and holde the wythin and begge noo more wythouten namely swynes mete For yf thou woll algates be a begger aske and craue within of thy lorde Ihesu for he is ryche ynough and gladlyer woll yeue the than thou wolt aske And renne noo more oute as a best of the flocke that is a worldly man or woman that hath noo more delite but in his bodily wyttes And yf thou doo thus thy lorde Ihesu woll yeue the all that the nedeth For he maye lede the in to his wyne seler and make the for to assaye of his wynes whiche the lyketh best for he hath many tonnes Thus a chosen soule Ioyenge in holy wrytte sayth of our lorde Introduxit me rex in cellam vinariam A kynge ladde me in to a wyne celer And that is for to sayâ— â— In as moche as I forsake the dronkennes of flesshely lustes and worldely lykynges whiche arne bytter as wormode fâ—r thy the kynge of blysse lorde Ihesu ledde me in That is to saye Fyrste in to my selfe for to beholde and knowe myself And after he ledde me in to his celer that is to saye abouen myself by ouerpassyng oonly in tyl hym and gaaf me assaye of his wyne y t is for to taast a syknes of ghostly swetnes and heuenly Ioye Thise arne not wordes of me a wretchyd caytif liuyng in synne but they arn wordes of the spowse of our lorde in holy wrytt thise wordes I say to the that y u myghte drawe in thy soule fro wythouten and folowe after as thou maye ¶ That the hole of ymaginacoÌ„n nedyth to be stopped as well as the wyndowes of the wyttes Caplm lxxxi BVt now sayest thou that thou doost soo thou seest noo worldly thinges ne herest none ne hast none vse of thy bodily wyttes more than nede asketh and for thy thou art enclosed As to this I saye If thou do thus as I hope thou doost thenne hast thou stopped a grete wyndow of this ymage but yet arte thou not syker for thou hast not stopped the priue holes of the ymaginyng in thyne herte For yf thou see me not wyth thy bodily eye thou maye see me in thy soule by ymagynacoÌ„n and soo mayst thou doo of al bodily thynges ThenÌ„e yf thy soule be fedde wilfully by ymaginacioÌ„s of vanytees of the worlde and desiryng of worldly thynges for a wylfull coÌ„forte ease sothly yf thy soule be wythin as for the bodyly wyttes it is neuertheles full ferre wythouten by suche vayne ymaginacoÌ„n But now askest thou whether it be ony grete synne a soule for to occupye hym in suche vanytees eyther in wyttes or in ymaginyng As vnto this I saye that I wolde y t thou sholdest neuer aske man this questyon For he that wylt sothfastly loue god he askith not cominly whether this is greter synÌ„e or this For him shall thinke what thyng lettith him fro the loue of god is grete synne and hym shall thynke noo thyng synne but that thyng whiche is not good letteth hym fro the loue of god What is synne but a wanting or a forberyng of good I saye not that it shall be paynful to hym as a dedely synne or a venyall sholde ben ne I saye not but that he knoweth dedely fro venyall and more fleeth it ¶ Whan the vse of the wyttes ben dedely synÌ„e and whan venyall Caplm lxxxii NEuertheles some dele shall I saye to thy questyon For thy desyre drawyth more oute of myn herte than I thoughte for to haue sayd in the begynnyng Our lorde sayth in the gospell thus Homo quidaÌ„ fecit cenam magnaÌ„ etvocauit multos misit seruuÌ„ suuÌ„ dicere inuitatis vt venireÌ„t Primê° dixit VillaÌ„ emi rogo te habe me excusatuÌ„ Scds dixit Iuga bouÌ„ emi quinque et eo probare illa Et terciê° dixit VxoreÌ„ duxi ideo non possuÌ„ venire A man made a grete supper and called many therto And sent his seruaunt at supper tyme after hem that were prayed The fyrste exscused hym and sayd on thyâ— wyse that he myghte not come for he had boughte a towne The tother also excused hym that he myght not come for he had boughte fyue yockes of oxen and yede for to assaye hem The thyrde for he had weddded a wyfe I leue for to speke of the fyrste of the laste and I telle the of the myddelest of hym that boughte the oxen for he is to this purpoos Fyue yockes of oxen betokeÌ„ the fyue wyttes whiche arn beestly as an oxe Now this man that was called to the supper was not repreued for he boughte thyse oxen but for he yede for to assaye heÌ„ and soo he wolde not come Right soo saye I to the For to haue thy wyttes and vse hem in nede it is noo synne But if thou goo wylfully for to assaye hem by vayne delyte in creatures thenne it is synne For yf thou chese that delyte as for a fynall reste of thy soule and as a full likyng that thou kepeste none other blysse to haue but suche manerÌ„ worldly vanyte thenne it is dedely for thou chesest it as thy god and soo shalt thou be put fro y e supper For saynt poul forbede vs that we shold not assaye our wytt so whan he sayd thê° Post coÌ„cupisceÌ„cias tuas noÌ„ eas Thou shalt not goo after thy lust ne wyl fully assaye thy likynges A man or a woman that is encombred wyth dedely synÌ„e shall not well escape dedely synÌ„e in this though he see it not but I hope it toucheth not the Neuertheles yf thou by freelte delyte the in thy wyttes suche vanytee but in that thou kepest the in charyte in other sydes and thou chesest not this delyte for a full reste of thy soule but thou set test aye god before all thyng in thy desire this synne is venial after the circuÌ„staunce more or lesse ne thou shalt not for thise venyall synÌ„es be put fro the supper in the blysse of heuen but thou shalt wante the taastyng the assayeng of that delycate supper liuyng in erthe but yf thou be besye wyth all thy myÈtes for to ayenstonde suche venyall synÌ„es For though it be so that venyall synÌ„es breke not charyte sothly they lette the feruour and the ghostly felyng of charyte ¶ How a ghostly man or woman shall haue hem to hem that come to hem Caplm lxxxiii BVt now sayst thou that thou maye not kepe the fro heryng of vanytees for dyuers men worldly other come ofte for to speke wyth the. and telle the some tales of vanyte As vnto this I saye thus that comynyng with thyn euen crysten is not moche ayenst the but helpith the somtyme yf thou werche wysely For thou maye assaye therby y e mesure of thy charyte to thyn euen crysten whether it be moche or lityll Thou arte bouÌ„den as eche man woman is to loue thin eueÌ„ crysten pryncypally in thyne herte also in dede for to shewe hem tokens of
lityll and leuyth wylfully the werking therof and makith hymself to traueyle in a nother whiche he hath not yet oonly for he seeth or hereth that other meÌ„ dyde soo sothly he maye renne awhyle tyll he be wery And thenne shall he tourne home ayen And but he bewaar he maye hurte his fete by some fantasyes or that he come home But he that werkyth in suche grace as he hath and desireth by prayer mekely and lastyngly after more And after felyth his herte styred for to folowe the grace whiche he desyred he maye sykerly renne yf he kepe mekenes And therfore desyre of god as moche as thou maye wythout mesure or discrecy on of all that longeth to his loue or to heueÌ„ blysse For who soo can moost desire of god moost shall fele of hym But werkyth as y u mayst and crye god mercy for that thou mayst not Thus it semyth saynt poul sayd Vnusquisque habet donum suuÌ„ a deo Alius auteÌ„ sic alius vero sic ItmÌ„ Vnicuique nostrum data est gracia scdm mensuraÌ„ donacionis cristi â—tmÌ„ Diuisiones graÌ„rum sunt â—lii datur sermo sapiencie alii sermo scieÌ„cie c ItmÌ„ Vt sciamê° que a deo donata suÌ„t nobis Saynt poul sayth that euery man hath his yefte of god one thê° and a nother thus For to euery man that shall be saued is yeuen a grace after the mesure of crystis yeft And therfore it is spedefull that we knowe the yeftes whyche arn yeuen vs of god that we myght werke in hem for by those we shall be saued as some by bodily werkes and by dedes of merci some bi grete bodily penaunce some by sorowe wepyng for her synÌ„es all her lyfe tyme some by prechyng techyng some by dyuerse graces yeftes