¶ Pryde begynneth and spryngeth and is noryshed of poore sencyble loue / of the whiche loue I tolde the that it was and is the grounde and fundament of al these thre pyllers / and also of all maner euylles that creatures do / for he that loueth hymselfe with vnordynate loue / is depryued fro the loue of me in asmoche as he loueth me not and in that he loueth not me / he offendeth me / bycause he kepeth not the commaundymentes of the lawe / the whiche is for to loue me aboue all thynges / and theyr neyghbours as thēselfe ¶ This is the cause why that they loue not me nor theyr neyghboure / for they loue themselfe with sencyble loue / so they maye no ther well serue me nor loue me / but rather they serue and loue the worlde ¶ All suche sencyble loue the worlde maye not acorde with my loue nor with me / and they that haue none acorde with me they be fer fro me / for they that louen the worlde with sencyble loue and serueth hȳ sencybly / must nedes hate me / and he that in sothe loueth me / muste nedes hate the worlde ¶ And therfore my onely sothefaste sone sayde / there maye none serue two contrary lordes / for yf he serue the one / he shall be hated of the other ¶ Thus thou maye se that propre loue pryueth a soule fro my charyte / and arayeth hym with the vyce of pryde / of the whiche all maner defautes do sprynge of euery reasonable creature that is in those defautes / it is for to sorowe wayle and namely of my mynysters whiche sholde be meke as wel so meke that they myght noryshe charyte ymonge theyr neyghbours / as for to be meke in mynystracyon of the body of my sone that vndefouled lambe ¶ And they be not ashamed of theyr pryde / for to se me comen mekely to mankynde / in to the flesshe of my onely sone ¶ Yet thoughe the same body renne to the dethe of the crosse lowly mekely by obedyence / he boweth there his heed to salute the grete ye. ¶ He spredeth his armes abrode there / the for to clyppe and brace to hym / he stretcheth forthe his feet for to stonde with the / agaynste thy ghostly enemy ¶ And thou wretched man that arte made his mynyster flees and shoues hym / and thou byclyppes and enbraces to the vnclene creatures ¶ Thou sholde dwell stable and stydfaste / shewynge the doctryne of my onely sothefast sone Iheso / and fastnynge thy herte and thy soule in hym / and thou arte vnstable and vnstydfaste as the wynde / for euery thȳge rēneth aboute vaynly ¶ Yf thou haue ony prosperyte / thou arte moued with all mysse ruled gladnesse / and yf thou haue aduersyte / thou arte moued with vnpasyence / and so thou drawes oute the mary and the pythe of pryde that is vnpasyence / for ryght as charyte hathe mekenesse / for his pythe and mary / so is vnpasyence the pythe mary of pryde for of al thȳges most proude mē be troubled / sclaūdred / yrous more thā other ¶ Pryde ascēdeth neuer to heuen / but plungeth downe into hel therfore my onely sothefast sone sayd he that exalteth hȳ in pryde shall be broughte lowe / and he that meketh hym shal be exalted ¶ In euery kȳde of folke pryde hyghly dyspleaseth me / and moche more in my mynysters / for them I haue sette in a meke state for to mynyster my meke lambe / and they do the cōtrary ¶ And why is not suche a wycked and wretched preest ashamed / seynge meke so me lowly ī my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / for whom I haue ordeyned thē to be mynysters / and my sone meked hymselfe by obedyence vnto the dethe of the cros / he bowed his heed corowned with thornes / and this wretched mynyster arayseth his heed agaynste me agaynste his neyghboure ¶ And there as he sholde be a lambe mynystrynge to my very lambe he is a ramme with hornes of pryde / and he smyteth all those that cleuē to hȳ ¶ O wretched man thynkes thou not that thou arte in my seruyce / is thy offyce for to smyte me with thy hornes of pryde / doynge bothe me wronge thy neyghbours wronge / and so for to lyue ymōge thy neyghbours with wronge / is this thy mekenesse with whiche thou sholde saye masse / and mynyster the body and blode of my sone ¶ Thus thou arte made in sothe as a wood beest and a cruel without ony drede of me / thou deuoures thy neyghboure / and ledes thy lyfe with dyscencyō and debate / and thou arte made accepter of parsones ¶ They that do scrue the and do the profyte thou acceptes / or suche as flater and please the / those that lyue as thou dors / them thou loues and acceptes and none other / whome thou sholde hate correcke theyr defautes ¶ But thou does the contrary / for thou gyues them ensample to do the same or worse / yf thou were good thyselfe / thou wolde correcke them / but bycause thou arte a wycked man / thou wyll not vndernyme them / nor be dyspleased with theyr defautes ¶ Thou dyspyses meke / pure / and vertuous people / thou goes awaye fro thē / neuerthelesse thou hase a cause to fle fro thē / thoughe thou sholde not fle fro thē ¶ For thou flees thē / bycause the slynke of vyces may not suffer the swete smell of vertu ¶ Thou holdes a grete reprefe to the / for to se at thy dore poore men stōde / thou eschewes for to vyset them in nede / thou sees them peryshe for hōger and wyll not helpe them ¶ All this dothe the hornes of pryde / whiche wyl not bowe for to vse one lytel dede of mekenesse ¶ Why wyll they not bowe ¶ For theyr owne propre loue whiche norysheth pryde / they put not away fro them ¶ And therfore he that wyll not cōdescende mynyster poore folke nother of tēporall goodes nother spyrytual without a thanke therfore ¶ O cursed pryde groūded set in thy owne loue / how hase thou so blynded the eye of thy intelleccyon in suche a wyse that whā they wene they loue thēselfe and be tēder of thēselfe they be ryghte cruell / and whā they wene they wyn̄e they lose / whā they wene they stōde in delyces / ryches / grete hyghnesse / they stonde in grete pouerte wretchednesse / for they be depryued fro the ryches of vertu / be come downe fro the heyghte of grace / to the sekenesse of deedly synnes / they thynke they se they be blynde / for nother they knowe theyr selfe nor me ¶ They knowen not theyr owne estate / nor theyr dygnyte that I haue set them in / nor they knowe not the freylte of the worlde / nor theyr owne lytell stablenesse / for yf they knewe
benefytes whiche benefytes she brygeth / gadereth them ofte in her mynde with thaÌ„kynges / tyll she haue sauour / and parfyte knowlege of the plentuous goodnes of god in herselfe ¶ Ryght as a best ofteÌ„tymes cheweth his meet to haue sauour therin So the soule gadereth to his mynde my benefytes / and the knowynge of hym selfe ¶ And whan this knowynge is fouÌ„de by a spyryte of mekenes / he yeldeth al to me / knowynge that with a synguler grace I haue lad hym out of derkenes / and called hyÌ„ agayne to the lyght of very knowlege ¶ And whan my goodnes is knowen / the soule loueth it / bothe with meane / without meane That is to saye wtout meane of it selfe / or of his propre profyte / and with meane of vertu / whiche he conceyued of my loue / for he seeth well But he haue synne in hate / vertu in loue / he shoulde not be accepted of me / in none otherwyse ¶ But yf he hate synne / loue vertu / he shoulde not be to me louynge and kynde ¶ After tyme he hathe conceyued this knowynge of my goodnes / by affeccyon of my loue / anone he sheweth it to his neyghbour / or elles that he hath coÌ„ceyued / were no vertu But for asmoche as he loueth me iÌ„ sothefastnes / so he profyteth his neyghbour / or elles he shoulde not proryte his neyghbour For my loue / and the loue of thy neyghbour / ben all one ¶ And the more that a soule loueth me / somoche more he loueth his neyghbour For he hathe suche loue to his neyghbour / as cometh fro me And that is that I haue put to you a meane / that you haue experyence of vertues togyders / and preue vertues iÌ„ you For you shoulde do profyte to your neyghbour / whaÌ„ ye maye not do to me that ê“fyte And that sheweth well / that you haue me in your soule by grace / bryngynge fruyte in your neyghbour / your excercyse iÌ„ many holy prayers / and in holy and amyable desyres / onely sekynge my worshyp / and helthe of soules ¶ A soule that is enflammed with my sothefastnes whiche sothefastnes / sholde beloued of all creatures in generall And in specyall more or lesse / sholde neuer cease to profyte al creatures / after eche mannes dysposycyoÌ„ / as he that prayÌ„eth / asketh of me by a breÌ„nyÌ„ge desyre / as it is expressed before / where it is declared that bodyly payne onely / it is not suffycyent to punesshe synne / without a greate desyre ¶ Than afterwarde that he hathe ê“fyted to eche creature / after eche mannes dysposycyon / for the vnyon of loue / whiche he hathe made in me / gyuynge helpe comforte to the helthe of all the worlde / with his affeccyon desyre / whiche he hathe spredde so brode Than he forseth hyÌ„ fyrst to beholde his owne necessytes ghostly / that is whaÌ„ he profyteth fyrst to hymselfe / by coÌ„ceyuyÌ„ge of vertues / by whiche vertues he hathe drawen to hym grace to se to put his eye partyculerly to the necessytes / or nedes of his neyghbours ¶ Therfore whaÌ„ he hathe done thus generally / to eche creature / by the desyre of charyte / than at the laste he helpeth theÌ„ that ben nyghe to hym / to encrease them in vertues / after the nombre of dyuers graces / whiche I haue gyuen to hym / ordeyned to hyÌ„ to departe ¶ For to some maÌ„ I grauÌ„te the vertu of doctryne / to gyue counsayle to his neyghboure / by reason of worde / wtout ony other mannes techynge ¶ To some man I grauÌ„te gyue example of good lyuynge Eche maÌ„ oweth to gyue edyfycacyoÌ„ of good honest lyuynge to his neyghbour ¶ These ben the vertues and many mo / whiche thou caÌ„ not nombre / whiche comen of mannes loue to his neyghboure / and I haue put them so dyuersly in man / for I haue not gyuen all vertues to one man alone / I gyue some man one vertu / to some an other / to an other partyculerly Not withstondynge that a man maye not haue one parfytely / but he haue all other vertues / for all vertues ben knyte togyder / but I gyue many vertues specyally / as for the chefe and heed of all other vertues / that is to saye Pryncypally I graunte the vertu of charyte to some maÌ„ Also to some the vertu of ryghtwysnesse / to some maÌ„ mekenes / to some maÌ„ ful saythe and to other dyuersly the vertu of prudence / teÌ„poraunce / pasyence / to some the gyfte of streynghe These vertues I shall gyue to many creatures / dyffcreÌ„tly in a maÌ„nes soule / all be it that these vertues ben put for a pryncypalyte of vertues in a soule / more dysposed or better to the pryncypall conuersacyon with the vertu / than with other vertues / of this / by desyre of that vertu / he draweth to hyÌ„ other vertues For as it is sayde before / throwe the desyre of charyte / al vertues beÌ„ knytte togyder ¶ And so many gyftes graces of vertues ben dyuersly departed / bothe bodyly and ghostly I saye bodyly / for necessary thynges bodyly / whiche a maÌ„ nedeth in this lyfe I haue gyueÌ„ all thynges so dyfferently / or so dyuersly / for I gaue not all vertues to one man / that by compulsyon ye sholde haue cause to vse charyte / eche to other I myght well haue endowed men after the body the soule / with all thyÌ„ges that to theÌ„ beloÌ„ge / but I wolde that one sholde haue nede of an other / and that they sholden be my dyspensers and seruauntes / to gyue to deale forthe the gyftes the graces whiche they haue receyued by my goodnes For a man wyll he or not / he maye not auoyde nor eschewe / but that he shal vse the dede of charyte with his neyghboure Neuerthelesse sothe it is / yf suche a dede that semeth in charyte be not done in me / nor for me / it profyteth not hym that dothe it / as to the encrease of grace ¶ Also doughter beholde and se / that I haue ordeyned meÌ„ my mynystres / to that entent that the vertues of charyte sholden be vsed togyders amonge them / I haue set theÌ„ in dyuers states degrees / the scrypture sheweth you well / where I sayd In domo mea maÌ„siones multe sunt That is to saye In my house there beÌ„ many dwellyÌ„ge places / I wyll no other thyÌ„ge but loue For in the loue of me / the loue of thy neyghbour is fulfylled ended / whaÌ„ the loue of a mannes neyghbour is fulfylled / the lawe of god is ended Wherfore he that is ioyned / or knytte / or oned iÌ„ loue to god / he worketh / or dothe that he maye to that profyte of his neyghbour / after his degre state ¶ How vertues ben preued / streÌ„ghed of
wyll is / I aske this petycyon of thy specyall grace / whiche styrred that to forme me / to make maÌ„ of nought to thy ymage lykenesse / whan thou sayde make we man to oure ymage to oure lykenesse and this thou dyd holy euer beynge trynyte / wyllynge man to be partener of al the holy trynyte ¶ And for this cause / thou gaue to man a mynde or a memory / with the whiche he sholde kepe and remembre thy benefytes in the whiche mynde a man sholde be partener of thy myght / whiche arte the euer beynge fader ¶ Also thy goodnesse gaue vnto man intelleccyon / by the whiche he sholde se how thou departes the wysdome of thy onely sone with maÌ„ ¶ And thou gaue hyÌ„ a wyll / that he sholde loue that thynge that his intelleccyoÌ„ dyd fele / or knowe / thou parted with hyÌ„ the mercy benygnyte of thy most parfyte sothefastnesse of thy holy spyryte of god ¶ O lorde what was the cause that thou hase set put man in so greate a dygnyte Lorde none other cause / but a loue vnestytnable / wher with thou behelde thy creature in thyselfe / to hym thou gaue a loue / a synguler pleasauÌ„ce ¶ Therfore thou made that creature formed hyÌ„ onely for loue / gyuynge to hym a beynge / that he sholde Ioye with the / in thy euerlastyÌ„ge goodnesse ¶ Moreouer lorde I se that thy creature sost his dygnyte / for the whiche thou exyled hym / by his owne defaute synne whiche he dyd And for that synne / he came in to hatered with thy suffrauÌ„ce / for by his trespas / all we became thy enemyes ¶ Therfore lorde whaÌ„ thou was ltyrted by the breÌ„nynge loue / with the whiche thou made vs al of noughte / to that entente that thou wolde recounsyle mankynde whiche became in to that greate petell of endelesse dethe ¶ Than it plesed the to put thy onely sone whiche is thy worde in that myddes of that worlde whiche suffred bare on hy oure sorowes whiche we dydeÌ„ deserue that maden the offens / and he was to that that arte the endelesse fader made obedyent / as that enioyned coÌ„mauÌ„ded hyÌ„ / whaÌ„ thou clothed hym with oure humanyte / whaÌ„ he toke our nature the lykenesse of maÌ„ ¶ O holy depernesse of charyte / whiche may not be thought / what herte is there yf it were as harde as a marble stone that maye se hymselfe / but that it must be opened / coÌ„syderynge his comyÌ„ge fro so hye a place / to one so lowe as is oure humanyte full of mysery ¶ Doubtelesse we ben made to thy pmage / and also thou arte of oure lykenesse / throwe that vnyon whiche thou made in man / hydynge couerynge thy endeles godheed / with that vyle slyme of erthe or corrupcyon of Adam ¶ Lorde what was that cause of this Truly loue was that cause thee of ¶ O god thou arte made man / man is made as god ¶ For this holy loue that is gyuen to vs thy creatures / so full or delectacyon and plesauÌ„ce replete with thy grace lorde I beseche the / to gyue mercy to thy synful creatures ¶ Here sheweth of the holy sacrament of that auter / and of the benefyte of his incarnacyon THan oure blyssed lorde / almyghty god full of pyte / tourned his mercyfull eye to this mayde / and he suffred her teeres to be constrayned / to be bounde with the chaynes of her holy desyre / and therwith spekynge to her / and with a lamentacyon / begaÌ„ thus to saye ¶ LouyÌ„ge doughter thy teeres strenen me / for they ben knytte with my charyte / shed for my loue / and youre feruent desyre byÌ„deth me ¶ But doughter behold the face of my amyable spouse that is to say holy chyrche / how it is defaced / foule spotted / as that face of a lepre is bloweÌ„ / or swolleÌ„ of theyr owne vnclene lyuynge / of theyr sory desyre of auaryce / of theyr foule couetyse / that may not be quenched in them ¶ I mene that courtyse of those meÌ„nes goodes / to the whiche her teeres gyueÌ„ mylke / that is to that crysteÌ„ people of eche relygyoÌ„ / to that ghostly body of the moder of all holy chyrche ¶ This that I speke is of my mynysters of that chyrche / they beÌ„ those whiche ben norysshed of that swete mylke / not onely they / but all that chrysten people sholde be nourysshed of those holy brestes ¶ But doughter sees thou not with how greate ygnoraunee / with so grete blyndnesse / with so many vnkyndenes / with vnclene haÌ„des / this holy mylke / and gloryous blode is mynyftred ¶ This blode gyueth all thyÌ„ge that longeth to mannes helthe / all thyÌ„ges it worketh that longeÌ„ to maÌ„nes ê‘feceyon / so that he the whiche receyueth it be wel dysposed in soule that blode I saye ryght as it gyueth lyfe / endoweth a soule with all garce bothe more lesse after that dysposycyon and affeccyon of the receyuer Ryght so it gyueth dethe to hym that lyueth euyll wyckedly / as for his parte that receyueth it / yf he receyue it vnworthely that is to saye with the fylthe of deedly synnes / thaÌ„ it bryngeth in to hym dethe / not lyfe ¶ Not throwe defaute of that glory ous blode / for there maye no faute be fouÌ„de / nor throwe that defaute of that mynystres / all be it they beÌ„ iÌ„ that same defautes / or in greater synnes / for theyr synnes can not dystroye that gracyous blode / nor wtdraweth the grace nor vertu ¶ Therfore that blode harmeth not hyÌ„ to whom it is gyueÌ„ but that wyckednesse of his synÌ„e harmeth hyÌ„ / loseth hyÌ„ / bryÌ„geth hyÌ„ to payne / but he amende hyÌ„ with very coÌ„trycyon / dysplesaunce of his synnes ¶ I saye that he the whiche receyueth it vnworthely doth harme to hymselfe / not in the defaute of the blode / nor in the mynystre / but throwe his euyll dysposycyons defautes / the whiche maken foule his soule body with so many so greate wretchydnesse and vncleÌ„nesse / and throwe his malyce / that he had suche cruelte to hyÌ„selfe / to his neyghbour ¶ Cruelte he hathe to hyÌ„self / put tyÌ„ge away or wtdrawyÌ„ge his grace / tredynge it vnder that fete of his affeccyons / that fruyte of that holy blode ¶ Whiche fruyte he toke of the holy baptym / and that tyme were wasshed awaye the foule spottes of orygynal synne / the whiche fylthe he dyd take whanne he was conceyued of fader and moder ¶ And this wasshynge away was by the vertu of that holy blode / whiche fruyte he toke of that holy baptyme / and at that tyme all ye were clene wassheÌ„ / therfore I haue gyueÌ„ you my worde that is my sone bycause that nature
O HaÌ„ this soule fulfylled with loue began to speke to oure lorde / sayde ¶ O lorde vnestymable loue of charyte / who is he that dothe not brenne with somoche loue / that for that loue may so defende hym / that fyrst the herte fayle not Thou lorde the very depenes of charyte / thou semes to haue greate deyntes of thy creatures / as thoughe thou myght not lyue without them / yet thou hase no nede of vs whiche arte our lorde god ¶ And for asmoche as thou arte vnnumerable / there is nothynge added to the / throwe olâ—re goodnesse ¶ And for asmoche as thou arte the hyghe euer brynge goodnesse / oure euyll enpereth the not ¶ O good lorde who is he that styrreth the to somuche mercy lorde it is loue that styrreth the / and no nede that thou hase to vs / for we beÌ„ to the ryght euyll detters ¶ O euer beynge goodnes / yf I beholde well aboute / I am myselfe a brybour a these / lorde thy sone was crucyfyed on a tree / for me a wretched synner / and I beholde thy sone nayled on the crosse / of the whiche sone thou made a brydge to me / as it is shewed of thy goodnesse to me / whiche am thy creature and seruaunte ¶ Wherfore if it be acceptable to thy goodnesse / I desyre that thy benygnyte wolde shewe me / whiche ben those that passen by the brydge / and whiche not ¶ The seconde chapytre is how that blissed brydge goddes sone hathe thre grees / by the whiche ben betokened thre states of a soule ¶ And how this brydge whaÌ„ it is reysed vp in to the erthe / it is not departed fro the erthe ¶ Also how this reason shall be vnderstoÌ„de ¶ Siego exaltatê° fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ¶ And forthermore of the same mater / as it is rehersed before to you in the kalendre Ca. ii THe euer beynge almyghty god / thanne to styrre this soule moche more / and to herte her more seruently in labour aboute the helthe of maÌ„nes soule answered to her and sayd ¶ Or that I shewe to the / the whiche I wyll shewe to the / and of that whiche thou does aske of me / fyrste I wyll put the in a certayne knowlege how it is of the brydge ¶ I sayd to the before / that the brydge recheth frome heuen to erthe that is to say by the vnyon whiche I haue made in maÌ„ / whom I formed of slyme / or erthe ¶ This brydge my onely begoten sone hathe thre ladders in hyÌ„ selfe / of the whiche thre ladders .ii. were made in the tree of the holy crosse ¶ The thyrde he felde in full greate peyne of bytternesse / whan the iewes gaue hym to drynke both aysell gall ¶ In these threladders / thou shall knowe the thre states of the soule / whiche I shall declare to the here after ¶ The fyrste ladder is at the fete / and it betokeneth the affeccyon and the desyre of the soule ¶ For as the fete beren vp the body / so the desyres and affeccyons bereÌ„ vp the soule ¶ The fete nayled / beÌ„ madeladers to the / that thou maye attayne / or reche vp to the wounde of the syde / whiche wounde sheweth the pryuytes of the herte ¶ For after tyme thou hase ascended vp / by the fete of desyre anone the soule begynneth to tast the loue of the herte / fastnynge the eye of intelleccyon / in the herte of my dere sone / where the soule shall fynde the ended parfyte loue I saye the ended loue for he loueth not you for his owne profyte / for ye maye do to hym no profyte / for he is al one with me ¶ Than this soule sawe how the she was byloued of god / and than she was replete with loue a thousande tymes more / than she was before ¶ Forthermore whan the soule hathe ascended by the seconde ladder / she recheth vp to the thyrde ladder that is to saye to the company of heuen / where she fyndeth the pease that she desyred / out of the warre / or batayle that she hadde before / throwe her synne ¶ For in the fyrste ladder of affeccyon and of desyre / whaÌ„ she reysed vp the fete fro the erthe / thaÌ„ she voydeth her frome the derkenesse of vyces ¶ In the seconde ladder / she fulfylleth herselfe with vertuous loue ¶ And in the thyrde ladder / she tasteth a full swete pease ¶ And thus the foresayde brydge hathe thre ladders / that whan ye passe the fyrste and the secoÌ„de ladder / ye maye blyssedly come to the thyrde / that is the last ¶ This brydge is reysed vp on heyght / whiche shall not be hurte of the rennynge water / for in hym is no venemous spottes of synnes ¶ This brydge is reysed vp / yet it is not parted fro the erthe ¶ Thou knowes well whaÌ„ he had reysed hyÌ„selfe vp as whan he was tourmented on the crosse yet the dyuyne nature voyded hyÌ„ not fro the lownesse of youre humanyte ¶ Therfore I sayde to the / that whan he was lyft vp on heyghte / he was not departed fro the erthe as by that for with the humanyte he was knytte veryly and coupled ¶ And the tyme that he was so areysed / there was no maÌ„ that myght go on that brydge ¶ Therfore he sayde hyÌ„selfe / yf I be exalted frome the erthe / I shall drawe all thyÌ„ges to me ¶ And I beholdynge of my goodnesse / that ye myghten none other wyse be draweÌ„ / I sende hym to be arrysed vp to the tree of the holy crosse ¶ Therfore I made a ghostly Anduelde / wheron the sone of mankynde sholde be forged / so that man sholde be walshed and clensed fro euer lastynge dethe / and that he sholde be clothed with the durable lyfe / by a synguler grace ¶ And therfore my sone draweth to hym all thyÌ„ges / m the maner as it is sayd before the he sholde she me his greate loue / whiche may not be spoke / whiche loue he had to man / for that herte of meÌ„ is draweÌ„ by loue ¶ He myght shewe you no more loue / thaÌ„ so put his lyfe for you ¶ Therfore by the strengthe of loue man is drawen but he make resystence in hymselfe / and wyll not suffre hym to be drawen ¶ I sayde therfore / that whan my sone was lyfte vp frome the erthe that he sholde drawe all thynges to hym / and that is sothe / but that is vnderstoÌ„den two maner of wayes ¶ The one is / that a mannes herte he drawen by desyre of loue / with al the myghtes of the soule that is to saye with mynde / intelleccyoÌ„ / and wyll ¶ Whan these thre myghtes ben accorded / and gadered togyder in my name / all other werkes / actu all / and mentall / whiche he dothe / ben drawen in me peaseably /
owne profyte / with the same imê‘fyte lour / they loue theyr neyghbours ¶ And but yf they dyd know theyr owne imparfeccyon by grete desyre of parfeccyon / they must nedes go backe ¶ Therfore it is ryght nedefull for them / yf they wyl haue that durable lastynge loue / for to loue without beholdynge of ony maner rewarde ¶ It is not ynoughe for to fle synÌ„e for drede of peyne / nor for to lyue vertuously onely for his synguler auauÌ„tage and profyte ¶ For these be no grete thyÌ„ges for to wynÌ„e therby heuen blysse / but it is spedefull for to eschewe synnes onely for they dysplesen me / and onely for my loue for to loue vertues get them ¶ Neuerthelesse the fyâ—ste callynge of euety creature is that for fyrste a soule is vnparfyte / rather thaÌ„ parfyte / and fro imparfeccyon it sholde come to parfeccyoÌ„ ¶ Whyther euery vertuous soule lyuynge in this lyfe hathe alwaye loued me onely with out beholdyÌ„ge of ony other thynge / or yf that it haue in the houre of departynge fro the body in this lyfe desyred / yf it hadde be tyme or space to serue me better than euer she dyd / withoute beholdynge of ony other thynge than of me alone / knowynge than her owne vnparfytenes or imê‘feccyon ¶ Suche soules I trowe there be many / so lyuynge in vnparfyte loue ¶ Of the whiche Peter was one / that loued my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst for his blessyd bodyly conuersacyon in this lyfe / but whan tyme of trybulacyoÌ„ came he sayled in his loue / and he fell in to suche an inconuenyente / that for very drede of peyne he denyed hym sayd that he knewe hym neuer ¶ And therfore a soule that ascendeth vpoÌ„ these grees onely with seruyle drede hyred loue / she falleth in to greate incomodytes and inconuenyence ¶ All they sholde therfore aryse as very trewe chyldren / seruynge me wtoute ony bâ—holdyÌ„ge of theyr owne profyte / for I am the rewarder of euery laboure / and yelde to euery man after his estate excersyce ¶ And therefore yf they leue not the excersyce of good and holy prayers and of other good werkes / but moche rather encreasen in vertues with parseueraunce / than they showe come worthely to the very loue of my sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ And I shall thaÌ„ loue theÌ„ with suche loue / as I loue my owne very dere chyldren / for with suche lour as I am loued / I shall loue agayne ¶ Yf I be loued with suche loue / as a seruaunt loueth his lorde / I as a lorde as he hathe deserued / shall rewarde hym his dewte ¶ But I shall not make myselfe open to hym by my specyal graces / for to a trewe frende and a trewe louer / my pryue secretes be made opeÌ„ and shewed / the whiche is made one with me that am his frende ¶ Neuerthelesse a seruaunte maye encrees with the vertues and loue that he bereth to his lorde / in somocbe that he may be made a ryght dere freÌ„de ¶ Ryghte so it happeth of suche that loue me as hyred seruauntes done to thyr lordes / to suche I make me not open ¶ But yf suche pull vp by the roote with a maner of hate theyr owne ghostly loue fro themselfe / asceÌ„de vp aboue the sete of theyr owne coÌ„scyence / not leuynge this seruyle drede hyred loue vnchastysed and vncorrecked with the lyghte of very deuoute feythe / than maye they be to me tyghte kynde and come to my very frendely loue ¶ And so shal I than shewe me gracyously to them / as my owne sothefaste sone Ihesu sayde whan he was conuersaunt iÌ„ this worlde / he that loueth me he say the shall kepe my worde / my fader shal loue hym / and we shal come to hym / and make a dwellyÌ„ge place in hyÌ„ ¶ Also he saythe in an other place thus / he that loueth me / shall be loued of my fader / I shall loue hym / and shewe hym myselfe gracyously ¶ This is the very knowlege of dere louers / for in theym loue is transformed in the louer / by affeccy on loue / so ther be two bodyes one soule / yf two haue but one soule it maye not be hyd fro that one / but it is knowe also to that other ¶ And therfore my sothefaste sone Ihesu sayde thus / we sholde come make togyder one dwellynge place ¶ Of the imparfeccyon of them that loueÌ„ and seruen god for theyr owne profyte and loue / or for theyr comforte DOughter wyl thou knowe how I shal make myselfe open in a soule that in truthe loueth me / shewynge the techyÌ„ge and the doctryne of my sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / here nowe in many maner wyses ¶ I shewe my vertu in suche a soule / after the desyre the suche a soule hathe ¶ Neuertheles thre pryÌ„cypal shewynges / I made to be had in a dere louynge soule ¶ The fyrste is / that I shewe the affeccyon of my charyte / by medyacyon and meane of the roorde of my ryghte well byloued sone Ihesu cryste / the whiche affeccyon is made open in the blode of hym shed oute by the feruent fere of brennynge charyte ¶ In two maner wyses this charyte is shewed / one is generall comune to all / dwellynge and abydynge in comune charyte ¶ To suche it is shewed the whiche do se and haue experyence of my charyte / for many dyuers benefytes that they haue receyued of me / and in dyuers maners ¶ The other maner of shewynge is partyculer to theym specyally that be made truly and feythefully my frendes ¶ The shewyÌ„ge of this comune charyte that they do taste / they knowe they haue experyence / and they fele it parfytely in theyr soules ¶ The seconde shewynge of charyte is at the tyme that I do make me open to them by affeccyoÌ„ of loue not for I am a specyall rewarder of one more than of an other / but makynge me frely open in theyr soules / onely by holy desyre / in the same parfeccyon that they seke ¶ Other whyle I make me open to them by another maner of wyse / and this is the maner of the other shewynge / gyuynge to them spyryte of prophecye / for to knowe thynges that be to come / and that is in manye wyses and dyuers maners / after the indygence and nede that I aspy in suche a soule / and other creatures ¶ Other whyle also in the thyrde wyse / formynge in theyr soules / the presence of my truthe / that is the sothefastnes of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu in dyuers wyses and many maners / as a soule desyreth the whiche hathe grete thruste or drynes ¶ Other whyle they seke me in holy prayers / desyrynge for to knowe my myghte / and than I do suffre theym to taste the very vertu of my myght / other whyle I am sought in the wysdome of my sone
beholdeth the affeccyon of charyte of me that am the gyuer / and that a soule maye not be excused / but that she maye do so / yf she be mekely dysposed / I haue puruayed before for to knytte the gyfte with the gyuer / and that was whan I grauÌ„ted my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste the whiche is one with me and I with hym for to knytte and ioyne togyder my dyuyne nature with the kynde of manheed / and therfore by this vnyeyoÌ„ and oneheed ye must not beholde my gyfte / but ye beholde the gyuer ¶ Sees thou not now with how moche affeccyoÌ„ of loue / ye sholde loue and desyre the gyfte and the gyuer / yf ye do thus / ye shall be in ryghte pure loue / not in hyred loue / as they be that be euer locked vp in the house of theyr owne propre delectacyoÌ„ ¶ By what maner a soule cometh fro vnparfyte loue / and cometh to parfyte / freÌ„dely / a louely louyÌ„ge loue Hyderto I haue shewed that in many maner wyses / how a soule ryseth fro imparfeccyon / attayneth to parfyte loue / and what it dothe after tyme that is to come / to the loue of freÌ„dely louely louyÌ„ge loue ¶ That is how she shut herselfe vp / closed her in the house of her owne knowlege / the which knowlege of her selfe wyll be medled with the knowlege of me / leste she fall in to confusyon and shame by remeÌ„braunce of her synnes and also by knowlege of herselfe / she maye wynne sencyble hate of her owne propre passyons / also of the delectacyons of her owne ghostly comfortes / so of hate grouÌ„ ded in mekenesse / she maye wynne pasyence / in the whiche pasyence she shall be made stronge and myghty / for to withstonde the fendes batayles and assaylynges / also agaynst the parsute of meÌ„ / and also agaynste me / whan I withdrawe fro her profyte good delectacyon of her owne ghostly coÌ„fortes ¶ All these she sufrreth with these vertues of pasyence / yf that her owne sensualyte for dyffyculte or hardenes wyl lyfte vp his heed and aryse vp agaynste reason / than sholde the Iudgement of the conscyence aryse and ascende vp aboue herself / gyue a ryghtwyse Iudgement with holy hate agaynst sensualyte / and suffre not in ony wyse the styrrynges the whiche be of that soule to passe / without correccyon or examynacyoÌ„ / not onely those styrryÌ„ges the whiche be agaynste reason / but also the styrrynges that come of my dyuyne charyte ¶ For a soule that slondeth in holy hate / euery day she correcketh and repreueth herselfe / and foment my seruaunt seynt Gregory whan he sayde thus it is the coÌ„dycyoÌ„ of good soules euer for to fere synne there no synne is / that he sayd of cleÌ„nesse and purete of conscyence / so sholde a clene soule do / that wyll aryse fro imparfeccyon abydynge in the house of her owne knowlege and my ordynaunce and prouydence with that lyghte of very seythe / as my dyscyples dyde / whiche were dwellyÌ„ge in an house / abydynge therin with holy watche / meke prayers / and coÌ„tynuall parseueraunce / the sendyÌ„ge downe of the holy ghoste / so must a soule do / that is in wyll for to aryse fro imparfeccyoÌ„ to parfeccyon / that she be euer wakynge in the doctryne of my sothefast sone Ihesu / with the eye of vnderstoÌ„dynge / coÌ„tynuynge euer iÌ„ deuoute prayer of holy desyre / and so shall she knowe the affeccyon of my charyte ¶ This thyrde chapytre telleth of tokens / wherby it is knowen that a soule is come to parfyte loue ¶ And how vnparfyte men wyll onely folowe the fader / but parfyte meÌ„ folowe the sone ¶ Also god sheweth a vysyon / the whiche this deuoute mayde hadde / in the whiche vysyon is shewed of dyuers baptymes and of other fayre thynges profytable ¶ And of other maters / as it is rehersed before in the kalendre Ca. iii. NOwe shall I tell the how thou shall knowe whan a soule is come to parfyte loue / and that is by that same token that was shewed to the holy dyscyples after the tyme they had recyued the holy ghost ¶ The whiche wente out of theyr hose and preched the doctryne of my very sothefaste sone Ihesu / puttynge awaye fro them fere and drede / nothynge dredynge the dethe nor peynes / but rather were ioyfull of peynes / they were not aferde for to go before tyrrauntes and wycked Iustyces / and there to saye before them the truthe in glory and presynge of my name ¶ Ryght so sholde a soule do that hathe well abyd in knowlege of herselfe / as it is rehersed before ¶ To suche a soule I shall come with fyre of my charyte / as longe as she dwelleth abydeth with parseueraunce in the house of loue by affeccyon she conceyueth vertues / takynge parte of my myght and power / with the whiche myghte power / she receyueth suche domynacyon / that she ouered meth all her owne propre sencyble passyons vertuously / and in the same charyte also she taketh parte of my sones wysedome / in the whiche wysdome she seeth and knoweth my very truthe with the eye of Intelleccyon ¶ And also she seeth therby the dysceyte of ghostly sencyble loue / that is the imê‘fyte loue of her owne ghostly coÌ„forte / as I haue tolde that before ¶ And also therby she knoweth seeth the dysceyte malyce of the fende / the whiche dysceyte he gyueth to a soule bouÌ„de in the vnparfyte loue / therfore sythe a soule is veryly ryseÌ„ with hate of the same imparfeccyon / and loue of imparfeccyon / in the same charyte also she taketh parte / maketh stroÌ„ge her wyll by grace goodnesse of the holy ghost / they be of wyll for to suffre peyne for my loue / to go out iÌ„ my name of theyr house to enforme theyr neyghbours vertuously in the knowynge of truthe ¶ I saye not that she sholde go oute of the house of her owne knowlege / but I saye that those vertues shold go out of the house of the soule / the whiche were coÌ„ceyued by affeccyoÌ„ of her owne coÌ„forte / to make theÌ„ encrese growe iÌ„ tyme of nede / to the helthe sanacyon of her neyghbours / for the drede is go the letted vertues for to be gracyously conceyued / boldly for to sprede abrode the whiche drede wolde not suffre vertues to abyde for fere of losynge her owne ghoostly comforte / as I haue rehersed before ¶ But after tyme she is come to parfyte lyberall loue / she gothe oute as I sayde before leuynge and forsakynge her owne ghostly sencyble comfortes ¶ And so this thynge ioyneth theÌ„ with that forthe state / that is in asmoche as a soule is rysen fro the thyrde state / the whiche is ê‘fyte / in the whiche thyrde state she hathe tasted / put
her desyre ¶ Of the dyfference of the foresayde holy teres THan sayde the ryghte swete sothefastnesse of god to her O ryght well byloued and dere doughter / doughter thou askes and desyres to knowe of me the dyfferēce in kynde of teres / and of theyr fruytes / and I haue not dyspysed thy desyre ¶ Opē therfore the eye of thy intelleccyon / and I shall shewe that by the thre states of the soule before sayde vnparfyte teres graūted and set in drede ¶ But I shall fyrste tell that of the teres of wycked men / and these fyrst teres / be teres of dampnacyō ¶ The seconde maner of teres be teres of drede / of suche that ryse fro syn̄e for drede of peyne / for drede they wepe ¶ The thyrde maner of teres be teres of thē that after tyme they be rysen fro synne / they begynne to taste me / so with swetenesse they wepe and begynne to serue me ¶ But bycause theyr loue is vnparfye / therfore theyr wepynge is vnparfyte / as I shall tell the afterwarde ¶ The fourthe maner of teres be of them that become to parfeccyon in charyte of theyr neyghbours / louynge me wtout ony maner beholdynge of them selfe / suche wepe and theyr wepȳge is parfyte ¶ The fyfte maner of teres / is oned knytte with the fourthe before / castynge out teres of swetenesse / the whiche is a vertuous wepynge / as I shall tell the afterwarde ¶ I shall also tell the of brennynge teres without wepynge of the eye / for to satysfy to thē that ofte tymes desyre teres and maye none haue ¶ And I wyll that thou knowe that al these dyuers states maye be in one soule by rysynge vp fro drede vnparfyte loue / and comynge to parfyte charyte / and to the state of vnyon ¶ How there be fyue maner of teres NOw I shall begynne to tell of these fyue maner of teres / fyrste shortely of the teres of wycked men / whose loue is without me vnornately sette ¶ At the begȳnynge I wyl that thou knowe / that al teres come out of the herte / for there is no membre in a mannes body / that wyll somoche shewe and satysfy the entent of the herte / as wyl the eye ¶ Yf the herte haue sorowe / the eye sheweth it / yf it be a sencyble sorowe / the eyes do shede hertely teres / the whiche teres in a wycked man ben deedly teres and teres of dethe / bycause of his vnordynate loue / and affeccyō that he hathe wherfore his wepynge is no thȳge plesynge to me / neuerthelesse then greatenesse of the trespas wepynge is iesse or more after the meture and quātyte of his vnordynate loue ¶ All suche vnordynate louers and wycked lyuers thoughe they wepe theyr teres be teres of dethe ¶ Now shall I tell the of those teres that do begynne to gyue lyfe / that is or suche that knowe theyr owne synnes / and for drede of payne they wepe ¶ These be teres of the herte and sencyble teres / that is bycause they be not yet come to the parfyte hate of synne / but for offence that they haue done to me / they arysen with a maner hertely sorowe for drede of peyne / the whiche peyne foloweth after the trespas done ¶ Therfore the eye wepeth / bycause he satysfyeth the sorowe of the herte / after this that the louie hathe excersysed her in vertu / she begynneth to leue that drede / for she knoweth well / the drede is not suffycyent ynoughe to graūte her the blysse of heuen / as I haue tolde the in the seconde state of the soule before ¶ And therfore she aryseth with loue for to knowe herselfe and my goodnes in her / and so begynneth to presume of hope in my mercy / ī the whiche the herte releth gladnesse medled with sorowe of synne hope of my merci togyder ¶ Thā begȳneth the eye to wepe / that moche wepynge gothe out of the well of the herte / bycause it is not yet come to parfeccyō / oft tymes she casteth out sencyble teres / the whiche be called teres of ghostly loue as thus whā the soule desyreth ghostly comfortes by meane or medyacyon of ony creature whom he loueth ghostly / whan she is pryued of that she loueth / or of inwarde comfortes or out warde / than yf temptacyons folowe or parsecucyons of men / than the herte anone hathe a sorowe / and than the eye the whiche feleth that sorowe peyne of the herte / begȳneth to wepe by tēdernesse / and that is bycause theyr owne wyll is not yet fully forsake ¶ Suche teres be called sencyble teres of ghostly loue / or of ghostly cōpassyon ¶ But whan a soule excercyseth and vseth herselfe in the lyghte of her owne knowlege / she conceyueth a maner of dysplesaunce parfyte hate in herselfe / of the whiched yf plesaunce and hate / she draweth out very knowlege of my goodnesse / with the fyre of loue / and begynneth to owne herselfe / and to conforme her wyll to my wyll / and so she begynneth to fele ioye compassyon / ioye in herselfe by affeccyon of loue / and compassyon vpon her neyghboure ¶ For than the eye whiche wyll alwaye satysfy to the herte / wepeth for hertely loue in me / and for compassyō of the offence that is done to me / bothe for the offence that her neyghbour dothe to me / and for her owne trespas / and not for the peyne that she or they be worthy for to haue for theyr trespas / but for the offence that is done to me ¶ Thā suche a soule delyteth with longynge desyre for to receyue ghostly meet and meet of comforte vpon the table of the blessyd cros that is the passyon of my sone Ihesu cryst / conformynge herselfe with meke pasyence / to the vndefouled lambe my onely sone Ihesu cryst / of whome I haue made the a brydge / as it is rehersed before to the. ¶ After tyme that she hathe thus swetely walked by the foresayde brydge / suynge the doctryne of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst / suffrȳge with very swete pasyence all maner peyne heuynesse for her soule he le / and not onely that she suffre pasyently / but gladly for my name to suffre parsecucyon / syth it so is that she hathe hym that she suffreth fore ¶ Than suche a soule cometh to so greate a loue tranquyllyte of herselfe / that her tongue is not suffycyent for to tell it ¶ Than she resteth in me that am the very peaseable see / her herte is oned in me by affeccyon of loue / and so by the felynge of my endeles god heed / the eye begynneth to wepe teres of swetenesse / the whiche teres be as a maner of mylke / that norysheth the soule with very pasyence ¶ All suche
all this falleth / for the roote with all the tree is corrupte / and tourneth all thynges to them in to dethe ¶ They stoude in contynuall peynes / welynges and sorowes / as it is sayde before .. ¶ And yf they amende them not whyle they haue tyme to vse theyr fre choyse / they pas out of waylyÌ„ge sorowe in this tyme whiche hathe ende / so with that waylynge they sholde come to the sorowe that shall haue none ende / so that that sorowe whiche hathe ende / shal come to them to the sorowe that hathe none ende the cause is for theyr teres were shed with an hatered of vertu whiche was Infynyte that is to saye with a desyre of the soule grouÌ„ded in hate red whiche hathe none ende ¶ Neuertesse yf that they wolde / they sholde haue come out of the hatered by helpe of my dyuyne grace / in the tyme that they were fre / not withstoÌ„dynge I sayd theyr hatered was infynyte it is infynyte for asmoche as it is of affeccyyon of the beynge of the soule / but not that hate nor loue / whiche sholde be in the soule ¶ For whyle ye be in this lyfe / ye maye hate and loue as ye wyll / but yf youre hate or loue ende in the loue of vertu / thaÌ„ it receyueth good without ende / whiche is called infynyte ¶ And yf he ende in hatered of vertu / thaÌ„ ye stonden in hate that is infynyte / and receyuen euerlastynge dampnacyon as it is sayde before whan I shewed to the that they drenchen theÌ„selfe in the floode in somoche that now whiche be so passed maye not desyre goodnesse / for asmoche as they be pryued of me and of my souerayne charyte / the whiche seyntes do sauour and taste one with an other ¶ They be pryued also of youre charyte / whiche be put here of me as pylgrymes or wayegoers / so that they maye not come to youre ende / whiche is the ende of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Also prayers nor almes / nor no other goood workynges maye do profyte to them / they be that lymmes and the membres cut of fro the body of my dyuyne charyte / for whyle they dyd lyue they wold not be oned to the obedyence of the commaundymentes of my seruauntes in the pryuy body of holy chyrche / nor in the holy obedyeÌ„ce of her / wherof ye do drawe out to you the blode of the holy lambe that is to saye of my onely begoten sone Ihesu cryste / therfore they haue receyued the fruyte of euerlastynge dampnacyon / with wepynge and gnastynge of tethe ¶ These be the deuyls martyrres / of the whiche I tolde that before / therfore the deuyll gyueth them the same fruyte / the whiche he hathe for hym selfe ¶ Therfore thou sees ryghte well here that thus waylynge here gyueth to them the fruyte of peyne in this tyme that is fynyte / and in the laste ende it gyueth to them a coÌ„uersacyon of fendes / whiche conuersasacyon shall be infynyte ¶ Of the fruytes of the seconde of the thyrde teres HOw shall I tell the of the fruytes that they receyue / whiche do begynne to aryse fro synne to grace by drede of peyne ¶ Some there ben that do go oute fro dethe of deedly synne / by the grete drede of peynes / this is a general callyÌ„ge / as it is rehersed before ¶ What fruyte thynkes thou suche one receyueth / the whiche begynneth to auoyde so the house of his soule frome vnclennesse by the messanger of dred / the whiche drede is sende by fre choyse / I shall the. ¶ After tyme that suche one hathe purged his soule by drede fro synne / he receyueth pease reste of conscyence / and begynneth for to dyspose his affeccyon / for to open his eye of intelleccyon / for to se his place wherin he stondeth / the whiche or than it was voyde / he myght not se clerely / for bycause it was fufylled with roten fylthe of many dyuers synnes ¶ Also he begynneth for to receyue comforte / for the worme of coscyence is in rest pease / abydynge for to receyue the meet of vertu / as a man dothe / for after tyme his stomake is heled and hathe caste oute bad humoures / he maketh redy his appetyte for to receyue meet ¶ In the same wyse all suche abyde onely that the honde of fre choyse make redy within hymselfe for to receyue with loue meet of vertu / for after that tyme that meet is made redy / he abydeth for to ete it and so it is in sothe for an excercysed soule in vertu after tyme affeccyon of synne is voyded by drede / she begynneth for to araye the soule with vertues thoughe it be yet vnparfyte for all be it that it be arysen fro drede / it receyueth bothe delyte and comforte / for loue of the soule receyueth delyte of very sothefastnesse / bycause that I myselfe am loue / and by the same comforte and delyte that she receyueth of me and in me / she begynneth for to loue me the more swetely / felynge the swetenes of my comforte / orelles of creatures for me / excercysynge the very same loue in the house of the soule ¶ And therfore what man that entreth in to this house of the soule / after tyme that drede hathe puryfyed and clensed it / he begynneth for to receyue the fruyte of dyuyne goodnes / by the whiche dyuyne goodnesse / he hathe a house in the soule for to rest in ¶ And than after the tyme that loue is entred for to take possessyon of that house / it begynneth for to taste / receyuyÌ„ge by suche tastynge / many folde dyuers fruytes of comforte / an so abydynge to the laste state / it receyueth a fruyte for to set and make redy the meettable ¶ That is after tyme a soule is passed fro drede to loue of vertu / she setteth and maketh redy the meettable / and that is entrynge in to the thyrde teres in the herte / by the whiche teres the soule prepareth or makethe redy and setteth forthe the meettable of my ryghte wel beloued and sothefast sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed on the cros / of his blessyd passyoÌ„ / in the whiche blessyd passyon / she fyndeth meet of ryghte grete swetenesse and amyable wordes of helthe / the whiche wordes donâ—â—â— shewe the greate honoure and worshyppe of me / and youre helthe / for the whiche helthe / the syde of my ryght dere and well beloued sothefast and onely sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed was opened / gyuyÌ„ge hyÌ„selfe to you in to meet ¶ ThaÌ„ such a soule begyÌ„neth to tast the worshyppe of me helthe of soules / with dysplesaunce hate of synnes / what fruyte suche a soule receyueth of this maner state of teres I shall tell ye. ¶ She receyueth a maner of streÌ„gthe iÌ„ holy hate / agaynste her propre sensualyte / grounded and sette stably
not to kepe a hounde that sholde berke agaynst the wolfe that cometh to the shepe / but suche one he holdeth in kepynge as he is ¶ And so these mynysters and shepeherdes be that cause that they haue no besynesse themselfe aboute thē / they wyll not haue the hounde of conscyence / nor the state of ryghtewysenesse / nor the rodde of cōreccyon it is no wonder for theyr owne conscyence wyll not barke agaynste theyr owne defautes / and therfore they can not well vndernyme theyr subiectes that be spred a brode in mysse ruled lyuȳge / wherfore the hell wolfe deuoureth theym ¶ Yf they wolde suffer the hounde of conscyence to barke / and they to take theyr defautes vpō them with the staffe of holy ryghtwysenesse / they sholde auoyde theyr shepe out of the deuyls crouches / and brynge them home agayne to the folde / but bycause suche shepeherdes be without the roodde and hounde of barkynge conscyence / theyr shepe do peryshe / it is no wonder thoughe the hounde of theyr conscyence barke not / for he is made feble for defaute of meet ¶ The meet that sholde be gyuē to this hounde of conscyence / sholde be the meet of my vndefouled lambe Ihesu cryst / for yf the mynde be full of his precyous bloode / the conscyence is fedde therw t / that is for mynde of that blode the soule is strengthed to hate vyces / and for to loue vertues / whiche hate whiche loue do puryfy the soule fro the fylthe of deedly syn̄e / it gyueth so greate strengthe to the cōscyence that is noryshed therby / that as soone as ony enemy of the soule whiche is synne wyll enter in / anone the conscyence as an hounde barketh agaynst it eycyteth reason to helpe hȳ for to do ryghtwysenesse agaynst hym / for he that hathe cōscyence hathe ryghtwysenesse / therfore all suche vnworthy mynysters the whiche be worthy to be called vnreasonable creatures for they be lyke to beestes in theyr lyuȳge / it may not be sayde of thē that they haue the hounde of cōscyence / nor the staffe of ryghtwysenesse / nor the that rodde of correccyon / for they haue somoche fere / that they be afrayde of eueri shadowe not for holy drede but seruyle drede ¶ And that cause is that they be encūbred with theyr owne mysse lyuynge / they sholde dyspose them to dethe / for to delyuer theyr shepe fro the fēdes hōdes / they thēselfe fēde thē to the fende / not gyuȳge thē doctrine of good lyuȳge / nor they wyll not suffer one worde of wrōge for thē / oftetymes it happeth that the soule of his subiecte is encūbred with ryght greuous synnes / he taketh no hede to the / but to his householde / he ordeyneth rather the another wretched preest shall here the confessyon of suche a troubled soule thā he hȳselfe / whiche hathe the charge therof ¶ O what wretched leche is he to whom is cōmytted the cure of soules / wyll not do his dewte / he shold lyue that he myght fulfyll his dewte ymōge his subiectes / but suche a wretche hathe fere to do his dewte / other for a worde that is sayde to hym of wrēge / or for drede / or suche other that he dare not fulfyll his charge / so that what for drede what for dysplesaūre / he shall leue that soule in that deuyls hondes armes / and dare not saye hym the sothe / in that wyse shall he take hym the body and the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / and veryly seeth he that / that he is not losed fro that derkenesse of deedly synnes / and yet neuerthelesse for plesaūce of worldely men / and for a mysse ruled drede / or for some gyfte / or by the queste that he receyueth of hym / he mynystreth to hym the sacrament / and yet ther to he buryeth the same cursed man in holy chyrche with grete worshyp / where they sholde rather throwe hȳ out as a beest / or as a membre cut fro the mysteryall body of holy chyrche ¶ Who is cause of this ¶ Certayne proper loue / and the hornes of pryde / for yf they dyd loue me aboue al thȳges / also the soule of that wretche for me / they themselfe also were meke / than without seruyle drede / they wolde be dylygent aboute the helthe of that wretched soule ¶ Sees thou not what euylles do folowe these thre vyces / whome I put to the as thre pyllers / of whome all other synnes do come / that is pryde / coueryse / and vnclennesse / bothe of theyr bodyes and vf theyr soules / thy ere 's be not suffycyent to here those euylles that do come of these thre pyllers / as they dyd come fro the deuylles mēbres / for pryde they do many dyshonestes moche couetysenesse / as somtyme thou dyd knowe to whom suche thynges dyd happe / thou knowes wel somtyme ther were certayne parsones of good feythe and of good lyuynge / whiche were taryed in thē selfe with certayne dredes / wenȳge that they had in thē a wycked spyryte / they comen to a wretched preest / supposynge to be delyuered there of by his counseyle / and he as a couetous man receyueth gyftes of thē / also as a dyshonest wretched mā spake to thē of dyshonest wretched lynnes sayēge thus to them this defaute the ye fuffre maye not be heled but ī suche a wyse so wolde wretchedly haue do cursed synne with thē ¶ O deuyll aboue all deuyls / in all thȳges thou arte worse thā a deuyll ¶ There be many deuylles that hate that synne / thou that arte worse thā he walowes therin / as a hogge in that myre ¶ O vnclene beest / is it the thynge that I aske of the / I ordeyned the tor to put out deuyls out of soules by the vertu of my sones blode / but thou puttes in deuyls ¶ Sees thou not wretche how the axe of my ryghtewysenesse is sette at the roote of thy tree ¶ One thȳge I saye to the / that suche thynges sholde stōde to the to vsury / for one tyme shall be that I shall aske the bothe of mysspēdȳge of thy tyme of thy place but yf thou amende the punyshe thy wyckednesse here with penaūce cōtrycyon of herte I shal not spare the thoughe thou be a preest / but more wretchedly shall thou be punyshed / and greater peyne shall be putte to the / more cruelly than to other ¶ Than loke thou whether thou can put awaye the deuyll fro the / with the deuyll of couetyse ¶ Ther was also another wretche / yet is suche to whome creatures the be bounde in deedly synne come to for to be assoyled and losed of those synnes / they bynde thē faster ī some other synne lyke them or greater / with newe fyndynges and wayes of
