as the semyth is contrary therto For that styrynge is not thy fayth but the fayth of holy chyrche is thy fayth thoughe thou neuer see it ne fele it And bere then suche styrynges pacyently as a scourge of our lorde by the whiche he wyl clense thy hert make thy fayth stedfast Also the behoueth to loue worshyp in thy herte al the lawes ordynaunce made by prelates rulers of holy chyrche other in declarynge of the fayth or of the sacramentes or in general of al crysten men mekely truly assent to hem though it be so that thou knowe not the cause of her ordynaunce And thoughe the thynke that some were vnskylful thou shalt not deme hem ne repreue hem but worshyp hem all though they longe but lytyl to the Ne receyue thou non opinyon ne faÌ„tasye ne synguler conceyte vnder colour of more holynes as some done y t are not wyse nother by thyn owne ymaginynge ne by techynge of none other man Whiche contraryeth to the the lest ordynaunce or general techyng of al holy chyrche And ouer this thou shalt hope stedfastly y t thou art ordened of our lorde to be saued as one of his chosen by his mercy styre not fro this hope what so thou heryst or seest or what teÌ„ptacioÌ„ thou be in And thoughe thou thynke so y â— grete a wretche y t thou were worthy to sinke in to helle for that thou doost noo gode ne seruest god as thou sholdest doo yet holde the in this trouth in this hope aske mercy al shal be ryght wel ye though al y e deuylles of helle apered in bodely lyknes slepynge or wakyng sayenge to y e that thou sholdest not be saued or al men lyuynge in erth or al the auÌ„gels in heuen If it myght be sayd to the the same thou sholdest not leue hem ne be styred moche fro the hope of saluacyoÌ„ This I say to the for some beÌ„ so weyke so simple y t whan they haue yeuen hemself al hooly to serue god after her cunÌ„ynge yf they fele ony styrynge within by thyn castynge of theÌ„mye or elles fro without of ony of the deuylles prophetis whiche meÌ„ callen soth sayers that they sholde not be saued or her state of her maner of lyuynge were not pâ—esaunt to god they ben astonyed styred with suche wordes so for vncâ—nynge they falle soÌ„tyme in a grete hâ—uynes as it werein a dyspayr of saluacyon wherfore as me thynke it is spedfull to eâ—ery creature whiche by our lorde Ihesu cryst is in ful wyl to forsake synne as clerly as his coÌ„scyence tellyth hym he suffreth noo dedely synne rest in hym y t he ne shriueth hym sone therof make hym to y e sacrameÌ„tes of holy chyrche for to haue a trust of saluacyon And moche more than they that yeueÌ„ hem hooly to god fleen venyal synnes after her myght And on the contrary wyse as peryllous it is to hym whiche lyeth wyttyngly in dedely synne for to haue truste of saluacyon iÌ„ hope of y e trust wyl not forsake his synÌ„e ne low hym truly to god holy chyrche ¶ How a stable entent is nedeful to thyse y t sholde plese god dyscrecyon in bodely werkes Ca xxii THe iii. thynge whiche is nedeful to the for to haue in thy begynnynge is an hole a stable entencyon that is for to saye A hole wyll a desyre onely for to plese god for that is charyte without whiche all is nought that thou doost And thon shal set thin entent alway for to serche and traueyle how thou myght plese hym noo tyme for to cesse wylfully of good ocupacyon other bodely or ghostly Ne thou shalt not set a tyme in thy hert as thus longe thou woldest serue god sythen to suffre thyn hert wylfully fall downe in to vayne thoughtes ydle ocupacions wenynge that it were nedful for sauynge of thy bodely kynde leuynge y e kepynge of thy hert good ocupacyon sekynge a rest coÌ„fort for a tyme outwarde by thy bodely wyttes or inwardly vanytees as it were for recreacyoÌ„ of thy spyryte \ for it sholde be more sharper afterwarde to ghostly traueyle for I trow it is not soth I say not that thou may in dede performe thyn entent for oft sythes thy bodely nede eâ—ynge drynkynge slepyng spekyng y e fraylte of y e flesshe shal let the be thou neuer so besye hynder the But I wolde that thy wyl thy extent were alway hole to traueyle ghostly or bodely no tyme to be ydle but alway lyftynge vp thy hert by desyre to god to y e blysse of heuen whether thou ete or drynke or ony other bodely traueyle that thou vsest asmoche as thou may wylfully leue it not For yf thou haue this entent it shall make the euer quicke sharpeiÌ„ thi trauayle yf thou fal by fraylte or neclygence in ony ydle ocupacyon or vaynspeche it shal smyâ—e vpon thy hert sharply as a prycke make y t for to yrke be wery of al vanytees for to torne ayeÌ„ hastly to inwarde thynkyng of IhuÌ„ cryst or to some gode ocupacyon For anence thy bodely kynde it is good for to vse descresyon in etynge drynkynge slepynge in al maner bodely penaunce in loÌ„ge prayer by speche or in bodely felynge by grete feruour of deuocyon other in wepynge or suche other also in ymagynyng of the spyryte whan a man felyth no grace In all thyse werkes it is gode to kepe discrecyon for the meane is y e best But in desâ—ruynge of synÌ„e by kepyng of thyn herâ— in coÌ„tynue â–ª desyre of vertues y e blysse of heuen for to haue the ghostly knowynge the louynge of IhuÌ„ cryst holde thou no meane For the more that it is of this the bettter it is For thou shalt haue synÌ„e al flesshly loues dredes in thyn hert without seeyng And thou shalt loue vertues clenÌ„es desyre hem without stintynge yf thou myght I say not that it is nedful to saluacyoÌ„ but I hope it is spedful yf thou kepe it thou shalt profyte more in one yere in vertues thaÌ„ thou shalt without this profyte in viâ— yeres ¶ Of a lytyl â—ehersynge of thynges sayd before of makynge of offerynge that sholde be offered to god Caplm xxiii NOw I haue tolde the fyrst of ende whiche thou shalt beholde in thy desyre drawe towarde it as nygh as thou may Also I haue sayd the of the beginnyng what y e nedeth for to haue as mekenes siker trouth an hole entent to god vpon y e whiche grouÌ„de thou shalt sette thy ghostly hous by prayer by medytacyon other ghostly vertues ThenÌ„e say I to the thus pray thou or thynke thou or ony other dede y t thou doost gode by grace or bad by thyn owne freilte or what y t thou felyst seest or herest smellest or
felynge of worldely loue and rauysshed in to the preuyte of ghostly loue yeldeth thankynge to hym sayeÌ„ge thus My pryuete to me That is My lorde IhuÌ„ thy preuyte is shewed to me and preuyly hydde fro al louers of the worlde For it is called hydde nanna That may lightlyer be asked than tolde what it is And that our lorde Ihesu behoteth to his louer sayenge thus Dabo sibi manna absconditum quod nemo nouit nisi qui ac cipit That is I shal yeue manna hidde that noo man knoweth but he that takith it This manna is heuenly mete and angels fode as holy wrytte sayth For angels are fully fede and fylled wyth clere syghte in brenuynge loue of oure lorde Ihesu and that is maÌ„na For we mo we aske what it is but not wyte what it is But y e louer of IhuÌ„ is not fylled yet here but he is fedde by a lytyl taastynge of it whyles he is bounden in this bodyly lyfe This tastynge of this manna is a lyfly felynge of gra had thorugh openynge of the ghostly eye And this grace is not an other grace that a chosen soule felyth in the begynnynge of his conuersyon but it is the same and y e selfe grace but it is otherwyse felt and shewed to a soule For why grace wexeth with the soule the soule wexeth with grace And y e more clene y t the soule is ferre departed fro the loue of the worlde the more myghty is the grace more in warde more ghostly shewynge in the preseÌ„ce of our lorde Ihesu so y t the same grace y t torneth hem fyrst too synnes makyth hem begynnynge profytynge by yeftes of vertue exercyse of good werkes maken hem also perfyte And thaâ— grace is called a lyfly felynge of grace for he y â— hath it felyth it wel knoweth well by experyence that he is in grace It is full lyfly tâ— hym for it quyckneth the soule wonderfully makyth it soo hole that it feleth no paynful dysease of the body though it be feble sykly For why then is the body myghtyest moost hole moost restful the soule also without thys grace the soule can not lyue but in payne for it thynkith y t it myght euer kepe it no thynge sholde put it awaye And neuertheles yet it is not so for it passeth awaye ful lyghtly But neuertheles though the souereyne felynge passeth awaye withdrawe the reley fleneth styl kepâ—th the soule in sadnes makyth it for to desyre y e comynge ayen And this is also the waker slepe of the spouse of the whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Ego dormio cormenÌ„ vigilat I slepe my herte wakyth That is I slepe ghostly whan thorugh grace the loue of the worlde is slayne in me and wycked styrynges of flesshly desyres are dede somoche that vnethes I fele hem I am not taryed with hem my herte is made free And then it wakyth for it is sharpe and redy for to loue IhuÌ„ and see hym The more I slepe fro outwarde thynges y e more waker I am in knowynge of Ihesu of In warde thynges I maye not wake to Ihesu but yf I slepe to the worlde And therfore y e grace of the holy ghost sperynge y e flesshly eye dooth the soule slepe fro worldly vanytee and openynge the ghostly eye wakyth in to the syghte of goddys mageste helyd vnder the clowde of his precyous manhede As the gospel saythe of the apostles whan they were with oure lorde Ihesu in his transfyguracyon Fyrste they slepte Et euigilantes videruÌ„t magestatem They wakynge sawe his mageste By slepe of the apostles is vnderstonde deyenge of worldly loue thrugh InspyracioÌ„ of the holy ghost By her walkynge contemplacion of Ihesu Thorugh this slepe the soule is brought in to reste fro noyse of flesshly luste And thrugh walkinge it is reysed vp in to the syghte of Ihesu and gnostâ—ely â—hâ—nges The more that the eyen are spered in this 〈◊〉 slepe fro the aperyte of erthly thynge The sharper is the Inner syghte in louely beholdynge of heuenly fayâ—hede Thys slepynge and this wakynge loue worcheth thorughe the lyght of grace in the soule of the louer of our lorde Ihesu ¶ How specyal grace in beholdynge of our lorde Ihesu withdrawyth soÌ„tyme fro a soule And how a sowle shal haue her in the absâ—ence and presence of IhuÌ„ And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye y e gracyous preseÌ„ce of Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xli SHewe me then a soule that thorugh inspyracyon of grace hath openynge of the ghostly syght in to beholdyng of IhuÌ„ y â— is departed draweÌ„ out fro y e loâ—â— of the worlde so ferforth that it hath puryte pouerte of spyrite ghostly rest In warde scylence pees in conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes pryuyte of hert waker slepe of the spouse that hath loste lykyng Ioyes of y e worlde taken with delyte of heueÌ„ly sauour euer threstynge softly shyghynge y â— blessed presence of IhuÌ„ I dare hardly pronounce that this soule brenÌ„eth al in loue shyneth in ghostly lyght worthy for to come to the name to the worshyp of the spowse for it is refourmed in felynge made able redy to contemplacyon Thyse are the tokens of InspyracoÌ„n in openynge of y e ghostly eye For why whan the eye is opened the soule is in ful felynge of al thyse vertues before sayd for that tyme Neuertheles it falleth often tymes that grace withdrawyth in partye for corrupcoÌ„n of mannes freelte suffreth then the soule for to fal in to itself in flesshlyhede as it was beforne And then is the soule in payne in sorowe for it is blynde vnsauery can no good It is weyke vnmyghty encoÌ„bred with the body with al y e bodyly wyttes It seâ—heth desyreth after y e grace of IhuÌ„ ayen it maye not fynde it For holy wryâ— sayth of our lorde thê° PostqmÌ„ vultuÌ„ suuÌ„ absconderit non eÌ„ qui conteÌ„plat euÌ„ That is After whan our lorde IhuÌ„ hath hydde his face there is none that maye beholde hym whan he sheweth hym the soule may not vnsee hym for he is lyght whaÌ„ he hydeth hym it may not see hym for the soule is derke His hydynge is but a subtyl assayenge of the soule His shewynge is a wonder mercyfull goodnes in coÌ„forte of the soule Haue ye no wonder though the felynge of grace be withdrawe somtyme fro a louer of IhuÌ„ For holy wrytte sayth y e same of the spouse that she fareth thus Quesiui et non inueni illuÌ„ vocaui et noÌ„ respondit michi I seched I fouÌ„de hym not I called he answered not That is whan I fall downe to my frelte then grace withdraweth for my fallyng is cause therof not his fleeng But then fele I peyne of my wretchydnes in his absence And therfore I soughte hym by grete desyre of
bothe he sholde well tel whyche were good whyche were euyll But he that neuer felyd neyther or els but y â— one maye lyghtly be deceyued They are lyke in y e maner of felynge outward but they are ful dyuers within And therfore they are not for to desyre greatly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght by the spyryte of dyscrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyl y t he were not begyled as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“ba re siex deo sit Saynt IohnÌ„ beddeth vs that we sholde not trust to euery spyryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or no wherfore by one allay I shal tel the as me thynketh how thou shalt knowe the good fro euyl ¶ How thou shalt know whaÌ„ the shewynge to the bodely wyttis felynge of hem beÌ„ good or euyl Ca xi IF it so be y t thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes with the bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery woÌ„derful sownynge with bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other thaÌ„ of kynde or ony hete iÌ„ thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delyte in ony part of thy body or yf a spyryte bodely aperyth vnto y e as it were an aungel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y e or ony suche felynge whiche thou knowest wel y e it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creatnre beware in y e tyme or sone after wysely beholde y e styrynge of thy hert If thou be styrred by cause of y e lykynge y t thou felyst to draw out thy hert fro y e mynde beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacyon As fro prayer thynkynge on thy selfe thy defawtes fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set y e syght of thi hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte and thy rest pryncypally therin wenyng y t it shold be a part of heueÌ„ly ioy of auÌ„gels blys for thy y â— thiÌ„kith y t thou sholdest nother pray ne thinke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte therin This felynge is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so lykynge wonderful refuse it assent not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whan he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ he is woÌ„derly wroth For he hateth no thynge more then for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowynge the loue of god y e whiche he without body of synne lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open syÌ„nes he wolde hynder hym begile hym hy suche vanyte of bodely â—auours or swetnes in y e wyttes for to bryÌ„ge a soule in to ghostly pryde in to a fals sykernes of hymself wenynge y t he had therby a felynge of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth about hym whan he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcyon he myght falle in errours or heresyes or faresyes or iÌ„ other bodely or ghostly myschenes Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felynge lette not thy hert fro grostly ocupacyon but it makyth the more deuout more feruent for to pray it makyth the more wyse for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in y e begynÌ„ynge neuertheles afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desyre of vertues and encrenseth thy loue more to god to thyn euen crysten Also it makyth y e more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokens may thou knowe that it is of god made by the presence the touchynge of a good auÌ„gel that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her trust her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more perfytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they ben perfyte that felen suche delyte it semith then that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of the gloryfyenge of the body whiche it shall haue in y e blysse of heuen I wote not whether there be ony suche man lyuynge in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semyth to my syght iÌ„ y e tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in the caue .xxx. wynter euery day was borne vp with auÌ„gels was fed both body soule by the presence of hem thus we rede in y â— story of her Of this maner assayenge of werkynge of spyrytes speketh saynt IohnÌ„ in his pistle thus techeth thus O iÌ„sspÌ„s qui sol uit thmÌ„ hic non eÌ„ ex deo Euery speryte y â— losyth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god thise wordes may be vnderstonde in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vnderstonde hem to this purpose that I haue sayd ¶ What knytteth Ihesu to mannes soule what loseth hym therfro Caplm xii THe knyttynge y e fastynge of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by good wyl grete desyre to hym onÌ„ly for to haue hym see hym iÌ„ his blysse ghostly The more y e this desyre is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is the loslyer is he knytte TheÌ„ what spyryte or what felynge y t it be y t whiche lesseth this desyre wolde drawe it downe fro the stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styenge vp to IhuÌ„ this spyryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkynge of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spyryte or a felynge or a reuelacioÌ„ make this desyre more knytte y e knottes of loue deuocyoÌ„ to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowynge more clerly maketh it more meke in it self this spyryte is of god Here may thou see soÌ„what y t thou shalt not suffre thy here wylfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felynge of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were good but thou shalt holde hem iÌ„ thy syght nouÈt or lytyl in rewarde of ghostly desyre on stedfast thynkynge on IhuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy herte ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges sholde a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupyed Calm xiii BUt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And y â— is y â— thou myght knowe the wysdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hyÌ„ in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placyoÌ„ that other is none thus sayth saynt poul In carâ—â—ate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„preheÌ„dere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sic longitudo laâ—itudo suolimitas
ghostly fyre as is y t loue of god brenneth wasteth al flesshly loues lykynges in a mannes soule And this fyre is stokyn in my bones as the ê“phete sayth of hymselfe That is for to say This loue fulfyllyth y e myghtes of my soule as mynde reason and wyl of grace ghostly swetnes as marow fyllyth ful y e bone y t within and not wihout in the wyttes Neuertheles it is so myghty within y t it smyteth out in to the body makyth all the body quake tremyse It is so fer fro the bodely kynde so vnkouth y t he can no skyll on it may not bere it but falleth falleth downe as the prophete sayth And therfore our lorde temperith it withdraweth the feruour suffreth the hert to falle in to a sobyrte of more softnes who can pray thus oft he spedeth soone in his traueyle He shal gete more of vertues iÌ„ a lytyl tyme thaÌ„ some man without this or a nother as gode shal gete in long tyme. for al the bodely penaunce y t he myght doo \ And who hath this it nedeth not for to charge y e bodely kinde with more penauÌ„ce thaÌ„ it berith yf he haue it oft ¶ Of the thyrde maner of prayer that is onÌ„ly iÌ„ y e herte without speche outwarde Caplm xxxii THe iii. maner of prayer is onÌ„ly in the hert without speche by grece reste softnes of y e bodi of the soule A clene hert hym behoueth to haue that shall pray wel thus For it is of suche men wymÌ„en that by longe traueylle bodely ghostly or elles by suche sharpe smytynges of loue as I haue before sayd comen into rest of speryte so that her affeccyoÌ„ is tourned in to ghostly sauour that they mowenygh contynuelly praye in her hert and loue prayse god withouut grete lettyng of temptacyons or of vanytees as I haue before sayd in the seconde part of contemplacyon Of this maner of prayer sayth saynt poule thus Nam si orem lingua spiritus meus orat mens autem mesine fructu est Quidergo Orabo et spritu orabo mente psallam spiritu psallam mente That is to say yf I pray with my tonge by the wyl of spyryte by traueyle the prayer is medeful but my soule is not fedde For it felyth not the fruit of ghostly swetnesse by vnderstondyng What shal I then do sayd saynt poul And he answeryth sayth I shal praye by traueyle desyre of the spyryte And I shal praye also more inwardly in my spyryte without trauayle in ghostly sauour swetnes of the loue y e syght of god by the whiche syght felyng of loue my soule is fedde Thus as I vnderstonde saynt poul cowde praye Of this maner of prayer speketh our lorde in holy wrytte by fygure thus ¶ Ignis in altari meo semê‘ ardebit cotidie sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extinguatur This is for to saye The tyre of loue shall euer be lyght in the soule of a deuoute clene man or woman the whiche is the awter of our lorde And they prest shal euery day at morne laye to styckes norysshe the fyre That is to say This maÌ„ shal by holy psalmes clene thoughtes feruent desyre norysshe the fyre of loue in his hert that it goo no tout in ony tyme This test our lorde yeuyth to some of his seruantes as it were a reward of her trauayle and a shadowe of the loue whiche they shal haue in y e blysse of heuen ¶ How men sholde do that beÌ„ traueyled with vayne thoughtes iÌ„ her prayers Ca. xxxiii BUt now seest thou that I speke ouer hye to the in this maner of prayer for it is no maystry to me for to saye it for it is no mastry to me sayest that thou canst not praye thus deuoutly ne so holy in hert as I speke of For whan thou woldest haue y e mynde of thyn hert vpwarde to god in thy prayer thou felyst so many thoughtes in vayne of thyn owne dedes before doon or what thou shalt do of other meneÌ„s dedes and suche many other lettyng taryengne so y â— thou mayst nother fele sauour ne rest ne deuocyoÌ„ in thy sayeng and oft sythes the more thou trauaylest to kepe thyn hert the ferder it is fro the the harder somtyme fro the begynnyng to the laste ende that the thynke it is but lost al that thou doost And vnto this that thou sayest that I speke to hye to the of prayer I graunt wel that I speke otherwyse than I can or may do Neuertheles I say it for this entent that thou sholdeest knowe how we ought to pray yf we dyde well And sythen we may not do so that we knowe thenÌ„e our feblenes mekely and crye god mercy Our lorde bad thus hymself whan he sayd â—Diliges dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ ex toto corde tuo ex tota aiÌ„a tua exoriÌ„bê° viribus â—uis Thou shalt loue god of al thyn hert al thy soule all thy myght It is Impossible to ony man for to fulfylle thys byddyng so fully as it is sayde lyuynge in erche And yet neuerthekes our lorde bad vs for to loue so for this entenct as sainte bernarde sayth that we sholde knowe therby our feblenes and thenne mekely crye after mercy and we â—hal haue it Neuertheles I shal telle the as me thynketh in this askynge what thou shalt praye make thyn entent thy wylle in the begynnyng as hole and as clene to god as thou mayst shortly in thy mynde thenÌ„e begynÌ„e do as thou mayst And though thou be neuer somoche letted ayents thy fyrst wyl be not adrad ne to angry wyth thyself ne inpacyent ayents god that he yeueth the not the sauour of ghostly swetnes with deuocyon as y e thynketh that he yeueth to other creatures But see therby thyn owne feblenes bere it easely holdyng in thyn owne syght thyn owne prayer feble as it is with mekeness of herte trustyng also sykerly in the mercy of our lorde that he shal make it good profytable the more than thou knowest or felest For wyte thou wel that thou arte excused of thy dette thou shalt haue mede for it as for an other good dede y t thou doost in charyte though thyn hert were not therupon in the doynge Therfore do that longeth to ye. and suffre our lorde to yeue what he wyl and teche hym not And though thou thinke thyself recheles necligent as thou were in grete defawte for suche thynges Neuertheles yet shalt thou for this defawte al other venyals whiche maye not be eschewed in this wretthyd lyf lyft vp thyn hert to god knowlegyng thy wretchydnes cry mercy with a good trust of foryeuenes stryue no more therwith ne hange no longer therupon as thou woldest by mastry not fele suche wretchydnes Leue