of deuocoÌ„n shall be saaf come to blisse ¶ That a man shold traueyle to knowe his owoe soule and the myghtes therof and breke down the grounde of synne therin Caplm xlii NEuertheles there is one werke whiche is nedefull and spedefull to traueyle in And I hope an hyghe playne waye as moche as maye be in mannes werke to contemplacoÌ„n And that is a man for to entre in to hymself for to knoew his owne soule and y e myghtes therof The fayrnes and the towlnes of it In this Inwarde beholdynge thou shalte mowe see the worshyp and the dignyte whyche it sholde haue by kynde of the first makyng And thou shalt see the wretchydnes and the myscheyf whyche thou art falle in for synne And of this syghte shall come a desyre wyth grete longynge in thyn hert for to recouer ayen that dignite worshyppÌ„ whyche thou hast loste Also thou shalt fele a lothyng a grysyng of thyself wyth a grete wyll for to distroye bere downe thyself and all thynges that letten the fro that dygnyte and that Ioye This is a ghostly traueylle harde sharpe in the begynnyng who soo wyll quyckely traueyle therin For it is a traueyle in the soule ayenst the grounde of all synnes lytill moche whiche grounde is nought elles but a fals mysruled loue of man to hymselfe Out of this loue as saynt austyn sayth spryngeth all maner of synne dedely venyall And sothly vntyll this grouÌ„de be well rasaken depe doluyn as it were nere dryed vp by outcastyng of al flesshly worldly dredes and loues a soule maye neuer fele ghostly the brennyng loue of Ihesu cryst ne haue the homlynes of his gracyous presence ne haue clere sight of ghostly thynges by lyghte of vnderstondyng This is the traueyle that a man behoueth to draw his herte his mynde fro the flesshly loue the likyng of all erthly creatures fro vayn thouÈtes fro fleshly ymagynacoÌ„ns out fro the loue and the vicyous felyng of hymself that the sowle shall mowe noo rest fynde in noo flesshly thoughtes ne erthely affeccyon Thenne in as moche as the sowle may not fynde his ghostly rest in the loue and in the syght of IhuÌ„ Cryst it behouyth nedelynges suffre payne This traueylle is somdelyche streyte narrow And neuertheles I hope it is the way whyche cryst teched to hem y â— wold be his perfyte louers in the gospel sayeng thus ConteÌ„dite intrare per angustaÌ„ portam qmÌ„ arta est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ et pauci inueniuÌ„t eaÌ„ Stryue ye for to entre by a strayte yate for the waye y â— ledeth to heuen is narow and few 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 toliat cruceÌ„ suaÌ„ sequatur me ItmÌ„ Qui odit aiÌ„am suaÌ„ in hoc muÌ„do in vitam eternaÌ„ custodit eaÌ„ That is to saye who soo wyll come after me forsake hymself hate his owne soule That is to saye Forsake all flesshly loue and hate his owne flesshely lyf and vayne likyng of al his bodily wyttes for loue of me And take y e crosse That is to saye Suffre the payne of this a while and thenÌ„e folowe me that is to saye in contemplacoÌ„n of my manhede of my godhede This is a strayte waye a narow that noo bodily thyng maye passe thorugh it for it is a sleeng of all synÌ„e as saynt poul sayth Mortificate meÌ„ bra vestra que suÌ„t super terraÌ„ immuÌ„diciaÌ„ libidineÌ„ concupiscenciaÌ„ malam Slee your membres vpoÌ„ erth not the membres of the body but of the soule as vnclennes lust vnskylfull loue to yourself and to erthely thynges Therfore as thy traueyle hath ben here before for to ayenstoÌ„de bodily sinnes open temptacoÌ„ns of the enmye as it were fro without right soo the behouyth now in this ghostly werke wythin thyselfe for to destroye and breke the grounde of synÌ„e in thiself asmoche as thou may And that thou myght the more redily brynge it aboute I shall telle the as me thynkyth ¶ How a man shall knowe the worthines and the worshyp of his soule that it had fyrst of And what wretchydnes myscheif it is falle in for synne Caplm xliii THe soule of a man is a lyf made of thre myghtes mynde reason and will to the ymage the liknes of the blessyd trinyte In as moche as the mynde was made myghty stedfast by the vertue of the fader almyghtihode for to holde hym wythout foryetyng distractyng or lettyng of ony creature And soo it hath lyknes of the fad The reason was made bryght clere wythout errour or derknes as perfytly as a soule in a body vnglorifyed myght haue And soo it hath the liknes of the sone whiche is endles wysdom And the loue the wylle was made clene brennyng in to god wythout bestly loue of the flesshe or of ony creature by the souereyne godenes of god the holy ghost And soo it hath the lyknes of the holy ghost whyche is blessid loue soo that a
maÌ„nes soule whiche maye be called a made trinyte was fulfylled in mynde syght loue of the vnmade moost blessyd trynite whyche is our lorde This is the dignyte the state the worshyp of a mannes soule by kynde of the fyrst makyng This state thou had in adam before the first synne of man But whan adam sinÌ„ed chesyng loue delyte in hymselfe and in creatures he lost all his worshyp his dignyte and thou also in him and fell fro that blessyd trinyte in to a fowle derke wretchyd trinyte that is in to foryetyng of god and vnknowyng of hym and in to a bestly likynge of hymself And that skilfully For as dauid sayth in the sawter Homo cuÌ„ in honore esset noÌ„ intellerit coÌ„peratus est iumentis insipientibus silis factus est illis A man whan he was in worshyp he knewe it not And therfore he lost it and was made lyke a best See now thenÌ„e the wretchydnes of thy soule For as the mynde was somtyme stablyd in god ryght soo now it hath forgoten hym and sekyth hys reste in creatures now from one to an nother and neuer maye fynde full reste For he hath loste hym in whom is full reste And ryght soo it is of reason and the loue also whyche was clene in ghostly sauour swetnes now it is tornyd in to a fowle bestly lust likyng in it self in creatures and in flesshly sauours both in the wyttes as in gloteny lechery and in ymagynyng as in pryde vaynglory couetyse In somoche that thou mayst vnnethes doo ony good dede but yf thou be defoyled wyth vaynglory Ne thou maye not well vse none of thy v. wyttes clenly in noo creature delectable but yf thy herte be taken engleymed wyth a veyne luste likyng of it whiche putteth out the loue of god fro the herte as in felyng and the ghostly sauour that it may not come therin Euery man that lyueth in spirite knowith wel al this This is the wretchidnes of the soule and the mischeif for y e fyrst synÌ„e of man without al other wretchydnes synÌ„es whiche thou hast wylfully put therto And wyte thou wel thouÈ thou had neuer done synÌ„e wyth thy body dedely ne venyal but oonly this that is called origynall for it is the fyrst synÌ„e and that is not elles but lesyng of thy rightfulnes whiche y u was made in shold thou neuer haue ben saued yf our lord IhuÌ„ cryste by his precious passion had not delyuerde the and restored the ayen ¶ How euery man may be saued by the passion of cryst be he neuer soo wretched Caplm xliiii ANd therfore yf thou thinke that I haue here before spoken to hye to the. for thou mayst not take it ne fulfylle it as I haue sayd or shall saye I wyll now fall downe to the as lowe as thou wyll for my profyte as well as for thyn ThenÌ„e say I thus though thou be neuer somoche a wretche haue thou doo neuer somoche synne forsake thyself all thy werkes good bad crye mercy and aske onÌ„ly saluacoÌ„n bi vertue of this precious passion mekely trustly and wythoute dowte thou shal haue it And fro this origynal synÌ„e al other thou shalt be saaf ye and thou shal be saaf as an anker incluse And not oonly thou but all crysten soules whiche trusten vpon this passion and meken hemself knowlegynge her wretchidnes asking mercy foryeuenes and the fruyt of this precyous passoÌ„n oonly lowenge hemself to the sacramentes of holy chyrche though it be so that thei haue ben