyces ne rychesse precyous clothynge ne worldly araye ne noo thynge where thrugh he sholde be worshypped aboue other men He shall coueyte none of all thyse But yf they ben putt vpon hym take hem wyth drede soo that he be poore both outwarde and Inwarde or elles fully Inwarde in herte And that he coueyte for to be forgeten of the worlde that men rewarde hym noo more be he neuer soo ryche ne so cunnynge than the poorest man that lyueth Also that he suffreth not his herte reste in beholding of his owne dedes or in his vertues wenynge that he dooth better than a nother for he forsakyth the worlde and other done not soo and therfore setteth well by hymselfe Also he muste leue all rysyng of herte and euyll wyll of yre and enuye ayenst his euencristen And that he dysease noo man ne anger hym vnskylfully in worde ne in dede ne yeue ony man matere where thorugh he myghte skylfully be angred or styred soo that he myghte be free fro euery man And also that he forsake couetyse that he coueyte ryght noughte of erthly good but onÌly aske his bodily sustenaunce that hym nedeth and holde hym payd whan god styreth other men for to yeue hym And that he putte noo manere of truste in hauour of ony worldly good ne in helpe or fauour of ony worldly frende but pryncypally and fully in god For yf he doo otherwyse he byndeth hymselfe to the worlde And he maye not therfore be free for to thinke on Ihesu And also glotenye and lecherye and al other flesshly vnclennes vtterly he muste leue that the affeccoÌn be bouÌde to noo woman by flesshly homelynesse For it is noo dowte that suche blynde loue that is somtyme atwyxe a man and a woman and semyth good and honest for asmoche as they wolde not synne in dede in the syghte of god is full vnclene and well grete synne For it is a grete synne that a man shall suffre his affeccyon that sholde be festened to Ihesu and to al vertues and to al ghostly clennes for to be bounde wiâh ony flesshly loue of ony creature wylfully namly yf it ãâã soo moche that it bereth downe the thoughte and makyth ãâã vnrestful that he maye noo sauour haue in god Thus ãâã it wylfully that a man dooth it and sayth it is synne ãâã is so blynded wyth it that he woll not see it And also ãâã a man coueyte not delices of metes and drynkes onÌly ãâã of his flesshe but holde hym payd wyth suche ãâ¦ã maye easely haue wythout grete besynes namly yf ãâ¦ã what mete it be that woll doo awaye huÌgre and kepe the ãâã in comyn strengthe vnto the seruyse of god And ãâã grutche not ne stryue not ne angre hym not for his mete thâugh he be somtyme not serued as the flesshe wolde All thyse synnes and all other must be forsake vtterly in his wyll and in dede whan he maye And other thynges that letteth hym so that he maye dyspose hym for to thynke freely on Ihesu For as longe as thyse lettynges and suche other hange vpoÌ hym he maye not deye to the worlde ne come in to this derkenesse of knowynge of hymselfe And therfore that he myght come therto he muste doo all thyse as saynt poul dide sayeng thus Michi muÌdus crucifixus est ego muÌdo This worlde is slayne crucyfied to me and I to the worlde That is He y t hath forsake the loue of
transieris per igneÌ flamma non nocebit te That is My chylde yf thou passe thorugh fyre drede not for the flaÌme shall not deere the It shall clense the fro all flesshly fylthe and make the able to receyue ghostly fyre of the loue of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌynge att profytynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokeÌs than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin Caplm xxix BVt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete coÌpunccoÌn for her synÌes somÌ haue grete deuocoÌns feruours in her prayers ofteÌ haue suÌdry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vndstonding some meÌ haue other maner felynges of comfortable hete grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre lastyng loue thought in god ThenÌe askest thou whether thise soules be refourmed in felynge or noughte It semyth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other men that stonde oonly in fayth fele not of Vnto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynges whether they stonde in compuÌccion or deuocoÌn or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shall haue fele in y e grace of conteÌplacoÌn I say not but they are sothfast gracyously yeueÌ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet the yefte of perfeccoÌn ne ghostly the brenÌinge loue of IhuÌ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god than other that haue the yefte of perfeccoÌn in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge kneâââge spekynge other bodily stirynge soo ferforth y t it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo well I wote that thise maner felinges feruours of deuocoÌn coÌpunccoÌn that thise meÌ fele are gracious yeftes of god sent in to chosen soules for to drawe hem out of worldly