and lyghte and he is euerlastyngr as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Qui diligit deum manet in lumine That is He that loueth god dwellyth in the lyght Than what man perceyueth and seeth the lone of this worlde fals and faylynge and for that he woll forsake it and seke the loue of Ihesu He maye not assone fele the loue of hym But he muste abyde a whyle in the nyghte For he maye not sodeynly come fro that one lyghte to that other that is from the loue of the worlde to perfyte loue of god This nyghte is noughte elles but a forberynge and a withdrawynge of the thoughte and of the soule fro erthly thynges by grete desyre and yernynge for to loue and see and fele Ihesu gholy thynges This is the nyght For ryght as the nyght is derke and euer hydyng from al bodely creature and a restynges of all bodely dedes Ryght soo a man that settyth hym fully for to thynke on Ihesu for to desyre only y e loue of hym is besye for to hyde his thought fro vayne beholdynge and perceyuynge and his affeccyon fro flesshly lykyng and louynge of al bodely creatures So that his thonght maye be made free not subget ne his affeccyon bounde ne pyned ne troubled in no thynge lower ne woors than him selfe And yf he maye do so then it is nyghte with hym for then he is in derknesse But this is a good nyght a lyght derknesse for it is a stoppyng out of the fals loue of this worlde and it is a nyghynge of the true daye And sothly y e derker y t this nyÈt is y e nerer is y e true daye of the loue of IhuÌ„ For the more that y e soule maye thorugh longyng to god be hydde fro noyse dynÌ„e of flesshly affeccyons vnclene thoughtes the nerer it is for to fele the lyght of y e loue of hym for it is euen at it Thus semyth it the prophete meaned whan he sayd thus CuÌ„ in tenebris sedeo dnÌ„s lux mea est That is whan I sitte in derknes our lorde is my lyght That is whaÌ„ my soule is hydde fro all styrynges of synÌ„e as it were in slepe then is our lorde my lyght for thenÌ„e nygheth he of his grace for to shewe me of his lyght Neuertheles this nyght is somtyme paynfull fyrste whan a man is moche foule and is not thorugh grace vsed to be often in this derknes but wolde fayne haue it and therfore he setteth his thought his desyre to god warde asmoche as he maye he wolde not fele ne thynke but onÌ„ly of hym and by cause y t he may not lyghtly haue it therfore it is paynfull For the custome the homelynes that he hath had with synnes before of the worlde and of flesshly affeccyons and erthly thynges and his flesshly dedes prees so vpon hym and euer smite in by maystry and draw downe all the soule to heÌ„ that he may not wel be hidde fro heÌ„ assone as he wolde Therfore this derkenes is paynful to hym and namly whan grace to wchyth not habundantly Neuertheles yf it be so with the. be not to heuy ne stryue not moche as though thou woldest thrugh maystry put heÌ„ oute of thy thoughte for thou maye not doo soo but abyde grace suffre easely and breke not thy self tomoche And slyely yf thou maye drawe thy desyre and thy glostly beholdyng to IhuÌ„ as yf tho woldest not charge hem For wyte thou well whan thou woldest desire Ihesu and oonly thynke on him and thou may not frely for prechyng in of suche worldly thoughtes sothly thon art outwarde of the fals day and thou art entriÌ„g in to this derkenes But thy derkenes is not restfull by cause of disease vncuÌ„nyng and vnclennes of thyself And therfore vse it ofte it shal by processe thrugh felinge of grace be more easy more restful to the And that is whan thy soule thrugh grace is made soo free and soo myghty soo good and so gadred in to itself that it lyste not to thynke on right noughte ThenÌ„e is it in a good derknesse This nought I meane thê° that a soule may thorugh gracebe gadred into itself freely hooly not be driuen ayenst the wyll ne draweÌ„ downe by maystry for to thynke or lyke or loue wyth cleuiÌ„ge of affeccoÌ„n to ony synne ol vaynly ony erthly thynge theÌ„ne thynketh the soule nouÈt for theÌ„ thynkith it of none erthly thyng cleuyngly This is a ryche nought this nought this nyght is a grete ease for y e soule y t desyreth y e loue of Ihesu It is in ease as for thoughte of ony erthly thynge neuertheles it is full besy for to thiÌ„ke on hym What thynge then makyth this derkenes Sothly noughte elles but a gracyous desyre for to haue the loue of IhuÌ„ For y e desyre y e longyng that it hath that tyme to y e loue of god for to see hym haue hym dryueth oute of the herte al worldly vanytees flesshly affeccyons gadreth the soule in to itself occupyeth it oonly for to thynke how it myght come to y e loue of hym y e tyme maye it freely deuoutly beholde IhuÌ„ whed it wol pray or thinke so it bryngyth it to this ryght nouÈt sothly it is not al derke ne nouÈt whaÌ„ it thynkyth thê° For though it be derke fro fals lyÈt it is not al derke fro y e true lyÈt for IhuÌ„ y t is both loue lyÈt is in this derknes wheder it be paynful or restful If it be paynful thenÌ„e he is in y e soule as traueylyng in desyre loÌ„gyng to lyght but he is not yet aâ— restynge in loue ne as shewynge his lyght And therfore it is called nyghte derknesse in asmoche as the soule is hyd fro the fals lyghte of the worlde hathe not yet fully felynge of true lighte but is in abidyng of that blessid loue of god whiche it desyreth Thene yf thou wolte wyte whan thou atte in this syker derkenesse whan not thou may assay thê° and seke no ferder but thus Whan thou felyst thyn entente thy wyll fully sette for to desyre god thynke onÌ„ly on hym thou maye as it were fyrste aske thyself in thyn owne thought whether thou coueyte for to haue ony thyng of this lyfe for loue of itselfe or for to haue the vse of ony of thy bodily wyttes in ony creature theÌ„ne yf thyn eye aÌ„swere the thê° I wolde se right nought thy mouche I wolde sauour right nonght after thyn eere I wolde here ryght nought thy body I wolde fele right nouÈt after yf thine herte say I wold thynke right nought of erthly thynge ne of bodily dede ne I wolde haue affeccoÌ„n fastyned flesshly to no creature but oonly iÌ„ god to god warde yf y t I cowde whaÌ„ they answere al thê° to the that is done ful redily yf grace
the affeccions For thenne it dredeth god in maÌ„ as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This syghte and this goodnes and this knowynge of Ihesu with the blessed loue that comyth out of it may be called refourmyng of a soule in felynge and in fayth that I speke of It is in fayth For it is derke yet as in rewarde of that ful knowynge of IhuÌ„ wyih the blessed loue that comith onte of it y t shal be in heuen For then shal we se hym not oonly y t he is but as he is As saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Tunc videbimus eum sicut est That is Thenne shal we see hym as he is Neuertheles it is in felynge also as in rewarde of y e blynde knowynge that a soule hath stondynge oonly in faythe For this soule knowyth somwhat of the very kynde of Ihesu god thorughe his gracyous syght but y e other knowyth not but oonly trowith it is soth Neuertheles y t thou y e better maye conceyue what I meane I shal shewe thyse thre maner refourmyng of a soule by ensaÌ„ple of thre men stondyng inlyÈt of the son Of the whiche thre one is blynde a nother may see but he hath his eyen stopped the thyrde lokyth forth full syght The blynde man hath no maner knowyng that he is in the sonÌ„e but he trowith it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is oonly refourmed in fayth y t trowyth in god as holy chyrche techeth wote not what This suffyceth as for saluacyon That other man seeth a lyght of the sonne but he seeth it not clerly what it is for the lyd of his eye letteth hym that he maye not see But he seeth thorugh the lyd of his eye a glymerynge of grete lyghte And he betokeneth a soule that is refourmed in fayth and in felynge and soo is he contemplatyfe For he seeth some what of the godhede of Ihesu thoroughe grace Not clerly ne fully for the lydde that is hys bodyly kynde is yet a walle bytwyxe hys kynde and the kynde of Ihesu god and lettythe hym frome the clere syghte But he seeth thoroughe thys walle after that grace towchyth hym more or lesse that Ihesu is god and that Ihesu is souereyne good nesse and souereyne beynge and a blessyd lyfe and all that other goodnesse comyth of hym Thus seethe the sowle by grace notayenstondynge the bodily kynde and the more clene and subtyl that the soule is made and y e more it is depared fro flesshly hede the sharper sight it hath the myghtyer loue of the godhede of Ihesu This syght is so myghty that thoughe none other man lyuynge wolde trowe in Ihesu ne loue hym he wolde neuer trowe the lesse ne loue hym the lesse for he seeth it sothfastly that he may not vntrowe it The thyrde man y t hath ful syght of the sonne he trowith it not for he seeyth it fully And he betokeneth a ful blessyd soule that without ony walle of body or of synne seeth openly the face of Ihesu in the blysse of heueÌ„ There is no fayth therfore he is fully refourmed in felynge There is no state aboue the seconde refourmyng that a soule may come to here in this lyfe for this is the state of perfeccyon the way to heuen warde Neuertheles al y e soules that are in this state are not al lyke ferforth For some hath it lytyl shortly seeldom some lenger clerer and oftiner and some hath it best clerest and lengest after y e aboundyng of grace yet al thyse haue the yefte of contemplacion For the soule hath not perfyte syght of Ihesu al at ones but fyrst a lytyl a lytyl and after y t it profyteth and comyth to more felyng And aslonge as it is in this lyfe it maye waxe more in knowyng in this loue of Ihesu and sothly I wote not what were more leyf to suche a soule that hath felte a lytyl of it than vtterly al other thynges lefte and sette at nought Tent onÌ„ly therto for to haue clerer syght clenner loue of Ihesu in whoÌ„ is al the blessed trynyte This maner knowyng of Ihesu as I vnderstonde is the openynge of heâ—en to the eye of a clene soule of the whiche holy meÌ„ speke of in her wrytynge Not as some wene that the openynge of heuen is as yf a soule myghte see bi ymaginacioÌ„ thrugh the scyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde Ihesu syeteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an hundreth sonnes Nay it is nat soo ne though he see neuer so hyghe on that maner sothly he seeth not the gostly heuen The hygher he styeth aboue the sonne for to see Ihesu god so by suche ymagynacioÌ„ the lower he falleth bineth the sonne Neuertheles this maner syght is sufferable to siÌ„ple soules that can noo better seche him that is vnseable ¶ Howe IhuÌ„ is heuen to the soule And why he is called fyre Caplm xxxiii WHat is heuen to a resonable soule Sothly noughte elles but Ihesu god For yf that be heueÌ„ only that is aboue al thyng then ne is god onely heuen to maÌ„nes soule for he is onely aboue the kiÌ„de of a soule theÌ„ne yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of y e blessed kynde of Ihesu sothly he seeth heueÌ„ for he seeth god Therfore there are many men that erren in vnderstoÌ„dynge of some wordes that are sayd of god for they vnderstonde them not gostly Holy wrytynge sayth that a soule that woll fynde god shall lyft vpwarde the Inner eye seke god aboue itselfe Thenne some meÌ„ that wolde doo after this sayenge vnderstoÌ„de this worde aboue hemself as for hygher settynge in stede worthynes of place as one elemente or planete is aboue a nother in settyne worthynes of a bodely place But it is nat soo gostly For a soule is aboue al bodily thynge that by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of kynde Right soo on the selfe wise god is aboue all bodily gostly creatures not by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of his vnchangeable blessyd kynde And therfore he that wol wisely see he god fynde hym he shall not renne out w t his thought as he wolde clyme aboue the sonne parte the firmament and ymagyn that mageste as it were of an hundred sonnes he shall rather drawe downe the sonne al the fyrmameÌ„t and forget it and caste it beneth hym there he is and sett all and all bodily thinge also at nought And thynke thenne yf he can ghostly both of him selfe and of god also And yf he doo thus thenne seeth the soule aboue it selfe thenne seeth it in to heuen Upon this self maner shall this worde within be vnderstond It is comynly sayd that a soule shall see our lord within all thynge and within itselfe Soth it is y t our lorde is within all creatures but not on that maner y t a
kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lytyll bodily thynge is holdon within a nother moche but he is within all creatures as holdynge and kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtyltee and myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous and moost clene is layed nerest Right soo by that lyknes it is sayde that the kynde of god that is moost precyous moost clene moost goodly ferrest fro bodily hede is hydde within al thynges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shall forgete fyrste all bodily thynges for all that is w t out and his owne body and he shall forgete thiÌ„kynge of his owne soule and thynke on the vnmade kynde that is Ihesu y t made hym quiknith hym holdith hym and yeueth hym reason mynde and loue the whiche is within hym thrugh his myghte and souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace towchyth it or elles it woll but lytell auayle to seâ—he Ihesu And to fynde hym wythin it self and wythin al creatures as me thiÌ„kyth Also it is sayd in holy wryte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Deus lux iÌ„ That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lyghte but it is vnderstonde thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth ang sothfastnes for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte Thenne he that most gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god aÌ„d neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyght for this skill Ryght as the soÌ„ne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it rihht so sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe al other gostly thynge that nedeth to y e knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete Domine in lumine tuo videbimê° iumeÌ„ Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lyghte That is we shal see the that art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus nost ignis consumens est That is Our lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and breÌ„neth it but god is loue and charyte For as fyre wasted all bodily thynge y t may be wasted Ryght soo y e loue of god breÌ„neth wasteth all synne out of the soule And maketh it clene as fyre makyth clene all maner metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of our lorde in holy wrytte by bodely lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo sauour in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy wrytte is this For we are so flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lytyll syght of Ihesu Thenne shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes y e whiche of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondynge This ghostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowynge of the godhede whiche I calle refournynge in fayth and felynge For thenne the soule the whiche somwhat feleth in vnderstondynge of that thynge whiche y t it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„yngâ— of contemplacioÌ„ of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plaÌ„tibm nobis qÌ„ videÌ„tur sed qÌ„ non videÌ„tuâ— Quia que videntur temporalia sunt que autem non videntur eterna sunt That is Our contemplacioÌ„ is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seen are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ„ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est autem vita eterna vt cognoscant te verum deum quem misisti IhesuÌ„ xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe y t thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanith And how we be beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makynge but more for our ayen byeng but althermooste for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiiii BUt nowe wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse y e ende of a soule why theÌ„ne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thynge of this sighte y t a soule sholde coueyte this Unto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the lyght but it is also for the blyssed loue that comith out of that syght Neuertheles for loue comyth out of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syght pryncipally of god with loue is the blysse of a soule and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this â—oue that comith of it may not the soule come without â—oue therfore sayd I that thou sholdest coueyte loue â—or loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng â—nd to this loue that comith of it And on what manÌ„â—hat is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„â— soth it is that ther is two maner of gostly loue One â—s called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed ¶ Loue vnfourmed is god hym self the thirde persoâ—e in trynyte that is the holy gost He is loue vnfourâ—ed vnmade as saiÌ„t Io. sayth Deê° dileccoÌ„ est God â—s loue That is the holy gost Loue fourmed is the affeccioÌ„ of the soule made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng of sothfastnes that is god oonly tyred and sette in hym This loue is called fourmed â—or it is made by the holy ghost This loue is not god â—n hymself for it is made but it is the loue of the sowle â—ellte of the syght of Ihesu stired to hym oonly Now â—ay thou see that loue formed is not cause why a souâ—e comyth to y e ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men wolde thynke that they wolde loue god soo breÌ„nyngly as it were by theyr owne mighte that they were worthy for to haue the ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue vn vnformed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is so ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myght neuer come to it ne were it y e endles mochenes of the loue of god But theÌ„ne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he
This loue bryngeth in to the soule the full hede of all vertues and makyth al clene and true soft and easy and torneth him al in to loue and in to likynge And on what maner wyse he dooth that I shall telle the a lytyll after warde This loue drawyth the soule fro vayne beholdynge of worldly thynges in to contemplacyon of ghostly creatures and of goddis pryuites fro flesshlihede in to ghostlynes fro erthly felynge in to heuenly sauour ¶ How that some soule loueth IhuÌ„ by bodily feruours by her owne manly affeccions that ben styred by grace and by reason And how some louen Ihesu more rest fully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyally grace of the holy ghost Capitulum xxxv THeÌ„ne maye I saye that he that most haâ—h of this loue here in this lyfe most pleseth god and most clere sighte shal haue of hym and moost fully loue hym in the blysse of heuen for he hath the most yeft of loue here in erth This loue may not be had by a maÌ„nes owne traueyle as some wene It is freely had of the gracyous yefte of Ihesu after moche bodyly and ghostly traueyle goyng before For there are some louers of god y t maken hymself to loue god as it were by her owne myght for they streyne hemself thrugh grete vyolence and panten so strongly that they brast in to bodily feruours as they wolde drawe downe god fro heuen to hem And they sayen in her hertes and wyth her mouthe A lorde I loue the and I wolde loue the I wolde for thy loue suffre deth And in this maner of worchynge they fele grete feruour moche grace And soth it is me thynketh this worchynge is gode and medfully yf it be well tempred wyth mekenes with dyscrecion But neuertheles thyse meÌ„ loue not ne haue not the yefte of loue on that maner as I speke of ne they aske it not soo For a soule that hath the yeft of loue thrugh gracyous beholding of IhuÌ„ as I meane or elles yf be haue it not yet but wolde haue it he is not besy for to strayne hymself ouer his myghte as it were by bodyly strength for to haue it by bodyly feruours and soo for to fele the loue of god but hym thynketh that he is ryght nought and that he can doo ryght noughte of hymselfe but as it were a dede thyng oonly hangyng borne vp by the mercy of god He seeth well that IhuÌ„ is al and dooth all and therfore asketh he noughte elles but the yefte of loue Horly theÌ„ that the soule seth that his owne loue is noughte therfore it wolde haue his loue for that is ynough Therfore praieth he and that desireth he that the loue of god wolde towche hym with his blessed lyghte that he myghte see a lytyll of hym by his gracyous presence for then sholde he loue hym And soo by this waye comyth the yefte of loue that is god in to a soule The more that a soule nough yth itself thorugh grace by syght of his sothfastnes some tyme wythoute ony feruour outwarde shewed and the lesse y t it thynkith that it loueth or seeth god the nerer it nygheth for to precyuâ—e the yefte of the blessed loue For then is loue mayster worcheth in the sowle and maketh it forgete itselfe and for to se beholde onÌ„ly how loue doth And then is y e soule more suffrynge than doyng and that is clene loue Thus saynt poul meaned whan he sayd thus QuicuÌ„que spÌ„u dei agunt hii filii dei sunt All thise that are wrought wyth the spyryte of god are goddes soÌ„nes y t is soules y t are made so meke so buxomÌ„ to god that thei werke not of hemself but suffre y e holy ghost styre hem worche hem in the felynges of loue wyth a swete corde to his styrynges Thyse arn specyally godd is soÌ„nes most lyke vnto hym Other soules that can not loue thus buttraueylen heÌ„self by her owne afflyccyoÌ„s styre hyÌ„self thrugh her owne thinkynge of god bodyly exercyse for to drawe out of heÌ„self by mastry y e feliÌ„g of loue by feruours other bodily sygnes loue not ghostly they done wel medful yf so y t they wol know â—â—ekly y t her werching is not y e kyndly gracyous felyng of loue but it is manly doyng by a soule at y e byddyng of reason neuertheles thrugh y e godenes of god by cause y t the soule doth y â— in it is thyse maÌ„ly offeccoÌ„ns of y e soule styred in to god by mannes werchyng are â—orned in to ghostly affeccyons and are medeâ—ulas yf they had he done ghostly in the fyrste begynnynge And this is a grete curtesye of oure lorde shewed to meke soules that torneth all thyse manly affeccyons of kyndely loue in to the affeccyon and in to the mede of his owne loue As yf he hadde wroughte hym all fully by hymselfe And soo thyse manly affeccyons soo tourned maye be called affeccyons of ghostely loue thoroughe purchase not thoroughe kyndely bryngynge fourthe of the holy ghoste I saye not that a soule maye worche suche manly affeccyons oonly of itselfe without grace for I wot wel that saynt paul sayth that we maye ryght noughte done thynke that gode is of ourself without grace Non enÌ„iqd sumê° sufficientes cogitare aliquid ex nobis qua si ex nobis sed sufficiencia nâ—a ex deo est That is â–ª we y e loue god wene not y t we suffyse for to loue or for to thynke good of ourselfe oonly but our suffysynge is of god For god worcheth in al both good werke and good wyl as saynt poul sayth Deus est qui eperatur in nobis et velle perficere probona voluntate That is It is god that worcheth in vs good wyl and fulfyllynge of good wyl But I saye that suche affeccyon are good made by the wyll meane of a soule after the general grace that â—e yeueth to al chosen soules not of specyal grace made ghostly by towchynge of his gracyous presence as he worcheth in his perfyte louers as I sayd before for â—n vnperfyte louers loue worcheth ferly by the affeccyons of man but inperfyte louers loue worchyth nerely by her owne ghostly affeccyons sleeth in a soule for y e tyme al other affeccyons bothe flesshly kyndly manly y t is propeely the werchynge of loue by hymselfe Thus loue maye be had in a lytyl in partye here in a clene soule thrugh y e ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ but in y e blysse of heueÌ„ it is fulfylled by clere syghte of his godhede For there shall none affeccyon be feled in a soule but godly and ghostly ¶ That the yefte of loue amonge al other yeftes of IhuÌ„ is worthyest moost profytable And how IhuÌ„ doth al that is weldone in his louers onÌ„ly for loue And how loue makyth the vsynge of al vertues all good dedes lyght and