encombred wyth synne all her lyf tyme and neuer had felyng of ghostly sauour or swetnes or ghostly knowynge of god they shallen in this faythe in her good wyll by vertue of this precyous passyon of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst be saaf come to the blysse of heuen All this knowest thou well· but yet it liketh me for to saye it See here the endles mercy of our lord how low he falleth to the to me and to al synfull caytyfs ThenÌ„e aske mercy and haue it Thus sayd the prophete in the persone of oure lorde Ois enim quicuÌ„que inuocauerit nomen dnÌ„i saluê° erit Euery man what y â— he be that calleth the name of god that is to saye askith saluacoÌ„n by IhuÌ„ his passion he shall be saaf This certefye of our lorde some men takeÌ„ well and beÌ„ saued therby and some men in truste of this mercy this curtesye lyÌ„en styll in her synne and wene for to haue it whan hem lust and thenne mow they not for they are taken or they were and soo they dampne hemself But thenne sayst thou yf this be soth thenne wonder I gretly for that I fynde in some holy mennes bokes Some sayeÌ„ as I vndstonde that he that can not loue this blessyd name IhuÌ„ ne fynde ne fele in it ghostly Ioye delectable wyth ghostly swetnes in the blysse of heuen he shall be alyene and neuer shall he come therto Sothly thyse wordes whan I hem red stonyed me and made me gretly aferde For I hope as thou sayst that by the mercy of oure lorde shall be saaf by kepyng of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes and by very repentauÌ„ce for her euyll liuyng before doon whyche felt neuer ghostly swetnes ne inly sauour in the name of Ihesu And therfore I merueyle me the more that they saye contrari herto as it semyth And vnto this I may say as me thynketh that her sayeng yf it be well vndstonde is soth and is not coÌ„trary to that y t I haue sayd For this name IhuÌ„ is nouÈt elles for to saye vpon englisshe but heler or he le Now euery man that lyueth in this wretchyd lyfe is ghostly seke For there is noo man that lyueth wythoute synne whiche is ghostly syknes as saynt IohÌ„n sayth of hym selfe of other perfyte men thus Si dixerimus qr pccmÌ„ non habemê° ipÌ„i nos seducimus et veritas in nobis noÌ„ est If we saye that we haue noo synÌ„e we begyle ourself and there is no sothfastnes in vs. And therfore he maye neuer come to the Ioye of heuen vnto he be fyrste made hole of this ghostly syckenes But this ghostly hele maye noo man haue that hath vse of reason but yf he desyre it loue it and haue delyte therin· in asmoche as he hopith for to gete it Now the name of IhuÌ„ is noo thyng elles but thys ghostly he le wherfore it is soth that they say that there may noo man be saaf but yf he loue lyke in the name of Ihesu For there maye noo man be ghostly hole but yf he loue desyre ghostly helth For right as yf a maÌ„ were bodily seke there were noo erthly thyng soo dere ne soo nedful to hym ne so moche sholde be desired of hym as bodily helth for though y u woldest yeue hym all the rychesse worshyppes of this worlde and not make
be ouerlayd wyth erthly besynes ne vayne thoughtes erthly affeccyons but aye vpwarde aboue all vayne thought erthly thynges as moche as thou maye And yf thou doo soo thou shalt see thenne all the molle all the fylthe and smalle motes in thy hous for why he is lyghte That is to saye all flesshly loues and dredes in thy soule Not all· for as dauyd sayd Delicta quis intelliget who may know al his trespasses As who saye noo man And thou shalt cast out of thyn hert all suche synÌ„es and swepe thy soule clene wyth the besome of the drede of god and wyth the water of thyn eyen wasshe it and so shalt thou fynde thy drame Ihesu He is drame he is peny he is thyne heritage This drame wyll not be founden soo lightly as it is sayd for this werke is not of one houre ne of one daye but many dayes and yeres wyth moche swete swynke of body and traueylle of the soule And yf thou cease not but seche besily sorowe and syghe depe mourne stylly stowpe lowe tyll thyn eyen watren for anguysshe for payne for y u hast lost thy tresour IhuÌ„ at the last whan he wyll well shall thou fynde thy drame Ihesu And yf thou fynde hym as I haue sayd that is yf thou maye in clennes of conscyence fele y e homely and the peesfull presence of that blessed man Ihesu cryste as a shadowe or a glemeryng of hym Thou maye yf thou wyll calle all thy freÌ„des to the for to make myrth wyth the melodye for thou hast founden the â–ª drame Ihesu ¶ Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy Caplm xlix SEe now thenÌ„e the curtesye the mercy of IhuÌ„ y u hast loste hym but where Sothly in thy hous that is in thy sowle That is to saye yf thou haddest lost all 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 soo he is in thy soule and neuer shall be lost oute of it Neuertheles thou arte neuer the nerer to hym tyll thou haue founde hym He is in the though he be lost fro the But thou arte not in hym tyll thou haue fouÌ„de hym Thenne was this his mercy that he wold 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 thoughte in to thyne owne soule where he is hydde as the prophete sayth Vere tu es deus absconditus Sothly lorde thou art an hydde god seche hym there Thus sayth hymself in the gospell Simile est regnuÌ„ celorum thesauro abscondito in agro quem qui inuenit homo abscondit pre gaudio illiê° vadit· vendit vniuersa que habet et emit agrum illuÌ„ The kyngdom of heuen is likened to a tresoure hyd in the felde the whiche whan a man fyndeth for Ioye of it he gooth and selleth alle that he hathe and byeth the felde Ihesu is tresour hydde in thy soule Thenne yf thou myghte fynde hym in thy soule and thy soule in hym I am syker for Ioye of it thou wolde yeue the likyng of all erthly thyng for to haue it Ihesu slepith in thy herte ghostly· as he dyde somtyme bodily whan he was in the shyppe wyth his discyples But they for drede of perysshynge wakened hym and soone after he saued hem fro tempeste Doo thou soo styre hym by prayer and wake hym wyth grete cryenge of desyre and he shall soone ryse and helpe the ¶ What letteth a man to here and see Ihesu wythin him selfe Caplm L. NEuertheles I hope better that thou slepest ofter to him than he dooth to the For he callyth the full ofte wyth hys swete pryue voys styreth thyn hert full stylly y t thou sholdest leue all other Ianglyng of al other vanitees in thy soule and oonly take kepe of hym for to here hym speke Thus sayth Dauyd of our lorde Audi filia vide et inclina aurem tuam obliuiscere populum tuum domum patris tui My doughter here and see and bowe thyne ere to me and foryete the folke of thy worldly thoughtes and the housse of thy flesshly and kyndely affeccyons Loo here maye thou see how our lorde callyth the and all other whyche wyile herken to hym what lettyth the thenÌ„e that thou may nother see him ne here hym Sothly there is soo moche dynne and cryenge in thyne herte of vayne thoughtes and flesshly desyres that y u maye nother here hym ne see hym Therfore put awaye vnrestfull dynne and breke the loue of synne of vanytee and brynge in to thyne herte loue of vertues and full charyte and thenne shalt thou here thy lorde speke to the ¶ That mekenes and charyte ben the specyall lyuerey of Ihesu thrugh the whyche mannes soule is refourmed to the lyknes of hym Caplm li. AS longe as Ihesu fyndeth not his ymage refourmed in the. he is strauÌ„ge and the ferther fro the For thy shape the for to be arayed in his liknes that is in mekenes and charyte the whiche arn his lyuereys And thenne wyll he homelyche knowe the and shewe to the his pryuetees Thus sayd he hymself to his disciples 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 shew myself vnto him There is noo vertue ne noo werke that thou maye doo that maye make the lyke to our lorde wythoute mekenes and charyte for thyse two arn specyally to god moost leyf