loue flesshly luste that hath ben loÌge tyme roted in her hert fro y e whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ out but bi suche feable stirige of grete feruours neâ theles y t the feruour is somoche in outward shewing it is not onÌly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes weyknes of her soule y t may not berÌ a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it werÌ fleshly festned to y e flesshÌ neu was yet deêted fro it bi gostly mortifyeÌg therforÌ y e lest towching of loue y e lest sperkil of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heueÌ in to suche a soule is somoche so coÌfortable so delectable ouer al y e likiÌg that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thyng that it is ouertaken wyth it And also it is soo newe sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth shewyth oute in wepynge sobbynge other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell that is olde whan it receyueth new wyne that is fresshe myghty the costrell bolneth oute and is in poynte for to cleue brest vntyll the wyne hath boylled spourged oute all vnclenÌesse but also sone as the wyne is fyned cleryd thenÌe it stondeth styll the costrel hole Right so a soule that is olde thrugh synÌe whan it receyueth a lityll of the loue of god that is soo fresshe soo myghty that the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by wepyng and at y e mouth by spekynge and that is more for weyknes feblenes of the soule than for mykilnes of loue For afterward whan loue hath boylled all the vnclenÌes oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours thenÌe is the loue clere stondeth styll And thenÌe is both the body the soule moche more in pees and yet hath y e soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewe lesse outwarde For it is now all hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye that thise soules that feleÌ suche grete bodily feruours though they ben in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretly dysposed towarde For I trowe y t suche a man namly that hath be gretly defoylled in synÌe shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente puryfyed wyth suche grete coÌpunccoÌns goynge before A nother soule that neuer was moche defoylled wyth loue of the worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete sinÌes in innoceÌce maye lyghtlyer more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde come to this refourmyng ThenÌe is this soth as I hope that suche comfortes feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌynge or of profytynge are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his traueyle Right as a pilgryme traueyleth all daye meteles drynkles· and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke and is well refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that woll forsake the loue of the worlde· wolde fayne loue god and settyth all his besynes therto prayeth traueylleth all daye bodyly ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocon ThenÌe our lorde hauynge pyte ouer all his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne in to heuynes or grutchyng sendeth it amonge his ghostly fode comforteth it in deuocoÌn as he wouchith saaf And whan the soule feleth ony coÌforte thenÌe holdeth he hym well payd for all his traueylle all the disease that it had on y â day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The selfe wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferfor the in grace Thei felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syghte of ghostly thynges and in affeccion of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why all suche felinges come to hem in that state as it were vnwâarly for they come or they wyte it and goth fro hem or they wyte it and they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes wyth heÌ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ ne the eye of her soule is not opyned to the beholdynge of ghostly thynges·
And right so by the same skyll the loue that a soule felyth in thinkyng beholdynge of the godhede in man whan it is gracyously shewed is worthyer ghostlyer more medefull than the feruour oâ deuocoÌn that the soule feleth by ymagynacoÌn onÌly of the maÌhede shewe it neuer somoche outwarde For in rewarde oâ y â this is but maÌly for our lorde sheweth hym not in ymagynacoÌn as he is ne that he is for the soule myghte not that tyme for freelte of the flesshede suffre it soo Neuertheles vnto suche soules that can not thiÌke of the godhede ghostly that they sholde not erre in her deuocoÌn· but that they sholde be comforted strengthed thrugh some maner Inwarde beholdynge of IhuÌ for to forsake synÌe the loue of the worlde therfore oure lorde IhuÌ tempreth his vnseable lighte of his godhede and clâtheth it vnder bodile liknes of his manhede shewith it vnto the Inner eye of a soule and fedeth it with the loue of his precious flesshe ghostly The whiche