lucre that they may the soner receyue euerlastȳge lyfe ¶ And why thā playne they on me ¶ Certayne for they in me haue no hope / but onely in thēselfe / wherby they come to derkenes and so they knowe / yet they hate that thynge whiche they sholde haue for theyr beste ¶ And as proude folke they deme my pryue domes whiche be ryghte wyse / but they as a blȳde man that with touchȳge of his hōde or with tastynge of his mouthe / or with sowne of his voyce wyll deme good for yll / yll for good after his feble knowelege ¶ And they wyll not truste in me that am very lyghte / and I it am that bothe bodyly and ghostly noryshe them / for withoute me they maye nothynge haue / and yf it hap otherwhyle that they be serued of ony creature / I am he that haue gyuen to that creature wyll / ablenesse / myghte / and also cunnynge for to serue thē ¶ But he as a blȳde man the whiche goeth after felynge of his hondes / whiche is dysceyued in his touchȳge / for he lacketh lyght to Iudge colours / and in the same wyse his taste is dysceyued / and for he maye not se what vnclene beest sytteth bpon his meet / his ere is also dysceyued in delyte of sowne / for he seeth hym not that syngeth / whiche with the same sowne yf he be not well ware by the same delectable sowne maye bytraye hȳ to that dethe ¶ In this same wyse do they that be made as blynde / lackynge the very lyghte of reason / touchynge with the honde of sencyble felynge delactacyons and pleasures of the worlde semynge to them good but for bycause they do not se / they can not to eschewe perels / for he is a cloth medled with many thornes / with moche wretchednesse / many anguyshes / in somoche that the herte whiche feleth them is withoute me intollerable to hymselfe ¶ In the same wyse also to the mouthe of desyre / that thynge that he loueth inordynately semeth swete in receyuynge / yet vpon the delycacyes there syt vnclene beestes / and many deedly synnes / whiche make the soule vnclene / and so they bothe withdrawe thē fer fro my symylytude and lykenesse / and also fro the lyfe of grace ¶ And therfore yf he drawe not nyghe agayne / with the lyghte of very feythe / to that lykenesse and lyfe of grace / for to be clensed with my sones blode / he shal haue endelesse dethe ¶ Herynge is to hym his owne proper delectacyō / of the whiche delectacyon / it semeth to hȳ that it maketh a swete sowne ¶ Why semeth it so ¶ Certayne for the soule foloweth the loue of his owne proper sensualyte / and bycause he seeth it not / therfore he is dysceyued of the sowne / and also bycause he foloweth hym by vnordynate loue / wher he fyndeth hymselfe in the dytche / bounde with the bonde of synne / ledde in to the hondes of his enemyes ¶ For as a blynde soule by his owne loue / and with hope whiche he putteth ī hymselfe / and in his owne cunnynge / he trusteth not to me / that am bothe the leder and the waye of hym / whiche waye is made to hym of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu that sayde thus ¶ I am waye / truthe / lyfe ¶ And he is lyghte / that who that seeth therby shall not be dysceyued / nor walke in derkenesse / ther may none come to me but by hym / for he is one with me / and I with hym ¶ Of hym as I haue sayd to the I made to you a brydge / that ye myght all come to me that am your ende / and yet neuerthelesse for all this / they trust not ī me / whiche wyll nothȳge els haue of thē / but theyr holynesse ¶ To this ende with greate loue I gyue them all thynges / and suffer all thynges to fall to them / bothe cōfortes and trybulacyons / but they euer be sclaūdred in me / I bere thē alwaye and suffer them with pasyence / for or they had ony loue to me / I loued them without theyr loue / they alwaye parsu me with moche inpasyence / hate / grutchynge / and with moche vnfeythefulnesse / wyllynge desyrynge after theyr owne blynde syghte / deme my pryue domes / whiche be all ryghtwyse / and done for loue / and the cause why they deme thus falsely / is for that they knowe not themselfe / for he that knoweth not hymselfe maye not knowe me / nor veryly my ryghtwysenesse ¶ The secōde chapyter sheweth how that god prouyded ī some specyall case to the soule that falleth ¶ Here god sheweth his prouydence agaynste his creatures in dyuers maners / maketh his cōpleynte of the vntruth of his creatures / he expouneth a fygure of the olde testament / and sheweth there a profytable doctryne / with other maters / as is rehersed in the kalender Ca. ii DEre doughter yf thou wyl that I shewe the how moche the worlde is dysceyued of my mynysters ¶ Open the eye of thy intelleccyon / beholde ī me so shall thou se specyally of hym that I tolde the of / and ryght as I tell the of hym / so maye I tell the generally of other ¶ Thā the soule for to obeye to the endelesse fader / behelde in herselfe with a loue longynge desyre / and than endelesse god shewed to her the dampnacyon of hȳ by whome that fallynge dyd fortune / sayenge thus to her ¶ I wyll that thou knowe that for to make hym ascape fro this endelesse dāpnacyon in the whiche thou sees well he was I suffered hym so for to fal / that with his blode he myghte haue lyfe / in the blode of my onely sone Ihesu / for I forgate not the reuerence and the loue whiche he hadde to the swete moder Mary / that moder of my oneli sone sothefast Ihesu / to whome worthely is graūted for that reuerence of my sone Ihesu / that who so euer ryght wyse or synner the hathe her in dewe reuerence / he shall not be pulled awaye deuoured of the fende of hell ¶ She is sette and putte as meet of my endelesse goodnes / for to be take to reasonable creatures / the whiche is is done of my greate mercy / not for to cause men therby to do euyll so for to hope in my mercy / for that were rather cruelte thā mercy ¶ And all that causeth a man to do euyll / than to fall / that is nothynge but the loue of hȳselfe / whiche withdraweth fro hym lyghte / wherfore he maye not knowe my truthe ¶ Yf they wolde / they sholde lyfte vp the cloulde that is before the eye of theyr intelleccyon / than sholde they veryly knowe loue my sothefastnes / and so sholde they haue all thynges in dewe reuerence / and receyue there
gyuyne to her sykernesse with holy drede / all graces / all plesaunces / all delyces that suche a soule that hathe wedded the quene of pouerte can than desyre ¶ She fyndeth / she is not than afrayde of brydges / for there is none that maye make debate and warre with her / she is not yet afrayde of honger nor of derthe / for feythe seeth hopeth in me his maker / of whome cometh out all ryches and prudeÌ„ce / whom alwaye I noryshe and fede ¶ Was ther euer fouÌ„de ony very seruaunte of my spouse of this pouerte / whiche dyd euer peryshe for honger ¶ Naye certayne / but there be founde ynowe that do peryshe of them whiche abounden in greate ryches / trusten rather in theyr ryches thaÌ„ in me / I fayle neuer the ryghtwyse man / for he fayleth neuer to hope in me / and therfore I prouyde to them as a benynge fader and a pyteous / o with howmoche ioye largenes of her tes many haue runne come to me / whaÌ„ they knewe well with very lyght of feythe / that fro the begynnynge vnto the ende of worlde how I vse and haue vsed shall vse my prouydeÌ„ce in all thynges bothe spyrytuall and teÌ„porall / all suche I make them suffer moche thyÌ„ge for to encrese them iÌ„ feythe and hope / yet I rewarde theÌ„ euer for theyr trauayles / for I fayled them neuer in nothynge that is nedefull for them / they haue fully proued the depenesse of my prouydeÌ„ce / by tastinge therin the mylke of midiuine swetenes / wherfore they drede not the bytternesse of dethe / but with longynge desyre as deed folke they renne to this quene of pouerte / as suche that be rapte in loue / quycke in my wyll / for to suffer colde / honger / tryst / hete / scornes / repreues / puttynge awaye fro them theyr proper sensualyte ryches with greate desyre gyuyÌ„ge theyr lyues / for loue of lyfe that is of me that am endelesse lyfe / shedynge theyr bloode / for the loue of my sones bloode ¶ Beholde and se what louers of pouerte haue be before the / that is apostels / martyrs other gloryous seyntes / as Peter Paule / Steuen and Laurence / and suche other / whiche whaÌ„ they were put in the fyre for to brenne / they semed that they stode in no fyre / but rather on floures of greate delyte / Laurence was ioy full whaÌ„ he sayd to the tyraunt thus / that one syde is rosted ynoughe / turne it begynne to ete therof ¶ What was the cause ¶ Certayne for the fyre of dyuyne charyte had quenched in hym the felynge of his lytell sensualyte ¶ To SceueÌ„ also stones were swete ¶ What was the cause ¶ Certayne loue / with the whiche loue he wedded the quene of pouerte / and forsake the worlde for glory and laude of my name / toke that quene pouerte with the lyghte of holy feythe / with stydfaste hope very obedyence / bothe obeyenge to the commaundymentes and also to the couÌ„seyles / whiche my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu hathe gyueÌ„ to theÌ„ / for to be kepte bothe actually mentally as it is sayde before all suche trewe seruauntes of myne haue desyre for to dye / for this bodyly lyfe is to them dysplesauÌ„ce / they desyre not for to dye / for this bodyly lyfe is to them dysplesaunce / they desyre not for to dye for to eschewe labour / but onely for to lyue in me endelesly that am theyr ende ¶ And why do they not drede dethe whiche naturally a maÌ„ oweth to drede ¶ Certaine for the spouse of pouerte whome they haue wedded hathe made theÌ„ sure / withdrawynge fro theÌ„ bothe loue of theÌ„ selfe also of ryches / so with vertu they haue putte vnder fore naturall loue / haue receyued the lyght that diuine loue / whiche is aboue nature it is no peyn for suche a man for to for sake his lyfe his ryches / for to hyÌ„ the loueth not his naturall lyfe / also worldely ryches / he may not sorowe for theÌ„ / but rather he delye thin forsakynge theÌ„ whome he hateth / so that on what syde thou turne the / thou shal fynde in theÌ„ ê‘fyte peas quyetnesse all good / to wretches that haue possessyon of teÌ„porall goodes with moche vnordynate loue / it is ryght greate vntollerable peyne bothe to forsake theyr ryches / and also for to forsake theyr lyues / thoughe it seme the contrary by outwarde syght / but in effecte is so / many wolde saye that poore Lazar stode in greate mysery whan the ryche maÌ„ stode iÌ„ greate ioye quyetnesse / and yet was it not so / for the ryche maÌ„ suffered more peyne with his ryches / thaÌ„ pore Lazar dyd with al his sores ¶ Why was the ¶ Certayne for in hyÌ„ of hymselfe was a quycke wyl / fro the whiche cometh out al peyne / in Lazar his owne wyll was deed quycke in me / whiche iÌ„ peine had coÌ„forte / whan he was expulsed fro meÌ„ / nameli the riche maÌ„ that is daÌ„pned / this Lazar was nother noryshed nor gouerned of meÌ„ / therfore I prouided for hyÌ„ thus / that an vnreasonable beest sholde lycke his wouÌ„des / in the dyenge of bothe / Lazare was take vp to lyfe euerlastynge / the ryche man was buryed inhell / therfore ryche meÌ„ be dwellyÌ„ ge in sorowe / poore meÌ„ whiche be my parfyte seruauntes euer iÌ„ greate ghostly ioy / for I gyue theÌ„ to souke mylke of many trybulacyoÌ„s / so bycause they haue forsake all thynge / they haue all me / the holy ghoost also is bothe noryshed of theyr soules hodyes / in what state that euer they stoÌ„de in / I prouyde also for theÌ„ of beestes in dyuers wyses / as they haue nede to serche solitary folke / also I make another solytary man go oute of his Cell releue hym in his nede / for thou knowes wel how ofteÌ„tymes it hath happed to the that I haue made the go out of hy Cell for to socour the poore / also I haue made the thyselfe to pue this prouydeÌ„ce in experyeÌ„ce / whan I haue made other to satysfy to thy nede / yet whaÌ„ creatures fayled the / I fayled the neuer that am thy endeles maker therfore thus iÌ„ al wyses I ê“uyde for creatures ¶ But wheÌ„se cometh this trowes thou that a maÌ„ stoÌ„dyÌ„ge in ryches in so grete charge of his body with moche rayment many clothes / euer is seke / also of whome maye this come / that a maÌ„ whiche hathe dyspysed ryches chosen pouerte for the loue of me hauynge but one coote for to couer his body there somtyme he hadde many and is by come bothe stroÌ„ge hole / yet more ouer hyÌ„ semeth that it greueth hyÌ„ not / nother harme of
chapyters of the thyrde parte Ca. i. ALso of the profyte of temptacyons / and how eche soule in his laste ende of this lyfe seeth tasteth or feleth his place or he be departed fro the body that is to saye he shall knowe the peyne or ioye whiche he shall haue here after ¶ How the fende catcheth euer soules vnder colour of some goodnesse / and how they that be sette in the floode and they that go not by the brydge be dysceyued / for they thynke to ascape fro peynes and yet they fal therin ¶ Here is also made mencyon of a fayre vysyon whiche this soule hadde / whiche vysyon apered to her syghte as it had be a tree ¶ Also how the worlde for synne broughte forthe thornes and breres / yet some ther be that be not ynoyed with them / how be it no maÌ„ maye come to euer lastynge lyfe / wtout that he haue suffered and borne peynes and trybulacyons before that he come thyder ¶ Also the euyll that cometh of the ghostly eye or syghte ¶ Also how good dedes that be not in the state of grace / auayle not to euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Ca. ij THe secunde chapyter telleth how the preceptes may not be kepte / but that a man sholde of parfeccyon kepe the couÌ„seyles / and howe in euery state the whiche a maÌ„ choseth so that he haue an holy and a good wyll that state is pleasynge to god ¶ Also how worldely men with all theyr substaunce goodes may not be fulfylled / and of the peyne the whiche they deserue by theyr wycked wâ—lles as well in this lyfe as after how a drede whiche is bouÌ„de suffyseth not to optayne the euerlastynge lyfe in heuen / and how with excercyse of this drede / a man maye come to the loue of vertues ¶ Ca. iij. ALso how this soule fell in to a mornyge for that blyndenesse of them the whiche were drenched in the foresayde floode ¶ And also how thre grees be fygured in that foresayde brydge that is to saye in the sone of god Ihesu cryste / bytwene the thre myghtes of the soule / and how these thre myghtes of the soule yf that they be oned togyder / there maye no parseueraunce be hadde without the whiche parseueraunce no man maye come to the ende of parseccyon ¶ Also in this chapyter is an exposycyon of the worde of Ihesu cryst / whaÌ„ he sayd thus Siquis sitit c. That is to saye / who that thrusteth / come to me and drynke ¶ And also how that euery reasonable creature generally maye kepe a maner gouernauÌ„ce / so that he maye passe out fro the see of this worlde / and go by the foresayde holy brydge ¶ And also here shall be rehersed a repetycyon of some wordes sayde before ¶ Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter telleth whaÌ„ oure lorde wolde shewe so this deuoute soule / that the thre grees of the brydge be fygured by the thre states of the soule / than he bad her lyfte vp her selfe aboue herselfe to beholde this sothefastnesse ¶ Also how that this deuoute soule beholdynge in the myrcoure of god / sawe dyuers creatures go iÌ„ dyuers wayes ¶ And how the drede of seruage wtout loue of vertues / is not suffycyent to euer lastynge lyfe / and how the lawe of drede and the lawe of loue be oned togyder ¶ And also how that a man that hathe the drede of seruage or thraldome drede / the whiche is the state of imparfeccyoÌ„ / by the whiche state is vnderstonde the fyrste gre of the foresayde holy brydge / he maye come soone to the secunde gre / whiche is the state of parfeccyon ¶ Also of the imparfeccyon of them that loueÌ„ and serue god for theyr owne profyte and loue / or for theyr owne comforte Ca. v. ALso how that god sheweth hyÌ„selfe sometyme to a soule that loueth hym ¶ Also why cryste sayde not O go manifestabo I shall shewe my fader / but he sayd I shall shewe my selfe what maner of gouernaunce a soule shall kepe / that he maye come vp to the secuÌ„de gre of the holy brydge ¶ How he that loueth god vnparfytely / loueth vnparfytely his neyghbour / and also of the very tokeÌ„s of this vnparfyte loue ¶ The chapyters of the fourth parte Ca. i. THe fyrste chapyter of the fourthe parte speketh of prayer / fyrste iÌ„ what maner a soule shall gouerne hym / that he maye come to pure loue and lyberall ¶ And moche of this thyrde parte speketh of prayer and of teeres / but fyrst god sheweth here a doctryne of the holy sacrament of crystes body on the auter that is to saye the holy sacrament of crystes body how that a soule shall come fro vocall prayer to mentall prayer ¶ And here is shewed a vysyoÌ„ whiche this deuoute soule hadde on a tyme. ¶ Also of a dysceyte that creatures haue somtyme / whiche louen god and serue hym for theyr owne conforte and theyr delectacyon ¶ Also of the dysceyte that they haue / whiche sette all they affeccyon in confortes and ghostly vysyons / and how that suche that delyte them in suche coÌ„fortes vysyoÌ„s may be dysceyued receyue a wycked spyryte vnder the coloure of a god spyryte / of tokeÌ„s how it may be knowe whaÌ„ it cometh of god / and whaÌ„ of the deuyll Ca. ij ALso of theÌ„ that wyll not helpe or coÌ„forte theyr neyghbours in theyr nede / bycause they wolde not be lette nor leue theyr owne conforte and peas and reste ¶ Also of the dysceyte whiche goddes seruauÌ„uauntes haue / and locien god with suche vnparfyte loue before sayde ¶ How a soule that knoweth her selfe wysely iÌ„ sothefastenesse / kepeth her frome all these dysceytes ¶ Also by what maner a soule cometh fro imparfyte loue cometh to ê‘fyte loue ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter is of tokens wherby it is knowe that a soule is come to the parfyte loue ¶ Also how vnê‘fyte meÌ„ wyll onely folowe me that fader / but ê‘fyte meÌ„ folowe the sone Also god sheweth a vycyon / whiche this deuoute mayde had / in the whiche vysyon is shewed of diuers baptyms / of other fayre thyÌ„ges and profytable ¶ How that a soule whan that it is come to the thyrde gree of the brydge that is to saye after the tyme it is come to the mouthe / anone it taketh the doore of the mouthe / and whaÌ„ the proper wyll of a man is deed / it is a very token that it is come thyder ¶ Also of the workyÌ„ges of the soule / after tyme that it is ascended to the thyrde holy gree ¶ Also of the states of them that be departed fro the thyrde / and of workynges of the soule whiche is come to this state / and how god goeth neuer awaye fro the soule by coÌ„tynuall felynge ¶ Also how god goeth not awaye fro the foresayde parfyte meÌ„ by felynge nor by grace / bycause of the vnyon bytwyxe
mystery of them that be not obedyent / and of the excellent grace of them that be obedyent ¶ Ca. ij THe secuÌ„de chapyter is of theÌ„ that set somoche loue to obedyence / that it suffyseth not to them to obeye to the generall obedyence / as to the commaundymeÌ„tes of god / but yf they take be bounde to some specyall obedyeÌ„ce ¶ Also how a maÌ„ cometh and by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyall / and of the excellence of the relygyoÌ„ ¶ Also of the excellence of them that be vnder obedyence and be obedyent / and of the mysery of them that be inobedyent / whiche be in the state of relygyon ¶ How they that be very obedyent receyue an hundreth for one / and euer lastynge lyfe ¶ And what is vnderstonde by that one / what by that hundreth ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter is of the paruersyte / mysere / and labours of hym that is not obedyent / and of the myserable fruytes that come of inobedyeÌ„ce ¶ Of the Imparfeccyon of theÌ„ that be slowe or vnlusty in relygyon / all be it they kepe them fro deedly synne / and of the remedy how they maye come out of that vnlustynesse ¶ Of the excellence of obedyence / and of the goodes that obedyence gyueth to hyÌ„ that taketh it in sothefastnesse ¶ Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter is of dystynccyon of two maners of obedyence that is to saye of obedyence of relygyous folke / and of obedyence that is done to a certayne parsone out of relygyon for god ¶ How god rewardeth not after the trauayle of obedyence / nor after the lengthe of the ryme / but after the magnytude of charyte ¶ Also of the redynesse quyckenesse of them that be very obedyencers ¶ And of the myracles the whiche god sheweth of this vertu and of dyscrecyon in obedyence / and of the workes and rewarde of hym that is very obedyent ¶ Ca. v. THe fyfte chapyter of this last party is a repetycyoÌ„ of all the hole boke / how this deuoute soule yeldynge worshyppes and thankynges to god / made a prayer for all holy chyrche / for all the worlde ¶ And here is coÌ„mended the vertu of feythe / so is fulfylled yeâ—ude of this boke ¶ Here foloweth a prologue TO sustren I haue shewed you what ympes trees I haue founde and gadered to plante and to set in your ghostly orcharde ¶ The aleys of youre ghostly orcharde be full longe and brodâ— / wherin be many walkynge pathes / whiche shall lede you truly to what maner fruyte you lyste to fede you / in what party they be sette or plaÌ„ted ¶ But sustren lyke it to you to knowe that in gaderynge delectable fruyte / I fouÌ„de full bytter wedes / bytter and soure they be to taste / but profytable to knowe ¶ Suche wedes I purpose to set ymonge good fruyte not for fedyÌ„ge but to youre knowynge ¶ Taste you of them and knowe them / that ye maye beware yfony ghostly enemy profer you ony suche wedes ¶ Sauour you theÌ„ not for full fedynge / for than peryously they worke / and full ofte to dethe / but by grace the soner it maye be remedyed ¶ But sustren thoughe my fruyte be gadered / yet a tyme I muste haue of settynge and of plantynge / ymoÌ„ge recreacyons to the parfeccyoÌ„ of my spyryte ¶ Greate laborer was I neuer bodyly nor ghostly / I had neuer greate strengthe myghtely to labour with spade nor with shouell ¶ Therfore nowe deuoute sustren helpe me with prayers / for I lacke cunnynge / agaynste my greate feblenesse / strengthe me with youre pyte ¶ Also haue me recommended in your ghostly excercyse to our blessyd lady / and salute her in my name with deuoute aues / hauyÌ„ge myÌ„de somtyme on her fyue ioyes / and sometyme on her fyue sorowes / whiche she had in erthe ¶ With this labour I charge you not / but as youre charyte styrreth you / with that vertu helpe me forthe / for hastely I go to labour / in purpose to parforme this fruytefull ghostly orcharde / as it shall be plesyÌ„ge to almyghty god to gyue lyghte to my soule / with trewe felyÌ„ge clere syghte ¶ Whiche Ihesu cryste for his moderly loue / graunte onely to his worshyp and to our ghostly lernynge / and conforte all to creacyon AmeÌ„ ¶ And here shal folowe the reuelayoÌ„s of the haÌ„demayde of cryste obedience In obedience ¶ Here begynneth the boke of dyuyne doctryne That is to saye of goddes techynge Gyuen by the persone of god the fader / to the intelleccyon of the gloryous vyrgyn seynt Katheryn of Seene / of the ordre of seynt Domynycke whiche was wryteÌ„ as she endyted iÌ„ her moder tongue / whaÌ„ she was in coÌ„teÌ„placyoÌ„ / rapt of spyryte / she herynge actualy And iÌ„ the same tyme / she tolde before many what our lorde god spake iÌ„ her ¶ And here foloweth the fyrst chapytre of this boke which is how the soule of this mayde was oned to god how that she made .iiii. petycyons to oure lorde in that tyme of contemplacyon / and of the answere of god / and of moche other doctryne / as it is specyfyed in the kalender before Capi. i. A Soule that is reysed vp with heuenly and ghostly desyres / affeccyoÌ„s to the worshyp of god / to the helthe of mantles soule / and with a greate desyre langoreth vertuously / inhabyted by the space of a longe tyme / full besyly laboreth in ghostly exercyse / and mekely abydeth in her inwarde beholdynge / to knowe herselfe / to that entent onely / that she myght better knowe in her selfe / the goodnes of god ¶ For as she well feleth by grace / after that knowynge the loue that loueth is knytte / ioyned with a loue / to that that is loued / and forceth and besyeth her to loue / and folowe that knowynge / and with contynual excercyse inhabyteth her / with the sothefastnes ¶ And for asmoche as a soule in no maner tasteth nor sauoureth somoche / it is iÌ„ no maner somoche lyghtned with knowynge of that sothefastnes / as it is by the meane of a meke coÌ„tynuall / of a deuoute prayer / founded and grounded in the knowynge of god / and or it selfe ¶ Therfore suche a prayer / oneth such a soule to god / sorowynge the sleppes of â—â—yite in his passyon / so by desyre / 〈◊〉 you / vnyon oâ—â—oue / the soule 〈…〉 an other than she 〈…〉 this semeth well of crystes wordes / whan he sayde Si â—s diligit me sermoneÌ„ meaÌ„ seruauit That is to say Who that loueth me shal kepe my worde ¶ Also he sayth in another place Qui diligit me diligetÌ„ a patrimed / ego diligaÌ„ eu / manifestabo illi meipsum / erit vnum mecum / et ego cumillo That is to saye He that loueth me / shall
hathe to me / he is troubled and soroweth for his vnkyndenesse / and other mennes And yf he loued me not / yet he sholde haue no payne / nor trouble Therfore you my other seruauntes / anone as ye haue knowynge of my sothefastnes iÌ„ suche maner as I haue rehersed to you before to my laude / and worshyp glory of my name / you must suffre manye wronges / trybulacyons / vnderstondynges / reprtues / in wordes and indedes to the daye ¶ Bere therfore easely and with pasyence you and my other seruauntes trybulacyons / and sorowe with teres of eyes for the offences that beÌ„ done to me / for the loue of vertues to my worshyp And yf you so do / I shall do satysfaccyoÌ„ to your synnes / in somoche that what penaunce ye suffren / shall suffyce for satysfaccyoÌ„ in you and other / by the vertu of your charyte And than for a rewarde / ye shall haue forgyuenesse of all youre ygnorauÌ„ce / and I shall no more remembre me of your trespace ¶ In other of my creatures I shall do satysfaccyon by mercy And for the affeccyon of youre charyte / and to theÌ„ I shall gyue grace after the dysposycyoÌ„ / whiche they sholde receyue / as thus They dysposen them mekely with reuereÌ„ce / to receyue the techyÌ„ge and the doctryne of my seruauÌ„tes / al those that so done / partely I shal forgyue them theyr synnes / and the paynes for synne / and the cause is For by that / they dyspose theÌ„ somekely to the techynge of my seruauÌ„tes / by that they shall haue suche grace that they shall come to very knowynge of themselfe / and to haue compunccyon of al theyr trespaces / and to be coÌ„tynually in deuoute prayer And by the seruent desyre of my seruauntes / I shall receyue them benyngely / and they shall receyue the fruyte of a specyall grace / and also a grace specyall / in some gre more or lesse after that they wyl labour / and haue excercyce with vertues ¶ This I saye generally / that they shall haue forgyuenesse of theyr synnes / but yf it so be / that they be so obstynate / that by theyr dyspayre they wyl be repreued of me / no regarde takynge to the blode of my sone / the whiche so louyngely hathe wasshed them with his pcyous blode for your saluacyoÌ„ ¶ Nowe doughter what fruyte of grace as you suppose / or thyÌ„ke they shal haue Theyr fruyte it is this That by the prayer of my seruauÌ„tes / I am constrayned / and in a maner compelled / by the whiche I abyde theyr tournynge / and chaungynge to vertuous lyuynge / and I gyue them lyghte of conscyence / and I styre them to bèware withstonde synne / and I make them to taste the sauour of vertu / to haue lykynge in the conuersacyon of my seruauntes ¶ Also sometyme I suffre that this wretched worlde / be contraryâ— us to them / and that they suffre fele manye passyons / that they maye knowe the lytle stablenes that is in this worlde / that they lyfte vp theyr hertes and desyres to me / to get and purchace theyr owne helthe of euer lastyÌ„ge lyfe And so in these foresayd maners / in many other maners / whiche no eye maye se / nor tongue speke / nor herte suffyseth to thyke / how many dyuers way as there ben whiche I haiâ—â— ordeyned onely of loue / that they maye be brought to grace / that my sothefastnes maye be fulfylled iÌ„ the. And to this I am coÌ„pelled / for I formed theÌ„ made theÌ„ of nought / of my charyte that may not be spoke / nor tolde with tongue ¶ Also for the prayers of my seruauntes / for theyr feruent desyres and sorowe / I forsake not / nor I dyspyse not theyr reres and labours / theyr meke prayers / but gladli I receyue them / and they ben to me full acceptable / for I am he the whiche do make my seruauntes to loue them / and to make inwardely sorowe for theyr harme / reparynge of theyr soules / but yet in all these generall laboures / and ghostly excercyses / satysfaccyon for payne for synne is not made / but onely satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne For in theyr partye they dyspose them not with a very parfyte loue / to be oned to me with my loue / nor with the parfyte loue of my seruauÌ„tes / also they haue not that bytter sorowe / with parfyte contrycyon for the offences that they haue done to me / as my seruauntes haue / but the loue and coÌ„trycyon whiche they haue is vnê‘fyte ¶ Therfore they haue not / nor yet receyuen not full satysfaccyon for payne / as the other that ben parfyte / but onely satysfaccyon for synne / for the dysposycyon muste come on bothe the partyes that is to saye aswell of the receyuer / as of hym that is the gyuer And for asmoche as they ben not parfyte / therfore they receyue imparfytely that parfeccyon of theyr desyres That is to saye / the parfeccyon of my seruauntes / the whiche done offre theyr desyres for them that ben not parfyte / with paynes before me ¶ Wherfore I saye to the that they do satysfaccyon for theyr synne / it shall be forgyuen them And that is ryght sothefastnesse that it so be / in the maner as it is sayde before / for throwe the cleâ—enes of theyr coÌ„scyence / other ghostly excercyses / theyr synÌ„e is forgyuen ¶ For whan they begynne to haue knowyÌ„ge of themselfe / they casten out fro them the rotteÌ„ fylthe of theyr synnes / and by that they receyue a specyall grace / and suche the so done beÌ„ in comyÌ„ charyte / yf they pacyently take all thynge that they suffren / as for theyr correccyon / and quenchen not the goodnesse and the grace of the holy ghost Ye se whan they leuen theyr synnes / they receyuen a lyfe of grace / but it so be that they beÌ„ wrapped with wyckednesse not takynge hede to my goodnesse / nor to the greate labours of my seruauÌ„tes For yf they ben so ygnorauÌ„t and so vnkynde / than anone al that whiche sholde haue beÌ„ for theyr correccyon / and was forgyuen theym by mercy / tourneth them to preiudyce and hyndrynge / not in the defaute of mercy / nor in the defaute of my seruauntes / whiche had goten mercy for hym that is so vnkynde / but onely throwe the hardenesse of his herte / whiche with the hande of his fre wyl set a stone as of an harde Adamaunt vpon his herte / whiche stone may not be brokeÌ„ but with blode / but it profyteth not the. Not that with stondynge / his hardenesse / whyle he hathe tyme here of fre choyse / yf he wyll aske the blode of my sone / with the same hande wylfully wyll put it vp to the very hardenesse of his herte / he shall receyue the swete
fruyte of the blode / the whiche was shed for hym yf he tary ouer the tyme that he haue a fre wyll / than is there no remedy afterwarde / for he brought not agayne the gyfte that he had of me / for I gaue hym mynde / that he sholde haue myÌ„de of my benefytes / I gaue hym intelleccyon and vnderstondynge / that he sholde well se knowe sothefastnes Also I gaue hym affeccyon of loue and desyre / that he sholde loue me / whiche am euerlastyÌ„ge sothefastnes / by the whiche sothefastnes and clere intelleccyon he seeth and knoweth best ¶ This is the gyfte and the ghostly dowre whiche I haue gyuen onely to you by grace / whiche dowre sholde tourne agayne to me whiche am the fader / but he that is the wycked man selleth that dowre and bytaketh it to the fende / whiche wycked maÌ„ whaÌ„ he dyeth / he bereth with hym that he wanne iÌ„ his lyfe / fulfyllynge his mynde all with delytes / and with thoughtes and remembraunce of his synnes without coÌ„trycyon / as with pryde and couetyse / and with his propre loue / and with hatered and dyspleasaunce to his neyghbours / whiche ben my seruauntes / and in all that he maye parsueth and vexeth them greuously ¶ To all suche her reasoÌ„ and intelleccyon is made full derke with her wretchydnes by an vnornately loue and desyre / and so with theyr synnes / they receyue euerlastynge payne without ende / bycause they were neclygent to do satysfaccyon for theyr synne / with contrycyoÌ„ of herte / and had no hatered nor dyspleasauÌ„ce for theyr synnes ¶ Therfore doughter now thou maye se that satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne is not onely by penaunce bodyly / whiche hathe an ende in this worlde / but satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne is the veraye parfyte coÌ„trycyon of the herte / and not onely satysfaccyon for synne / but also sometyme it is satysfaccyoÌ„ for the payne that foloweth for synne / to all them that haue this parfyte contrycyon / other generall people whiche stonden in comyn charyte / takeÌ„ mekely all that they suffren as for theyr payne with coÌ„trycyon of herte / make satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne onely as it is sayd before bycause they receyue the gyfte of grace / and ben without deedly synne ¶ Also all they that haue not so full parfyte contrycyon / nor parfyte loue to make satysfaccyon for payne / nor for synne / they shall to the paynes of purgatory ¶ Also take hede and se that throwe the desyre of the soule / whiche desyre is coupled in me / whiche am all good without ende / maketh satysfaccyon more or lesse / or suffycyeÌ„tly after the measure of parfyte loue / bothe of hym that yeldeth / and of hyÌ„ that receyueth prayers and desyres And that same mesure of loue / bothe of the yelder of the receyuer / is mesured cometh of my benignite goodnes ¶ Therfore doughter encrease you by the fyre of thy feruent desyre / and bruÌ„nynge herte of loue / and suffre not that excercyse of so good a trayuale / goodly Iournaye of so greate vertue to ouer passe / but that you call crye to me euermore / for the same encrease of desyres / and for my contynuauÌ„ce of excersyse / with a meke and a lowly voyce / and with a contynual deuocyon ¶ Thus I saye to the to thy ghosty fader / whome I haue ordeyned to the inerth that myghtely ye bere suche trayuayle bodely ghostly for youre selfe and for other for my loue / and that ye put awaye and withstoÌ„de youre propre sensualyte ¶ How it pleaseth moche oure lord / to let vs suffre for hyÌ„ A grete and a stronge desyre wyll to suffre all labours paynes vnto the tyme of dethe / for helthe of soules is full pleasynge to me ¶ For the more that is suffred for me / somoche more the token of loue to me is shewed / in the louynge moche more is take comprehended of my sothefastnes / and the more that a man knoweth / the more he feleth a payne intollerable in his soule for offeÌ„ce done to me ¶ Thou doughter mekely dyde aske a wyll to suffre / to bere other meÌ„nes fautes vpon the. Also thou dyd alke a loue a lyght / the knowyÌ„ge of my sothefastnes / not takynge nor beholdyÌ„ge what I haue sayde to the nowe / that how moche more is the loue / somoche the payne sorowe encreaseth / for where loue encreaseth to me / there sorowe encreaseth for offence done to me ¶ Therfore forsothe I saye to you ê‘etiteet accipietis That is to lay / aske ye shall haue that you aske / I shall neuer denye them that askeÌ„ in sothefastnes ¶ And thynke well doughter that the brennyÌ„ge of euerlastynge charyte / the whiche is in the soule it is oned to god with a parfyteopasyence / so that one maye not be parted fro the other ¶ Therfore a soule whan she purposeth to loue me / she shall with purpose onely / and ryght symply suffre paynes for the glory of my name / in what maner / or for what cause I haue or dryned it to suffre ¶ For pasyence is not pryued / but in paynés And as it is sayde before / pasyence is oned to charyte / therfore manly and myghtly he bereth suche labours / or els ye myght not be faythfull / nor trewe tasters / nor sauourers of the faythe / nor spouses of my sothefastnesse / nor desyre parfytely my worshyp / nor louers of the helthe of soules ¶ The seconde chapytre is how eche vertu and defaute is by some meane or maner of a maÌ„nes neyghbour And how vertues ben wroughte in man by some meane of his neyghbour And so forthe of the same mater as it is specyfyed in the kaleÌ„der Ca. ii ONe thyÌ„ge forthermore I wyll that you knowe / that eche vertu or defaute that is done / it is done by some meane of thy neyghbour / as thus He that hateth me he harmeth his neyghbour / hymselfe generally / he dothe harme to his neyghbour partyculerly to hyÌ„selfe ¶ Generally / for ye beÌ„ bouÌ„de to loue your neyghbour as yourselfe ¶ LouyÌ„ge hyÌ„ ghostly with prayers / couÌ„ceylynge hym with wordes / comfortynge hym ghostly teÌ„porally / ye sholde helpe hym in all his nedes with youre wyll / yf ye haue not wherwith to helpe hym / and to socoure hym / for he that loueth not me / loueth not his neyghbour / and he that loueth not his neyghbour / than he helpeth not his neyghbour / and suche a maÌ„ fyrst of fendeth hymselfe / for he pryueth hyÌ„ selfe of grace / and after that grace fro his neyghbour / bycause he helpeth hym not ghostly / gyueth hym no prayers nor holy desyres / whiche he is bouÌ„de to shewe out before for his neyghbour / all the helpe whiche he hathe shall begyn of loue / the whiche a soule hathe to his
theyr coÌ„trarytes Now doughter I haue sayde to the / how he that is set in charyte / dothe profyte to his neyghbour / in whiche ê“fyte / he sheweth the loue that he hathe to me Now forthermore I saye to the / that sometyme a maÌ„ iÌ„ his neyghbour by experyeÌ„ce of wroÌ„ges feleth the vertu of pasyence in hyÌ„selfe in that tyme of wronges / whiche wronges he receyueth ¶ Also a maÌ„ hath experyeÌ„ce of mekenesse / throwe the pryde of a proude maÌ„ / so faythe in an vnfaythefull maÌ„ / trusty hope / iÌ„ hyÌ„ the mystrusteth / ryghtwysnesse in hyÌ„ that is vnryghtful / pyte also in a cruel maÌ„ / softnesse and benygnyte in an yrous man ¶ Ryght as wycked meÌ„ receyueÌ„ vyce by theyr neyghboure / so an other man receyueth vertu by his neyghbour ¶ As thus yf thou take good hede / thou maye well se / that mekenesse is pryued in pryde / for a meke man quencheth pryde / therfore a prowde maÌ„ maye not harme a meke man Also the vntruthe of wycked meÌ„ / whiche louen me not / may not make lesse that faythe of hym that is trewe to me Also the foly of a maÌ„ shall not make lesse the hope of hyÌ„ / that hathe trust of loue in me / but rather suche vntruthe and foly / streyngheth faythe and hope / and preueth it in hym by my loue / by charyte to his neyghboure For whaÌ„ he seeth his neyghbour vnfay the full / mystrusteth bothe me / hyÌ„ / bycause he that loueth not me / may not haue faythe nor hope iÌ„ me / but rather hathe set that faythe hope wher he loueth by his owne sensualyte My trewe seruauÌ„t ceaseth not for all that / but he loueth hym that is so vntrewe / with a trusty hope that he hathe iÌ„ me / he seketh the helpe of his neyghbour ¶ Thus thou may se / that in the vntruthe of hyÌ„ / in thode faute of hope / the vertu of faythe is asayed and had in other ¶ In these exaÌ„ples and in other whan nede is a man preueth vertu in hymselfe / his neyghboure ¶ Also a mannes ryghtwysenesse decreaseth not by his neyghbours vnryghtwysenes / but rather he is shewed ryghtful by the vertu of pasyence Ryght so benygnyte / or mekenesse / or softnesse is preued by pasyence in tyme of wrothe ¶ Therfore I saye to the the vertues is not onely assayed in them / the besyen theÌ„ to yelde good for yll / but often he shall cast out coles kyndled with the fyre of charyte / that setteth at noughte the hatered / rancour of the herte / of the foule of an yrous maÌ„ ¶ Also fro the hate of a maÌ„ / cometh agayne benyuolence / and that cometh fro the vertu of charyte / of parfyte pasyence that is in hyÌ„ the suffreth the wrothe of wycked men / berynge supportynge / the defautes of the same meÌ„ ¶ Yf thou beholde / thou maye se the vertu of streynghe of parseuerauÌ„ce / how moche that vertues beÌ„ preued with wronges / detraccyons of meÌ„ / whiche full ofte with dyspytes / sometyme with staterynges / wyll hyndre a maÌ„ drawe hyÌ„ backe warde / that in no wyse he sholde folowe the wayte of doctryne and of sothefastnes ¶ Therfore he is all stronge parseueraunt / yf the vertu / or gyfte of streynghe be parfytely grouÌ„ded within hym / for thaÌ„ he seleth by experyeÌ„ce the same vertu by medyacyon of his neyghbour yf it had no good experyence / and were not preued with suche many contrarytes / ther sholde no vertu haue beÌ„ fouÌ„ded nor grouÌ„ded in the waye of sothefastnesse ¶ The thyrde chapytre is of the vertu of dyscrecyon / fyrst how a soule shall not put his affeccyon nor effectuall workyngel bodyli penauÌ„ce pryncypally / but in inwarde vertues / and forthe of the same mater / as it is specyfyed in the kalender before Ca. iii. THese ben deuoute holy workyÌ„ges whiche I aske of my creatures that is to saye the inwarde vertues of the soule / whiche the soule hath in coÌ„tynuall expeoyeÌ„ce / as it is sayd before that is to saye not onely the vertues whiche beÌ„ vsed with the instrumeÌ„tes of the body / as wtoutwarde workynge / with dyuers bodyly penauÌ„ces / whiche beÌ„ the iÌ„strumeÌ„tes of vertues but they beÌ„ no vertues in theÌ„selfe For yf it were so / that those instrumeÌ„tes were not so gettes to vertues rehersed before / it were lytle pleasyÌ„ge to me But rather yf a soule dyd not dyscretely his penauÌ„ce that is to say yf his affeccyoÌ„ be rather pryÌ„cypally set iÌ„ his bodyly penauÌ„ce / thaÌ„ sholde his ê‘feccyon be let therby ¶ Therfore he shall set his herte pryÌ„cypally on affeccyoÌ„ desyre of loue / with an holy hatered of hyÌ„selfe by very mekenesse parfyte pasyence / all other in warde vertues of the soule / with a desyre of my worshyp / of the helthe of soules / whiche vertues shewen that a mannes owne wyll is deed / and that contynually the sensualyte is mortyfyed / throwe the desyre loue of vertues ¶ With suche dyscrecyoÌ„ he shall do his penaunce that is to saye put pryncypally his loue and desyre in vertues / rather thaÌ„ iÌ„ bodyly penauÌ„ce / for penauÌ„ce shall be as an instrumeÌ„t / to worke for encreas of vertues / as it semeth it nedefull ¶ And as a man maye worke after reasonable mesure of his myght / for yf it were done in ony other maner / as to set his grouÌ„de fundameÌ„t pryÌ„cypally vpoÌ„ the penauÌ„ce / thaÌ„ sholde his ê‘fercyon be let hyndred the cause is for the penauÌ„ce was not done dyscretely / with the knowyÌ„ge of my sothefastnesse / nor with the lyght of his owne knowynge / nor with the clere lyght of my goodnesse / but indyfferently it was done / not louyÌ„ge that / whiche I loue more than that / not hatyÌ„ge that / whiche I most hate ¶ For dyscrecyon is not but a sothefast knowyÌ„ge whiche a soule sholde haue of herselfe / of me In the knowynge of this dyscrecyoÌ„ / he holdeth kepeth his roote Dyscrecyon is a sone / or a chylde / whiche is planted or oned / or set with charyte Neuerthelesse sothe it is / dyscrecyoÌ„ hathe many chyldren / or sones / as a tree that hathe many bowes or braunches / but he that gyueth lyfe to the tree / to the brauÌ„ches / is the roote / so that it be planted in the erthe of mekenesse / whiche is moder norce of charyte / where this sone tree of dyscrecyon is set and plaÌ„ted ¶ Orels it were no vertu of dyscrecyon / and also it sholde not bryÌ„ge quycke scuyte / but it were plaÌ„ted in vertu of mekenes For mekenes cometh of the knowyÌ„ge whiche a soule hathe of hymselfe ¶ I sayde to the that the roote of dyscrecyon was a maÌ„nes very knowynge
myght I do to do penauÌ„ce for the. And thaÌ„ in thy soule / in thy myÌ„de / I answered the and sayde I am he the whidelyte me in fewe wordes / and iÌ„ many good workes / and that I sholde shewe more largely / and more clerely / that he was not moche acceptable to me / the whiche onely called me with the sowne of wordes / and sayde thus Lorde / lorde / I wolde do somwhat for the. Also nother he that coueteth to greue his body for me with manye penauÌ„ces / without that he forsake his owne wyll But I dyd couet manye workes / in suffrynge manly and meghtly all thyÌ„ges with pasyence / and in other vertues / dyuers and many of the soule inwardly / the whiche I haue tolde and rebersed to the before / and how that all suche inwardly workynges worken bryngen fourthe fruytes of grace ¶ All other workes done in any other maner than is sayde before / I holde them not worthy to be called / but onely the sowne of wordes / for suche workes haue an ende ¶ I that haue no ende / I aske workyÌ„ges whiche haue no ende ¶ My wyll is that the dedes of penaunce / of dyuerse other excercyses the whiche ben bodyly / be take and vsed for an instrument of vertu / but not for the pryncypall desyre nor entent to that / for yf the pryncypall effecte of loue were set ther / than sholde be yelded to me the thynge that hathe ende And that shold be sene therby for as a worde that cometh fro the mouthe / that whan it is passed forthe vndyscretely / it is nought But yf that worde were sayde with effecte of the soule / whiche effecte conceyueth bryÌ„geth forthe vertues in sothefastnes ¶ For yf a worke that hathe ende / whiche I call a worde / were oned to me with vertu of charyte / thaÌ„ were it pleasynge to me / acceptable / for than it sholde not be alone / but coupled with the selyshyp of very dyscrecyon ¶ Reason wolde that ther were a hed / and a begynnynge onely in penaunce / and in ethe other bodyly workyÌ„ge For as it is sayde before / they ben dedes that haue ende ¶ An ende they haue / for whaÌ„ they den done in tyme / or for a tyme that nathe ende / what for a maÌ„ that must sometyme leue theÌ„ / for somtyme he leueth them of necessyte / bycause he mayemot parforme that was begonne for accydentall or casuall Thynges or causes whiche comen in that tyme / as parauenture by obedyence / bycause his prelate wyl not suffre hyÌ„ / for yf he vred suche penauÌ„ce agayÌ„st his prelates wyll or suffraunce / he sholde not onely haue no meryte for vettu / but soner rather he sholde do synne / and offende me Therfore thou mayeses that all suche workes haue an ende ¶ A man sholde take them as for to vse them iÌ„ tyme / but not for pryncypall begynnynge / for yf it were takeÌ„ so / as for a pryÌ„cypall begynnynge / than of necessyte / he must sometyme leue it And whan it were forsaken leste of / thaÌ„ sholde the soule stonde alone / and voyde as of ony meryte ¶ This sheweth wel seynt Paule whaÌ„ he sayd thus / mortyfy ye youre bodyly lyÌ„mes whiche ben on the erthe / fornycacyon / vnclennesse / lechery / euyll concupyssence that is to say mortyfy ye so your lymmes / that ye maye refrayne youre body whaÌ„ it wyl stryue agaynst the spyryte ¶ That wyll of the flesshe must be all deed / soget vtterly to my propre wyll / suche a wyll of a creature is mortyfyed iÌ„ a dewe maner as it is sayde before the whiche dewe maner / that vertu of dyscrecyon gaue to the soule that is to say dyscrecyon gaue hate dyspleasaunce of that offenses of his owne sensualyte / the whiche hatered he purchased fyrst by knowyÌ„ge of hyÌ„selfe ¶ This is that sharpe swerde that cutteth and sleeth eche maÌ„nes porpre loue / that is grouÌ„ded iÌ„ his owne ê“pre wyll ¶ Suche meÌ„ that thus sleen theyr propre loue / yeldeÌ„ to me contynually not onely wordes but many good werkes in the whiche I haue delyte am pleased ¶ Therfore I sayde to the that I loued fewe wordes / many werkes ¶ WhaÌ„ a maÌ„ sayeth many wordes / I noÌ„vre theÌ„ not For that loue / desyre of that soule / whiche gyueth lyfe to all other vertues / shall haue that thynge the whiche hathe none ende ¶ And yet I dyspyse not wordes vtterly Neuertheles I sayd I wolde that had fewe wordes shewyÌ„nge to the that all penauÌ„ce whiche hathe ende / was an actuall doyÌ„ge / therfore I called suche penauÌ„ce / fewe wordes ¶ Neuerthelesse they pleasen me / so they be take or vsed as for an instrumeÌ„t of vertu / and not for the pryncypall vertu ¶ Therfore a maÌ„ sholde not deame an other man in hyer degre of parfeccyon / whiche greueth his body with many penauÌ„ces / nor an other man in lesse degre of parfeccyon / whiche dothe lesse penaunce or none ¶ For as I haue sayde / it is not theyr vertu nor meryte ¶ For yl it were than to them / that for reasonable causes beÌ„ let / done not suche actuall penauÌ„ce ¶ But the meryte abydeth onely in the vertu of charyte / whiche is made fayre with the lyghte of dyscrecyon / or els it sholde not profyte ¶ Dyscrecyon yeldeth to me this loue without ende / and without maner that is to saye nother in this maner / nor in that / but without maner ¶ For in asmoche as I am that souerayne euerlastynge goodnesse / dyscrecyon putteth no lawe / nor terme / nor maner to that loue / with the whiche he loueth me ¶ Neuertheles as agayÌ„ste hig neyghbour / dyscrecyon putteth an ornate loue charyte / for the lyght of dyscrecyoÌ„ whiche cometh out of charyte / gyueth an ornate loue to his neyghbour / that is gyuyÌ„ge suche a charyte to other / that he gyue hym no cause of synne / but kepeth hym fro synne to his power / that he map ê“fyte to his neyghbour ¶ For yf a man dyd onely one sytie / so that by that trespas al that worlde sholde scape fro that payne of hell / or els so that some greate vertu sholde come therof / than were not theyr charyte ordeyned with dyscrecyon / but rather it were vndyscrete ¶ For it is not lawfull to do ony vertu / nor vertuous thyÌ„ge to thy neyghbour / with ony medlynge of synne / but holy dyscrecyon is ordeyned in this maner ¶ WhaÌ„ a soule that is besy / and ordeyned myghtly in all his myÌ„ghte streynghe me to serue / louynge his neyghbour with good affeccyon of loue / dyspyseth his bodyly lyfe for helthe of soules / or to suffre paynes or turmeÌ„tes a thousande tymes yf it were nede possyble / so that by that his neyghbour myght