And that semyth well in the gospell where our lorde spekyth of mekenes thus Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne of me he sayd not for to goo bare fote ne for to goo in to Deserte and there for to fast fourty dayes ne yet also for to chese you dyscyples But lerne of me mekenes for I yf y u drewe in to thyself thy hert thou sholdest not fynde noughte but thou sholdest fynde Ihesu Not oonly the naked mynde of this name but thou sholdest tynde Ihesu cryst in conscieÌ„ce redely techyng the Thou sholdest fynde lyght of vnderstondyng and noo derknes of vncuÌ„nyng Thou sholdest fynde loue likyng of hym and noo payne of bitternes heuynes But for thou arte not refourmed therfore whan thy soule cometh in fro all bodily thynges and fyndeth nought but derkenes heuynes hym thynketh an hundred wynter to he be oute ayen by some bodily delite or vayn thought and that is no wonder For who soo comyth home vntill his hous and fyndeth noo thyng therin but stynke smoke and a chidyng wyf he wolde soone renne out of it Right soo thy soule whan it tyndeth noo comforte in it self but blacke smoke of ghostly blyndnes and grete chidyng of flesshly thoughtes cryeng vp on the that
thou maye not be in peas sothly it is soone weri tyll it be out ayen This is the derknes of conscyence ¶ Who soo wyll fynde Ihesu him behouith abidyngly to traueyle in ghostly derkenes ayenst the ymage of synne Caplm liiii· NEuertheles in this derke coÌ„science behoueth the to swinke and swete That is to saye The behouith to draw in to thyself thy thought fro all bodily thynges as moche as thou may And thenne whan thou fyndest ryght nought but sorowe payne and blyndnes in this derknes yf thou wyll fynde Ihesu the payne of this derke conscyence the behouyth suffre and abyde awhyle therin And here the behoueth to be waar that thou take Ihesu cryste in thy thoughte ayenst this eche derkenes in thy mynde And by besye prayer and feruent desyre to god Not settynge the poynt of thy thoughte in that forsayd noughte but in Ihesu cryste whyche thou desyrest Thynke styfly on the passyon and on his mekenes and thorugh myghte of hym thou shalt aryse Doo as thou woldest bere it downe and goo thrugh it Thou shalt agryse lothe this derkenes and this nought ryght as the deuyll and thou shalt despise it and al to breste it For al wythin this nought is IhuÌ„ hydde in his Ioye whom thou may not fynde by thy sechyng but yf thou passe the derknes of this conscyence This is the ghostly traueyle that I speke of And this traueile is cause of all this wrytynge for to styre the therto if thou fele grace This derkenes of conscyence this nought that I speke of is the ymage of the fyrst adam Saynt poul knewe it well for he sayd thus of it Sicut portauimê° ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis ita portemê° ymagineÌ„ iam celestis As we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man that is the first adam ryght soo that we myght now bere the ymage of the heuenly man whiche is Ihesu the seconde adam He bare this ymage oft full heuy for it was soo comberous to hym that he cryed out on it layeng thus O quis liberabit me de corpore mortis huiê° O who shall delyuer me fro this body this ymage of dethe And thenne he comforted hymself other also thus Gracia dei per ihÌ„m xpÌ„m The grace of god by Ihesu cryste ¶ What is propirly the ymage of synne what comyth oute therof Caplm lv NOw haue I tolde the a lityll of this ymage how it is nought Neuertheles yf it be fer fro thy knowing how it myght be an ymage for nought is but nought but so mighte y u not liÈtly vndstonde it I shall telle y e more opeÌ„ly of thys ymage as me thynketh This ymage is a fals mysruled loue vnto thyself Out fro this comen all maner of synnes by seuen Ryuers whyche arne thyse Pryde Enuye Ire Accidie Couetise Glotenye and Lecherie Loo this is somwhat that thou maye fele By one of thyse ryuers renÌ„eth out al maner of synÌ„e and putteth the oute of charyte yf it be dedely synÌ„e or it letteth the feruour of charyte yf it be venyall â—ow may y u grope that this ymage is not nought but it is moche of bad for it is a grete sprynge of loue vnto thyself wyth suche vii ryuers as I haue said But now sayst thou how may this be soth I haue forsaken the worlde and I am stoken in an house I medle wyth no man I chyde not I stryue not I neyther bye ne selle I ne haue noo worldly besynes but by the mercy of god I kepe me chaste and wythholde me fro delytes And ouer this I praye I wake I traueyle bodily and ghostly as I maye How shold thenne this ymage be soo moche in me as thou spekest of As to this I answere graunt to the that I hope thou doost all thise werkes moo therto â–ª and yet may it be soth as I saye Thou art besye vpon thy myght for to stoppe the ryuers wythouteÌ„ but the sprynge wythin on happe y u leuest hole Thou arte like to a man the whiche had in his yerde a stinkyng welle wyth many rennynges fro it He yede he stopped the rennynges and lefte the sprynge hole and weÌ„de all had be syker but the water sprange vp at the grouÌ„de of the welle and stode stylle somoche that it corrupted all the fayrnes of his garden and yet renÌ„eth noo water out â—yght so maye it be wyth the If it be soo that thou hast by grace stopped the ryuers of this ymage wythoute somoche it is well but be ware of the sprynge within Sothly but yf thou stoppe clense that as moche as thou maye it wyll corrupte all y e floures of the gardyne of thy soule shewe they neuer so fayr outwarde in syghte of men But now sayst yu. wherby shal I knowe that the grounde is stopped yf I traueylle aboute it As vnto this I shall telle by assaye how thou shalte knowe thys ymage yf it be in the and how moche it is in y e and therby shalt thou wyte how moche it is stopped how lityl also in the And asmoche as pryde is the pryncipall Ryuer I shall telle the therof fyrst ¶ What pryde is And whan it is synne Caplm lvi â–ª PRyde is not elles as clerkes sayeÌ„ but loue of thyn owne excellence y t is of thyn owne worshyp ThenÌ„e the more thou louest likest in thyn owne worshyp the more is the pryde and soo the more is the ymage in the If thou fele in thyn herte a stiryng of pryde thou that arte holyer Wyser better â–ª and more vertuous than a nother is that god hath yeuen the grace for to serue hym better than other done thou thynkest al other byneth the and the abouen hem or ony other thoughte of thiself whiche sheweth to thy syght of thy soule an excellence an ouerpassynge of other men or wymÌ„en and of this stiryng thou felyst loue delyte and vayn plesyng in thyself that thou art so this is a token that thou berest this blacke ymage whiche yf it be pryue fro mennes eyen neuertheles it sheweth hym opeÌ„ly in goddis syghte But now sayst thou that thou may not flee suche styringes of pryde for ofte thou felist hem ayenst thy wyll and therfore thou holdest hem noo synne or yf they ben synÌ„e they ben nought but venyall As to this I saye thus that the felyng of thyse stirynges of pryde or of ony other the whiche spryngen out eyther of the corrupcoÌ„n of this fowle ymage or by incastyng of the enmye it is noo synne in as moche as thou felyst hem and that is a grace a pryuylege by vertue of the passion of Ihesu cryste grauÌ„ted to all crysteÌ„ men baptized in water in the holy ghost For sothly to Iewes sarrazyns whiche trowe not in Ihesu cryst all suche stirynges are dedely synnes For saynt poul sayth OmÌ„e quod non est ex fide pccmÌ„ est All