loue is of soo grete mighte that it sleeth al wycked loue in the soule strength it for to suffre bodily penaunce other bodily disease in tyme of neââ for loue of Ihesu And this is the shadowyng of our lorde Iesu ouer a chosen soule in the whiche shadowyng the soule iâ kepte fro brenÌynge of worldly loue For right as a shadowe is made of a lyghte of a body right soo this ghostly shadow is made of the blessyd vnseable lyghte of the godhede of the manhede ooned therto shewed to a deuowte soule of the whiche shadowe the prophete sayth thus SpÌsante facieÌ nostraâ xpÌs dnÌs sub vmbra eius viuemus in t gentes Our lorde cryst before our face as a spirite vnder his shadowe we shall lyue a moÌge folke That is our lorde IhuÌ in his godhede is a spyryte that may not be seen of vs lyuyng in flesshe as he is in his blessed lyghte therfore we shal lyue vnder the shadowe of his manhede as longe as we are here But though this be sooth that this loue in ymaginacyon be good Neuertheles a sowle sholde desire for to haue ghostly loue in vnderstondyng of the godhede for that is the ende the full blysse of the soule and all bodily beholdynges are but meanes ledynge a soule to it I say not that we sholde refuse the manhede of IhuÌ and departe god fro man but thou shalt in IhuÌ man beholde drede woÌder loue ghostly the godhede And soo shall y u wythoute de partynge loue god in man· and bothe god man ghostly and not flesshly Thus taughte our lorde mary mawdeleyne that sholde be contemplatyfe whan he sayd thus Noli me tangere non duÌ enim ascendi ad patrem meuÌ Towche me not I am not yet styed vp to my fader That is to saye Mary magdalene loued well our lorde IhuÌ before the tyme of his passyon but her loue was moche bodily lityl ghostly She trowed well that he was god but she loued hym lityll as god for she kouth not thenÌe therfore she suffred al her affeccoÌn al her thought falle in hym as he was in fourme of man And our lorde blamed her not thenÌe but praysed it moche But after whan he was rysen fro dethe and appered to her she wolde haue worshypped hym wyth suche maner loue as she dyde before and thenÌe our lorde forbode her sayd thus Towche me not That is Sette not thy reste ne the loue of thyn herte in that fourme of maÌ that thou seest wyth thy flesshly eye onÌly for to reste therin For in that fourme I am not stied vp to my fader That is I am not euen to the fader for in that fourme of man I am lesse than he Towche me not soo but sette thy thoughte thy loue in that fourme in whiche I am euen to the fader that is the fourme of the godhede and loue me knowe me worship me as god man godly not as a man maÌly Soo shalt thou touche me For sythen I am both god man and all the cause why I shal be loued worshipped is for I am god and for I toke the kynde of man And therfore make me a god in thyne herte and in thyne loue And worshyppe me in thyne vnderstondynge as Ihesu god and man souereyne sothfastnes and souereyne godenes and blessed lyf for that I am And thus taughte our lorde her as I vnderstonde and also all other soules that are disposed to conteÌplacion and able therto that they sholde doo so Neuertheles other soules that are not subtyll in kynde ne are not yet made ghostly thrugh grace it is good to hem that they kepe forth her owne worchynge in ymagynacoÌn wyth manly affeccoÌn vnto morÌ grace come freely to hem It is not syker to a man to leue one good thynge vtterly tyll he see fele a better Vpon the selfe wyse it may be sayd of other maner felynges that are like to bodily as herynge of delectable songe or felynge of coÌfortable hete in the body seenge of lyghte or swetnes of bodily sauour Thise are not ghostly felynges for ghostly felynges are felte in the myghtes of the soule pryncipally in vnderstoÌdynge loue and lityll in ymagynacoÌn But thise felynges are felte in the myghtes of the body in ymaginacoÌn therfore they are not ghostly felynges But whaÌ they are best mooste true yet are they but outwarde tokeÌs of the Iuly grace that is felte in the myghtes of the soule This may be openly preued by holy wrytt sayeng thus ApparueruÌt aplis disêtite ãâã taqmÌ ignis seditque supra singlos eorum spÌs scuÌs The hoâly ghost appered to thapostles in the daye of pentecost in y â liâkenes of brenÌynge tonges enflaÌmed her hertes sette vpon eche of hem Now soth it is y e holy ghost that is god in hymselfe vnseable was not that fyre ne the tonges that were seen ne that brenÌing that was felt bodily but he was vnseable felt in the myghtes of her soules for he lyghtned her reason kyndeled her affeccoÌn thrugh his blessed precense soo clereâi soo brenÌyngly that they had sodeynly the ghostly knowyng of sothfastnes the perfeccoÌn of loue as our lorde behyght heÌ sayenge thus SpÌs scuÌs docebit vos oeÌm veritateÌ That is y e holy ghost shal teche you al sothfastnes thenÌe was y e fyre y t brenÌyg nought elles but a bodily token outwarde shewed in wytnessynge of that grace that was Inwardly felte And as it was in hem soo is it in other soules that are vysited and lyghtned wythin of the holy ghost and hath wyth that suche outwarde felynge in coÌforte wytnessyng of the grace in warde But that grace is not as I hope in all soules that are perfyte but there our lorde woll Other Inperfyte soules that haue suche felynges outwarde haue not yet receyued Inwarde grace it