receyue the lyght of grace ¶ And forthermore he putteth his substaÌ„cy all teÌ„porall good / to do profyte to the bodyes of his neyghbours / all this worketh the lyght of holy dyscrecyon / the whiche lyght cometh out of charyte ¶ Also thou may well se / that dyscretely eche soule whiche desyreth grace whiche is infynyte that is to saye that hathe no ende / shal the elde to me a loue without ony meane that is to saye he shall yelde me a loue / whithe onely shall come of specyal grace and onely for god ¶ He shall loue also his neyghboure with a loue oned to my loue / the whiche hathe no ende ¶ But that loue shall be with a maner / and with a meane / as with the ordre of charyte comynge towarde hyÌ„selfe / for that profyte of an other wtout ony synne ¶ And of this seynt Paule taught you to begynne fyrst charite at yourselfe / or els it were to no parlyte profyte ¶ For whanne there is no parfeccyon in the soule / althynges ben vnparfyte / bothe he that worketh in hymselfe / and in other ¶ It were not coÌ„uenyeÌ„t that I sholde be offeÌ„ded of my creatures / whiche am the goodnesse of all thyÌ„ges / the whiche haue none ende / and than my creatures with suche offens sholde be saued / whiche haue ende / and beÌ„ made and formed onely of my goodnesse ¶ Se thaÌ„ well that thou shall in no maner waye do ony syfte / this knoweth well very charyte / for charyte bereth with hym the lyght of holy dyscrecyon / she is the very lyght that lyghtneth all derknesse / doth away ygnorauÌ„ce ¶ Also it maketh all vertu / eche actuall instrument of vertues is made of her ¶ She hathe also a maner prudence / whiche may not be dysceyued / she hathe a streynghe that may not be ouercome ¶ She hathe also a parseueraunce in that ende / whiche draweth fro heueÌ„ in to drye erthe that is to saye fro the knowynge of me / to a man to knowe hymselfe ¶ Also fro my charyte / in to the charyte of his neyghbour ¶ It gothe aboute with very mekenesse / and throwe her prudeÌ„ce she ouerpasseth that grynnes of feÌ„des / of other creatures that is to say with suffrynge of wronges and aduersytes ¶ Also with this gloryous lyght / a man shall ouercome the flesshe and the fende / for by that he knoweth his owne freylte For whaÌ„ that is knoweÌ„ / he gyueth hate to hyÌ„selfe / refrenynge dyspysyâ—ge hymselfe / holdynge hyÌ„ vnder the fote / so dothe coÌ„tpnu in dyspysynge of hyÌ„selfe / than is he made lorde of all that is to saye he hathe vyctory of al / as of the flesshe / of the fende ¶ Here is a repetycyon of wordes spokeÌ„ of before / how god promysed to his seruauÌ„tes refresshynge and coÌ„forte of reformacyon to holy chyrche / with medyacyon of penaunce / and pasyence iÌ„ aduersyte ¶ Now doughter thou maye se / that I whiche am the hyghe sothefastnes / haue shewed to that a truthe a doctryne / wherby thou shall go to the most hyest parfeccyon / yf you kepe my techynge ¶ Also I haue declared to that before how that satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne and for payne / maye be fulfylled bothe â— that / and in thy neyghbour And there I shewed the / that no penaunce whis the a deedly body maye suffre that is to saye that payne onely is not suffycyent to make satysfaccyon for synne / but it be oned and ioyned with desyre / or with the affeccyon of charyte / and with very trewe contrycy on / and greate dyspleasaunce of synnes ¶ Whyle that penaunce is knytte to charyte / than that penaunce maketh satysfaccyon / not by the vertu onely of actual payne / whiche a maÌ„suffreth / but for sorowe that a man hathe for synne / and for the meryte of his charyte / the whiche charyte a soule hathe purchased with a lyght herte / with a lyberall / fre lyght of intelleccyoÌ„ / beholdyÌ„ge in me whâ—the am that charyte ¶ All this I ordeyned to be shewed to the / for mekely and feruently thou vyde aske a wyll to suffre penauÌ„ce bodyly for thyselfe for all other ¶ Therfore I haue shewed to the / that thou and my other seruauntes sholde knowe how and in what maner ye shall make sacryfyce of yourselfe ¶ For that sacryfyce must be actuall / and oned togyder by myght Ryght as a vessell is oned to the water / the whiche shall be presented to a lorde ¶ For that water may not be presented without a vessell ¶ Also yf that vessell be presented to a lorde wtout water / it is not acceptable to the lorde ¶ Ryght so I saye to you / that ye shall offre vp to me / a vessell ful of actual labours in suche maner as I wyll graunte you that ye shall offre / not in suche maner as you wyll youre selfe / but by suche maner as I wyll put it to you / ye not chosyÌ„ge place / nor tyme nor labours / this vessel shall be ful / for all men shall be supported of you with very pasyence / affeccyoÌ„ of loue / suffrynge supportynge defautes on your neyghbours / with hate dyspleasaunce of synne ¶ Than maye these be take for labours / called labours / whiche I purposed to the. For a vessell full of the water of my grete grace / shal gyuelyfe to soules ¶ And than I take to me this presente of my amyable spouses that is to saye of eche soule whiche saythefully dothe me seruyce ¶ I receyue of theÌ„ theyr ferueÌ„t desyres / theyr teeres / theyr syghyÌ„ges / theyr meke coÌ„tynuall deuoute prayers / whiche beÌ„ in a maner that meane waye bytwyxe theÌ„ me ¶ For throwe that loue the whiche I haue to theÌ„ / they maken theÌ„ wrothefull vpon myne enemyes that is to saye vpon wycked men / whiche euery day full greuously offeÌ„deÌ„ me ¶ Therfore shode ye stydefastly / suffte myghtly vnto the dethe / and that shall be a tokeÌ„ that ye shall loue me in all trouthe sothefastnes ¶ Ye shall not tourne the heed behodynge the ploughe backwarde / for no drede of ony creature / or of ony aduersyte / but ye shal rather Iope in trybulacyoÌ„s ¶ The worlde maketh ioye iÌ„ moche wroÌ„ge that is done to me / but ye that ben yet in the worlde / shall be sory of the wronges / and of the offences done to me / throwe the whiche ye all offâ—den me And they that ben wycked men offendeÌ„ you Your offence done to me / whiche is myne offence / for I am made one with you ¶ Thou maye well parceyue in thy wytte / that whan my ymage / symylytude / or lykenesse was gyueÌ„ to the / whaÌ„ grace was lost by dute for synne / whyle I lyued in that / with that / I hydde my nature iÌ„
moche other thynges / than satysfaccyoÌ„ for theyr synnes .. ¶ And I saye to the / yet it shall be moche harder with theÌ„ / for asmoche as they sholden be worthy greter paynes ¶ And so now after the tyme / that they haue taken the redempcyoÌ„ / by the blode of my sone they sholden be punysshed the more sharply / than before redempcyon ¶ That is to saye / the before Adams 〈◊〉 shold be wasshed away / it was worthy and ryghtfull / that he that moche receyued / sholde yelde moche agayne / and more sholde be bouÌ„de to byÌ„ / of whom he receyued somoche ¶ A man was moche bounde to me of his beynge / that I gaue hyÌ„ suche a gyfte to make hym to my ymage and to my lykenesse / he was therefore bounde and beholden / to yelde agayne thaÌ„kynges to me ¶ But he taketh fro me the thankynges / and holdeth it to hymselfe / wherfore he trespaseth agaynste the obedyence whiche was takeÌ„ to hym in charge / and in that he is nowe made myne enemy ¶ And I by the vertu of mekenesse haue dystroyed his pryde For by mekenesse / I haue loued dyuyne nature / takynge youre humanyte And so I haue delyuered you / and drawen you frome the captynyte of the fende ¶ And not onely that fredome sholde be gyuen to you of me / but yf you beholde ryght well / man is made as god / god is maÌ„ throwe the couplynge of one heed of dyuyne nature / in the nature of youre humanyte ¶ O dette that they tokeÌ„ / and for whiche they owen to yelde thaÌ„kyÌ„ges / is the tresure of my sones blode / wherby they beÌ„ reformed to grace ¶ Se also how moche they ben bounde to yelde me thankyÌ„ges after theyr redempcyon / more than before ¶ Now for theyr redempcyon / they ben bounde to yelde to me laude and thankynges / folowynge the steppes of my sone / whiche was incarnate / than they gaue me my dette for themselfe / and for the loue of theyr neyghboure / with trewe pryte vertues / as it is sayde before ¶ So that they that done it not / for asmoche as they ben moche bounde to loue me / they fallen in to the more greuous offenses ¶ Therfore of the dyuyne ryghtwysenesse / they fallen in to more greuous paynes / and I yelde to them euerlastynge payne ¶ Wherfore a false crysten man shal be punysshed more greuously than a paynym / by the ryghtwysenesse of god ¶ The paynefull flame of fyre brenneth them withouten wastyÌ„ge and so they fele afflyccyoÌ„ turmeÌ„t / throwe full cruell fretynges bytynges of theyr owne conscyence / yet the fyre wasteth them not ¶ For they that ben dampned / losen not theyr beynge / for ony turment that they haue ¶ So that synne is punysshed / moche more after redempcyon / than before / bycause man had receyued more of grace / it is not sene that they take ony hede thereof / nor besy them therfore to abstayne them / nor to withdrawe them fro theyr wyckednesse ¶ Therfore suche ben made myne enemyes / for as moche as I recounseyled theÌ„ with the blode of my sone / they rewardeÌ„ it not ¶ But yet one remedither is / whiche I haue ordeyned to pease swage my wrothe that is to say by the mene and helpe of my seruautes ¶ They knoweÌ„ well how I am constrayned with theyr charytable besynesse / and with theyr teeres / how they bynde me with theyr ferueÌ„t desyres ¶ And thou doughter knowes well / that thou hase bouÌ„de me with that chayne / whiche I gaue to the / whan thou dyd desyre me to gyue so grete a mercy to the worlde ¶ And therfore to my worshyp for helthe of soules / I gaue to my seruauntes a greate ghostly hongre / and a feruent desyre / that whan I am constrayned with theyr teeres / I maye aswage the freylnesse of my ryghtwysenes ¶ Bere therfore easly / and suffre thy teeres / thy swerynge labours / and drawe theÌ„ out / thou and my other seruauntes / and with the plentuous see of my dyuyne charyte / wasshe the and all theym therwith / before the face of my holy and amyable spouse / the whiche I call the chyrche For I say to the sothely / that theyr bewte shall be restored agayne to theÌ„ / onely by this mene / the whiche I haue shewed to the. ¶ But they sholden not haue that same bewte agayne / nother in the drede of swered / nor in greate warres / nor crueltes / but in a greate desyre of the goodnesse of pease / contynuall prayers / in meke deuoute excercyses / in shedyÌ„ge of holy teeres and in the feruent desyre of my seruauntes ¶ And so with pasyence / and with the suffrynge of many dyuers trauayles / and coÌ„trarytes / I shall fulfyll theyr greate desyre / yf it so be that youre pasyence shyne out bryght / as lyght in the derkenesse of wycked and deedly men ¶ Therfore drede you no thynge / thoughe the worlde parsu you al daye / for I shall alwaye be with you / in tyme of nede / my prudence shall not fayle you ¶ How this soule knoweth somoche of the goodnesse of god / prayed not onely for crysten people / and holy chyrche / but prayed also for all the worlde AFter this techynge / that soule arose with better knowlege than she had before / and with a full greate gladnesse ioye / stode for the before the diuine maieste / what for the hope whiche was gyueÌ„ to her of the mercy of god / what for loue the whiche she had / beholdyÌ„ge and consyderynge / that throwe holy desyre and loue / the goodnesse of god hathe done merey / and ordeyned it to man / not with stondynge / the man was become enemy to hym ¶ And iÌ„ tokeÌ„ that he wolde do mercy / he shewed a maner waye to his seruauntes by the whiche waye / they myghten refrayne and make soft his wrothe whiche he had to man ¶ She was thanne toyfull in all worldly parsecucyoÌ„s / voydynge alwaye all drede myghtly toke to her the streynghes of holy desyre / to pray for al the world in somoche that she was not full rested with that she sholde haue mercy onely for all crysten people / and for all holy chyrche / but euer with a greate hope trust / mekely she asked mercy for all the worlde ¶ And not with stondynge / that her seconde petycyoÌ„ conteyned the profyte / bothe of vntrewe people out of the faythe / and of all crysten / in the reformacyoÌ„ of the chyrche Yet neuer the later she was so desyrous of the faluacyon of all / that her holy prayer and charyre thanne stretchyd abâ—ode to all the worlde / as god hymselfe made her to aske the same petycyon / whiche petycyon myghtly she asked with a loude voyce / and sayde
¶ Holy god bowe downe thâ— mercy / to thy ghostly flocke of shepe / as a good a very crewe shepeherde ¶ Lorde hye the fast to helpe all the worlde / tary not to gyue them mercy / for now they latken grace ¶ O gracyous lorde the sothefastnesse withouten ende / it semeth that man is pryued of thy charyte that is to saye of the loue the whiche sholde be grounded in the charytably louynge themselfe togyder / and the aboue all ¶ How that god made a compleynt on his reasonable creatures / and specyally for theyr owne ê“pre loue / whiche reygneth in them / where he styrreth the soule to prayers / and teeres THaÌ„ our lorde was fore styrred to mercy and for oure hèlthe / he ordeyned in this soule / how her loue and sorowe myght be encreased to helpe mannes soule / shewynge her with how greate loue he had mad the worlde as it is sayde before and sayde to her thus Thou sees howe the euery man offendeth me / I of my goodnesse made them of nought / with the flamme of greate loue / and how I haue endowed theÌ„ with the gyfte of plentuous graces / and gyftes with out noÌ„bre / onely of my specyal grace of no dewte ¶ Beholde doughter how that they gone agaynst me / with dyuerse / many / and vnnumerable synnes / and dayly done offende me / and namely with theyr owne wret chydnesse / synfull lyuynge of theÌ„selfe / of the whiche wycked loue / cometh out all synne and wyckednesse ¶ With this this wycked loue / all the worlde they haue venymed ¶ For ryght as my loue the is onede to theyr loue / with the loue of theyr neyghbour / holdeth and kepeth all sothefastnesse iÌ„ them as it is shewed before ryght so the sencyble loue holdeth in them / all euyl and vntruthe that loue cometh of pryde ¶ So in the contrary wyse / as my loue cometh of charyte / so that fals loue coÌ„teyneth in theÌ„ all euyll ¶ And this euyll they do by the mene of some creature / that is not in very charyte of his neyghbour / for they louen not me / and they loue not theyr neyghbour ¶ For those two loues muste be knytte togyder ¶ Thus I sayde to the before / the euery good thynge and euery euyll thynge / is done by some mene of his neyghbour ¶ In many other wyses I maye make my compleynt on man / for he receyued nothynge of me but good / and he yeldeth to me agayne hatered dothe all euyll ¶ Therfore I sayde to the / the I sholde aswage my wrothe / by the shedynge of my seruaun tes terres / and so I saye to the now agayne ¶ Therfore ye that ben my seruauÌ„tes / tourneÌ„ my dyuyne dome with youre deuoute prayers / greate desyres / and with sharpe with byt ter sorowes / for offenses done to me and to theyr harmes and so my wrothe shal asswage ¶ How no maÌ„ maye scape the handes of god / but he must abyde his ryghtwysnesse / or his mercy DOughter knowe it for a truthe / that no man may scape my handes / for I am he the am euerlastynge beynge / ye beÌ„ not nor haue no beyÌ„ge of your selfe / but asmoche as ye haue beynge of me / the whiam maker former of all thynges the haueÌ„ beynge / out take synne that is nought ¶ Bycause it is not made of me / therfore in no maner it is byloued Therfore a creature that is blynded he offendeth / for he loueth that whiche he shold not that is to saye synne / and hathe me in hate / whome he is bounde to loue ¶ I am all good / and I gaue to man be ynge / with a feruent loue / he may not scape frome me / for of my ryght wysenesse / he shall abyde here in my handes and power for his synnes / or here by my mercy pyte ¶ Ther fore open thyne eyen of intelleccyon and beholde my power / and thou shall se / that it is trewe that I sayde to the ¶ Than she lyfte vp her gostly eye / to obeye to the fader in heuen / she sawe iÌ„ his honde all the worlde closed ¶ Than oure lorde spake to her and sayde Go doughter and se that no man maye be take fro me for as I sayde al those that abyden here / abydeÌ„ of my ryghtwysenesse / or els of my mercy ¶ For al they beÌ„ myne al of me they haue brought forthe and I loue them more than may be spoken ¶ Therfore not wtstondyÌ„ge theyr wyckednesse / with the helpe good menes of my seruauntes / I shall gyue them mercy ¶ And for thy greate loue / also for thy greate sorowe / I shall fulfyll thy peryeyon ¶ How this soule whan she swette water for a brennynge desyre / in the tyme of prayer / desyred that she myght swete blode THis soule than for greate enerese of hely desyre / was made blyssed / and fulfylled with an holy sorowe ¶ Blyssed she was / for the oneheed she made iÌ„ gody tastyÌ„ge and sauourynge his goodnesse / all fulfyled woith Ioye in his mercy ¶ She was also fulfylled with sorowe whan she knewe the hyghe maieste of god / so greately offended ¶ And than she gaue thaÌ„kynges to the good nesse of god / and knowynge the same goodnesse / and the manyfolde defautes of maÌ„kynde / she rose quyckly as it had ben fro dethe / throwe a greate desyre ¶ And after this whan she knewe in herselfe / the selynge of her soule / so woÌ„derfully renued in that euer beyngt godheed / that her holy loue / and delectable brennyÌ„ge was somoche eÌ„cresed / the she swette water throwe the myght and vyolence / the whiche the soule dyd to the body ¶ For the oncheed whiche the soule made in god / was more parfyte than is the bonde of the oneheed / bytwyxe the soule and the body ¶ Therfore of the streynghe of loue / she had that swetynge hete / but she dyspysed the swerynge / for the affeccyoÌ„ that she had / was with greare desyre to haue swe tynge to come oute of her body all of blode ¶ And in that desyre she spaketo her selfe / and sayde Alas my soule that thou hase lost thus the tyme of this wretched lyfe / and for the losse of thy tyme / many harmes wyckednesses out of nombre haue sall in all the worlde / bothe partycu lâ—tly / and in comyn / and specyally iÌ„ all holy chyrche ¶ Wherfore I wyll and desyre / that thou remedy ouer all these harmes / with the sroetyÌ„ge of blode ¶ Beholde systren and se / how swetely that soule hathe kepte in my ndâ— / the noble doctryne / e whiche euer beynge sothefastnesse had raughte her / and betake her that is to saye in knowynge herselfe and the goodnesse of god in her / and spedefull remedyes for reparacyon of all
brydge of my sone / that thou beholde in the inwardely the gretenes of that brydge / whiche recheth fro the heyghte of heuē / downe to the erthe that is to saye that the erthe of your humanyte / is oned to the gretenesse of the godheed ¶ And therefore I sayde / the that brydge recheth fro the hyeheuen / to the lowe erthe ¶ And that is of the oueheed whiche I haue made in mā / the was nedeful as I haue sayde before to reforme the waye the was brokē / the ye myghten come agayne to lyfe / passe ouer the bytternesse / wretchednesse of this worlde ¶ He myghte not haue ben onely of the erthe / yf he sholde be suffycyent to passe ouer the ftoode / and take euerlastȳge lyfe ¶ For the erthe of nature of mā onely / was not suffyeyent to make a mendes for synne the was done / nor do away the synne of Adam / whiche dyshoneste wyckeduesse / broughte mankynde in to thraldome myschefe / bytternesse / and drewe out therof / moche foule / rotē / stynkynge fylthe / as I haue deelared before ¶ Therfore it behoueth nedes to bedned to the heyghnes of my nature / the euer beynge godheed / that it myght be able to make satystaccyon to all mankynde / so the the kynde of mā sholde suffre peyne and that the dyuyne nature / oned to the nature of mā sholde so accepte to me the sacryfyces of my sone offred for you / that it sholde put frome you dethe / and gyue to you the euer lastȳgelyfe ¶ Also the heyghte of the godheed / mekely dydde dyscēde to the erthe the vallaye of mysery and than of his greate loue / he loyned his godheed / with the heed of oure humanyte / and for the bytter penes that he suffred ī this vallaye or place of mysery as crucyfyed / deed / and buryed for the trespas of Adā / for by those penes with many mo the brydge is mercyfully made / and the way that was broken / gracyonsly edyfyed / and made newe agayne ¶ And why made he hymselfe to be the waye But the ye sholdē come to sothefastnes / and loye euer lastȳgely / with the nature of angelles ¶ And yet were it not suffycyēt for you to have the lyfe all be it my sone be the brydge but it were so / the ye dy den passe by hym ¶ How we ben al labourers / ben sende fro god to labour in the vyneyerde of holy chyrche and how euery man hathe a vyneyerde of hymselfe IN this party the euer beynge sothefastnes shewed that he made you withoute you / but he shall not saue you withoute you ¶ He wyl gyue to you a fre wyl with a fre choyse / to spende youre tyme in excersyce of vertues / or after the voluptuosyte of youre owne mynde ¶ Therfore he added therto sayde It behoueth you al to passe by that brydge / to seke the laude and the glory of my name / for helthe of soules / in suffrynge with greate pene many grete labours / and so folowe the steppes of my sone / fuffre and bere you penes for his loue / the whiche hathe shewed you so greate loue / for ye maye not passe by none other waye ¶ Ye ben my londe tyllers and labourers the whiche I haue hyred / for ye sholden labour / or besy you in the vyneyerde of youre moder the holy chyrche ¶ Nowe ye done labour and trauaylem the body of rely gyon hyred of me by a syn guler grace with the lyghte of the holy baptym gyuen to you whiche baptym ye token in the ghostly body of holy chyrche / throwe the handes of the mynysters of your moder the holy chyrche ¶ They plante in you a synguler grace / draweynge you oute of the pryckynge thornes of deedly synnes ¶ They ben my labourers and tyllers / in the vyneyerde of youre soules / fastned in the vyneyerd of the moder holy chyrche ¶ All maner of creatures that haue reason in thēselfe / they haue a vyne yerde of themselfe that is to saye a vyneyerde of theyr soules / whose wylles with a fre choyse / shall be theyr tyller for the space of theyr syfe for after this transytory lyfe / they shall not haue operacyōs / or workes / no ther good nor euyll ¶ Whyle a man lyueth / he maye tyll and laboure in his vyneyerde / to the whiche I haue broughte hym ¶ And the tyller of the soule hathe taken here so greate a myght / that nother the fende / nor no creature lyuȳge / may take away frome hym that strengthe / but he wyl hymselfe ¶ For whā he taketh the holy baptym / he becometh very stronge / and than is gyuen to hym a swerde sharpe on bothe the sydes that is to say loue of vertues / and hate of synnes / the whiche loue and hate / he founde in holy blode ¶ For the very greate loue of vertues / and for the greate dysplesaunce of vyces my sone suffred dethe on the crosse onely for youre redempcyon / and the tyme he redemed you with his precyous dlode / by the whiche ye ben brought out of the captyuyte of the deuyll / by the vertu of the holy sacrament baptym ¶ Also ye haue a sharpe swerde / with the which swerde whyle ye haue tyme / ye sholden vse withall your dylygence / to dystroye thesechornes / and plucke them vp by the rootes / and plante for them the hyghnes of vertues / for otherwyse / yeshal not rereyue the fruyte of the blode / of chrystes tyllers / whiche I haue setle ordeyned in holy chyrche / of the whiche tyllers I haue sayde to the before / that they voydē away deedly synues / frome the vyne yerdes of youre soules ¶ And whā they dydē mynystre to you the holy blode of the sacrament ordeyued us holy chyrche / they gaue you thanne grace ¶ It behoueth you therfore that ye aryse fyrste by a meke cōtry cyon of the herte / and by an hyghe dyspleasaunce of synnes / by lous of vertues / than ye shall reccyue the fruyte of that holy blode / or els ye may not teceyue that holy fruyte as by youre parte for ye dysposed you not as in the braunches oned to the vyne of my onely begotē sone the whiche sayde I am the vyne / ye ben the braunches / and my fader is the lande tyller ¶ I saye to the that treuthe it is / for I am a tyller / for al thȳge the cometh frome / hathe beynge ¶ My myght is inestymable / euery man is gouerned by my myghte / and by my greate vertu / ther is nothynge done without me ¶ Also I am that tyller / the whiche haue pl̄ated a very vyne of my sone in the grounde of youre humanyte that ye whiche ben the braunches ioyned with the vyne / maye brynge forthe fruyte ¶ And therfore he the bryngeth not
Thy mercy gaue lyfe / thy mercy gaue lyght / by whiche mercy / thy goodnes is knowen in euery creature / in synfull men in vnryghtful mē ¶ Thy mercy shyned in the hyghnes of heuē as in thy seyntes yf I speke of thy erthe / thy mercy is ther al plētuous ¶ That mercy shyneth ī the derkenesse of hell / not yeldȳge somoche peyne to thē the ben dampned / as they bē worthy / with thy mercy thou dyd swage / refresshe thy ryghtwysenes ¶ Of thy mercy thou hase wasshed vs ī thy blode / of the same mercy thou was cōuersaūt w e mē ¶ O lorde how greate mercy it is of somoche loue ¶ O lorde was it not suffycyent to the to be incarnate / but yet moreouer thou wolde suffre the dethe ¶ Whether than that dethe was not suffycyent bycause thou went downe in to hell / takynge fro thens holy faders / that thy mercy sothefastnesse sholde be shewed in them / but moreouer thy sothsastnes dothe gyue to them / that seruē the in truthe goodes that maye not be spoken ¶ Thou dyscended to hell / bycause thou wolde delyuer them fro peyne and mysery the whiche hadden serned the thou yelded to thē the fruyte of theyr labours ¶ Yet gracyous lorde as me semeth thy mercy constreyned the to gyue to man moore larger gystes that is to saye gyuynge the to man in to meet / the we feble wretches sholden receyue comforte and solace / that vncunnynge men sholden not forgo the memory of thy benefytes ¶ Therfore whan thou gyues euery daye that sacrament to men / thou shewed the as cryst in thy holy sacrament of the auter / in the ghostly body of the holy chyrche ¶ Lorde who wroughte all this Thy mercy lorde wrought it ¶ O greate mercy / my herte is full replete / thȳkynge on the. ¶ For ī what party I tourne me / thȳke on the / I fynde no other thynge / thā the brode see of thy greate mercy ¶ O holy fader / haue pyte spare my ygnoraūce / bycause I presume to speke thus before thy ymage / neuertheles the loue of thy mercy hath◠me a wretche excused / before thy be nygnyte ¶ Whā this soule had opened her herte by spekynge to the mercy of god / thā she asked mekely the she myght haue knowlege of the that our lorde promysed her before ¶ Than oure lorde beganne to speke agayne and sayde ¶ Dere doughter thou hase shewed / and tolde to me of my greate mercy / for I sayde to the that the sholde se that mercy / thou shall haue taste in the wordes the werē sayde before to the that is to saye I sayd I wolde shewe the whiche they bē / for whom I praye you / to praye to me ¶ Neuerthelesse doughter knowe it for certayne / the my mercy is to you moche more plētuous / thā thou sees it ¶ For thy syghte is fynyts / vnpar fyte ¶ Also cōparyson maye not be made / bytwyxe thy seȳge my and merci / but as it were bitwyxe a dede fynyte / a dede ifynyte ¶ I wolde that thou sholde taste this greate mercy / and also moreouer that thou tast or knowe the dygnyte of man / that thou maye knowe more openly the cruelte and vntruthe of wycked mē the whiche gone by the waye of derkenesse ¶ Open the eyes of thy intelleccyon / and beholde them that wylfully drownē themselfe / not goynge by the very sure pathe waye of the brydge ¶ And se into how moche vnworthynesse they ben fallen / by theyr owne synnes and defautes ¶ The syrste cause of theyr vnworthynesse is / that they become seke / the is whā they haue synned deedly in theyr hertes and wylles / and than after that / they parformē it in dede / and losen the lyfe of grace ¶ As a deed man whiche hathe no wytte / nor maye not moue hymselfe / but he be moued of another ¶ In the same maner / they that ben sleen in the wycked stood / of the worldely mys gouerned loue / ben deed as to grace ¶ And bycause they bē deed / theyr myndes haue forgoten the grete benefyte of my large mercy ¶ Also theyr eyes of intelleccyon seen not / nor knowen not my sothefastnesse / for his wytte and felynge is deed / for his intelleccyō putteth nothȳge before hymselte / but his owne wyll with the loue of his owne propre sen sualyte / therfore his wyll is deed / as fro my reasonable wyll / for his wyll loueth not / but thynges that ben deed ¶ And throwe these thre dyuers myghtes of the soule / al his werkes actuall and mentall / ben vtterly departed and dyuyded as froony grace / and as by hymselfe / he maye not be defended fro his enemy es / but he be holpē throwe my good nesse ¶ But forthermore sothe it is as ofte as he hathe ryghte frechoys whyle he is ī deedly body asketh my helpe / heshall haue it / but by hymselfe he maye neuer haue it ¶ For to hymselfe is made vnportable / there he coueteth to be made lorde ouer all thynge ¶ Therfore that that is noughte / hathe the maystre and lordeshyp ouer hym / and that is synne ¶ Synne is nought of hȳselfe / all suche as ben nought / ben the seruauntes of synne ¶ I made theym fayre trees of loue / with the lyfe of spercyall grace / the whiche grace they dyden receyue in the holy baptym ¶ But nowe they waxen roten trees / for they ben deed as I haue sayde besore ¶ And this deed tree fastneth his rootes / in the hyghnesse of pryde / the whiche pryde nourysheth venym / of the loue of his propre sensualyte ¶ And the bytternesse within / is impasyence / and all these comē of indyscrecyon / or lacke of wytte ¶ These foure pryncypall vyces done slee vtterly the soules of them of the whiche I haue tolde the before how they bē the trees of dethe for they haue no lyfe of grace ¶ Also within that tree the worme of conscyēce is nourysshed / whiche worme as longe as a man lyueth in deedly synne / that man is made blynde throwe his owne propre loue / therfore he feleth bu lytle of the fretynge / or bytynge of he worme ¶ Also the fruytes of this wycked tree bē deedly fruytes / for of the roote of pryde / they drawe oute the moysture of the tree ¶ And the wretched soule is al clothed / and couered with greate vnkyndenesse / of the whiche vnkyndenesse / there romen all other euylles wyckedues ¶ Yf she wolde gladly with thankynges receyue the benefyres the whiche ben gyuen her / than sholde she knowe me / and whā that she knewe me verely / than she sholde knowe herselfe ryght parfytely / and so she sholde styll abyde and dwell in my loue But as a blynded wretche / she putteth
is somoche / that they maye not desyre nor wyll ony goodnesse / but alwaye they dyspysen me with blasphemyÌ„ge And wyll thou knowe why they haue no appetyte nor desyre to goodnes / for that lyfe of a maÌ„ whaÌ„ it is deed that fre choyse to good or yll is coÌ„streyned / and fro that tyme passed / they maye go no forther ¶ Yf they dyen in hatered with deedly synÌ„e / alway after the soule is bounde with the boÌ„des of hatered / of that dyuyne ryghtwysenes / he abydeth obstynate iÌ„ the peyne that he suffreth / alway fretyÌ„ge hyÌ„selfe with peynes / whiche beÌ„ added encresed to hyÌ„ / fro tyme to tyme. ¶ And specyally they beÌ„ partyners of theyr peynes / of whom they wereÌ„ the pryÌ„cypal cause of theyr daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ as the ryche man that was dampned gaue you ensample / whan he asked for grace / that Lazarus sholde go iÌ„ to the worlde to his brederne for to shewe them his cruell peynes ¶ He asked not for compassyoÌ„ / nor for charyte that he had to his brederne / for he was pryued of that compassyon and of charyte ¶ And he myght desyre no goodnesse / nother to my worshyppe / nor to theyr helthe for as I sayde to the they may do no good to theyr neyghbour ¶ Me they blasfeme / bycause they dydé ende theyr lyues in hatered of me / in hate of vertues ¶ Why does thou aske thaÌ„ the ryche maÌ„ that Lazarê° sholde shewe to his brederne / what peynes he suffred this was the cause for that ryche man had many brederne / he was the oldest of theÌ„ / he noryshed theÌ„ in synne and wretchydnesse / in the whiche he was vsed alwaye hymselfe / wherfore he was cause of theyr daÌ„pnacyon parpetual / for whiche cause he sawe before what encrese of peynes he sholde suffre / whaÌ„ they wereÌ„ comen to tourmeÌ„tes to hym / in whiche peynes euermore they frete theÌ„selfe with hatered ¶ Of the blysse ioy of chosen soules IN the contrarywyse a ryghtfull soule / the whiche endeth her lyfe in affeccyon of charyte and is kâ—yte with the bonde of loue / maye not be encresed in vertues / after the tyme her lyfe is passed ¶ But suche a soule maye alwaye loue / with the same loue that she cometh to me / with the same mesure / she shall be mesured agayne ¶ He that coueteth me / alway hathe me / wherfore his desyre is not voyde / but whan he hathe me / he is fylled with repleccyon ¶ And whan he is replete / yet he is made hongry for desyre / but werynesse is fer tro repleccyon / and peyne is ferre frome suche hongre ¶ With loue they Ioye togyder / in the euerlastyÌ„ge syght of me / and to be partetakers of that I haue iÌ„ my selfe ¶ Euery soule as he hathe deserued / more or lesse that is to saye in the same mesure of loue / in the whiche they came to me / the very same shall be mesured to them / for al they dyden lyue in the loue of me / and of theyr neyghbours ¶ And so in that comyn charyte / with the whiche they were all ioyned togyder / and also with a specyall and a profounde loue the whiche cometh out of the bonde of the same charyte ¶ They beÌ„ in ioye togyder with gladnes / and they beÌ„ all made glad with ioye togyder / euery mannes goodnesse medled togyder the one with the other / with affeccyon of charyte besydes the vnyuersal goodnesse / the whiche they reioyce togyder ¶ They done ioye also with greate gladnesse / with the nature of angels / with the whiche angels / the soules of seyntes ben set after the multytude of dyuers vertues / whiche they hadden pryncypally beynge in the erthe / and all ben knytte togyder with chayne of charyte / the whiche maye not be dyssolued ¶ Also they ioye with them in a synguler partycypacyoÌ„ of blys with whome they were knyte togyder with a partyculer loue in that worlde ¶ Throwe the whiche loue they dyden encrese here in grace vertues whaÌ„ one gaue cause to an other / to shewe to gyue laude glory to my holy name / in theÌ„ in theyr neyghbours ¶ Therfore they losen not that same loue / whan they comen to the lyfe that shall euer endure ¶ But rather they haue that same / and parte togyder / with moche more plente of loue / thaÌ„ they dyd here ¶ And whaÌ„ they haue this specyall gyfte / whiche is added for encrese of theyr blys I wolde not that you suppose / that they shold haue this partyculer onely for theÌ„selfe / it is not so ¶ For that same goodnes is had of all the holy soules in heuen / whiche be my dere beloued chosen chyldren / of all the courte / of all the ordres of angels ¶ Therfore whan a soule is come to that blys of euerlastynge lyfe / all that be there / shall haue parte of the goodnes of that soule / that soule hathe parte of theyr goodnesse and blys that be in heuen ¶ But not so that the soules nede ony araye / but thou shall vnderstonde that they haue a maner of gladnesse / a synguler ioy whiche is called Iubâ—lus that is to saye a soule of a glad songe / whiche may not be tolde by worde nor shewed by sowne of voyce ¶ For gladdenes ioye / whiche ioye they haue by the knowynge whiche they had in suche a soule ¶ They beholde suche a soule take vp frome the erthe by my mercy with pleÌ„tuousnes of grace ¶ Also they ioye togyder in me / be glad in the possessyon of goodnes / that they knowe in that soule / for that grace / the whiche the soule receyued of my goodnes ¶ That same soule is glad in me / in the holy spyrytes / in the blyssed soules in heuen / beholdynge in theÌ„ that fayre heed / and tastynge the swetenes of my charyte ¶ And the desyre of theÌ„ crye alwaye to me / for the sauynge of al before my maieste for that lyfe of theÌ„ was ended / in that charyte of theyr neyghboure ¶ That charyte they lefte not / but with that charyte they dyd pas throwe the gate of my dere sone / in the maner that I shall tell the afterwarde ¶ Wherfore thou maye well conceyue that with that bonde of that same loue / wherin they dydde ende theyr lyfe / in that same they dwel abyd / euerlastyÌ„gely they endure ¶ They be somoche ê¯formed to my wyll / that they maye not desyre / but that is my wyll ¶ For theyr fre choyse is so bouÌ„de with the bonde of my charyte / that whan the reasonable tyme of a creature / fayleth after his deth he maye nomore synne ¶ And his wyll is somoche coÌ„formed with my wyll / that thoughe they se knowe the soules of theyr fader and moder of
tast fele here in this lyfe tokens of hell peynes / as my seruaūtes in the contrary do begynne here to sele and sauour the tokyns and sykernes of euerlastȳ lyfe ¶ Knowes thou not doughter that it is a ful synguler and a greate good and rewarde / whiche the blyssed company in heuē haue ¶ It is theyr ful wyll to haue his wyll / whom they desyre loue / they couet me / and for that they couet me / they haue me / and sauour me without ony rebellyon or withstondynge / for they haue lefte of and forsaken the heuynesse of the body / whiche was a wycked lawe of the flesshe / whiche stryued agaynst the spyryte ¶ The body was a meane to man / whiche body wolde not suffre hym to knowe the sothefastnes and that they myght not se me face to face / that myght not be / for the body dyd let them fro that syght ¶ After that that the soule hathe forsake the greuous heuynesse of the body / than is his wyl fulfylled ¶ For whā he desyreth me / he seeth me / ī whose syght abydeth al your blys ¶ Whā the soule seeth he knoweth / whan he knoweth he loueth ¶ Whan he loueth me most souerayne and euer lastynge goodnesse / than he tasteth and sauoureth me ¶ Whan he tasteth / he fulfylleth his wyl that is to saye his desyre that he hathe to knowe and beholde me / and ī the desyre he hathe me / and whan he hathe me / he desyreth me ¶ And as I sayd before / peyne is fer fro that desyre / werynes is fer fro replecyon ¶ Also thou sees that my seruauntes pryncypally sholde receyue theyr blysse in knowynge of me / and ī the syght of me / whiche syght and knowynge of of them / fulfylleth the wyll of them in all thynges ¶ And what the wyl desyreth / it hathe / and so it is pleynly fulfylled / therfore I sayde to the / that syngulerly to tast and sauoure euerlastynge lyfe / was that whiche the wyll desyreth to haue ¶ But yet thou shall knowe / that whā that soule seeth me and knoweth me / it is fulfylled ¶ And in this lyfe as I sayd he receyueth as for a rewarde a sykernesse of euerlastynge lyfe / begynnynge here ī a maner to sauour and tast / that they sholde haue after in full replecyō without ende ¶ But here thou askes how a soule maye fele a sykernesse in this lyfe / I tell the it is in the syght of my goodnesse in hym / and in the knowlegynge and knowynge of my sothefastnes / whiche knowȳge the bryght clere intelleccyon he hathe in me / whiche intelleccyō is that eye of the soule ¶ This eye hathe a lytle blacke in the eye / whiche gyueth syght of holy feythe / whiche lyght of the feythe / maketh a soule to knowe to folowe the waye the doctryne of my sothefastnesse / that is of my sone incarnate / wtout this clere syght of feythe / that waye and doctryne is not seen / but as a man seeth that hathe onely the forme of an eye / not the syght / a cloude couereth that lytle blacke whiche gyueth lyghte to the eye ¶ For that lytle blacke of of the intellectual eye / whiche gyueth clere syght / is the holy feythe whiche blacke whā a cloude of vntruthe or of mysbyleue is cast ther vpon / it seeth ryght nought / whiche cloude of mysbyleue cometh of a mannes owne propre loue / and sothe it is / it seeth not / for it hathe a lykenes and forme of an eye / but it hath no lyght ¶ For throwe his owne propre loue he hathe take fro hȳselfe / his owne propre lyght ¶ Thou sees also that in the syght of the intellectuall eye / they haue knowynge / whan they knowe / they loue / and whan they loue / they leue and forsake theyr propre wyll ¶ And whā they put theyr owne wyll / than they take my wyl / whiche desyre not but your satysfaccyon ¶ Suche that forsake theyr owne wyll / they gone away myghtly / fro the party of the lower waye / and begynne to ascende vp by the brydge / gone vpō thornes ¶ And for theyr feet that is to say theyr affeccyons ben accordynge with my wyll / therfore the thornes do them no harme ¶ Therfore I tolde the that they dyd suffre peyne bodyly / but no peyne to theyr soule / for theyr sencyble wyll is deed / whiche bryngeth causeth the peyne / and tourmenteth the soule of a creature ¶ And whan that sencyble wyll is voyded / thā is that peyne auoyded ¶ And more ouer they bere all thynges and do suffre with grete reuerēce / take it to a grete grace / for my name to be troubled / and they desyre nothynge / but that I wyll ¶ Yf I suffre them to haue ony peyne throwe temptacyon of the fende to preue vertu in them / as I sayd before / they make resystens with a good wyll / whiche wyll they haue made stronge and myghty in me / haue meked loued thēselfe ¶ And with pease rest of soule / they thȳke thēselfe vnworthy ony grace or rest demynge themselfe worthy to haue manyfolde peynes / and so withoute ony peyne / or dysease / they passe out of this worlde / with a full knowynge of themselfe / and with an inwarde ghostly ioye ¶ And this shall be / wheder they be troubled of the fende / or wheder sekenesse tourment them or pouerte / or ony promocyō of state in the worlde / or dethe of chyldren / or of frēdes / whiche bē al ful sharpe thornes / the whiche the erthe brought forthe for synne ¶ And al these thornes they do suffre ryght pacyently and full benyngely / with the clere lyght of reason / and lyght of the holy feythe / beholdynge me most soue rayne goodnesse ¶ For I maye nothynge desyre but all good / yf passyons penes I sende to thē it is not for hatered / but for a faderly loue ¶ After tyme they haue knowen a parfyte loue ī me / anone they come agayne to thēselfe / knowynge theyr owne defautes ¶ And than they seen with the lyghte of feythe / that al goodnesse shall be rewarded / synne shal be punysshed / and a lytle synne contynued / shall haue an infynyte peyne / for it was done agaynst me / the whiche am infynyte goodnesse ¶ Also by the lyght of this feythe / they take it for a specyall grace / that I wyll amēde thē punesshe thē here in this lyfe / and in this tyme that shall haue ende ¶ So they reken theyr synnes togyder / as they purchase meryte / with contrycyon of herte / or with parfyte pasyence / they ben rewarded with good without ende for theyr laboures ¶ And yet they knowe well / that all the trauayle of this shorte lyfe is full lytle ¶ The tyme onely
chaungynge that they began / for to aryse with drede fro peyne / fro manyfolde pryckynges of trybulacyons / and fro wretchydnesse of deedly synnes ¶ And therfore by cause they withdrawe them out fro this depenesse none otherwyse / therfore they maye not attayne for to come to the loue of vertues / nor they maye wynne no parseuerauÌ„ce ¶ A soule is euer mouyÌ„ge / and therfore yf it go not forth by vertues / it must nedes go backe warde in vyces / to stonde styll the maye it not all suche may neuer profyte in vertu / as loÌ„ge as they atteyne not the loue therof / but they must nedes go styll backewarde ¶ The .iii. chapytre telleth / how this soule fell in a mournynge for the blyndenesse of them whiche were drowned in the floode before sayde Also how the grees beÌ„ fygured in the forsayd brydge / that is to saye in goddes sone / betokeneth the very .iii. myghtes of the soule / and of other maters / as is wryten before in the kalender Ca. iii. THan this deuoute soule anguysshed by grete desyre and coueted to knowe her imparfeccyoÌ„ / bothe of herselfe and of other / hauynge ruthe pyte vpon the blyndenesse of suche wretchyd creatures ¶ And whan she had longe beholden the goodnes of god / that in what state ony creature reasonable stoÌ„deth in / yf he wyl hymselfe / he maye wynne wayes of sanacyon / and not be let ¶ For all thynge may be to hym for excersyce and experyence of vertu ¶ Yet neuertheles by theyr owne propre loue and vnordynate affeccyon / they go backewarde and wyll not amende them / but rather walke in the water of the falne floode beforesayde / so as she semed / they went fyrste to hell ¶ And many of them that dyd begyÌ„n to go / went fast back warde / whan she had herde by the goodnes of god / the was his pleasure to shewe her of hym selfe / the cause of all this by the whiche she was brought in to greate sorowe / thaÌ„ she set stydfastly her eye of vnderstondynge to the endelesse fader of lyght / and sayde thê° Â¶ O meruaylous loue of goodnesse / grete dysceyte is ymonge thy creatures / I wolde yf it were plesyÌ„ge to thi endeles goodnes / knowe more largely and dyffusely the thre degrees / fygured in the body of thy onely begoten sone / and what maner men maye holde and kepe / that they maye come parfytely out of the floode / and to go vertuously in the waye of thy truthe / and also who be they that ascende vpon the ladder ¶ How thre degrees ben fygured in the foresayd brydge that is to say in goddes sone / be to keneth the thre myghtes of the soule Than the meruaylous goodnes of god / beholdyÌ„ge the desyre ghostly hongre of that soule / with the eye of his mercy / answered sayde thus ¶ Ryght well byloued doughter / I am no dyspyser of holy desyres / but rather a deuoute receyuer of holy desyres / and therfore I wyll declare to the / all that thou does aske of me ¶ Thou does aske thre degrees to be declared to the / and also I shall tell the what maner of wyse they sholde haue theÌ„ that comen out of this floode / wyl ascende vpon this brydge ¶ And thoughe I tolde the before the dysceyte and blyndenesse of man / and how he tasteth in maner in this worlde the ernest of hell / and how they receyue euerlastynge dampnacyon / as the beuyls martyrres / whose maner of lyuynge is rehersed before / the whiche I tolde the toke of the wycked werkes of fendes / wher also I tolde the by what maner wyse they maye wtdrawe theÌ„ fro suche maner lyuynge yf they wyll ¶ Neuerthelesse to till fyll thy desyre / I shall declare to the them more largely ¶ Thou knowes ryght well / that all maner of wylles be grouÌ„ded in a mannes propre loue / the which loue is a maner of a cloude / that taketh awaye the lyght of reason / that is the lyght of very feythe / whiche the reason kepeth wtin her / and that one may not be lost without the other ¶ At the begynnynge whan I made mannes soule I made it to the ymage lykenesse of me / gyuynge to her mynde / understondynge and wyll ¶ But the worthyer party of the soule is intelleccyon or vnderstondynge / for vnderstondynge is moued of affeccyoÌ„ / and vnderstondynge moueth affeccyon ¶ The mouynge or styrrynge of loue that is to saye of affeccyon / enformeth the mynde and teeheth it how that it sholde not forgete the benefytes receyued of me / by the whiche mynde / the loue is made bely nothynge slowe nor dull / and the loue or the affeccyon of loue / maketh the mynde kynde and nothynge vnkynde ¶ And thus one myghte or power of the soule / is helpynge and contrybutory to an other / and so is the soule fed in the lyfe of grace ¶ A sâ—nle may by no maner of way lyue without loue / but euer it must loue some thynge / for of loue it is made ¶ And therfore I sayde to the yf thou haue good remembraunce that affeccyon of loue is moued or styrred by vnderstondynge / as thoughe he sayde thus ¶ I wyll loue / for the meet that I vse / is loue ¶ ThaÌ„ efte sones she felynge herselfe styrred by the effecte and spede of loue / anone she aryseth as thoughe loue sayde thus yf thou wyll loue well / that thou askes I shall gyue ye. ¶ And anone with that she arysethe vp / and beholdeth so greate worthynesse of me and vnworthynese of the soule / in the whiche vnworthynes / she is fall by her owne synnes ¶ And how by the worthynesse of theyr owne beynge / she tasteth my vncreate charyte and meruaylous goodnesse / by the whiche I made her / and in beholdynge of her owne wretchydnes she fyndeth and tasteth my mercy / for by my mercy I haue drawe her out of derkenesse / lende her a tyme space of amedement / thaÌ„ is affeccyon noryshed in loue / openynge the mouthe of her holy desyre / by the whiche sheeteth deuoureth by dysplesauÌ„ce hate her propre sensualyte with very mekenes parfyte pasyence / the whiche she hathe wonne by the hate of herselfe ¶ After tyme therfore vertues be coÌ„ceyued / whether a soule worke with them parfytely or vnparfytely / as she vseth parfeccyon / or vnê‘feccyoÌ„ in herselfe / as I shall tell the afterwarde ¶ Yf it so be that the outwarde felynge of affeccyoÌ„ moue herselfe so / that the eye of her vnderstondyÌ„ge onely e loue outewarde sensyble thynges / than the affeccyon moueth herselfe / and onely putteth before the eye of vnderstoÌ„dynge with her owne propre loue worldely and traÌ„sytory vanytes / with dysplesaunce of vertu and loue of vyces / wherby she draweth to her bothe pryde and vnpasyence ¶ And so the mynde is with
nothynge elles fulfylled / but with suche thynge that the mysse ruled affeccyon hathe gyuen vnto her ¶ This most wretched loue hathe so blynded the eye of intelleccyon / that it can nother deserne nor take more clere lyght / than it hathe receyued ¶ For that is to hyÌ„ as hym semeth ryght clere it is vyce colored by the coloure of his owne propre good / and the soule so offended ¶ But bycause the eye of vnderstondynge seeth not herselfe for her owne blyndenesse / she maye in no wyse knowe the truthe / and therfore the erreth and goeth out of the waye / serchynge other delyces and other goodes than 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 In an other place I sayd so the the all worldely delytes be not 〈◊〉 without me / but rather they be 〈◊〉 / gethornes thaÌ„ delyces ¶ In the same wyse intelleccyoÌ„ or vnderstandynge is dyseeyued in her owne â—â—ght and wyll in her owne loue louynge suche thynges as she sholde not loue ¶ And in the same wyse mynde in her kepynge and retencyons / vnderstondynge foloweth the maners of a thefe / the reueth an other fro his good ¶ In the same wyse mynde coÌ„tynually remembreth of suche thyÌ„ges that be vtterly wtout me ¶ And of suche thynges / the soule wylfully depryueth her from grace ¶ These thre myghtes of the soule be so myghtely knytte togyder / the I maye not be offended of the one / but the I be offended of all thre / for one taketh of an other good or yll / as it is declared before ¶ What that euer lyketh or pleaseth the fre choyse / that same pleaseth the affeccyon ¶ And therfore as the affeccyoÌ„ lyketh / so she styrreth and moueth fre choyse / or with out lyght of reason ¶ Neuertheles ye haue the vse of reasou knytte in me so that fre choyse fall not in you by vnordynate loue ¶ Ye haue also a contrary lawe of the flesshe repugnyÌ„ge contynually agaynste the spyryte ¶ Two partyes therfore ye haue in youreselfe / that is sensualyte and reason ¶ Sensualy is a seruaunte the whiche is ordeyned to serue the soule / that ye maye haue experyeÌ„ce of vertu by the instrumente of the body ¶ The soule is fre fro synne / delyuered by the blòde of my sone / and therfore she maye in no wyse be brought in bondage / but yf she consente by her owne wyll / the whiche is bouÌ„de knytte by fre choyse / for fre choyse is made one with wyll accordynge with her ¶ The whiche fre choyse is knytte to the same wyll / in the myddes of sensualyte and reason / that to which of bothe she wyltourne she maye ¶ Forthermore sothe it is / that whan that euer the soule wyll gadre togyder her myghtes in my name / by the honde of fre choyse / as I haue declared to the before / that what that she dothe / or yet all that she gadereth be spyrytuall thyÌ„nges ¶ And so fre choyse with sensualyte is losed knytte to reason / thaÌ„ with truthe / I rest in the myddes of theÌ„ ¶ This it is that my sothefastnes spake of sayenge thus whan two or thre ben gadered togyder in my name / I am in the myddes of theÌ„ ¶ Also I sayde to the that no man maye come to me / but by my onely sone / that is the waye of sothefastnes ¶ And therfore I haue made a brydge of hym / with thre grees / the whiche grees be fygured by the thre states of the soule / as I shal tell the afterwarde ¶ How thes thre myghtes of the soule / yf they be not oned togyder / ther may no parseuerauÌ„ce be hadde / without the whiche parseueraunce / no man maye come to the ende of parfeccyon THe fygure of these thre grees iÌ„ general I haue declared to the / be the thre myghtes of the soule / the whiche by maner of symylytude be thre ladders ¶ And he that wyl passe forthe by the brydge and doctryne of my truthe / he maye not ascende vp by that one ladder / but yf he ascende also by the other ¶ Ryght so a soule may haue no parseuerauÌ„ce of vertu / but yf she knytte and Ioyne togyder these thre myghtes / of the whiche parseueraune I tolde the before / whan thou dyd aske of me the maner / the whiche those that comen out of the floode sholde holde for to be delyuered out of the perell of the same floode ¶ And there also I sayde to the / that I wolde declare to the more openly those thre degrees ¶ And than I sayde that without parseueraunce / there maye no man come nother to the ende of parfeccyon / nor of vyces / for vertues also vyces do aske parseueraunce ¶ Yf thou do couet to come to lyfe / thou must contynu and parseuer in vertu / and he the desyreth to go forthe to endelesse dethe / he must parseuer in vyces ¶ So than a man maye come to me that am lyfe of all thynges / with parseuerauÌ„ce of vertu / and also with parseuerauÌ„ce of vyce he may come for to tast the deed water of fendes ¶ An exposycyoÌ„ of the worde of cryst / where he sayde Si quis sitit c. That is to saye / yf ony man haue thruste let hym come to me and dryÌ„ke ALl ye be byd generally / and specyally of my sone the lambe of truthe the whiche dyde cry in the temple with a greate desyre / seynge thus to you Si quis sitit veniat ad me et bibat yf ony man haue thrust / let hym come to me and drgnke / for I am a wel of water of lyfe / he sayde not go to my fader and drynke / but he sayd come to me ¶ Why / ¶ For in me that am the fader / myght neuer peyne fall / but it was than in my sone ¶ And therfore whyle ye be pylgrymes passyngers in this worlde ye maye in no maner wyse passe withoute peyne ¶ For of synne as it is sayde before / the erthe hathe brought forthe thornes breres ¶ And why sayde he so / come to me and drynke ¶ By cause all that dyd sue his doctryne / or suche that dyd drawe nyghe to hym / otherby kepynge of his commaundymentes with the couÌ„seyles mentally / or by his preceptes / with the counseyles actually ¶ That is in goynge by the waye of parfyte charyte / or by the waye of comune charyte / as I haue tolde the before / by what maner of wyse in these wayes ye come to hym by shewynge of his doctryne / ye fynde anone what ye sholde drynke / that is the fruyte of his precyous blode ¶ And also by tastyÌ„ge of his dyuyne nature knytte and oned in mankynde / and than ye so abydynge in hym / shal also fynde yourselfe in me / that am the peaseable see / for I am one with hym / and he one with me ¶ In this maner ye be byd for