thus Diligite inimicos vroÌ„s vnÌ„facite hiis qui oderuÌ„t vos c· Loueth your enmyes doo good to hem that haten you prayeth for hem that pursuen you And therfore yf thou wol folowe cryst be lyke to hym in this crafte Lere for to loue thyn enmyes synfull men for all thise arn thy euen crysteÌ„ Loke bethynke the how cryst loued Iudas whiche was bothe his dedely enmye and a synfull caytyf How goodly cryst was to hym how benygne how curteyes how lowly to hym that he knewe dampnable and neuertheles he chase hym to his apostle sent hym for to preche wyth other apostles He yaaf hym power for to werche myracles â–ª he shewed the same to him gode chere in worde in dede as he dyde to other apostles He wysshe his fete fedde hym wyth his precyous body and prechid to hym as he dyde to other appostles he wryed hym not openly for it was preuy ne myssaied hym not ne dispysed hym not ne spake neuer euyll of hym yet though he had done all thise he had sayd but soth And ouermore whan Iudas toke hym he kyssed hym called hym his frende All this charyte shewed cryst vnto Iudas the whyche he knewe for dampnable in noo maner feynyng ne flateryng but in the sothfastnes of good loue clene charyte For though it were soth that Iudas was not worthy for to haue had ony yefte of god or ony sygne of loue for his wyckidnes neuertheles it was worthy skylfull that our lorde shold sheew as he is He is loue goodnes to all his creatures as he dide to Iudas I saye not that he loued hym for his synne ne he loued hym not for his chosen as he loued saynt peter but he loued hym in asmoche as he was his creature shewed hym tokens of loue yf he wolde haue be amended therby Folowe after soÌ„what yf thou maye for though thou art stoken in an hous wyth thy body· neuertheles in thyn herte where the stede of loue is thou sholde mow haue parte of suche loue to thyn euen crysten as I speke of Who soo weneth hymself to be a perfyte louer folower of crystis techyng in his liuyng as some man weneth y t he is in asmoche as he precheth techeth is poor of worldly gode as cryst was and can not folow criste in this loue charyte for to loue his euen crysten eche man good bad frendes fooes wythouten feynynge flaterynge dispisyng in herte ayenst the man angrynes malicyous repreuyng sothly he begyleth hymselfe The nerer that he weneth he be the ferder he is For cryste sayd to hem that wolde be hys discyples thê° Hoc est preceptuÌ„ meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos This is my biddyng that ye sholde loue togyder as I haue loued you For yf ye loue as I haue loued thenÌ„e are ye my discyples But now sayste thou how shalte thou loue hym that is badde aswell as hym that is good As vnto thys I saye thus that thou shalt loue bothe good badde in charite but not for the same cause as I shall telle how Thou shalte loue thyn euen cristen as thyself Now y u shalt loue thyself onÌ„ly in god or elles for god In god thou louest thyself whan y u arte ryghtfull by grace vertuous and louest not thyself but oonly for that ryghtwysnesse and vertues that god yeuyth y e thenne louest thou thyself in god for thou louest not thyselfe but god Also for god thou louest thyself as yf thou were in dedeli synne and woldest be made ryghtfull wertuous thenÌ„e louest thou thyself not as thou arte for thou arte vnryghtful but as thou woldest be Ryght soo shall thou loue thyn euen crysten If they ben good rightfull thou shalt loue hem by charyte in god oonly for they ben good ryghtful for thenne louest thou god in hem as goodnes and ryghtwysnes more than yf they ben badde in dedely synÌ„e as thyn enmyes that haten the or other of the whiche thou hast full euydeÌ„ce that they are not in grace yet shalt thou loue hem not as they arne ne as good men ryghtfull men for they arn badde and vnryghtfull but thou shalt loue hem for god that they myghte be good ryghtful And soo shalt thou noo thynge hate in hem but that thynge that is contrary to ryghtwysnesse and that is synne This is as I vndstonde the techyng of saynt Austyn for to departe the loue of the man fro the hate of the synne the loue of thyn euen crysten He that is meke or wolde sothfastly be me can loue thus his euen crysten· and none but he ¶ How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hidde in his herte Caplm lxxi· LIfte well vppe this ymage and loke well abowte and thou shalt mowe see couetyse and loue of erthly thynges occupye a grete partye of this ymage though it seme lityl Thou hast forsaken rychesse and moche hauour of this worlde and art spered in a dongeon but hast thou forsaken clenly the loue of all this I hope not yet It is lesse maystry for to forsake worldly good than to forsake the loue of it PeraueÌ„ture thou hast not forsaken thy couetyse but thou hast chaunged it fro grete thynges in to smale as fro a pownde vnto a peny and fro a siluer pece vnto a disshe of an halfpeny This is a symple chaunge thou arte noo good marchaunt Thyse ensamples arn chyldisshe neuertheles they betoken more If thou trowe not me assaye thyself If thou haue loue and delite in the hauyng holdyng of ony thyng that thou hast suche as it is wyth y e whiche loue thou fedest thyn herte for a tyme Or yf thou haue desire yernyng for to haue somÌ„ thyng that y u haste not wyth whyche desire thyn herte is traueyled stourbled by vnskylfull belynesse that the clene desire of vertu of god maye not rest therin this is a token that there is couetise in this ymage And yf thou wolte assaye better loke yf ony thyng that thou hast be taken awaye fro the by maystry or by borowyng or by ony other wise and thou maye not gete it ayen and for thy thou arte disesed angred trowbled in thyn herte bothe for thou wantest that thyng that thou woldest haue and maye not haue it and also ayenste hym that hath it y u arte styred for to stryue chyde wyth hym for he myghte restore the ayen wyll not this is a token that thou louest worldly goodes For thus done worldly men whan her good her rychesse is takeÌ„ fro hem they arn heuy sory angry and chidynge striuyng ayenst hem that haue it openly by worde by dede but thou doost all this in thyn hert pryuely where god seeth and yet thou art in more defawte than a worldly man For y u hast forsaken in lyckenes the loue of
worldly thynges but a worldly man hath not so and therfore he is exscused though he stryue and pursue for his goodes by lawfull wayes for to haue hem ayen But now sayest thou that the behoueth for to haue thy necessaryes of suche thynges as longen to the as well as a worldly man I graunte well therto but thou sholde not loue it for it self ne likyng haue in the holdyng ne in y e kepyng ne sorowe ne heuynesse fele in the lesyng or in y e withdrawyng of it For as saynt gregory sayth Asmoche sorow as thou hast in lesyng of a thing so moche loue haddest thou in the kepyng And therfore yf thyn herte were made hoole thou haddest sothfastly felt desire of ghostly thynges and had there wyth all a syghte of the leest ghostly thynge that is all y e loue the likyng of ony erthly thynge thou sholdest sette it at noughte it sholde not cleue vpon the For to loue and for to haue more than the nedeth skylfully oonly for luste likynge it is a grete defawte Also for to fetchen thi loue vpon y e thinge that the nedeth for it selfe it is defawte but not soo grete But for to haue vsen that thyng that the nedeth wythouteÌ„ loue of it more than kynde or nede asketh wythouteÌ„ whiche the thyng maye not be vsed it is noo defawte â—othli in this poynte as I trowe many that haue the state and the lyknesse of pouertee arn moche letted hyndered fro the loue of god I ne accuse noo man ne noo state reproue for in eche astate some arn good and some arn other But one thyng I saye to euery man or woman that hath taken the state of wylfull pouerte whether he be religyous or seculer or what degree he be in as longe as his loue his affeccyon is bounden and fastened as it were glewed wyth y e loue of ony erthly thing that he hath or wolde haue he may not haue ne fele sothfastly the clene loue and the clere syghte of ghostly thynges For saynt Austyn sayd to our lorde thus Lorde he loueth the but lytill y e louyth ony thynge wyth the that he loueth not for the For y e more loue and couetyse of ony erthly thynge is wyth the the lesse is the loue of god in