shalt vnderstonde that there is two maner of mekenes One is had by worchyng of reason Another is felte of the specyal yeft of loue Bothe are of loue but that one loue worcheth by reason of the soule but that other he worcheth by hymself The fyrst is vnperfyte y e other is perfyte The fyrste mekenes that a man feleth of beholdyng of his owne synnes and of his owne wretchidnes thrugh the whiche beholdyng he thynketh hym selfe vnworthy for to haue ony yefte of grace or ony mede of god But hym thynketh it ynoughe that he wolde of his grete mercy graunt hym foryeuenesse of his synnes And also he thynketh hym by cause of his owne sinnes that he is worse than the moste synner that lyueth and that euery man doth better than he and so by suche beholdynge thresteth he hymselfe downe in his thoughte vnder al men And he is besy for to ayenstonde the styrynge of pryde asmoche as he maye bothe bodyly pryde ghostly and dyspiseth hymself so that he assenteth not to the felynges of pryde And yf his herte be taken somtyme with it that it be deâ—oyled with vayne Ioye of worshyp or of cunnyng or of praysyng or of ony other thynge as sone as he maye perceyue it he is euyl payd wyth hymself hath sorowe for it in hert asketh foryeuenes of it of god she wyth hym to his confessour accuseth hymself mekely receyueth his penauÌ„ce This is good meknes but it is not yet perfyte mekenes for it is of soules y â— are begynnynge profytyng in grace caused of beholdynge of synnes Loue worchyth this meknes by reason of the soule Perfyte mekenes a soule feleth of y e syghte the ghostly knowyng of IhuÌ„ For whan the holy ghost lyghtneth the reason in to the syght of soth fastnes how IhuÌ„ is al that he doth al the soule hath so grete loue so grete Ioye in that ghostly syght for it is so soth faste that it foryeteth itself fully leneth to IhuÌ„ with all y e loue that it hath for to beholde hym It takith no kepe of no vnworthynes of itselfe ne of synnes afore done but setteth at nought itself with al the synnes al y e gode dedes that euer it dyde as yf there were no thyng but IhuÌ„ Thus meke dauyd was whan he sayd thus Et sebstaÌ„cia mea tanqmÌ„ nichiluÌ„ anÌ„ te That is Lorde Ihesu the syght of thy blessed vnmade substance thyn endles beynge sheweth wel vnto me that my substaunce beyng of my soule is as nought anence y â— Also anence his eueÌ„ crysten he hath no rewarde to hem ne demynge of hem whether they ben better or worse than hymselfe is For he holde hymself al other men as it were euen ylike nought of heÌ„self anence god that is soth For al the goodnes y â— is done in hamselef or in heÌ„ is onÌ„ly of god whoÌ„ he beholdeth as al And therfore setteth he al other creatures at nought as he doth hymself Thus meke was the prophete whan he sayd thus OmÌ„es gentes quasi non sintsic sunt coram eo et quasi nichiluÌ„ mane reputate sunt eâ— Al men are before our lorde as nought as vunotefull and noughte they are a counted to hym That is anentes the endeles beynge aud the vnchaungable kynde of god mankynde is as noughte For of noughte â—â—â—â—â—ade and to noughte sholde it torne but yf he kepâ—e it in the beynge that made it of noughte Thys is sothfastnesse and this sholde make a soule meke yf it myght see thorughe grace this sothfastnesse Therfore whan loue openeth the Inner eye of the soule for to see this sothfastnesse wyth other cyrcumstaunces that comen wyth al thenne begynneth the soule for to be sothfastly meke For thenne by the syghte of god it felyth seeth itselfe as it is And thenne forsakyth the soule the beholdynge and the lenynge to itself and fully fallith to the beholdinge of Ihesu And whan it dooth soo thenne settyth the soule noughte by al the Ioye and the worshyp of the worlde For the Ioye of worldly worshyp is so lytyl and so nought in rewarde of that Ioye and that lone that it felith in the ghostly syghte of Ihesu and knowynge of sothfastnes that though it myghte haue it without ony synne he wolde noughte of it Ne though meÌ„ wolde worshyppe hym prayse hym and fauour hym or set hym att grette state it lykyth hym noughte Ne though he had cunnynge of al the vii artes of clergye and of all craftes vnder the sonne or had power for to werke al manere myracles he hathe no more deynte of al this ne more sauour of hem than to gnawe on a drye stycke He had wel leuer forgete al this and for to be al one out of the sight of the worlde than for to thynke on hem and be worshypped of al men For the herte of a true louer of Ihesu is made somoche and soo large thrugh a lytyl syght of hym and a lytyl felynge of his ghostly loue that al the lykynge and al the Ioye of al erth maye not suffyce for to fyll a corner of it And thenne semyth it well that tbyse wretched worldly louers that arne as it were rauysshed in loue of her owne worsyhppe And pourse we after it for to haue it wyth al the myghte and all the wytte they that haue they haue noo sauour in this mekâ—nes they are woÌ„der ferre therfro But the 〈◊〉 of Ihesu hath this mekenes lastyngly And that not wyth heuynes and striuynge for it but wyth likynge and gladnes The whiche gladnesse it hath not for it forsakyth the worshyp of the worlde for that were a prowde mekenes that longeth to an ypocryte but for he hath a syghte and a ghostly knowynge of sothfastnesse and worthynes of Ihesu thrugh the yefte of the holy ghoste That reuerente syght and that louely beholdyng of Ihesu comforteth the loue soo woÌ„derfully and bereth it vp so myghtyly and so softly sothly that it maye not lyke ne fully rest in none erthly Ioye ne it wol not He makith none force whether men lacke hym or prayse hym worshyp hym or dispyse him as for hymselfe He settyth it not at herte neyther for to be well payd yf men dyspyse hym as for more mekenes Ne for to be euell payd that men sholde worshyp hym or payse hym He hadde leuer for to foryete both that one and that other And oonly thynke on Ihesu and gete mekenes by that waye And that is moche the lykerer waye who myght come therto Thus dyde dauid whan he sayd O culâ— mei semper ad dnÌ„â— quoniam ipse euelleâ— de laqueo pedes meos That is Myn eyen are euer open to Ihesu our lorde for why he shal plucke my fete fro snares of sinnes For whan he dooth so thenne forsakyth he vtterly hymself vndercastyth hym holy to Ihesu then is he in a syker warde for the
he hath no rewarde for to gete hym grete mede for the payne of fastynge be put ther by fro softnes in herte but al his besynes is for to kepe his hert as stably as he maye in the syght of IhuÌ„ in the felynge oâ— his loue And sothly as I trowe he might with lesse lykynge vse y e beste mete y t is gode in the owne kynde than a nother man y t worcheth al in reason without the specyal yeft of loue sholde mowse y e worst out take mete that thrugh crafte of cury osyte is onÌ„ly made for luste That maner of mete may he not wel acorde with al And also on that other syde yf lytyl mete as onÌ„ly brede ale most helpeth easeth his herte and kepyth it moost in pees it is most leyf than to hym for to vse it so namly yf he fele bodyly strengthe only of the yefte of loue withal And yet doth loue more for it sleeth accidye flesshly ydlenes and makyth the soule to be occupyed in goodnes namly Inwarde in beholdyng of hym by the vertue of whiche the soule hath sauour ghostly delyte in prayenge in thynkynge in al other maner of doyng that nedeth for to be done after the state that he is in withoute heuynes or paynful bytternes whether he be relygious or seculer Also it sleeth the vayne lykyng of the v. bodyly wyttes For the syght yf the eye that the soule hath no lykyng in the syghte of ony worldly thing but it feleth rather peyne and dysease in beholdynge of it be it neuer soo fayre neuer soo precyous neuer soo wonderful And therfore as worldely louers renne oute some tyme for to se newe thynges for to wonder on hem And soo for to fede her hertis wyth the vayne syghte of hem Ryghte so a louer of Ihesu is besye for to renne awaye withdrawe hym fro the syghte of suche maner thynges that the Inner syghte be not letted For he seeth ghostly a nother maner thynge that is fayrer and more woÌ„derful and that wolde he not forbere Ryght on the selfe wyse is it of spekynge heryng It is a peyne to y e soule of a louer of IhuÌ„ for to speke or here ony thing y t myght let the fredoÌ„ of his harte for to thynke on IhuÌ„ what soÌ„ge or melody or mynst ralsye outwarde y t yt be yf it let the thought y t it may not freely And rest fully pray or thynke on hym It lykyth hym ryght nought the more delectable y t it is to other men the more vnsauery it is to hym And also for to here ony maner of spekyng of other men but it be soÌ„what towchynge the worchyng of his soule in the loue of IhuÌ„ it lykyth hym ryght nought he is elles ryght sone wery therof He had wel leuer be in pees here ryght nonght ne speke ryght nought than for to here the spekynge y e techynge of the grettest clerke of erthe with al y e reasons that he can saye to hym thorugh mannes wyttes but yf he can speke felyngly styryngly of the loue of Ihesu for y t is his crafte pryncypally And therfore wolde he not elles speke here ne see but that myghte helpe hym ferder hym in to more knowynge better felynge of hym ¶ Of worldly speche it is no dowte y t he hath no sauour spekynge ne in herynge of it ne in worldly tales ne in tydynges â–ª ne no suche vayne Iangelyng that longeth not to hym And so it is in smellynge saueryng The more y t the thoughte sholde be dystracte and broken fro ghostly reste by y e vse eyther of smellynge or sauerynge â–ª or of ony of the bodyly wyttes the more he sleeth it The lesse y t he feleth of hem the leuer is hym And yf he myght lyue in the dody without y e felyng of ony of hem he wolde neuer fele hem For they trouble the herte ofte tymes and putteth it fro reste and they maye not fully be eschewed Neuertheles the loue of IhuÌ„ is somtyme so myghty in a soule y t it ouercomyth sleeth all y t is contrary therto for a tyme ¶ What vertues graces a soule receyueth thrugh openyng of y t InÌ„er eye in to y e gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ how it maye not begete onÌ„ly thrugh mannes traueyle but thrugh specyal grace traueyle also CaplmÌ„ xl THus worcheth loue in a soule openynge y e ghostly eye in to beholdynge of IhuÌ„ by inspyracoÌ„n of specyal grace makyth it clene subtyl able to y e werke of conteÌ„placioÌ„ what this openyng of y e ghostly eye is y e grettest clerke iÌ„ erth caÌ„ not ymagyn by his wyt ne shew fulli by his toÌ„ge for it may not be gete by study ne thruÈ maÌ„nes traueyle onÌ„ly but priÌ„cypally by grace of y e holy ghost with traueyle of maÌ„ I drede moche to speke ouÈt of it for me thynketh I caÌ„ not I passeth myn assay my lyppes are vnclene Neuertherles for I hope loue axeth loue byddyth therfore I shall saye a lytyl more of it as I hope loue â—echeth This openynge of y e ghostly eye is y e lyghty derkenes ryche noughte y t I spake of before it maye be called puryte of spyryte and ghostly reste In warde stylnes and pees of conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes of soule a lyftly felynge of grace pryuyte of herte y e waker slepe of the spouse and taastynge of heuenly sauour brennyng in loue shynynge in lyght entre of conteÌ„placoÌ„n refourmyng in felyng Al thyse reasons are sayde in holy wrytynge by dyuersmen for euery of hem spake of it after his felynge in grace And though al thise beÌ„ dyuers in shewyng of wordes neuertheles they are al in one senteÌ„ce of sothfastnes For a soule that thrugh vysitynge of grace hath one hath all For why a syghynge soule to see the face of IhuÌ„ whan it towched thrugh specially grace of the holy ghost it is sodeynly chaunged torned fro the plyte y t it was in to a nother maner of felynge It is wonderfully departed drawen fyrste in to itselfe fro the loue the lykynge of al erthly thinge somoche that it hath lost the sauour of the bodyly lyfe of al thynge y t is saaf onÌ„ly IhuÌ„ And then it is clene fro al the fylth of synne so ferforth that y e minde of it al vnordeyned affeccyon of ony creature is sodeynly wasshen wyped awaye y t there is no mene lettynge betwyxe IhuÌ„ and the soule but oonly the bobyly yfe then it is in ghostly rest For why al paynful dowtes dredes all other temptacyons of ghostly enuyes are dryuen out of the herte y t they trowble not ne synke not therin for the tyme It is in rest fro the noye of worlly besynes paynfull taryenges of wycked styrynges but it is full besye in the fre ghostly
worchynge of loue And the more it traueyleth so the more reste he feleth This restful traueylle is full ferre fro flesshly ydlenes blynde sykernes It is ful of ghostly werke but it is callyd reste For grace looseth the heuy yocke of flesshly loue fro the soule makyth it myghty free thorugh the yeft of ghostly loue for to worche gladly softly and delectably in al thynge that grace styreth it for to worche in And therfore it is called an holy ydlenes and a rest most besy and so it is in inrewarde stylnes fro the grete cryeÌ„ge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth Inspyracyon of the holy ghost in beholynge of IhuÌ„ For why His voyse is soo swete so myghty that it putteth sylenee in a sowle to IaÌ„glynge of al other spekers for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i iÌ„ virtute That is The voys of our lorde Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Uiuê° est sermo dei et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio That is quycke is y e worde of IuÌ„ spedy more perysshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne the soule kepte in scyleÌ„ce fro al wycked styrynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ„ est scilenciuÌ„ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scylence was made iÌ„ heueÌ„ as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lyfte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌ„uersacoÌ„n so it is in sylence But for as moche as that scylence maye not laste hoole contynually for corrupcyon of the bodily kynde Therfore it is lyckened to the tyme of halfe an houre A full shorte tyme y e soule thinketh y t it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And thenne hath it pees in conscience For why Grace puttyth out gnawynge prickynge stryuynge flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde makyth Ihesu a soule bothe one in ful accordaunce of wyll ¶ There is none vpbardynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuyng of defawtes made y e tyme in a soule For they haue kyssed and made frendes and al is forgiuen y t was mysse done Thus felyth the soule then with ful meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And coÌ„ceyueth a ful grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in consciency of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heueÌ„ly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth Ipse spiritus testimonium peâ—hibet spiritui nostro quontam filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost berith wytnes to our spyryte y t we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscience sothfastly felt thrugh grace is y e very Ioye of y e soule as y e apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimoniuÌ„ conscientie mee That is my Ioye is y e wytnesse of my conscyeÌ„ce y t is whan it wytnessyth pees acorde true loue freÌ„dshyp betwyxe IhuÌ„ a soule And whan it is in this pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan y â— soule is bounden with loue of y e worlde then is it byneâ—h al creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it beryth it downe by maystry y t it maye not see Ihesu ne loue hym For ryght as y e loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh so the beholdynge and thynkynge and vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle ¶ But then thrugh openyng of y e ghostly eye in to IhuÌ„ y e loue is torned And y e sowle is receysed vp after hys owne kynde a boue all bodily creatures And then the beholdynge thynkyng and the vsynge of heÌ„ is ghogly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hath then ful grete dysdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue hem thorugh grace It setteth noughte by al the worlde for why al shall passe perysshe vnto this hynes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comyth none errour ne deceyte of the fende for Ihesu is fothfastly in syght of the soule that tyme al thyng byneth hym Of this y e prophete speketh thus Accedat hoÌ„ ad cor altuÌ„ et exaltabitur deus Come man to hyghe herte god shal be highed That is a man y â— thrugh grace comyth to the hyghnes of thoughte shal see that IhuÌ„ is oonly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And then is y e soule aboue moche strauÌ„ged fro felyshyp of worldly louers Though her body be in middes amoÌ„ge hem ful ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccions of creatures I chargeth not though it neuer se man ne speke with hym ne haue comforte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth so grete homlynes of the blessed presence of oure lorde Ihesu and somoche sauour of hym that it may lightly for his loue foryete y t flesshly affecccoÌ„n the flesshly minde of al creatures I saye not that it shal not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time and see hem and loue hem ghostly freely not flesshly and paynfully as it dyde before Of this oonlynes speketh the prophete thus Ducam eam in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌ„ly stede and I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ„ ledeth a soule fronoyous coÌ„pany of flesshly desyres in to oonlynes of thought and makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of hys Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth Ihesu and tentyth fully to him and hath loste the sauour and the conforte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this oonlynes it fleeth y e companye of all men yf it maye And sechyth oonlynes of body for that moche helpeth to oonlynes of the soule and to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge y t it hath wythout of vayne Ianglyng or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge so it is in pryuyte of herte Al wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed and blynded with worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshe or of y e fende synketh in and gooth thorugh it But thenne thrugh grace it is drawen in to the preuy chambre in to the syghte of oure lorde Ihesu and hereth his preuy counseyle And is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus Secretum meum michi secretum meum michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ„ thrugh Inspyracyon of grace taken vp fro outwarde
fared with a clene soule He wolde fayn fle a way he maye not for y e myÈte of y e hiest holdeth hym styll y e greuyth hym more than al the fyre of helle wonder mekely fallith y e soule to IhuÌ„ thenne wyth hertly louinges that he somiÈtly saueth a simple soule fro al malice of so fel a enmye by his grete mercy ¶ How by the same lyghte of grace y e blessed angels kynde maye be seeÌ„ And how IhuÌ„ is god man aboue all creatures after y â— the soule mage see hym here CaplmÌ„ xlvi ANd then after this by the self lyght may the soule see ghostly y e fayrhede of angels y e worthines of hem in kynde the subtylte of hem in substa unce the coÌ„fermynge of hem in grace y e fulnesse of endles blise the souÌ„dryhede of orders the dystynccoÌ„ns of persones how they lyue all in lyght of sothfastnes endles how they breÌ„ne al in loue of the holy ghost after y e worthynes of orders how they see and loue prayse IhuÌ„ in blessyd rest without ceesynge There is no syght of body ne no figure in ymaginacyon in this maner worching but al ghostly of ghostly creatures Then begynneth y e soule to haue grete aqueyntauÌ„ce of y e blessed spirytes a gret felyshyp They are ful teÌ„der ful besy about suche a soule to helpe it They are maysters to teche it often thrugh her ghostly presence towchyng of her lyght dryuen out fantasyes fro y e soule they Illymyn y e soule gâ—acyously they coÌ„fort y e soule by swete wordes sodenly sowned iÌ„ a clene herte And yf ony dysease falle ghostly they seruen the soule mynystre to it al that it nedeth Thus saynt poul said of heÌ„ Nonne oeÌ„s sunt administratorii spÌ„us missi propter eos q hereditateÌ„ capiuÌ„t salutis wote ye not wel y t holy spyrites are minysters sente of IhuÌ„ for hem y t taken y e herytage of helth Thyse are chosen soules as who saith yes For wyte thou wel y t al this gostly worchyng of wordes of reasons brouÈt to y e mynde suche fair lykenes are made bi the mynistery of angels whaÌ„ y e lyght of grace abuÌ„dantly shineth in a clene â—oule It may not be tolde by â—oÌ„ge y e felynges y e lyght nynges y e graces the coÌ„fortes in specyal y e clene soules perceyue thrugh fauourable felyshyp of blessed angels The soule is wel at ease with hem to beholde how they done y t it wolde tende to no thyng elles But thenÌ„e wyth y e helpe of y e angel yet the soule seeth more for knowynge ryseth aboue al this in a clene sowle And y t is to beholde y e blessed kynde of IhuÌ„ Fyrst of his gracyous maÌ„hede how it is hyghed worthily aboue al angels kynde then after of his blessyd godhede For by knowyng of creatures is knowen the creatur then begynneth y e soule to preceyue a lytyl of the preuytees of the blessed trynyte â–ª It maye wel ynough for lyght of grace goth before therfore she shal not erre aslonge as she holdeth her with the lyghte Thenne is it opened sothfastly to y e eye of the soule the onÌ„ly hede in substaunce dystynccoÌ„n of persones in the blessyd trynite as it maye be seen here and moche other sothfastnes of y e blessid trinyte pertynent to this matere the whiche is openly declared shewed by writynge of holy doctours of holy chyrche And wyte thou well y e the same the self sothfastnes of y e blyssyd trinyte y t thise holy doctours Inspyred thrugh grace wryten in her bokes in streÌ„gthing of our trouth a clene soule maye see in knowyng thrugh y e self lyght of grace I wol not expresse tomoche of this mater here specyally for it nedeth not wond grete loue felith y e soule with heueÌ„ly delyte in felyng of this sothfastnes whaÌ„ it is made thrugh specyal grace for loue lyght goth bothe togyder iÌ„ a clene soule There is no loue y t riseth of knowyng and of specyal beholgyng y t maye towche soner oure lorde as this loue maye For why this knowyng is worchiest hyeste in itself onÌ„ly of IhuÌ„ god man yf it be specyally shewed by y e lyght of grace and therfore is y e fyre of loue flaming of this more brenÌ„yng than it is of knowyng of ony creature bodily or ghostly al thise gracyoê° knowynges felyd in a soule of y e vnyuersyte of al creatures in manere before sayd of our lorde IhuÌ„ maker keper of all this fayr vnyuersyte I calle heÌ„ fayr wordes swete spekynges of our lorde IhuÌ„ to a soule y t whiche he wol make his true spouse He shewith preuytees profereth ryche yeftes of his tresour arayeth the soule with heÌ„ ful honestly She nede not be ashamed with y e coÌ„pany of her felâ—wes to apere afterwarde to the face of IhuÌ„ her sponse Al this louely daliaunce of preuy speche bytwyxe Ihesu and a soule maye be called an hidde worde of y t whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Porto ad medcinÌ„i est verbum scondiâ—um et veâ—as susurru percepit auris mea Sothly to me is sayde an hydde worde and the veynes of hys rownynges myn eere hathe perceyued The inspyracyon of Ihesu is an hydde worde For it is preuyly hydde frome all louers of the worlde and shewed to his louers thrugh whiche a clene soule perceyueth redily y e veynes of his rownyng that are specyally shewenges of his sothfastnes for eueryche gracyous knowynge of sothfastnes felt with Inly saudur ghostly delyte is a preuy rownyng of Ihesu in y e ere of a clene soule Hym behoueth to haue moche cleÌ„nes mekenes al other vertues to be halfe deyf to noys of worldly Ianglyng that shold wysely perceyue thise swete ghostly rownynges y t is y e voys of IhuÌ„ Of y t whiche dauyd sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i preparantis ceruos et reuelabit coÌ„ deÌ„sa The voys of our lord ihuÌ„ arayeng hertes he shal shew thycke That is the Inpyracyon of IhuÌ„ makyth soules lyÈt as hertes y t sterten fro therâ—he ouer busshes breres of al worldly vanyte he sheweth to heÌ„ y e thicke y t are his prenites y t may not be perceyued but by sharpe eye Thise beholdinges sothfastly grouÌ„ded in grace iÌ„ meknes maketh a soule wyse breÌ„nyng iÌ„ desyre to y e face of IhuÌ„ Thise are y e ghostly thinges y t I spake of before they beÌ„ called new gracyoê° feliÌ„ges I do but touch heÌ„ a lytyll for wyssinge of y e soule For a soâ—le y t is clene stired by grace to vse of thê werkiÌ„g may se morÌ„ iÌ„ an hour of suche ghostly matere than myghte be wryten in a grete boke ¶ Thys finsshyith this present boke whiche expowneth many notable doctrynes in coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n whiche as me semyth
¶ Scala perfectionis Capla prime partis ¶ Here begynnen the chapytours of this present volume of walter Hylton namyd in laten Scala perfeccionis englysshed the ladder of perfeccoÌ„n whiche volume is deuyded in two partyes The fyrst boke of this present volume conteyneth lâ—xxxiii chapitours The seconde boke .xlvi. whiche hole volume amonuteth C.xxxix chapitours ¶ That the Inner 〈◊〉 of manes soule sholde belyke to the vtter CapituluÌ„ primum Of actyff lyfe and the werkes therof CapituluÌ„ ii Of conteÌ„platyfflyfe the werkes therof CaplmÌ„ iii. Of the fyrst part of contemplacoÌ„n CaplmÌ„ iiii Of the seconde part of contemplacoÌ„n CaplmÌ„ v Of the lower degree of y t ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n ca. vi Of the hyer degree of the ii part of coÌ„templcoÌ„n ca vii Of the thyrde part of contemplacyon Ca. viii Of the twynnynge of the thyrde part of coÌ„templacoÌ„n frothe seconde part of the praysynge therof Ca ix How the shewynge to the bodyly wyttes the felynge of them may be bothe good and euyll CaplmÌ„ x. How y e shalte knowe whan the shewynge to y e bodely wyttes the felynge of them ben good or euyl Ca. xi what knytteth Iesu to mannes soule and what losyth seth hym therfro CaplmÌ„ xii How and in what thyÌ„ges that a contemplatyff man be sholde be occupyed Capitulum xiii How in reason wyl vertue begynneth and in loue in lykynge it is made perfyte Capitulum xiiii Of y e meanes y t bryngeth a soule to coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n ca. xv What a man sholde vse refuse by the vertu of mekenes Ca. xvi ¶ Who sholde blame mennes dâ—â—fawtes and demehem and who not CaplmÌ„ xvii Why men sholde worshyp other lowe hemself in her owne hert vnder al other Capitulum xviii How men sholde do that wantyth the felynge of mekenes in affeccoÌ„n not dredyng to moche therfore ca. xix How ypocrytes heretykes for wantynge of mekenes hyghen hemself in hert before al other Ca. xx What thiÌ„ges meÌ„ oweÌ„ to byleue by a siker fayth ca. xxi How a stable entent is nedeful to thyse that sholde pleyse god and dyscrecoÌ„n in bodely werkes ca. xxii Of a lytyl rehersynge of thynges sayd before of makynge offerynge y e sholde be offeryd to god ca xxiii Of prayers y t is spedeful to gete clennes of hert vertu ca. xxiiii How men sholde pray wheron the poynt of her thought shal be sette in prayer ca. xxv Of the fyre of loue ca xxvi That the certayne prayer in speche ordeyned of god of holy chyrche is best to hem y â— ben new corned to god to deuocyon ca xxvii What peryl is to men y t in the begynnynge of tournynge to god euen the comyn prayer of the ordenaunce of holy chyrche gyue hem to medytacyon ca xxviii Of the seconde maner of prayer that is in speche not certaynly folowyth the styrynge of deuocyon ca xxix That the seconde maner of prayer plesyth moche god And makyth a maÌ„ to haue hym in â—ody as he were droÌ„ken and makyth hym in soule to be wounded with the swerde of loue ca xxx How the tyre of loue wasteth all flesshly lustes as other fyre wasteth al bodely thynge ca xxxi Of the thyrde maner of prayer that is oonly in y e hert without speche outwarde ca xxxii How men sholde doo y â— ben trauayled with vayn thou ghtys in her prayers ca xxxiii ¶ Of meditacyon of synfull men after that they ben holy tourued to god CaplmÌ„ xxxiiii That the meditacoÌ„n of the manhede of cryst or of hys passyon is yeuen frely of y e holy ghost And how it shal be knowen whan it is yeuen CaplmÌ„ xxxv That the meditacoÌ„n of y e passyoÌ„ of cryst is withdraweÌ„ fro hem that it is yeuen to oft sythes for dyues causes Capitulum xxxvi Of dyuers temptacoÌ„ns of the fende Ca. xxxvii Of dyuers remedyes ayenst temptacoÌ„ns of the fende Capitulum xxxviii How that god hem that he chesyth he suffereth to be taryed tempted afterwarde â—oÌ„ forteth hem stableth hem in grace Caplm xxxix That a man sholde not yeue hym to ydelnes ne lyghtly leue the grace that is yeuen hym of god Ca. xl That a man sholde knowe the mesure of his yefte y t he may desyre take a beter whan god wyl yeue it Ca. xli That a man sholde trauayle to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof reke downe the grounde of â—ynne therin ca. xlii How a man shal knowe the worthynes the worshyp of hys soule y t it had fyrst of god what wrechydnesse myscheue it is fal in for synne Ca. xliii ¶ How euery man may be saued by y e passyon of cryst be he neuer so wretchyd Capitulum xliiii That a maÌ„ sholde be besye to recouer ayen his worthynes refourme ayeÌ„ in hyÌ„ y e ymage of y e trinyte ca. xlv How IhuÌ„ shal be sought desyred founde Ca. xlvi What profyte it is to haue y e desyre of IhuÌ„ Ca. xlvii Where and with what thyng IhuÌ„ shall be sought and founde Ca. xlviii ¶ Where IhuÌ„ is lost founde ayen thorough his mercy Ca. xlix What letteth a man to here see IhuÌ„ within hymself Caplm l. ¶ That mekenes and charyte ben the specyally uereye of Ihesu thorough the whiche maÌ„nes soule is refourmyd to the lyckenes of hym caplmÌ„ li How a man shal see the grounde of synne within hymselfe Capitulum lii To what thynge is the ymage of synne lyke and what it is in it selfe Capitulum liii ¶ Who so wylle fynde Ihesu hym behoueth abydyngly to trauayle in ghostly derknes ayenste the ymage of synne Capitulum liiii What is propirly thymage of synÌ„e what comyth out therof Capitulum lv What pryde is whan it is synne CaplmÌ„ lvi Whan pryde is dedely synne how it is in flesshly lyuynge men dedely synne Capitulum lvii How pryde is in ypocrytes dedely synne Ca lviii How pryde in heretykes is dedely synne Ca lix How styrynges of pryde vaynglory in good men ben but venyalsynnes Capitulum lx How dyuers states in holy chyrche shall haue dyuers medes in heueÌ„ of two specyal medes in heueÌ„ Ca. lxi A short styrynge to mekenes to charyte Ca lxii How a man shall knowe how moche pryde is in hym Capitulum lxiii Of enuye yre of her braunches and how in stede of synne mannys persone is oft hated CapituluÌ„ lxiiii That it is moche maystry to loue mennes persones wysely hate her synnes Capitulum lxv That for the same dedes dyers men shall haue dyuers medes Capitulum lxvi That al mennes good dedes sholde be appreued y t hath lyknes of good saue the open heretyke of the cursyd man Capitulum lxvii That no good dede may make men saaf without charyte And y e charyte fele they only y t beÌ„ meke Ca. lxviii How a man shall wyte how moche wrathe enuye is hydde in the grounde of