ê“pre loue / therâ—ore he ascendeth aboue hymselfe / aboue all transyry thynges / louyÌ„ge and beholdynge all suche transytory thynges / yf he wyll kepe them holde them onely in my name / and in no wyse without me / that is with holy and very drede / and for loue of vertu ¶ Than suche a man fyndeth well that he ascendeth the secoÌ„de degre / whiche is the lyght of vnderstoÌ„dynge / that beholdeth and consydereth my excessyue passynge loue in my sone cryst crucified ¶ By whom as by a meane / I haue shewed the same loue to mankynde / thaÌ„ he fyndeth pease and rest / for his memory or myÌ„de is not fer fro my ferueÌ„t charite ¶ Thou knowes wel the a voyde vessell gyueth a sowne whaÌ„ it is touched / whan it is full it dothe not so ¶ In the same maner whaÌ„ mynde / or memory is full with the vnderstoÌ„dynge or intelleccyoÌ„ / and with affeccyon full of loue / yf it be touched thaÌ„ other with trybulacyoÌ„s of the worlde other delectacyons / it cryeth not by vnordynate ioye / nor also by impasyence weyleth not / for it is ful of me that am al good ¶ After tyme that a man is ascended thus / he fyndeth hym gadered togyder / for yf reason haue those thre degrees of .iij. myghtes of the soule as I haue sayde in my name eche of them be gadered togyder ¶ So than whan tweyne that is loue of me / and loue of thy neyghbour be gadered togyder / mynde or memory is brought therto ¶ As for the thyrde for to kepe holde retentyfely and vnderstonde for to se and beholde / also wyll for to loue ¶ Than a soule fyndeth her felyshyp with me / thaÌ„ I am her very sykernesse / and toure of strengthe ¶ She fyndeth than also the felyshyp of vertu / so she gothe ryghte surely / and dwelleth full parfytely / for I am in the myddes of her ¶ ThaÌ„ she moueth herselfe with a gredy desyre / for to folowe and shewe the very waye of truthe / by the whiche way it fyndeth the well of lyfely water of grace ¶ Of the thrust that it hathe for the worshyp of my name / and she desyreth also the waye of helthe bothe for her owne soule / and also for her neyghboure / for without suche wayes / suche maye not parfytely walke and go ¶ Than as she goeth / she bereth with her a vessell voyde fro all vnordynate affeccyon of the herte worldely loue / and anone bycause it is so voyde / it is fylled agayne / for it maye not be voyde / for other it must be fulfylled with some materyal thyÌ„ge or els with the ayre ¶ So the herte is a vessell that maye in no wyse stonde voyde / for whan it is voyded fro all thynges of transytory vanyte / it is full of ayre / that is with my heuenly and most swetest dyuyne loue / by the whiche meane she cometh to the water of grace ¶ And than whaÌ„ she is come therto / she dothe passe go forthe by the gate of cryst crucyfyed so tasteth the water of lyfely grace rennyÌ„ge as a ryuer quyckly in me / that am the peaseable see ¶ Here is a repetycyon of some wordes spokeÌ„ of before NOwe clerely I haue shewed to the the maner that euery reasonable creature iÌ„ general sholde holde and kepe / that he myght passe out of the grete see of this worlde / lest he perysshe go to euerlastynge daÌ„pnacyon ¶ Thre generall grees I haue also shewed to the / the whiche grees be the thre myghtes of the soule ¶ And also that there maye no maÌ„ assende vpon one degre / without he assende on bothe the other ¶ Ouer more I tolde the of that worde that my sothefaste sone spake / where he sayde thus ¶ Where to or thre be gadered togyder iÌ„ my name / in the myddes of them am I. ¶ And how those wordes be vnderstonde / the gaderyÌ„ge togyder of those thre grees besayde / that is of the thre myghtes of the soule / the whiche thre myghtes accordynge to one / brynge with theÌ„ two pryncypall commaundymentes of the lawe / that is my loue and the loue of thy neyghbour ¶ Souereynly to loue me aboue all thynges / and thy neyghbour as thyselfe ¶ After this whan the he hathe thus ascended the ladders by gaderynge togyder iÌ„ my name as I haue sayd he receyueth the water of grace to slake his thruste ¶ And that receyued he setteth his fote for to go vpoÌ„ the brydge of my very sothefast sone suynge and folowynge his doctryne ¶ Also I haue sayde / ye renne after his voyce / the whiche calleth you / and sayeth thus openly in the teÌ„ple ¶ Who that hath thrust / come to me and drynke / that am a well of lyfely water / where I declared to the / how these wordes sholde be vnderstonde that thou myght knowe the better the habundaunce of my plentuous charyte / and also the confusyon and shame of them that wylfully renne by the way of the fende / the whiche byddeth and calleth them to the water of dethe ¶ Now also thou hase seen and herde of that thynge the whiche thou does aske of me / that is of the maner of reteÌ„cyon and kepynge that they perysshe not and there he he sayde they that haue the maner of retencyon kepynge / must haue it by the ascendynge on the brydge / in the whiche ascendynge vp they be gadered togyder and knytte in one / dwellynge and abydynge in the loue of theyr neyghbours / offryÌ„ge to me the affeccyon of youre hertes / as a vessell voyded fro all maner worldely transytory loues / to the whiche vessell I put or powre in lycoure of lyfely graces / to them that aske suche drynke / kepynge the same drynke with parseuerauÌ„ce / passynge forthe in the waye of my onely sothefaste sone cryst crucyfyed / vnto the laste ende of theyr lyues ¶ This is that maner / the which al ye owe to to kepe in what state the euer ye stonde in / for there shal no state excuse hym what euer he be / but that he maye kepe this maner / and is bounde to kepe it ¶ And also he maye do it / therfore he sholde do it / therâ—o is bouÌ„de euery reasonable creature ¶ Ther may no reasonable creature excuse hyÌ„ fro it / thoughe he sayde I haue lettyÌ„ge other by his state of lyuyÌ„ge or by his chyldren / other by worldely impedymeÌ„tes / wherfore he saythe that he may not folowe suche a way of lyuynge ¶ Nor also they maye not excuse them / for dyffycultes and hardenes that they fynde in the same waye ¶ For I tolde that that euery state is to me plesaunte and acceptable / so it be kepte had with an holy good wyll ¶ For al thynges be good and parfyte made of me / that am most souerayne good ¶ They be not
made graunted of me to you / that ye take by theym youre dethe but youre lyfe ¶ There is nothynge so delectable to me / as is loue / therfore I aske nothyÌ„ge elles of you / but loue / that is loue of me / loue of youre neyghbours / the whiche maye be had and kepte in all tymes / all places / and in euery astate that a man is in / louynge and kepynge / to worshyp glory of my name all thynges ¶ Also knowes thou not how I sayd to the / that some passe forthe in this lyfe dysceyued with worldely goodes / not goynge with lyght / but couerynge them by vnordynate loue / louyÌ„ge creatures / and kepynge suche temporall goodes wtout me ¶ All suche I tolde the be so greately tourmented / that they be passyngely intollerable to themselfe ¶ And yf they with drawe not / and put away suche vnordynate loue in the maner before sayde / they passe very faste to endeles dampnacyon ¶ And now at the last I haue tolde the / what maner a man shall kepe most generally ¶ The fourte chapytre telleth whan oure lorde wolde shewe to this deuoute soule / that the thre grees of the brydge be fygured by the thre states of the soule ¶ Than he bad her lyfte vp herself aboue herselfe to beholde this sothefastnesse Also how this deuoute soule beholdynge in the myrrour of god sawe dyuers creatures go in dyuers wayes / of other maters / as is rrhersed in the kalendre Ca. iiii BIcause I sayde to the before how they sholde go that be in comyn charyte that is for to saye / they that kepe the counseyles mentally / and the coÌ„maudymeÌ„tes actually ¶ Now therfore I purpose to shewe to the of theÌ„ that haue begone to ascende vpon the ladder / and begynne to go in the waye of parfeccyon / that is in the obseruauÌ„ce of the commauÌ„dymentes and counseyles actually / wherin I shall shewe to the thre degrres and states of the soule / also thre degrees the whiche I put to the before in generall for the myghtes of the soule / of the whiche degrees / one is vnparfyte / an other parfyte / and the thyrde is founde most parfyte ¶ One is to me a hyred seruaunte / an other as a trewe seruaunte / and the thyrde is a well byloued sone / bycause he loueth me onely wtout ony other cause but onely for myselfe ¶ These ben those thre states the whiche must be in many creatures / and also they must be in one creature alone ¶ In one creature they muste be / whan suche a creature with parfyte besynesse / renneth by the same waye beforesayde / spendynge well his tyme ¶ So that he may with suche good vse of his tyme speÌ„dynge / come fro the drede of bondage / vnto the drede of fredome / and so at the laste come fro fre drede / vnto the chyldely drede that is to the loue of chast drede ¶ Lyft vp therfore thyselfe aboue thyselfe / and opeÌ„ thy eyes of vnderstondyÌ„ge beholde these pylgrymes strauÌ„gers how they pas forthe ¶ Some by the waye of couÌ„seyle vnparfytely gon / and some partytely holdynge vsynge the same waye ¶ Se and beholde clerely by theÌ„ / where is parfyte parfeccyoÌ„ / and also how greate the dysceyte is / that a soule receueth in herselfe / for the roote of her owne loue / is not yet put awaye fro her ¶ In what state that euer a man stondeth in / hym nedeth therfore to slee and dystroye his owne propre loue in hymselfe ¶ Than this soule brennynge in loue / and gredy in desyre beholdynge herselfe / sawe in the swete myrrour of the godheed creatures goynge in dyuers maners in dyuers wyses / atteynynge to the same ende / that they seken ¶ Also she sawe many that dyd begynne to ascende vp / bycause they felde them prycked of seruyle drede that is to saye dredynge theyr owne propre peyne they lefte of ¶ And some she sawe by excersyce of her fyrste callynge / come by ascencyon to the seconde gree / but sewe she sawe come to the most parfyte degre of parfeccyon ¶ How this deuoute soule beholdynge in the myrrour of god / sawe dyuers creatures / go in dyuers maners THan the goodnesse of god yeldynge satysfaccyon to the desyre of suche a deuoute soule / saâ—de thus ¶ Sees thou not these that with seruyle drede haue cyse fro the vomyte of deedly synnes / yf they ryse not with loue of vertu / seruyle drede is not suffycyent alone to gyue theym euerlastynge lyfe / but it be medled with holy drede and chaste / that is with my loue of vertu / for in loue holy chast drede / the lawe is sette ¶ The lawe of drede is the olde lawe / the whiche I gaue to Moyses / that was grounded onely in drede / bycause assone as they had synned in his dayes / anone they dydde suffre peyne therfore ¶ But the lawe of loue / is the newe lawe / gyuen of my very sothefast sone Ihesu / the whiche is grounded in charytable loue ¶ And yet the olde lawe is not broke for the newe / but rather fulfylled / so saythe my sothefaste sone Ihesu / I came not for to breke and vnlose the olde lawe / but for to fulfyll it ¶ He coupled knytte the lawe of drede / with the lawe of loue / the imparfeccyoÌ„ of the drede of peyne onely / was withdrawe fro it / onely by abydyÌ„ge the imparfeccyon of holy drede ¶ I call that holy drede / that wyll not of sende me / that am moste souerayne good / and that rather is aferde to offende me / than for ony peyne that it sholde haue for ony offence the whiâ—â— dothe ¶ And the lawe of imparâ—â—ccyon is made parfyte and holy / by the parfyte lawe of loue ¶ After â—â—me the breÌ„nynge chare of my onely â—othefast sone was come to the whiche brought with hym fere of my brennynge charyte in to mankynde / the peyne of hasty punyshment of synnes done iÌ„ this lyfe / was done away by the habundaunce of my mercy ¶ For creatures were not / nor be not punyshed anone as they hadde done offeÌ„ses agaynst me / as it was done in olde tyme in the lawe of Moyses / without ony interuall of tyme / but nowe mercyably / I abyde the repentaunce of mankynde ¶ Neuerthelesse synne shall not yet be vnpunyshed / for though it be not ameÌ„ded here / it shall be correcked in an other place / but yf it be worthely punyshed here / by dewe and parfyte coÌ„trycyoÌ„ ¶ As longe as a maÌ„ lyueth here / it is tyme of mercy to hym / after tyme he is deed / than is tyme of ryght wysenesse ¶ Therfore euery man shold now aryse fro seruyle drede / and besy hym for to come to my loue and holy drede / or els with out ony remedy he shall be drowned in
the floode beforesayde / by the waues of trybulacyoÌ„s comyÌ„ge agaynst hym ¶ And by the couetous thornes of worldely comforte / the whiche be very thornes pryckynge the soule / and loueth them vnornately / and kepeth them ¶ How the drede of seruage wtout loue of vertues / is not suffycyent to euer lastynge lyfe / and how the lawe of drede and the lawe of loue be oned togyder I Sayde to the that ther maye no man go by the brydge / nor passe out of the floode but nedes he must ascende vpoÌ„ thre grees ¶ And sothe it is / that some asceÌ„de vnparfytely / some parfytely and some with greate parfeccyon ¶ All suche therfore that with seruyle drede ben onely lad and gouerned / ascende vnparfytely gaderyÌ„ge togyder the myghtes of the soule ¶ That is whaÌ„ the soule seeth peyne folowe synne / for fere of that peyne it ryseth out fro synne / and asceÌ„deth vp and gadereth the mynde togyder / therby to pull awaye the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce and mynde of synne ¶ The ¶ The vnderstoÌ„dyÌ„ge also is drawe to for to se and beholde what peyne is ordeyned for synne / and than his wyll is moued to hate synne ¶ And thoughe this be the fyrst ascencyon / and the fyrste gaderynge togyder of the myghtes of the soule / yet muste the soule excersyce and vse the same ascencyon and gaderynge togyder of the same myghtes / by the lyghte of the inwardely vnderstoÌ„dynge in the clere syghte of very feythe / not onely beholdynge the peyne for synne but also and rather the dede of vertu / the loue that they sholde haue to vertu / so that theyr affeccyoÌ„ may ascende vp with the fete of loue / put tynge away seruyle drede ¶ Yf they do thê° / thaÌ„ they be made my trewe seruauntes / and not vntrewe / seruynge me onely for loue / and not for drede ¶ To this they maye come / yf they myghtely orawe vp by the rote and put awaye with hate / the roote of theyr owne propre loue ¶ And also yf they be wyse and prÌ„udent / styd fast / and parseueraunt ¶ But ther be many suche begynners / the whiche begynne to asceÌ„de / that be so dul and full of slothe / and so feyntly yel den to me my dewte / with suche neclygence / and ygnoraunce / that they feynt and defayle / anone rennynge to the sayle for the lest wynde that cometh ¶ And so they gone backewarde / for they dyd ascende vnparfytely / toke the fyrst gre of the brydge of my onely fothefast sone / and most byloued Ihesu crucyfyed / therfore they maye not come to the secoÌ„de gre of the herte of loue ¶ How a man that hathe excersysed hym in the drede of seruage whiche is the state of imparfeccyoÌ„ / by whiche state is vnder stoÌ„de the fyrste grees of the foresayde holy brydge / he maye come so to the seconde gre / whiche is that state of parfeccyon SOme there be that be become trewe seruauÌ„tes / that be those whiche seruen me trewly / without ony seruyle drede or bondage / that serueÌ„ not me for drede of peyne / but for loue / and with loue ¶ That maner of loue by the whiche men serueÌ„ me for theyr owne profyte auauntage / and for loue plesaunce that they fynde in me / is vtterly vnparsyte / and that maye well be knowen in this wyse ¶ As sone as my comfortes be withdrawe fro theÌ„ / anone they gyue of theyr loue / therfore it is vnparfyte ¶ By suche maner of loue vnê‘fyte / they loueÌ„ theyr neyghbours / therfore suche loue is not suffycyent nor durable / but rather suche loue ceaseth ofte tymes fayleth ¶ It ceaseth anendes me / for this cause / oft tymes I wtithdrawe fro them ghostly coÌ„fortes of the soule / that they may the soner aryse from imparfeccyon / and be excersysed in vertues / suffrynge theÌ„ to haue tourment and heuynesse of herte / that they maye the more purely come to me ¶ The whiche is done also bycause they sholde the soner come to the parfyte knowlege of themselfe / for they knowe not themselfe / nor they haue no grace of themselfe ¶ And also that in tyme of trybulacyoÌ„s they myght lerne for to renne to me / that am theyr refute and comforte / knowynge me to be to them gyuer of al goodnes graces / so to serche me feythfully with very mekenesse / and for this cause / all suche trybulacyons to fall to theÌ„ / withdrawynge fro theÌ„ ghostly coÌ„fortes / but not my grace ¶ All suche maner of meÌ„ go than full sloly with greate vnpasyence of soule ¶ And otherwhyle they leue forsake theyr ghostly excercyses in many maners and dyuers / and ofte tymes vnder colour of vertu / they say within theÌ„selfe thus ¶ This ghostly excercyse workynge is nothyge profytable to me / and that is whan they fynde them and fele them faylynge lackynge of inwarde ghostly comforte ¶ Suche one holdeth kepeth the condycyon of an vnparfyte man / for he hathe not yet ryght well lyfte vp and put awaye the veyle and the clothe of his ghostly loue / fro the clere syghte of the eye of very bryssed feythe ¶ For yf he hadde well lyfted it vp / put awaye that clothe / in sothe he sholde severyly / that all the tryÌ„bulacyons comen fro me to proue hym / for the leest lefe of a tree maye not fall downe without my ordynauÌ„ce ê“uydeÌ„ce ¶ And therfore all that euer I graunted to them by suffrauÌ„ce of suche trybulacyons / I suffre it to come to them for theyr encrease oâ— vertu ¶ That is that they maye haue a good ende / to the whiche ende I haue made theÌ„ ¶ This they sholde beholde and se and veryly knowe that I desyre nothynge of them / but vertu and good / in the precyous blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / in the whiche blode they be wasshed fro all theyr wyckednes in the same blode they maye knowe my very truthe ¶ For that I wolde gyue to them euerlastynge lyfe / I made them to the ymage and symylytute of me / and haue made theym freslhe and quycke to grace as chyldreÌ„ of grace / in the bloode of my onely sone Ihesu ¶ But bycause they be vnê‘fyte / they do to me seruyse onely for theyr owne profyte / wtdrawynge theÌ„ in the same wyse fro the parfyte loue of theyr neyghbours ¶ The fyrste â—o fayle for drede the whiche they haue for suffcynge of peyne ¶ The secoÌ„de withdrawynge of theÌ„ fro the profyte / that they sholde shewe and do to theyr neyghbours / and so withdrawe theÌ„ fro charyte / bycause they parceyue in them that they be depryued / as they thynke fro ghostly comforte / whiche they were vsed to haue / and that is for theyr loue is not parfyte ¶ But with the same imparfeccyon that they loue me onely for theyr
the trespas of negacyon or denyenge / the whiche he dyd to my sone / he wepte full bytterly ¶ Yet neuertheles his we pynge was vnparfyte / so it was vnto the asceÌ„cyon ¶ And after tyme my sothefast sone came to me in his manhod / than Peter and all other dyscyples dyd hyde theÌ„ in an house / abydyÌ„ge there mekely the comyÌ„ge of the holy ghoste / as my sothefaste sone dyd promyse before to theym ¶ And all that tyme they for fere abode in an house reclused ¶ For euer the soule dredeth vnto the tyme it come to the very loue ¶ But they were parseuerauntly abydynge in holy wakynge / and in meke and coÌ„tynuall prayer / vnto the tyme that the holy ghoste came and fulfylled them with plentuousnes of graces ¶ And whan they were fulfylled with that greate grace / than they caste awaye dredes / and so they folowed the steppes of my sothefast sone / in prechyÌ„ge his passyoÌ„ ouer all ¶ In the same wyse asoule that desyreth to come to this ê‘feccyoÌ„ before sayd / after tyme she hathe synned deedly / is gracyously arysen / knowynge herselfe foule wretched / for drede of peyne she begynneth for to wepe ¶ And after that she aryseth fro the drede beholdeth my mercy where she fyndeth delectacyon profyte / yet it is vnparfyte ¶ Therfore lyke as it was done to Peter / to the dyscyples that were closed in / so shall it be do to suche a deuoute soule that is rysen out of synne and cometh to my mercy ¶ That is to saye / after fourty dayes I shal make her to come to parfeccyon ¶ That is after these two states / otherwhyle I shal withdrawe me fro suche a soule not by grace / but by felynge ¶ And so shewed well my sothefaste sone Ihesu / whan he sayde to his dyscyples thus ¶ I shall go / and come to you ¶ What that euer he sayde partyculerly to his dyscyples / it was sayde generally and comynly to all / bothe to them that be now on lyue / to theÌ„ that be to come ¶ Namely to them that sholde come to hym / he sayde thus ¶ I shall go / and come agayne to you / and so it was ¶ For he came vpon his dyscyples / whan the holy ghost came to them ¶ The holy ghost came not alone / but with my myghte and power he came / and with the wysedome of my sothefast sone Ihesu / the whiche is one with me ¶ And with the myldenes mekenes of the same holy ghoste that cometh fro me fro my sone / in the same wyse I saye to the. ¶ Whan a soule ryseth fro her imê‘feccyoÌ„ / I with drawe me fro her by felyÌ„ge / takyÌ„ge awaye the coÌ„forte that she had ¶ For whan she was in deedly synne / she wente awaye fro me / and I dyd wtdrawe me thaÌ„ frome her synne / bycause than she had shyt agaynst me the gate of her desyre / by the whiche the sonne of grace sholde go shyne throwe ¶ This is no defaute of the sonne / but of the creature that shyt the gate of desyre agaynst the that sonne and whan she knoweth herselfe and her owne derkenesse / than she openeth the wyndowes by holy confessyon / castynge out therby the fylthe of synÌ„e ¶ And thaÌ„ I come agayne in to that soule by grace / but yet I withdrawe me fro her by felyÌ„ge as I sayde and not fro grace ¶ This I do bycause she sholde waxe lowe and meke / and that she sholde excersyce herselfe / in sekynge me truly ¶ And also that she sholde be veryly proued in the holy lyght of feythe / so for to come to wysdome ¶ Than yf she veryly / without lokynge of ony rewarde loue me with the lyghte of lyfely and quycke feythe / and with holy hate of herselfe / she is ioyful in the tyme of labour / and demeth her 〈◊〉 vnworthy rest / and quyetnesse of soule ¶ This is the seconde thynge of the thre / of whome I tolde the before / for thoughe she fele me withdrawe / she wyl not therfore go back warde / but rather she vseth mekely her ghostly laboure / stondynge stydfastly and abydynge enclosed in the house of her owne knowlege ¶ And therfore she abydeth with a quycke feythe / the comyÌ„ge of the holy ghost that is I my selfe the whiche am the fyre of very charite ¶ How abydeth she ¶ Truly not with ydlenes / but with bodyly wakynge / and contynuall prayenge / and not onely with bodyly wakynge / but with intellectuall wakynge ¶ For that eye of vnderstondynge or Intelleccyon is not shytte but it is open and waketh with the lyght of feythe / dystryenge the thoughtes of the herte with holy hate / wakynge in the affeccyon of my charyte / and knowynge that I desyre no thyÌ„ge elles / but her holynes ¶ And that is well certyfyed and made opeÌ„ynoughe / in the blode of my sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ After tyme the eye of intelleccyon waketh thus in knowlege of her selfe and me / she prayeth coÌ„tynually / offerynge to me prayer with a good wyll an holy ¶ This is the contynuall prayer / and also she vseth her in actuall prayer / that is in suche prayers as be ordeyned by holy chyrche ¶ Thus is a soule occupyed that is departed fro imparfeccyon / and is come to parfeccyon ¶ And bycause she sholde come therto / therfore I went fro her / not put tynge awaye grace fro her / but felynge ¶ I withdrawe me fro her / that she sholde knowe her owne defautes ¶ And in that she knoweth herselfe pryued fro ghostly coÌ„forte / she feleth peyne and fyndeth herself feble / not stronge for to stonde nor stydfast ¶ By that she fyndeth the rote of ghostly loue in her owne selfe and therfore she fyndeth iÌ„ them mater of knowlege / and in reysynge vp herselfe aboue herselfe / ascendynge vpon the sete of her conscyence / therfore to ly in wayte that suche felyÌ„ge is not suffred to passe without rebukynge of the conscyence / in dystryenge of the roote of theyr owne loue with ioyfull hate and with the loue of vertu ¶ How he that loueth god vnparfytely / loueth his neyghbour vnparfytely / and of the tokens of his vnparfyte loue I wyll also that thou knowe / that all suche vnê‘fyte loue / and parfyte loue is soughte in me / by meane and medyacyon of creatures ¶ They that be symple knowe this well that louen oftetymes me and seken me iÌ„ creatures ¶ Neuerthelesse yf a maÌ„ receyue purely loue of me / without beholdynge of ony creature / thaÌ„ doubteles he sholde receyue purely and drynke the loue of his neyghboure / as a maÌ„ drynketh of a vessell / whiche is tylled in a wel whan it is drawe oute / and the lycour is drunke that was therin / than is the vessell voyde ¶ And yf a man drynke of that vessell whyle it
stondeth in the well / it is neuer ydle nor voyde / but euer ful ¶ Ryght so loue of neyghbours / bothe spyrytuall temporall / wyll be drunke in me wtout beholdynge and rewarde of ony creatures ¶ I aske not that of you that ye loue me with the same loue that I loued you / for that maye ye not do / bycause I loued you / whan I was not loued of you ¶ All maner of loue that ye haue to me / 〈◊〉 it to me of dewte / not of grace / bycause ye sholde do it / but I loue you of grace / and not of dewte ¶ Therfore that loue whiche I aske of you ye maye not yelde it to me / and for that cause I haue put a meane bytwyxe you and me that is to saye youre neyghboure that ye do to hym / that ye maye not do to me / and that is that yÌ„e loue hym of grace / without ony beholdynge / and without ony abydynge ¶ For I holde it done to me that is done to hym for thy loue / this shewed well my sothefast sone to seynt Paule whan be parsued me sayenge thus ¶ Saule Saule why parsues thou me ¶ This he sayde holdyÌ„ge me parsued / in that he parsued my trewe seruauntes ¶ And therfore suche loue wolde be pure / for lyke with the same loue that ye sholde loue me / ye sholde loue them ¶ Yf thou wyll knowe the tokeÌ„s of vnê“fyte loue / I shall declare them to ye. ¶ Yf a man loue an other ghostly fele payne that tourmenteth hym / in asmoche as the creature that he loueth is not sene to hym for to satysfy to his loue / iÌ„ louyÌ„ge hym agayne as he loueth hym / his louyÌ„ge is vnparfyte ¶ Also yf he se his conuersacyon be withdrawe or pryued / or desolate fro ghostly comforte / or yf he se an other beloued more than he hymselfe ¶ All these be takens and many mo / that his loue bothe in me in his neyghbour is vnparfyte / and this is for to drynke of the vessell wtout the well ¶ All be it he toke the lycoure of loue of me / yet his loue was not abydnge parfytely in me / as in the well of loue ¶ Therfore it sheweth tokens of imparfeccyon in by / whom he loueth ghostly ¶ And all this maye be the cause / for the rote of his owne propre loue / was neuer yet pulled vp wel ¶ Therfore I suffre loue ofte tymes to be had / that he maye knowe his owne imparfeccyon / by my wtdrawynge of felynge fro hym / that he maye shutte hym vp and enclose hymselfe in the house of his owne knowlege ¶ In the whiche knowlege / he shall get al maner of parfeccyon ¶ And thaÌ„ shall I entre with a greate lyght / with very knowlege of my truthe insomoche that he shall holde it for a synguler grace / to mortyfy or sle for my loue his propre wyl ¶ And he shall cease neuer to cutte awaye the superfluytes of his vyne / to pull vp the thornes of his thoughtes / and buylde edyfy very myghty stones of vertu / grouÌ„ded set in that blode of my sones passyon / the whiche be founde by goynge vpon the brydge of my onely sone crucyfyed before sayde / grounded vpon the doctryne of my truthe in the vertu of his blode ¶ For by vertues ye lyuen in the strengthe of his passyon ✚ And here nowe mdder systren thus endeth the seconde parte of this orcharde / in the whiche all we be shewed the very way to heuen / and in that same boke we be shewed how to cut of the supfluytes of our vynes / and how we shall pull vp the pryckynge thornes of oure thoughtes / with dyuers maters / as it is rehersed in the kalender before ¶ The fourthe boke ¶ The fyrste chapytre of the .iiii. party / speketh of prayer / fyrste in what maner a soule shall gouerne her / that she maye come to pure loue and lyberall / and moche of this .iiii. partel speketh of prayers and of teres ¶ But fyrste god sheweth here a doctryne of the holy sacrameÌ„t of crystes body And how a soule shal come fro vocall prayer / to mentall prayer with other maters as it is rehersed to you in the kalender before Ca. i. AFter tyme a soule hath entred and gone by the doctryne of cristes passyon / crucyfyed with very loue of vertu / and hate of vyces / it stondeth with parfyte parseueraunce / namely suche a soule that is parfytely come to the house of his owne knowlege / abydynge myghtely and coÌ„tynually in holy watche prayer / drpted fully fro the coÌ„uersacyoÌ„ of the worlde ¶ Wherfore hath suche a soule closed her in the house of her owne knowlege ¶ In certayne for drede / knowynge her owne imparfeccyon / and also for desyre that it hathe / for to come to a pure and a lyberal loue / and also bycause it seeth well that it may come in no otherwyse therto ¶ Therfore with quycke feythe she abideth the comyÌ„ge of me / by encrease of grace iÌ„ herselfe ¶ But wherby shall a man knowe quycke feythe ¶ Truly by parseueraunce of vertu / and not goynge abacke for nothynge that falleth / nor for to cease nor leue iÌ„ dewe tyme fro holy prayers / but yf it be for charyte / or for obedyence or els not for ofte tymes by vnordynate tyme of prayer / that fende cometh by many heuynesses and batayles / more than she were founde without prayer / that he dothe for to dysceyue her / for to make her to leue holy prayers ofte tymes sayenge to her after this maner ¶ This prayer profyteth that not / for thou sholde take hede to no thynge elles / nor thynke nothynge elles but to that and of that thou sees / thus he saythe to make thy prayer to be heuy to the / and for bycause thou sholde cease of the excercyse of holy prayers / the whiche is an armure by the whiche a soule is defended and kepte frome all her aduersytes with stretchynge forthe of the honde of loue / and with the arme of fre choyse / defendyÌ„ge her selfe with the same armure / and with the lyghte of very feythe ¶ God sheweth here a doctryne / of the holy sacrament of the auter that is to saye of the holy sacrament of crystes body / and how a soule shall come fro vocall prayer / to mentall prayer / and here is shewed a vysyon / whiche this deuoute soule had on a tyme. THou knowes well dere doughter / that in meke contynuall prayer and feythfull with parseueraunce / a soule wynneth all vertu / and therfore she sholde parseuer and neuer leue it / nother for yllusyoÌ„ of the fende / nor for theyr owne freylte that is by thoughte or mouyÌ„ge that cometh iÌ„ theyr owne flesshe / nother by spekynge of no creature / for ofte tymes
is / whome I haue so greately offended / and what I am / that haue so greuously offended hym ¶ Than the fende not suffcynge suche mekenesse of the soule / and the hope of my goodnesse / sayde agayne to thou thus ¶ Cursed be thou / for I may nothynge auayle in the / yf I do my greate labour to throwe the adowne in to lowe thynges by confusyon and shame / thou lyftes vp thyself to mercy / and yf I wolde enhaunce the to hyghe thynges by pryde / thou descendes lowly by mekenes and parsnes me in to hell / so that I shall neuer tempte the more / for euer thou smytes me with the staffe of charyte ¶ In all suche maners a soule sholde medle the knowlege of herselfe / with the knowlege of my mercy / my knowlege with her knowlege ¶ And after suche maner vocal prayer is profytable to a soule that vseth it / and lykynge to me / and fro suche vnparfyte vocall prayer with excersyce parseueraunce / she maye come to parfyte mentall prayer ¶ Neuerthelesse yf the entent be set symply for to fulfyll the nombre of the psalmes / or pater nosters ytaxed / or leuyÌ„ge mental prayer for vocall prayer / I tell the for truthe suche one shall neuer come to mental prayer ¶ Otherwhyse suche a soule that whan she sholde praye and saye her nombre of psalmes or pater nosters / it is so vnsauory that her tongue is lothe and dull to say / and otherwhyle she hathe suche a conscyeÌ„ce of leuynge vnsayde the psalmes and the pater nosters / whaÌ„ I vyset her somtyme one wyse / somtyme an other wyse as somtyme by the lyght of my knowlege with contrycyon of her synnes / somtyme by largenesse of my ryght greate habundaunte charyte / somtyme by manye maner wyses makynge open before the clere lyghte of her soule / as it is lykynge to me / the presence of my very truthe after the deuoute and holy desyre of the same foule / yet she wyll not leue vnsayde the nombre of psalmes or pater nosters / but moche rather she wyll leue my specyall vysytacyon that she feleth iÌ„ her soule / and so she sholde not do / for that is one of the dysceytes of the fende ¶ But anone as she parceyueth her soule touched with my specyall vysytacyon / than she shold leue vocal prayer tourne therto ¶ And whan that mental vysytacyon is withdrawe fro her / thaÌ„ to tourne agayne to vocall prayer yf she wyll make an ende of her psalmes and pater nosters that she was in purpose for to saye / yf she haue no tyme / she sholde not charge it nor be heuy therfore in her soule / but yf it be dyuyne seruyce / to the whiche bothe prestes / clerkes / and all relygyous people be bounde for to saye / and yf they saye it not they offende / for vnto the ende of theyr dethe they be bouÌ„de ther to / yf they be in he le / and yf they were touched by specyall vysytacyon in dewe tymes and houres whan they sholde say theyr dyuyne seruyce / they sholde puruaye an other tym other before or after for to say theyr dyuyne seruyce / so that it be not lefte vnsayde / that sholde be sayd of dewte ¶ Suche vocall prayer sayd / as it is before rehersed / bryÌ„geth a soule to parfeccyoÌ„ / therfore vocall prayer sholde not be lefte / than with excersyce and parseueraunce the swetenesse of prayer shall be tasted in truthe / also the blessyd ghostly meet of the body of my sothefaste sone / as it is rehersed ¶ And therfore I tolde the that some receyue chrystes flesshe his bloode vertuously / some sacrameÌ„tally comunynge that blessyd sacramente with affeccyoÌ„ of charyte / for he that gothe to that sacrament with affcecyon / he fyndeth moche swetenesse / and he that goeth ther to more of custome and vse than for affeccyon / he fyndeth lytle swetenesse / for he that enforceth hym with all his soule to make open his affeccyon in me / knytteth it to me with the very lyght of intelleccyon he knoweth moche / and he that knoweth moche loueth moche / he that loueth moche tasteth me swetely ¶ By this thou maye knowe the parfyte prayer is not goteÌ„ with many wordes / but with affeccyon of desyre reysed in me of me with knowlege of hymselfe of me ¶ And he that prayeth thus / he shall haue bothe mentall prayer vocall prayer / for they dwell togyder / lyke as actyue lyue and contemplatyue done ¶ By many maner of wyses / vocall and mentall prayer ben vnderstoÌ„de ¶ For asmoche as I sayd to the and tolde the that holy desyre is contynuall prayer / that is for to haue an holy desyre and a deuoute wyll / the whiche wyll and desyre do aryse actually in tyme and place ordeyned / with the addâ—cyon of actu / all prayer ¶ And so a soule shall vse in tyme sette and ordeyned with an holy wyll vocall prayer / and neuer oute of tyme ordeyned for to vse it namely contynually ¶ Parauenture sometyme it muste be lefte for mynystracyoÌ„ of charyte vsed to the helthe of neyghbours / somtyme for other necessary and nedeful causes / as the state besynesse axeth / that I haue sette a creature in ¶ Euery man sholde laboure to the helthe and necessytes of soules / after the state that he is called to / for what that euer he laboureth actually to the ease and helthe of his neyghboure / is for to praye vertuously ¶ For as seynt Austyn saythe / he ceseth neuer to praye well / that ceseth neuer to do well / and therfore it was that I sayd / that prayer is in many maners ¶ For actuall prayer done / as it is before sayde is done by affeccyon of charyte / for with the affeccyon of charyte is coÌ„tynual prayer ¶ Thus I haue tolde the / howe thou maye come to mentall prayer / that is by excersyce and parseueraunce of vocal prayer / how thou sholde leue vocall prayer for mentall prayer whan I vysyte thy soule ¶ I dyd saye to the also what is comune prayer / for I sayde it was prayer of good wyll / that is excersysed of charytable besynesse / bothe in the and in thy neyghboure the whiche sholde be do with a good wyll ¶ Thus a soule sholde neuer be ydle frome prayer / but other actually or meÌ„tally she sholde praye / lest she fall in to duldesse of spyryte / and in to an vnparfyte loue / for the more that she loueth / the more she shal fele profyte and loue bothe in me and in her neyghboure ¶ And here shal be shewed of a dysceyte that creatures haue somtyme / whiche loueÌ„ god and serue hym / for theyr owne comforte delectacyon Of the whiche imparfyte loue somwhat shall I tell the / of a certayne dysceyte that is goten
of the loue / by the whiche they loue for her owne comforte ¶ And therfore I wyl that you knowe that my seruaunte whiche loueth me vnparfytely / rather he seketh after comforte / thaÌ„ he loueth me enterely onely for me and by that thou maye vnderstoÌ„de whan coÌ„forte fayleth ghostly or temporally / they be troubled in temporall comfortes / to the whiche worldely men the whiche lyuen with some maner outewarde dede of vertu / for to come to outewarde prosperyte / and whan trybulacyon cometh the whiche I gyue theym for the profyte of theyr soules / they be troubled in that lytle good the whiche they haue done / and yf ony man wolde aske them why they be so troubled / they wolde answere bycause they be so troubled in trybulacyons and an guysshes / and that lytle good whiche we haue done as vs semeth stoÌ„deth to none auauntage / for vs semeth we hadde more reste of soule before with the good that we dyden than / than we haue nowe / suche be dysceyued in theyr owne delectacyon / and it is not sothe that trybulacyon is cause / for they sholde loue neuertheles / nor do the lesse of good workes ¶ For the good workes that they done in tyme of trybulacyon / it shall auayle them asmoche as they dyd defore in tyme of comforte / and yet it shal auayle theÌ„ more / yf they haue pasyeÌ„ce / it fareth by suche as dothe by a maÌ„ that laboreth in his gardayne or in his orcharde the whiche hathe delyte is rested in soule with his la bour / bycause of his fayre orcharde or gardayne / and so it semeth that he hathe more delyte of his fayre gardayne or orcharde than of his labour / neuerthelesse yf the gardayne or the orcharde were take away fro hym / he sholde soone fele his delyte delectacyon withdrawe ¶ Why ¶ Truly for his pryncypall delyte was moche more set vpoÌ„ the orcharde than vpon his laboure ¶ But yf his pryncypall delyte were sette rather vpon his laboure thaÌ„ vpoÌ„ his gardayne / than sholde he not lose the loue that he had to his neyghbour ¶ In the same wyse a man that doeth good actuall dedes outewarde / he maye not lose the delyte of excersyce iÌ„ suche workynge but yf he wyl / thoughe the delyte of prosperyte be withdrawe / so that he set his pryncypall entent vpon the labour / and not vpon the prosperyte ¶ The cause why suche be dysceyued iÌ„ theyr owne workynge / is theyr owne passyon / for often tymes they breken out and thus they saye / I knowe ryght wel that I dyd better and hadde more delyte for to dwell more comforte than I haue nowe / bycause I am more troubled now thaÌ„ I was thaÌ„ / and now I haue no delyte nor plesure to do good dedes / theyr sayenge is false and not trewe / for yf the good in it selfe hadde delyted them onely for the vertu of that good / they sholde neuer haue loste it / nor it sholde neuet haue fayled in them / but moche rather encresed / but bycause the workynge of theyr good dedes / was set onely in her owne sentyble good / therfore it fayled / this is a dysceyte that comynly the people receyue / all suche be dysceyued by theyr owne synful delectacyon ¶ And nowe I shall shewe the here of the dysceyte that they haue whiche sette al theyr affeccyons in comfortes and ghostly vysyoÌ„s ANd somtyme of suche delectacyoÌ„ he receyueth very moche harme / for yf his affeccyon be sette in comfortes and ghosty vysyons / the whiche many tymes ofte I gyue to my seruauntes / whan they be wtdrawe fro hym / than he falleth in to heuynesse and greate bytternesse of soule / as ofte as I withdrawe my comfortes fro his soule / so ofte hym semeth that I haue forsake hym / and therfore hym semeth that he is in hell / wherfore he falleth in to bytternesse / and in to many temptacyons ¶ He sholde not do so / nor suffre hym so to be dysceyued / of his owne spyrytuall delectacyoÌ„ / but he sholde lyfte vp his eye to me / and knowe me for very souerayne good / the whiche receyue and kepe for hym / good 〈◊〉 me of dyseases ¶ He sholde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—mselfe / and holde hymâ—â—â—â—â— vnworthy for to haue pease 〈◊〉 of soule / and that is the 〈◊〉 propre cause why I wtdrawe â—â—â—â—rome hym / that he sholde loue â—â—m and meke hyÌ„ / and knowe that my very charyte and goodnesse the whiche sholde be in hym for to be founde with good and parfyte wyll and neuer elles / the whiche I conserue and kepe in his tyme of trybulacyoÌ„ ¶ And also I withdrawe me for this cause / that he shold not onely receyue of me the mylke of my swetenesse / but also that he sholde apply hym with all his myghte for to cleue to the breste of my sothefast sone Ihesu cryste / where he shall bothe seke and fynde mylke flesshe togyder / that is drawynge to hym the mylke of my very charyte / by meane or medyacyon of the blessyd body of my dere sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ To them therfore that gone so and seke my mylke of swetenesse / with prudence and not with ygnoraunce of my sones bytter passyon / to suche I tourne with a greter delyte / with ghostly strengthe and also with lyghte and brennyÌ„ge fyre of charyte And yf it so be that they take suche withdrawynge of ghostly swetenesse dyscomfortably with heuynesse and confusyon of soule / they do not wynne no comforte therby / but moche rather they sholde abyde in theyr owne dulnes ¶ How all they that delyte them in suche coÌ„ fortes and vysyons maye be dyscryued / how that they maye receyue a wycked spyryte vnder the forme / or colour of a good spyryte / and also of tokens how it maye be knowen whan it cometh of god / and whan that it cometh of oure enemy the deuyll After this ofte tymes of the fende they receyue an other dysceyte that is whan he transformeth hym selfe in to the lykenesse of lyghte / for the fende there he fyndeth a maÌ„ dysposed for to receyue ghostly comfortes / and therto setteth all his desyre on suche comfortes and ghostly vysyons / wheron he sholde not set his desyre nor truste / but onely on very mekenesse / thynke that he is vnworthy for to receyue suche ghostly comfortes / to suche the fende transfygureth hymselfe / iÌ„ to lyght by many maner wyses / other whyle to the lykenesse of an angell / other whyle in to the fourme of my sone crucyfyed / and other whyle in to lykenes of some of my seyntes / this he dothe bycause he wolde catche hym with the hoke of his owne ghostly spyrytuall delectacyon / the whiche hathe set all his affeccyoÌ„ desyre vpon ghostly vysyons ¶ Yf a soule ryse not vp anone with very mekenesse / castynge
awaye fro her all suche maner delyte / she is anone take by the deuylles hoke iÌ„ to his hondes / and yf she with very mekenesse dyspyse suche delectacyon and with loue betaketh her in to the affeccyon of me / the whi am a louer and not the gyfte / the fende for his owne pryde / maye not suffre that mekenes of suche a soule ¶ Now yf thou wyll knowe a tokeÌ„ how they ben dysceytes of the fende and not my reuelacyoÌ„s / I shal tel ye. ¶ This is the token of suche a trasformacyon of lyghte that vysyteth the soule / be of the fende / anone the soule in the comyÌ„ge of it loseth her ghostly gladnesse / and is lefte nothynge but heuynesse and derkenesse and sharpe pryckynge in the soule / yf it is veryly vysyted of me that am sothefastnesse euerlastynge / the soule in the fyrste apperynge receyueth an holy drede / and with the same drede she receyueth ghostely gladnesse and sykernesse / with a maner of swete prudence / for she dredeth / and dredeth not / but in her owne thoughte / she holdeth her vnworthy suche vysytacyoÌ„s / saythe thus to me ¶ Lorde I am indynge and moche vnworthy to receyue suche ghoostly vysytacyons / and sythe I am not worthy / howe maye this be that I am thus vysyted / thaÌ„ she tourneth her to me / consyderynge the wonderful large brede of my charyte / and seeth inwardely therin / that I consydre nothynge her worthynes / of no meryte that she deserueth to hane suche vysytacyoÌ„ / but onely my owne dygnyte and worthynesse / by the whiche I make able and worthy / whome it lyketh me to receyue suche vysytacyoÌ„s bothe of grace and of felynge / for I dyspyse neuer that desyre that calleth to me / and this is the cause that she receyueth suche vysytacyons mekely sayenge thus / beholde the haÌ„demayde of god / in me be thy wyll done / and thaÌ„ she goeth forthe to prayer / euer ryghte mekely holdynge herselfe indynge and moche vnworthy suche holy ghoostly vysytacyons / onely as I haue sayde / consyderynge that it cometh of me ¶ This is a very token for to knowe whether that a soule be vysyted of me / or of the fende / for as I haue sayd in the fyrst apperynge / they fynde a greate drede / parceyuynge bothe in the myddes and in the ende hongre of vertu ¶ Also an other whyle a soule whan that it is blynded of the wycked fende / fyrst it receyueth gladnesse and ioye / and at the laste it is broughte in to confusyon and derkenes of the soule ¶ Lo thus haue I shewed the a token / for to knowe the dysceyte of the fende / that yf a soule wyll be meke go wysely / she maye not be dysceyued / and yf she wyll algates go rather with vnparfyte loue of her ghostly comfortes / than with the ê‘feccyon of my loue as I haue sayde / she must nedes be dysceyued of the fende ¶ This seconde chapytre telleth of theym that wyll not helpe nor coÌ„fort theyr neyghbours in theyr nede / bycause they wolde not be letted nor leue theyr owne coÌ„forte / pease / nor rest ¶ Also of the dysceyte the whiche goddes seruauntes haue / that loueÌ„ god with suche vnê‘fyte loue before sayde / and other maters as it is rehersed before in the kalender Ca. ii I Haue tolde the of the dysceytes of them that wyll receyue me and taste me iÌ„ theyr soules / after theyr owne maner and delectacyon / and nothynge after my wyll ¶ Nowe shall I tel the of the secoÌ„de dysceyte of them / that al theyr delectacyon is set for to receyue ghostly comfortes / insomoche that oft tymes thoughe they se theyr neyghboure in greate nede spyrytually or teÌ„porally / ryght vnder the coloure of vertu they excuse them thus they saye yf they sholde tende to suche outwarde besynesse / they sholde lose rest pease of soule / and also leue theyr houres vnsayd in dewe tyme / therfore they charge not to helpe them / leste they lose theyr ghostly comforte / and offende me / as they thyÌ„ke they sholde do ¶ All such be dysceyued of theyr ghostly delectacyon of soule / they offende me more in that they wyll not helpe theyr neyghbours iÌ„ theyr necessytes / thaÌ„ in leuyÌ„ge of all theyr ghostly coÌ„fortes / for all maner ghostly excersyce / be it vocall or mentall / was ordeyned of me / whiche a soule sholde vse for to come to parfeccyoÌ„ / and to the charyte of his neyghbour / and that the neyghboure sholde be kepte in charyte / so that a man offendeth me more / leuyÌ„ge vndone the charytable mynystracyon of his neyghboure in tyme of nede / for his actuall excersyce and reste of soule / than for to leue suche actuall excersyce and reste of soule for his neyghbour / for he fyndeth me in the charyte of his neyghbour and in the loue of hym / and yt they be not charytably mynystred iÌ„ tyme of theyr nede / in that they losen theyr charyte / whan charyte of neyghbourehode lacketh / my affeccyon is lessed / my ghostli coÌ„forte is lessed insomoche that that they wolde wynne / they lose / and that that they wolde lose they wynne / that is by mynystracyon to theyr neyghbours / in tyme of nede / leuyÌ„ge therfore ghostly comfortes / they receyue and wynne bothe me theyr neyghbour / so in all tymes / they maye because of theyr mynystracyon / taste the swetenesse of my charyte / and if they do it not / they stonden in peyne as thus yf they must nedes do them some mynstracyon / other by very force / loue / bodyly or ghostly infyrmyte / that they do suffre / it shall be done so heuyly with suche peyne of conscyence and tedyousnesse of soule / that the one vnneth maye suffre or bere the other / and yf ony man aske them why / it is so peynfull to them / that they sholde answere and saye / that as them sementh / they lose therby bothe pease and tranquylyte of soule / and many thynges that they sholde do / they leue vndo therfore / so offende god ¶ It is not so / but bycause theyr inwarde syght is set vpon theyr owne delectacyon / therfore they can not se nor dyscerne in truthe where theyr offence is / for offence stondeth not in leuynge of ghostly thyÌ„ges / or excersyce of prayers in tyme of nede of theyr neyghbours / but it stondeth whaÌ„ they be had wtout charytable mynystracyon of neyghbourhode / whom they sholde loue for the loue of me / and in tyme of nede for to serue them charytably ¶ Thus thou maye se and knowe / how a man is dysceyued onely by his owne ghostly delectacyon in hymselfe ¶ Of the dysceyte which goddes seruauÌ„tes haue and loue god with suche vnparfyte loue / as is beforesayde ALso my seruauntes often tymes be dysceyued / all
suche namely that as yet be vnparfyte / by delectacyon / louynge with affeccyon of loue / agaynst the ghostly comforte and delectacyon / the whiche they fynde iÌ„ me / for I am the rewarder of al goodes that be done lytle and moche / after the mesure of loue of hym that receyueth good ¶ Of this I gyue ghostly comforte / some tyme in one wyse / and sometyme in an other wyse in the tyme of prayer This do I not / for that a soule sholde receyue ghostly coÌ„forte vnwyttyÌ„gely that is to say that she rather beholde the gyfte of my ghostly comforte / graunted to her by my gracyous largenesse thaÌ„ me but that she inwardely beholde rather the affeccyon of my endelesse charyte / by the whiche affeccyoÌ„ I gyue to her suche comfortes / yf it so be that she be ygnoraunt and wyll receyue her owne delectacyon without consyderacyoÌ„ of the affeccyon of me she is dysceyued / for by her owne ghostly coÌ„forte she is dysceyued / in asmoche as she delyteth therin ¶ As loÌ„ge as she is thus ygnoraunte / she goeth after her owne delyte / sekynge of the holy ghost suche ghostly comfortes after theyr owne lust / as thoughe she wolde put a lawe to the holy ghost / for to gyue it to her as she wolde / so sholde she not do / but moche rather go myghtely forthe by my sones passyon / and therefor to receyue ghostly comforte / in suche wyse / in suche a place / and in suche a tyme / as it pleaseth my goodnes for to grauÌ„te her / and thoughe I gyue it not / it is not done of hate / but of loue / that she sholde seke me truly and veryly / not onely for to loue me of delyte / but rather with mekenesse she sholde receyue my charyte / than so to folowe theyr owne delectacyoÌ„ / yf she do not thus but onely go to ghostly delectacyon iÌ„ her owne maner and not after my maner / she shall receyue an vntollerable peyne and shame / in asmoche as she seeth that obiecte or the cause of her delyte is withdrawen / the whiche obiecte or cause she sette before the cye of her itelleccyoÌ„ ¶ These be they that chosen ghostly coÌ„forte after theyr owne maner / and wolde euery daye be fedde withal in theyr soules for the sencyble comfortes that they synden therin ¶ And they be sometyme so ygnoraunt / that yf I byset them ony other wyse than so / they withstonde me in my vysytacyon and wyll not receyue it / onely desyrynge iÌ„ theyr owne purpose for to haue suche vysytacyons / as they fele sencyble comfortes ¶ This is defaute of theyr owne passyon and ghostly delectacyoÌ„ whereâ—â— suche a soule is dysceyued ¶ For it is ryght vnpossyble for her euer to stonde in one maner of ghostly vysytacyon ¶ She maye neuer stonde onely in one maner of delectacyon / for my goodnesse wyll vylyte her in dyuets maners of vysytacyons ¶ I gyue many dyuerse ghostly delytes to a soule / that is knyt stydfastly in me / somtyme she receyueth of me delectacyon / of a maner of ghostly gladnesse / somtyme suche contrycyon dysplesaunce of her synnes / that she semeth that she is ghostly troubled in herselfe / somtyme I shall be in a soule and she shall not fele me / somtyme I shall shewe forme before her my sothefast sone in dyuers mauers before the eye of her vnderstoÌ„dynge and yet shall he not be parceyued nor felte in the felynge of the soule in suche feruour and delectacyon as he sholde be felte ¶ Al this I do for loue / for to kepe her encrees her in the vertu of mekenesse and parseuerauÌ„ce ¶ And also for to enform her that she put no maner of rule to me / nor for to set her ende iÌ„ suche delectacyon / but onely in vertu that is grounded in me / that with mekenesse she receyue bothe tymes that is of withdrawynge and gyuynge and that also she receyue with her owne affeccyon / the affeccyon of me by the whiche affeccyon I gyue her suche comfortes / and also that she byleue and trust well with a quycke feythe / that I gyue suche thynges / whaÌ„ I gyue it to the nede of her helthe that she myght come by suche vysytacyons to greate ê‘feccyon ¶ Therfore I wyll that she stoÌ„de euer mekely / settyÌ„ge euer bothe begynnyÌ„ge her endynge in the affeccyon of my very charyte / and in the charyte for to receyue onely delectacyon / with desyre after my wyll / and not after her owne wyll / al this haue I sayde for to eschewe dysceytes ¶ How a soule that knoweth her selfe wysely in sothefastnes / kepeth herselfe fro all these foresayd dysceytes FOrthermore I wyll not hyde fro the the dysceyte that deedly meÌ„ felen in theyr owne sencyble delectacyoÌ„ / the whiche done them but lytle good namely of those thynges that they worke by vertu in tyme of suche sencyble comfortes ¶ Ouermore of the ghostly sencyble delectacyon of ghostly comfortes of my owne seruauÌ„tes / how that they with the loue of theyr owne delectacyon dysceyuen themselfe / the whiche delyte wyll not suffre theym lor to knowe the very truthe of me / nor the synne that they stonden in / nor the dysceyte the whiche the fende vseth in them ¶ All this I tell the that thou and all my seruauntes sholde folowe and seke vertues in my loue and after no other loue ¶ These dysceytes and perelles often tymes be receyued namely of theÌ„ / that be yet in vnparfyte loue / that is onely for to loue me bycause of my myghte / and not symply me that am the gyuer ¶ But a soule that in sothefastenesse hathe entred the house of her owne knowlege / excersyseth parfyte prayer and ryseth vp in suche awyse / as I haue tolde the where I treted of prayer / for the imparfeccyon of theyr owne loue / and also fro the imparfeccyon of prayer / she receyueth me by affeccyon of loue / sekynge besyly to drawe oÌ„ute the mylke of my brest / the swetenesse of the doctryne of my sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed / after tyme she is come ê‘fycely to the thyrde estate of a sone or of a frende ¶ Than al suche haue no hyred loue / as seruauntes vnder bondage / but they be as dere and electe frendes hauynge the loue of dere blessyd chyldren / for ryght as one freÌ„de dothe to an other / so done they with me / ryght as a freÌ„de gyueth a present to an other / for the eye is not set onely vpon the gyfte / but also it is sette in the herte and in the affeccyon of the gyuer / and so he kepeth the gyfte byloue of affeccyoÌ„ ¶ Ryght so a soule that is come to the state of the thyrde parfyte loue whan she receyueth my gyftes and my graces / she beholdeth not onely my gyftes / but with the eye of Intelleccyon she