thyn herte For though it be so that this loue of erthly thyng putteth hem not oute of charite but yf it be soo moche that it strangle the loue of god and of her euen crysten sothely it hyndreth hem and letteth hem fro the feruour of charyte also fro that speciall mede whiche they shold haue in the blisse of heuen for perfite pouerte and that is a grete losse yf they myghte see it For who soo myght know ghostly mede how good how precyous and how worthy it is for it is aye lastynge he wolde not for the loue of all erthly Ioye or hauour of all erthly thyng yf he myghte haue it wythouteÌ„ synÌ„e lette ne lesse the lest mede of the blysse of heueÌ„ whiche he myghte haue yf that he wold I speke ferther than I doo But I praye the doo thus as I saye by y e grace of god if thou maye or ony other man who soo wyll For that were a comforte to my herte that yf I maye not haue it in myself as I saye that I myghte haue it in the Or in ony other creature whiche hath receyued more plente of his grace than I But see now thenne syth couetyse in the naked grounde letteth a man or a woman soo moche fro the ghostly felyng of the loue of god how moche more thenÌ„e it letteth combreth worldly men wymÌ„en the whiche by all her wyttes bodily besynes nyghte daye studye and traueyle how they myghte gete ryches and plente of worldly good They can none other delyte haue but in worldly thinges ne they wyll not for they seche it not I say no more of hem at this tyme for in this wrytyng I speke not to hem But this I saye yf they myghte see and wolde see what they doo they sholde not doo soo ¶ How a man shall knowe whan he synneth not in etynge drynkyng and whan he synneth venyally and whan dedely Caplm lxxii YEt maye thou see more in this ymage though it be derke and that is flesshli loue to thiself in glotenye accidie and lecherye Thise flesshly likynges maken a man full bestly and ferre fro the inly sauour of the loue of god and fro y e clere syghte of ghostly thynges But now sayest thou Syth the behoueth nedelynges ete drynke and slepe and that may thou not doo wythouten likyng therfore the thynkyth this lykynge is noo synne As vnto this I saye that yf thou kepe in etynge or drynkynge and in other nedefull thynges of thy body mesure in thy nede and thou receyuest noo more likynge than kynde askyth And alle this thou doost for ghostely delite whiche thou felyst in thy soule I grauÌ„te y e forsothe that thou thenne synnest ryght nought therin for thenne can thou well ete slepe Sothly and wythouten doubte I am full ferre fro that knowyng and ferd fro the werchynge For to ete I haue by kynde but to cuÌ„ne ete I maye not but by the grace of god Saynt poul had by grace this cunnyng as he sayth hymself thê° Vbique in oiÌ„bus institutus suÌ„ scio saciari esurire habuÌ„ dare penuriaÌ„ pati OiÌ„a possuÌ„ in eo qui me coÌ„fortat I am enformed kenned in all thynges For I can huÌ„ger I can ete I can wyth plente and I can wyth pouerte I maye all in hym that strenghthith me Saynt austyn sayd tyll our lorde thus Lorde thou hast teched me that I sholde take mete as a medicine HuÌ„ger is a syknes of kynde and mete is a medicyne ther to Therfore the likyng that comyth wyth all in asmoche as it is kyndly nedfull it is noo synÌ„e but whan it passith into lust into wylfull likyng thenÌ„e it is synne And therfore therÌ„ lyeth all the maystrye for to cuÌ„ne departe wysely nede fro luste wylfull likyng they are soo knytte togyder and that one comyth wyth that other so that it is harde for to receyue that one as the nede repreue that other as wylfull luste the whiche ofte comyth vnd colour of nede Neuerthelesse syth it is soo y t nede is the grouÌ„de of this â–ª and that nede is noo synne for be a man neuer soo holy hym behouyth to ete drynke and slepe therfore the luste the likynge that comyth vnd the colour of this nede passyth this nede is the lesse synÌ„e For a man synneth not dedely comynly in glotenye but yf he be encombred wyth other dedely synnes beforn done thenÌ„e may he the lyght lyer synne dedely in this For it is soth he that chesyth luste lykynge of his flesshe delytes in welfare of mete or
generacyon for this skylle For the trespasse and vnworshyppe was endles grete and therfore it passyd mannys myghte for to make amendes for it And also for this skylle He that hath trespassed and shall make amendes hym behouyth for to yeue to hym that he hath trespassed vnto all that he owyth though he had not trespassed And also ouer that hym behouyth yeue sōwhat that he owyth not but oonly for that he trespassed But mankynde had not wherewyth that he myghte paye god for his trespaas ouer that he oughte hym For what good dede that man myght doo in body or in soule it was but his dette For euery man oughte as the gospel sayth for to loue god wyth all his herte and al his soule and all his myghtes and better myght he not doo than this And neuertheles this dede suffyced not to the refourmynge of mankynde Ne this myghte he not doo but yf he had be fyrst refourmed Thenne neded it that yf mannes soule sholde be refourmed and the trespaas made good that our lorde god hymselfe sholde refourme this ymage and make amendes for this trespaas sythen that noo man myghte But that myghte he not doo in his godhede for he myghte not ne oughte not to make amendes by sufferynge of payne in his owne kynde therfore it neded that he sholde take the same mankynde that had trespassed and become man And that myghte he not doo by the comyn lawe of generacion For it was impossyble goddis sone to be borne of towchyd woman Therfor̄ hym muste become man thorugh a gracyous generacyon by the werkynge of the holy ghoste of a clene gracyous mayden our lady saynt Mary and soo was it done For our lorde Ihesu goddis sone became man and thorugh his precyous deth that he suffred made amendes to the fader of heuen for mannys gylte And that myghte he well doo for he was god and he oughte not for hymselfe but in as moche as he was man borne of the same kynde that adam was that firste trespaced And soo though he oughte it not for his owne persone for hymself myghte not synne Neuerthelesse he oughte it of his free wyll for the trespaas of mankynde the whiche mankynde he toke for the saluacyon of man of his endeles mercy For soth it is there was neuer man that myghte yelde to god ony thynge of his owne that he oughte not but oonly thys blessyd Ihesu For he myghte paye god one thyng that he oughte not as for hymselfe and that was nought but one thynge that was to yeue his precyous lyfe by wylfull takynge of dethe for loue of sothfastnes This oughte he not As moche good as he myghte doo to the worshyp of god in this lyfe all were but dette But for to take dethe for loue of ryghtwysnesse he was not bounde therto He was bounde to ryghtwysnesse but he was not bounde to deye for dethe is oonly a payne ordeyned to man for his owne synne But our lorde Ihesu synned neuer ne he myghte not synne and therfore he oughte not for to deye Thenne sythen he oughte not for to deye and yet wilfully he deyed thenne payd he to god more than he oughte And sythen that was the beste mannes dede and moost worthy that euer was done therfor̄ was it resonable that the synne of mankynde sholde be foryeuen In as moche as man kynde had founde a man of the same kynde wythoute wem̄e of synne that is Ihesu that myght make amendes for the trespaas done and myghte paye our lorde god all that he oughte and ouer more that he oughte not Thenne syth that our lorde Ihesu god and man deyed thus for saluacyon of mannes soule it was ryghtfull that synne sholde be foryeuen and mānes soule that was his ymage sholde mow be reformed and restored to the fyrste lyckenesse and to the blysse of heuen This passion of our lorde and this precyous dethe is the grounde of all the refourmynge of of mannes soule wythoute whiche myght neuer mannes soule haue be refourmed