but not on that maner that a kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lityll bodily thynge is holden within a nother moche but he is wythin all creatures as holdynge kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtylte myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous most clene is layed inerest right soo by that lyknes it is sayd that the kynde of god that is moost precyous most clene and mooste goodly ferrest fro bodilyhede is hydde wythin all thinges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shal gorgete fyrste all bodily thynges for al that is without his owne body and he shall forgete thynkyng of his owne soule thinke on the vnmade kynde that is IhuÌ that made him quiknith hym holdith hym yeueth hym reson mynde loue the whiche is wythin hym thrugh his myghte souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace to wchyth it or elles it woll but lityl auayle to seche Ihesu and to fynde him wythin itselfe wythin all creatures as me thynkyth Also it is sayd in holy wrytte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohÌn Deê° lux est That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lighte but it is vnderstoÌde thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth and sothfastnesse for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte ThenÌe he that moost gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god And neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyghte for this skylle Right as the sonne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it right soo sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe alle other ghostly thynge that nedeth to the knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete DnÌe in lumine tuo videbimê° lumen Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lighte That is we shall see the thaâ art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus noster ignis consumens est That is ãâã lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and brenÌeth it but god is loue charyte For as fyre wasteth all bodily thynge that maye be wasted Ryght soo the loue of god brenneth and wasteth all synne oute of the soule And makyth it clene as fyre makyth clene alle manere metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of oure lorde in holy wrytte by bodyly lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo âaâour in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy writte is this For we are soo flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lityll syght of IhuÌ thenÌe shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondinge This goostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowyng of the godhede I calle refourmynge in fayth felynge for thenÌe the soule somwhat feleth in vnderstondinge of that thynge that it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌynge of contemplacoÌn of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌplantibus nobis que vident sed que noÌ videntur Quia que videntur teÌporalia suÌt que auteÌ non videntur etna sunt That is Our contemplacoÌn is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seeÌ are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est auteÌ vita eterna vt cognoscaÌtte verum deuÌ et quem misisti ihÌm xpÌm That is Fader thys is endles lyfe that thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanyth And how we be beholde to loue IhuÌ moche for oure makynge but more for our ayen byenge but all thermooste for our sauyng thrugh the yeftes of his loue caplm xxxiiii BVt now wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse the ende of a soule why thenne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thyng of this sighte that a soule sholde coueyte this Vnto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the syght but it is also for the blessed loue that comyth out of that syghte Neuertheles for loue comyth oute of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syghte pryncypally of god wyth loue is y â blisse of a sowle and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this loue that comyth of it may not the soule come without loue therfore said I that y u sholdest coueyte loue for loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng and to this loue that comyth of it And oâ what maner that is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ and soth it is that there is two maner of ghostly ââue One is called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed Loue vnformed is god hymself the thirde persone in the ââânyte that is the holy ghost He is loue