forth vertu for to encrese in her neyghbours / by the whiche vertu she receyueth an other / that is the last state of parfyte vnycyon oneheed in me / the whiche two states be knytte togyder / for that one maye not be wtout that other ¶ For ryghte as my charyte maye not be wtoute charyte of neyghbourheed / nor charyte of neyghbourheed maye not be without my charyte / the one maye not be departed fro that other ¶ In the same maner it fareth of these two states / the one maye not be without that other / lykewyse as I shall shewe the nowe suyngly ¶ How imparfyte wyl onely folowe the fader / but parfyte men folowe the sone HEre I told that how they haue gone out / the whiche goȳge I sayd is a token that they be rysen fro imparfeccyon / come to parfeccyon ¶ Open than the eye of thy vnderstondynge / and se them how they renne by the brydge of the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed / the whiche was the very waye / rule / and doctryne / before the eye of her intelleccyon / for they put nothȳge elles before theyr eyen / thā my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed / they put not me the fader before theyr eyen / as he dothe that abydeth and dwelleth in vnparfyte loue / the whiche wyll suffre no peyne / and bycause there maye no peyne fall in me / therfore suche one wyll lyue with ghostly delectacyon that he fyndeth in me without ony peyne / suynge me rather than my sothefast sone Ihesu / for suche cause it is that he sueth me / yet not me / but ghostly delectacyon that he fyndeth in me ¶ They that do loue parfytely do not so / but as ghostly drūken men they be gadered togyder / and ascende vpon the thre grees or ladders the whiche I fygured to the by thre myghtes of the soule / and also vpon the thre actuall grees / the whiche I fygured to the actually in the body of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ After the tyme they be thus ascended with the fete of affeccyon of the soule / they come to the greate hole of the syde of my sone / where they synde the pryue for cretes of the herte / and knowe there the water of baptym / the whiche hathe vertu in the bloode of my sones passyon / in the whiche blode a foule syndeth grace by holy baptym / where that the vessell of the soule is dysposed / made redy for to receyue grace / also where she is oned in the blessyd blode of the lābe receyuynge so holy baptym of that bloode vertuously ¶ In the whiche state she knoweth veryly tasteth the brennynge syre of dyuyne charyte / so shewed well my sothefaste sone Ihesu to the / yf thou haue mynde whan he was asked of the in this wyse ¶ O swete and vndefouled lambe / whā thou was deed and thy syde was opened / why wolde thou be smyt / and why wholde thou suffre thy herte to be cutte ¶ He answered and sayde / yf thou remembre that many causes there were why / but one pryncypall cause shall I tell the he sayde / for my desyre as to mākynde was infynyte and endelesse / and the actuall workȳge for to suffre peyne and tourment / was fynyte and had an ende ¶ And therfore bycause my desyre and loue to mankynde was infynyte / I wolde that my pryuytes of my herte were sene to mankynde / openynge to you for the same cause my syde / that ye myghte loke theron and vnderstonde therby that I loued mākynde moche more thā I couthe or myght shewe you of my peyne fynyte / shedynge bothe blode and water ¶ And also ther I shewed in two maner of wyses baptym of bloode ¶ One was as I sayde in them that be baptysed in blode shed by martyrdome for me / the whiche baptym hathe vertu of my bloode namely for thē that may not be baptysed in the holy baptym of water ¶ Some also I sayde were and be baptysed in fyre / desyrȳge baptym of water with all the affeccyon of the soule and maye not haue it / al suche be baptysed in fyre / and yet is it not this taptym of fyre / without blode / for blode is medled with fyre of dyuyne charyte / bycause it was shed out for loue ¶ In an otherwyse also a soule receyueth this baptym before sayde / the whiche dyuyne prouydēce charytably hathe ordeyned / for the infyrmyte freylte is knowen to hym / by the whiche freylte mā offēdeth / not bycause he is cōstrayned for to offende by freylte / but bycause as a frayle man he falleth in to the trespas of deedly synne wylfully / wherby he hathe loste grace that he had wonne in that baptȳ of blode by vertu ¶ And therfore it was ryght necessary that my dyuyne charyte sholde puruaye a remedy for to put awaye suche greuous synnes / the whiche is cōtynall baptym of blode / that a soule wynneth by cōtynuall contrycyon of herte and with holy confessyon / whan it maye be had of my mynysters / the whiche holden the keye of that blode / and that blode they poure downe vpon the face of the soule in gyuynge of absolucyon ¶ And yf confessyon maye not be had / cōtrycyon of herte suffyseth / for than that honde of myldnesse and mekenesse / largely gyueth to you the fruyte of that blode ¶ Yf that ye maye haue confessyon / I wyl that ye haue it and vse it / for yf there be ony that maye haue it wyll not / he shall be depryued fro that fruyte of that blode ¶ Neuerthelesse syth it is ī the laste ende of a mānes dethe yf he wyll be confessed maye not / yet than my goodnesse shal also receyue hym ¶ Yet sholde not a mā be suche a foole / that wyll therfore vnder suche hope delaye his confessyon / and abyde vnto the laste ende of his lyfe / for he is not syker whether to go for his obstynacy / I with my dyuyne ryghtewysenesse wyll saye to hym thus ¶ Thou dyd not thynke on me in the tyme of thy lyfe whā thou myght / therfore I shall not haue mynde of the now in that ende of thy dethe ¶ And thus for this cause / ther sholde none dyfferre and delaye his confessyon / and yf he delaye it by his owne defaute / yet sholde he not cease and abyde in to the last daye / for to baptyse hȳselfe by hope in the blode of hertely contynuall cōtrycyon before sayde ¶ Therfore it is called a cōtynual baptyme / wherin a soule maye baptyse herselfe euer and at all tymes whan she wyll vnto the laste daye of departynge fro the body / as I haue sayde before ¶ Also thou knowes therfore ī this baptym that my workynge by passyon of my sones crosse was fynyte / but the fruyte of
affeccyoÌ„ of my charyte / and therefore she fyndeth in the mouthe of her soule peas / and suche peas that there maye none trouble her / bycause she hathe forsaken her owne seÌ„cyble wyl ¶ Al suche bryÌ„ge forthe vertues withoute peyne vpon theyr neyghbours / not for the peyne that they suffre is no peyne to other / but to a wyll mortyfyed it is no peyne / for wylfully and frely in my name and for my name she suffreth peyne / suche people do renne without neclygence / by the techynge and doctryne of my onely sothefastesone Thesu cryste crucyfyed / and let not theyr sournaye for no wronges that be done to them / nor for no parsecucyon / nor for no delectacyon that the worlde myghte gyue them / but all these they shold lyghtly ouerpas by ghostly strengthe and very parseueraunce / bycause theyr affeccyon is veryly â—â—me out of the affeccyon of charyâ—e / taslyÌ„ge that meet of helthe of soules / with very parfyte pasyence ¶ The whiche pasyence is a to ten that a soule loueth most parfytely and withoute lokynge of ony rewarde / for ys she loued me and her neyghboare for onye profyte or rewarde / she were vnpacyent / and she sholde ware slowe and dull in her iournaye / but that they loue me for me / bycause I am the moste souerayne good and worthy to beloued / and also they loue themselfe for me / and theyr neyghboure for me / that they sholden yelde laude and preÌ„synge to my name / and therfore they be pacyent and stroÌ„ge / and also parseueraunte for to suffre ¶ And now I shal declare to the of the workynge of the soule / after tyme it is asceÌ„ded the thyrde gre of that holy brydge THese ben the gloryous vertues grouÌ„ded iÌ„ very tharyte the whiche be abydyÌ„ge in the heyghte of the tree of that same charyte before sayd / that is pacyence / streÌ„gthe / and parseueraunce / whiche be crowned with the lyghte of blessyd feythe / with the whiche lyght they renne without derkenesse by the waye of truthe / and also be enhaunsed by holy desyre ¶ And therfore there maye no man hurtâ— that soule / nor the fende with allâ—is temptacyons / for he dredeth suche a soule that is brent in the furneys of charyte / nor also backebyters nor wronges and miuryes of men / and yet thoughe the worlde parsu her / he is aferde of suche a soule ¶ Thus by my endelesse goodnesse / suche a soule is made stronge and magnyfyed in the worlde before me / bycause of mekenesse in her owne syght / she is made lytle ¶ This is wel knowe in my seyntes whiche for my loue made them lytle by mekenesse iÌ„ this worlde / therfore I haue made theÌ„ grete iÌ„ my endeles lyf aboue ¶ And also iÌ„ my mysteryal body of that moder of holy chyrche / wher of theÌ„ is made coÌ„tynuall memory ¶ For iÌ„ me whiche am the boke of lyfe / theyr names be wryteÌ„ / also the worlde hathe theÌ„ in reuereÌ„ce / bycause they dyspysen the worlde ¶ All that lyuen yet in erthe of such coÌ„dicioÌ„ hyde not vertu for dredt but for mekenesse / yf theyr neyghbours haue nede of theyr seruyse / they hyde not theyr mynystracyon for drede of peyne / nor for that drede of losse of theyr owne ghostly comfort ¶ For in what maner of wyse they excercyse theyr lyfe and theyr tyme for my worshyp / they be glad ioyful and fynde peas and rest of soule ¶ Whiche is that ¶ In sothe bycause they chosen not for to serue after theyr owne maner / but after my maner / and therfore they charge asmoche the tyme of ghostly comfort / as they do the tyme of trybulacyons and of prosperyte / as they do of aduersyte / asmoche greueth theÌ„ that one as that other / for euer in all thyÌ„ges they fynde my wyll / they do besy them with all theyr desyre for to comforte them in all thynges / ouer all bothe in thoughte dede to seke worke after my wyl ¶ They se well aspy in the pryuyte of my dyuyne prouydence / that without me is made nought / that is to saye synne / and therfore they hate synne / wherfore they be so stedfaste stronge in ghostly strengthe iÌ„ theyr owne wyl / the they go myghtely by the waye in the way of truthe waxe not wery / but feythfully truly they seruen mynystreÌ„ to theyr neyghbours / takynge no hede to the ygnorauÌ„ce vnkyndenes of theyr neyghbours / nor thoughe a vycyous man saye to theÌ„ other whyle wroÌ„ge / repreue theyr good dedes / but moche rather they crye ghostly in my syghte / by holy prayer prayenge for them / hauyÌ„ge more pyte ruthe for the offence that is done to me / for that harme of theyr soules / th aÌ„ for theyr owne imuryes and wronges / al suche do saye with my chosen seruaunte seynt Paule Daledicimus et benedicimus c. we be cursed of men and sayde euyl of / but we blesse agayne / we suffre psecucyoÌ„s / but we bere it pasyently / we be blasphemed / we beseche praye / for we be made as or fayle of all this worlde / the whiche is cast out therof ¶ Sees thou not dere doughter and consyders thou not these swete tokeÌ„s / specyally aboue al to kens / the synguler vertu of pacyence in the whiche a soule sheweth well in sothefastnes / that she is rysen tro vn parfyte loue come in to ê‘fyte loue / folowynge suynge the swere vnde fouled laÌ„be my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / the whiche haÌ„gynge vpoÌ„ the cros fast helde with nayles of loue come not done fro that cros for all the cryenge of the Iewes / that dyd crye to hyÌ„ thus Descendae nunc de cruce ¶ c. Come he downe now fro the cros we shal byleue in hyÌ„ ¶ Nor also he wtdrewe hyÌ„ not nor came not downe fro the cros for no maner vnkyndenesse whiche was shewed of you / but abode vnder my ovedyeÌ„ce with suche pasyence / that his crye was not herde / by no maner grutchyÌ„ ge ¶ In the same wyse these welbyloued chyldreÌ„ / my deuoute seruauÌ„teâ— / se then folowen the doctryne ensample of my sothfast sone Ihesu And thoughe the worlde wold withdrawe theÌ„ for to loke backe warde / they wyl not / but onely loke forwarde in the myrroure of my very sothefastnes ¶ suche wyll not go out of the felde of batayle for the coote that is lefte at home / that is for theyr owne coote of plesaunce to creatures / and them dredynge rather than me / but with loue and delyte in me they dwel styl abydynge full ghostly drunke with the blode of my blessyd sone Ihesu in the felde of batayle / whiche blode my endeles charyte hathe reserued put it before you to be your shelde in batayle / whiche is
mynystred by the herdes of holy chyrche / for to be strenghe to them that wyll be maÌ„ly knyghtes / and fyghte agaynste the fende and the worlde / and agaynste theyr owne sensualyte and freylte of flesshe / with the swerde of hate of theyr ghostly enemyes / and with loue of vertues / the whiche loue is armure by whom they be defended and kepte fro strokes ¶ For the enemyes maye not hurte none of my knyghtes / but whan they delyuer vnto theyr hondes theyr swerdes armure / tourne theyr backes frely with the haÌ„de of fre choyse ¶ My knyghtes wyll not do so / but rather they dure and parseuer myghtely to yÌ„ dethe / for they be ghosty druÌ„ke with the precyous blode before sayd / by the whiche parseuerauÌ„ce / al theyr ghostly enemyes be ouercome ¶ O gloryous vertu of pasyeÌ„ce / how plesaunt and lykynge arte thou to me / for in the worlde thou puttes awaye ygnoraunce / gyues clere syghte to derke eyen / the whiche may not but algates they must take parte of the lyght of my seruauÌ„tes ¶ The meke nesse that my seruauntes haue / shy neth to the soules helthe of them / in hate of theyr synnes agaynste the enuy of them / the wydenesse and the brede of theyrgrere charyte shyneth agaynst theyr cruelte / for they ben cruell agaynste them / and my seruauÌ„tes do shewe pyte agayneward agaynste theyr wronges shyneth that quene of pasycÌ„ce / the whiche hathe domynacyon and holdeth the pryncypall ladyshyp of all vertues / for it is the pythe and the marow of charyte / she it is that sheweth and kepeth vertues in the soule maketh to be knowe whether those vertues be grounded in me or not ¶ She it is that ouercometh / and is neuer ouercome / she it is as I haue fayde that is in felyshyppe with ghostly strengthe and parseueraunce / she it is that cometh home with vyctory / that is after tyme she is gone out of that felde of batayle / she cometh home to me the euerlastynge fader / there warder of all her laboure / of whome she shall receyue and take a crowne of endelesse loye ¶ Of the state that is departed from the thyrde / and of workynges of the soule whiche is come to this state / and how god goeth neuer awaye fro that soule by coÌ„ tynuall felynge Hyderto I haue tolde the how they shewe that they be come to parfyte frendely louely louynge loue ¶ Nowe wyll I tell the in howmoche loue my seruauÌ„tes that yet abyde iÌ„ the deedly body tast me / for after tyme they ben come to the thyrde state in the same state as I sayde they wynne the fourthe state ¶ Not for it is depted fro the thyrde / but they be togyder all one / for that one may not be without that other / lyke as my charyte and charyte of neyghbourheed maye not be departed / as I sayde to the before ¶ But there is a maner of fruyte that cometh out of this thyrde gre / of a cer tayne parfyte vnyoÌ„ / whiche the soule hathe in me / where she receyueth streÌ„gthe aboue streÌ„gthe / in somoche that not onely she bereth wronges with pasyence / but also she desyreth with a longynge desyre for to haue strengthe to suffre iniury and peyne for the laude and Ioye of my name / with that longynge pasyent desyre / she receyueth iÌ„ wardely ghostly loye in the repreues and wronges done to them for my sone Ihesu / as my gloryous precher seynt Paule sayd Libenter gloriabor c. That is to saye / gladly ioyfully I shall be mery in my infyrmytes / that the vertu of chryst maye dwell iÌ„ me / for I bere in my body the woundes of my lorde Ihesu cryste ¶ In this maner all suche be so ful of loue and fro themselfe for the worshyp and ho noure of my name / and so hongry vpon the meet of soules helth / that they renne to the meer table of my sones crosse / and there desyrynge to suffre moche greuous peyne therby for to wynne and purchase vertues to edyfycacyon and profyte of theyr neyghbours berynge contynually the blessyd pryuytes of the wouÌ„des of my sone Ihesu cryste in theyr bodyes / that is the inwardely loue that they haue for helthe of theyr neyghbours soules crucyfyeÌ„ge them so in theyr bodyes / and shewpnge by shy nynge to other / in somoche that they set ryght noughte by theyr owne bo dyes / but rather desyre with greate delyte for to suffre repreues / heuynes and peynes / reckynge neuer in what wyse they be gyuâ— to theym / for helthe of theyr neyghbours soules ¶ To all suche dere chyldren / peyne is luste and delyte / all other lust and delyte or comforte that the worlde maye gyue to theÌ„ / is no ioye to theÌ„ / for thoughe the worlde wolde fauoure them that is thoughe seruauntes of the worlde be coarte by dyspensacyon and ordynauÌ„ce of my endelesse goodnesse for to haue them in reuerence / and for to helpe them and releue them in theyr nedes / yet they haue no ioye therin / but onely in me ¶ Nor they set not theyr herte to receyue no maner of comforte nother bodyly nor ghostly / but me alone / whicheâ—am endeles comforte that neuer maye fayle ¶ This cometh of the vertu of very mekenes / purchased and goten of holy hate / the whiche mekenesse is norysher of charyte / purchased goten of the knowlege of herselfe of me ¶ Thus thou maye se vertu shyne iÌ„ the gryuytes of crystes woundes / bothe in the bodyes and in the soules / of suche chosen parfyte seruauntes ¶ To all suche it is profered by grace me neuer to be departed from them by selynge / as I was and am fro other / of the whiche I tolde the before / fro whome I went and came not / goynge fro theÌ„ withdrawpnge grace ghostly felyÌ„ge ¶ I do not so to these that be my most parfyte chyldre t / the whiche be come to greate parfeccyon / mortyfyed in all thynges to theyr owne wylles / but coÌ„tynually bothe by grace felynge I rest iÌ„ theyr soules that is whaÌ„ that euer they wyl haue theÌ„selfe in me by affeccyon of loue they maye / thaÌ„ theyr desyre is come to suche an vnyon by affeccyon of loue / that in no wyse it maye be departed fro theÌ„ / but euery place is to theÌ„ a place / euery tyme is to theÌ„ a tyme of prayer / for theyr coÌ„uersacyon is lyfted vp aboue the erthe and araysed vp to heueÌ„ that is to saye bycause they haue wtdra we putte awaye fro theÌ„ all maner erthly affeccyon / also theyr owne propre sency ble delectacyoÌ„ / they be rysen aboue themselfe in to the heyght of heueÌ„ by the ladder of vertu / after tyme they haue ascended the grees / the whiche grees I lykened to the / by the body of my
felynge / nor yet grace fro them / but my vnycyoÌ„and oneheed / and that is the cause why oft tymes soules with longynge desyres / teÌ„ne with vertues by the brydge of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst cru cyfyed that is by his passyou / and after tyme they haue so longe ruÌ„ne / they t be come to the grete brode gate of the passyon / where they drynke tast abuÌ„dauÌ„tly the precyous blode of my onely sone Ihesu / tyll they be very ghostly drunke ¶ And after tyme they be so ghostly druÌ„ke with that blessyd blode / and be brenned iÌ„ the fyre of my loue / anone they talt in me the endelesse godhecd / the whi che is to them as a peaseable see in the whiche see that soule hathe caughte suche an vnyon and oneheed / that suche a soule hathe no maner mouynge / but in me ¶ And thoughe a man in suche a state of vnycyon be deedly / yet he tasteth than the endclesse good of innrortalyte vndeedlynesse ¶ Wherby they receyue agy lyte and swetenes of body / not with stondynge the ponderosyte of the body ¶ By the whiche parfyre vnyon often tymes the body is lysted fro the erthe / and so the greuous and ponderous body is made lyght ¶ This is the vnyon by the whiche the soule in me is more parfyte / than is the vnyon whiche is bytwene the body and the soule ¶ Neuertheles yer is not therfore the ponderosyte of the body withdrawe / thoughe it other whyle by suche vnycyon be lysted / but it is the strengthe of the spyryte / the whis the is oned in me that lyfteth vp that ponderosyte of the body / and so the body is all brente by affeccyoÌ„ of the soule in somoche that it were possyble for to lyue / yf my goodnesse byclypped it not with a newe strengthe ¶ And therfore I wyll that thon knowe that it is more myracle for to se / that a soule gothe not out of the body in this vnyon and oneheed / than for to se many bodyes aryse fro dethe to lyfe ¶ For this cause it is that I withdrawe sometyme that vny on fro a soule / makynge it tourne agayne to the body / the whiche was alyened by affeccpoÌ„ of that same soule ¶ For I wyll not that a soule sholde so departe fro the body / but onely by medyacyon of bodyly dethe ¶ Neuexthelesse ur suche rapt / the myghtes of the soule and the affeccyon of the soule oned in me passen oute fro the body / for the mynde of the soule is not full but with me and the intelleccyon on of the soule is lyfte vp / be holdynge the truthe of my very sothefastnesse ¶ The affeccyon that foloweth intelleccyon loueth oneth herselfe in that thynge the whiche that eye of intelleccyon sayeth ¶ Whan all these myghtes of they soule be gadered togyder / oned and drenched by loue in me / the body loseth his felynge in me / for the eye seynge seeth not / the ere herynge hereth not / the tongue spekyÌ„ge speketh not / but as I suffre it sometyme to speke / after the abundaunce of the herte of suche thynges that it feleth / for glory and laude of my name / so thoughe that it speke it speketh not / the hande also felynge feleth not / nor the fote also goynge goeth not ¶ All these lymmes and felynges of the body / ben bounde and occupyed by the in warde sencyble felynge and bonde of loue / by the whiche bonde of loue they be so bounde and subiecte to reason with affrccyon of the soule / that all they crye with one voyce to me / endelesse fader in wyll for to be departed that body fro the soule / and the soule fro the body / the whiche is in maner agaynst kynde ¶ And suche a maÌ„ so yllumy ned by suche specyall onynge / cryeth with seynt Paule that gloryous apostle / wher he sayde thus Oinfelix ego sum c. That is to saye ¶ O wretched man that I am / who shal departe me fro the deedly body that I bere aboute / I se an other lawe in my outewarde wyttes of the body / the whiche repugneth the iwatde lawe of my soule ¶ Paule sayde not this onely of the impugancyon the whiche the sencyble felynges dyd agaynst the spyryte / for he was in ma ner certyfyed of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / and made syker therof whan he sayde to hym thus Paule sufficit tibi grÌ„a mea That is Paule holde that well apaye / for my grace is suffycyeÌ„t for to kepe that / but wherfore sayde he so than Truly for the eye was bounde and myght not se me endâ— lesse trynyte / by the syghte and vysyon of blyssed and vn deedly spyrytes / the whiche euer yelden to my name ioye and laude / and for bycause he fouÌ„de hyÌ„selfe amoÌ„ge deedly creatures that euer and con tynually offenden me / departed fro my syght / that is not seynge me veryly in my propre essencyal beynge / therfore he sayde so / for cuery vysyon and syght that a soule receyueth as derke in rewarde of that syghte the whiche a soule hathe whan it is drpatted fro the body / and so it semed to seynt Paule / that the felynge of the bodyly syghte impugneth the vysyon and the lyght of the soule that is that mannts felynge / or the ponderosyte of the body letteth the eye of mtelleceyon / the whiche suffreth not it to se me face to face ¶ It semed that his wyl was bounde / that it myght not loue asmoche as it desyred to loue / for cuery loue in this lyfe is vnparfyte / vnto the tyme that it come to the parfeccyon that it loueth ¶ I saye not this for the loue of seynt Paule / and the loue of other of my dere seruauntes that they were vnparfyte to grace / and to receyue the parfeccyoÌ„ of charyte / for so they were parfyte / but thy were vnpar fyte / bycause theyrloue was not coÌ„plete / and therfore in maner theyr loue was peyneful / bycause it was not full / for yf theyr desyre hadde be fulsylled as they dyd loue it sholde haue hadde no peyne / but whan that soule is departed fro the body / than theyr desyre is fulfylled / and than it loueth withoute pâ—yne ¶ Neuerthelesseâ—et than it hathe hoÌ„gre and desyre for to loue more / but peyne is there none in that hoÌ„gre and desyre and all bycause it is departed fro the peynfull body ¶ Than is the besfell full in me stabled made stroÌ„ge in me in truthe / that it maye no thynge desyre but yf it haue it ¶ She desy reth for to se me / she seeth me face to face / she delyreth for to seloy and praysynge or louynge of my name in my seyntes / she seeth one wyse in the nature of angelles / and an other wyse in that nature of maÌ„ ¶ How worldely men yelden glory
your helth ¶ Ryght so a blessyd soule by departynge fro the body endeth peyne / but the charpta ble desyre of soule helth endeth neuer ¶ For yf that my affeccyon of charyte / the whiche I shewed to you by meane of hym / had thā be ended agaynste you ye sholde neuer be in asmoche as ye be made of loue / yf the loue were withdrawe fro me that I sholde not loue ye sholde neuer be / but my loue hathe made you / my loue hathe kepte you cōserued you ¶ And so my onely sothefaste sone ended ī his passyon peyne of desyre / but neuer loue of desyre ¶ Thus loserth a soule in blysse / that euery seynt euery soule that is in blysse / is there without peyne of desyre of helthe of soules / for the peyne ended in her departynge fro the body / but she is not there without affeccyon of charyte ¶ For whā suche a soule departeth fro the body / she passeth out ghostly drunke in the blode of my onely sothefast sone that vndefowled lambe / and so bathed in his blode / and arayed with the cote of chary te of neygh bourheed / entreth ī me that am the pease able se ¶ And than for euer suche a soule is departed fro mpatfeccyon / that is fro vnfulfyllyngenesse / and come to parfeccyon fullylled with al good / the whiche good she vseth ende lesly ¶ And here it shall be shewed how that seynt Paule after tyme he was assumpte and take to the gloty of them that be in blysse / he coueted to be vnbounde and vnlosed fro the body / and so do they the whiche be come to the thyrde and the fourthe state before sayd O Hat lame good Paule sauoured and tasted / whan I rauyshed hym to the thyrde heuē that is to the heyghte of the trynyte by the whiche tastynge he knewe the sothefastnesse therof / where he receyued fully my spyryte / and lerned verely and truly the doctryne of my onely sothefalt sone IIhesu cryst crucyfyed / and the soule of hym was oned by ryghte that tyme to me the fader by selynge / and arayed with the shynynge clerenesse or the blessyd endeles lyfe / saue that his soule was not departed fro the vody / but onely by felynge and vnycyon ¶ It plesed and lyked me tyght well / for to take vp and rauysshe suche a chosen vessel / bycause he sholde beholde and se in to the depenesse of my ende lesse trynyte / there for to lerne to suffre for my name by inspeccyō of my onely fothefaste sone Thesu cryste crucysyed / the whiche suffred ryght sharpe flagellacyōs with many byt ter peynes for the saluacyon of man kynde / by the whiche bytter passyon he was lerned and taught for to say as he sayde / whan the he sayde thus ¶ Lorde what wyll thou that I shall do / tell me what I shal do / and that tyght gladly wyll I do ¶ Than I taughte hym whan I putte before the eye of his intelleccyon / the passy on of my sothefast sone Ihesu cryst / endowynge hym with the doctryne of my truthe and yllumynynge hȳ with the lyghte of very knowlege / by the whiche very knowlege / he amended hym of his lyuynge / and so grounded in very charyte / aryde hym with the very doctryne of my sones passyon / and that doctryne of the passyō he kepte so truly / that as he sayde hymselfe it went neuer fro his backe / nother by temptacyon of fendes / nor by pryckynge of his flesshe / the whiche oft tymes ipugned hym / the whthe I suffred hym to haue for my goodnesse / that he sholde encrese in grace / in mede / and also in mekenesse ¶ This clothe of crystes passyon after the tyme that Paule hadde tasted the very depenenesse of the holy trynyte / myght neuer be take frome hym / nother by temptacyons nor trybuiacyōs / but he kepteit so streyte to hym / that he dydde lose his bodyly lyfe therfore ¶ In this wyse the holy doctoure seynt Paule knewe the experyence what it was for to taste me without greuaunce of the body / not by separacyon fro the body / but by felynge of oncheed ¶ Therfore whā he was come to hymselfe so arayed with the clothe of crystes passyō / hym semed that his loue was inparfyte / consyderynge the inparfeccyon of loue / the whiche he tasted in me aboue lyght the whiche loue seyntes departed fro the body / dyd tast euerlastȳgely ¶ Wherfore hȳ semed that the ponderosyte of the body rebelled agaynst hym / and letted the greate parfeccyon of endelesse plentuous desyre or loue / the whiche after departynge fro the body a chosen soule feleth tasteth ¶ His mynde also was as hym thoughte vnparfyte and feble the whiche inparfeecyon and feble the whiche inparfeccyon and feblenesse letted hym for to haue fresshe remembraunce of that he hadde tasted before in truthe with parfeccyon / as seyntes receyuen of me in heuen ¶ So that al thynges as hym semed as longe as he abode in the body / were to hym a contrary lawe / the whiche inpugned and rebelled agaynste the lpyryte ¶ Not onely by inpugnacyon of sytme / for as I haue sayde to the / I made hym syket that he sholde not fall / excepte the he wolde wylfully worke agaynste grace / for I sayd to hȳ thus / Paule my grace is suffycyent to the / for to kepe the frome fallynge yf thou wyll bucdy suche inpugnacyon / that is lettynge parfeccyon of the spyryte to se me / in my owne effencyall beynge / the whiche syghte was lette by greuous ponderosyte and contrary lawe of the body / and therfore he gemented / with greate wemytacyon he cryed thus Infelix ego homo c. That is to say ¶ O wretched man that I am / who shal departe me fro this deedly body / the whiche I bere aboute ¶ I se an other lawe in the outewarde felynge of my body / the whiche repugneth the inwarde lawe of my soule / and ledeth me in to the lawe of synne / the whiche lawe is belefte in my bodyly sencyble wyttes ¶ And thus in sothe it is / that the mynde is inpugnynge of the inparfeccyon of the body ¶ The intelleccyon is also letted and bounde of the greuous pōderosyte of the body / bycause it may not se me ī my effncyall bynge as I am ¶ And the wyll is also bounde / bycause it maye attayne not for to tast me endelesse good with the greuous heuynesse of the body / but with greate peyne / as I haue tolde the before ¶ And so seynt Paule sayde truthe / whan he sayde thus / Ileus my bodyly lymmes a straūge lawe repugnynge the inwarde telynge of the soule ¶ Thus in the same wyse all my specyall seruauntes the whiche be come to the thyrde and to the fourthe state or gree of parfyte vnyon / all they do saye as seynt Paule sayde /
and desyre for to be departed fro the body ¶ And here after it shall be shewed to you / for what causes that a soule desyreth to be losed fro the body / and thoughe it be not as he desyreth / it cōtraryeth not the wyll of god / but rather it gyueth worshyp / and laudes / with presynges to god ALl suche do gyue no charge to be departed fro the body / for they desyren it ¶ And with parfyte hate they haue made warre with al theyr bodyes / ī asmoche as they haue forsake that tendernesse whiche naturally is bytwyxe the soule the body ¶ This kyndely loue is throwe awaye fro them / by holy hate of the bodyly lyfe / for my loue they desyredethe / and thus they saye with seynt Paule O upio dissolui c. the is to saye / I desyre to be departed fro the body and be with cryst / and also they be lyke to seynt Paule and saye as he sayde thus Dors in desiderio c. That is to saye / dethe is to me in desyre / and lyfe in pasyēce / for the soule lyfte vp in this parfyte vnyon desyreth to se me / and also to se ioye and praysynge to be yelden to me / that is after tyme it hathe ones belyft vp is come downe agayne to the cloude of the body in felynge of bodyly wyttes / the whiche sencybylyte was rapte by affeccyō of loue to me / all the bodyly felynges were drawe out by strengthe of affeccyon of the soules vnyte / annexed parfytely to me / by suche vnycyō as is bytwene a well dysposed body and soule / the whiche vnycyon bycause the body is not suffycyēt for to bere it / therfore I drawe it out of the body by affeccyō of loue to me ¶ And therfore it is that oft tymes I with drawe me fro suche vnyō that is in the body and soule / not by grace but by felynge / as I haue made mency on in the thyrde in the fourthe state or gree before ¶ But yet neuertheles I come agayne to the soules helthe with encrese of more greter graces more parfyte vnyon with more depenesse and knowlege of my very truthe shewynge myselfe more opēly to them ¶ And whan that I go as I sayde before / by the whiche goynge the soule is come to the bodyly felynge / she waxeth vnpacyente for to lyue ī erthe ¶ In asmoche as she consydereth that she is come fro the conuersacyon of vndeedly soules in blysse and comen downe to cōuersacyon of deedly creatures / by whome she seeth I am ryght wretchedly offended ¶ This tourmenteth her desyre / for this cause she desyreth to be with me / and se me with our cesȳge ¶ Neuertheles bycause her wyll whiche is not her wyl but onely my wyll made by loue one with me / maye nothynge wyl nor desyre / but that that I wyll / therfore thoughe they couer for to come / they holde thē apayde for to abyde yf I wyl that they abyde thoughe it be to theyur peyne / for more ioye presynge of my name / and also for more encrese of meryte and mede of theyr soules ¶ And therfore thoughe they haue not theyr desyres / yet they leue neuer rennynge with lōgynge desyre / holdynge them faste by that brydge of my sones passyon / and so be gladde ioyful of repreues iniuryes done to them for my name ¶ The more peyne they suffre / the more they ioye / the mooste refresshynge that they haue / is theyr desyre to be departed fro the body ¶ For ryghte often tymes for desyre wyll to fuffre peynes / the payne is mynyshed made lesse that they haue / for to be delyurred fro the body ¶ These onely do not suffre with pasyence as it is reherse before in the thyrde state but they be gladde and ioyfull to suffre many trybulacyons for my name in theyr suffraunce they be gladde yf they suffre not they be fory full of peyne dredynge that I wyll rewarde theyr good dedes in this lyfe or that the sacryfyce of theyr desyre lyketh me not / and yf it so be that they suffre ony peyne they be ryght ioyfull glad / bycause they be arayed and clothed with the clothynge and araymēt of my onely sothfast sones passyon / without whiche passyon / or other maner of labours or veracyons yf it were possyble for them by grace for to wynne veriues / they wolde not haue them / but yf it come by labour / yf they myght chose with out dysplesaunce of me ¶ For they hadde leuer wynne heuen blysse by delectacyon in peynes of crystes passyon / or by other maner vexacyons gyuen to them by the suffraunce of me than other wyse ¶ Why is that ¶ Certayne for they be drenched in the blode of my sones passyon / wher in they synde my brennynge charyte / the whiche charyte is fyre comȳge out fro me / that rauysheth bothe theyr myndes and theyr hertes / by the whiche charyte I accepte and take the holy sacryfyce of theyr desyres / by the whiche charyte also they lyften vp the eye of theyr vnderstondynge seynge and beholdynge in my good heed / where theyr affeccyon is nory shed / the whiche affeccyō oneth hym selfe to the same charyte foloweth vnderstondynge ¶ This is one of the vysyōs and syghtes the whiche I make in suche a soule by infusyō of grace / the whiche loueth me veryly and serueth me ¶ How they the whiche be come to that foresayde state of vnyō be yllumyned and lyghtned in theyr eye of Intelleccyō by grace with a lyght aboue nature / how it is better to go for to haue counseyle for the soules helthe to a meke man with an holy conscyence / than to a proude lettered mā By this same lyght whiche is put in the eye of intelleccyon of suche a soule / that euer slepynge and wakȳge desyreth me / is purchased and get of very vnderstondynge of moche cūnynge ¶ Seynt Auslyn / seynt Ierom / other doctours and seyntes illumyned lyghtned of my very sothefastnes / tokē hede knewe veryly my truthe that is of holy wrytte / the whiche semed derke / bycause it was not vnderstonde / that was not for defaute of scrypture / but of the vnderstōders the whiche vnderstōde it not ¶ And therfore I sende these laūternes before sayde / for to yllumyne thē that were blynde by vnderstondynge / for to open theyr eyes to knowe in derkenesse the truthe ¶ For I the receyuer of theyr sacryfyce / rauyshed them and gaue them lyght not of nature / but aboue all nature / and so in derkenesse they dyd receyue lyghte / in suche awyse knowynge the truthe ¶ Wherfore those thynges that dyd seme somtyme derke / it apperetd sheweth to rude and boystous folke of what condycyō they be / eueryone for to receyue after the he dysposeth hym to knowe
me / whiche dysposycyons I refuse not ¶ Thus thou may se that the eye of intelleccyon receyueth lyghte in felynge by grace aboue nature / in the whiche lyghte doctours and other seyntes dyd knowe lyght in derkenesse / and of derkenes they dyd make lyght by the same grace ¶ For intelleccyoÌ„ was rather made than scrypture / wherfore cunnynge cometh of intelleccyon ¶ In this wyse holy faders propheres dyd knowe and had vnderstondynge / the whiche dyd prophecy bothe of the comynge and also of the dethe of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ And in the same wyse the apostles dyd / after the comynge of the holy ghost by the same lyght aboue nature / were yllumyned the euangelystes / martyrs / confessours / and vyrgynes / all these were illumyned of this parfyte lyght ¶ And eche of them had in dyuers maners after the nede of theyr helthe / and after the nede of creatures ¶ Some dyd declare holy wrytte by the same lyght aboue nature as docters dyd some preched as the apostles dyd / some dyd expouÌ„de the gospels of the euangelystes / and some dyd shede blode for declaracyon of the truthe as martyrs some dyd declare the truthe by purete and affeccyon of charyte / as vyrgyns dyd ¶ Some declared the truthe ofobedyence of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / in that that they do obey in theyr relygyoÌ„ shewynge in theyr lyuynge parfeccyon of obedyence / the whiche appered shynyngely in my sone Ihesu cryst / whan by vertu of that obedyence whiche I put to hym / he ranne myghtely to the cruell dethe of the crosse ¶ All this was done / is by this lyghte aboue nature in the newe lawe / and that maye thou well knowe by the exposycyons and prechynges of the gospell / how in dyuers wyses it is declared to chrysten men ¶ In the olde lawe also how holy faders and prophetes dyd prophecy by the same lyght aboue nature ¶ And therfore bycause the newe lawe is expouned and declared / and the olde lawe prophecyed by a lyght / the newe lawe breketh not nor loseth not the olde lawe / but bothe be knytte togyder ¶ And the newe lawe hathe take awaye fro the imparfeccyon of the olde lawe / for that lawe was is grounded in drede ¶ But whan my onely sothefast sone Ihesu came in to the worlde with the lawe of loue / he fulfylled it gyuynge to it loue / remouynge awaye drede of peyne / and leuynge it full with holy drede ¶ Therfore it was that my onely sone sayde to his dyscyples thus NoÌ„ venisoluerelegem c. I come not for to breke the lawe / but for to fulfyll the lawe / as thoughe he sayde to them thus ¶ The lawe is no we inê‘fyte / but with my blode I shall make it parfyte / and so I shall fulfyll in it the fayleth / with drawynge and remouynge drede of peyne / grouÌ„dynge it in loue holy drede ¶ Thus than after the fulfyllynge of the lawe by loue and holy drede / al the truthe that cometh oute of holy wrytte / cometh by this lyghte aboue nature before sayde ¶ And therfore vncunnynge proude clerkes / be blynded in that lyghte for pryde / and the cloude of theyr owne loue couereth taketh awaye that lyghte fro theÌ„ ¶ Wherfore they vnderstonde rather holy wrytte after the letter / or after theyr owne felynge / than after the very vnderstondynge / so by tastynge onely of the lettre / they make many bokes / but they taste not the pythe / and that mary of that same lettre ¶ For they lacke the lyght that I spake of by the whiche is declared all holy wrytte ¶ Wherfore they wondre fall in grutchynge for to se so many rude folke ydyotes of holy wrytte as themsemen ¶ And yet neuerthe lisse they be so yllumyned and lyght ned by the lyght aboue nature iÌ„ know lege of the truthe / as yf they hadde studyed longe tyme therm ¶ This is no wondre / for they haue the pryn cypall cause of the same lyghee / the whiche is mekenes / by the whiche cometh all maner of â—uÌ„nyÌ„ge ¶ But bycause they haue loste that lyghte â— the cause of the wynnynge therof / they se not nor knowe not my endelesse goodnesse in that lyghte / whiche is gracyously tecte oute or cast oute vpon my scruauntes ¶ And therfore I saye to the / better it is for the to aske couÌ„sayle of soule helthe to one that is meke hathe an holy ryght coÌ„syeÌ„ce / thaÌ„ a proude lettered clerke the whiche hathe longe studyed in holy wryte / for he gyueth nothynge elles but suche as he hathe within hym / the whiche ofte tymes gyuen derke couÌ„sayle / after theyr derkelyuynge ¶ The contrary is hadde in manye seruauntes / for the lyghte that they haue within theym / they gyue it with desyre of helthe to maÌ„nes loule ¶ Lo ryghte swete doughter all this haue I tolde the / that thou myght knowe that parfeccyoÌ„ of that state of vnyon / where the eye of intelleccyon is rapte by that fyre of my endelesse charyte / in the whiche charyte is receyued lyghte aboue nature / with whiche lyghte I am loued / for loue renÌ„eth after vnderstoÌ„dynge ¶ And the more a soule knoweth / the more it loueth / and the more it loueth the more it knoweth / that one norysheth that other ¶ With that lyghte / soules come to the endelesse gloryfyed syghte of me / where they se me and in truthe taste me ¶ Whan they be departed fro the bodyes / as I tolde the whaÌ„ I declared to the of the blessydnesse that a soule receyueth iÌ„ me ¶ This is that excellente state the whiche yet a deedly man lyuynge ymonge deedly creatures maye taste / by the which oft tymes he cometh to suche vnyon / that vnneth he knoweth whether he be in his body or oute of his body / and so he tasteth the ernest of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ That myghte he not do / but yf his wyll were morty fyed and sleyne before / by the whiche ghostly dethe / he is made one with me / for elles myghthe parfytely fele that blessyd ernest / but yf he were depryued frome his propre wyll / the whiche wyll dothe let hym for to receyue suche a blessyd and holy ernest ¶ Here is a profytable reperycyon of many thynges whiche be sayde / and how god induceth this deuoute soule to praye for euery creature / for all holy chyrche NOw hase thou seen with the eyes of thy intelleccyon / and herde with thy sencyble ere of me endelesse truthe how thou maye behaue the for to do bothe profyte to the and to thy neyghbour / by the doctryne and very knowlege of my sothefastnes as I haue tolde the in the begynnynge wher I sayde to the that thou maye come to the knowlege of of my truthe / by knowlege of thyselfe oned and medled with the knowlege
of me / where thou maye fynde mekenesse / holy hate / dysplesaunce of thy selfe / and feruent fere of my endelesse charyte / by the whiche thou oughte to come to the loue of thy neyghbour / shewynge to hȳ bothe profyte by bodyly mynystracyon / and also profyte of doctryne holy lyuynge ¶ I shewed the also a brydge as it stondeth / and also I shewed the the grees generall put for thre myghtes of the soule / how ther may none haue lyght of grace / but yf he ascende vpon all thre grees ¶ That is that they be gadered togyder in my name ¶ And also I declared to the the same thre grees partyculerly / for the states of the soule fygured in the body of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu chryst / which hathe made ladders for to ascende vpon / shewynge in his fete that were nay led a ladder to ascende vp by the openynge of his syde / the whiche is the seconde ladder for to ascende vp by to his mouthe / wher a soule tasteth peas rest in a maner beforesayde ¶ I shewed the also inparfeccyō of seruyle drede / īparfeccyō of suche louers that loue me vnparfytely / for swetenes that they fynde in that loue ¶ And also parfeccyon of the thyrde state of them the whiche become to peas and rest of the mouthe / by the rennynge vpon the brydge of my sones passyon with longynge desyre / fyrste ascendynge vp vpon the thre generall grees / that is to gader all the thre myghtes of the soule / wher they gader togyder all theyr vertues workynge in my name / and also of other thre grees partyculers the whiche they ascede after tyme they be passed out of the inparsyte state / and thus in sothe thou hase seen thē renne / and also I haue made the to taste parfeccyon of soule with araymētes of vertu ¶ And also to know dysceytes / the whiche a soule fyrste tasteth or that it come to parfeccyon ¶ I haue also declared to the that wretchydnes of them that gone and drenchen them in the floode / not kepynge thē by the brydge of my sothefastnes / whiche I put bycause they sholde not peryshe ¶ Yet as fooles they had leuer be drenched in wretchydnes and fylthe of this worlde ¶ Also this I haue declared to the that the fyre of holy desyre myghte encrese in the / and compassyon and sorowe of dāpnacyō of soules / that bothe sorowe loue shold cōstrayne the to come to me with welȳge wepynge teres ¶ With teres namely of meke and contynuall prayer offred to me with the fere of most brēnȳge desyre / and not onely to wepe for the / but also for many other creatures / and my seruauntes that heten all this / be they that sholde be cōstrayned by charyte for to wepe as thou does so that thou and they togyder sholde praye / and in maner constrayne me for to shewe mercy to all the worlde / and to the mystery all body of holy chyrche / for whome thou prayes to me somoche / yf thou haue mynde that I sholde fulfyll theyr desyre / and gyue thē refresshynge to theyr laboure ¶ Therfore for to satysty to your peynes full desyres / I graūt reformȳge of holy chyrche by good and holy curates ¶ Not for to reform holy chyrche by warre or by cruelte / so for to dystroye the enemyes of holy chyrche / but by pease and reste / and by waylynge and wepynge of my seruauntes whom I haue sende as labourers for wynnynge of soules in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / and for to labour to increse vertues ymonge neyghbours / offerynge to me contynuall mayer for them and for all my creatures for ymonge them is grete defaute of vertuous lyuynge ¶ And therfore I wyll that they and ye laboure and shewe profyte to neyghbours / and in suche wyse ye maye yelde to me the fruyte of your vyne ¶ Yet shold ye not cese to gyue to me encense of youre wyll / smellynges / tyghte swete prayers / for helthe of soules / for I wyll do mercy to that worlde / and to holy chyrche ¶ For now late I shewed the how her face is all foule as a leper / and that was the defaute of her mynystres / and all crysten relygyon / the whiche do noryshe thē at the brest of this spouse of whose defautes I shall tell the in another place ¶ The fyfte chapyter of this party sheweth of the state of holy teres ¶ And fyrst how this holy soule desyreth for to knowe of the states the fruytes of holy teres ¶ Also of the dyfference of the foresayde teres / and how ther be fyue maners of teres ¶ Also a shorte repetycyon of the menes before / and of other maters / as it is shewed in the kalender before Ca. v. THan that soule with a grete louȳge desyre dyd ryse vp as a drūken soule / as wel by the vnyon that she had in god / as by that she herde and tasted of his ryght swete sothefastnes ¶ And also she had grete heuynesse of the ygnoraūce of creatures / the whiche knewe not theyr maker gracyous benefactour / the whiche tasted not affeccyō of his dyuyne charyte ¶ And yet she had a maner of gladnesse hope / of the promyse whiche god shewed to her / techynge to her a maner of forme / that she all his seruaūtes owe to kepe / for to styrre hȳ to gyue mercy to the worlde ¶ And with that she lyfte vp the eye of intelleccyon to the ryght wel byloued sothefastnes wherin she was knytte / desyrynge somwhat for to knowe of the sayde states of the soule / of the whiche god tolde here / by the whiche she consydered that a soule cometh to that state with teres / wherfore she desyred to knowe of god the dyfferēce of teres / and what they ben frome whense they came / and of the fruyte that foloweth after wepynge teres / how many kyndes ther be of teres ¶ Bycause the truthe of sothefastnes maye not be knowe / but by endelesse sothefastnes / therfore she asked the endelesse sothefastnesse ¶ And bycause also nothȳge may be veryly knowe / but it be seen with the eye of intelleccyon / wherfore she desyreth of sothefastnes to haue clere syghte of very trewe feythe / in the clere syghte of her intelleccyon ¶ Thā after tyme she knewe of god that he wolde gyue her clere lyghte / knowynge thereof she lyfte vp herselfe aboue herselfe / with a greate longynge desyre oute of the corse of the bodyly felynge / with the lyghte of lyfely feythe / she opened her eye of intelleccyon in the endelesse sothefastnesse / in whome she sawe and knewe the truthe / of the thynge that she asked ¶ For god shewed to her hymselfe / that is her endelesse benygnyte / and oned it with her brennynge desyre / so fulfylled