to the lyckenesse of hym ne come to the blysse of heuen But blessyd maye he be in all his werkynge Now is it soo that thorugh the vertue of his precyous passion the brennyng swerde of Cherubyn that droue adam oute of paradyce is now put awaye and the endles gates of heuen arn open to euery man that wylle entre in therto For the persone of Ihesu is bothe god kynge of heuen in the blysse to the fader as man he is porter at the yate redy to receyue euery soule that wyll be refourmed here in this lyf to his lyckenesse For now maye euery soule yf that he wyll be refourmed to the lyckenesse of god syth that the trespaas is foryeuen and the amendes thorugh Ihesu is made for the fyrste gilte Neuertheles though this be sothe all soules haue not the profyte ne the frute of this precyous passyon ne ame not refourmed to the lickenes of him ¶ That Iewes and paynems and also false crysten men ben not refourmed effectuelly thorugh the vertue of the passyon for her owe defawte Caplm iii. TWo manere of men arne not refourmed by the vertue of this passyon One is of hem that trowe it not An other is of hem that loue it not Iewes and paynems haue not the benefyce of this passyon for they trowe it not Iewes trow not that Ihū the sone of the virgyn mary is goddis sone of heuen Also the paynems trowe not that the souereyne wisdom of god wold become the sone of man and in mā hede wolde suffre the paynes of deth And therfore the Iewes helde the prechynge of the crosse and of the passyon of cryste noughte but sclaunder and blasphemye and the paynems helde it noughte but fantome and folye But true crysten men helde it the souereyne wysdom of god and his grete myghte Thus sayd saynt poul Predicamus vobis cristū crucifirum iudeis quidem scandalū gentibus autem stulticiam ip̄is autē vocatis iudeis grecis xp̄m dei virtutem et dei sapienciam That is we preche to you that ye trowe that Ihesu cryst crucyfyed the sone of mary is goddis sone souereyne vertue and wysdom of god the whiche Ihesu to Iewes paynems that trowe not in hym is but sclaunder and foly And therfore thise men by her vntrouthe putten hemselfe fro the refourmynge of her owne soule and stondynge her vntrouthe shall they neuer be saaf ne come to the blysse of heuen For sothe it is fro the begynnyng of the worlde vnto the laste endynge was there neuer man saaf ne shall be saaf but yf he had trouth generall or specyall in Ihesu cryste to come or I come For righte as all chosen soules that were before the Incarnacōn vnder the olde testamente hadden trouthe in cryste that he sholde come and refourme mannes soule eyther openly as patryarkes and prophetes and other holy men hadde or elles pryuely and generally as chyldern and other symple and
ayeÌ„st the. but settest thy herte fully for to suffre al that may falle ease or vnease praysyng or lackyng and that thou wolt charge noo thyng wyth that y t thou myght kepe thy thoughte and thy desyre hoole to the loue of god thenÌ„e are they moche abasshed But thenne woll they assaye the wyth flaterynge and vayne plesynge And that is whan they brynge to the syghte of thy soule all thy good dedes vertues bere vpon the that all men praysen the speken gode of thy holynes and how al men loue the worshyp the for thy holy liuynge Thus done thin enmyes that thou sholde thynke her sayenge soth haue delite in this vayne Ioye and reste the there in But yf thou doo well thou shalt holde all suche Iangelynge falsed flateringe of thyn enmye that profereth the to drynke venym tempered wyth honye And therfore refuse it saye thou woll not therof but thou wolde be at Ihrlm Suche lettynges thou shalt fele or elles other lyke what of thy flesshe what of the worlde what of the fende moo thanÌ„e I may reherce now For a maÌ„ aslonge as he suffreth his thoughte wylfully renne aboute the worlde in beholdynge of soÌ„dry thynges he perceyueth fewe lettynges But assoone as he drawyth all his thoughte his yernynge to one thynge oonly for to haue that for to knowe that for to loue that and that is onÌ„ly IhuÌ„ thenÌ„e shall he well fele many paynfull lettynges For euery thynge that he feleth is not that y t he coueyteth is lettynge to hym Therfore I haue tolde the of some specyally as for example And ouermore I say generally that what styrynge that thou felyste of thy flesshe or of the fende pleysauÌ„te or paynfull bytter or swete likynge or dredefull gladsom or sorowfull that wolde drawe downe thy thoughte thy desyre fro y e loue of IhuÌ„ to worldly vanyte and lette vtterly thy gostly couetyse that thou haste to the loue of hym that thy herte sholde be occupyed with that stirynge restyngly sette it at nought receyue it not wylfully tarye not therwyth toloÌ„ge But yf it be of worldly thynge y t behoueth nedes to be done to thyselfe or to thyn euencrysten spede the soone of it and bryng it to an ende that it haÌ„ge not on thyn hert If it be a nother thinge y t nedeth not or elles it towcheth not the. charge it not Ian gill not therwith ne angre the not drede it not like it not but smyte oute of thyn herte redely and saye thus I am noughte I haue noughte Nought I seke ne coueyte but the loue of Iesu â—rnyghte thy thoughte to this desyre strengthe it and mayntene it wyth prayer with other ghostly werkes that thou forgete it not and it shall lede the in thi right waye saue the fro all perylles that though thou fele hem thou shalte not perysshÌ„ And I hope that it shal brynge the to perfite loue of oure lorde IhuÌ„ Neuertheles on that other syde I saye also what werke or what stirynge it be that maye helpe thy desyre strengthe it nourysshÌ„ it and make thy thoughte ferrest fro luste â— mynde of the worlde more hole more brenÌ„ynge to the loue of god whether it be prayenge or thynkyng stilnes or spekinge redynge or herynge onÌ„lynes or comonynge goynge or â—â—â—tynge kepe it for the tyme werche therin aslonge as 〈◊〉 lastyth If it be so that thou take therwyth mete drynke 〈◊〉 as a pilgryme doth and kepe discrecoÌ„n in thy worching 〈◊〉 counseyle ordynauÌ„ce of the souereyne For haue he 〈◊〉 soo grete haste in his goynge yet he woll ete drynke 〈◊〉 Doo thou lyke wyse For though it lett the one tyme 〈…〉 forther the a nother tyme ¶ Of an euyll daye a gode nyghte what it meaneth 〈◊〉 the loue of the worlde is lykened to an euyll day â–ª and 〈…〉 of god to a good nyghte Caplm xxiâ—â—â— â–ª YF thou wolt wyte thenÌ„e what this desyre is 〈…〉 IhuÌ„ for he makith this desyre in the yeueth it 〈…〉 he it is that desyreth in the and he it is that is desired 〈…〉 and he dooth al yf thou myghte see hym Thou doost noughte but suffrest hym worche in thy soule and assentyst to hym wyth grete gladnesse of herte that he wouche sauf for to â—oo soo in the Thou arte noughte elles but a resonable Instrument wherin y t he worcheth And therfore whan y u felyst thy thouÈte by towchiÌ„ge of his grace take vp wyth desire to IhuÌ„ with a mighty deuout wyll for to plese him loue hym thenÌ„ thynke that thou hast Ihesu for he it is that thou desirest Beholde hym well for he gooth before the not in bodily lyknes but vnsenseably by pryue presence of his myghte Therfore see hym ghostly yf thou may and fasten al thy thoughte thine affeccoÌ„n to hym folowe hym where soo he gooth for he shall lede the the right waye to Ihrlm that is the syghte of pees conteÌ„placoÌ„n Thus prayed the prophete to y e fader of heuen sayeng thus Emitte luceÌ„ tuaÌ„ veritateÌ„ tuaÌ„ ipÌ„a me dedux eruÌ„t et adduxeruÌ„t in monteÌ„ scmÌ„ tuuÌ„ in tabÌ„nacula tua That is Fader of heuen sende out thy lyght thy sothfastnesse y t is thy sone IhuÌ„ he shall lede me by desyre in me to y e holy hylle and in to thy tabernacles that is to the felyng of perfyte loue heyghte in conteÌ„placoÌ„n Of this desyre spekyth the prophete thus Memoriale tuuÌ„ in desiderio aiÌ„e mee AiÌ„a mea desiderauit te in nocte sed spÌ„us meus in pÌ„cordiis meis That is For de IhuÌ„ the mynde of the is prynted in desyre of my soule for my soule hath desyred the in the nyghte and my spiryte hath coueyted the in all thynkynges And why the prophete sayth he hath desyred god all in the nyghte as a tymefull space bytwix dayes two For whaÌ„ one daye is ended a nother comith not anone but fyrst comyth nyght departeth the dayes somtyme longe soÌ„tyme shorte and thenÌ„e after comyth a nother daye The prophete meaned not onÌ„ly of this maner of nighte but he meaned a ghostly nyghte Thou shalt vndstoÌ„de that there ben two dayes or two lyghtes The fyrste is a fals lygte the seconde is a true lyghte The fals lyghte is the loue of this worlde that a man hath in hymself of corrupcoÌ„n of hys flesshe The true light is the perfyte loue of Ihesu felyd thorugh grace in a manÌ„es soule The loue of this worlde is a false lyghte For it passeth awaye and lasteth not and soo it perfourmeth not that y e it behoteth This lyghte behighte the feÌ„de to Adam whan he stired hym to synne and sayd thus Aperientur oculi vestri et eritis sicut dii That is your eyen shall be opened and ye shall be as goddis And he sayd sothe there For whan Adam had