his herte Ca lxix By what tokens thou shal knowe yf thou louest thyn enmye And what ensample thou shal take of cryst for to loue hym Capitulum lxx How a man shal know how moche couetise is hidde in his hert Capitulum lxxi How a man shal knowe whan he synneth not in etynge dynkynge and whan he synneth venyall whan dedely Capitulum lxxii How the grouÌ„de of lechery sholde be destroyed with ghostly trauayle with bodely Capitulum lxxiii That a man sholde be besye to put away all styrynges of synne but more besye of ghostly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii That huÌ„ger and other bodely paynes letteÌ„ moche ghostly werkynge Capitulum lxxv What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in â—â—ynge or drynkynge Capitulum lxxvi That thorough besye desyre trauayle for mekenes charyte a man cometh sooner to other vertues than by trauayle in hemselfe Capitulum lxxvii Of the derkenes of the ymage of synne and what comyth in by the wyndowes therof CaplmÌ„ lxxviii That the soule for defawte of knowynge of itself gooth out by y e .v. wyttes to seche outwarde lykyng Ca lxxix That a soule sholde not begge without forth but with in of IhuÌ„ that it nedeth Capitulum lxxx That the hole of the ymagynacioÌ„ nedeth to be stopped as wel as the wyndowes of the wyttes Cplm. lxxxi Whan the vse of the wyttes is dedely synne and whan venyal Capitulum lxxxii How a ghostly man or woman shal haue hem that come to hem Capitulum lxxxiii Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothynge therof Capitulum lxxxiiii Whiche ben the lymÌ„es of the ymage of synÌ„e ca. lxxxv Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passynge forth in thymage of synne capitulum lxxxvi How we shold crucyfye this ymage of synÌ„e quycken the ymage of IhuÌ„ capitulum lxxxvii What prosyte comyth of kepynge of the hert and how moche the soule is what it louyth caplmÌ„ lxxxviii How y e ymage of synÌ„e shal be broken downe ca. lxxxix How a man shall haue hym â—o the styrynge of â—ryde of al other vyces capitulum lxxxx What thynge helpyth moost a mannes knowynge geteth to hym that hym lackyth and moost destroyeth synne in hym capitulum lxxxxi How a man shal be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu and Ihesu shapen in hym caplmÌ„ lxxxxii The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in redynge therof that was made to Capitulum lxxxxiii ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the fyrst book And after foloweth the fyrst part of this present volume ¶ That the Inner hauynge of mannes soule sholde be lyke the vtter Capitulum primuÌ„ GHostly suster in Ihesu cryst I pray the y t in y e callynge whiche our lorde hath callyd y t to his seruyce thou holde the payd stondested fastly therin trauaylynge besely wyth al y e myghtes of thy soule by y e grace of IhuÌ„ cryst for to fulfyl in sothfastnes of good lyuynge y e state whyche thou haste take in lyknes in semyng And as thou hast forsake the worlde as it were a dede man turned to our lorde bodely in syght of men Ryght so y t in thyn hert myght be as it were dede to al erthly loues dredes turned holy to our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst For wyte thou wel a bodely tournynge to god without the hert folowynge is but a fygure a lyknes of vertues noo sothfastnes Wherfore a wretched man or woman is he or she that leuyth the Inwardly kepynge of hymself shapeth hyÌ„ wythout forth oonly a forme and liknes of holynes in habyte or clothynge in speche in bodely werkes beholdynge other mennes dedes and demynge her defawces wenynge hymself to be ought whan he is right not and so begyleth hymself Do thou not so but turne thy hert with thy body pryncipally to god shape the with in to his lycknes by mekenes charyte other ghostly vertues and thenÌ„e art thou truly torned to hym I say not that thou soo lyghtly on the fyrst day maye be tournyd in thy soule by fulhede of vertues as thou myghte with thy body be closyd in a hous but that thou sholde knowe that the cause of thy bodely closynge is y t thou myght the beter come to ghostly closynge And as thy body is closyd fro bodely conuersacoÌ„n of men ryght so that thyn hert myght be enclosed fro the flesshly loues dredes of al ecthly thynges And that thou myghte y e beter come therto I shal tel the in this lytyl wrytynge as me thynkyth ¶ Of actyflyf the werkes therof Caplm ii THou shate vnderstoÌ„de that there is in holy chyrche two maner of lyues as saynt gregory fayth in y â— whiche cristen they sholde be sauf That one is called actyf the other conteÌ„plat yf without one of thyse ii noo man may be sauyd Actyflyflyeth in loue charite shewed outwarde by good bodely werkes iÌ„ fulfyllynge of goddes coÌ„maundementes of the .vii. werkes of mercy bodely ghostly to a manÌ„es euyn crysten This lyf longeth to all worldly men whiche haue rychesse pleÌ„ty of worldly goodes for to spende And so to al other the whiche haue state offyce or cure of other men And haue goodes for to spende lerid lewde temporel or spirytuel And generally al wordly men are bounde to fulfylle it after her myght cuÌ„nynge as reson discrecoÌ„n asketh If he moche good haue moche good for to doo If he lytyl haue lesse may he doo And yf he nought haue theÌ„ne must he haue a good wyl Thyse ben werkes of actyflyf other bodely or ghostly Also a grete part of actyflyflyeth in grete bodely dedes the whiche a man doth to hymself as grete fastynge moche wakynge other sharpe penauÌ„ce doynge for to chastyse the flesshe wyth dyscrecoÌ„n for trespace before done And by suche penaunce for to refrayne lustes lykynges of it and to make hym buxuÌ„ redy to the wyl of the spyryte Thyse werkes though they beÌ„ actyf they helpe ryght moche ordeneth a man in the begynnynge to come to coÌ„templatyflyf yf they beÌ„ vsed with dyscrecyon ¶ Of conteÌ„platyflyf the werkes therof Caplm iii. COnteÌ„platyflyflyeth in perfyte loue charyte felyd iÌ„wardly by ghostli vertues by fothfast knowynge syght of god ghostly thynges This lyflongeth to hem specyally the whiche for the loue of god forsaketh al wordly rychesse worshyppes outwarde besynes hooly yeuen hem body soule after her myght cunnynge to the seruyse of god by ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Now thenne syth it is soo that thy state asketh for to be conteÌ„platyf for that is th eÌ„tent of thy enclosynge that thou myght more frely and enteerly yeue the to ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Thenne behouyth the for to be ryght besye both nyght daye with traueyle of body of spyrite for to come to that lyf as nygh as thou mayst by suche meanes as thou hopest were
best to the. Neuertheles before that I telle the of the meanes I shal telle the tyrst a lytyl more of this lyf conteÌ„platyf that thou might somwhat se what it is sythen set it as a marke iÌ„ the syght of thy soule wherto thou shalt drawe in al thyn occupacyon ¶ Of the fyrst part of coutemplacyon Caplm iiii COntemplatyflyf hath thre partes The fyrst lieth in knowynge of god ghostly thynges geten by reason by techyng of man by studye in holy wryt without ghostly affeccoÌ„n Inly sauour felyd by y e specyal yefte of the holy ghost This parte haue specyally lettred men grete clerkes whiche by loÌ„ge studye trauaylle in holy wrytte comen to this knowynge more or lesse after y e subtylte of kyndly wyt coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce of studye of the general wyt y t god yeueth to euery man y t hath vse of reason This knowynge is good it maye be called a part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n in asmoche as it is a syght of sothfastnes a knowynge of ghostly thyÌ„ges Neueâ—â—theles it is but a fygure a shadowe of very conteÌ„placâ—â—on for it hath not ghostly sauour in god ne inwardly swetnes the whiche no man may fele but yf he be iÌ„ grete charyte For it is the proper welle of our lorde to the whiche cometh none alien but this maner knowynge is comyn to good vadde for it maye be had without charyte therfore it is not very conteÌ„placoÌ„n As oft sithes ypocrytes flesshly lyuyng men haue more suche knowynge than many other crysteÌ„ men yet haue thyse men to charyte Of this maner knowynge spykyth saynt poul thê° Si habuero oeÌ„m scienciaÌ„ nouerim misteria oiÌ„a caritateÌ„ auceÌ„ noÌ„ habeaÌ„ nihil suÌ„ If I had ful knowing of al thynges I knew al preuytees I had not charyte I am ryÈt nought Neuertheles yf they y â— haue this knowynge kepe hem iÌ„ mekenes in charyte flee worldly flesshly synnes after her myght it is to hem a good way a grete dysposynge to very conteÌ„placioÌ„ yf they desyre pray deuoutly after the grace of the holy ghost Other men y â— haue this cuÌ„nyng turneth it to pryde vaynglory of heÌ„self or in to couetyse desyrynge of worldly states worshyps ryches not mekely takyng it to the praysyng of god ne charytably speÌ„deth it in y e ê“fyte of her eueÌ„strysten some of heÌ„ falleÌ„ other into heresyes errours or in to other open synÌ„es by y â— whiche they sclauÌ„der heÌ„self al holy chyrche Of this cuÌ„nynge sayth saynt poul thê° ScieÌ„cia in flat caritas auteÌ„ edeficat knowiÌ„g alone lyfteth vp the hert into pride but meÌ„ge it with charyte then turneth it in to edifycacoÌ„n This knowyng alone is but water vnsauery colde And therfore yf they y t haue it wolde mekely offre it vp to our lorde pray hym of grace he shold with his blessyng turne the water in to wyne as he dyde at y e prayer of his moder at the fest of Archetryclyne that is for to say He sholde turne the vnsauery knowing into wysdom and the colde naked reason in to ghostly lyght brennynge loue by the yeft of the holy ghost ¶ Of the ii part of contemplacoÌ„n Caplm v THe ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n lyeth pryncypally iÌ„ affeccyon without lyght of vnderstondynge oâ— ghostly thynges this is comynly of simple and vnleâ—â—tred men whiche yeuen hem hooly to deuocyon this is felyd on this maner whan man or woman in mediâ—tacoÌ„n of god by the grace of y e holy ghost felyth feruouâ— of loue ghostly swetnes by y e mynde of crystys passoÌ„â—â— or ony of his werkes in his manhede or he felyth a grâ—â—te trust in the goodnes iÌ„ the mercy of god for the foryâ—â—uenes of his synnes and for his grete yeftis of grace or els he felyth a drede in his affeccoÌ„n with grete reuerence of the preuy domes of god the whiche he seeth not of hys ryghtwysnes or in prayer he felyth the thought of his hert drawe vp fro al erthely thynges strenyd togyder with al the myghtâ—s of hys hert vpstyeng to our lorde by feruent desyre with ghostly delyte And neuer theles in that tyme he hath no open syght in vnderstandynge of ghostly thynges ne of pryuytees of holy wryt in specyal but onÌ„ly that hym thynketh for the tyme no thynge lyketh hym so moche as for to pray or thinke as he dooth for sauour delite coÌ„forte that he fyndeth ther in And yet can he not tel what it is but he felyth it wel for it is a yeft of god For out of it spryngen many swete teres breÌ„nynge desyres stylle mourniÌ„ges whiche scoureth clenseth the herte fro all the fylth of synne maketh it melte in to woÌ„derful swetnes of Ihesu cryst buxum soople redy to fulfyl all goddys wyll Insomoche that hym thynkyth he makith noo charge what comyth of hymself soo that goddys wyl were fulfylled with suche many styrynges mo than I can or may say This felynge maye not be had without grete grace who soo hath it for the tyme he is in charite whiche charyte maye not be lost ne lessed thoughe the feruour of it pasâ—e away but by a dedely syn y t is coÌ„fortable This maye be called y e .ii. part of coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ neuertheles thê part hath .ii degrees ¶ Of y e lower degree of y e ii part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n ca. vi THe lower degree of this felynge meÌ„ whiche are actyff may haue by grace whaÌ„ they beÌ„ vysyted of our lorde as myghtely as feruently as they y e yeue hem holy to conteÌ„platyf lyf hath this yeft but this felynge in his feruour comith not alway whaÌ„ a maÌ„ wold ne it lastyth not ful longe It comyth gooth as he wyl that yeueth it therfore who so hath it â–ª meke hymself thanke god kepe it preuy â–ª but yf it be to his confessour and holde he it as loÌ„ge as he may with descrecoÌ„n And whaÌ„ it is withdrawen drede not to moche but stoÌ„de sadly in fayth in a meke hope with pacyeÌ„ce abydyÌ„ge tyl it come ayen This is a lytyl tastynge of the swetnes of the loue of god of the whiche dauid sayth thê° in the sawter Gustate videte qmÌ„ suauis est dnÌ„s Taast ye se ye the sweâ—nes oâ— our lorde ¶ Of the hyer degree of the ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n Ca. vii THe hyer degree of this part may not be had and holden but of hem the whiche beÌ„ in great rest of body and soule the whiche by grace of IhuÌ„ longe traueyle bodely ghostly felyth a rest of hert clennes in conscyence so y â— hem lyken no thyng so moche for to do as to syâ—te stylle in reste of body for to alway pray to god thynke on our lorde to thynke somtyme on the blessyd name of
ê“fuÌ„duÌ„ Be ye roted grounded in charite that ye myght knowe he saith neyther souÌ„de of the ere ne swete fauour in y e mouth ne none suche bodely thynge but that ye myght knowe fele with al halowes whiche is the length of y e endles beynge of god the brede of the wonderful charyte the goodnes of god the heyth of the almyghty mageste of hym the groundles depnes oâ— the wysdom of god In knowyng ghostly felynge of thyse sholde be the occupacyon of the contemplatyf man For in thyse may be vnderstonde the ful knowyng of al ghostly thynges This ocupacyon is that one thynge the whiche saynt poul coueyted sayeÌ„ge thus UnuÌ„ que retro suÌ„t obliuisceÌ„s in anteriora me extendaÌ„ sequorsi quo modo compÌ„hendaÌ„ supernuÌ„ braniuÌ„ Thus moche is to saye â—o thynge as hoo sayth is best to me for to coueyte and y t is y t I myght forgete al thynges y t whiche ben behyndwarde or backewarde and I shal stretche out myn hert forwarde for to fele and to grype the souereyne mede of the endles blysse Hynwarde are al bodely thynges Forwarde are ghostly thinges And for saynt poul wolde forgete al bodely thynges his owne body also with that y u he myght see ghostly thynges ¶ How in reason wyll vertue begynneth in loue in lykyng it is made perfyte Caplm xiiii NOw I haue tolde you a lytyl of contemplacoÌ„n what it sholde be For this entent that thou myght knowe it and set it as a marke before y e syght of thy soule for to desyre al thy lyftyme to come to ony part of it by grace of our lorde Ihesu cryst This is the conformynge of a soule to god the whiche may not be had but yf it be fyrste reformyd by fulhede of vertues turned in to affeccion and that is whan a man loueth vertues for they ben good in heÌ„self There is many a maÌ„ that loueth vertue of lownes pacyence and charyte to his euencrysten and suche other onely in hys reason wyl and hath noÌ„ ghostly delytene loue in hem For of tymes he felith grutchynge heuynes and bytternes for to doo hem And neuertheles yet he dothe hem onely by styrynge of reason for drede of god thys man hathe vertues in reason and in wyll but not loue of hem in his affeccyon ¶ But whan by grace of Ihesu and by ghostly and bodely exercyse reason is tourned in to lyght And wyll into loue Thenne hathe he vertues in affeccyon For he hathe soo well gnawen on the bytter barke of the notte that he hathe broken it And fedeth hym with the kyrnell That is to saye The vertues whiche were fyrste heuy for to doo are nowe turned into a very delyte and sauour as whanne a man lyketh â—n mekenes in pacyens in clennes in sobyrte And in charyte as in ony delytes Sothlytyll thyse vertues ben turned thus in to affecâ—ion he maye well haue the ii parte of contemplacyon But the thre soth fastly shal he not take ¶ Of the meanes that bryngethe a soule to contemplation Capitulum xv NOwe sythen vertues are dysposinge to contemplatyon thenne it behouyth the vse certen meanes for to come to vertues \ Thre meanes there ben whyche men moost comynly vsen that yeuen hem to contemplacyon As redynge of holy wrytte and of holy techynge ghostely meditacyon and besye prayer with deuocyoÌ„ By medytacyoÌ„ shal thou see as I sayd ehy wretchydnes thy synnes and thy wyckydnes As pryde couetyse gloteny slothe and lecherye and wycked styrynge of enuye yre hatred malencolye angrynes yt byttenes vnskilful heuynes Thou shalt also se thy herte ful-of vayne shames dredes of thy flesshe and of the worlde Alle thyse styrynges wyllen alwaye boylle out of thy hert a water wyll renne out of the of the sprynge of a stynkynge well And lette the syghte of thy soule that thou mayste neuer see ne fele derely the loue of Ihesu cryst For wyâ—e thou well tyll thy hert be moche clensyd thrugh stable trouth besye beholdynge of crystes manhede fro suche synÌ„es thou may not haue ghostly knowynge of god perfytly wytnessynge hymself in the gospel thus BtiÌ„ muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipÌ„i deuÌ„ videbâ—t Blessyd be clene of hert for they shal se god Also in medytacyoÌ„ thou shal see vertues whiche be nedful to the for to haue as mekenes myldnes pacyence ryghtwysnes ghogly strength temperaunce clennes â–ª pees sobernes fayth hope charyte â–ª Thyse vertues thou shall see in meditacyon how good how fayre how profytable they ben by prayer thou shal desyre hem gete hem without whiche thou may not be contemplatyf For Iob sayth thus InhabundaÌ„cia iÌ„gredieris sepulcruÌ„ That is to say â–ª thou shalt in plente of gode bodely werkys and gostly vertues entre thy graue that is y e rest in contemplacyon ¶ What a man sholde vse and refuse by the vertue of mekenes Cplm xvi NOw yf thou sholdest vse wysely gostly werkes sykerly trauayle in heÌ„ the behouith to begynne ryght lowe Thre thynges y t nedeth to haue fyrst vpon the whiche as on a siker grouÌ„de thou shal set al thy werke thise iii. are mekenes siker fayth hole enteÌ„t to god Fyrst y e behouyth to haue meknes in this maner thou shalt holde thyselfe in thy wyll in thy felynge yf thou may vnable to dwelle amonge men vnworthy to serue god in couersacyon with his seruauntys vnprofytable to thy euencrysten wantynge both cunnynge myght to fulfyl good werkes of actyflyf in helpe of thy eueÌ„crysten as other men wymÌ„en done And therfore as a wretche outcaste refuse of al men wymmen are sperred in a hous alone y t thou sholdest dere ne greue no man or woman by enyl ensampse sithe thou canst not profyte heÌ„ by good werkyng Ouer this the behoueth to loke ferder y t syth thou art so vnable to serue our lord by bodely werkes outwarde how moche more behoueth the to holde y e vnable vnworthy to serue hym ghostly by inwarde ocupacyon For our lorde is a spyryte as the prophete layth SpÌ„s ante faciemntam xpÌ„s dnÌ„s Before our face a ghost is our lorde cryst the kyndly seruyse to hym is ghostly as he sayth hyÌ„self Ueri adorantes adorabuÌ„t preÌ„m inâ—pÌ„u veritate Sothfast seruauntes shal worshyp hym in spyryte sothfastnesse Thenne thou that art so boystous so lewde so flesshly soo blynde in ghostly thynges namly of thyn owne soule whiche the behouyth fyrst to knowe yf thou sholdest come to the knowynge of god Howe sholdest thou thenÌ„e fele thyself able or worthy for to haue state or lyknes of contemplatyf lyf the whiche lyf as I haue sayd lyeth pryncypally in ghostly knowyng felyng of god This I say to the not y t thou sholdest for thynke thy purpose be myspayde with thy clothinge but y t thou sholdest fele this lownes fothfastly in thy
of go to some other gode dede bodely or sthostly and thynke for to do better a nother tyme But though thou fal on a nother tyme in the same ye an hundred tymes ye a thousande tymes yet do as I haue sayd and al shall be wel Ferder more a soule that neuer may fynde rest of hert in prayer but al her lyfe tyme is striuybng with her thoughtes and taryeth and trowbleth wyth hem yf she kepe her mekenes and charyte in other sydes she shal haue ful moche mede in heuen for her good traueyle ¶ Of medication of synful men afte that they beÌ„ hooly tourned to god CaplmÌ„ xxxiiii NOw of medytacyon shal I telle the a lytyll as me thynketh Thou shalt vnderstonde that in meditacyons may not certen rule wel be set euery man for to kepe for they are in free yeft of our lorde after the dyuers dysposinges of chosen solwles and after y t state that they ben in and also after that they profyten in vertues and in her astate Soo he encreaseth her meditacyons bothe in ghostly knowynge and louynge of y â— For who so is euery ylike wise in knowyng of god ghostly thynges it semeth that he wexeth but a lytyl in the loue of god and that may be shewed opynly in tha postles whan they in y t day of peÌ„tecost were fulfylled with brenÌ„ing loue of y e holy ghost they were made neyther foles nefoltie but they were made woÌ„der wyse both iÌ„ knowiÌ„g spekyng of god of gostly thiÌ„ges asmoches as maÌ„ myght haue in flesshe lyuyng Thus spekyth holy wryth of hem Repleti sunt omnes spÌ„u scâ—oÌ„ et ce perunt loqui magnalia dei They were fulfylled of y e holy ghost and they began to speke y t grete merueyles of god and al that knowynge they had by rauysshenge in loue of the holy ghost Dyuers meditacyons there ben whiche our lorde putteth in a mannes hert So me shal I telle as me thynkyth for thys entente If thou fele ony of them that thou sholdest y e better traueyle in heÌ„ In the begynnyng of coÌ„uercy on of suche a maÌ„ that hath be moche foyled with worldly or flesshly synns comynly his thought is moost vpon his synnes with grete compunccyon sorowe of herte with grete wepyng and many teres of the eye mekely besely askynge mercy foryenenes of god for hem And yf he be to wchyd sharpely for our lorde wyll make hym soone clene hym shall thynke that hys synnes are euer in his syght so fowle so horryble that vneth shal he mow bere hymself And though he shroue hym neuer so clerely yet shall he fynde fyghtynge fretynge and bytynge of his concyence that hym shal thynke that he is not shryuen ryght And vnneth shall he mow haue ony rest in somoche that he sholde not endure suche traueylene were it that our lorde of his mercy comforteth hym somtyme as he wyl by grete deuocyon of his passyon or of some other as he wylle yeue it Upon this maner werketh our lorde in some mennes hertes more or lesse as he wylle And all this is the grete mercy of our lorde that not oonly wyll foryeue the synne or the trespase but he wyl both forgyue the trespase and y e payne for it in purgatory for suche a lytyl payne here of bytynge of conscience And also yf he wyll dyspose a man to receyue ony specyal yeft of the loue of god hym behouyth fyrst to be scowred clensed by suche a fyre of conpunccion for al the grete synnes before done Of this maner traueylle speketh dauid in many places of the sawter and specyally in the psalme Miserere mei deus ¶ That y e meditatioÌ„ of y e maÌ„hede of cryst or of his passion is yeuen freely of the holy ghost And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen CaplmÌ„ xxxv ANd then somtyme after this traueyle and somtyme wyth al. suche a man or elles a nother the whiche by grace of god hath be kept in Innocence our lorde yeuith a meditacyon of his maÌ„hede as of his byrth or of his passyon and of the compassyon of our lady saynt mary whan this medytacyon is made by the holy ghost thenne it is ryght profytable and gracyous And that thou shalt wyte by this token Whan it is soo that thou art styred to a meditadyon in god thy thought is sodenly drawen out fro all worldly and flesshly thynges and the thynketh as thou seest in thy soule thy lorde Ihesu in a bodely lyknes as he was in erthe and how he was taken of the Iewes and bouÌ„den as a theyf beten and dispysed scourged and demyd to deth How lowely he bare y e crosse vpon his backe and how cruelly he was veyled therupon Also of the crowne of thornes vpon his hede and of the sharpe spere that stycked hym to the herte thou in this ghostly syght felyst thin herte styred to soo grete compassyon pyte of thy lorde Ihesu that thou mornest and wepest and criest with al the myghtes of thy body and of thy soule wonderynge the goodnes and the loue the pacyence and the mkenes of our lorde Ihesu that he wolde for so synful a caytyf as thou art suffre so moche payne And neuertheles thou felyst somoche goodnes mercy in our lorde that thyn hert riseth vp in to a loue a gladnes of hym with many swete teres hauyng grete trust of foryeues of the synnes of saluacyon of thy soule by the vertue of this precyous passion that whan y e mynde of crystes passion or ony poynt of his manhede is thus made in thyn hert by suche a ghostly syght with deuout affeccyoÌ„ answeryng therto wyte thou well thenne that it is not of thyn owne werkyng ne feynyng of no wyckyd spyryte but by the grace of the holy ghost For it is an openyÌ„ge of the ghostly eye in to crystis manhede And it may be called the flesshly loue of god as saynt bernarde callyth it In as moche as it is sette in the flesshly kinde of cryst And it is ryght good and a grete helpe in destroyenge of grete synnes and a good waye to come to vertues and so after to contemplacion of the godhede For a man shal not come to ghostly light in contemplacyon of crystes godhede but yf he come fyrst in ymagycyon by bytternes and by compassyon and by stedfast thynkyng of his maÌ„hede Thus saynt poul dyde Fyrst he sayd thus Nichil indicaui me scire inter vos nisi IhmÌ„ xpÌ„m hunt crucifixum I shewed you ryght nought that I couth but Ihesu cryst and hym crucyfyed As yf he had sayd \ My knowynge and my trust is oonly in the passyon of cryst And therfore sayd he thus also Micht auteÌ„ absit gloriari nisi in cruce dnÌ„i nostri thuÌ„ crysti Forboden be fro me al maner of Ioye lykynge but in the crosse and in the passyon of oure lorde Ihesu