vnfourmed and ãâã as saynt IohÌn sayth Deus dileccoÌ est God is loue ãâã is the holy ghost Loue fourmed is the affeccyon of the ãâã made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng ãâã sothfastnes that is god oonly styred and sette in hym ãâã loue is called fourmed for it is made by the holy ghost ãâã loue is not god in himself for it is made but it is the loue ãâã the soule felte of the syghte of Ihesu and stired to hym ãâã Now may y u see that loue formed is not cause why a ãâã comyth to the ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men ãâã thynke that they wolde loue god soo brennyngly as it ãâã by theyr owne mighte· that they were worthy for to haue thâ ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue ãâã fourmed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is soo ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myghte neuer come to it ne were it the endles mochenes of the loue of god But thenne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he yeueth vs his loue that is the holy
clene true soft easy and torneth hym all in to loue in to likynge And on what maner wyse he dooth that I shall telle the a lityll afterwarde This loue drawyth the soule fro vayne beholdynge of worldly thynges in to conteÌplacyon of ghostly creatures of goddis pryuitees fro flesshlihede in to ghostlynes fro erthly felynge in to heuenly sauour ¶ How that some soule loueth IhuÌ by bodily feruours by her owne manly affeccoÌns that ben styred by grace by ãâã And how some louen IhuÌ more restfully bi ghostly affeccâoÌs oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyall grace of the holy ghost ⪠Caplm xxxv THenne maye I saye that he that moost hath of this loââ here in this lyfe moost pleseth god and moost clere ãâã shal haue of hym and moost fully loue hym in the ãâã of heuen for he hath the most yeft of loue here in erth The loue may not be had by a manÌes owne traueyle as some ãâã It is freely had of the gracyous yefte of IhuÌ after mochâ bodily ghostly traueyle goyng before For there are some ââuers of god that makeÌ hemself to loue god as it were by her owne myght for they streyne hemself thrugh grete vyolence and panten soo strongly that they brast in to bodily feruours as they wolde drawe donwe god fro heuen to hem And they sayen in her hertes wyth her mouthe A lorde I loue the and I wolde loue the I wolde for thy loue suffre deth And in this maner of worchynge they fele grete feruour and moche grace And soth it is me thynketh this worchynge is gode medfull yf it be well tempred wyth mekenes wyth discrecyon But neuertheles thyse men loue not ne haue not the yefte of loue on that maner as I speke of ne they aske it not soo For a soule that hath the yeft of loue thrugh gracyous beholdynge of Ihesu as I meane or elles yf he haue it not yet but wolde haue it he is not besy for to strayne hymselfe ouer his myghte as it were by bodyly strengthe for to haue it by bodyly feruours and soo for to fele the loue of god but hym thynkyth that he is right noughte ⪠that he can doo right noughte of hymself but as it were a dede thyng onÌly hangyng borne vp by the mercy of god He seeth well that IhuÌ is all dooth all and therfore asketh he noughte elles but the yefte of loue For sythen that the soule seeth that his owne loue is noughte therfore it wolde haue his loue for that is ynough Therfore prayeth he and that desireth he that the loue of god wolde towche hym wyth his blessed lyght that he myghte see a lytyll of hym by his gracyous presence for thenne sholde he loue hym And soo by this waye comyth the yefte of loue that is god in to a soule The more that a soule noughtith itselfe thrugh grace by syght of this sothfastnes some tyme wythoute ony feruour outward shewed and the lesse that it thinkith that it loueth or seeth god the nerer it nygheth for to perceyue the yefte of the blessed loue For thenne is loue mayster worcheth in the sowle and maketh it forgete itselfe and for to see and beholde onÌly how loue dooth And thenÌe is the soule more suffrynge than doyng and that is clene loue Thê° saint poul meaned whan he sayd thus QuicuÌque spÌu dei agunt hii filii dei suÌt All thise that are wrought wyth the spiryte of god are goddis sones y â is soules y â are made so meke so buxomÌ to god y t they werke not of hemself but suffre y e holy goost stire hem and worche hem in the felynges of loue wyth a swete corde to his styrynges Thyse arne specyally goddis sones moost lyke vnto hym Other soules that can not loue thus but traueylen hemself by her owne afflyccoÌns and styre hemself thrugh her owne thynkynge of god bodily exercyse for to drawe oute of hemself by maystry the felynge of loue by feruours other bodily sygnes loue not ghostly They ãâã ne well medefully yf so that they woll knowe mekely that her werchyng is not the kyndely gracyous felyng of loue but it is manly doynge by a soule at the biddynge of reason And neuertheles thrugh the godenes of god by