teres / be as a maner of swete oyÌ„ntment / the whiche casteth out a ryght grete smell of swetenes ¶ O my ryght swete doughter how gloryous is suche a soule / that so ryally can passe out of this troublous see of the worlde / and come to me that am the greate peaseable see / and fyll the vessell of the herte in the see of my euerlastynge souerayne godheed ¶ What that euer the soule be that can do so / her eye the whiche is the cundyte of the herte / is aboute to sasatysfy the herte by shedynge out of teres This is that last state / in the whiche a soule stondeth bothe blessyd doleful / she stondeth blessyd by vnyoÌ„ / that she feleth in me hy tastyÌ„ge of my dyuyne charyte ¶ She stondeth also dolefull of offence that is done to me / bothe of herselfe and of her neyghbours ¶ This state of vnyon is not therfore let / the whiche shedeth teres of loue / for the knowlege of herselfe of her neyghbour / of whome she fyndeth coÌ„palsyoÌ„ / for to wepe with wepers / for to ioye with ioyers / but rather encreaseth glory ioye to my name ¶ Thus the fyrste wepynge the thyrde let not the last / but eche of theÌ„ medleth with other / for yf the last wepynge / iÌ„ the whiche a soule fyndeth so greate vnyon / toke nothynge of the fyrst of the seconde state of charite of neyghbourheed / it were no profyte ¶ Therfore it were full necessary that one were medled with an other / els it sholde tourne to presuÌ„pcyon / by the whiche sholde entre a sotyll wynde of elacyon / and of her owne reputacyon / and so it sholde fall frome heyghte / to the infyrmytâ— of the fyrst vanyte ¶ For this cause it is ryght necessary for to kepe coÌ„tynually with very knowledge of theyr self charite of neyghbourheed ¶ In this wyse she sholde sende out to me the feruent fyre of very charyte / for the charyte of neyghbourheed is raken of my charyte / that is of the charyte by the whiche a soule knoweth herselfe my goodnes iÌ„ herselfe / wherby also she consydereth wel / that she is loued of me meruaylously / therfore with the same loue / she loueth al maner reasonable creatures / and this is the cause why she extendeth herfelf as soone as she knoweth me for to loue her neyghbour / by the whiche she knoweth wel that the most prolyte the whiche she maye do to me is for to yelde to me pure loue / by the whiche she feleth that she is loued of me / therfore she dysposeth her to yelde to me suche loue by mene and medyacyon of neyghboureheed / the whiche is that same mene to whom suche a soule sholde shewe charytable mynystracyoÌ„ as I haue sayde to the before the whiche sholde be loued with suche pure loue / as I loue you / for lyke as I haue loued you loue you without ony maner beholdyÌ„ge of merytes / therto my owne increate loue without ony mene styrred me to make you of nought to my ymage symylytude / the which loue ye may not yelde to me wtout mene ¶ Therfore ye muste yelde the same loue to resonable creatures / louyÌ„ge theÌ„ without ony rewarde of louyÌ„ge agayne / and also without ony beholdynge of theyr owne profyte ghostly or bodyly / but onely for to loue theÌ„ for the glory of my name / bycause they be loued of me ¶ And so shold ye fulfyl the byddynge the precepte of the holy lawe / wher it is wryteÌ„ that ye sholde loue me as aboue all thynges / and your neyghbour as your selfe ¶ It semeth well thaÌ„ that a soule maye not come to the hyghe ê‘fyte loue with teres wtout knyttyÌ„ge togyder of the secoÌ„de and the thyrde state before ¶ And yet though she be come therto / she may not kepe it / yf she go fro the affeccyon therof / by the whiche affeccyon she cometh to the secoÌ„de kyÌ„de of teres before sayde ¶ So that without the same affeccyoÌ„ to neyghbourheed / the lawe of me that am endeles god may not be fulfylled ¶ For there be two fete of affeccyoÌ„ / by the whiche bothe the preceptes the couÌ„seyles be obserued kept as I haue tolde the before ¶ Ryghte so these two states of the whiche two states is made one by loue / norysheÌ„ the soule iÌ„ vertues / encresyÌ„ge the same vertu in parfeccyoÌ„ by the state of vnyon / so that it encreseth ryches of grace by newe dyuers gyftes meruaylous lystynges vp of the soule / with a maner knowlege of veri sothfastnes as a deedly creature may haue in this lyfe / for the felynge of one sensualyte / and also his wyll is mortyfyed by suche vnyon that he hathe fouÌ„de in me ¶ O how swete is suche oneheed and vnyon to a tastynge soule / for that soule that tasteth seeth my secretes and pryuytes / by the whiche secretes / ryghte often tymes she receyueth a spyryte of prophecy for to knowe thynges that be yet to come ¶ All this is done by my endelesse goodnesse / and thoughe it so be that a meke soule sholde alway eschewe / not the gyfte of affeccyon of my dyuyne charyte / but the appetyte and desyre of theyr owne ghosty comfortes / yet she sholde deme herselfe vnworthy for to haue suche rest peas of soule / by the whiche meke Iudgement / she may noryshe inwarde vertues / and encrese therin / for there is none so parfyte a soule in this lyfe / but that it may encrese to more parfeccyon / that is to parfeccyoÌ„ of loue ¶ My ryghte swete and onely sone Ihesu cryst was and is youre heed / to whome maye encrese no parfeccyon / for he was and is one with me / and I with hym / his soule was and is blessyd by vnyon of dyuyne nature ¶ But ye that be pylgrymes his membres / be able euermore for to encrese in to greater parfeccyon ¶ I do not saye that ye maye encrese to an other state after tyme ye be come to the laste / but I saye that ye may encrese in the same last estate with suche parfeccyon as it is lykynge plesynge to me for to gyue to you / by meane medyacyoÌ„ of my grace ¶ A shorte repetycyon of the mater before / and how the wycked spyryte fleeth a waye fro them / the whiche become to the fyfthe teres / and how the angers of the fende be trewe wayes for to come to this holy state of teres NOw hase thou seen the states of teres and the dyfference of them / as it lyketh my goodnesse for to do satysfaccyon to thy desyre ¶ Fyrste I tolde the of the teres of them / that do lyue in deedly synÌ„e / wher I sayd that the teres of them come out of the herte / as al maner of teres done / for the greuauÌ„ce of
theyr herte is shewed oute by wepynge / but bycause the lyuynge of them is corrupte / therfore the teres that do come frome suche a corrupte herte muste nedes be corrupte and wretched ¶ The secoÌ„de state of teres be of suche as do begynÌ„e for to knowe theyr owne synnes / and do thynke on the peynes that longen to them / and therfore they do begynne to wepe ¶ This maner of wepynge is gyuen to me of dyuers persones and frayle / as a maner of a generall entente ¶ But there be some that do knowe themselfe without seruyle drede / that is without thynkyÌ„ge of peyne / some that do go with a greate hate of theÌ„ selfe by the whiche hate they holde theÌ„ selfe worthy to haue peyne ¶ And some serue me with a maner of symplenesse / sorowynge hertely for offences done to me ¶ Neuerthelesse he that gothe with greate hate of hym self / is more able for to come and attayne to the parfyte state than to the other twayne / for thoughe those twayne excersyce theymselfe for to come to that ê‘fyte state / yet he that stondeth in greate hate of hymselfe / cometh fyrste therto / that one must be well ware that he abyde not loÌ„ge iÌ„ seruyle drede / and that other that he abyde not longe in his symplenesse / lest it fortune hym to waxe dul and slowe ¶ Now beholde my dere doughter / for is this one maner of mune callynge ¶ The thyrde and the fourthe maner of teres is of all suche the be lyft vp fro seruyle drede / and be come to loue hope / taslynge my endelesse mercy / receyuynge of me many gyftes and ghostly comfortes / for whome the eye wepeth / satysfyenge the sencyble felyÌ„ge of the herte ¶ But bycause that a soule is yet vnparfyte / medled with ghostly sencyble waylyÌ„ge as I haue sayd it cometh to the fourthe state / excercysynge herselfe in vertues / where a soule encreseth by desyre / oneth her selfe with my wyll / in somoche that she maye nother wyl nor desyre / but as I wyll / arayed with charyte of neyghbourheed / by the whiche charyte she draweth in to herselfe a maner waylynge of loue / and also a sorowe of loue of offence that is done to me / for harme that theyr neyghbour receyueth / by offence that is done to me ¶ In this wyse is a soule oâ—ed with the fourthe and the last parfeccyon / where in sothe she is oned where also encreaseth the fyre of holy desyre / fâ—o the whiche holy desyre the fende sleeth a waye and may not 〈◊〉 suche a soule for no maner inâ—ury that is done to her / bycause she is â—â—ade pacyent in very charyte of neyghbourheed / not for no comforte nother ghostly nor bodyly / for all suche coÌ„forâ—â— the hathe dyspysed / bothe by hate and also by very mekenesse ¶ Neuerthelesse yet the fende slepeth not / but his watche maye not hurte none suche / bycause he maye not suffre the here of her charyte / nor the swete smell of oneheed or vnyon that they make in me / the whiche am that peaseable se / in whome a soule may not be dysccyued / as longe as she stondeth oned in me / fro whom the fende fleeth awaye / as dothe a fle fro a boylyÌ„ge pot for the fere that he hathe of the fyre / yf it were but a lytle warme / he wolde not be aferde but he wolde flye in thoughe ofte tyme he were in poynt to peryshe / fyndynge more hete ther in thaÌ„ he wende ¶ Ryght so it fareth of a soule or that she come to the state of parfeccyon ¶ The sende bycause he semeth that she is oft a lytle warme entret in her by dyuers teÌ„ptacyons ¶ And yf he fynde there ony maner hete of loue or myslykynge dysplesaunce of synnes / anone he is withstonde so that he dare not enere ¶ Euery soule therfore maye be glad ioyfull that feleth many greuous heuynes for that is the way by the whiche she may come to this gloryous swete face ¶ Ther is no tyme that a soule is so well knowe yf I be in her / as is in tyme of trybulacyoÌ„s how I shall tell ye. ¶ She dyd knowe wel that whaÌ„ she is in trybulacyoÌ„s maye not be delyuered to make resysteÌ„ce aneÌ„des theÌ„ / but nedes she must haue them / saue onely she may wtstoÌ„de the wyll of of theÌ„ / not for to coÌ„set to theÌ„ / she may well knowe therby that she is noughte of herselfe / for yf she were ought / she wolde auoyde that she wolde not haue ¶ In this wyse she is loued by knowynge of herselfe / renneth to me her god by the lyght of holy feythe / by whose goodnes / she fyndeth that she kepeth iÌ„ her good wyl / the which wyl coÌ„seÌ„teth not iÌ„ tyme of many batayles / iÌ„ the whiche / many tymes she is troubled ¶ Thus than you be excercysed and taughte / by the doctryne of my ryghte iÌ„ wete onely sone Ihesu cryste / troubles and heuynesse many trybulacyons peynes and aduersytes bothe of men of fendes yf they be softely and mekely suffred they encrese you to vertues make you to come to greate parfeccyon ¶ How they that desyre to haue teres of eyes and maye not haue theÌ„ / suche haue teres of fyre ¶ And for what cause god withdraweth bodyly teres I Haue tolde the of parfyte and vnparfyte teres / how all maner teres do come out of the herte / oute of that vessel cometh euery tere of what condycyon and maner that it be / and therfore all teres may well be called hertely teres ¶ Neuerthelesse all the dyfference stondeth bytwene ordynate vnordynate loue / and bytwene parfyte vnparfyte loue / as is rehersed before ¶ Now shall I answere to thy desyre / where thou dyd desyre to knowe what is the cause / why parfyte soules iÌ„ this lyte that wolde wepe maye not wepe / that I shall tell the. ¶ There is an other maner of wepynge than by teres of eyes / for ther is a maner of waylyÌ„ge and wepynge of fyre / that is of very holy desyre / the whiche desyre is coÌ„sumed by affeccyon ¶ They wolde spende theyr lyfe in waylynge and wepynge / by holy hate of themselfe / and helthe of soules / and they maye not haue it ¶ All suche therfore as I haue sayde haue teres of fyre / in the whiche teres of fyre / the holy ghost wayleth and wepeth for theÌ„ and for theyr neyghbours before me that is my dyuyne charyte breÌ„neth ferueÌ„tly a soule with the flamme of that holy ghost / the whiche offreth vp before me longynge desyres wtout teres of eyes / for they be onely teres of fyre / the whiche I haue sayd / the holy ghost wepeth for he may not no otherwyse offre vp to me the desyre of theyr wyl les /
but onely by fyre of brennynge loue ¶ Thus it semeth that the gloryous apostle seynt Paule ment whan he sayde thus Ipse enim spiritus orat pro nobis gemitibê° in ennarrabilibê° Â¶ That is to saye / the same holy ghost endeles god prayeth for vs with teres waylynges that be vnspekeable ¶ By this therefore it semeth that teres of fyre be as fruytefull as teres of water / yet ofte tymes more / after the quaÌ„tyre mesure of loue / and therfore suche a soule sholde in no wyse be astonyed / nor she sholde not thyÌ„ke that she is depryued fro me / though she haue not suche teres as she wolde / but she sholde desyre theÌ„ with a wyll / accordyÌ„ge with my wyll ¶ For other whyle I wyll not grauÌ„t her bodyly teres / bycause I wolde that she coÌ„tynued in lowenes before me / tastynge me often tymes with contynuall prayer / holy desyre ¶ For yf she sholde receyue the of me that she desyreth / it shold be lytle profyte to her / in asmoche as she shall seme that her desyre is alway rewarded / by the whiche she hathe her askyÌ„ge / so she sholde holde her apayde with that she hathe desyre no more ¶ Therfore I onely that she shold encrese iÌ„ vertu / withdrawe fro her actuall teres of the eyes / for the whiche teres / I gyue to her mentall teres full of fyre of dyuyne charyte / not able to be spoken ¶ And so in euery state and at all tymes suche mentall teres sholde be lykynge and plesynge to me / so that the eye of intelleccyon with the lyght of syghte / be not shutte nor closed fro the rebouÌ„dyÌ„ge of my endelesse truthe with affeccyoÌ„ of loue / for I am a leche / and you be seke folke / and therfore I gyue to euery soule as it is nedefull or spedefull to theyr helthe / so that parfeccyon may be encresed in your soules ¶ This is that very sothefastnesse and declaracyon of the slates of teres declared beforesayde of me endelesse truthe / to the my ryghte swete doughter ¶ Forsake therfore parfytely thyselfe in the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu encresynge contynually in vertu / that the fyre of my dyuyne charyte maye be noryshed in the. ¶ How the foure states of the fyue states of teres gyue dyuersytes of teres / and how that god wyll be serued with thynge the hathe no ende / and not onely with thynge that hathe ende THese fyue foresayde states be as fyue water pottes pryncypall of the whiche foure of them do gyue infynyte dyuersytes of teres / al those do gyue lyfe / yf they be excercysed in vertu as it is beforefore sayd but howe be they infynyte I say not that ye sholde be infynytely in suche welynge teres / but I call them infynyte teres / for the infynyte and endelesse desyre of those that haue suche teres ¶ And thus euery tere cometh oute of the herte / and the herte gyueth it to the eye / the whiche fyrste is gadered togyder with a feruent brennynge desyre / that as a grene tree layde in the fyre casteth out water for the hete of the fyre / bycause it is grene / for it were drye it wolde not auoyde water / as it dothe whan it is grene ¶ In the same wyse an herte that flory sheth by renuynge of grace / sweteth oute teres of loue / lyenge in the chymnaye of dyuyne loue / and so fyre of loue teres of loue be made all one by brennyÌ„ge desyre ¶ And also bycause desyre is neuer ended and fulfylled in this lyfe / for the more it loueth / the lesse it semeth that it loueth / and so it excercyseth holy desyre / the whiche is grounded in charyte / with the whiche desyre the eye wepeth ¶ And all thoughe suche a soule were departed fro the body and come to me fynaly that am her ende yet she for saketh not therfore her desyre / euer for to desyre me the charyte of her neyghboure / for charyte it entred with in her / as a lady bryngyÌ„ge in with her the fruyte of al other vertu ¶ Neuerthelesse yet as than her payne is ended as I haue sayd here before for she maye not than desyre with peyne / but without peyne / for than in her desyre she hathe me in sothe without peyne / may not loue me with seruyle drede / that so longe tyme hath desyred me ¶ And thus iÌ„ this wyse ghostly hongre is noryshed in a soule / that is thoughe they haue ghostly hongre of the desyre of me / yet they be fulfylled / and thoughe they be fylled / yet they be hongry / yet is there no peyne in that hoÌ„gre / for there maye neuer lacke parfeccyon ¶ And in this wyse youre desyre is infynyte and endelesse / for elles it were ryghte noughte / nor vertu were nothyÌ„ge quycke / yf I were serued onely with thynge that hadde ende / than bycause I am god endelesse / I wyll be serued of you with thynge infynyte and endelesse / and ye haue no other thyÌ„ge that is endelesse / but onely youre affeccyon and youre desyre of soules / so I sayde the dyuersyte of teres were infynyte ¶ Ryght so in the same wyse it maye be sayde of infynyte and endelesse desyre / the whiche is knytte and oned with infynyte teres / whan a soule is departed fro the body / the teres be lefte without / but the affeccyon of charyte draweth to hym the fruyte of teres / consumynge outewarde teres / ryghte as the soule is coÌ„sumed in the fourneys of loue / not for the soule is out of the furneys of loue / but bycause the feruent hete of that fourneys of loue hathe soken her vp and drawen her to it ¶ In the same wyse a soule after tyme it is come to cast the fyre of my dyuyne charyte / after tyme it is passed out of this worlde with affeccyon of my charyte and loue of her neyghbour / and with loue of oneheed / by the whiche she shed teres of loue / she ceseth neuer for to offre to me her ryghte blessyd and wepynge desyres without ony maner peyne / not with wepynge of the eye / for that is dryed vp as I haue sayde before but with wepynge of fyre of the holy ghost ¶ This ryghte dere doughter thou hase seen and herde howe teres be infynyte / for in this worldly lyfe / there is no tongue can tel how many dyuers waylynges and wepynges there be in these fore sayde wepynges and state of teres ¶ Of the fruytes of teres of worldly men NOw shall I tell the of the fenytes of teres gyuen there that it is shedde out with desyre / and what it worketh in a soule ¶ Fyrst I shal begynne of the fyfthe / of the whiche I made meÌ„cyon in the begyÌ„nynge / that is
the grouÌ„d that is for to saye that the braunches of deedly synnes do not tourne to none other thynges / but to the erthe of euery frayle vnordynate substaunce of the worlde / and they do not loke after none other thynge / but in what wyse they maye be noryshed vnsacyably of the erthe / for they ben neuer fulfylled ¶ They be vnsacyable / and vntollerable to theÌ„ selfe / and therfore it is requysyte ryghte coÌ„uenyent / that euer they be vnquyet and vnrestfull / sythen they desyre suche a thynge that neuer maye fulfyll theÌ„ / as I haue sayde ¶ This is the cause whiche maye not be fulfylled / for they desyre euer a thynge that hathe ende / and yet they themselfe be endeles as to theyr beynge for theyr beynge hathe neuer ende / thoughe they ende anendes grace / by the cause of deedly synnes ¶ And for bycause a maÌ„ is set put aboue all create thyÌ„ges / and not vntreate thynges be aboue hym / therfore he maye not be fulfylled nor stonde in quyetnesse / but in a thynge that is greater than hymselfe / and that is no other / but I god euerlastynge ¶ And therfore I alone may fulfyll them / for bycause he is depryued frome me for his synÌ„e that he hathe done he stoÌ„deth coÌ„tynually in peyne and tourmeÌ„t / after the whiche peyne foloweth wepynges and welynges ¶ How suche worldely wepers ben smyten with foure maner wyndes ANd whan that the wyndes come they smyte the tree of the propre sensualyte / where he made all his begyÌ„nynge ¶ Of these foure wyndes other it is a wynde of prosperyte / or a wynde of aduersyte / or of drede / or of conscyence / these be the foure wyndes ¶ The wynde of prosperyte norysheth pryde / with grete presumpcyon / with magnyfyenge of hyÌ„selfe and lytle regarde on his neyghbour ¶ Yf he be a lorde / the wynde of prosperyte norysheth this pryde with moche vnryghtwysenesse and vanyte of herte / and with vncleÌ„nes of body and of soule / with his propre reputacyon / and with many other defautes whiche do folowe after them whiche thy tongue myghte not tell ¶ Whether this wyÌ„de of prosperyte is not corrupte in hymselfe no / nor this wynde nor that other / but the pryncypall rote of the tree is corrupted / where throwe that rote maketh all thyÌ„ges corrupte whiche cometh fro that rote ¶ For I that sende all thynges by my gyfte with abuÌ„daunce am all souerayne god / what euer it be in this wyÌ„de of prosperyte / wherfore waylyÌ„ge foloweth / for his herte is not fulfylled / for he desyreth that he maye not haue / and so whan he maye not haue that he wolde / than he hathe peyne / and that peyne he wayleth ¶ Now I haue sayde to the that the eye wyll make a saute to the herte ¶ After this there cometh a wyÌ„de of seruage drede / in the whiche wynde a man maketh hym afrayde with his owne shadowe or derkenes dredynge to lose that that he loueth / or he dredeth to lose his owne lyfe / or of his chyldren / or the lyfe of other creatures / or he dredeth to lose his owne state / or the state of his freÌ„des and all for his owne loue / or for worshyppe / or for ryches ¶ Here this drede hathe not his delyte in pease / for he hathe not that that he wolde redy ordeyned after my wyll / therfore that drede of seruage foloweth hym / and is made tymorate and the seruaunte of the wretchydful synne / and bycause he maye beholde as is the thynge that he serueth and that is synne whiche is nought / therfore he is come to nought / after the wyÌ„de of drede hathe smyten hym ¶ And after this anone thaÌ„ cometh the wyÌ„de of trybulacyon and of aduersyte of that same that he dredde / taketh fro hym pryueth hym of that he had / sometyme in a partyculer thynge / sometyme iÌ„ a generall thyÌ„ge ¶ Generally is whaÌ„ he is pryued of the lyfe for by the streÌ„gthe of the dethe he is pryued of all thyÌ„ges ¶ Sometyme also the wynde of aduersyte is partyculer / whiche somtyme taketh fro hym one thynge / and sometyme an other thynge / sometyme it taketh a waye of his helthe / or of his chyldreÌ„ or of his ryches / or of states or of worshyppes / after that I se that it be nedefull for youre helthe whiche am a softe leche / therfore I gaue theÌ„ to you ¶ And for asmoche as youre freyite it vtterly corrupte and with out ony knowynge / it dystroyeth the fruyte of pasyence / and therfore inpasyence dothe bryÌ„ge fourthe sclauÌ„ders and grutchynges / hateredes / and dysplesauÌ„ces / agaynst me and my curates / they haue receyued in to dethe that I haue gyue them in to lyfe / after the mesure that they had of loue ¶ Now it is come to the waylynge of inpasyence that tourmenteth / and the whiche dryeth vp the soule and sleeth it / and taketh awaye the grace of lyfe / and dryeth vp and consumeth the body / and maketh hym blynde bodyly and ghostly / and pryueth hym of all delytes / and taketh awaye all hope / for he is pryued of that thynge / wherin he had delyte / wherin he set his affeccyon / hope / feythe / so that euer he soroweth and wayleth ¶ And not onely his teres make to hym so many inconuenyentes / but his vnordynate desyre and the sorowe of his herte / for if his herte were ordynate had the lyfe of grace / than were his teres ordynate / and sholde constrayne me euerlastynge god / to do hym mercy ¶ But why sayde I that this was and is the tere of dethe For to the messanger whiche sheweth you the dethe or the lyfe that sholde be in the soule ¶ Forthermore I sayde that there came the wynde of conscyence / and that maketh the goodnes of my godheed / for whaÌ„ I haue ê“ued theÌ„ with ê“speryte / to that entent that I sholde withdrawe the fro theyr propre loue / throwe my loue ¶ Also whan I ê“ued theÌ„ with drede / that throwe iÌ„portunyte they sholde sette theyr loue to loue me with vertu ¶ Also after tyme I haue preued them with trybulacyoÌ„ that they sholde knowe theyr freylte / and the lytle stablenesse of the worlde to some / there al this ê“fyteth not / I gyue a prycke or a remors of conscyencè / for I loue more thaÌ„ can be spoken / and that remors I gyue them / for they sholde aryse for to open theyr mouthe / and caste out the rotten fylthe of theyr synnes by holy coÌ„fessyoÌ„ ¶ But they as obstynate ryghtfully renreued of me throwe theyr owne wyckednesse whiche wolde iÌ„ no wyse receyue my grace / fle fro that prycke remors of conscyence and lede it all aboute with wretchydfull delectacyoÌ„s and with dysplesauÌ„ce of me and of theyr neyghbours / and
maner beholdynge to her owne profyte / but onely to the honour and worshyp of me / and helthe of soules ¶ Beholde therfore ryght swete doughter how swete this state is how gloryous / in the whiche state a soule hath made suche an vnyon / and oned at the brest of charyte / for ryghte as a mouthe that souketh is neuer founde without the brest / nor the breste without mylke / in the same wyse that holy desyre of suche a soule is neuer founde without cryst crucyfyed / nor without me endeles fader / the whiche soule fyndeth in me by tastyÌ„ge / souereyne and endeles godheed ¶ O I wolde a man myghte se how the myghtes of the soule be fulfylled / the mynde is fulfylled with contynuall remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me / drawynge by loue to her my benefytes / not onely the dede of my benefytes / but the affeccyon of my charyte / the whiche I haue gyuen to her / and namely the synguler benefyce of a creature / seynge herselfe made to the ymage of me and lykenesse / in the whiche benefyte rehersed in the fyrst state before sayde / she knoweth in herselfe the peyne of vnkyndenesse / the whiche folowed her ¶ And therfore by the benefytes of the blode of Ihesu cryst / she arose fro wretchednes / in the whiche blode I haue reformed her agayne to grace / wasshynge the faces of youre soules fro lepre of synne by the same blode / wherin a soule fyndeth herselfe in the secunde state / tastynge ther one maner of swetenesse of loue / the whiche mysse lyketh all synne / in the whiche swetenesse / she seeth well how synne dyspleaseth me somoche / that I punyshe it vpon the body of my onely sone Ihesu vpon the cros ¶ After this she fyndeth that coÌ„forte of the holy ghost that hathe declared and clereth a soule in very sothefastnesse ¶ But whan receyueth a soule this truthe ¶ In sothe after tyme it knoweth in herselfe my benefytes / by the fyrste secunde state ¶ Than it receyueth a parfyte lyght of me / that am endeles fader / knowynge my very truthe ryghtwysenes sothefastnes that I haue made here by loue / for to gyue her endeles lyfe / this is that sothe and truthe / whiche truthe I shewed you with the blode of my onely sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ After tyme she knoweth this she loueth / by loue she sheweth it / louyÌ„ge that I loue / hatynge that I hate ¶ Thus she fyndeth herselfe in the thyrde gre of charytable neyghboureheed / so that the mynde at this brest is fulfylled with parfeccyon / for it hathe my benefytes in mynde ¶ The intelleccyon also receyueth this lyghte / and for inwardely beholdynge in mynde / it knoweth the truthe / leuynge the blyÌ„denes of her propre loue / it dwelleth remayneth stydfastly iÌ„ the clere syghte of eryst crucyfyed / where it knoweth bothe god maÌ„ / the whiche knowlege cometh not of kynde as I haue sayde nother by workynge of her owne ê“pre vertu / but of grace gyuen of my most swetest sothefastnesse / the whiche very sothefastnes / dyspyseth neuer loue nor longynge desyre / nor labours / nor trauayles / that in suche loue loÌ„gynge is offred to me ¶ Wyll also and affeccyon that foloweth after intelleccyon / cometh and coupleth hym with parfeccyoÌ„ / most brennynge loue ¶ Yf it were than asked / whan the myghtes of the soule be thus fulfylled / whether this be a soule It myght be sayde yes / thoughe it be alterate by vnyon of loue ¶ What toÌ„gue were that / that myghte tell the excelleÌ„ce of this last vnytyue state / also of these dyuers fruytes that such a soule receyueth whan the myghtes ben fulfylled so by the techynge of my endelesse god heed ¶ This it that swete coÌ„gregacyon of the whiche I made mencyoÌ„ to the in the thre generall grees before / declarynge by the worde of my sothefastnesse / the whiche no toÌ„gue is fuffycyent for to tell ¶ But holy doctours illumyned by this gloryous lyghte / do shewe well that it is sothe / the whiche doctours declared holy wrytte by the same lyght / lyke as it is founde of the gloryous doctoure seynt Thomas Alquyn / the whiche had the cunnynge and scyence of all holy wryte / rather by contynuaunce excersyce of holy and deuoute prayers / and by lyftyÌ„ge vp of the soule / lyght of vnderstoÌ„dyÌ„ge / than by ony study and besynesse of man ¶ He was a lyghte whiche I sende in to the mysteryall body of the moder of holy chyrche / for to queÌ„che the derkenesse of erroures ¶ And yf thou wyll tourne the to the gloryous euangelyst seynt Iohan / thou maye se what lyght of grace he gate vpon that precyous brest of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste / with the whiche lyghte by suche grace goten / he preched aboute / as longe as he dwelled in erthe ¶ And so this gracious lyght ran aboute that it came to all the apostles doctours of holy chyrche / so that all they dyd shewe the same truthe of crystes doctryne by the same lyghte / one one wyse / and an other an other wyse ¶ Neuertheles the inwarde felynge that they had by that gracyous lyghte and vnspekeable swetenesse / also ê‘fyte vnyoÌ„ couthe nor can no tongue tel / for it was is a thynge that is infynyte / so it semed to seynt Paule whaÌ„ he sayde thus no eye may se / nor no ere may here / nor in to mannes herte maye ascede the sencyble swetenes and parfyte vnyon that god hathe ordeyned to them that ben parfyte louers ¶ O how swete is that swere mansyon / and that parfyte vnyon aboue all swetenesse that suche a soule hathe in me / for iÌ„ herselfe hathe she no wyl but her wyll was in me and she is one with me / suche a soule cryeth euer with the voyce of holy desyre / not with the voyce of a man in the syghte of my dyuyne maieste after heithe of soule ¶ These be the vnytyue fruytes that a soule receyueth and eteth in this lyfe in the last state of teres / goten with moche labour / wepynges / and syghyÌ„ges / and so it passeth parfytely forthe with very parseueraunce fro lyfe of grace that is fro this vnyon the whiche is vnparfyte as longe as it is bouÌ„de in the body / for in this lyfe it maye not be fulfylled / of that thyÌ„ge that it desyreth ¶ And therfore bycause it is yet bounde with a contrary us lawe / the whiche lawe thoughe it be a slepe by affeccyon of vertu / it is not yet deed / wherfore it may yet be waked / yf the instrumeÌ„t of vertu be put asyde / the whiche maketh it slepe ¶ Neuertheles yet this inparfyte vnyoÌ„ ledeth the soule for to receyue euerlastyÌ„ge durable parfeccyon / that in no wyse it maye be take awaye fro her / wher
/ and she myghte in no wyse se herselfe / for she herselfe that is nother sekyÌ„ge in herselfe nother temporall comforte nor spyrytuall comforte / but she was as a pâ—rsone that had in all thyÌ„ges slayne her owne propre wyll / she eschewed no maner of laboure in what wyse that euer it was put to her / but rather she ete with greate compassyon and sorowe meet of me endelesse god and helthe of soules vpon the table of the crosse / suffrynge repreues / iniuryes / and heuynesse of the fende / and many gronynges grutchynges of meÌ„ ¶ And she loked after no rewarde nother of me nor of other creatures / for she was spoyled fro the loue of ony mede / in asmoche as she dyd loue me withoute consyderacyon of ony rewarde ¶ Thus she was arayed with this parfyte and moste pure lyght / louynge me purely withoute ony rewarde / but onely to the glory and praysynge to my name / not seruynge me by her owne propre delectacyon / nor her neyghboure / for her owne profyte / but for the very pure loue of me ¶ Al suche haue loste themselfe / for they haue done awaye the olde conuersacyon of man / that is theyr owne propre sensualyte / and they be arayed with a newe conuersacyon / that is my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste my endelesse and sothefaste truthe / suynge hym myghtely ¶ These they be that sette them at the table of holy desyre and be more besy in dystroyenge mortyfyenge â— theyr owne wylles / thaÌ„ in mortyfyenge of theyr flesshe ¶ And they haue mortyfyed well ynoughe theyr owne flesshe / not pryncypally for the chefe affeccyon / but as a very instrument that is for to helpe and slee the propre sencyble wyll as it is reherced before where that I declared to the in that worde where I sayde thus that my delyte it was in fewe wordes / and in many good werkes ¶ And this ye sholde do / for the pryncypall affeccyon sholde be for to slee the propre wyll / the whiche affeccyon none other seketh nor desireth other thyÌ„ge than for to folowe my ownely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed / iÌ„ hyÌ„ sekynge and fyndyÌ„ge the glory and worshyp of my name / and helthe of soules ¶ They that be in this gloryous lyght / so they do / and therfore they lyue euer in peas quyetnesse of conscyence / for there is nothynge maye hurte it nor sclaundre it / in asmoche as they haue withdrawen fro them that thynge that hurte it and sclauÌ„dred it / that is theyr owne propre wyll ¶ And all maner ê‘secucyoÌ„s that the worlde or the fende maye do to theÌ„ they put all vnder theyr fete ¶ And yet they stonde in the water of trybulacyons and temptacyons / whiche do to them no dysease / bycause they stonde bounde to the beame of ferueÌ„t desyre / suche do ioye in all thynges / and they be no Iudges / nother of my seruauntes / nor of my other reasonable creatures / but they be glad of euery state that they se / sayenge to me thus ¶ O endeles fader thaÌ„kynge be to the / for in thy house be many dwellynge places / yet they be more glad of dyuers states that they se / thaÌ„ yf they se thy dwellynge places / all they do kepe one waye of lyuyÌ„ge / for iÌ„ many states of lyuyÌ„ge / they se the magnyfysence of my goodnes spred abrode / of al therfore they be ioyful ¶ And they wyl iÌ„ no wyse gyue no Iudgementes / nor deme nother them that be good / nor them that by euyll done open synne / but rather with a maner of very holy coÌ„passyon / prayenge to me for them / with parfyte mekenesse saye thus ¶ To daye thou / to morowe I / but yf the grace of god do kepe me ¶ O ryghte well byloued doughter be thou ioyfull therfore of this ryghte swete excellent state / beholde how they renne in this gloryous lyghte / and se theyr excellence and worthynes / for they haue theyr myndes full set to me / and ete at the table of holy desyre / with lyghte they come to noryshe theÌ„selfe of the meet of soules / for the honour and worshyp of me endelesse fader / arayed with the swete clothe of my onely sothefast sone that blessyd lambe / that is with his breÌ„nynge charyte ¶ All suche do neuer lose theyr tyme / in gyuynge of false Iudgementes / neuer agaynste my seruauntes / nor agaynst the seruauÌ„tes of the worlde / they neuer hurte nor sclaundre themselfe / for no maner grutchynge done agaynste theÌ„ or agaynst other / for yf it be done agaynst theÌ„selfe / they be well apayde to suffre it for my name / and yf it be agaynste other / they bere it easely with them that suffreth / neuer grutchynge agaynste hym that dothe it / nor agaynste hym that receyueth it ¶ For the loue of suche is ordynate in me endeles god / and also in theyr neyghbour and neuer vnordynately sette ¶ All suche dere doughter conceyue neuer sclaundre / agaynst theÌ„ whom they loue / nor agaynst none other reasonable creatures / for theyr syght iÌ„ suche thyÌ„ges is deed not quycke / and therfore they wyl not haue to do with the Iudgementes of the wylles of men / but onely of the wyll of my myldenes ¶ All suche also kepe the doctryne that thou knowes well that was gyuen to the of my sothefastnesse / in the begynnynge of thy lyfe / whan thou asked with a greate desyre for to haue a wyll to come to parfyte purete / thynkynge thaÌ„ how thou myghte come therto ¶ I knowe well than was gyuen to the an answere / whyle thou dyd slepe vpon the holy desyre / not onely iÌ„ thy soule / but in the sowne of thy ere / a voyce fro god spake to the. ¶ For yf thou remeÌ„bre the well / thou was thaÌ„ tourned than to thy sencyble wyttes of the body / whaÌ„ my onely sothefast sone Ihesu spake to the / sayenge thus ¶ Yf thou wyll come to parfyte purete be depryued fro sclaunders / that is that thy soule for nothynge shall be sclauÌ„dred ¶ Do so that than thou maye alwaye lyue in affeccyon and desyre of loue / for I am moste souerayne endelesse purete / and also I am that fyre that puryfyeth the soule ¶ And therfore the more that a soule draweth cleueth to me / the more purer it is / and the forther that it gothe out fro me / the more vnclene it is ¶ And the cause why that deedly waÌ„tayne meÌ„ fall in to so many lyuynges of wyckednesse / is for they be departed fro me ¶ But the soule wtout that ony mene oneth her to me / she taketh parte of my purete ¶ Also thou muste do an other thynge that thou maye come to this vnyon of purete / that is that thou Iudge neuer in ony parsone / that thou
felynge of swetenesse the whiche he had of me ¶ I wyll also yf thou sholde be of wyll / bothe thou and all my other seruauntes / that ye knowe ê‘fytely yourselfe / by the whiche knowe lege ye maye come parfytely to my endeles goodnes / reserueth to me bothe this other maner of Iudgementes / for to me it longeth / and for saketh the Iudgement that loÌ„geth to me / and take vpon you compassyon with hoÌ„gre of the honour of me / and helthe of soules / and with loue longynge desyre / sheweth telleth vertu / and repreueth vyces in you and in them / in the maner that it is sayde before ¶ In suche maner thou maye in sothe come to me / so shall thou wel shewe that thou hase kepte in thy soule the doctryne that was gyuen to the of my sothefast sone Ihesu cryst that is for to Iudge my wyll / and not the wyll of men ¶ Thus sholde thou do / yf thou wyll haue purely vertu / and stonde in the last / most gloryous / and most parfyte lyghte / fedynge thyselfe at the table of holy desyre / with the meet of heâ—the of soules / to the glory and praysynge of my holy name ¶ How bodyly penauÌ„ce shall not be take for a pryÌ„cypall fouÌ„dament nor for a pryncypall desyre / but the desyre loue of vertues shall betake for a pryÌ„cypall fouÌ„dameÌ„t I Haue sayd to the dere dougeter of two thynges that thou sholde vse / now shal I tell the of the thyrde / to the whiche I wyll that thou take ryghte good heed / and repreue and withdrawe thyselfe therfro ¶ Yf otherwhyle the feÌ„de / or thy owne coÌ„ceyte haue enuy at the somoche / that they wolde styrre the for to aspy / se where all my seruauntes to go by the same waye that thou goes iÌ„ or wolde go in / thou myght well knowe that it were a dysceyte / for it is agaynste the doctryne whiche is gyuen to the by my sothefastnesse ¶ For ofte tymes it happeth the thou sholde se many creatures walke by the waye of ryght greate penauÌ„ce / and to some it were ryghte heuy for to se them walke that waye / for as they seme they do not well ¶ Sees thou not how al suche be dysceyued / wyl thou se howmoche ¶ Certayne it is sometyme that suche one so lyuyÌ„ge in greate penauÌ„ce / dothe better thaÌ„ he that semeth he dothe amysse / for he dothe more penaunce and also is more vertuous / than he that grutcheth of hym / and therfore I sayde to the before / that they the whiche feden them at the table of penaunce / yf they do it with very mekenesse that they sette not suche peynfull lyuynge in penaunce for theye pryncypall affeccyon / but for an instrumeÌ„t of vertu / ofte tymes suche grutchynge turneth them in to greate parfeccyon / and therfore they sholde not be vncuÌ„nynge / but knowe wysely that parfeccyon stondeth not onely in mortyfycacyoÌ„ of the body / but in destroyenge and mortyfyenge of the propre wycked wyll ¶ This is the doctryne of lyghte comynge and procedynge of that gloryous lyghte wherin a soule renneth in rapte in loue / and is arayed with my truthe ¶ I dyspyse not therfore penaunce / for penaunce is good to mortyfy the body / the whiche wyll stryue agaynst the spyryte ¶ But I wyll therfore dere doughter that thou knowe this for a generall rule / that some in doynge of penaunce / be more myghtyer of kynde than some / and therfore they may suffre the more and please god ryghte vertuously / yf it be done as it is sayde before and also some it happeth that penaunce whiche is begonÌ„e must somtyme beleft for many causes that may betyde / orelles the foundament whiche is set in that and in other of my seruauÌ„tes sholde defayle / for suche penaunce excercysed / and so sholde the foundameÌ„t be vnparfyte / and you bothe ghostly comforte sholde defayle / also vertu of the soule ¶ And where that ye be so depryued of suche thynge that ye loue by suche synguler affeccyoÌ„s by doynge of penauÌ„ce / it sholde seme to you that ye were depryued fro me and so sholde ye come to greate heuynesse and bytternesse and confusyon ¶ And also in suche a wyse ye sholde lose the excercyses of deuocyon and feruent prayer / the whiche ye were wont to haue / to some that haue longe vsed this penaunce ¶ This sodeyne chaungynge sholde tourne them to greate heuynesse / so for to leue that they haue so longe vsed / why it is that trowes thou ¶ Certeynly for the grounde worke or fundacyon was sette in affeccyon for to do penaunce / and not in loue loÌ„gynge desyre ¶ Therfore wher penauÌ„ce is vsed / as it is to me plesaunte that it be vsed / it muste be sette on a good grounde ¶ Thus thou may se that there sholde be no grutchynge agaynst none of my seruauntes that done penaunce / thoughe it semeth to you they gone not in the same waye that ye gone in ¶ For I wyll be serued of infynyte goodes / that am endelesse infynyte good / and ymonge al other mortyfycacyoÌ„ it is good to dystroye euermore and mortyfy the propre wyl and than with that wyll so made subiecte to my wyll / ye sholde yelde to me swete hongre infynyte desyre / sekynge the worshyp and honour of me / and helthe of soules / so sholde ye noryshe and fede youreselfe at the table of desyre / the whiche desyre is neuer sclaundred / nother iÌ„ hymselfe that hathe it / nor in his neyghbour / but it is ioyfull of all states / and it draweth out fruyte of euery dyuers maners of lyuynge that I gyue to dyuers soules ¶ Thus wretches done not / the whiche do not folowe this swete doctryne / and the ryghte waye gyuen of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / but they do the coÌ„trary / deme after theyr owne blyÌ„de couetyse / and therfor they do walke as wode men / and depryuen themselfe fro the good of charyte of heueÌ„ly vertues and as I haue sayde before they taste in this lyfe the ernest of hell ¶ A shorte repetycyoÌ„ of wordes that be sayd before / with an addycyoÌ„ of the loue of oure neyghboure LO dere doughter thus haue I satysfyed to thy desyre / I haue declared to the of the thynge that thou dyd aske of me / that is how thou sholde loue thy neyghboure that thou be not dysceyued of the feÌ„de / nor of thy owne conceyte ¶ And there I sayde to the that thou sholde loue hym generally not specyally / where that thou had it by specyall shewynge of me in thy soule of his synnes / and than I tolde the that with mekenesse and in the maner as I tolde the / thou sholde repreue iÌ„ loue bothe thy neyghbour and thyselfe ¶ Also I sayde and yet I saye that in nowyse
thou Iudge ony creature / nother generally nor specyally / nor the soules of my seruauntes / whether thou fynde them dysposed or not / and there I tolde the the cause why thou sholde not Iudge / for yf thou dyd gyue Iudgement / thou sholde be dysceyued in thy owne conceyte ¶ But thou sholde haue compassyon bothe thou and al my other seruauntes / and commyt Iudgementes to me ¶ I taughte the also a doctryne / as for a pryncypall fouÌ„dament how thou sholde behaue the to them that do come to that for to aske counseyle / of suche namely that were in purpose for to haue gone out of the waye of derkenesse of deedly synne / and folowe the waye of vertu ¶ That is that thou gyue to them in the waye of couÌ„sayle the pryncypall foundament / that they sette theyr affeccyon and loue in vertu in knowlege of themselfe and of my goodnes in them / and that they flee and forsake fully theyr owne propre wylles / that in no wyse that they be rebell to me ¶ And counseyle them to do penaunce / and that they take it as for an instrument / and not for a pryncypall affeccyon as it is rehersed before not to eche lyke / but as they be able for to bere and after theyr myght and state / to some lesse and to some moche as they maye ¶ And bycause I sayde to the / that vndertakyÌ„ge was not lefull to the for to vse it but in generall after the maner as I haue tolde the yet I wolde not that thou shold suppose / that yf thou sawe hym synne deedly / that thou myghte not correcke hym charytably bytwene the and hym / suppose not that / for so thou maye not do / also yf he were obstynate / wolde not correcke and amende hym / thou maye than tell his synne that thou hase seen to two or thre / and yf that profyte nor / thou maye tell it to the mystery all body of youre moder holy chyrche ¶ But I tolde the that it was not fefull to the after thy felyÌ„ge within thy soule / nor after thy outwarde felynge / lyghtly to styrre thyself to vndertake hyÌ„ / but yf thou knowe veryly the truthe / orelles that thou haue in thy soule by expresse reuelacyon / that thou shold vndertake hyÌ„ vnder suche a fourme as I haue tolde ye. ¶ For that I tolde the is the surer party / in the whiche the wycked fende maye not dysceyue the vnder the mantell of the parfyte charyte of thy neyghboure ¶ The secuÌ„de chapyter is of tokens to knowe vysytacyons or ghostly vysyons / whether they come of god or of the fende ¶ Also how god is the fulfyller of holi desyres of his seruauntes ¶ And howe it pleaseth god moche whan a maÌ„ axeth and prayeth with parseuerauÌ„ce / and knocketh at the gate of his sothefastnes / and of other maters / as it is shewed before in the kalender Ca. ii I Haue fulfylled here dere doughter to the now declared that that is spedefull to coÌ„serue and encrese parfeccyon iÌ„ thy soule ¶ Now therfore I shall declare that that thou askes of me by what tokeÌ„ thou sholde knowe whan a soule receyueth my vysytacyon / whether it were of vysyons / or of other ghostly comfortes / wher I shewed the tokens / how thou sholde knowe whether it were of me or not ¶ And it was this token / gladnes that be lefte after vysyons in a soule / and hongre of vertu / and namely whan it were oned with the very vertu of mekenesse / and also brenned with the fyre of charyte ¶ But bycause thou askes me whether in suche gladnes maye be receyued ony dysceyte of the feÌ„de / for yf thou kewe it / thou wolde cleue to the surer party ¶ Therfore I shall tell the the dysceyte that maye be receyued in suche gladnes / and how thou shall knowe whan gladnes is very trewe / whan it is not trewe ¶ Dysceyte may be receyued in this wyse / I wyll thou thou knowe that what maner thynge a reasonable creature loueth or desyreth to haue / after tyme he hathe it / he hathe it iÌ„ hate ¶ And the more he loueth that he hathe / the lesse he seeth therin / and the more vncunnynge he is for to knowe with prudence whens it cometh that he hathe / and that is for the loue that he hathe in that coÌ„forte / for the ioye in the receyuynge of that thynge that he loueth wyll not suffre hym for to se it / nor he repenteth not though he neuer se it ¶ In the same wyse / they that delyte theÌ„ moche and loue mentall comforte / they seke after vysyons / and they set more theyr pryncypall affeccyon in delyte of comforte / thaÌ„ pryncypally in me / as I haue sayd to the before ¶ And of all suche namely that be yet in the state of imparfeccyon the whiche rather beholden to the gyfte of comfortes that I gyue them thaÌ„ to affeccyon of my charyte / whiche I gyue them more specyally ¶ In this they maye receyue dysceytes / how they be dysceyued I shall tell the. ¶ After tyme suche haue coÌ„ceyued a grete loue iÌ„ receyuyÌ„ge of ghostly coÌ„fortes or vysyons / iÌ„ what wyse that euer they come they fele a ioye / for they haue the thynge whiche they loue and desyre / and this maye come of the fende / for thoughe it come with gladnes / yet it endeth with peyne pryckynge of coÌ„scyence / and voyde fro the desyre of vertu ¶ For yf suche gladnesse be founde without seruet desyre of vertu and very mekenesse / brenned in the ouen of my dyuyne charyte / that vysytacyoÌ„ / comforte / and vysyon / that suche a soule receyueth is of the fende not of me / thoughe she fele a token of gladnes / but bycause gladnes is not oned with affeccyon of loue as it is sayde thou maye openly knowe that suche gladnesse is of her owne propre delectacyon / and that is the cause of her ioye / bycause that â—he hathe that she desyreth / for the condycyon of loue is this / for to loue that ioye that it feleth ¶ Therfore thou maye not truste iÌ„ ioy alone / though it seme the ynoughe in receyuynge of suche ghostly comfortes / for an vncunnynge loue in suche ioye maye lyghtly be dysceyued of the fende / yf it haue none other prudeÌ„ce ¶ And yf it be wtyse / it shall se a token withoute dysceyte of the fende / that is yf it walke with affeccyoÌ„ of vertu / or not ¶ This is a very shewynge tokeÌ„ for to knowe whaÌ„ it is dysceyte / and whan not ¶ In the same wyse it is of the gladnesse that thou receyues in thy soule of me / and of that gladnesse whiche thou receyues in the soule of thy owne propre spyrytuall delectacyon ¶ For the gladnesse the whiche is of me / is oned to affeccyon of vertu
/ and that gladnesse the whiche dothe come of the fende / is but gladnesse alone wtout folowynge of ony vertu / for asmoche vertu he feleth whaÌ„ it is gone as he dyd at the begynnynge ¶ An suche gladnesse cometh of the loue that they haue in the ghostly comforte / as it is rehersed before ¶ I wyll also that thou knowe that al be not dyseeyued by suche gladnesse / but onely suche vnê‘fyte folke / that set all theyr ioye more in the gyfte of comforte and delyte of vysytacyon / than in me that am the gyuer ¶ And all suche that with ony beholdynge of other thynge than of me / beholdeÌ„ feruently rather to affeccyon of me that am the gyuer / thaÌ„ to the gyfte / and so they loue the gyfte for me / not for theyr owne coÌ„forte maye neuer be dysceyued of theyr gladnesse / in tyme of vysyoÌ„s or vysytacyons ¶ And therfore they knowe ryghte well whan the fende cometh in forme of lyghte / for to dysceyue by suche maner of gladnes / as soone as they aspy it is he / anone they knowe theÌ„selfe with theyr owne very knowlege / and dyspyse suche comforte / grypynge and clypped the doctryne of my charyte ¶ And for shame the fende gothe fro them / but all suche that loue theyr ghostly comforte do the coÌ„trary ¶ For they may knowe yf they wyll his dysceytes as I haue sayde that is fyndyÌ„ge in theyr owne soules ioye withoute vertu / not goynge oute of the same pathe of mekenesse / and very charyte / and hongre of my worshyp endeles god / and also of helthe of soules / lyke as my parfyte and trewe louers done ¶ Lo doughter my endelesse goodnesse hathe prouyded thus / for parfyte and vnparfyte / in what state that they stonde / for to knowe dysceytes of the fende / in tyme of vysyons and vysytacyons / that they be not dysceyued / yf they wyll kepe the lyghte of intelleccyon / the whiche I haue gyuen to you / with the clere syghte of ryghte holy feythe / the whiche lyghte letteth the fende for to shadowe vpon you his dysceytes / and therfore neuer auoyde this lyghte of grace awaye fro you / for yf ye neuer auoyde it awaye fro you / there is none that maye take it awaye fro you ¶ How that god is the fulfyller of holy desyres of his seruauntes / how it pleaseth god moche whan a man dothe aske with parseuerauÌ„ce / and knocketh at the gate of his sothefastnesse NOw dere doughter I haue fully declared to the and yllumyned the eye of thy intelleccyon / agaynste the dysceytes that the fende maye do to the / and so I haue satysfyed thy desyre of that thynge thou dyd aske me / for I am not a dyspyser of the desyres of my seruauntes / but I gyue to the the asker / styrre the for to aske / he dyspleaseth me ryghte moche that knocketh not veryly at the gate of my sothefastnesse that is Ihesu suynge the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst / shewyÌ„ge his doctryne / whiche is nothynge elles / but a maner knockynge and cryenge to me endelesse fader / by the voyce of holy desyre / with meke and contynuall prayers ¶ I am that fader that gyueth to you breed of grace / by medyacyon of the gate that is of my sone Ihesu / and other whyle sor to proue your desyres and ê‘seuerauÌ„ce / I feyne me as thoughe I vnderstode you not in youre askynge / and yet I vnderstonde you well ynoughe / and yet in the mene whyle / that that is spedefull for you I gyue you ¶ For I gyue you bothe hongre and wyll / by the whiche ye cryen to me ¶ And thaÌ„ I seynge your stydfastnes and parseuerauÌ„ce / in that that they be ordynately dyrecte to me I fulfyll ¶ To this callynge my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu hathe styrred you / where he saythe thus / knocke and it shall be opened to you / aske and you shall haue / serche and you shall fynde ¶ So I wyl that thou do / that thy desyre neuer cease iÌ„ askynge of my helpe / nor bowe not awaye thy voyce fro me endelesse fader / that I maye shewe and do mercy to the worlde ¶ Nor cese not for to knocke at the gate of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / in suyÌ„ge of his steppes ¶ Delyte therfore iÌ„ his passyon / erynge with hym vpon the table of the crosse the meet of helthe of soules / for ioy / presynge / and honour of my name / and wayle there hertefully the bethe of mankyÌ„de / whome thou sees fall in grete wretchednes ¶ For ther is no toÌ„gue in erthe suffycyent / to tell the wretchednesse that is vsed iÌ„ this worlde / therfore by suche waylynge / wepynge / and cryenge / I wyll shewe mercy to the worlde ¶ This thyÌ„ge it is that I desyre and requyre of my seruauntes / and that is a tokeÌ„ that they loue me veryly and therfore as Isayd I shal neuer dyspyse nor sette lytell by theyr deuoute desyres ¶ Howe this deuoute soule dothe meke her and yeldeth thaÌ„kynges to god / and how that she prayeth for all the worlde / and specyal for holy chyrche / and also specyally for her ghostly dyscyples / and for her two ghostly faders / and after this she asketh to her of the dedes of mynystres to holy chyrche T'Han that deuoute soule was veryly drunke by vnyon of loue / by the whiche she was alyened and rapte fro herselfe / and her bodyly felynges / and araysed herselfe aboue herselfe / beholdynge with the eye of intelleccyon in the endeles truthe of god / and sayde thus ¶ O souerayne endeles goodnesse of god what wrecthe am I / that it shall please the my swete souerayne endeles fader to shewe to me thy sothefastnes / and also the pryue subtyltes of the fende / and dysceytes of my owne sensualyte / the whiche dysceytes bothe I and other myghte receyue in this wepynge worde / and knowe them not / but yf we hadde be enformed before ¶ Good lorde who styrred the here to ¶ Certayne thy owne loue / for thou dyd loue me / or than I loued the. ¶ O fyre of loue / thankynge be to that endelesse fader / I vnparlyte and full of derkenesse / and thou parfyte and full of lyghte hase shewed me parfeccyon / and a clere shynynge waye of doctryne / of thy onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ I was deed / and thou hase yraysed me / I was seke and thou hase gyueÌ„ me medycynes / and not onely the medycyne of the blode that thou gaue to maÌ„kynde by medyacyoÌ„ of thy sones passyoÌ„ / but thou hase gyueÌ„ me an other specyal medycyne agaynst my pryuy sekenesse / the whiche I neuer knewe before / by that doctryne that thou hase gyuen me / that in no wyse I shold Iudge ony maner reasonable creatures and specyally thy seruauntes / of whome