werkynge therof and makyth hymself to traueyle in a nother whiche he hath not yet oonly for he seeth or hereth that other men dyde so sothly he may renne a whyle tyl he be wery And thenne shal he tourne home ayen And but he be ware he may hurte his fete by some fantasyes or that he come home But he that werketh in suche grace as he hath And desyreth by prayer mekely lastyngly after more And after felyth hys hert styred for to folowe the grace whiche he desyred he maye sykerly ren yf he kepe mekenes And therfore desyre of god as moche as thou maye without mesure of dyscrecyon of all that longeth to his loue or to heuen blysse For who soo can moost desyre of god moost shall fele of hym But werkyth as thou mayst and crye god mercy for y t thou mayst not Thê° it semyth saynt poul sayd Unusquisque habet domum suum a deo Alius autem sic alius vero sic ItmÌ„ Unicutque nostrum data est gracia scdm mensuram donacionis cristi ItmÌ„ Diuisiones graÌ„rum sunt Alii datursermo sapiencie alii sermo sciencie c ItmÌ„ Ut sciamus que a deo donata sunt nobis Saynt poul fayth that euery man hath his yeft of god one thê° and another thus For to euery man that shal be saued is yeuen a grace after the mesure of crystes yeft And therfore it is spedeful that we knowe the yeftes whiche arne yeuen vs of god that we myght werke in heÌ„ for by those we shal be saued as some by bodely werkes and by dedes of mercy some by grete bodely penaunce some by sorowe wepyng for her synnes al her lyfe tyme some by prechynge techynge some by dyuers graces yeftes of deuocyon shal be saaf come to blysse ¶ That a man sholde traueyle to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof and breke downe the grounde of synne therin Caplm xlii NEuertheles there is one werke whiche is nedeful spedeful to traueyle in And I hope an hyghe playne waye as moche as maye be in mannes werke to contemplacyon And y t is a man for to entre in to hymself for to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof The fayrnes and the foulnes of it In this inwarde beholdynge thou shalt mowe see the worshyp the dygnyte whiche it sholde haue by kynde of the fyrst makynge and thou shalt see the wretchydnes and the myscheyf whiche thou art falle in for synne And of this syght shal come a desyre with grete longyng in thyn herte for to recouer ayen y â— dygnyte worshyp whiche thou hast loste Also thou shalt fele a lothynge a grysyng of thyself with a grete wyl for to destroy bere downe thy self and al thynges that letten the fro that dygnyte and that Ioye This is a ghostly traueyle harde and sharpe in the begynnynge who so wyll quyckely traueyle ther in For it is a traueyle in the soule ayenste the grounde of al synnes lytyl and moche whiche grouÌ„de is nought elles but a fals mysruled loue of man to hymselfe Out of this loue as saynt austen sayth spryngeth all maner of synne dedely and venyal And sothly vntyl this grouÌ„de be wel ransaken and depe doluyn and as it were nere dryed vp by outcastyng of al flesshly and worldly dredes and loues a soule maye neuer fele ghostly the brennynge loue of Ihesu cryst ne haue the homlynes of his gracyous presence ne haue clere syght of ghostly thynges by lyght of vnderstondynge This is the traueyle that a man behoueth to drawe his herte and his mynde fro the flesshly loue and the lykynge of al erthly creatures fro vayne thoughtes and fro flesshly ymagynacyons And out fro the loue and the vycyous felynge of hymself that the soule shal mowe noo rest fynde in no flesshly thoughtes ne erthly affeccyon Thenne in as moche as the soule maye not fynde his gholy rest in the loue and in the syght of Ihesu Cryst it behouyth nedelynges to sustre payne Thys traueylle is somdelyche strayte and narowe And neuertheles I hope it is the way whiche cryst teched to heÌ„ y â— wolde he his perfyâ—e louers in y e gospel sayeng thê° ConteÌ„dâ—ie iâ—trare per angustaÌ„ portaÌ„ qmÌ„ aâ—â—a est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ et pauci inueniunt eaÌ„ Stryue ye for to entre by a strayte yate for the waye y t ledeth to heuen is narow and fewe men fyndeth it And how streyte this waye is our lorde telleth in a nother place thus Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipÌ„m tolat cruceÌ„suaÌ„ sequaâ— me ItmÌ„ Qui odit aiÌ„am suaÌ„ in hoc mundo in vitam eternam custoditeaÌ„ That is to say who so wyl come after me forsake hymself hate his owne souâ—e That is to saye Forsake al flesshly loue and hate his owne flesshly lyf and vayne likyng of al his bodely wyttes for loue of me And take the crosse That is to saye Suffre y â— payne of this a while and thenne folowe me that is to say in coÌ„templacyon of my manhede of my godhede This is a strayte waye a narow that no bodely thyng may passe thorugh it for it is a sleeng of all synÌ„e as saynt poul sayth Mortificate meÌ„bra vestra que sunt super terraÌ„ immundiciaÌ„ libidineÌ„ concupiscenciaÌ„ malam Slee your membres vpon erth not the membres of the body but of the soule as vnclennes lust vnskylful loue of your self to erthely thynges Therfore as thy traueyle hath ben here before for to ayenstonde bodely synnes open temptacions of the enmye as it were fro without right soo the behouyth now in this ghostly werke within thy self for to destroye breke the grounde of synÌ„e in thyself asmoche as thou may And that thou myght y e more redyly brynge it aboute I shal telle the as me thynkyth ¶ How a man shall knowe the wretchydnes and the worshyp of his soule that it had fyrste of And what wretchydnes and myscheyf it is falle in for synne Capitulum xliii THe soule of a man is a lyf made of thre myghtes mynde reason wyl to the ymage the lyknes of the blessyd trynyte In as moche as the mynde was made myghty stedfast by the vertue of the fader almyghtydod for to holde hym without foryetyng distractynge or lettyng of ony creature And so it hath lyknes of the fader The reason was made bryght and clere without errour or derknes as perfectly as a soule iÌ„ a body vngloryfyed myght haue And so it hath the lyknes of the sonne whiche is endles wysdom And the loue the wyl was made clene brennynge in to god without bestly loue of the flesshe of ony creature by the souereyne goodnes of god the holy ghost And so it hath y e lyknes of the holy ghost whiche is blessyd loue so y t a mannes soule
no maÌ„ y t lyghteth a laÌ„tern for to set it vnder a busshel but vpoÌ„ a candelstycke That is to say Thy reason shal not be ouerlayd wyth erthly besynes ne vayne thoughtes erthly affeccyons but aye vpwarde aboue al vayne thoughtê erthly thyÌ„ges as moche as thou may yf thou do so thou shalt see then al the molle al y e fylthe smalle motes iÌ„ thy hous for why he is lyght That is to say al flesshly loues dredes in thy soule Not al. for as dauid sayd Delicta quis iÌ„telliger who may know al his trespasses â–ª As who say no maÌ„ thou shalt cast out of thyn hert all suche synÌ„es swepe thy soule clene with y e besome of y e drede of god and with the water of thyn eyeÌ„ wasshe it so shalt thou fynde thy drame Ihesu He is drame he is peny he is thyne herytage This drame wyll not be founden soo lyghtly as it is sayd for this werke is not of one houre ne of one day but many dayes and yeres with moche swete swynke of body traueyle of the soule yf thou cease not but seche besely sorowe syghe depe mourne stylly stowpe lowe tyl thyn eyen water for anguysshe and for payne for thou hast lost thy tresour IhuÌ„ at the last whan he wyl wel shal thou fynde thy drame Ihesu And yf thou fynde hym as I haue sayd that is yf thou maye in clennes of conscience fele the homely and the peesful presence of that blessed name Ihesu cryste as a shadowe or a glemerynge of hym Thou maye yf thou wyl calle all thy frendes to the for to make myrth with the and melodye for thou hast founden the drame IhuÌ„ ¶ Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy Caplm xlix SEe now then the curtesye and the mercy of IhuÌ„ thou hast lost hym â–ª but where Sothly in thy hous that is in thy soule That is to saye yf thou haddest lost al the reason of thy soule by the fyrste synne thy soule sholde neuer haue founde hym ayen but he lefte to the thy reason and so he is in thy soule neuer shall be lost out of it Neuertheles thou art neuer the nerer to hym tyl thou haue founde hym He is in the thoughe he be lost fro the But thou arte not in hym tyl thou haue founde hym Thenne was this his mercy that he wolde suffre hym to be loste oonly where he maye be founde It nedeth not to renne to Rome ne to Iherusalem for to seche hym there but tourne thy thought iÌ„ to thyn owne soule where he is hydde as the prophete sayth Ueretues deus absconditus Sothly lorde thou art an hydde god leche hym there Thus sayth hymselfe in the gospel Simile est regnum relorum thesauro abscoÌ„dito in agro queÌ„ qui inuenit homo abscondit pregaudio illius dadit et vendit vniuersa que habet et emit agrum illuÌ„ The kyngdom of heuen is lykened to a tresoure hyd in the felde the whiche whan a man fyndeth for Ioye of it he gooth and selleth al that he hathe byeth the felde Ihesu is tresour hydde in thy soule Then yf thou myght fynde hym in thy soule and thy soule in hym I am syker for Ioye of it thou wolde yeue the lykyng of all erthly thyng for to haue it Ihesu slepyth in thy hert ghostly as he dyde somtyme bodely whan he was in the shippe with his discyples But they for drede of perysshynge wakened hym and soone after he saued hem fro tempeste Doo thou so styre hym by prayer wake hym with grete cryenge of desyre he shal soone ryse helpe the ¶ What letteth a man to here see Ihesu wythin hymselfe CaplmÌ„ L NEuertheles I hope better that thou slepest ofter to hym than he doth to the For he callyth y e full ofte with his swete pryue voys styreth thyn hert ful stylly y â— thou sholdest leue al other Ianglyng of al other vanytes in thy soule oonly take kepe of hym for to here hym speke Thus sayth dauyd of our lorde Audi filia vide et inclina aurem tuam obliuiscere populuÌ„ tuuÌ„ domum patris tui My doughter here see and bowe thyn ere to me and foryete the folke of thy worldly thoughtes and the hous of thy flesshly and kyndely affeccyons Lo here may thou see how our lorde callyth y â— al other whiche wyl herken to hym what lettyth the then that thou may nother see hym ne here hym Sothly there is so moche dynne and cryenge in thyn herte of vayne thoughtes and flesshly desyres that thou may nother here hym ne see hym Therfore put awaye vnrestfull dynne and breke the loue of synne of vanytee and brynge in to thyn hert loue of vertues ful charite and then shalt thou here thy lorde speke to the. ¶ That mekenes charyte beÌ„ y e specyallyuerey of IhuÌ„ thrugh the whiche mannes soule is refourmed to y e lyknes of hym CaplmÌ„ li AS longe as IhuÌ„ fyndeth not his ymage refourmed in the. he is straunge and the ferther fro y e For thy shape the for to be arayed in his lyknes that is in mekenes and charyte the whiche arne his lyuereys And then wyl he homelyche knowe the and shewe to the his pryuytees Thus sayd he hymself to hys dyscyples Qui diligit me diligetur a patre meo et manifestabo ei meipÌ„m Who soo loueth me he shall be loued of my fader and I shal shewe myself vnto hym There is no vertue ne no werke that thou maye do y e thou maye make the lyke to our lorde without mekenes and charyte for thyse two arne specyally to god moost leyf And y â— semyth wel in the gospel where our lorde spekyth of mekenes thus Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne of me he sayd not for to go bare fote ne for to goo into Deserte and there for to fast fourty dayes ne yet also for to chese you dysyples But lerne of me meknes for I am mylde meke in hert Also of charyte he sayth thus Hoc est peccatum meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos Item In hoc cognoscent omnes qr discipuli mei estis si dilexcionem habueritis ad iuuicem This is my byddynge that ye loue you togyder as I loued you for in that shal men knowe you for my dyscyples Not for ye werke myracles or casteÌ„ out deuylles or prechen or teche but yf echone of you loue other in charyte And yf thou wyl be lyke to hym haue meknes and chayte That charyte is that thou know dest wel loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe ¶ HOw a man shal fynde the grounde of synne within hymselfe Caplm lii NOw hast thou herde a lytyl what thy soule is what worshyp it had and how
neuertheles the man y ◠synneth thus dedely he wolde saye with his mouth y ◠he wyl not chese pryde for his god But he begyleth hȳselfe for he chesyth it by his dede Neuertheles a nother worldly mā that louyth worship of hymself pursueth therafter yf he loue it not so moche y t he wolde for the getyng or the sauyng of it do a dedely synne or breke charyte to his euen crysten he synneth not dedely but venyal more or lesse after the mesure of his loue his lykynge with other cyrcumstaunces ¶ How pryde in heretykes is dedely syn Caplm lviii AN heretyke synneth dedely in pryde for he chesyth his reste his delyte in his owne opynyon in his owne sayeng for he weneth y t it is soch whiche opynyon or sayenge is ayenst god holy chyrche and therfore synneth he in pryde dedely for he louyth hymselfe his owne wyl wytte so moche y ◠though it be openly ayenst the ordynaunce of holy chyrche he wyll not leue it but rest hym therin as in soch fastnes and so makyth he it his god but he begyleth hymselfe For god and holy chyrche arn soo onyd and accorded togyder y ◠who soo dooth ayenst that one he dooth ayenste bothe And therfore he that sayth he loueth god and kepyth his byddynges and dispyseth holy chyrche and setteth at nought the lawes and the ordynaunces of it made by y ◠hede the souerayne in gouernaūce of al crysten men he lyeth he chesyth not god but he chesyth y e loue of hȳself contrary to the loue of god so he syn̄eth dedely And in that he weneth moost to plese god he moost dysplesyth hym for he is blynde and wyl not see Of this blyndnes this fals restyng of an heretyke in his owne felinge spekith the wyse man thus Est via que videtur homini recta et nouissima eius ducūt ad mortē Thre is a waye whiche semith to a man ryghtful and y ◠last ende of it bryngeth hym to endles dethe This waye specyally is callyd heresye For other flesshly syn̄ers that synnen dedely lyen therī comynly they suppose amis of hemself and felen bytyng in conscience that they go not in the ryght waye But an heretyke supposeth that he dooth wel techeth wel and yet no man so well And so weneth he that his way were the ryght waye therfore felyth he no byryng of conscyence ne mekenes in herte And sothly but yf god sende hym mekenes of his mercy at the laste ende he gooth to helle And neuertheles yet weneth he for to haue done wel getē hym y e blysse of heuen for his techynge ¶ How pryde in ypocrytes is dedely syn Caplm̄ lix THe ypocryte also syn̄eth dedely in pryde He is an ypocryte that cheseth vayne Ioye of hymselfe as y e rest the ful delyte of herte vpon this maner of wyse whan a man dooth many maner of good dedes bodely ghostly and thenne is put to his mynde by suggestōn of the enmye beholdyng of hymself of his gode dedes Howe good how holy he is how worthy in mennes dome how hyghe in goddes syght abouen other men he perceyueth this styryng receyueth it wylfullly for he weneth it be good and of god in as moche as it is soth for he doth thyle gode dedes better thā other mē And whan it is receyued thus by assent of his wyll as good yere ryseth of it alone a delyte in his hert of hym self y t he so moche grace hath that it rauyssheth his mȳde out of al other thoughtes bothe ghostly and flesshly for the tyme settyth it in vayne Ioye of hymself as in a reste of his herte This rauysshynge in ghostly pryde is delectable and therfore he kepyth it holdeth it noryssheth it as moche as he maye For this loue vayne delyte he prayeth waketh he fasteth wereth y e hayre dooth other afflyccyons al this greueth hym but lytyl He loueth he thanketh god somtyme with his mouthe sōtyme wryngeth a tere out of his eye then̄e he thynketh al saaf ynough But sothly al this is for loue of hymself whiche he cheseth receyueth as it were loue Ioye in god and in that is al the synne He chesyth not synne wylfully as for synne but he chesyth this delyte and Ioye that he felyth for god as the reste of hys soule the whiche is synne withouten dysplesyng or ayēstondyng of wyl For he weneth it were a Ioye in god it is not so and therfore synneth he dedely Iob sayth thus of an ypocryte Gaudiū ypocrite ad inster pūcti Si accenderit in celum superbia eius caput eius nubes tetigerit velut sterquilineum in fine perdetur The Ioye of an ypocryte is noo more than a poynte For yf he stye in to heuen wyth reysynge of herte and his heued touche the skyes at the laste ende he shall be casten oute as dounge hepe The Ioye of an ypocryte is but a poynte For yf he worshyppe hymselfe neuer soo moche and Ioye in thymselfe neuer soo moche all hys lyfe tyme and depeynte hymselfe wyth al his gode dedes in syght and in louynge of the worlde at the last it is ryght nought but sorowe and payne But nowe sayst thou that there are fewe suche or elles none that is soo blynde that wolde holde and chose vayne Ioye ī hymself as for Ioye in god As vnto this I can not say ne wyl not though I cowde but one thynge I telle the that there are many ypocrytes And neuertheles they wene that they ben none and that be many that dredē hemselfe as ypocrytes and sothly they are none whyche is one and whiche is other god knoweth and none but he who so wyl mekely drede he shal not be bygyled And who so weneth to be syker he maye lyghtly falle For saynt poul sayth Qui seexistimat aliquid esse cū nithil sit ipsi se seducit who soo weneth hȳself to be ought whan he is ryght nought he begyleth hymself ¶ How styrynges of pryde and vaynglory in good mē ben but venyal synnes Caplm lx NEuertheles a man or a woman whiche dysposyth hym to lyue contemplatyf yf it be so that he forsake hymselfe as in wyll offre hym holy to god with a ful general wyl that he wolde not synne ī pryde wyttyngly ne haue Ioye in hymselfe wylfully but oonly in god yf he cowde and myght And after this ful wyl offered to god he felyth many styrynges of vaynglory delyteth in hym for the tyme for he perceyueth hē not This lykynge is but venyal syn̄e and namly yf it be so that whan he comyth to hymselfe he repreuyth hymself and ayenstondeth this styryng with dysplesyng of wyl and askyth mercy and helpe of god Thenne the lykng whiche before was synne our lorde of his mercy soone forgyueth it And yet he shal
he begyleth hymselfe The nerer that he weneth he be y e feder he is For cryste sayd to hem that wolde be his dyscyples thus Hoc est preceptuÌ„ meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos This is my byddynge that ye sholde loue togyder as I haue loued you For yf ye loue as I haue loued theÌ„ are ye my dyscyples But now sayste thou how shalte thou loue hym that is badde aswel as hym that is good As vnto this I say thus that thou shalt loue both good badde in charyte but not for the same cause as I shall telle how Thou shalte loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe Now thou shalt loue thyselfe onÌ„ly in god or elles for god In god thou louest thyselfe whan thou arte ryghtful by grace vertuous and louest not thyself but oonly for y t ryghtwysnesse vertues y t god yeueth y t then louest thou thyselfe in god for thou louest not thyselfe but god Also for god thou louest thyself as yf thou were indedely synne and woldest be made ryghtful vertuous then louest thou thyselfe not as thou arte for thou arte vnryghtful but as thou woldest be Ryght so shal thou loue thyn euen crysteÌ„ If they beÌ„ good ryghtful thou shalt loue hem by charyte in god oonly for they beÌ„ good ryghtful for then louest thou god in hem as goodnes ryghtwysnes more than yf they ben badde indedely synne as thyn enmyes that haten the or other of y t whiche thou hast full heuydence y t they are not in grace yet shalt thou loue hem not as they arne ne as good men ryghtfull men for they arne bad and vnryghtfull but thou shalt loue hem for god that they myghte be good ryghtfull And so shalt thou no thynge hate in heÌ„ but y e thyng y t is contrary to ryghtwysnes y t is synÌ„e This is as I vnderstonde y e techyng of saynt Austyn for to departe y e loue of the man fro the hate of the synÌ„e y e loue of thyn euen crysteÌ„ He y t is meke or wolde sothfastly be me can loue thus his euen crysten none but he ¶ How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hyd in his herte CaplmÌ„ lxxi LIfte wel vp this ymage loke wel aboute and thou shalt mowe see couetyse and loue of erthly thynges occupye a grete partye of this ymage though it seme lytyl Thou hast forsaken rychesse and moche honour of this worlde and arte spered in a dongeon but hast thou forsaken clenly the loue of al this I hope not yet It is lesse maystry for to forsake worldly good than to forsake the loue of it Parauenture thou hast not for saken thy couetyse but thou hast chaunged it fro grete thynges in to smale as fro a pownde vnto a peny and fro a syluer pece vnto a dysshe of an halfpeny This is a symple chaunge thou art no good marchaunt Thyse ensamples arne chyldysshe neuertheles they betoken more If thou trowe not me assay thyself If thou haue loue delyte in the hauyng holdynge of ony thynge y t thou hast suche as it is with y e whiche loue thou fedest thyn herte for a tyme. Or yf thou haue desyre yerniÌ„g for to haue somÌ„ thyng y t thou hast not with whiche desyrethyn herte is traueyled stroubleâ— by vâ—skylful besynesse that the clene desyre of vertu of god may not rest therin this is a token y t there is couetyse in this ymage And yf thou wolte assay better loke yf ony thynge that thou hast be taken awaye fro the by maystry or by borowyng or by ony other wyse thou may not gete it ayeÌ„ for thy thou arte disesed angred trowbled in thyne hert bothe for thou waÌ„test y t thyng y t thou woldest haue may not haue it also ayenst hym y t hath it thou arte styred for to stryue chyde with hym for he myght restore y e ayen wyl not this is a token y t thou louest worldly goodes For thus done worldly men whan her good her rychesse is taken fro heÌ„ they arn heuy sory angry chyding stryusg ayeÌ„st heÌ„ y t haue it opeÌ„ly by worde by dede but thou doost al this in thyn hert pryuely where god seeth yet thou art in more defawte than a worldly man For thou hast forsaken in lyknes y e loue of worldly thinges But a worldly maÌ„ hath not do so therfore he is excused thoughe he stryue pursue for his goodes by lawful wayes for to haue hem ayeÌ„ But now sayest thou y t the behoueth for to haue thy necessaryes of suche thynges as loÌ„gen to y t as wel as a worldly maÌ„ I grauÌ„t wel therto but thou sholde not loue it for it self ne lykinge haue in the holdyng ne in y e kepyng ne sorowe ne heuynesse fele in y e lesyng or in y e withdrawynge of it For as saynt gregory sayth Asmoche sorow as thou hast in lesyng of a thyng so moche loue haddest thou iÌ„ y e kepynge And therfore yf thyn herte were made hoole thou haddest sothfastly felt desyre of ghostly thynges had there with al a syght of the leest ghostly thyng y t is all y e loue the lykyng of ony â–ª erthly thyng thou sholdest sette it at nought it sholde not cleue vpon the For to loue for to haue more than y e nedeth skylfully oonly for luste lykyng it is a defawte Also for to fetchen thy loue vpon y t thynge that the nedeth for it selfe it is defawte but not so grete But for to haue vsen that thyng y t the nedeth withouten loue of it more than kynde or nede asketh withouteÌ„ whiche the thyng may not be vsed it is no defawte Sothly in this poynt as I trowe many y t I haue y e state y e lyknesse of pouerte arn moche letted hyndred fro y e loue of god I ne accuse no maÌ„ ne no state reproue for in eche astate some arn good some arne other But one thyng I saye to euery man or woman that hath taken the state of wilful pouerte whither he be relygious or seculer or what degree he be in as long as his loue his affeccyon is bounden fastened and as it were glewed with the loue of ony erthly thynge that he hath or wolde haue he may not haue ne fele sothfastli y t clene loue the clere syght of ghostly thynges For saynt Austyn sayd to our lorde thus Lorde he loueth y e but lytyl that louyth ony thynge with the that he loueth not for the For the more loue couetyse of ony erthly thyng is with the the lesse is the loue of god in thyn herte For though it be so that this loue of erthly thyng putteth heÌ„ not out of charite but yf it be so moche that it strangle y e loue of god