cause that the soule dooth that in it is thise manly affeccoÌns of the soule stired ãâã to god by mannes werchynge are torned in to ghostly affeââcoÌns and are medefull as yf they had be done ghostly in y e fââste begynnyng And this is a grete curtesye of our lorde shewed to meke soules that torneth all thyse manly affeccyons of kindly loue in to the affeccoÌn and in to the mede of his owne loue as yf he had wroughte hem all fully by hymself And ãâã thise manly affeccoÌns soo torned may be called affeccoÌns ãâã ghostly loue thrugh purchase not thrugh kyndly bryngyng fourth of the holy ghost I saye not that a soule may worche ââche manly affeccoÌns onÌly of itself without grace for ãâã well that saynt poul sayth that we maye right noughte ãâã ne thynke that good is of ourself wythout grace Non ãâã sumê° sufficieÌtes cogitare aliquid ex nobis quasi ex nobis ãâã sufficieÌcia nrÌa ex deo eÌ That is we that loue god wene ãâã that we suffyse for to loue or for to thynke good of ourselfâ oonly but our suffisynge is of god For god worcheth in ãâã bothe good werke and good wyll as saynt poul saith Deê° â qui operat in nobis et velle êficere ê bona voluÌtate That is It is god that worcheth in vs good wyll and fulfyllynge of good wyll But I saye that suche affeccoÌns are good made by the wyll meane of a soule after the generall grace that he yeueth to all chosyn soules not of specyall grace made goostly by towchynge of his gracyous presence as he worcheth in his perfyte louers as I sayd before for in vnperfite louers loue worcheth ferly by the affeccioÌs of maÌ but inêfyte louers loue werchyth nerely by her owne ghostly affeccions sleeth in a soule for the tyme all other affeccoÌns bothe flesshly kyndly manly and y â is properly the werchynge of loue by hym selfe Thus loue maye be had in a lytyll in party here in a clene soule thrugh the ghostly syghte of IhuÌ but in the blysse of heuen it is fulfylled by clere syghte in his godhede For there shall none affeccoÌn be feled in a soule but godly ghostly ¶ That the yefte of loue amonge all other yeftes of IhuÌ is worthiest moost profitable And how IhuÌ dooth all that is well done in his louers onÌly for loue And how loue makyth the vsynge of all vertues and all gode dedes lyghte and easy Caplm xxxvi ASke thou thenne of god noo thyng but this yeft of loue that is the holy ghoste For amonge all the yeftes y t our
lorde yeueth there is none soo good ne soo profytable so worthy ne so excellent as this is For there is no yefte of god that is bothe the yeuer the yefte but this yefte of loue And therfore it is the best the worthyest The yefte of prophecie the yeftes of myracles worchyng the yefte of the grete knowynge couÌseylyng and the yefte of grete fastynge or of grete penaunce doinge or ony other suche are grete yeftes of the holy ghost but they are not the holy ghost For a reproued soule a daÌpnable myghte haue all thise yeftes as hath a choseÌ soule And therfore al thyse maner yeftes are not gretly for to desyre ne moche for to charge But the yefte of loue is the holy ghost god hymself and hym maye noo soule haue be dampned wyth all For that yefte saueth it onÌly fro dampnacoÌn makyth it goddis sone perceyuer of heuenly herytage And y â loue as I haue before sayd is not the affeccoÌn of loue that is formed in a soule but it is y â holy ghoste hymself that is loue vnfourmed that saueth a sowle For he yeueth hymselfe to a soule fyrst or the soule louith hym and he fourmeth the affeccyon in the soule and maketh the soule for to loue hym onÌli for hymself And not onÌly that but also bi this yefte the soule loueth itself all his eueÌcrysten as itself onÌly for god And this is the yefte of loue that makyth shedynge atwyx chosen soules reproued And this yefte makyth full pees atwyxe god a soule and oonyth all blessed creatures holy in god for it makith IhuÌ for to loue vs and vs him also and euery eche of vs for to loue other in hym Coueyte this yefte of loue pryncypally as I haue sayd For yf he woll of his grace yeue it the on that maner wise it shall open lyghteÌ the reason of thy soule for to see sothfastnes that is god ghostly thynges And it shall styre thyn affeccoÌn hooly for to see sothfastnes that is god ghostly thynges And it shall styre thyn affecion holy fully for to loue hym And it shall worche in thy soule oonly as he woll and thou shalt beholde IhuÌ reuerently with softnes of loue and see how he doth Thus byddeth he by his prophete that we shold doo saienge thus Vacate videâe ãâã ego suÌ deus Cease ye and seeth that I am god That is ye y t are refourmed in felynge and haue your InÌer eye opened in to syghte of ghostly thynges cease ye some tyme of outwarde worching and see y t I am god That is See onÌly how I Ihesu god man doo Beholde ye me for I do all I am loue and for loue I doo al that I doo and ye doo nought And that thys is sooth I shall shewe you For there is noo good dede doon by you ne good thought felte in you but yf