the temptacyoÌ„s of the fendes / and agaynste the wretched worlde ¶ And thus thou maye se that ther remayneth alwaye a prynte or an ymage of grace / after tyme that ghostly mater of the sacrament of the auter is receyued ghostly consumed ¶ This ghostly mater thus receyued and ghostly consumed / thaÌ„ this very sonne tourneth agayne to his whele and roundell / not that it was departed fro the same whele / but that it was and is euer oned and knytte with me togyder in one ¶ But the depenesse of my dyuyne charyte for your helthe / hathe gyueÌ„ to you meet in this lyfe / in the whiche lyfe ye be pylgrymes and strauÌ„gers / for to receyue you / and for ye sholde not lose the myÌ„de of my benefites of my sones precyous blode ¶ Also therfore it is gyueÌ„ to you in to your ghostly meet by my dyuyne dyspensacyon / for helpynge of youre necessytes or nedes ¶ Thus than beholde howmoche ye be bounde to me / for to yelde me loue agayne / for so greate loue that I haue shewed to you / and also for bycause that I am endelesse most souerayne sothefastenesse / worthy to be loued of you ¶ How the wordes that be sayde of the excellence of the sacrament / ben sayde of the dygnyte of preestes that sholde better knowe / and how god asketh more purete clennesse of body soule of theÌ„ / than of other of his creatures ALl this haue I tolde the dere doughter that thou maye the better knowe the dygnyte in the whiche I haue sette my mynysters ¶ And also that thou haue that more compassyon of theyr wretchydnes / for yf they themselfe beholde theyr owne dygnyte / they wolde neuer dwell in the derkenes of deedly synnes / nor they wolde neuer defoule the faces of theyr soules with that spottes of deedly synnes / and not onely that they sholde ascape withoute offence of me and theyr owne dygnyte / for thoughe y they betake theyr bodyes to the fyre it sholde be ryghte lytell satysfaccyon of the trespas / to so grete grace / so greate a benefyte as they haue receyued / for in this worlde they myght neuer come to so grete a dygnyte ¶ They be onely my anoyÌ„ted people for I call them my crystes / and to them haue I betake myselfe for to be mynystred to you / and also I haue sende them in to the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / as ryght swete smellyÌ„ge floures ¶ This dygnyte hathe not an angel / but I haue gyuen it to meÌ„ / to suche as I haue chosen for my mynysters / whome I haue ordeyned iÌ„ erthe as angels / and they sholde be called angels of erthe in this lyfe / for as angels they sholde be ¶ In euery soule I requyre purete and charyte / by the whiche he sholde loue me pryncypally his neyghboure / also for to helpe hym in that he can and maye / other by temporall good / or by mynystracyon of prayer / and so for to dwell togyder in the loue of charyte / as I haue vpon this same mater tolde that iÌ„ an other place ¶ Moche more therfore I requyre purete and loue iÌ„ my mynystres / bothe anendes me and also anendes theyr neyghbours / mynystrynge bothe to themselfe and to theyr neyghbours / the body and the blode in the sacrament of the auter / of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / with the fyre of charyte / and hongre of helthe of soules / for the glory and laude of my name ¶ For ryghte as my mynysters wyll haue clene chalyces for to put in that blessyd sacrament / so I requyre in them the purete of herte / and clennesse of soule in them ¶ I wyl also that the body of them the whiche is an instrumeÌ„t of the soule be kepte in parfyte purete and clennesse / and I wyll not that they noryshe it in the fylthe of vncleÌ„nes / nor that they be proude nor hyghe of herte / sekynge grete prelaces / nor that they be cruell anendes theÌ„selfe theyr neyghbours / for they maye not vse theyr owne cruelte without harmynge of theyr neyghbours / â—or yf they be to themselfe cruell / they be cruell in receyuyÌ„ge of synne / and so they be of the soules of theyr neyghbours / bycause they gyue to theym no ensample of lyfe ¶ Nor all suche haue no fere â—or to pull â—ute soules out of the fendes hondes / nor for to mynystre to them the body and the blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / also me very lyghte as I haue sayde nor also none other sacrameÌ„t of holy chyrche ¶ And thus all the whyle they be to theÌ„ thê° cruell / they be in the same wyse to other so cruell ¶ How that sacramentes sholde neuer be soulde nor boughte / they that receyue the sacramentes sholde helpe the mynystres with theyr temporall goodes / whiche goodes the mynysters sholde dyspose ordeyne for to be dysposed in to thre partes ¶ I wyl that they be large and not scarse / that is nother for couetyse nor auaryce / they sell the grace of the holy ghost / so shold they not do / nother I wyll that they do so / but rather of the gracyous gyfte and the wydenes of charyte that they haue receyued of my endelesse goodnes / for to gyue it frely of large herte by affeccyon of loue for the worshyp of me and helthe of soules / to euery reasonable creature the whiche asketh it mekely / they sholde nothynge take therfore / in asmoche as they boughte it neuer / but they dyd receyue it of me by grace / for to mynystre it to you ¶ Also they maye and sholde well by the waye of almes receyue / so sholde the subiecte do that receyueth the sacramente / for on his syde he sholde gyue that he myghte for almes som what gyue / for in asmoche as they sholde be ghostly fedde of them / therfore they sholde helpe them at theyr nedes of temporal goodes ¶ I wyl that ye were that without ony comparyson / they gyue to you more thaÌ„ ye gyue to them / for there maye be sette no comparyson bytwyxe thynges that haue none ende / as transytory thynges of the whiche ye helpeÌ„ them to me endelesse god that am infynyteâ— whome by prouydence and dyuyne charyte I haue ordeyned for to mynystre to you ghostly thynges and graces / that is the sacrameÌ„t of holy chyrche / and not onely of suche mynysters / but also of other ghostly graces prayers / and of other ghostly thynges / of what preest that euer it be that it be gyuen to you / for that ghostly good maye not be lykened to no maner of temporall good / the ye gyuen to theÌ„ ¶ Also now shal I tell the how they sholde departe that teÌ„porall good that they receyue of you / I saye that they sholde departe the substaunce of those temporall goodes
/ for thou fulfylles it with wyckednesse and dyshoneste of lyuyÌ„ge ¶ The eye of thy intelleccyon thou sholde put full of lyghte of feythe vpon the passyon of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst whose mynyster thou arte made / thou before hym hase set delyces rychesse of the worlde with wretched vanyte ¶ Thy affeccyoÌ„ sholde onely loue me without ony other / thou hase sette wretchedly for to loue creatures and thy owne body / and so thou loues beestly thynges more thaÌ„ me ¶ What is that cause of this ¶ Certayne the propre vnpasyence that thou hase to me / what thynge that I take awaye / that thyÌ„ge that thou loues more than me ¶ And also the dysplesaunce that thou hase to thy neyghboure / whan it semeth to the that thou does receyue some teÌ„porall harme of hym / and so thou hase hym in hate and blaspheme / goynge awaye fro my charyte ¶ O vnhappy wretche thou arte made mynyster of the fyre of my dyuyne charyte / and thou for thy owne propre mysruled delectacyons and for one harme that thou receyues of thy neyghboure / thou does lose that mynystracyoÌ„ ¶ O dere doughter this is one of those thre wretched pyllers that I haue rehersed before ¶ How that auaryce reygneth in wycked mynysters in lenynge to vsury / and specyally in byenge and sellynge of benefyces and prelaces / of moche euyll that hathe come in to holy chyrche for his couetyse NOw shall I tell the of the secunde that is of auaryce / for that thyÌ„ge whiche my sone gaue in greate largenesse / that is al his blessyd body hangynge vpon that crosse full of turmeÌ„tes and peynes / where as my blessyd lambe ryghte largely shedde his moste precyous blode / thus my swete laÌ„be payde the rauÌ„some of mankynde / with no golde nor syluer / but with that precyous blode ¶ And yet not halfe the worlde he rauÌ„somed / but all the worlde / bothe they that be passed / they that be present / and they that be to come / and yet he gaue you not onely his blode / but also he gaue you fyre of breÌ„nyÌ„ge loue / for he gaue hymselfe to you by the fyre of brennynge loue / and yet not onely his precyous blode and the fyre of brennynge loue / without my dyuyne nature ¶ For the nature of the godheed was and is parfytely owned to the nature of manheed / yf that blode so oned with the largenesse of dyuyne loue hathe made the a mynyster / and thou with so grete couetyse and auaryce that thynge whiche my sone gate on the crosse that is soules raunsomed with so greate loue and that also he hathe graunted the that thou sholde be a specyall mynyster of that blode / thou does sel by suche couetyse the grace of the holy ghost / makynge thy subiectes to by of the that thou hase frely receyued of me ¶ Thou hase not dysposed thy throte for to wynÌ„e soules by techyÌ„ge but to deuoure soules by monye takyÌ„ge / and thou arte made so strayte in charyte of that thynge the whiche thou hase take in so greate largenesse that thou may nother receyue me by grace / nor thy neyghbour by loue ¶ The substauÌ„ce of temporall goodes that thou receyues by vertu of the blode / thou receyues it largely ¶ And thou auarycyous wretche does good to none but to thy selfe yet not to thy selfe / but as a thefe worthy endelesse peyne does robbe the goodes of thy moder holy chyrche and the goodes of poore men / also thou spendes it vycyously with women and dyshonest men / and in delyces / and with thy kynred / and also there with thou noryshes thy chyldren ¶ O you vyle wretches where be youre chyldren of vertu that ye sholde haue vnder your gouernauÌ„ce / wher is youre feruent charyte with the whiche ye sholde mynyster / where is also the greate desyre of my honour and helthe of soules that ye sholde haue / where is that greate and dole full sorowe that ye sholde haue for to se the wolfe of hell to bere awaye thy shepe ¶ There is none in thy strayte herte thou couetous wretche nother loue of me nor of them / thou alone loues thyselfe with thy owne sencyble loue / with the whiche loue thou enuenymes thyselfe other ¶ Thou arte that wycked spyryte and fende of hell that deuoures theÌ„ with mysruled loue / thy throte desyreth no other / and therfore thou takes no thoughte thoughe the inuysyble deuyll bere theÌ„ away ¶ Thou thyselfe arte a very instrument for to sende them to the inuysyble deuyl of hell ¶ Of the goodes of thy moder the holy chyrche / thou delycately arayes thyselfe and other synfull and wretched lyuers with â—he / and thou byes grete horses more for lust than for nede / there as thou sholde haue them for nede / and not for lust ¶ These lustes worldely meÌ„ do vse / but lustes sholde be for to fede and araye the poore men / and for vysyte the seke men / helpynge all suche peple in theyr nedes bothe ghostly and bodyly / for I haue ordeyned the a mynyster for none other / nor gyuen the suche a dygnyte / but for theÌ„ ¶ But bycause thou arte become a wylde beest / therfore thou settes thy ioy in suche beestes thou sees not but thou arte blynde and wyll not se the tourment that is ordeyned for the. ¶ Thou sholde amende the wretche / and sorowe that thou hase thus bone / and so ameÌ„de the. ¶ Sees thou not dere doughter what wretchednesse reygneth ymoÌ„ge these wretched synners what shall I more saye ¶ I sayde to the that some of theÌ„ lene to vsury not for to beyholde open vsurers but in many subtyll wyses by theyr couetyse / for selden tymes to theyr neyghbours they lende of theyr goodes / the whiche in no wyse is lawfull to be vsed ¶ Yf it were a gyfte of lytell valu / and he with entent receyueth it for a prys aboue the loue that he hathe lent it hym it is vsury and so of all other thynges that he receyueth in the meane whyle with suche entent ¶ I haue ordeyned hym for to forbydde leculers fro that synne / and he dothe the same / moreouer yf one come to hym for to aske couÌ„seyle of his mater / bycause he is gylty in the same and hathe loste therby the lyghte of reason / he gyueth derke counseyle of the same passyon that he feleth in his soule of the same mater ¶ These and many other defautes do sprynge of suche streyte couetous hertes / it maye be sayde of theÌ„ the worde that my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu sayde whan he wente in to the teÌ„ple where he founde sellers and byers / and he bette them out with scourges sayenge thus to theÌ„ my house shall be called a house of prayer / ye make it a denne of theues ¶ Thou sees well doughter that
wretchednesse they fall with them in synne / yf thou haue mynde ther of thou kewe suche a creature / for thou dyd se her with thy eyes / to whom suche a thȳge befell / suche a wrethed preest is wtout a hounde of conscyence in hymselfe / for he aspyeth nothynge his owne defautes / nor barketh not / in correckynge of the defautes of his subiectes / but rather he strangleth his owne conscyence in himselfe and other / also I ordeyned suche curates for to synge and rede dyuyne seruyce / they lerne for to worke malycyous thynges / and for to charme and enchaūte deuyls / for to make womē to come to thē by dysceyte of the fende aboute mydnyghte ¶ Ordeyned I the for to spende thy wakynge in the nyghte in suche wyse ¶ Naye certayne / but for to spende the nyghte in holy wakynge / prayer by good dysposycyon / on the morowe thou maye go to masse gyue the people swete smell of vertu / and not the stynkynge fylthe of vyces ¶ Thou arte putte in the state of an angell / that thou maye be conuersaunte with angels by holy medyacyons in this lyue / and at the laste come to me with thē to taste in euer lastynge blysse / and thou delytes the to be a deuyll / and to be conuersaūte with hym or that thou dye ¶ But I knowe well the hornes of thy pryde hathe smyten the clere shynȳge perle of holy feythe within the eye of thy intelleccyon / and so thou hase loste thy syghte / and therfore thou sees not in howmoche wretchednesse thou dwelles in / and thou byleues not that euery synne shall be punyshed / and euery good dede shall be rewarded / for yf thou beleued it in sothe / thou wolde not do as thou does / nor suche conuersacyō thou wolde not shewe / but whan that euer thou herde that name of synne named / thou wolde haue abhomynacyon therof ¶ But bycause thou parsues his wyll / hȳ / and his workes / thou hase greate delyte therof ¶ Thou arte blȳde / and yet thou arte more than blynde / I wolde that thou wolde aske of that deuyll that thou serues what mede he wyll gyuey e / for the seruyce that thou does to hym / I knowe well he wyll gyue the to answere saye that he wyll gyue the suche fruyte as he hathe / for he maye gyue the none other / but suche cruell turmentes fyre in the whiche he brenneth euer hymselfe / in whome he fell for his pryde fro the heyghte of heuen / and thou erthely angell falles fro the heyght of thy preestly dygnyte by thy hygh pryde / and fro thy trefour of vertu / in to the pouerte of many wretchednesses / and but yf thou amende the here / thou shall descende ī to the depenesse of hell ¶ Thou hase made the worlde and thyselfe / thy god thy lorde / beholde to the worlde with all his delyces / that thou in this lyfe hase receyued of hȳ / and also to thy owne propre sensualyte / wherwith thou hase vsed worldely thynges / wher I sette the in state of preestheed for to dyspyse them / say therfore to thē / that for the they muste gyue a rekenȳge before me the souerayne Iudge ¶ They sholde answere than and saye that they maye not helpe the / and so sholde they tryffe the forthe and saye that thou thyselfe shall reken or gyue acompte / and not they ¶ Lo thus thou maye conceyue se that before me and all the worlde thou shall be a shamed / all this thou can not se for as I sayde to the the hornes of thy pryde hathe blynded the / but thou shall se them at the ende of thy dethe / where thou can not with al thy myght fynde no remedy / but onely in my mercy / thrystynge in that swete blode that thou was made my mynyster of / that blode shal neuer be take awaye fro the / nor fro none other yf thou wyll truste therin in my mercy ¶ Yf there sholde neuer none be so greate a foole nor so blynde as thou arte / for to abyde of repentaunce to the laste houre / yet sholde they thȳke in that laste houre on my mercy / for a man that than is founde that he hathe lyued wyckedly / is accused of fendes / of the worlde / and of his owne freylte / for he wyll not than glose hȳ nor stater hym / nor shewe hym thā no maner delectacyon / but bytternesse / nor make hym than parfyte / but vnparfyte / nor shewe hym than lyght for derkenes / as he was wōte by his lyfe / but he sheweth hym the truthe as he is / the hounde of conscyence that somtyme was feble for to barke / than myghtely he barketh rebuketh hym of his synne / that it is aboute to brynge the soule in to dyspeyre / though no creature sholde fal therto ¶ But than shold a creature so rebuked with greate thryste receyue my sones blode / not withstondynge all his defautes that he hathe done / for withoute ony comparyson / my mercy is more that they receyue in that blode / than all the synnes that ony creature myght do in that worlde / neuerthelesse I sayde there sholde none prolonge the tyme nor tary so longe / but repente hȳ euer as he synneth / for harde it is than for hym to be founde vnarmed ymōge his enemyes in the felde of batayle ¶ Of many other defautes whiche be in wycked mynysters DEre doughter these wretches of whom I haue tolde the haue in this no consyderacyon for yf they hadde they wolde neuer fal in to so many defautes no ther they nor other but they wolde lyue ryghte vertuously / and rather the wolde chose to dye / than for to offende me in ony wyse wylfully / and defoule so the face of theyr soules / for to mynyshe the dygnyte and worthynesse wherin I haue sette them / but moche rather they wolde encres theyr dygnyte in the fayrenesse of vertu not for the dygnyte of a preest maye encrese by vertu nor lessed by his defautes / but vertues be cōnyxed to the dygnyte of preestheed / as ornamentes the whiche do araye that dygnyte of preestheed / and yet all togyder is but one dygnyte aboue the pure fayrenesse of the soule / whiche the soule hadde at the begynnynge / whan that I made and formed her to the lykenesse and symylytude of me ¶ At the begynnȳge they knowe ryghte well the vertu of my goodnesse / the fayrenes dygnyte of thē / for pryde and pure loue dyd blynde felde them not than / nor they take not awaye fro them the lyghte of reason / for the tyme they dyd not knowe suche thynges to theyr harme / but they dyd loue me and helthe of soules ¶ But suche wretches recke not to go fro vyce to vyce / tyll they fall in the dytche / for they do lacke lyghte
THan that soule all breÌ„nynge in loue / and ghostly drunke / was wonderly wounded in herte of so greate bytternesse / and so feruent in loue and langorynge / vertuously turned her all hole to the souerayne endelesse goodnesse of good / sayde thus ¶ O endelesse god / one lyghte aboue all other lyghtes / of whom cometh all lyghtes / and fyre passyÌ„ge all fyres / for thou arte that fyre that brennes and wastes not / but thou consumes all synne / and the propre loue that thou fyndes iÌ„ a soule / and yet thou does not waste it playnly / but thou fyghtes agaynste it with vnsacyable loue / for thoughe thou dyd fyll it / yet is it not full / but euer it desyreth more and more of thy louely fyre ¶ O souerayne endeles and good he styrred the or moued the infynyte god so for to illumyne me thy creature / that thou shall haue ende with the lyghte of thy truthe ¶ Thou thy selfe arte that same fyre / and cause of loue / for euer he is loue that moued the and moueth yet / to make vs of noughte to the ymage and lykenesse of the / and for to do vs mercy O goodnesse aboue all goodnesse / thou arte onely he that arte moste souerayne good / and yet neuerthelesse thou hase gyuen thy onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste to vs / for to be coÌ„uersaunte ymonge vs that be ful of siynkynge and vyle synnes derkenesse ¶ Who was the causer of this ¶ Certayne loue / for thou loued vs or that we were ¶ O good god and euerlastyÌ„ge in magnyfysence / thou made thyselfe lowe lytell to make vs mykell ¶ On what syde that euer I turne me I fynde none other than the depenesse and fyre of thy most swete charyte / whether I shal be that wretche that shall yelde thaÌ„kynges to thy feruent charyte and loue that thou hase shewed and yet shewes to vs / that is so greate brennyÌ„ge loue in specyal / aboue comune loue and charyte that thou shewes to creatures ¶ Nay but thou alone swete and louely fader arte he that shall take thankynge of thy endeles goodnesse for me / that is that the affeccyon of thy charyte alone shall yelde thankynges to the / for I am she that am noughte / and yf I sayd I were oughte of myselfe I sholde ly on myselfe / and I sholde be called the lyenge doughter of the fende / the whiche is fader of lesynges ¶ For thou onely arte he that is / and therfore beynge / and all grace that thou hase sette ordeyned aboue beynge / I haue of the / for that that I haue / thou gyues me of thy propre loue / not of dewte ¶ O ryghte swete fader / whan that mankynde laye seke for the synne and trespas of Adam / thou sende it to thy leche / that is thy onely sothefaste / swete / and well beloued sone Ihesu cryste ¶ In the same wyse whaÌ„ I lay seke as now by the sekenesse of neclygence and of moche ygnoraunce / than thou moste swete and well byloued leche endelesse god gyues me ryght swete and bytter medycynes that I myghte therby be delyuered / and to ryse out of my sekenesse ¶ Swete thou arte to me / for with thy swetenesse and with thy charyte / thou shewed the to me / also thou arte to me aboue all the swetenesse that euer was / for thou hase yllumyned the eye of my intelleccyon with lyghte of holy feythe / in the whiche lyghte as it was lykynge to thy endelesse gooodnesse for to shewe me / I knewe the greate excellence and grace whiche thou hase gyuen to mankynde / mynystrynge to them by thy mynysters all god and all man / that is the blessyd sacrament in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche ¶ And also I haue knowe the dygnyte of thy mynysters / by whose hondes thou hase ordeyned thy body to be mynystred to vs / I desyred that thou wolde satysty my desyre whiche I asked of that / and thou hase fulfylled that and moche more / enformynge me of thyÌ„ges that I couthe not aske / wherby I knowe veryly that the herte of a man can not aske somoche desyre / but that thou of thy greate mercy gyues hym more ¶ And so I knowe well that thou arte he that arte infynyte and endeles good / and we be they that be vyle corrupcyoÌ„ noughte of oure selfe / but thou arte infynyte and euerlastynge / and we be fynyte and mutable ¶ Thou gyues that thynge the whiche a reasonable creature maye not nor can not desyre in that wyse / as thou can and maye and wyll satysfy a soule / and fulfyll it of those thynges that it asketh not nor in that wyse so swetely and so ryghte plesauntely / as thou gyues it to hym ¶ And therfore I haue receyued lyghte in the magnyfysence of thy charyte / for to se that loue the whiche thou hase shewed to mankynde / and specyally to thy mynysters whiche be thy anointed people / and sholde be erthely angels in this lyfe ¶ Thou hase shewed the blessydnesse and vertu of thy anoynted specyall mynysters / that lyue as breÌ„nynge lanterns / with the ghostly precyous Margaryte stone of ryghtewysenesse in holy chyrche ¶ And by theym I haue the better knowlege of the defaute of suche that lyue wretchedly / by whome for the offence of the / and harme that is done to all the worlde / I haue conceyued a sorowe in my soule / bycause they do so moche harme to the worlde / and so to be myrrours of wretchednesse / there as they sholde be myrrours of vertu ¶ And also for asmoche as thou hase made the open to me most wretche / whiche am the cause and instrument of the defautes of many people / and thou hase complayned the to me of theyr wyckednesse / and I fynde in myselfe a meruaylous and greate and passynge sorowe of bytternesse ¶ Thou that arte a meruaylous parfyte louer / thou hase also shewed the to me bothe swete medycynable / and also bytter / wherby I myghte aryse hole fro the sekenesse of ygnoraunce and neclygence / and with ryghte parfyte besynesse / also with feruent desyre of loue / that I myghte renu me to the / bothe knowynge thy goodnesse and myselfe / and also the offences whiche be done to the of men / and specyally of thy mynysters / that I myght therfore casâ— water of teeres on me wretche for my wretchednesse / wyâ—ynge the fruyte of suche teeres / by knowlege of thy infynyte goodnesse / and also vpon these deed folke / that do lyue also wretchedly / for whom I wolde endelesse fader meruaylous fyre loue of charyte that my desyre be neuer wery for to desyre thy worshyp and helthe of soules / and that my eyes neuer cese to wepe ¶ But now swete fader I aske the of grace that I may haue two floodes of teeres the
i veâ—â—t iÌ„ noiÌ„edâ—t THan the moste souerayne and endeles fader with his meruailoê° benygnyte tourned his heed of mekenesse to that soule / shewynge her that his prouydence neuer sayled to man / yf he wyll receyue it / shewynge in this wyse to her / with a swete couplynge sayenge thus ¶ O my dere doughter / lyke as I haue sayde to the in manye places / I wyll shewe mercy to the worlde / prouyde to euery reasonable creature in all his nedes ¶ But an ygnoraunte man taketh that to dethe that I gyue hym for lyfe / so he is cruell to hymselfe / and yet I wyl prouyde for hym / for I wyl that thou knowe it / that what that euer I gyue to man it is of my souerayne prouydeÌ„ce / for with my prouydence / I made hym of noughte ¶ It lyked me and dyspleased me for to make hym with grete prouydence / to the ymage and lykenesse of me / by the whiche I pro uyded so for hym / that I gaue hym myÌ„de for to kepe and thynke on my benefytes / so to make hym partetaker of the myghte of me endelesse fader ¶ I gaue hym also intelleccyoÌ„ / that in the wysedome of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / he myght vnderstonde and knowe the wyll of me endelesse fader / that haue gyuen hyÌ„ grace with so grete fyre of loue ¶ I gaue hyÌ„ also wyl for to loue the myldenesse of the holy ghoste / that he myght the better loue that thynge / whiche intelleccyon seeth knoweth ¶ All this hathe my prouydence done / onely that he myghte be partetaker and able for to receyue the grace of vnderstondynge and tastynge of me / and so ioyenge of my endelesse goodnes in euerlastyÌ„ge blysse ¶ And I haue tolde the in many places before that heuen was shytte for the synne of Adam / the whiche knewe not his owne dygnyte / consyderynge nothynge with what prouydence and meruaylous loue I made hyÌ„ of nought ¶ Wherfore he fell by suche ygnoraunce in to inobedyence / and fro inobedyence to vnclennesse / by pryde plesaunce of women / rather wyllynge for to coÌ„descende to please his felowe / in gyuynge to her credence of that she sayd / than for to obeye to my byddynge / so he condescended rather to breke my byddynge / that for to make her fory ¶ And thus by this inobedyence came al maner euyll / al ye that haue take of that venym / of the whiche inobedyence I shall tell the in another place how perylous it is / in coÌ„mendynge of very obedyeÌ„ce ¶ And for bycause this dethe sholde be take awaye fro man / I prouyded gaue to you my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste with greate prudence and prouydence / so to prouyde to youre nede ¶ I saye that I dyd it with prudence / for with the meet of your maÌ„heed / and the hoke of my godheed / I toke the deuyll whiche myghte not knowe my truthe / whiche truthe that is my onely sone came for to dystroy his lesynge / wherwith he dysceyued man / and therfore in that I dyd vse gâ—ete prudeÌ„ce prouideÌ„ce ¶ ThyÌ„ke dere doughter that more myghte I not vse / thaÌ„ for to gyue you my sone / to hyÌ„ also I gaue a greate obedyeÌ„ce / that I myghte pull awaye that venym whiche fell to mankynde by in obedyeÌ„ce ¶ Therfore he as a louer that is rauyshed / and as a very obedyent lambe ranne to the most shamefull dethe of the crosse / and with that dethe / he gaue you lyfe / not in the vertu of his manheed / but in the vertu of his godheed / whiche for satysfaccyon of synÌ„e that was done agaynst me / whiche am infynyte good / requyred a satysfaccyon infynyte that is to saye for that mankynde whiche had offended and was fynyte / sholde be oned with an infynyte / so to satysfy infynytely / to me that am infynyte ¶ And as ofte as a man offendeth / yfhe wyll tourne to me in his lyfe / he shall fynde euer parfyte satysfaccyoÌ„ ¶ This is done by my prouydence that is to saye for bycause the peyne that my sone suffered on the crosse was infynyte / therfore ye receyue infynytely by vertu of the godheed ¶ Thus prouyded the infynyte endelesse prouydence of me god the fader in euerlastyÌ„ge trynyte for to araye man / after tyme that he hadde loste his arayment of innosency / and so was made naked fro al vertu / and peryshed for hoÌ„ger / and dyed for colde in this lyfe / so was subiecte to all wretchednesse ¶ The gate of heuen was locked / and of heue he lost al his hope / for yf he myght haue hadde hope / it hadde be to hyÌ„ a greterefresshynge in his lyfe / but he hadde it not / therfore he stodeâ—â— greate afflyccyoÌ„ ¶ I therfore with my seuorayne prouydeÌ„ce prouyded a remedy to this necessyte / not coacte nor coÌ„strayned by youre ryghtewysenes nor by youre vertues / but of my owne goodnesse ¶ I gaue you rayment by meane of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / whiche vnarayed hymselfe fro lyfe / and arayed you with innosency and grace / whiche innosency grace ye dyd receyue in holy baptym by vertu of his blode / for that baptym wasshed awaye the spotte of orygynall synne / in the whiche ye be conceyued / takynge it oâ— your fader and moder / and therfore my prouydence hathe prouyded to you that same remedy of baptym / to putte awaye the spotte / not with peyne of body / as it was vsed in the olde lawe whan chyldren were cyrcumsysed / but with swetenes of holy baptym / so is man arayed ¶ Also I made hym warme by the fyre of charyte / whiche was shewed to you by the holes of my sones woundes / whiche was couered with the clothynge of youre manheed ¶ Whether the this myght not make warme the colde herte of mankynde / that by obstynacy is made colde / and blynde by his owne proper loue / yet maye it yf he wyll forfake the loue of hymselfe / loue me ¶ My prouydeÌ„ce also hath gyuen hym ghostly meet for to comforte hyÌ„ / as loÌ„ge as he is in this lyfe a pylgrym / as I haue tolde the in another place ¶ I haue also made his ghostly enemyes feble / for none maye dysease hym but he hymselfe And what meet is this As I haue tolde the before / it is the body and the blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed / all god all maÌ„ / meet of angels meet of lyfe / suche meet as fulfylleth that ghostly honger / of suche that delyte to ete of that meet ¶ That meet muste be receyued in ghostly gladnesse and delectacyon / with the mouthe of holy desyre / and tasted by loue ¶ Thus thou maye se that of my good godly prouydence I haue prouyded to hym coÌ„fortacyon in his pylgrymage of
this lyfe ¶ How that god prouyded to gyue hope in his creatures / and how he that moste parfytely hopeth / moste tasteth the prouydeÌ„ce of god ¶ Forthermore I haue gyuen to hym refresshynge of hope / yf he be holde with lyghte of very feythe that pryce of my sones blode / whiche was payed for to gyue hym stydfast hope and sykernesse of helthe / and that shame and reprefe that cryste Ihesu suffered in his passyon is his worshyp ¶ For yf he in all the lymmes of his body offended me / as anendes that for a remedy / my blessyd swete sone iÌ„ all his body suffered greuous tourmente ¶ And also with his obedyence he releued youre inobedyence / of whose obedyence ye haue all take grace / and for inobedyence / al ye haue take and receyued synne ¶ This is grauÌ„ted and prouyded by my prouydence / was fro the begynnyÌ„ge of that worlde vnto this daye / and shall be vnto that laste daye / euer for to ordeyne a remedy to youre necessytes / and to that helthe of mankynde / by dyuers and sundry wyses / as I that am a very ryghtewyse leche / se it be spedefull to your infyrmytes / that parfyte helthe maye that soner be restored / orelles for to kepe hym in helthe ¶ Therfore my prouydence shal neuer fayle theÌ„ / to suche as wyll receyue it and haue parfyte hope in me / for all that haue parfyte hope in me they knocke and crye in sothefastnesse not onely by worde but by affeccyon / and so with lyghte of very feythe they shall taste me iÌ„ my prouydeÌ„ce ¶ But not suche that knocke crye in sothefastenesse with the voyce of wordes / sayenge thus to me lorde lorde all suche but yf they crye and aske me other wyse / I shall not knowe them by my mercy / but by my ryghtwysenes HOr in sothe my prouydence shall neuer fayle to hym that veryly hopeth in me / but he that hathe dyspeyre iÌ„ me and hopeth in hymselfe knowes thou not well that hope can not be sette in two contraryes / whiche my sothefaste sone taughte you in the gospel / where he sayd thus ¶ No maÌ„ may serue and please two lordes / for yf he serue that one / he hateth that other ¶ Seruyce is not wtout hope / for a seruaunte that serueth serueth for hope of his rewarde profyte that he seeth in his seruyce shall come to hym / or els for hope that he hathe to please his lorde ¶ In the same wyse thynke dere doughter that it happeth to a soule / for other it muste be that she serue and hope in me / or els that she serue and hope in the worlde and iÌ„ herselfe / for by somoche she serueth the worlde wtout me / in asmoche as she serueth and loueth her owne ê“pre sensuà lyte / of the whiche loue seruyce / she hopeth to haue delyte / plesaunce / sencyble felyÌ„ge ¶ But bycause theyr hope is set in vanytes and transytory thynges suche as haue ende / therfore it muste nedes fayle here / and of that she loued she maye haue none effecte / as longe as she hopeth in herselfe and in the worlde / she maye not hope in me for the worlde that is worldely desysyres of man / be to me hate / they were to me somoche in hate and abhomynacyon that is for dystruccyoÌ„ of them I sende my onely sothefast sone Ihesu to the most repreuable dethe of the crosse ¶ The worlde I maye not acorde / but a soule that parfytely hopeth in me / and serueth me with all her herte / and all her affeccyon / anone by very nede it must mysse trust of herselfe of the worlde / and of suche hope namely that is set with her owne freylte ¶ This is very ê‘fyte hope more or lesse parfyte after parfeccyoÌ„ of loue whiche the soule hathe in me / and so parfyte and vnparfyte do taste of my prouydence / but he that setueth and hopeth for to please me onely for my selfe / receyueth and tasteth me more ê‘fytely / than they that serue me with hope of fruyte that they fynde in me ¶ These be the fyrste of whome I haue tolde to the the parfeccyon iÌ„ the laste state of the soule ¶ But these that I tell that now whiche go with hope loue of fruyte / be the vnparfyte soules / bothe the seconde and the thyrde / of whome I tolde the before / of the states of the soule ¶ But yet in no wâ—se nother to parfyte nother to vnparfyte my prouydence shall not fayle / so that a man presume not / nor hope not in hymselfe / whiche presumyÌ„ge and hopynge in hymselfe / is cause of nothyÌ„ge elles / but by goynge out fro my loue / and entrynge in to his owne loue / wherby the eye of intelleccyon is blyÌ„dfelde / he withdrawynge of the lyghte of very feythe / and therfore he walketh not with lyght of reason for to knowe my prouydence ¶ Neuerthelesse to a man be he neuer so synfull or ryghtewyse / I wyl prouyde / and gyue my prouydence and ordeyne for hym / for all thyÌ„ges be made by crafte of my goodnesse / and I it am that am / and withoute me is nothynge / but synne the whiche is noughte ¶ Thus thou maye knowe that they recerue my prouydence / and yet they vnderstonde it not / and yf they knowe it not / they maye not loue it / and therfore they maye not receyue the fruyte of grace therof ¶ All that be ryghte and to suche it semed croked and as blyÌ„de men / they se in derkenesse / bycause they haue sette theyr hope in derkenesse / wherby they fall in to murmuracyon and in to inpasyence / how be they somoche fobles ¶ O dere doughter how maye they byleue the I moste souerayne endelesse goodnesse maye nothyÌ„ge wyl but the good of them in small thynges / that euery day suffer to come to theÌ„ for your helthe / whan they proue by experyence / that I wyll nothynge haue but satysfaccyoÌ„ of them for theyr helthe in greate thyÌ„ges ¶ Sythen it so is that not wtstoÌ„dynge all theyr blyÌ„denesse they may nothynge do be it neuer so lytell / but yf they se my goodnesse with some maner lyght aboue kynde / and also the benefyce of my prouydence whiche they fynde / and that they maye not deny / what in the fyrste creacyon / and in the secoÌ„de creacyon that a man receyueth in that blode of my sone / wherin I haue reformed hyÌ„ by grace / as I haue sayd to the. ¶ This is so clere and so opeÌ„ that they can not saye the contrary / neuerthelesse they defayle beynge afrayde of theyr owne shadowe / for they haue not vsed nor excercysed this lyghte with vertu ¶ An vnwyse man seeth not that fro that tyme to tyme I haue prouyded generally to the worlde / and specyally to some after theyr astate
in delyces / rychesse / states of that worlde / but my owne loue coÌ„strayneth me / for I loued you or that ye loued me / I loued you meruaylously / that it is whiche coÌ„strayneth me / also the prayers of my seâ—uauÌ„tes / by the mylde mekenes of that holy ghost / that mynystreth to theÌ„ the worshyp of me loue of theyr neyghbours / by the whiche they serche helth of theyr soules with meruaylous charyte / besyenge theÌ„ to please me / and to bynde my hoÌ„des of dyuyne ryghtewysenesse whiche a wycked maÌ„ deserued to haue / thus I am coÌ„strayned with meke waylynge coÌ„tynuall prayer ¶ Who maketh theÌ„ so for to crye ¶ My prouydeÌ„ce / for I prouyded to the nede of this deed creature / iÌ„ asmoche as it is sayde of me thus Nolo morteÌ„ c. I wyll not the the dethe of a synner / but I wyl that he be tourned lyue ¶ In thy soule also dere doughter thou sees my prouydeÌ„ce / yf thou opeÌ„ the eye of thy soule / that wycked meÌ„ whiche ly iÌ„ so greate mysery / that be made stynkynge fylthe of dethe / derke by wantynge of lyght of grace / for they go syÌ„gyÌ„ge laughynge speÌ„dynge theyÌ„r tyme with vanytes / in delyces / in greate vnhonestes / waÌ„tayne in all thynges / greate glotoÌ„s / eters dryÌ„kers so ferforth that of theyr wombes they make theyr god / with hate / raÌ„coure / pryde / they go also with all wretchednesse as I haue tolde the in another place they do not knowe theyr owne astate / for they walke in suche awaye that wyll brynge theÌ„ to the dethe euerlastynge / but yf they ameÌ„de them in theyr lyuynge go more warely ¶ It were a greate foly for a maÌ„ that were coÌ„deÌ„pned to the dethe to go syngynge dauÌ„syng as he gothe by the way towarde his dethe / shold it not as thou thynkes yes certayne ¶ In suche foly ben suche wretches / in somoche the more wtout ony coÌ„paryson that they receyue more harme thaÌ„ they that is peyne of the dethe of soule whiche is more thaÌ„ the peyne of the body / suche lose that lyfe of grace / they but lyfe of body / such receyue endeles peyne / they but peyne that is fynyte / thus they dye in state of daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ / they go thyder syngynge / blynde / fooles / fooles aboue all other fooles / my seruauÌ„tes be in the state of waylynge wepiÌ„ge / in afflyccyon tourmeÌ„t of body iÌ„ holy wakynges / in coÌ„tynuall prayer with syghynges sobbyÌ„ges / makyÌ„ge theyr bodyes lene for the helthe of theyr soules ¶ But suche syngers as be rehersed before / they scorne all suche and theyr owne scornes fal on theyr proper heeddes / whan they be in peyne / to them that labour for the loue of me / shall be gyueÌ„ fruyte of theyr labour in the blysse of heueÌ„ / whiche my owne endeles goodnes haue made hyÌ„ for to dyscerne / for I god the fader am ryghtwyse / that yelde to eche after his labour / but sothely my seruauÌ„tes cesse not / nother for ê‘secucyoÌ„s / scornes / nor vnkyndenes of theÌ„ / but rather they encrese in more desyre ghostly excercyse ¶ Who maketh this that they knocke with so greate hoÌ„ger at the gate of my mercy ¶ My ê“uydeÌ„ce that maketh me prouyde to that helthe of these wretches / to encrese vertu the fruyte of loue charyte in seruauntes ¶ These maners of my prouydences be infynyte whiche I vse in the soule of a synner / that I myghte therby drawe hym out fro that trespas of deedly synÌ„e ¶ Now shall I speke to the of suche that be rysen fro synne / what my prouydeÌ„ce dothe in theÌ„ / yet be vnparfyte / I shall not declare that agayne by repetycyon the state of the soule / for therof I haue told the by order / but shortli somwhat shall I saye yt. ¶ Of the prouydeÌ„ce whiche god vseth ordeyneth / for theÌ„ that be vnparfyte in loue Wyll thou knowe dere doughter what maner I vse for to arayse an vnê‘fyte soule fro her imê‘feccyoÌ„ / other whyle I ê“uyde to her of many dyuers thoughtes / brynge hre somtyme in to baraynes of soule / oftetymes it semeth to suche that be forsake of me vtterly / for they fele nothyÌ„ge ghostly / they thynke they be not in the worlde / outtake that they fele this / that his wyll wyll not offeÌ„de me / this gate of wyll whiche is fre / I wyll not suffer ghostly enemyes to vndo it / but yet I gyue theÌ„ leue bothe fendes other enemyes / that they maye smyte at al other gates / but not at this the whiche is the pryncypall gate / whiche kepeth the cytee of the soule / neuerthelesse the soule hathe a keper that is fre chose whiche dwelleth at that gate / for this cause I haue made fre chose keper of that gate / the after hyÌ„ the gate be opened / as he wyll so be it done or not done ¶ There be many gates loÌ„gynge to that cytee / but princypally there be .iij. of whome there is one whiche euer holdeth hyÌ„ closed shyt yf he wyl / is the keper of all the other gates / these iij. gates be these / myÌ„de / intelleccyon / wyl / but that specyal gate whiche I speke of is wyll / for yf wyll coÌ„sent thaÌ„ by that gate entreth the enemy of ê‘pre loue / other enemyes that folowe hyÌ„ / thaÌ„ intelleccyoÌ„ receyueth dethenesse / whiche is the enemy of lyght / the myÌ„de receyueth hate kepeth it / thyÌ„kynge vpon that iniuryes wroÌ„ges / whiche gate is the enemy of loue of charite of neyghbourheed ¶ It receyueth also kepeth delectacyoÌ„s of that worlde in dyuers maners / after dyuersyte of synnes / whiche be contrary to vertu ¶ After tyme that these gates be thus opened / the smal dores of the bodyly wyrtes be opened / whiche be instrumeÌ„tes answerynge to the soule / for thou knowes well the that mysruled affeccyoÌ„ of maÌ„ that hathe his gates open / answereth with these instrumeÌ„tes / whose workes be desyled / the eye of suche an vnordynate affeccyoÌ„ bryÌ„geth none other thyÌ„ge thaÌ„ dethe / for it seeth nothyÌ„ge els but deed thyÌ„ges vnordynately / where he sholde not ¶ Suche vanyte of herte lyghtenes with other vnhonestes / is cause of ghostly dethe / bothe to hyÌ„ to other ¶ O wretched man the eye whiche I I haue gyueÌ„ the for to beholde heueÌ„ other fayrenes of creatures for me so to se behold my mynysters / thou be holdes rather fylthe in wretchednes of lyuyÌ„ge / so wynnes dethe / in the same wyse the ere delyteth in dyshonest thynges / other to here the dedes of thy neyghbours by false domes / where I wolde thou herde me / the necessite of thy neyghbour
/ a tōge also I gaue the for to shewe teche my worde / for to cōfesse thy defautes / that thou shold worke with it to that helthe of soules / thou vses it to the blasphemynge of me that am thy maker / thou vses it to harmȳge of thy neghbour / bacbytynge / grutchynge / and demynge good workes for euyll / euyll for good / thou also blaphemes with it berynge false wytnesse with slyppery wordes / puttynge thyselfe in perell and other / and thou brekes out with wordes of wronge / whiche be as swerdes cuttȳge hertes of thy euen crysten / whiche wordes styrre hym to wrothe ¶ O how moche euyl and manslaughter / how moche dyshoneste wrothe / how moche hate losse of tyme that comethout of that bodyly lymme ¶ The odour also in his beynge hurteth with vnordynate mysse ruled plesaunce in his smellynge / in the same wyse of tastynge with vnmesurable gulosyte / mysruled appetyte / desyrynge many dyuers delyces he loketh after none other thynge but for to fyll his wōbe / suche a wretched soule seeth not nor aspyeth not how her gate is open / whiche gate by vnordynate receyuynge of meet and drynke / maketh the trayle flesshe proude / redy for to be corrupt by vnordynate appetyte ¶ The hōdes also in withdrawynge of his neyghbours goodes / with foule wretched touchynge / whiche be made to do seruyce to his neyghboure in tyme of his sekenesse / for to releue hym in his nede with almes ¶ Fete also be gyuen to hym for to serue the body / and for to spēde his goynge to the profyte of his neyghbour / for the glory and laude of my name / but he īpendeth the vse of thē for to bere the body to places of reprefe ¶ And thus in many dyuers wyses they tryfle and scorne other creatures / and they corrupte them with theyr wycked lyuynge / after that it is lykynge plesynge to theyr mysruled wyll ¶ All this haue I tolde the dere doughter / for to gyue the cause and mater of waylynge we pynge / and that thou maye knowe how moche euyll cometh fro the pryncypal gate whiche is euyll / in to the whiche gate I wyll gyue leue to none enemy for to enter as it is sayd before but as I sayde to the / I gyue enemyes leue for to smyte at the other gates but not at this by the whiche I suffer the intelleccyon for to be smytte of a maner derkenesse of the soule / other whyle it semeth that the mȳde hathe forgete me / otherwhyle it semeth the al other bodily wyttes be in dyuers batayles / in beholdȳge touchȳge holy thynges / herynge delycyous songes / and smellynge swete odours / in goynge to them / all suche thȳges semen to hym y they sholde brynge in to the soule dyshonestes and corrupcyons / but all these sleen not the soule / nor brȳgeth it ī to deedly syn̄e / for I wyll not that he dye so / but yf he be suche a foole for to open the gate of his wyll / I gyue all suche temptacyons ymagynacyons leue for to stonde without the gate / and in no wyse for to enter / for they maye neuer enter / but whan that wyll cōsenteth ¶ Why than do I holde suche a soule in so greate peynes afflyccyōs by her enemyes ¶ Certayne not for she sholde be take of them lost / and so lose the rychesse of grace / but I do it for to shewe it my prouydēce and for to make hym truste in me / not ī hymselfe / and also for to make hym aryse fro neclygēce / and renne to me with all his ghostly excersyce and besynesse / whiche am his protectour defendour / I am a benȳge fader / for I prouyde for his helthe / that he maye be meke se hymselfe noughte / but his beynge and al his grace sholde be set aboue hymselfe / in knowȳge of me that am his lyfe / this lyfe he must knowe / yf he wyll receyue the fruyte of my prouydēce in all his ghostly batayles / for I suffer not suche batayles alwaye to cōtynu ī all tymes / but they go come as me semeth to be nedefull spedeful for the soule / other whyle it semeth to suche a soule for the greate heuynesse that it hathe in suche temptacyon / and for the wantynge of goodly excercyse that it is in the peynes of hell / and yet not wtstōdynge suche baraynes yf she do stryue ther with and open not the gate of wyll / she shal haue and taste endeles blysse for her mede ¶ A clere clensed soule dwelleth hooly with me / what that euer she seeth in suche thynges / for her semeth that she cryeth to me / all for brenned in my feruent charyte / by consyderacyon that she feleth than hathe in my prouydence / for she feeth welshe shall be drenched in that greare floode of temptacyons / but gracyously by hym she maye come out / not by her ghostly excercyse onely / in asmoche as sodeynly she hath receyued lyght not by her owne fyndȳge but of my meruaylous charyte that I prouyded to her nede in the tyme of necessyte / for than not withstōdynge her ghostly besynesse I wolde not putte it awaye fro her ¶ And why in all her ghostly excercyses whā she vsed prayer and other ghostly meanes / wolde I not gyue her lyghte in put tȳge away suche derkenesse ¶ Certayne for aslonge as she was so vnparfyte / I wolde not lest she aretted to her owne exercyse / whiche was not done by her ¶ This thou maye se that vnparfyte men by excercyse of batayles maye come to parfeccyon / for in suche batayles he proueth by experyence my dyuyne mekenes whiche prouyded hym / and so by experyence I haue made hym syker / wherby he cōceyueth a parfyte loue in my dyuyne prouydence / and so he knoweth my goodnes / whiche hath made hym aryse fro vnparfyte loue ¶ Forthermore I vse fyrste in hym a maner of holy dysceyte / for to reyse hym out of imparfeccyon / whan I make hym conceyue in his soule spe cyally a ghostely loue / of some certayne deuoute creature / aboue the generall loue had to all ghostly creatures / by the whiche mene he wynneth more vertu thā he had before / and so auoydeth his inparfeccyon / for suche specyall loue maketh hym make his herte naked and spoyled of euery other creature whiche he loued sencybly / be it fader / moder / syster / or broder / he wtdrawith fro thē propre sensuall loue / begynneth to loue them that be ghostly / onely for me endelesse god / and this ordynate lone of that meane whiche I haue gyve hym / puttynge awaye vnornate loue / where fyrste he loued creatures ¶ Thus thou maye knowe that suche ghostly loue set in specyal creatures dothe awaye imparfercyon /