of flesshly styrynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynâ—ynge and profytynge soules and of actyfmen The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyfmen For by the fyrste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmynge destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synne and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thoroughe the werkynge of the holy ghoste The fyrste is good the seconde is better but the thyrde that is in the blysse of heuen is moost beste Fyrste lette vs speke of that one and sythe of that other And soo we shall come to the thyrde That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi TWo manere of synnes makyth a soâ—le to lese y e shape the lyknesse of god That one is called orygynal y t is y e fyrst syn thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done syn thise ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blysse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to theÌ„dles payn of hel but if it be thorough the grace of god refourmyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens out of this lyfe Neuertheles two remedyes arne there ayenst thyse two synnes by y t whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is y e sacramente of baptym ayenste orygynal synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenst actuel synÌ„e A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of orygynal synne hath no lyckenesse of god He is nought but an ymage of the fende a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thorugh the vertue of fayth of holy chyrche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of y e fende made lyke an angel of heuen Also y e same falleth to a Iewe or to a sarazyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne nought but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour fallen mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy sthost sothly without ony more taryenge they arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god soo fully as holy chyrche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe out of this worlde they sholde streyght flee to heuen withoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer so moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe neuer sholde they fele the paynes of helle ne of purgatory And y e pryuelege sholde they haue by the meryte of crystis passyon That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y e stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is refourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii ALso what crysten man or woman y t hath lost y e lyckenesse of god thoroughe a dedely synne brekynge goddis commaundementes yf he thoroughe to wchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricyon of herte and be in ful wyl for to amende hym and torne hym to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wyl receyueth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyltherto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans y t was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyl thorough dedely synne is nowe by the sacrament of penaunce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curtesye of our lorde and an endles mercy that so lyghtly foryeuyth al maner of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abydeth not grete penaunce doynge ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne a ful forsakynge in wyl of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournyng of y e hert to hym This askyth he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this withoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shal not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycyon loue be the more And therfore shal he go and shewe hym shriue hym to his ghostly rader and receyue penauÌ„ce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyl it so that bothe the synne y e payne maye be done awaye or he passe hens And that is the skylful ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that thoughe the synne be foryeuen thorough the vertue of contrycyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllynge of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shal yf he may shewe to his preste plener confessyoÌ„ for y t is his token his warraunt of foryeuenesse ayenste al his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenst a kyng of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a fulsykernesse for to haue onÌ„ly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a charter the whiche may be his token his warraunt agaynste al other men Ryght so maye it be sayd ghostly If a man haue forfeyted agaynst the kynge of heuen his lyfe thorough dedely synne It is not ynough to hym to fulsykernesse for to haue foryeuenes of god oonly by contrycyon betwene god and hym but yf he haue a charter made by holy chyrche yf he maye come therto And that is the sacrament of penaunce the whiche is his charter his token of foryeuenes For syth that he forfeyted both ayenste god and holy chyrche it is skylful that he haue foryeuenesse for that one and a warrant for y e other And this oo skylle why that confession is nedeful A nother skylle is this For syth this refourmyng of the soule stondyth in fayth oonly not in felyng therfore a flesshly man that is rude boystouse can not deme lyghtly but outwarde of bodely thynges sholde not mow haue crowyd y t his synnes had ben foryeueÌ„ hym but yf he had some bodely token and that is confessyon thorough the whiche token he is made â—ll syker of foryeuenes yf y t he do that in hym is This is the trouth of holy chyrche as I vnderstonde it Also a nother skylle is this Though the grounde of foryeuenesse stonde not pryncypally in confessyon but in contrycyon of y e herte and in forthyn kynge of synne neuertheles I hope that there is many a soule that sholde neuer a felyd very contricyoÌ„ nor had full forsakynge of synne yf confessyon had not be For it fallyth oft sythes that in the tyme of coufessyon grace of compunccyon comyth to a soule that before neuer felyd grace but euer was colde and drye and ferder fro felyng of grace And therfore syth confessyon was so profytable to the more partye of crysten men holy chyrche ordeyned for the more sykernesse
therof but thou wolde be at Iherusalem Suche lettynge thou shalt fele or elles other lyke what of thy flesshe what of the worlde what of the fende moo than I maye reherce now For a man as longe as he suffreth his thought wylfully renne aboute the worlde in beholdynge of sondry thynges he perceyueth fewe lettynges But assone as he drawyth al his thought his yernynge to one thynge oonly for to haue yt. for to knowe that for to loue that and that is oonly Ihesu then shal he wel fele many paynful lettynges For euery thynge that he felyth is not that y t he coueyteth is lettynge to hym Therfore I haue tolde the of some specyally as for example And ouermore I saye generally that what styrynge that thou felyst of thy flesshe or of the fende pleysaunte or paynful bytter or swete lykynge or dredful gladsom or sorowful that wolde drawe downe thy thought and thy desyre fro the loue of Ihesu to worldly vanyte and lette vtterly thy ghostly couetyse that thou haste to the loue of hym and that thy herte sholde be occupyed with that styrynge restyngly sette it at nought receyue it not wylfully tarye not therwith to longe But yf it be of worldly thyng y e behoueth nedes to be done to thy selfe or to thyn euen crysten spede the soone of it brynge it to an ende y t it hange not on thyn herte If it be a nother thynge y t nedeth not or elles it to wcheth not the. charge it not Iangyll not therwith ne angre the not drede it not lyke it not but smyte out thyn herte redely and saye thus I am nought I haue nought Nought I seke ne coueyte but the loue of Ihesu Knyght thy thought to this desyre strength it maynten it with prayer with other ghostly werkes that thou forgete it not and it shal lede the in thy ryght waye saue the fro al perylles that though thou fele hem thou shalt not perisshe And I hope that it shal brynge the to perfyte loue of our lorde IhuÌ„ Neuertheles on that other syde I saye also what werke or what styrynge it be that maye helpe thy desyre strengthe it nourysshe it and make thy thought ferrest fro luste and mynde of the worlde more hole and hole more brenÌ„yng to y e loue of god whether it be prayenge or thynkyng stylnes or spekynge redyng or herynge onÌ„lynes or comonyng goynge or syttyng kepe it for the tyme werche therin allonge as sauour lastyth If it be so y t thou take therwith mete drynke slepe as a pylgryme doth kepe discrecoÌ„n in thy worchyng after couÌ„seyle ordynauÌ„ce of y e soueryne For haue he neuer so grete hast in his goynge yet he wol ete drynke slepe Do thou lyke wyse For though it let the one tyme. it shal forther the a nother tyme ¶ Of an euyl daye a gode nyghte what it meaneth how y e loue of the worlde is lykened to an euyl day the loue of god to a good nyght CaplmÌ„ xxiiii yF thou wolt wyte then what this desyre is sothly it is IhuÌ„ for he makyth this desyre in y e yeueth it y e And he it is y e desyreth iÌ„ y e he it is y t is desyred He is al he doth al yf thou myght see hym Thou doost nought but suffrest hym worche in thy soule and assentyst to hym with grete gladnesse of herte y t he wouche sauf for to do so in the Thou arte nought elles but a resonable Instrument wherin y t he worcheth And therfore whan thou felyst thy thought by to wehynge of his grace take vp with desyre to IhuÌ„ with a myghty deuout wyl for to plese hyÌ„ loue hyÌ„ theÌ„ thynke y t thou hast IhuÌ„ for he it is y t thou desyrest Beholde hyÌ„ wel for he goth before y t not iÌ„ bodely lyknes but vnseÌ„seably by priue preseÌ„ce of his myght Therfore see hym ghostly yf thou may and festen althy thought and thyn affeccyon to hym folowe hym where soo he gooth for he shal lede the y e ryght waye to IhrÌ„lm that is the syght of pees contemplacyon Thus prayed the prophete to the fader of heueÌ„ sayenge thus Emitte luceÌ„ tuaÌ„ veritateÌ„ tuam ipa me deduxetunt et adduxetunt in montemscmÌ„ tuuÌ„ et in tabernacula tua That is Fader of heuen sende out thy lyght and thy sothfastnesse y t is thy sonne IhuÌ„ anb he shal lede me by desyre in me to y e holy hylle and in to thy tabernacles that is to the felynge of perfyte loue heyght in conteÌ„placyon Of this desyre speketh the prophete thus Memoriale tuuÌ„ in desiderio aiÌ„e mee AiÌ„a mea desyderauit te in nocte sed spÌ„us meus iÌ„ pÌ„cordiis meis That is Lorde Ihesu the mynde of the is prynted in desyre of my soule For my soule hath desyred the in the nyght and my spyryte hath coueyted the in al thynkynges And why the prophete sayth he hath desyred god al in y e nyght as a tymful space bytwyx dayes two For whan one daye is ended a nother comyth not anone but fyrst comyth nyght departeth the dayes somtyme longe somtyme shorte and thenne after comyth a nother day The prophete meaned not onÌ„ly of this maner of nyght but he meaned a ghostly nyght Thou shalt vnderstonde that there ben two dayes or two lyghtes The fyrste is a fals lyght the â—ecoÌ„de is a true lyght The fals lyght is the loue of this worlde that a man hathe in hymselfe of corrupcyon of hys flesshe The true lyght is the perfyte loue of Ihesu felyd thorugh grace in a mannes soule The loue of this worlde is a false lyght For it passeth awaye and lasteth not and so it perfourmeth not that that it behoteth This lyght behyght the fende to Adam whan he styre hym to synne and sayd thus Aperientur oculi vestri et eritis sicut dii That is your eyen shal be opened and ye shal be as goddys And he sayd sothe there For whan AdaÌ„ had synned anone his Inner eye was sperred ghostly lyght withdrawe his vtter eye were opened he felt and sawe a new lyght of flesshlh lykynge and worldely loue that he sawe not before And soo sawe he a new day but this was an euyl daye For thys was it that Iob waryed whan he sayd thus Pereat dies in qua natus sum That is Perysshe the daye in the whiche I was borne He waryed not the daye rennynge in the yere that god made but he waryed this daye that man made that is the concupyscens and the loue of this worlde in the whiche he was borne thorough he felyd it not Then this daye and this lyghte he asked of god that it sholde perysshe and noo lenger laste But the euerlastinge loue of Ihesu is a true daye and a blessyd lyght For god is bothe loue
towche the. thenÌ„e art thou entred soÌ„ what in to this derknes for though thou fele perceyue gleÌ„tynges proferynges of vayne thouÈtes presing in of flesshly affeccyons neuertheles thou art in this profitable derknes if it be so y t thy thought be not fyxed in heÌ„ For suche vayne ymagynacoÌ„ns y t fal in y e herte vnauysedly trowbleÌ„ this derknes pyneth y e soule soÌ„ what by cause y t it wolde be hyd fro hem may not but they do not awaye y e profyte of this derknes for the soule shal by y e way come to restful myrknes And then is this derknes restful whan y e soule is hyd for a tyme fro y e paynful felynge of al suche vayn thouÈteâ— only is rested in desyre loÌ„ginge to IhuÌ„ with a ghostly beholdyng of hym as it shal be sayd afterwarde But y e lasteth but a whyle hole Neuertheles though it be but a shorte tyme it is ful profytable ¶ How y t the desyre of Ihesu fele in this lyghtsom derknes sleeth al styrynges of synne ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem y t is Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xxv THen sithen this derknes this nyght is so good so restfull though it be shorte that stondeth only in desyre longyng to the loue of Ihesu wyth a blynde thynkynge on hym how good thenne how blessyd is it for to fele his loue and for to be illumided wyth his blessyd vnseable present lyght for to see sothfastnes the whiche lyght a soule receyueth whaÌ„ the nyghte passith the daye spryngeth This I hope was the nyght y t the prophete meaned whan he sayd My soule hath desyred y t in y e nyÈt as I haue before sayd it is moche better to be hyd iÌ„ this derke nyght fro beholdyng of y â— worlde though it were paynfull than for to be out in fals lykyng of this worlde y t semyth so shinyng so coÌ„fortable to hem y t are blynde in knowyng of ghostly lyght For whaÌ„ thou art in this derknes thou art mekyl nerer IhrÌ„lm than whan thou art in the myddes of the fals lyght therfore applye thyn herte fully to the steryng of grace vse for to dwellen in this derknes be often assayenge to beÌ„ homely theâ—in it shal sone be made restful to the. y e true lyght of ghostly knowyng shal sprynge to the. not all at onys but preuyly by lytyl by lytyl as y e prophete sayth HiÌ„tantibus in regione vmbre martis lux orta est eis That is To the dwellyng in the countre of shadowe of deth lyght was sprongen y t is lyght of grace spronge shal spryng to al hem y t can dwelle in the shadowe of deth y t is in this derknes y t is lyke to deth for as deth sleeth a lyuyng body al flesshly felynges of it ryght so desyre to loue IhuÌ„ felyd in this derkenes sleeth al synnes al flesshly affeccyons al vnclene thoughtes for y e tyme. than nyghest thou fast to IhrÌ„lm thou art not yet at it but be smale sodeyne lyghtynges that glydern outthorughe smale cauys fro that cyte shalt thou mow seen is fro ferre or that thou come therto For wete thou well though that thy soule be in this restful derknes withouten troublyng of worldly vanytees it is not yet there it sholde be it is not yet clothyd al in lyght ne turned al in to fyre of loue but it felyth wel that there is som what aboue itself y t it knowith not ne hath not yet but wolde haue it breunyngly desyreth it that is not elles but the lyght of IhrÌ„lm without forth the whiche is lyke to a cyte that the prophete ezechyel sawe in his vysyons He sayth that he sawe a cyte sette vpon an hylle heldynge to y e south y t to his syght whan it was meten was no more of length of brede than a rodde y t was syxe cubytes a palme of lengthe but as sone as he was brought in to the cyte loked aboute hym than thought hym y t it was woâ—der mekyl for he sawe many halles chaumbrys both open and preuy he sawe gates and porches vtterwarde innerwarde mekyl more byggyng than I saye now on length on brede many huÌ„dred cubytes thanne was this wonder to hym how this cyte within was so longe so large y t was so lytyl to his syght whan he was without This cyte betokeneth y t pertyte loue of god sette in the hylle of coteÌ„placyon y t whiche â–ª vnto y e syght of a soule y t without the felynge of it traueyleth in the desyre towarde semyth somwhat but it semyth but a lytyl thynge no more than a reede that is vi cubites a palme of length By vi cubytes are vnderstoÌ„de y e perfeccyon on manÌ„es werke And by y â— palme a lytyl towchynge of conteÌ„placyon He seeth well y t there is suche a thynge y t passeth y e deserte of al y e worchyng of man a lytyl as the palme passeth the vi cubites but he seeth not within what it is neuertheles yf he maye come within the cyte of contemplocyon thenne seeth he moche more than he sawe fyrste ¶ How a man shal knowe fals Illumynacyons feyned by the fende fro y e true lyght of knowynge y e comyth out of IhuÌ„ by what tokens CaplmÌ„ xxvi BUt now bewaar of the myddaye fende y â— feyneth lyght as it came out of IhrÌ„lm is not so For the tenâ—e seeth y t our lorde IhuÌ„ shewyth lyght to his louers of sothfastnesse therfore in the â—eceyuing of heÌ„ y t are vnwyse he shewyth a lyght y t is not true vnder colour of a true lyght deceyueth heÌ„ Neuertheles how a soule may knowe the lyght of sothfastnes whan it shyneth froÌ„ god whan it is feyned thorugh y e enmye shal I saye as me thynketh by an ensample of the fyrmament SomtymÌ„ the fyrmament shewyth a lyght fro the sonne semyth y e sonne is not And soÌ„tyme shewyth y e true sonne truely A knowing of y e one from y e other is this The feyned sonne she wyth hym not but bitwixe two blacke reyny clowdes ThenÌ„e by cause y e sonne is nere there shyneth out fro the clowles a lyghte as it were aloÌ„ne is none But the true sonne she with him whan the frymament is clere or moche clered fro the blacke clowdes Now to our purpose Some meÌ„ as it semich forsakith the loue of the worlde wold come to the loue of god to y e lyghte of vnderstondynge of hym But they woll not come thrugh this derknes that I haue spokeÌ„ of before They woll knowe hemfelfe truely ne mekely what they haue beÌ„ before ne what they are yet thrugh synÌ„e ne how nought they are in her owne kynde ayeÌ„st god They are not besy for to entree in to
worlde sette hym at nought hath noo rewarde to hym ne fauour ne worshyp ne sette noo pryce by hym but forgeteth hym as a dede man thenne is he dede to the worlde And in this plyght was saynt poul sette perfytly soo must a nother maÌ„ in partye that wolde folowe come to the perfite loue of god For he may not lyue to god fully but yf he deye fyrst to the worlde This deyenge to the worlde is this derkenes and it is the gate of coÌ„templacoÌ„n to refourmyng in felyng and none other than this There may be many suÌ„dryd wayes seere werkes lettinge and ledyng suÌ„dry soulys to conteÌ„placion For after diuers disposynges of men after sundry states as are religyous seculers that they are in are dyuers exercises in worchyng Neuertheles there is noo gate but one For what exercises it be that a soule hath but yf he maye come by that exercyse to this knowyng and to a meke felynge of hymself and that is that he be mortifyed and dede to the worlde as in his loue and that he maye fele hymself somtyme in this restful derkenes by the whiche he maye be hydde fro vanytee of the worlde as in his loue and that he maye fele hymselfe what he is sothly he is not yet come to the refourmynge in felynge ne hath not fully contemplacioÌ„ He is ful ferre therfro yf he woll come by any gate he is but a theyf and a breker of y e walle And therfore as vnworthy he shal be cast oute But he that can brynge hymselfe fyrste to nought thrugh grace of mekenes and deye on thys manere he is in the gate for he is dede to the worlde and he lyueth to god Of the whyche saynt poul spekith thus Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cum christo in deo ¶ ye are dede That is ye that for the loue of god forsaken all the loue of the worlde are dede to the worlde wyth cryste in god That is ye lyue ghostly in the loue of Ihesu But your lyf is hydde from worldly men as cryste lyueth and is hidde in his god hede fro the loue the syghte of flesshly louers This gate oute lorde hym selfe shewed in the gospell whan he sayd thus ¶ Omnis qui reliquerit patrem aut matrem fraterm autsororem proptet me sentuplum acciptet et vitam etecnam possidebit ¶ Euery man that forsakyth for my loue fader or moder syster or brother or ony good erthly he shall haue an hundreth folde in this lyfe and afterwarde y e blysse heuen This hundreth folde that a soule shal haue yf he forsake the worlde is nought but y e profyte of this lyghtly derknes the whiche I calle the gate of contemplacoÌ„n For he y t is in this derkenes and is hyd thorughe grace fro worldly vanytee he coueyteth nought of worldly gode he sechyth it not he is not taried therwith he lokyth not after it he loueth it not And therfore hath he an huÌ„dreth folde more thaÌ„ the kynge or thaÌ„ he hath that coueiÌ„teth most of erthly good For he y t nonght coueyteth but Ihesu hath an hundreth folde For he hathe more reste more pees in herte more very loue And delyte in soule in one daye than he that mooste coueyteth of the worlde And hathe al the wel of it vnder his welthe hathe in al his lyfe tyme This is then a good derkenesse and a ryche nought y t bryngeth a soule to soo moche ghostly ease and soo stylle softenesse I trowe dauyd meaned of this nyghte or of this nought whan he sayd thus Ad michilum redactê° sum et nesciui That is I was brought to nought and I wyste not That is The grace of our lorde Ihesu sente in to myn herte hath slayne in me And broughte to nought al the loue of the worlde and I wyst not how For thrugh noo worchynge of myself ne by myn owne wyt I haue it not but of the grace of oure lorde Ihesu And therfore me thynkyth he that woll haue the lyghte of grace fulsomly fele the loue of Ihesu in his soule he must forsake all the fals lyght or worldly loue and abide in this derknes And neuertheles yf he be adrad fyrst for to wonÌ„e therin torne not ayen to the loue of the worlde but suffre a whyle and put al his hope and his truste in Ihesu and he shal not longe be without some ghostly lyghte Thus byddeth the prophete Qui ambulat in tenebris et non est lumen ei speret in dnÌ„o inuitarursuper deuÌ„ suum who soo gooth in derkenes and hath noo lyght That is Who so wol hyde hym fro the loue of the worlde and may not redily fele lyght of ghostly loue dyspeyre not tourne not agayne to the worlde but hope in our lorde and leen vpon hym that is truste in god and cleue to hym by desyre And abyde a whyle and he shal haue lyghte For it falleth therby as it doth yf a man hadde be a grete whyle in the sonne And after that came sodeynly in to a derkehous there noo sonne shyneth He sholde be as he were blynde see ryght nouÈt but yf he wolde abyde a whyle he shal mow see sone aboute hym Fyrst grete thynges sytheÌ„ smale and after al y t euer is in the hous Ryght so it is ghostly he that forsaketh the loue of the worlde comyth to hymselfe in to his owne conscyence it is fyrst derke somwhat blynde to his syght but yf he stonde styll holde forth with besyprayeng often thynkyng of y e same wyl to the loue of IhuÌ„ he shal mow see afterwarde grete thynges smale y t he fyrst knew not thus semyth y e prophete behiÈt sayâ—ng thus Orietur in tenebris lux tua tenebre tue erunt sicut meridies requiem da bit tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus implebit aiÌ„am tuam splendori bus That is Lyght shal sprynge to y t in derknes that is thou that forsakyst sothfastly the lyght of al worldly loue hydest thy thought in this derknes lyght of blyssed loue ghostly knowyng of god shal sprynge to the. thy derknes shal be as myd daye that is thy derknes of traueylynge desyre and thy blynde trust in god y t thou hast fyrst shal turne in to clere knowyng iÌ„ to sykernes of loue thy lorde god shal yeue reste to y e y t is thy flesshly desyres thy paynful dredes doutes wycked spyrytes that haue contynuelly before tyme traueylyd the all thise shal weyken lese moche of her myght thou shalt be made so strong that they shal not dere y â— for thou shalt be hyd in rest fro hem than shall our lorde Ihesu fulfyl thy soule with shynynges that is whan thou art brought in to this ghostly reste than shalt thou more esely tente to god nought elles