it be done thrugh me That is Thrugh mighte and wysdome and loue myghtely wyttely and louely Elles it is noo good dede But now is it soth that I IhuÌ am bothe myghte and wysdom and blessed loue and ye noughte for I am god Thenne mowe ye well see that I doo alle your good dedes And all good thoughtes and alle your good loues in you and ye doo ryght noughte And yet neuerthelesse ben alle thyse goode dedes called yours Not for ye worche hem pryncypally but for I yeue heÌ to you for loue that I haue to you And therforÌ sytheÌ I y t am IhuÌ and for loue dooth al this cease thenÌe ye of the beholdynge of yourself and sette yourself at nought loke on me and see that I am god for I doo al this This is somwhat of the meanynge of the veers of dauyd before sayd See thenÌe and beholde what loue worcheth in a chosen soule that he refourmeth in felynge to his lyknes whan the reason is lyghtned a lytyll to the ghostly knowynge of IhuÌ and to the felynge of his loue ThenÌe bryngeth loue in to the soule the full hede of vertues and torneth hem al in to softnes in to likynge as it were wythout worchynge of the soule for the soule stryueth not moche for the getynge of hem as it dyde before but it hathe hem easely felyth hem restfulfully onÌly thrugh the yefte of loue that is the holy ghost And that is a well grete coÌfort and gladnes vnspekable whan it felyth sodenly and wote neuer how the vertue of mekenes pacience sobertee sadnesse chastyte clennes louered to his euencrysten and all other vertues the whiche were to hym somtyme traueylous paynfull and harde for to kepe are now torned in to foftnes likynge and in to wondfull lightnes soo ferforth that hym thynkith noo maystry ne no hardnes for to kepe euery vertue but it is moost lykynge to hym for to kepe it all this makyth loue Other men that stonden in the comoetee of charyte are not yet so ferforth in grace but worche vnder the byddyng of reason they stryuen fyghten all daye ayenst synÌes for the getynge of vertues and sometyme they beÌ aboue and somtyme byneth as wrastleers are Thyse men done ful well They haue vertues in reason wyll not in sauour ne in loue for they fyighten wyth hemself as it were by her owne myghte for heÌ and therfore may they not haue full rest ne fully the hyer hoÌde Neuertheles they shall haue moche mede but they are not yet meke ynough They haue not yet putt heÌself all fully in goddis honde for they see him not yet But a soule that hath ghostly syghte of IhuÌ taketh noo grete kepe of stryuynge for vertues for that tyme He is not besy abowte hem specially but he setteth all his besynes for to kepe that syghte that beholdyng of IhuÌ that it hath for to holde the minde stably therto and bynde the loue onÌly to it y t it fall not therfro forgete al other thynges asmoche as it maye And whaÌ it dooth thus thenÌe is IhuÌ sothfastly mayster ayen all synÌes bishado wyth it wyth his blessed presence and getith it all vertues And the soule is soo comforted soo borne vp wyth the softe felyng of loue that it hath of the syghte of IhuÌ that it feleth noo grete disease outwarde And thus sleeth loue generally alle synÌes in a soule reformeth it in the newe felynges of vertues ¶ How loue thrugh gracyous beholding of IhuÌ sleeth all ââârynges of pryde maketh the sowle for to lese sauour delyte in all erthly worshyp Caplm xxxvii NEuertheles how loue sleeth synÌes and refourmeth vertues in a soule more specyally shall I saye and fyrste of pryde of mekenes that it contrary vertue therto Thou shaââ vnderstonde that there is two maner of mekenes One is haâ by worchynge of reason A nother is felte of the specyall yefte of loue Bothe are of loue but that one loue
reason wythout the specyall yefte of loue sholde mowe vse the worste out take mete that thrugh crafte of curyosite is onÌly made for lust That maner of mete may he not well acorde wyth all And also on that other syde yf lytyll mete as onÌly brede ale moost helpeth ceseth his herte kepyth it moost in pees it is moost leyf than to hym for to vse it soo namly yf he fele bodily strengthe onÌly of the yefte of loue wyth all And yet doth loue more for it sleeth accidye flesshly ydlenes and maketh the soule to be occupyed in goodnes namly Inwarde in beholdynge of hym by the ãâã of whiche the soule hath sauour ghostly delyte in prayengâ in thynkyng in al other maner of doynge that nedeth ãâã be done after the state that he is in wythout heuynes or payââful bytternes whether he be religious or seculer Also it ãâã the vayne likynge of the v. bodily wyttes For the syght ãâã eye that the soule hath noo lykynge in the syghte of ony ãâã thyng but it feleth rather peyne disease in beholdyng of it be it neuer soo fayr neuer soo precyous neuer so ãâã And therfore as worldly louers renÌe out somtyme for to ãâã newe thynges for to wond on hem soo for to fede her hert wyth the vayne syght of hem Right soo a louer of IhuÌ is besy for to renÌe awaye wythdrawe hym fro the syghte of suche maner thynges