but now take hede the loue of this meane techeth more / for it maketh hym proue whether he loueth me / and that meane whiche I haue gyuen hym ê‘fytely or not / also I gaue hyÌ„ that meane for to proue hym / for to gyue hym cause and mater for to knowe hymselfe / for yf he knewe not hymselfe the whiche is within hym the whiche is myne / he sholde neuer please hym nor dysplease hym / and yet not withstoÌ„dyÌ„ge this knowlege of hymselfe / he is vnê‘arfyte it is no woÌ„der for beynge of that vnaÌ„fyte loue which he hath to me / he must nedes bevnê‘fyte / for he loueth me by meane of a reasonable creature whiche is vnê‘fyte / but ê‘arfyte charyte of neyghbourheed cometh of my ê‘fyte charyte / not my charyte fro them / but with the same ê‘fyte meane wher with he loueth me he sholdè loue creatures / yf he wyll auoyde imparfeccyoÌ„ ¶ But how shall this be knowe by suche a meane ¶ In many thyÌ„ges / for yf he wyll open the eye of his intelleccyon / than shall no tyme passe / but that he shall bothe se it proue it / and for bycause I haue shewed that in party this in another place / therfore a lytell more shall I tell the there of nowe ¶ Se whan that he loueth a creature with synguler loue as it is sayde to the before by processe of tyme he shall se well that the delectacyon of that loue shall be mynyshed / and also ghostly coÌ„fortes as he was wonte to haue of the same creature and other suche mo / or els yf it seme to hym that the creature hathe more and ofter conuersacyon with other creatures than with hym / he feleth than a peyne / whiche peyne maketh hym to enter iÌ„ to hymselfe knowe hymselfe / and than yf he wyll walke and go with the lyghte of my prouydence as he sholde / thaÌ„ shall he loue more parfytely the meane than euer he dyd / for with knowlege of hymselfe and hate that he hathe in his owne proper sensualyte / he auoydeth imparferccyon and gothe with parfeccy on / and whan he is thus parfyte / he shal loue creatures with more purer specyall loue thaÌ„ euer he dyd before ¶ Lo thus I haue shewed my good nesse by prouydence of suche a meane / whiche meane I make hym to vse with hate of hymselfe / and loue of vertu iÌ„ this way of pylgrymage / but he muste well be ware that in the felynge of the peynes of the loue of creatures lyke as it is rehersed before he brynge not hymselfe in to confusyon and tedyosyte of the soule / and in to heuynes of herte / for the were pereylous / for so that thyÌ„ge whiche I haue ordeyned for hyÌ„ to lyfe / myght tourne hyÌ„ to dethe / therfore so shold he not do / but with good besynesse ghostely excercyse / and mekely holdynge hyÌ„selfe vnworthy for to haue suche comforte as he hathe desyred / and so shall he se that vertu by the whiche suche creatures sholde be loued is not lessed nor mynyshed in hym / for than he shall fele that with honger and desyre he wyll suffer all maner peyne / of what syde that euer it cometh / for the glory and laude of my name ¶ In this wyse he shal fulsyl my wyll / receyuynge in hymselfe fruyte of ê‘feccyon / wherby I haue suffered trybulacyon / and that meane and suche other that he sholde come to the lyghte of parfeccyoÌ„ ¶ Thus in suche wyses I vse my prouydeÌ„ce in vnparfyte men / and yet in many moo wyses in so many that I knowe well thy tonge is not suffycyent to tell theÌ„ ¶ Of the prouydeÌ„ce whiche god vseth ordeyneth for theÌ„ that be iÌ„ parfyte loue charyte NOw shall I tell the of parfyte folke how I prouyded for them in kepynge of them and prouynge theyr parfeccyon / that they maye alwaye encrese and growe in vertu / for there is none in this lyfe so ê‘fyte / but that he maye encrese in this lyfe to more parfeccyon / ymonge all other I kepe that forme after the wordes whiche my sonefast sone sayde / whiche be these Ogo suÌ„ vitis vera c. I am a trewe vyne he sayd / my fader is a tyller / ye be the brauÌ„ches / he that dwelleth in that very vyne whiche cometh out fro me the fader suynge his doctryne / he hathe fruyte / that youre fcuyte maye growe encrese be parfyte / I water you as braunches of the same vyne / and gyue you to drynke many trybulacyons / that is with wronges / derysyons / shames / repreues / sclaunders / bothe with worde with dede / also with honger and with thyrste / as it is lykynge to my goodnes for to gyue to you / and as eche of you is able for to bere / for trybulacyon is a token that shewteth parfyte charyte of the soule / also the imparfeccyon of the soule / whan it tasted with iniuryes / wronges and labours / whiche I suffer for to come to my seruauntes pasyence is proued and the fyre of charyte encreaseth groweth in that soule by compassyon / that it hathe to that soule whiche dothe hym the wroÌ„ge / for he soroweth more for the offeÌ„ce whiche he dothe to me / and also for the hurtynge of his owne soule / thaÌ„ for his owne iniury ¶ Thus do they that be in greate parfeccyon / and so they encrese / and therfore to them I suffer these wronges and suche other / but I leue to them a maner of pryckyÌ„ge of the helthe of soules in suche wyse that bothe daye and nyghte they knocke at the gate of my mercy for them that done them wronge / so ferforthe that they forgoten them selfe as I haue tolde the before in the state of parfyte soules and the more they forsake theÌ„selfe / the rather they fynde me ¶ But where fynde they me ¶ Certayne iÌ„ my sothefast sone Ihesu / goynge ê‘fytely in his swete doctryne / they haue redde in that swete and gloryous boke his doctryne / by redynge they haue founde / that he was euer well wyllynge to fulfyl my obedyeÌ„ce / and for to showe howmoche he loued my worshyppe and mankynde / he ranne vnder my obedyence with peyne and reprefe vnto the table of the holy crosse / where he ordeyned meet for mankynde with his peyne / and so with his sufferauÌ„ce with the meane of maÌ„kynde / he shewed to me how moche he loued my worshyp / and therfore I saye that these well byloued chyldren that be come to parfyte state with parseuerauÌ„ce / with whiche and contynuall prayer shewed to me / that in truthe sothefastenes they loue me / the also they haue well studyed that same doctryne of my sone / folowynge the same with peyne labour whiche they bere for helthe of theyr euen crysten / for they fyÌ„de none
other meane wherby they myghte she we very loue to me thaÌ„ by that but al other meanes by the whiche it maye be shewed that they loue me / is set vpon the pryncypall meane of a reasonable creature as I haue sayde to the before where I tolde the that euery good dede must be done vy medyacyon and meane of thy euen crysten / and euery good worke also / for there maye no good be do / but in the charyte of me and of thy neyghboure / but it be do in that charyte / it may be called no good / thoughe the dedes of them be vertuous / and iif the same wyse euery euyl dede is doone by this meane / that is by pryuacyon of charyte ¶ Thus thou sees well that in this meane whiche I haue put to you / ê‘feccyon is shewed and pure loue whiche they haue to me euer procurynge the helthe of theyr noyghbours with moche sufferauÌ„ce pascyence / therfore I purge them that they maye brynge forthe more and sweter fruyte with moche trybulacyon ¶ Here pascyence casteth to me ryghte good and swete smell / o how swete is this fruyte bow profytable to the soule / for she suffereth without synne / whiche pascyence yf she veryly se it / ther is no creature but that she wolde serche with greate besynes and ioye for to suffer / wherfore I prouyded for to put to them the charges of greate labours / that I myghte gyue them this greate tresoure of paseyence / also that the vertu of the same pascyence waxe not rusty in suche wronges and labours / so that whaÌ„ tyme cometh that it be nede for to proue the same pascyence / and it shall be fouÌ„de rusty with the ruste of pryue vnpascyence whiche freteth the soule / somtyme I vse in suche a maner of a plesaunte desyre that they maye the better be kepte in the vertu of mekenesse / for in the tyme of aduersyte I shall make theyr felynges slepe / that it shall seme to them bothe in wyll and in felynge / that no maner trybulacy on nor aduersyte greueth theÌ„ not / for they fele it not / but as parsones that were aslepe I say not as deed parsones for the sensyble felynge slepeth in a parfyte soule / but it dyeth not / for assoone as they leue deuoute excercyse and the fyre of holy desyre / anone trybulacyons and aduersytes waken them as sore as it was wonte to do / therfore a man that trusteth in this maye be as parfyte as he wyll / but yet it is ryght spedefull for hyÌ„ that he dwell alwaye stydfastly in my holy drede / for many that trusteÌ„ in theÌ„ selfe do fall full wretchedly / whiche sholde not fall yf they put awaye that truste / and therfore I saye in suche that be so occupyed in ghostly excercyse the felynge of them slepeth / for thoughe they bere grete burthons / it semed to them that they fele it not and without grutchynge / of the whiche afterwarde whaÌ„ they haue lefte theyr ghostly excercyses / they sholde wonder that they dyd not fele none of theyr burthoÌ„s / this dothe my prouydence that suche a soule myghte encrese and go in the waye of mekenesse / for than suche a soule wysely ryseth vp aboue herselfe / not sparynge herselfe / but with holy hate rebukynge she chastyseth her owne felynge / whiche chastysynge is nothynge els / but for to make it slepe more parfytely ¶ Otherwhyle also I prouyded ordeyned to my grete and ryght specyal seruauÌ„tes in this wyse ¶ I leue to them a certayne pryckynge / as I dyd to my swete apostell Paule that chosen vessell of eleccyon / to whome whan he had receyued that doctryne of my sones sothefaste truthe in the depenesse of me endelesse fader / yet I lefte with hym a prycke dyuers impugnacyons and conflyctes of his flesshe / where that I myght not nor yet maye not / bothe to Paule and to other of my worthy seruauÌ„tes / in whom I haue leâ—te a prycke by dyuers maners / that they sholde not haue it / Ihesus certayne Why thaÌ„ dothe my ê“uydeÌ„ce so ¶ Certayne for they shold the more deserue mede / and be kepte in theyr owne knowlege / by the whiche knowlege they wynne very mekenesse / also that they may therby be mylde and meke to theyr neyghbours and not cruell for to haue compassyon of theyr laboure / for they haue moche more compassyon of theÌ„ that be troubled and dyseased / yf they suffer dysease themselfe / than yf they hadde none / and also they encrese in more loue / bycause they be so anoynted with very mekenesse brenned in the seruyce of my dyuyne charyte ¶ Thus with these maners and other mo infynyte wyses / they come to parfyte vnyon as I haue tolde the before in somoche vnyon and knowlege of my goodnesse / that not wtstoÌ„dynge they stonde in theyr deedly body / yet they fele and tast the endelesse good of vndeedlynesse / for thoughe they be in the pryson of the body / yet they thynke that they be out of the body ¶ And bycause they knowe moche of me / they loue me moche / and he that loueth moche soroweth moche / for to whome loue encreaseth / sorowe also encreaseth / in the whiche peynes and sorowes / they dwell not in wronges that be done to them / nor iÌ„ sorowes for bodyly peynes / nor for heuynesse done to them by sendes / nor for none other peynâ— that maye come to them / but onely they sorowe for the offence whiche is done to me / seynge and knowynge the I am worthy to be loued serued ¶ And also they sorowe for the harme that falleth to soules / seynge them fall into the derkenesse of the worlde / so dwellynge abydynge in the same blyndenesse / for in that vnyoÌ„ whiche he hathe made in me by affeccyon of loue / he knoweth and beholdeth in me howmoche he loueth my creature / and in suche beholdynge that she seeth the a reasonable creature representeth my ymage / she is ther with rapte by loue for the loue of me / by the whiche loue she feleth an vntollerable peyne whan she seeth suche creatures be fere sro my goodnes / those peynes be so greate / that all other peynes be the lesse and fayle in the same / of whome he recketh neuer nor careth therfore / for he fareth as thoughe it were not he that receyueth suche trybulacyons ¶ Why is that ¶ For I prouyde for theÌ„ ¶ Wher with ¶ With she wynge to them clere syghte and knowlege of myselfe as it maye be in this lyfe in the whiche syghte I shewe them wyckednesse and mysery of the worlde and dampnacyon of soules in comune in specyall with greate bytternessr of themselfe / as it is lykynge to my goodnesse for to shewe them / so for to encrese the more in loue and in peyne / and that also they
of my sone Ihesu / wher ye shal fȳde al maner vertu ¶ How obedyence is a keye wherwith heuē is opened / how the keye must haue a thonge and be borne by a gyrdell Sy then I haue tolde the where thou shall fynde the vertu of obedyence fro wense it cometh / who is her felowe / and of whome it is noryshed / therfore nowe shall I tell the bothe of them that be obedyent / and also of theym that be inobedyent togyder / and of obedyence bothe in generall and in specyall / that of obedyence / all the commaundymentes / all the coūseples / all youre feythe is groūded vpon obedyēce / for in the vertu of obedyēce / ye shewe youreselfe feythful and trewe / generally of my sothefastnesse be put to you the preceptes of the lawe ¶ The prȳcypal cōmaūdyment of the lawe is to loue me aboue all thynges / youre euēcrysten as youre selfe / and these two be so knytte and coupled togyder with other / that one of these maye not be kepte / but all other be kepte / for he that kepeth this kepeth all other / and is bothe to me and to his neyghboure feythefull and trewe / he loueth me stondeth in the loue of my charyte / and therfore he is obedyent / he maketh hymselfe so get to the commaūdymentes of the lawe / and to reasonable creatures for me / and with mekenesse pasyence he suffereth all maner labour detraccyō of his neyghbour ¶ This obedyēce was and is of suche excellence / that all ye therof haue take and receyued grace / lyke as of inobedyence ye toke and receyued dethe / it hadde not be ynoughe for you that that same obedyēce had be soly in my sone / and you yourselfe had not excercysed it ¶ I tolde the ryghte nowe of that obedyēce was is a keye wher with heuen is opened / whiche keye my sone he hathe putte in his Vycars hondes / his Vycar hathe putte the same keye in the hondes of them that haue take the sacrament of holy baptym / in receyuynge of the whiche baptym / he promytteth to forsake and renoūce the deuyll / the worlde / delyres / and all his pompes / and so in suche promyse for to obeye / he receyueth the keye of obedyence / thus eche man hathe it in specyall / and it is the same keye that my sone had ¶ Therfore yf a mā go not with lyghte of feythe and with the honde of very loue for to open with this keye the gate of heuen / he shall neuer enter therin / thoughe my sone haur opened it by his ascēcyō / for thoughe I made you without you / and loued you or that ye loued me / yet wtout you I may not saue you ¶ Therfore ye muste bere youre keye of obedyēce in your honde / and ye muste be euer goynge and no syttynge / that is goynge by the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu and not sytte that is not settynge youre affeccyon in thynge that shall haue ende / as fooles do that folowe after the olde man / that is theyr fyrste fader Adam / doynge and workynge as he dyd / whiche threwe fro hym the keye of obedyence in the fenne and fylthe of vnclennes / brekynge it with the hamer of pryde / and made it rusty with his owne proper loue / and ther it laye rusted vnto the tyme my sone came whiche toke that keye of obedyence out of the fenne / and clensed it in the fyre of his dyuyne charite / washed it in his precyous blode / he made it bryght with the swerde of ryghtwysenesse / rubbynge awaye youre wyckednesse vpon the Anuelde his blessyd body and there he shope it made so parfytely / that as ofte as a man dystroyeth the keye by his owne fre choyse / by medyacyō of my grace he maye yf he wyll with these instrumentes make it and shape it newe agayne ¶ O blynde man and more than a blynde man / that after tyme thou hase dystroyed the keye of obedyence / takes thou no hede nor charge for to make it agayne / byleues thou not that ryght as inobedyēce hathe shutte and closed heuē / ryght so obedyence maye open it / trowes thou that pryde whiche fell fro thens shall ascende thyder agayne / trowes thou for to come in thyder to the weddynge feest with thy foule torne cote / wenes thou that yf thou sytte bynde thyselfe in the bonde of deedly synne / that thou maye come thyder open the gate without the keye of obedyēce thȳke it not for thā thy thought is dysceyued / thou must be vnlosed out of deedly synne by holy confessy on and contrycyon of herte / and satysfaccyon with an holy purpose neuermore so to offende ¶ Than shall thou caste thy foule ragged cote in to the erthe / and thou shall renne with thy weddynge cote with lyght of feythe and with the keye of obedyēce in thy honde for to open the gate of heuen hāge therfore this keye by the thōge of abieccyon bylyte / dysplesaūce of thyselfe and also of the worlde / of the whiche dysplesaunce thou shall make the a gyrdell / than gyrde the faste that thou lose not thy keye of obedyēce ¶ Knowe well dere doughter that there be many whiche haue take this keye of obedyence / for they knowe well and se with the lyght of feythe / that they maye none otherwyse ascape endelesse dampnacyon yet withoute gyrdell gyrde to them they holde it in theyr honde / and also without thonge with inforthe / that is that they araye them not within with the cote of my plesaūce / but rather plesen themselfe / al suche haue not yet the thonge of abieccyon and vylyte / desyrynge to be most abiecte and vyle / but they haue more delyte of the presynge of mē / these be ryght able for to lose theyr keye of obedyēce / whan there cometh neuer so lytell trybulacion be it bodyly or ghostly / and but that they be ryghte well ware by foly of the honde of holy desyre they lose it the whiche losse is nothynge elles / but a maner forsakȳge for all that wyll serche therafter / they fynde it as longe as they lyue / and those that wyll not serche therafter / they may neuer fȳde it ¶ But how maye it be knowen whan it is loste ¶ Certayne by impacyence / for pacyence is knytte with obedyence / he that is not pacyent / it sheweth well that there is no obedyēce in the soule ¶ O how swete in this vertu of obedyence and how gloryous in the whiche be all heuenly vertues / for she is conceyued and borne of charyte / in her is grounded and set the stone of holy feythe / she is a quene / for he of whome she is a spouse / feleth neuer no euyll / he feleth euer peas and quyetnesse /
for there maye neuer no teÌ„pestes of the see greue hym nor noye hym / he feleth neuer wronges / for he wyll euer obeye as it is commauÌ„ded to hym / he hathe no peyne / for his appetyte is euer ful / in asmoche as obedyence hathe made hym well ruled ordeyned onely for to tast me that maye / can / wyll fulfyll his desyre ¶ He hathe also dyspoyled hymselfe fro worldely ryches / and so iÌ„ alother thynges whiche were to loÌ„ge to tell / he fyndeth peas quyetnesse ¶ O obedyence that without labour of shyp perell / thou comes parfytely to the hauen of helthe / thou coÌ„fortes the with my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / for thou asceÌ„des to the shyp of the holy crosse / ther makynge the redy for to suffer / where thou desyres not to passe the very obedyeÌ„ce of my sone / nor for to go out of his doctryne / thaÌ„ thou makes to the of the crosse a meettable / where thou etes receyues meet of the helthe of thy soule / dwellynge and abydynge in the loue of neyghbourheed / thou arte oned coupled with very mekenesse / and therfore thou desyres not thy neyghbours good agaynst his wyl / thou arte ryght wtout ony crokednesse / for thou makes a ryghte herte not a feyned herte to loue my reasonable creatures frely not feyntly / thou arte a graye mornynge / whiche ledes with the lyghte of dyuyne grace / thou arte a sonne that warmes / for thou arte not with out the hete of charyte / thou makes the erthe to brynge forthe fruyte / that is that all the instrumeÌ„tes bothe of the body soule do brynge forthe fruyte / whiche fruyte gyueth lyfe bothe to hym selfe to his neyghboure / thou arte all â—ocunde mery / for thy face is not troubled by vnpacyence / but thou hase a peaseable plesauÌ„te syghte in thy selfe / thou arte all clere with a greate clerenes / stroÌ„ge with a grete streÌ„gthe abydynge with longe ê‘seuerauÌ„ce in somoche that what the euer thou holdes or occupyes / thou hase heueÌ„ opened with the / thou arte also a precyous Margaryte stone hyd vnknowen caste out of the worlde / in settynge nought by thy selfe / but puttyÌ„ge thyselfe by subieccyon vnder all reasonable creatures / thy lordeshyp is so greate that there maye none passe the in domynacyon / for thou arte gone out of the deedly bondage of thy proper seusualyte / whiche withdraweth the fro thy worshypfull dygnyte / whaÌ„ that this enemy was dystroyed with hate dysplesauÌ„ce of thy proper coÌ„playntes / thaÌ„ thou had agayne vtterly thy fredome ¶ Here also he speketh of the mysery of theÌ„ that be not obedyeÌ„t / of that excelleÌ„t grace of theÌ„ that be obedyeÌ„t O Ere doughter all this hathe my goodnes prouydeÌ„ce done / whiche hathe prouyded that my onely incarnate sone sholde reforme this keye of obedyeÌ„ce as it is sayd before but worldly meÌ„ destytute barayne fro all vertu do worke the coÌ„trary / for they be as beestes wtout brydels / iÌ„ asmoche as they haue not the youke of obedyeÌ„ce / therfore they renne fro yll in to worse / fro synÌ„ to synÌ„e / fro wretchednesse to wretchednesse / fro derke to derker / fro dethe to dethe in somoche that at the last they come to the pytte of dethe / with the worme of coÌ„scyeÌ„ce whiche shall euer frete theÌ„ / all be it that they maye yet other whyle take vpon theÌ„ obedyeÌ„ce / that is to obey to the coÌ„mauÌ„dymeÌ„tes of that lawe / sorowynge for the tyme that they haue loste by inobedyeÌ„ce / yet neuertheles it is full harde to wynÌ„e it agayne / for the loÌ„ge custome of synÌ„e therfore ther sholde none truste in this delayenge for to take the keye of obedyeÌ„ce in that laste ende / thoughe it so be that euery man oweth and sholde hope as loÌ„ge as he hathe tyme and space of lyfe / but yet he sholde not truste therin / so that therby he delaye for to correcke and amende his lyfe what is the cause of so greate euyl so greate blyÌ„denesse / that they knowe not this blessed treasure ¶ Certayne the cloude of ê“per loue with wretched pryde / by the whiche they be gone out of obedyence / fall in to inobedyeÌ„ce / as loÌ„ge as they be vnobedyent / so longe they be vnpacyeÌ„t as I haue tolde the before with vnpacyeÌ„ce / they suffer vntollerable peines / whiche vnpacyence hathe draw theÌ„ out fro the waye of truthe / so makyÌ„ge theÌ„ selfe felowes to fendes / with whome but yf they amende theÌ„ they go with theyr owne inobedyeÌ„ce in to the endelesse turmeÌ„tes / lyke as my dere seruauÌ„tes / freÌ„des / kepers / very obeyers to my lawe shall loye be glad iÌ„ euerlastyÌ„ge blysse / with my onely sothfaste sone Ihesu / that meke and vndefouled laÌ„be / maker / keper / gyuer of the lawe / iÌ„ this lyfe all those that kepe very obedyeÌ„ce / they taste peas receyue blessed lyfe / they aray theÌ„ with the most parfyte charyte / in whom is peas wtout warre / good wtout yl / lykernesse wtout drede / honger wtoute peyne / lyghte wtout derkenes / one souerayne good / of whome all very rasters take parte ¶ Who hathe so brought to maÌ„ so grete good ¶ Certayne the blode of the vndefouled laÌ„be / by whose vertu the keye of obedyence hathe loste his rust / that ye maye opeÌ„ the gate of heueÌ„ with that same keye thus thaÌ„ obedyeÌ„ce by vertu of my sones blode / hathe opened to the the gate of heuen ¶ O fooles very vnwytty folke / delaye no longer for to come out of the fylthe of vnclennesse / for it semeth that ye do as hogges / the whiche walowe them in fylthe / so it semeth that ye do iÌ„ the fylthe of carnall delyte / forsake your vnryghtwysenesse / maÌ„slaughter / hate / rancour / detraccyon / gronynge / false IudgemeÌ„tes / crueltes / by the whiche ye vse for to do thefte and trechery to youre neyghbours / with mys ruled pleasures delyces of the world ¶ Cut a way your hornes of pryde / by the whiche cuttyÌ„ge awaye / ye shall dystroye the hate that ye haue iÌ„ your mouthes / agaynst theÌ„ whiche do you wronge / mesure the wronge that they do to me to your neyghbours / than shall ye fynde in rewarde of them / that wronges whiche be done to you be noughte / ye knowe wel that yf ye abyde in hate / ye do me wronge / in asmoche as ye breke my commaundymeÌ„tes / there ye sholde loue me aboue all thyÌ„ges / youre neyghboure as youreselfe / you do wronge to your neyghbour / so depryuynge you fre the loue of charyte / for I haue gyueÌ„ you by coÌ„mauÌ„dyment / that ye sholde loue me aboue all thynges / and youre neyghboure as
youreselfe ¶ There was neuer sette nor putte other glose thā as is sayde and yf they do you wronge / sholde ye not therfore loue thē yes certayne ful hole / for that was byd to you of my onely sothfast sone Ihesu whiche kepte fully the same / that ye with the same fulnesse sholde kepe do that same to youre enemyes / yf ye kepe it not / thā ye do harme to yourselfe and wronge to youre soule / depryuynge it fro the lyfe of grace ¶ Take you therfore receyue the keye of obedyence with the lyghte of feythe / go ye no more fro this tyme forthewarde with suche blyndenesse and derkenesse of synne / nor with suche dulnesse / but with brennynge loue kepe this obedyence / that with the trewe kepers of my lawe ye may at the last taste very lyfe euerlastynge Amen ¶ The secōde chapyter is of them that sette somoche loue to obedyēce / that it suffyseth not to them for to obey to the generall obedyence / as to the commaundymentes of god / but yf they take be bounde to some specyall obedyence ¶ Also how a mā cometh by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyal / and of the excellences of relygyon / and of other maters as be rehersed before in the kalēder Ca. ii Ryght dere doughter there be some / in whome the fyre of loue encreseth sore anendes this obedyēce / and bycause the fyre of loue is not without hate of proper sensualyte / for by encresynge of that fyre / hate encreseth in theym / so that what by hate and what by loue they holde thē not content / onely to lyue vnder the generall obedyence of the commaūdy mētes of the lawe / to the whiche as it is sayde before all ye be boūde to kepe yf ye wyll haue lyfe euer lastynge / but they take vpon thē a more specyall obedyence / whiche is a synguler obedyēce that gouerneth a soule in greate perfeccyon / by the whiche they make themselfe special kepers of the coūseyles / bothe actually and mentually / all suche wyll for hate that they haue to themselfe slee in them selfe theyr owne wyll / bynde them more straytly in relygyon or els out of relygyō / for to bynde thē to obeye to some creature / submyttynge to them theyr wylles / that they maye therby more spedefully open the gates of heuen ¶ These be those of whome I spake to the before / whiche haue chosen the moste parfyte obedyence ¶ Lo doughter I haue tolde the fyrste of the generall obedyence / and bycause I knowe well thy wyll is that I sholde tell the somewhat of the moste parfyte and specyall obedyence / therfore now I shall tell the of the seconde / the whiche is neuer separate fro the fyrste / but it is more parfyte for as I haue tolde the they be so coupled and knitte togyder / that they may not be departed ¶ Also I tolde the fro whense that obedyēce came / where it is foūde / what thynge it is that wihdraweth it fro you / therfore now I shall tell the of the specyall obedyēce / not for to withdrawe the fro the fyrste ¶ Now a man cometh and by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyall / and of the excellence of relygyon A Soule that with loue receyueth the youke of obedyence of that cōmaūdymētes of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / suȳge his doctryne excercysynge hȳselfe ī suche wyse as I haue tolde the vertuously in this generall obedyēce he shal come to the seconde obedeynce with the same lyghte as he came to the fyrste / for with lyghte of holy feythe he knewe my sothefast truthe / my meruaylous loue whiche I haue to the freylte of mākȳde / in the blode of my meke lambe / bycause suche a soule can not vertuousli answere to me ī suche parfeccyon as he sholde / therfore he seeth with the same lyght in what place ī what wyse he myght yelde to me my dewte / and ouercome his ownefreylte / also sle his owne wyl ī this cōsyderynge / he fyndeth with lyght of feythe a place that is holy relygyon whiche is made and set of the holy ghost / as a shyp for to receyue soules / wyllynge for to renne to parfeccyon / thē for to lede brynge to the hauen of helthe ¶ The patrone of this shyp is the holy ghost / whiche neuer sayleth in hymselfe / for no defantes of ony maner relygyous subiecte that trespaseth in relygyon / what that euer he be that trespaseth in relygyō / he offendeth in the shyp of relygyon / but he maye not offende the relygyon in it selfe / but he offendeth hurteth hymselfe ¶ Neuertheles yet it happeth so that for the defaute of hym that trespaseth in the shyp / by mys gouernaūce of holdȳge of the sterne / oftetyme the shyp stōdeth in greate perell / is in poynte for to be drenched / these be wretched and wycked gouernoures / prelaces sette in gouernaunce of relygyon / by the patrone of this shyppe of relygyon ¶ This shyp of relygyon is of suche excellence in it selfe / that thy tongue is vnsuffycyent for to tell it / therfore as I sayde suche a soule after the fyre of desyre / is increased in her with holy hate of herselfe / whā she hathe founde a place of relygyon with the lyght of feythe / as all deed mortyfyed to the worlde / she entreth in to the same / yf she be a very obedyent soule / that is yf she haue before kepte parsytely the generall obedynece of the commaūdymētes / yet though she enter vnparfytely that is that she kepte not parfytely the commaūdymentes she maye yf she wyll excercyse herselfe in vertu of obedyence / attayne and come to the parfeccyon of relygyon / all be it that yet for the more party whiche enter in to relygyon be vnparfyte / for some enter with parfeccyon / some for drede / some in chyldeheed / some for peyne / some by fayre speche glosynge / all suche maye be good and holy / yf suche wyl deuoutely excercyse thēselfe in vertu / and contynu to the laste ende of dethe / for onely as touchynge the entre maye no mā deme / but in the parseueraūce abydȳge therin / for many enter as it semeth parfytely / whiche afterwarde wolde fayne turne agayne to the worlde / or els with moche vnparfeccyon they lyue stonde in relygyon / and therfore the maner the dede by whiche a soule entreth in to this shyp of relygyon / whiche maners be all ordeyned of me / callȳge soules to relygyō / it sholde not be demed / but onely the affeccyon of suche a soule that abydeth in the same relygyon with very parseueraūce ¶ This shyp of relygyon is ryche / therfore it nedeth not to a subiecte not for to thynge of his nede
repreues and shames ¶ Thus sholde a man go deed to the relygyous shyp of ony order / therin to lyue mekely / but in what maner wyse that he entreth / that is by dyuers maners as I call thē lyke as I haue tolde the before they sholde serche anone the parfeccyon of the same order / and kepe it eche in thēselfe / quyckely receyue the keye of obedyēce of the same order / whiche keye openeth the wyket / that is the greate gate of heuē ¶ Lo by this thou maye knowe that there is bothe a gate and a wyket of heuē / and therfore all those that gone to some partyculer relygyon / they take the keye of obedyence / whiche shall open the wyket of the gate / not leuynge the greate keye of generall obedyence / whiche openeth the greate gate of heuen / as I haue tolde the. ¶ In this gate is a wyket / of the whiche wyket they haue receyued a subtyll keye / for to open the same lowe wyket / ther throwe straytely for to passe / whiche wyket is not departed fro the greate gate / but it is in the gate / as thou may se materyally a wyket in a gate / thoughe they haue receyued this lytell keye of the strayte wyket of heuen / yet sholde they not caste awaye fro them the greate keye / bycause very obedyencers kowe well with the lyght of feythe / that they maye in no wyse enter by this lytell wyket of streyte obedyēce with burthons of ryches / nor with theyr owne wyll / nor that they maye in no wyse enter there goynge vpryght / but yf they stoupe leste they breke theyr heedes / therfore they cast away fro thē ryches also theyr owne wylles / kepynge the vowe of wylfull pouerte / and they wyll ī no wyse receyue nor kepe ony thȳge in possescyō as theyr owne lest they breke the vowe of wylfull pouerte promytted / and so to breke theyr obedyēce ¶ All suche as gone vpryght in relygyon / wenynge so to enter that wyked / be all proude obedyencers / kepȳge theyr owne wyll / for other whyle whan they must nedes obeye / they bowe not to the obedyence mekely / but with pryde they fulfyll theyr obedyēce / bowȳge downe theyr heedes by strengthe not by mekenesse / whiche strēgthe breketh the heedes of theyr soueraynes that is that obedyence done in suche wyse that it pleaseth not theyr soueraynes / ī gyuynge of euyll ensample to theyr subiectes that wolde obeye mekely / after the whiche proude obedyence / oftetymes they fall in brekynge of the vowe of chastyte in contynēce / for he that hathe not his appetyte well ruled and ordynately / nor hathe not yet dysposed hymselfe fro temporall substaunce / he taketh vpon hym for to knowe many newe conuersacyōs of men and womē / and fyndeth many frendes whome he loueth and vseth with his owne proper wyll / by the whiche knowlege of conuersacyon / they become ryght specyall frendes / and so togyder they do noryshe theyr bodyly conuersacyons in delyces / bycause they haue not the norse of mekenesse / nor her seruaūtes vylyte and abieccyon of themselfe / wherfore all they stōde in plesaūce of theyr owne sensualyte lyuynge delycately not as relygyous folke but as lordes without watche and prayer / all this and many mo it happeth them that haue proper goodes in kepynge for to spende whiche yf they hadde not it sholde not so fall with thē as it dothe / and also they fall in vnclennes other bodyly or mentally / yf it happe other whyle that for shame they abstayne them bodyly fro vnclennesse / yet they abstayne thē not mētally / for it is vnpossyble to hym that hathe moche conuersacyon of flesshly men / and in delyces of the body in receyuynge of meet and drȳke vnordynately / and also lyueth with out deuocyon / wakynge / and prayenge / for to kepe his soule clene / therfore a very meke obedyencer seeth al a fer with the lyght of feythe / the euyll and harme that sholde fall to hym / by kepȳge of ony temporall substaunce in proper / and so for to go with his owne wyl / he seeth well also that he muste nedes by his order passe throwe his lytell wyket with the keye of obedyence / whiche shall opē that wyket ¶ Why trowes thou that I haue sayde the that in ony wyse they must nedes go throwe that lytell wyket ¶ Certayne for I saye sothe / for wyll he or not / yf he abyde in the order / he muste nedes go throwe that wyket / by the hardenes of obedyēce of his prelate / and therfore a parfyte obedyencer lyfteth hymselfe aboue hymselfe / and hathe the domynacyon of his owne proper sēsualyte / reysynge hymselfe aboue all his bodyly felynges and styrrynges / and with quycke feythe he sendeth in to the house of the soule holy hate / for to put out the enemy of his owne proper loue / for he wyll not that his spouse of obedyence / whiche was gyuen to hym by the moder of charyte / be offended / and therfore he putteth out the enemy of his owne wyll / sendeth in the felowe and the norse of the same spouse mekenesse / and many other louers of the same spouse / whiche be very ryall vertues / maners / customes / and obseruaunces of the order / for to make redy anendes the entre of the spouse of obedyence / and so thā entreth this swete spouse obedyence in to the soule with her suster pacyence / and with the norse mekenesse well kepte and warded with her seruauntes vylyte and abieccyon / also dyspleasaūce of herselfe / after tyme she is thus entred / she is all in peas quyetnesse / stondynge in the orcharde of very cōtynēce / with the clere sonne of intelleccyō / where the lyghte of feythe sheweth her clerely / the clere syght of my sothefastnesse / there is also fyre whiche warmeth gyueth here to them all / that kepe the obseruaūces of the order purely for the loue of me ¶ What be these enemyes whiche be put out ¶ The fyrste pryncypall enemy is proper loue / the enemy of charyte mekenes / the whiche brȳgeth forthe pryde / another is inobedyence / agaynst very obedyēce / the thyrde is infydelytē / cōtrary agaȳst the vertu of feythe also presumpcyō / for to presume hope in hȳselfe / whiche acordeth not with very holy hope / the whiche a soule sholde haue ¶ Also vnpacyence whiche is agaynst pacyence / vnryghtwysenesse whiche cōformeth hȳ not to the vertu of ryghtwysenes / nor imprudēce with prudece / nor vnteporaūce with tēporaunce / nor crasgreliyō of the brekynge of the commandymētes of the order / with obseruaūce of the order / nor euyll cōuersacyō of wycked lyuers / with the cōuersacyōs of good lyuers / all these be enemyes and ryghte cruell enemyes / ymōge whome
frely with intēcyon neuer for to breke it / but with no charter of affyrmacyon / that other hathe made a vowe with affyrmacyō of a charter or of an instrumēt / and he offereth vp the same instumēt or charter with an open solempne professyon in to the hondes of his souerayne / ther forsakynge hymselfe / and promyttynge to kepe obedyēce / contynence / and wylful pouerte / his souerayne in my name there promytteth to hym agayne yf he kepe these for to receyue for thē endelesse lyfe / therfore this is more parfyte / that other is of lesse parfeccyō / this is more syker / for yf he fall / he is more apte for to aryse / for he hathe more helpe / but that other is more doubtefull and of lesse sykernesse / and is rather more apte yf he fall to turne his heed backwarde / for he feleth hȳ nothynge bounde by vowe of professyon made / yet he stondeth as a relygyous man or than he be professed / for vnto the tyme that he be professed he maye go therfro / the mede as I sayde and yet saye of obedyence / is gyue after the loue that an obedyencer hathe / so that euery mā in what state he stondeth in maye parfytely wynne mede for his obedyēce / yf he be sette in loue / for some I cal in one state / and some in another / as a mā is able for to receyue that state that he is called to / but yet euery mā in the same state that he is called to maye be fulfylled with this fore sayde mesure of loue / yf he be a seculer loue more than a relygyous man / he shall receyue more mede / and in the same wyse a relygyous man more than a seculer ¶ How god rewardeth not after the trauayle of obedyence nor after the lengthe of the tyme / but after the magnytude of charyte / of the redynesse and quyckenesse of them that be very obedyencers / and of the myracles whiche god sheweth of this vertu ALl you haue I sende in to the vyneyerde of obedyēce for to tyll it ī dyuers wyses / to euery mā shall he gyue a rewarde / after the mesure of his loue / not after his laboure / nor after the mesure of his tyme that is to saye he that came fyrste shall no more haue / thā he that came last / after the sentence of the gospell / whiche my sone hathe put to you for ensample of thē that were hyred of a lorde for to tyll in his vyneyerde / of thē that were ydele / the fore sayde lorde gaue asmoche to hym that came at euen at the laste houre / as he gaue to hym that came in the morowe at the fyrste houre / or thryde / or syxte / or .ix. or at euen songe / by this maye ye knowe that ye shall not be rewarded nother after youre tyme / nor after youre worke / but after the mesure of loue / many be sende ī to this vyne yerde in chyldeheed for to tyll it / and some enter later / some ī theyr olde age / these the come last / many of them sholde go and worke in that vyneyerde of relygyon with greate feruēt loue / as they that came fyrste ¶ Why is the ¶ Certayne for they thynke theyr tyme is shorte / and so they be equypolent and euen with them that came before / and they went easy pases by loue / therfore by loue of obedyence a soule receyueth his mede / there he fylleth his vessell in me that am the peaseable see / but many there be / the whiche be so redy for to obeye / for obedyēce is so very incarnate groūded ī theyr soules / that they beholde not the cause why certayne thynges be byd to them of hym that byddeth thē / but vnneth they maye abyde so lōge / tyl the worde of theyr souerayne be out of theyr mouthes / for he vnder stondeth of his souerayne more the entent of his byddȳge thā he dothe the worde / and therfore a very obedyencer obeyeth more to the entēt thā to the worde / demynge the wyll of his souerayne for to be my wyll / and that he byddeth hym by the wyl and dyspēsacyon of me / and therfore as I sayde suche one obeyeth rather to the entent than to the worde / and so he obeyeth to his worde / for fyrste he obeyed with affeccyon to his wyll / this was well shewed to hȳ / as it is red In vitas patrum whiche fyrst obeyed in his affeccyon / for whan the he beganne to wryte an o. his prelate and his souerayne bad hym do a certayne thynge of obedyence / to the whiche he was so redy / that he gaue no space to hymselfe for to fulfyll that lytello / but anone without ony taryenge / he went to his obedyence lefte his o / vnwryten halfe / than I for to shewe you how moche acceptable obedyence is to me / the other halfe of the same o / I parformed and fulfylled it with golde / therfore this gloryous vertu of obedyence is so plesaūt lykȳge to me / that in none other vertu so many myracles tokens be shewed of me as be for that for that vertu cometh fro the lyghte of feythe / erthe is to this vertu obediēt / beestes be obedyent / water is obedyent ther to / that the erthe obeyeth to that vertu / thou hase mȳde how thou hase redde In vitas patrum of a dyscyple whiche was byd of his fader the abbot for to sette in the grounde a drye tree / of obedyence euery daye to water it / the same obedyent dyscyple asked no questyons how that myght be / but without ony inquysycyon of possybylyte he fulfylled his obedyence in somoche that by the vertu of that obedyence of feythe the drye tree waxed grene bare fruyte / in token that that soule was lyfte awaye fro the drynes of inobedyence / than after that grentnesse it bare fruyte / so the the apples of tree were called of brederne fruyte of obedyence / in the same wyse it is of beestes / that they obey to this vertu / for ther was In vitas patrum a certayne dyscyple was sende oute by obedyence / and in the waye as he went he founde a dragon / he toke hym and bounde hym in a bonde / so lad hym to his abbot / but his abbot as a dyscrete leche / leste that dyscyple shold haue be extolled by pryde of vayne glory for that dede / and also for to preue his pacyence / he dyscretely put hym the beest fro hym with boystous wordes sayenge to hym thus thou beest hase thou brought an other beest bounde with the. ¶ In the same wyse it is of the fyre / for that obeyeth to this vertu / for as thou knowes ryght well in holy wrytte / that many bycause they wyll not offende my obedyēce
or dothe satysfaccyon by a feruent desyre of the soule that is to saye with a veraye contrycyon / a dyspysynge of synne ¶ For veraye contrycyon / maketh satysfaccyoÌ„ to the synne / and to the payne for synne / not for the payne the the soule suffreth for the tyme / whiche tyme hathe ende / but for the desyre that the soule hathe / whiche hathe no ende / and that is for god / whiche is without ende Aske you sorowe in herte for synne without ende / loue god contynually wtout ende ¶ Sorowe it asketh without ende that is to saye without ceasynge in this worlde / and that is in two maners ¶ One is that a man haue veraye coÌ„trycyon for his owne offence that he hathe done agaynst his god / and his owne maker ¶ The seconde is that a maÌ„ haue sorowe for the offence that he seeth or knoweth done to god of his neyghbour ¶ Of suche men / for asmoche as they haue suche contrycyoÌ„ iÌ„ bothe maners ¶ Also for they haue suche a desyre that hathe none ende / for they beÌ„ coupled to me with a desyre of loue / therfore they sorowen whan they offende themselfe / or whaÌ„ they se / or knowe ony creature offende god / for that contynuall sorowe for themselfe / and for other / for desyre of loue / all the payne of suche men that they suffren bodyly or ghostly / of what euer parte it cometh / that payne deserueth / or shal haue merytes the whiche haue none ende / and dothe satysfaccyon for the synne / whiche synÌ„e worthely asketh and dyscerneth a payne that sholde haue no ende Not withstondynge the dede of synne had an ende / and it was done suche a tyme that it hadde and ende / and the cause is thus / for that synne parauenture was done with some vertues / with desyre of loue / with contrycyon and with dyspleasaunce of all fautes that were done Therfore the payne of the trespasse that sholde haue no ende was modyfyed and shall haue an ende / and make full satysfaccyon for that synne ¶ Thus sheweth the apostle whan he sayde yf I shall speke with the tongues of men / and of aungels and yf I haue prophecy / and yf that I deale all my goodes in to poore mennes meet / and yf I take or put my body to the fyre / and it to brunne / yet all this profyteth me not / yf I haue not charyte ¶ Seynt Paule also sheweth / that all suche werkes / bodyly or ghostly / the whiche haue an ende in this worlde / ben not suffycyent to punesshe the wretchednesse of synne / nor to gyue rewarde / with out salte or fatnesse / and swete sauour of the desyre of the holy charyte ¶ How desyre contrycyon of herte maketh satysfaccyon for synne / and payne for synne / and somtyme it maketh satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne / and not for payne Now doughter I haue shewed the how synne in this tyme that shall passe / is not punyssed onely with suche penauÌ„ce that is done here / but it is punysshed with penauÌ„ce inwardely / that is suffred by desyre and with loue oned to god / and by contrycyon of mennes hertes / not by vertu of payne oneli / but throwe the vertu of a feruent dysyre of soules / and as holy desyres and other desyres of vertues haue lyfe / or be acceptable and merytory whaÌ„ they ben taken and vsed / for the loue of my sone crucyfyed ¶ For asmoche as the soule taketh loue of hym / and foloweth his steppes with vertues / fastynges / and prayers ¶ In suche maner suche penaunces done they profyte the and in none other so they make satysfaccyon to the payne for synne / and that is by the vnyon / or knyttynge togyder of that holy loue the whiche is goten and purchased in the knowynge of my amyable goodnesse / and in the bytternesse and sorowe of the herte / and iÌ„ knowynge and knowlegynge of his owne defautes / whiche knowynge bryÌ„geth forthe an hatered of his owne vnworthynesse mysery / and a greate dyspleasaunce of synnes ¶ Wherfore he demeth hymselfe vnworthy ony grace / and holdeth hym worthy to haue tourment and payne And thus the holy sothefastnes spake of all other / whiche suffred all thynges with pacyeÌ„ce / and demed them selfe with mekenesse in all thynges / vnworthy to receyue the gracyous gyftes of god / and worthy to haue punysshemeÌ„t throwe loue of herte with the ferueÌ„t bruÌ„nynge of pasyence and of mekenesse ¶ After this informacyon / forthewith god spake to her and sayde Take hede than intentytly in thy inwarde wytte / in what maner it is sayde to the / how that satysfaccyoÌ„ is made for synne ¶ Thou does aske paynes of me / the whiche myght make satysfaccyon / for the offences done to me of my creatures ¶ Also thou dyde aske of me whiche am the lyfe of all thynges / to knowe / to loue ê‘fytely ¶ This is the waye / thou shall be in wyll to ascende to the heyght of ê‘fyte knowynge / thou shall be in wyll to taste me / the whiche am euer lastynge sothefastnesse / so that thou neuer go oute of the way of knowynge of thy selfe ¶ And whan thou arte caste downe iÌ„ to the vallaye of mekenesse / than knowe me in the / of whome thou shall haue all thynges that ben to the necessary / or behourable ¶ There may no vertu stoÌ„de / nor abyde / but it come of charyte / or that it be grounded in charyte / and mekenes dothe nouresshe most and best / the vertu of charyte ¶ ThaÌ„ thou shall be made meke in knowynge of thy selfe / yf thou consyder the that thou hase no beynge of thy selfe / but thou shall knowe thy beynge of me / the whiche loued the you all / or euer that ye were borne / of my greate loue whiche maye not be meiured / my wyll was to reforme you agayne to grace / and in my reformynge you agayne / with the brennynge of so greate a loue / the which I had to you / I wasshed you with the blode of my sone / the whiche was shedde for you ¶ The shedynge of that blode / maketh a man to knowe the sothefastnes / the whiche hathe put awaye the cloude of his propre loue / by knowynge of hyÌ„ selfe / the whiche sothfastnes he myght not elles knowe And thaÌ„ in the knowynge of me / the soule is closed with suche a feruent loue / that for that brennynge loue / the soule is in contynuall payne / but not in payne whiche greueth the soule / nor maketh it to tall / but rather that payne maketh the soule more vertuous / and refressheth it / and comforteth more the soule / for he suffreth payne / bycause he knoweth my sothefastnes / and his owne synnes and vnkyndenesse / and the greate blyÌ„denesse of crysteÌ„ people And for the greate loue that the soule
neyghboure for my name ¶ Also in the coÌ„trary wyse eche faute is done by some meane of a maÌ„nes neyghbour ¶ For he that loueth not me / he is not in charyte with his neyghbour / of this cometh al euylles wyckednesse / bycause the soule lacketh charyte / and hathe no loue to me nor to his neyghbour / in that he worketh no good / he dothe euyll fyrst to hyÌ„selfe / to his neyghbour / not to me / for he may not harme me / but for asmoche as I take it done to me / that is done to the neyghbour / therfore he harmeth hyÌ„selfe by the peryll of synne / whiche synne pryueth hym of grace / so he maye be no worse to hymselfe ¶ He offendeth his neyghbour whaÌ„ he yeldeth not dewe loue and affeccyon to his neyghbour / wherwith he sholde helpe hym That is to saye / with deuoute prayers holy desyres / whiche he sholde offre before me for his neyghbour ¶ This that I haue sayde nowe is the generall helpe coÌ„forte / whiche sholde be gyuen to eche reasonable creature ¶ Forthermore a partyculer ê“fyte is the / whiche is done to theÌ„ that ben nyghe to thy syghte / for ye be bounde the one to helpe the other in worde and good workyÌ„ge and in ensample gyuynge / and in all thyÌ„ges that the behoueth purely and clerely / and gyuynge counsayle as a maÌ„ wolde do to hymselfe / without ony passyon ¶ This dothe not he that hath no loue to his neyghbour Also thou sees well that he whiche dothe not so dothe his neyghbour a partyculer harme / and not onely iÌ„ that he harmeth hym / for asmoche as he dothe hym not the good that he myght / but coÌ„tynually harmeth hym / and that is in this maner / he dothe synne bothe actually in dede wylfully / or mayn tayneth it in the soule ¶ Synne is done myghtly inwardely in the soule / whaÌ„ a man conceyueth a pleasauÌ„ce in the soule of synne / an hate of vertue / whiche cometh of his propre sencyble loue / whiche loue hathe pryued hym the affeccyon of charyte / whiche charyte he oweth to yelde to me and to his neyghbour / and after he hathe conceyued / thus by meyntenynge / thaÌ„ bryngeth he forthe one thynge after another on his neyghbour / by dyuers maners as it pleaseth and lyketh his wycked sencyble wyll ¶ SoÌ„tyme he bryÌ„geth forthe bereth a cruelte generally petty culerly Generally whaÌ„ he seeth hyÌ„selfe and other creatures in perel of dethe damnacyoÌ„ for lacke of grace And therew t he is so cruell that for loue of vyces / for hate of vertues / he gyueth no coÌ„forte to hyÌ„self nor other but as a louer of cruelte / he streÌ„gheth more more his cruelte / that is to saye / not onely he sheweth no vertuouslyuyÌ„ge / but wyckedly takynge on hym the offyce offendes / withdraweth hymselfe and other fro vertues / and with al his myght he bryÌ„geth other creatures to vyces / this is the offyce of a wycked cruelte / for he maketh hymselfe an able instrument / to the pryuynge of euerlastyÌ„ge lyfe / to the gyuynge of euerlastynge dethe He vseth this bodyly cruelte with concupyscence / for not onely that he helpeth not his neyghbour / of of his owne good / but turmentyÌ„ge poore ê‘sones / takynge awaye theyr good Sometyme by extorcyon / or lordeshyp / sometyme by fraude / begylynge / or with dysceyte They raunsome them and take of theyr good theyr bodyes / whiche is moche worse ¶ O thou wretched cruelte / saythe oure lorde / thou shall be pryued of my mercy / but thou tourne agayne to venyuolence pyte with thy neyghbour Also sometyme this pleasauce of synne / and hatered of vertu / bryÌ„geth sory / wycked / and wrongefull wordes / wherewith ful ofte cometh â—â—â—slaughter And sometyme beestly dyshoneste / full of all fylthes / and stynkyÌ„ge wretchednesse / whiche vehemeth not onely one or two / but al those that cleueth tâ— hyÌ„ / draweth to hym by loue or by conuersacyon / be corrupted / or venymed ¶ Sometyme suche a man sheweth pryde to his neyghbour onely / in that he holdeth hymselfe in more reputacyon thaÌ„ his neyghbour / by his pryde he purposeth wronge to his neyghbour / dothe hym wronge yf he be a lorde / or a man of greate state / by cruelte or wroÌ„ge / he dysceyueth his neyghboure / and dystroyeth hym ¶ Loke here doughter / take hede what is sayd And fro this tyme forwarde sorowe for the offence that is done to me / wepe fore for suche as ben deed ghostly / that by holy prayers they maye come to lyfe Thou sees that in euery place / what wroÌ„ge is done to the neyghbour / that moche euyll is done to man / by the cause of man / so that a mannes neyghbour is meane to euyll Orels no synÌ„e shoulde be moued at all / pryue / nor aperte ¶ It is pryue / whaÌ„ it is not done to his neyghbour / that is dewe to his neyghbour ¶ It is opeÌ„ / whaÌ„ the vyces ben shewed opeÌ„ly Therfore it is sothe / that eche offence done to me / is by some meanes of a maÌ„nes neyghbour ¶ How that vertues ben wroughte in maÌ„ by some meane of his neyghbour And whiche vertues in maÌ„ ben so dyfferent Now I haue declared to the how al defautes comen by some meane of a mannes neyghbour And the cause is / for they haue no affeccyon of charyte / whiche charyte strengheth all vertues gyueth them lyfe / and coÌ„fyrmeth them in grace And so a maÌ„nes proper loue / whiche taketh the charyte loue of his neyghbour / is fundament grouÌ„de of all euylles ¶ All sclaunders / hatereddes / crueltes / all inconuenyentes / comen forthe of this wycked and venemous rote ¶ This styukyÌ„ge loue deedly hath wounded all the worlde / brought in a sekenes to the pryue body of oure holy moder the chyrche / and to the vnyuersal body of chrysteÌ„ relygyon ¶ For as I sayde to the / al vertues ben fouÌ„ded in a mannes charyte to his neyghbour / that charyte gaue lyfe to al vertues And sothly so it is For there maye no vertu be goteÌ„ with out that charyte That is to saye Vertu maye not begoteÌ„ / yf meryte of vertu maye not be goten ¶ For after tyme / a soule knoweth her self As it is sayde before ThaÌ„ the soule syndeth mekenes / and an hatered of his owne sensyble passyon Knowynge than / that the wycked lawe of the flesshe / how that it is annexed to his meÌ„bres whiche lawe euermore impugneth / and contraryeth the spyryte Therfore the spyryte aryseth agaynst the flesshe / with hate / dyspleasauÌ„ce / of the sensualyte / tredynge her downe / vnder the roote of reason The soule also fyndeth the affluence and the greate pleÌ„te of my goodnes / whan it hathe receyued my