of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌ„yng at profytynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokeÌ„s than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin CaplmÌ„ xxix BUt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete compunction for her synnes and some haue grete deuocyons feruours in her prayers and often haue sundry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vnderstonding and some men haue other maner felynges of confortable hete and grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre and lastyng loue and thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be reformed iÌ„ felynge or noughte It semeth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other meÌ„ that stoÌ„de only iÌ„ fayth fele not of Unto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynge whether they stonde in compunction or deuocyon or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shal haue and fele iÌ„ the grace of contemplacion I say not but they are sothfast and gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet y â— yefte of perfeccioÌ„ ne ghostly the brenninge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god thaÌ„ other that haue the yefte of perfeccyon in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge knelinge spekynge and other bodily styrynge soo ferforth that it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo wel I wote that thise maner felinges and feruours of deuocioÌ„ and compunccion that thise men fele are gracious â—eftes of god sent in to choseÌ„ soules for to drawe heÌ„ out of worldly loue and flesshly luste that hath ben longe tyme roted in her hert fro the whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirynge of grete feruours neuer theles y t the feruours is somoche in outwarde shewyng it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes and weyknes of her soule that may not bere a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it were fleshly festned to the flesshe neuer was yet departed fro ghostly mortifyeng and therfore the lest towching of loue and the lest sperkyl of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heuen in to suche a soule is so moche so comfortable so delectable ouer al the likinge that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thynge y t it is ouertaken with it And also it is so newe and sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth and shewyth out in wepynge sobbyng other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell y t is olde whan it receyueth new wine that is fresshe And myghty the costrel boyleth oute and is in poynte for to cleue and brest vntyl the wyne hath boylled and spourged oute al vnclennesse but also sone as the wyne is fyned and cleryd thenne it stondeth styl aud the costrel hole Right so a sonle that is olde thrugh synne whan it receyueth a lytyl of the loue of god that is soo fresshe and so myghty y t the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by weping and at y e mouth by spekyng and y t is more for weyknes and feblenes of the soule thaÌ„ for mykylnes of loue For afterwarde whan loue hath boyled al the vnclennes oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours then is the loue clere stondeth styl And then is both the body and the soule moche more in pees and yet hath the soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewelesse outwarde For it is now al hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye y t thyse soules y t feleâ— suche grete hodily feruours though they beÌ„ in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretely dysposed towarde For I trowe that suche a man naÌ„ly y t hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente and purifyed wyth suche grete compunccyons goynge before Another soule that neuer was moche defoyleth wyth loue of y e worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete synnes in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer and more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde comÌ„ to this refourmynge Thenne is this soch as I hope that suche comfortes and feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytyng are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his trauely Right as a pylgryme traueyleth al daye meteles drynkles and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke is wel refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that wol forsake the loue of the worlde wolde fayne loue god and settyth al his besynes therto prayeth and traueyleth al daye bodely and ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocyon TheÌ„ our lorde hauynge pyte ouer al his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne iÌ„to heuynes or grutchynge sendeth it amonge his ghostly foode comforteth it in deuocyon as he wouchith saaf And whaÌ„ the soule feleth ony comforte thenne holdeth he hym wel payd for all his traueylle and all the disease that it had on the day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The self wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferforth in grace They felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syght of ghostly thynges and in affeccy of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why al suche felynges come to heÌ„ in that state as it were vnwarly for they come or they wyte it gooth fro hem or they wyte it And they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes with heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soules is not opyned to y e beholdyng of gostly thiÌ„ges but they nyghe faste towarde therfore they are not yet refourmed iÌ„ felyng ne they haue not yet y e ful yeft of conteÌ„placioÌ„ ¶ On what maner a man shal haue knowynge of hys owne soule and how a man sholde sette his loue
deuocyon that the soule feleth by ymaginÌ„acyon oonly of the man hede shewe it neuer somoche outwarde For in rewarde of that this is but manly for our lorde sheweth hym not in ymaginacion as he is ne that he is for the soule myght not that tyme for freelte of the flesshhede suffre it soo Neuerthels vnto suche soules that can not thynke of the godhede ghostly that they sholde not erre in her deuocyon but that they sholde be comforted strengthed thrugh some maner Inwarde beholdynge of IhuÌ„ for to forsake synne and the loue of the worlde therfore oure lorde Ihesu tempreth his vnseable lighte of his godhede and clotheth it vnder bodile lykenes of his manhede and she wyth it vnto the Inner eye of a soule and fedeth it wyth the loue of his precyous flesshe ghostly The whiche loue is of soo grete myghte that it sleeth all wycked loue in the soule and strengthe it for to suffre bodyly penaunce and other bodyly dysease in tyme of nede for loue of Ihesu And this is the shadowyng of our lorde Ihesu ouer a chosen soule in the whiche shadowyng the soule is kepte fro brennyng of worldly loue For ryght as a shadowe is made of a lyght of a bodi ryght so this ghostly shadow is made of y e blessed vnseable lyght of the godhede of the manhede ooned therto shewed to a deuout soule of the whiche shadowe the prophete sayth thus SpÌ„s ante facieÌ„ nostram xpÌ„s dnÌ„s sub vmbra eiê° viuemus inter gentes Our lorde cryst before our face as a spyrite vnder his shadowe we shal lyue amonge folke That is our lorde Ihesu in his godhede is a spyryte that maye not be seen of vs lyuyng in flesshe as he is in his blessed lyght therfore we shal lyue vnder y e shadow of his manhede as long as we are here But though this besooth y t this loue in ymaginacyon be good Neuertheles a soule sholde desyre for to haue ghostly loue in vnderstoÌ„dyng of the godhede for that is the ende y e ful blysse of the soule and al bodely beholdynges are but meanes ledynge a soule to it I say not that we sholde refuse the manhede of Ihesu and departe god fro man but thou shalt in Ihesu man beholde drede wonder loue ghostly the godhede And so shalt thou without departyng loue god in man and both god man ghostly not flesshly Thus taught our lorde mary mawdeleyne that sholde be contemplatyfe whan he sayd thus Noli me tangere non duÌ„eneÌ„ ascendi ad patreÌ„ meuÌ„ Touche me not I am not yet styed vp to my fader That is to saye Mary magdalene loued wel our lorde Ihesu before the tyme of his passyon but her loue was moche bodely lytyl ghostly She trowed wel y t he was god but she loued hym a lytyl as god for she kouth not thenÌ„e and therfore she suffreth al her affeccyon and al her thought falle in hym as he was in fourme of man And our lorde blamed her not thenne but praysed it moche But after whan he was rysen fro dethe and appered to her she wolde haue worshypped hym with suche manere loue as she dyde before and thenne our lorde forbode her and sayd thus Towche me not That is Sette not thy reste ne the loue of thyn herte in that fourme of man y â— thon seest with thy flesshly eye only for to reste therin For in that four me I am not styed vp to my fader That is I am not eueÌ„ to the fader for in that fourme of man I am lesse than he Towche me not so but let thy thought and thy loue in y e fourme in whiche I am euen to the fader that is y e fourme of the godhede and loue me knowe me worshyp me as god man godly not as a man manly So shalt thou touche me For sythen I am both god man and al the cause why I shal be loued worshipped is for I am god and for I toke the kynde of man And therfore make me god in thyne herte and in thyne loue And worshyppe me in thyne vnderstondynge as Ihesu god and man souereyne sothfastnes and souereyne goodnes and blessed lyfe for that I am And thus taughte our loâ—de her as I vnderstonde and also al other soules that arne dysposed to contemplacyon and able therto that they sholde doo soo Neuertheles other soules that arne not sybtyll in kynde ne are not yet made ghostly thoroughe grace it is good to hem that they kepe for the her owne worchynge in ymagynacyon with manly affeccyon vnto more grace come freely to hem It is not syker to a man to lene one good thynge vtterly tyll he see and fele a better Upon the selfe wyse it maye be sayd of other maner felinges that are like to bodyly as herynge of delectable songe or felynge of comfortable hete in the body seenge of lighte or swetnes of bodili sauour Thyse are not ghostly felynges for ghostly clyn are felte in the myghtes of the soule pryncipally in vnderstondynge loue and lytyl in ymagynacyon But thise felynges are felte in the myghtes of the body in ymagynacyon and therfore they are not ghostly felynges But whaÌ„ they are best moost true yet are they but outwarde tokens of the Inly grace that is felte in y e myghtes of the soule This may be openly preued by holy wryt sayeng thus ApparueruÌ„t appostolis dispertitelingue taÌ„qmÌ„ ignis sed itque supra singulos eorum spiritus scuÌ„s The holy ghost appered to the apostles in the daye of penthecost in the lickenes of brennynge tonges enflammed her hertes â—et vpon eche of hem Now soth it is the holy ghost that is god in hymselfe vnseable was not that fyre ne the tonges that were seen ne that brennyng that was felt bodily but he was vnseabli felt in the myghtes of her soules for he lyghtned her reason and kyndeled her affeccion thrugh his blessed precense so clerely and so brennyngly that they had sodeynly the ghostly knowyng of sothfastnes y e perfeccyon of loue as our lorde behyght hem sayenge thus Spiritus sanctus docebit vos omnem veritatem That is the holy ghost shal teche you al sothfastnes then was that fyre and that brennyng nought elles but a bodily token outwarde shewed in wyâ—nessynge of that grace that was Inwardly felte And as it was in hem soo is it in other soules that are vysyted and lyghtned within of the holy ghost and hath with that suche outwarde felynge in coÌ„forte and wytnessyng of the grace inwarde But that grace is not as I hope in all soules that are perfyte but there our lorde wol Other Inperfyte soules that haue suche felynges outwarde and haue not yet receyued Inwarde grace it is not good to hem to reste in suche felynges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue and to more stablynesse of thoughte in
easy CaplmÌ„ xxxvi ASke thou then of god no thyng but this yeft of loue that is the holy ghost For among al y e yeftes y e our lorde yeueth there is none so good ne so profytable so worthy ne so excelleÌ„t as this is For there is no yefte of god that is bothe the yeuer and y e yefte but this yefte of loue And therfore it is the best and the worthy est The yefte of prophecye the yeftes of myracles worchyng the yefte of the grete knowyng and couÌ„selynge and the yefte of grete fastynge or of grete penauÌ„ce doinge or ony other suche are grete yeftes of the holy ghost but they are not the holy ghost For a reproued soule a dampnable myghte haue al thise yeftes as hath a choseÌ„ soule And therfore al thise maner yeftes are not gretly for to desyre ne moche for to charge But the yefte of loue is the holy ghost god hymself And hym may no soule haue be daÌ„pned wyth al For that yefte saueth it onÌ„ly fro dampnacyon makyth it goddis sone perceyuer of heueÌ„ly heritage And that loue as I haue before sayd is not the affeccyon of loue that is formed in a soule but it is the holy ghoste hymselfe that is loue vnfourmed y t saueth a sowle For he yeueth hymself to a soule fyrst or the soule louith hym and he fourmeth y e affeccyon in y e soule maketh the soule for to loue hym oonly for hymself And not onÌ„ly that but also bi this yefte the soule loueth itself al his euencrysteÌ„ as itself onÌ„ly for god and this is the yefte of loue that makith shedinge atwyx chosen soules reproued And this yefte makyth fully pees atwyxe god a soule and onÌ„ly al blessed creatures holy in god for it makyth IhuÌ„ for to loue vs vs hym also And euery eche of vs for to loue other in hym Coueyte this yefte of loue pryncypally as I haue sayd For yf he woll of his grace yeue it the on that maner wyse it shall open lyghteÌ„ the reason of thy soule for to see sothfastnes y t is god ghostly thynges And it shal styre thyn affeccoÌ„n holy for to see sothfastnes y t is god ghostly thinges And it shal styre thyn affeccion holy fully for to loue hym it shall worche in thy soule oonly as he wol thou shalt beholde IhuÌ„ reuerently with softnes of loue see how he doth Thus byddeth he by his prophete that we sholde do sayenge thus Uacate et videte qmÌ„ ego suÌ„deus Cease ye seeth y e I am god That is ye y â— are refourmed in felynge haue your InÌ„er eye opened in to syÈt of ghostly thynges cease ye some tyme of outwarde worchyng see y t I am god That is See onÌ„ly how I IhuÌ„ god man do Beholde you me for I do al I am loue for loue I do al y t I do ye do nought And y t this is sooth I shall shewe you For there is no gode dede doon by you ne good thought felte in you but yf it be done thrugh me That is Thrugh myght wysdome loue my ghoâ—ly wyttely louely Elles it is noo good dede But now is it soth y â— I IhuÌ„ am bothe myght wysdome and blessed loue ye nought for I am god Then mowe ye welâ—e that I do al your good dedes And al gode though see and al your good loues in you and ye do ryght nought And yet neuertheles ben al thyse good dedes called yours Not for ye worthe hem pryncypally but for I yeue heÌ„ to you for loue that I haue to you And therfore sythen I y â— am Ihesu and for loue dooth al this cease then ye of the beholdynge of yourselfe and sette yourselfe at nought loke on me see that I am god for I do al this This is somwhat of the meanyng of the verse of dauyd before sayd See then beholde what loue wercheth in a chosen soule that he refourmeth in felynge to his lykenes whan y e reason slyghtned a lytyl to y e ghostly knowynge of IhuÌ„ and to y e felynge of his loue Then bryngeth loue in to the soule the full hede of vertues and torneth hâ—m al into softnes in to lykynge as it were with out worchynge of the soule for the soule stryueth not moche for the getynge of hem as it dyde before but it hathe hem easely and felyth hem restfully oonly thorughe the yefte of loue that is the holy ghost And that is a wel grete comforte and gladnes vnspekable whan it felyth sodenly and wote neuer how the vertue of mekenesse and pacyence soberte and sadnesse chastyte and clennes louered to hys euen crysten and al other vertues the whiche weâ—e to hym soÌ„tyme traueylous paynful harde for to kepe are now torned into softnes lykyng and in to wonderful lyghtnes so ferforthe that hym thynkith no maystrine no hardnes for to kepe euery vertue but it is most lykyng to hym for to kepe it al this makyth loue ¶ Other men that stonden in the comoetee of charyte and arne not yet so ferforthe in grace But worche vnder the byddynge of reason they stryuen and fyghten al daye ayenste synnes for the getynge of vertues and sometyme they ben aboue and somtyme bynethe as wrast lees are Thyse men done ful well They haue vertues in reason and wyl not in sauour ne in lone for they fyghten wyth hemselfe as it were by her owne myght for hem And therfore may they not haue full rest ne fully the hyer honde Neuerthelesse they shal haue moche mede but they are not yet mâ—ke ynough They haue not yet putte hemselfe al fully in goddys honde for they see him not yet But a soule that hath ghostly sighte of Ihesu takethe noo grete kepe of stryuynge for vertues for that tyme He is not besy abowte hem specially but he setteth all his besynesse for to kepe that syghte and that beholdyng of Ihesu that it hath for to holde the mynde stably therto And bynde the loue oonly to it that it fall not therfro and forgete all other thynges asmoche as it maye And whanne it dooth thus thenne is Ihesu sothfastly mayster ayen all synnes And bishado wyth it wyth hys blessed presence and getyth it all vertues And the soule is so comforted so borne vp with the softe felynge of loue that it hath of the syghte of IhuÌ„ that it feleth noo grete dysease outwarde And thus sleeth loue generally alsynnes in a soule reformeth it in the newe felynges of vertues ¶ How loue thrugh gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ sleeth al styrynges of pryde maketh y â— soule for to lese sauour delyte in al erthly worshyp CaplmÌ„ xxxvii NEuertheles how loue sleeth synnes refourme th vertues in a soule more specyally shal I saye fyrst of pryde of meknes that it contrary vertue therto Thou
sheelde of sothfastnes the whyche he holdeth kepeth hym so wel that he shal not be hurte thorughe noo styrynge of pryde as longe as he holdeth hym within the sheelde as the prophete sayth Scuto circundabit te verytas eius noÌ„ câ—â—ebis a timore nocâ—uruo Soch fastnes shal vmbyclyppe the with a sheelde that is yf thou al other thynges left oonly beholde hym For theu shalâ— thou not drede for the nyghtes drede That is thon shalt not drede the spyryte of pryde whether he come by nyghte or by daye as the nexte verse sayth after thus A sagitta volante in die Pryde comyth by nyght for to assayle a soule whan it is dispysed and repreued of other men that it sholde by that fall in heuynes in to sorowe It comyth also as an arowe fleinge on the day whan a man is worshypped praysed of al men whether it be for worldly dooynge or for ghostly that he sholde haue vayne Ioye in hymselfe restyngly and fals gladnesse in a passinge thynge This is a sharpe arowe and a paryllous It fleeth swyftly it stryketh softly but it wouÌ„deth dedely But the louer of IhuÌ„ that stabli beholdeth bi deuoute prayers besy thynkynge on hym is so vmbylapped wyth the syker sheelde of sothfastnes that he dredeth not for this arrowe maye not entre in to the soule Ne though it come it hurteth not but glenteth a waye passeth forthe And thus is the soule made meke as I vnderstonde by the worchynge of the holy ghost that is y e gyfte of loue For he openeth the eye of the soule for to see and loue Ihesu And he kepyth the soule in that syght restfully sykerly And helleeth al the styrynges of pryde woÌ„derfully and pryuely and softly and the soule wote neuer how And also he bryngeth in by that waye sothfastly and onely the vertue of mekenesse All this dooth loue but not in al his louers ylyke ful For some hath this grace but shortly and lytyl as it were in the begynnynge of it a lytyl assayenge towarde for the conscyence is not yet cleÌ„sed fully thrugh grace somÌ„ haue it more fully for they haue clerer syght of Ihesu they fele more of his loue And some hath it moost fully for they haue the ful yefte of contemplocyon Neuertheles he that leest hath on this maner I haue sayd I hope so thly he hath the yeft of perfyte mekenes for he hath the yeft of perfyte loue ¶ How loue sleeth al styrynges of wrathe enuye softly refourmeth in the soule the vertues of pees pacâ—ce of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles CaplmÌ„ xxxviii LOue worcheth wysely softly in a soule there he wol for he sleeth myghtyly yre enuye and al passyons of angrynes malencoly in it and bryngeth in to the soule vertues of pacyence myldenes peasybilyte and louered to his euencrysten It is ful harde a grete maystry to a man that stondeth oonly in worchynge of his owne reason for to kepe pacyence holy reest softnes in herte charyte to his euen crysten if they dysease hym vnskylfully and done hym wrong that he ne shal somwhat do ayen to hem thorugh styrynge of yre or of malencolye eyther in spekynge or in worchyng or bothe And neuertheles though a man be styred trowbled â—u hymself and made vnrestful be so that it be not to mochâ— passynge ouer the bondes of reason and that he kepe his honde his tonge and be redy for to foryeue the trespase whan mercy is asked yet this man hath y e vertue of pacyence though it be but weyke nakydly for as moche as he wolde haue it and traueyleth besyly in refreynynge of his vnskylful passyons that he myÈt hane it and also is sory that he hath it not as he sholde But to a true louer of Ihesu it is noo grete maystry for to suffre al â—his For why loue fyghteth for hym sleeth wonder softly suche styrynges of wrathe of malencoly and makyth his soule so easely and so peasyble so sufferynge and so goodly thorugh the ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ wyth the felyng of his blessed loue y e though he be dyspysed repreued of other men or take wrong or harme shame or vylany he chargeth it he is not moche styred ayenste hym He wol not be angred ne styred ayenst hym for yf he were moche styred he sholde forbere the comforte y t he felythe within his soule but y e wol he not He maye lyghtlyer forgete al the wronge that is done to hym than a nother man maye foryeue it though mercy were axed And soo he had wel leuer forgete it for hym thynkyth it moost easy to hym And loue doth al this for loue openyth the eye of the soule to the syght of Ihesu and stablyth it with the lykynge of loue that it feleth by that syght comforteth it so myghtely that it taketh noo kepe what so men Iangle or done eyenst hym It hangeth no thynge vpon hym The most harme that he myght haue were a forberynge of y e ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ And therfore it is leuer to hym for to suffre al harmes than that alone Al this may the soule doo wel and easely wythout grete trowblynge of the ghostly syght whan dysease falleth al wythout forthe and towcheth not the body as is bacbytyng or scornynge or spoylynge of suche as he hathe Al thise greueth noughte But it gooth soÌ„what nerer whaÌ„ the flesshe is towched he feleth smerte then it is harder Neuertheles though it be harde and Impossyble to the freyle kynde of man to suffre bodyly penaunce gladly pacyently wythout bytter stirynges of yre anger maleÌ„coly it is not Impossyble to loue y t is y e holy ghost for to worche this in a soule there he towcheth wyth y e blessed yefte of loue But he yeueth a soule y t is in y e plyghte myghtily felinges of loue and wonderfully fastneth it to IhuÌ„ departeth it wonder ferre from the sensualyte thrugh his preuy myghte and comforteth it soo swetly by his blessed presence that the soule felith lytyl payne or elles none of the sensualyte and this is specyal grace yeueÌ„ to the holy marters This grace had the apostles as holy wryt sayth of hym thus Ibant apostoli gaudeÌ„tes a conspectu consilii qmÌ„ digni habiti suÌ„t pro nomine xpÌ„i coÌ„tumeliaÌ„ pati That is The appostles yede Ioyenge fro the counseyle of y e Iewes wha they were beten with scourges they were gladde that they were worthy for to suffre ony bodily dysease for the loue of Ihesu They were not styred to yre ne to felnes to be auenged on the Iewes that beten heÌ„ as a worldly man wolde be whan he suffred a lytyl harme be it neuer soo lytyl of his euencrysten Ne they were not styred to noo pryde ne to hynes of heÌ„self to dysdeyne
to demyng of y e Iewes as ypocrites heretykes are y e wol suffre moche bodily payne are soÌ„tyme redy for to suffre dethe wyth grete gladnes wyth mighty wyl as it were in the name of Ihesu for loue oh hym Sothly y e loue y e gladnes y t they haue in suffâ—yng of bodily myscheyf is not of the holy ghost It comyth not fro y e fyre that breÌ„neth in the hye awter of heuen but it is feyned by the fende enflammed of helle for it is fully meÌ„ged wyth the heyght of pryde and of presumpcion of hemselfe and despyte and demyng and dysdeyne of hem that thus punysshe hem They wene y t all this is charyte and that they suffre all that for the loue of god but they are begyled of y e myddaye fende A true louer of ihuÌ„ whan he suffreth harme of his eueÌ„ crysten is so strengthed thorugh grace of the holy ghost and is made soo meke soo pacyente soo peasyble And that so sothfastly that what wronge or harme it be that he suffre of his euen crysten he kepeth euer mekenes He dyspyseth hym not he demyth hym not but he prayeth for hym in his herte and hath of hym pyte and coÌ„passyon moche more teÌ„derly than of a nother man y t neuer dide hym harme And sothly better loueth hym and more feruently desyreth the saluacion of his soule by cause that he seeth that he shall haue so moche ghostly profyte of the euyl dede of that other man though it be ayenst his wyl But this loue and this mekenes worcheth onÌ„ly the holy ghoste aboue the kynde of man in hem that he maketh the true louers of Ihesu ¶ How loue sleeth couetyse lechyry and glotenye and sleeth that flesshly sauour and delyte in al the v. bodyly wyttes softly and easely thrugh a gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu Capitulum xxxix COuetise also is slayne in a sowle by the worchinge of loue for it makyth the soule soo coueytous of ghostly gode and to heuenly ryches soo ardaunt that it setteth ryght nought by al erthly thynges It hathe noo more deynte in hauyng of a precyous stone thanne a chalke stone ne more loue hath he in a hundreth pouÌ„de of golde thanne in a pounde of leed It setteth al thinge that shal perysshe at one pryce No more he chargeth that one than that other as in his loue For it semyth wel that al thyse erthly thynges that worldly men lete so grete pryce of loue soo deyntly sholde passe awaye torne to nought both the thynge in itself and the loue of it And therfore he bryngeth it in his thoughte by tyme in to that plyghte that it shal be after and so acounteth it as nought And whan worldly louers stryuen fyghten and plede for erthly good who maye fyrste haue it the louer of Ihesu stryueth wyth noo man but kepyth hymselfe in pees and holdeth hym payd with that y t he hath and wol stryue for no more For hym thynkyth y t he nedeâ—h no more of al the ryches in erthe than a skant bodyly sustenaunce for to saue the bodyly lyf withal as longe as god wol and that he maye lyghtly haue And therfore woll he no more than skantly hym nedeth for the tyme that he maye frely be dyscharged fro besynes aboute the kepynge and the dispendyng of it And fully yeue his herte his sesynes aboute the sekynge of Ihesu for to fynde hym in clenÌ„es of spiryte for that is al his couetyse For why oonly clene of herte shall see hym Also flesshly loue of fader and moder and other worldly frendes hangeth not vpon hym It is euen kutte fro his herte with the swerde of ghostly loue that he hath no more affeccion to fader or moder or to ony worldly freÌ„de than he hath to a nother man But yf he see or fele in hem more grace or more vertue than in other men Oute take this That his fader and his moder had the selfe grace that some other men haue But neuertheles yf they ben not soo thenne loueth he other men better thaÌ„ hem that is charyte And soo sleeth goddis loue couetyse of the worlde and bringeth in to the soule pouerte in spyryte And that dooth loue not oonly in hem that haue right noughte or worldly gode but also in some creatures that are in grete worldly state and haue dispeÌ„dinge or erthly ryches Loue sleeth in some of hem couetyse so ferforth that they haue more lykynge ne sauour in hauynge of hem than of a strawe Ne though they be lost for defawte of hem that sholde kepe hem they sette noughte therby For why the herte of goddis louer is thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost taken so fully wyth y e syghte of the loue of a nother thynge that is Ihesu and that is soo precyous and so worthy that it woll receyue none other loue restyngly that â—s contrary therto And not onÌ„ly doth loue this but also it sleeth the lykyng of lechery al other bodily vnclennes And bryngeth in to y e soule very chastyre torneth it in to likynge For the soule felyth so grete delyte in the syghte of IhuÌ„ that it lykyth for to be chaste is no grete hardnes to it for to kepe chastyte for it is so moost ease moste rest And vpoÌ„ the selfe wyse the yefte of loue sleeth lustes of glotenye makyth y e soule sobre temperauntâ— and bereth it vp so myghtily that it maye not rest in lykynge of mete drynke but it taketh mete drynke what it be that leest greueth the bodyly coÌ„plexyon yf he maye lyghtly come therto Not for loue of itself but for y e loâ—e of god On this maner wyse y e louer of god seeth wel y t hym nedeth for to kepe his bodyly lyf with mete drynke asloÌ„ge as god wol suffre hâ—m to be togyder Then shal this be y e dyscrecoÌ„n of the louer of IhuÌ„ as I vnderstoÌ„de y â— hath felyng worchynge in the loue y t vpon what maner y t he maye most kepe his grace holâ— and leest be letted fro worchyng in it thorugh takynge of bodyly sustenaunce so shal he do That maner of mefe y e leest letteth lest troubleth y e herte and maye kepe the body in strengthe be it flesshe be it fysshe be it brede ale y t I trowe the soule cheseth for to haue yf it maye come therby For al the besynes of the soule is for to thinke on IhuÌ„ with reuerent loue euer without â—ettynge of ony thynge yf y t it myght And therfore sythen it must nedes soÌ„what be letted hyndred the lesse y t it is letted hyndred by mete or drynke or ony other thynge the leuâ—r it is It had leuer vse the beste mete moste of pryce vnder the sonÌ„e yf it lesse letted the kepynge of his herte than for to take but brede water yf y t letted hym more For