that the Inner syghte be not letted for he seeth ghostly a nother maner thynge y t is fayrer more wondful that wolde he not forbere Right on the self wyse is it of spekyng heryng It is a peyne to y e soule of a louer of thuÌ for to speke or here ony thynge that myghte lette the fredom of his herte for to thynke on IhuÌ what songe or melodye or mynstralsie outwarde that it be yf it lette the thoughte that it maye not freely restfully praye or thynke on hym it likyth hym right nought And the more delectable that it is to other meÌ the more vnsauery it is to hym And also for to here ony maner of spekyng of other men but it be soÌwhat towchyng the worchynge of his soule in the loue of IhuÌ it likyth hym ryght nought he is elles right sone wery therof He had well leuer be in pees here right nouÈt ne speke ryght nought thaÌ for to here the spekynge the techyng of the grettest clerke of erthe wyth al the reasons that he can saye to hym thrugh maÌnes wyttes but yf he can speke felyngly stiryngly of y e loue of IhuÌ for that is his crafte pryncipally And therfore wolde he not elles speke here ne see but that myghte helpe hym ferder hym in to more knowynge to better felynge of hym Of worldly speche it is noo dowte that he hath noo sauour in spekyng ne in herynge of it ne in worldly tales ne in tidinges ne in none suche vayne Iangelynge that longeth not to him And soo it is of smellynge sauerynge The more that the thoughte sholde be distracte broken fro ghostly reste by y e vse eyther of smellynge or sauerynge or of ony of the bodily wyttes the more he fleeth it The lesse that he feleth of hem the leuer is him And yf he myghte lyue in the body wythout y e felyng of ony of heÌ he wolde neuer fele hem For they trouble the hrete oft tymes and puttith it fro reste and they may not fully be eschewed Neuertheles the loue of IhuÌ is somtyme so myghty in a soule that it ouercomith and sleeth al that is contrary therto for a tyme What vertues graces a soule receyueth thrugh openynge of y e InÌer eye in to y e gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ how it maye not begete onÌly thrugh mannes traueyle but thrugh specyall grace traueyle also Caplm xl THus worcheth loue in a sowle openyng the ghostly eye in to beholdyyge of IhuÌ by InspyracoÌn of specyall grace· makyth it clene subtyll able to the werke of conteÌplacyon what this openynge of the ghostly eye is the gretteste clerke in erthe can not ymagyn by his wytt ne shewe fully bi his tonge For it may not be gete by studye ne thrugh manÌes traueyle onÌly but pryncipally by grace of the holy ghoste wyth traueyle of maÌ I drede moche to speke ouÈte of it for me thiÌketh I can not I passeth myn assaye my lyppes are vnclene Neuertheles for I hope loue axeth loue biddyth therfore I shall saye a lityl more of it as I hope loue techeth This openynge of the ghostly eye is that lighty derkenes ryche noughte that I spake of before it maye be called puryte of spyryte ghostly reste Inwarde stylnes pees of conscyence hyghnes of thoughte onÌlynes of soule a lyfly felynge of grace pryuyte of herte the waker slepe of the spouse taastynge of heueÌly sauour brenÌyng in loue shynynÌge in lyghte entre of coÌteÌplacyon refourmyng in felynge All thise reasons are sayde in holy wrytyng by dyuers men for euery of hem spake of it after his felynge in grace And though all thise ben ãâã in shewynge of wordes neuertheles they are all in one ãâã of sothfastnes For a soule that thrugh vysitynge of ãâã hath one hath all For why a sighyng soule to see the face ãâã IhuÌ whan it is towched thrugh specyall grace of the holy gââost it is sodeinly changed torned fro the plyte that it was ãâã to a nother maner of felynge It is wondfully departed ãâã fyrst in to itself fro the loue the likyng of al erthly thiâge somoche that it hath lost the sauour of the bodily life of all thynge that is saaf onÌly IhuÌ And thenÌe it is clene fro al y e fylthe of synÌe soo ferforth that the mynde of it al vnordeynde affeccyon of ony creature is sodeynly wasshen and wyped away that there is noo mene lettynge betwyxe IhuÌ the soule but onÌly the bodily lyfe and thenÌe it is in ghostly reste For why all paynfull doubtes and dredes and all other temptacyous of ghostly enmyes are dryuen oute of the herte that they trowble not ne synke not therin for the tyme It is in rest fro the noye of wordly besynesse paynful taryenges of wycked stirynges but it is full besye in the fre ghostly worchyng of loue And the more it traueyleth soo the more reste he feleth This restfull traueylle is full ferre fro flesshly ydlenes fro blynde sykernes It is full of ghostly werke but it is callid reste for grace looseth the heuy yocke of flesshly loue fro the soule and makyth it myghty and free thrugh the yefte of ghostly loue for to worche gladly softly delectably in al thynge that grace styreth it for to worche in And therfore it is called an holy ydlenes and a reste moost besye and soo it is in Inwarde