thynge maye make the soule of a louer ful of myrthe but the gracyous presence of Ihesu as he can shewe hym to a clene soule He is neuer heuy ne sory but whan he is with hymself in flesshlynes He is neuer ful gladde ne mery but whan he is out of hymselfe as he was with Ihesu in his ghostlynes And yet is that no ful myrthe for euer there hangeth an heuy luÌ„pe of bodyly corrupcyon on his soule bereth it downe moche letteth y â— ghostly gladnes and y â— must euer be whyles it is here in this lyfe but neuerthese for I speke of chaungabylyte of grace howe it comyâ—th goth that thou mystake it not therfore I meane not of the comyn grace that is had felte in trouth in good wyl to god without the whiche hauynge lastynge therin no man maye be saaf for it is in the leest chosen so uâ—e y â— lyueth but I meane of specyal grace felt by Inspyracyon of y e holy ghost in the maner as it is before sayd The comen grace that is charyte lasteth hole what so euer a man do aslonge as his wyll his entente is true to god withoute the whiche hauynge lastynge that he wolde not synne dedely ne the dede y â— he wylfully dooth is not forbede as for dedely synne For this grace is not losts but for dedely synÌ„e And then it is dedely syÌ„ne whan his concyence wytnesseth with a vysement that it is dedely synne yet neuertheles he dooth it or elles his conscyence is so blynded that he holdeth it no dedely synÌ„e al though he doo the dede wylfully the whiche is forbode of god holy chyrche as dedely synne Specyal grace felt thrugh the vnseable presence of Ihesu that makyth a soule a perfyte louer lastyth not euerylyke hole in the hyghnes of felyng but chauÌ„gably comyth gooth as I haue sayd before Thus our lorde sayth SpuÌ„s vbi vult spirat vocem eius audis nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat The holy ghost spyreth where he woll and thou herest his voys but thou wost not whaÌ„ he comith ne whether he gooth He comyth pryuely some tyme whan thou arte leest waar of hym but thou shalt well knowe hym or thou go For woÌ„derfully he styryth myghtyly torneth thin herte in to beholding of his godenes and doth thin hert melte delectably as waxe ayenst y â— fyre in to softnes of his loue and this is the voys that he sowneth But then he gooth or thou wote it for he withdrawyth hym soÌ„what nought in al but fro excesse in to sobirte The hyghnes passeth but y e substaunce theffectte of grace dwelleth stylle And that is asloÌ„ge as y e soule of a louer kepyth hym clene falleth not wylfully to recheleshede or dissolucion in flesshlynes ne to outwarde vanyte as somtymÌ„ it dooth though it haue no delyte therin for frelte of itself Of this chauÌ„gabylyte iÌ„ grace speke I of now ¶ A commendacyon of prayer offred to IhuÌ„ of a soule contemplatyfe And how stablynes in prayer is a syker werke to stoÌ„de in And how euery felynge of grace in a chosen soule may be sayd IhuÌ„ but the more clenner the soule is the worthyer is the grace CaplmÌ„ xlii THe soule of a man whyle it is not towched with specyal grace is blunt boystous to ghostly werke câ— nought theron It may not therof for weyknes of itself It is both olde drye vndeuoute vnsauery in itself But thenne comyth the lyghte of grace thrugh towchyng makyth it sharpe suptyl redy able to ghostly werke and yeueth it a grete fredom and an hole redynes in wyl for to be buxom to al the styrynge of grace redy for to worche after that grace styreth the soule For by openynge of y e ghostly eye it is applyed al fully to grace redy to pray And how the soule prayeth thenne shal I telle the The moost specyal prayer that y â— soule vseth and hath moost coÌ„forte in I hope is the Pater noster or elles psalmes of the sawter The pater noster for lewde men and psalmes ympnes other seruyce of holy chirche for lettred The soule prayeth thenne not in maner as it dyde before in comyn maner of men by hyghnes of voys or by renable spekynge oute but in ful grete stylnesse of voys softnes of herte For why his mynde is not trowbled ne taryed with outwarde thynges but hole gadred togyder in itself And the soule is set as it were in a ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ and therfore euery worde euery syllable is sowned sauerly swete delectably with ful acorde of mouthe of herte For why the soule is torned then al in to fyre of loue And therfore euery worde that it preuely prayeth is leke to a spercle springyng out of a fyre bronde y â— chafeth al y e myghtes of the soule torneth heÌ„ iÌ„ to loue lyÈtneth heÌ„ so coÌ„fortably y t y e soule lyst euer for to pray do none other thyng The more it prayeth y e better it may y e myghtier it is for grace helpeth y e soule wel makyth al thyng lyght easy y t it lyste ryght wel to psalme synge the louynges of god with ghostly myrth in heueÌ„ly delyte This ghostly werke is fode of y e soule this prayer is of moche vertue For it wasteth bryngeth to nouÈt al teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns of y e fende preuy a perte it sleth al y e mynde y e lykynge of y e worlde of flesshly synÌ„es it bereth vp y e body y e soule fro paynful felynge of wretchydnes of this lyf It kepyth y e soule iÌ„ felyng of grace worchyng of loue norysshe it euer ylyke hote fresshe as styckes norissheth fyre It puttith awaye alyrkyng heuynes of hert holdeth it iÌ„ smight iÌ„ ghostly gladnesse Of this prayer spekyth dauyd thus Dirigat oracio mea sicut insensuÌ„ in conspectu tuo That is Dressed be my prayer lorde as enceÌ„ce in thy sighte For ryght as ensence y t is cast in y e fyre makyth a swete smel by y e reke styghyng vp to the ayre ryght so a psalme sauourly softly songe or sayd in a brennynge herte yeuyth vp a swete smelle to y e face of our lorde IhuÌ„ and to al the courte of heuen There dare no flesshe flye rest vpon the pottes brynke boylynge on the fyre Right soo may there no flesshly delyte reste vpon a clene soule y t is happed warmed al in y e fyre of loue boylytige and blowinge psalmes louynges to IhuÌ„ This prayer is euer herde of Ihesu It yeldyth grace to Ihesu And receyueth grace agayne It makyth a soule homely felowly with IhuÌ„ and wyth alle the angels of heuen Use it who soo maye The werke is good and gracyous in itselfe And though it be not al fully contemplacyon
meo seÌ„per ardebit et sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extynguatur Fyre shal euer bren in myn auter the prest rysyng at morowe shal put vnder styckes y t it be not quenched this fyre is loue desyre to god in a soule y e whiche loueth for to be norysshed kept by layeÌ„g to y e stickes y t it go not out thyse styckes are so douers maters some are of o tre somÌ„ are of an other a man that is lettered hath vnderstoÌ„dyng of holy wryt yf he haue this fyre of deuocyon in his hert it is good to hym to gete hym styckes of holy ensaÌ„ples deuoute prayers norysshe y e fyre with heÌ„ An other man vnlettered may not so redely haue at his honde holy wrytte ne doctours sayenge and therfore it nedeth to hym for to do many good dedes outwarde to his euen crysten kyndel the fyre of loue with hem And soo it is good that eche man in his degre after that he is dysposed that he gete hym styckes of o thynge or of other eyther prayers or medytacions or redyng in holy wryt or gode bodyly werkis for to norysshe y e fyre of loue in his soule that it be not quenched for the affeccyon of loue is tendre lyghtly wyl vanysshe awaye but yf it be wel kept by good dedes bodyly and ghostly contynuelly norysshed Now chanue sythen our lorde hath sent in to thyn herte a lytyl sparke of this blyssed fyre that is hym selfe as holy wrytte saythe ¶ Dominus noster ignis consumens est ¶ Oure lorde god is fyer wastynge for as bodely fyer wasteth al bodyly thyng y t may be wasted ryght soo ghostly fyre y t is god wastith al maner of synÌ„e therfore our lorde is lykned to fyer wastyng I pray y e norysshe this fyer this fyer is not elles but loue charyte this hath he sent in to y e erthe as he sayth iÌ„ y e gospel IgneÌ„ veni mittere iÌ„ terraÌ„ ad quid nisi vt ardeat I am comeÌ„ to seÌ„de fyre iÌ„to y e erth wherto but y t it sholde breÌ„ y t is god hath sent fyre of loue a gode desyre a grete wyl for to plese hym in to maÌ„nes soule vnto this ende y â— maÌ„ shal know it kepe it noryssh it strength it therby be saued y e more desyre y t thou hast to hyÌ„ for hiÌ„ y e more is y e fyre of loue in ye. the lesse that this desyre is in the. the lesse is the fyre y e mesure of this desyre how mekyl it is neyther in thyself or ony other knowest thou not ne no man of himself but god only y â— yeueth it therfore dyspute not with thyselfe as though thou woldest know how mekyl thy desyre is be besy for to desyre as mekyl as thou mayst but not for to wyte y e mesure of desyre ¶ What is desyre to god for hymself how in clennes of conscyence is very coÌ„fort swetnes Ca viii SAynt austyn sayth y t the lyf of euery good crysten maÌ„ is a contynuel desyre to god that is of grete vertu â—or it is a grete cryeng in y e ere 's of god y e feruentlyer thou desyrest the hygher thou cryest y e better thou prayest y e wiselyer thou thynkest what is this desyre sothly no thynge butlo thyng of al this worldes blysse of al flesshly lykynge in thyn herte a wonderful louyng with a restful yernyng of endles blysse heueÌ„ly Ioy. this thyng may be called a desyre to god for hymself yf thou haue this desyre as I hope sikerly y t thou hast I praye y â— kepe it wel norysshe it wysly whan thou shalt pray or thynke make this desyre begynnyng endyng of al thy werke for to encrece it loke after none other feling iÌ„ thy bodyly wittes ne seke after none other bodyly swetnes neyther sownyng ne sauouryng ne wondfullyÈt ne auÌ„gels syght ne though our lorde hymself as vnto thy syght wolde apere to y e bodely charge it but a lytyl but that al thy besynes be y â— thou myÈtest fele sothfastly thy thouÈt a lothyng a ful forsakyng of al maner of synne of all maner of vnclennes with a ghostly syght of it howe foule how vgly how paynful it is that thou myghtest haue a myghty desyryng to vertues to meknes to charite to y e blysse of heuen this thinketh me were ghostly comfort ghostly swetnes in mannes soule as for to haue celennes iÌ„ conscyence fro wyckednes of al worldly vynyte with stable trouth meke hope ful desyre to god how so euer that it be of other comfortis swetnessis me thynketh that swetnes syker sothfast that is feled in cleÌ„nes of conscyence by myghty forsakyng lethyng of al synÌ„e with inwarde syght feruent desyre of ghostly thynges Al other comfortis and swetnessys of ony maner of felynge but yf they helpe lede to this ende that is to clennes of conscyence ghostly desyre of god are not syker to rest on But now askest thou whether this desyre be loue to god as vnto this I saye that this desyre is not properly loue but it is a begynnyng a tastyng of loue for loue properly is a ful cowpelynge of the louer they loued togyder as god a soule in to one this cowpelyng may not be fully had in this lyf but only in desyre longyng therto as by this ensample If a man loue an other maÌ„ whiche is absent he desyreth gretly his presence Ryght so ghostly as longe as we are in this lyf our lorde is absent fro vs y t we may neyther se hym ne here hym ne fele hym as he is therfore we maye not haue y e vse of thys ful loue here in ful lykyng but we may haue a desyre a grete yernyng for to be present to hym for to se hym in his blysse fully for to be oned to hym in loue this desyre may we haue of his yefte in this lyf by the whiche we shall be safe for it is loue vnto hym as it may be had here thus saynt poul sayth ¶ Scientes qmÌ„ duÌ„ sumus iÌ„ hoc corpore pegrinamur a dnÌ„o per fide menim ambulamus non pec spÌ„em audemus bonam voluntatem heÌ„mus magis peregrinari a corpore presences eÌ„e ad deuÌ„ ioÌ„ contendimus siue absentes siue presentes placere illi Saynt poul sayth that as long as we are in this body we are pylgrymes fro our lorde y t is we are absent fro heuen in this excile we goo by trouth not by syght y t is we lyue in trouthe not in bodely felynge we dare we â—â—â—ue a good wyl to be absent fro the body be present to god y â— is we for clennes in
wyll vse other as thy pater noster or ony suche other of thise in the whiche thou felest most sauour most ghostly coÌ„ for in y t holde I best to the. this maner of prayer is spedfull comynly to euery man in the begynnynge of his conuersyon for to vse mooste of ony other ghostely ocupacyon \ For a man in the begynnynge is rude boystous and flesshly but yf he haue the grace can not thynke noo ghostly thoughtes in meditacyon for his soule is not yet clensed fro the olde synÌ„e therfore I hope it is moste spedful for to vse this maner of prayer as for to say his pater noster his aue to rede vpon his sawter suche other ¶ For he y t can not renne lyghtly by ghostly prayer for his fete of knowynge of louynge ben seke for synne him nedethe to haue a syker staffe for to holde hym by This staffe is specyal prayer of speche ordened by god and holy chyrche in helpe of mennys soules By the whiche prayer the soule of a flesshly man that is alway fallynge dounwarde in to worldly thoughtes flesshly affeccyons shall be lyft vp fro hem be holden by it as by a staffe fed with shete wordes of the prayer as a chylde with mylke ruled by it that he fall not in to errours ne fantasyes by his vayne meditacyons For in this maner of prayer is noo deceyte who so wyl stedfastly mekely trauayle therin ¶ What peryl is to men y t in y e begynÌ„yng of her torninge to god leueth the comyn prayer of thordynaunce of of â—oly churche yeueÌ„ hem to medytacyoÌ„ Ca xxviii THen may thou see by this that thise men yf ony be suche y t in the begynnynge of hyr conuersyoÌ„ or soone after whaÌ„ they haue felt a lytyl ghostly coÌ„fort other in deuocyon or in knowyng are not yet stabled therin they leue suche prayer vocal to sone other bodely exercise yeue them hooly to mydytacion they beÌ„ not wise for oftsythes in her rest for her meditacyons they ymagyn thynke on ghostly thiÌ„ges after her owne wytte folow her bodely felynge haue not yet receyued grace therto therfore they by descrecyon oftesythes ouertrauayle her wittes breken her bodely myght so they fal in to fantatasyes syngler conceytes or in opyn errours letten y e grace that god yeuyth heÌ„ by suche vanitees the cause of all this is a preuy pryde of hemself as whaÌ„ they haue felt a lytyl grace they wene it so moche passynge other y t they fall in vaynglory so they lese it If they wyst how lytyl it were y t they fele iÌ„ regard of that y e godyeuith or may yeue they sholde be ashamyd to speke ought therof but it were in grete nede Of this maner of prayer by speche shekyth dauyd in the â—awter thus Uoce mea ad dnÌ„m clamaui voce mea ad dnÌ„m depÌ„catus sum Loo dauid y e propheâ—e for to styre other men to pray both with hert with mouth sayd with thy voys I cryed to god with my speche I besought our lorde ¶ Of the ii maner of prayer y t is in speche not certayn but folowyth y e styryng of deuocyoÌ„ Caplm xxix THe ii maner of prayer is by speche but it is not of ony certayn specyal al sayeng And this is whaÌ„ a man or a woman felyth grace of deuocyon by the yeâ—t of god in his deuocyon spekith to hym as he were bodely in his preseÌ„ce with suche wordes as acordeth moost to his styryng for the tyme. as comyth to his mynde after dyuers rewardes whiche he felyth in his hert eyther rehersyng his synnes his wretchydnes or the malyce the sleyghtes of the enmye or elles the mercy the goodnes of god And with that he cryeth with desyre of herte with speche of mouth to our lorde for socour for helpe as a man that were in peryl amoÌ„ge his enmyes or in syknes shewynge his â—ores to god as to a leche sayenge as dauid sayd Eripe me de inimicis me is deus meus A lorde delyuer me of myn enmyes Or elles thus Sana aiÌ„am meaÌ„ qr peccaue tibi A lorde he le my soule for I haue synned ayenst y e Or suche other as cometh to mynde And also hym thynketh so moche godenes grace mercy in god y t hym lykith with grete affeccyon of y e hert for to loue hym thanke hym by suche wordes psalmes as acordeth to y e louyng praysynge of god as dauyd sayd CoÌ„fitemini dnÌ„o qmÌ„ bonê° qmÌ„ in sclm miÌ„a eius Loue ye prayse our lorde for he is good by suche other as he is styred to say ¶ That y e ii maner of paryer pleseth moche god makyth a man to haue hyÌ„ in body as he were droÌ„ke makyth hym in soule to be wounded with the swerde of loue Caplm xxx THis maner of prayer moche pleseth god for it is oonly of y e affeccyoÌ„ of y e hert therfore it goth neuer vnsped without some grace thys prayer loÌ„geth to the ii part of conteÌ„placyon as I haue sayd before Who so hath this yeft of god reuereÌ„tly hym behouith for the tyme to flee presence company of all men to be alone y t he be not letted who so haue it holde it whyle he may for it may not longe last in the feruour For if grace come plenteuously it is traueylous woÌ„derfully to y e spyrite though it be likyng And it is moche wastyng to y e bodely kynde who so moche vse it For it makyth the body yf grace come myghtly for to styre tourne here there as a man y t were madde or droÌ„ken cowde haue no rest this is a poynt of y e passioÌ„ of loue y â— whiche by grete vyoleÌ„ce maystry brekyth down al lustes lykynges of ony erthly thynge it wouÌ„deth y e soule wyth y e blysful swerde of loue y t the body falleth downe may not bere it This touchynge is of so grete myght y t the moost vycyous or flesshly man lyuyng in erthe yf he were well towched ones myghtely with this sharpe swerde he sholde be ryght sadde sobre a grete whyle after lothe al y â— lustes lykynges of his flesshe al erly thynges whiche he had moost delyte in ¶ How y e fyre of loue wasteth al flesshli lustes as other fyre wastyth hodely thynges Caplm xxxi OF this maner of felynge spekith the prophete Ieremye thus Et factus est in corde meo quasi ignis estuans clausus qm in ossibus meis defeci ferre noÌ„ sustinens This is thus moche to vnderstoÌ„de The loue the felyng of god was made in my hert not fyre but as fyre glowyng For as bodely fyre breÌ„neth wasteth al bodely thyng where it comyth Ryght so
of her euen crysten sothely it hyndreth heÌ„ and letteth hem fro the feruour of charyte also fro y e specyal mede whiche they sholde haue in the blysse of heuen for perfyte pouerte and that is a grete losse yf they myght se it For who so myght know ghostly mede how good how precyous and how worthy it is for it is aye lastyng he wolde not for the loue of al erthly Ioye or hauour of al erthly thyng eyf he myght haue it withouten synne lette ne lesse y e lest mede of the blysse of heueÌ„ whiche he myght haue yf that he wolde I speke ferther thaÌ„ I doo But I praye the doo thus as I saye by the grace of god yf thon maye or ony other man who soo wyll For that were a comforte to my herte that yf I may not haue it in myselfe as I saye that I myghte haue it in y e Or in ony other creature whiche hathe receyued more plente of his grace than I But see nowe thenne syth couetyse in the naked grounde letteth a man or a woman soo moche fro the ghostely felynge of y e loue of god howe moche more thenne it letteth and combrethe wordly men wymÌ„en the whiche by al her wyttes bodely besynes nyghte daye studye traueyle how they myght gete ryches plente of worldly good They can none other delyte haue but in worldly thynges ne they wyl not for they seche it not I say no more of heÌ„ at this tyme for in this wrytyng I speke not to hem But this I saye yf they myght see wolde see what they do they sholde not do so ¶ How a man shal knowe whaÌ„ he synneth not in etynge drynkyng whan he synneth venyally whan dedely Caplm lxxii yEt may thouse more in this ymage though it be derke that is flesshly loue to thyselfe in glotenye accidie lechetye Thyse flesshly lykynges makeÌ„ a man ful bestly ferre fro y e inly sauour of y e loue of god fro y e clere syght of ghostly thynges But now sayest thou Syth y e behoueth nedelinges ete is no syn drynke slepe y t may thou not do without lyking therfore y e thynketh thê As vnto this I say y t yf thou kepe iÌ„ etyng or in drynkyng in other nedeful thynges of thy body mesure in thy nede thou receyuest noo more lykynge than kynde askyth And alle this thou doost for ghostly delyte whiche thou felyst in the soule I graunt y e forsoth y t thou then synnest ryght nought therin for then can thou wel ete slepe Sothly withouteÌ„ doubte I am ful ferre fro y e knowyng ferder fro y e werching For to ete I haue by kynde but to cuÌ„ne ete I maye not but by the grace of god Saynt poul had by grace this cunnyng as he sayth hymselfe thus Ubique in oiÌ„bus institutus suÌ„ scio saciari esurire habuÌ„dare penuciaÌ„ pati OiÌ„a possuÌ„ in eo qui me comfortat I am enformed kenned in all thynges For I can huÌ„ger I can ete I can with plente I can with pouerte I maye al in hym y e strenghthyth me \ Saynt austyn sayd tyll our lorde thê° Lorde thou hast teched me y t I sholde take mete as a medycyne Hunger is a syknes of kynde mete is a medicine therto Therfore y e lykyng y e comith with al in asmoche as it is kyndly nedful it is no synÌ„e but whan it passyth into lust into wylful likyng then it is synne And therfore therÌ„lyeth al y e maystry for to cuÌ„ne departe wysely nede fro luste wylful lykyng they are so knyt togyder y e one comyth with y e other so y t it is harde for to receyue that one as y e nede repreue that other as wylful luste y t whiche oft comyth vnder colour of nede Neuertheles syth it is so y t nede is y e grouÌ„de of this y e nede is no syn for be a man neuer so holy hym behoueth to ete drynke slepe therfore y e lust y e lykynge that cometh vnder the colour of this nede passyth this nede is y e lesse syn For a man synneth not dedely comynly in glotenye but yf he be encoÌ„bred with other dedely synnes beforn done then may he y e lyghtlyer synÌ„e dedely in this For it is soth he that chelyth â—ust lyking of his flesshe delytes iÌ„ welfare of mete or drynke as ful reste of his herte that he wolde neuer haue other lyfe ne other blisse but lyue euer in suche lustê of his flesshe yf he might it is no dowte but y t he synneth dedely for he loueth his flesshe more than god But he that lyeth indedely syn of pryde or enuye or suche other he is soo blynded by y e deuyl that for y e tyme he hath no power of his free wyl therfore he may not wel ayenstoÌ„de flesshly lykinges whan they come but falleth down wylfully to hem as a beest doth to caryoÌ„ And in asmoche as he hath no generall wyll before to god pryncipally by cause that he is in dedely syn therfore y e lust of glotenye y t whiche he falleth iÌ„ lyghtly is to hyÌ„ dedely syn for he makith none ayeÌ„stoÌ„dyng general ne specyal But a nother maÌ„ or woman whiche in grace charyte hath alwaye a good general wyl to god in his soule wheder he slepe or wake ete or drynke or what good dede y t he dooth so y t it be not euyl in itself by y t whiche wyl desyre he chesyth god aboue al thyng hath leuer forbere al thyng of y e worlde than wrathe his god for loue of hym This wyl though it be but general it is of so grete vertu bi y e grace of our lorde IhuÌ„ y t yf he fal by freelte in lust in lykyng of mete of drynke or of suche other syknes eyther by excesse of tomoche eting or to ofteÌ„ or to gredely or to lustly delycatly or to sone iÌ„vntyme it saueth hyÌ„ kepith hyÌ„ fro dely synÌ„e And this is soth aslong as he is in charyte by other dedes kepyth his general wyl to al y e he dooth namly yf he knowe amonge his owne wretchydnes crye after mercy be in purpose specyally to ayenstoÌ„de suche flesshly lustes for our lorde is good mercyfull thyse venyal synÌ„es of glotenye he foryeueth ryght sone vnto a meke soule For the styryng y e lykyng of glotenye in asmoche as they are hardest for to flee by cause of nede of y e bodely kynde among al other synÌ„es are moost exscusable leest peryllous And therfore thou shalt not ryse ayenst y e grouÌ„de of this syn as thou shalt ayenst all other synnes \ for y e grouÌ„de of this syn is oonly nede whiche may not be escaped but if thou wylt do