but not on that maner that a kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lityll bodily thynge is holden within a nother moche but he is wythin all creatures as holdynge kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtylte myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous most clene is layed inerest right soo by that lyknes it is sayd that the kynde of god that is moost precyous most clene and mooste goodly ferrest fro bodilyhede is hydde wythin all thinges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shal gorgete fyrste all bodily thynges for al that is without his owne body and he shall forgete thynkyng of his owne soule thinke on the vnmade kynde that is IhuÌ„ that made him quiknith hym holdith hym yeueth hym reson mynde loue the whiche is wythin hym thrugh his myghte souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace to wchyth it or elles it woll but lityl auayle to seche Ihesu and to fynde him wythin itselfe wythin all creatures as me thynkyth Also it is sayd in holy wrytte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohÌ„n Deê° lux est That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lighte but it is vnderstoÌ„de thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth and sothfastnesse for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte ThenÌ„e he that moost gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god And neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyghte for this skylle Right as the sonne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it right soo sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe alle other ghostly thynge that nedeth to the knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete DnÌ„e in lumine tuo videbimê° lumen Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lighte That is we shall see the thaâ— art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus noster ignis consumens est That is 〈◊〉 lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and brenÌ„eth it but god is loue charyte For as fyre wasteth all bodily thynge that maye be wasted Ryght soo the loue of god brenneth and wasteth all synne oute of the soule And makyth it clene as fyre makyth clene alle manere metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of oure lorde in holy wrytte by bodyly lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo â—aâ—our in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy writte is this For we are soo flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lityll syght of IhuÌ„ thenÌ„e shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondinge This goostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowyng of the godhede I calle refourmynge in fayth felynge for thenÌ„e the soule somwhat feleth in vnderstondinge of that thynge that it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„ynge of contemplacoÌ„n of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plantibus nobis que vident sed que noÌ„ videntur Quia que videntur teÌ„poralia suÌ„t que auteÌ„ non videntur etna sunt That is Our contemplacoÌ„n is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seeÌ„ are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ„ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est auteÌ„ vita eterna vt cognoscaÌ„tte verum deuÌ„ et quem misisti ihÌ„m xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe that thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanyth And how we be beholde to loue IhuÌ„ moche for oure makynge but more for our ayen byenge but all thermooste for our sauyng thrugh the yeftes of his loue caplm xxxiiii BVt now wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse the ende of a soule why thenne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thyng of this sighte that a soule sholde coueyte this Vnto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the syght but it is also for the blessed loue that comyth out of that syghte Neuertheles for loue comyth oute of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syghte pryncypally of god wyth loue is y â— blisse of a sowle and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this loue that comyth of it may not the soule come without loue therfore said I that y u sholdest coueyte loue for loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng and to this loue that comyth of it And oâ— what maner that is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„ and soth it is that there is two maner of ghostly â—â—ue One is called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed Loue vnformed is god hymself the thirde persone in the â—â—â—nyte that is the holy ghost He is loue vnfourmed and 〈◊〉 as saynt IohÌ„n sayth Deus dileccoÌ„ est God is loue 〈◊〉 is the holy ghost Loue fourmed is the affeccyon of the 〈◊〉 made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng 〈◊〉 sothfastnes that is god oonly styred and sette in hym 〈◊〉 loue is called fourmed for it is made by the holy ghost 〈◊〉 loue is not god in himself for it is made but it is the loue 〈◊〉 the soule felte of the syghte of Ihesu and stired to hym 〈◊〉 Now may y u see that loue formed is not cause why a 〈◊〉 comyth to the ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men 〈◊〉 thynke that they wolde loue god soo brennyngly as it 〈◊〉 by theyr owne mighte· that they were worthy for to haue thâ— ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue 〈◊〉 fourmed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is soo ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myghte neuer come to it ne were it the endles mochenes of the loue of god But thenne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he yeueth vs his loue that is the holy
ghost He is the yeuer and the yeft and maketh vs thenne by that yefte for to knowe and loue hym â—o this is the loue that I spake of that thou sholdest onÌ„ly coueyte and desyre this vnfourmed loue that is the holy ghost For sothly a lesse thynge or a lesse yefte than he is maye not auayle vs for to brynge vs to the blessed sight of IhuÌ„ And therforÌ„ sholde we fully desyre and aske of IhuÌ„ onÌ„ly this yefte of loue that he wolde for the mochenes of his loue so blessed towche our hertes wyth his vnseable lyghte to the knowyng of him and departe wyth vs of his loue that as he loueth vs that we myghte loue hym ayen Thus sayth saynt IohÌ„n â—os diligamê° deuÌ„ qmÌ„ ipÌ„e prior delixit nos That is Loue we god now for he fyrste loued vs He loued vs moche whan he made vs to his liknes â–ª but he loued vs more whan he bouÈte vs with his precyous blode thrugh wylful takinge of dethe in his maÌ„hede fro the power of the fende fro the pyne of helle but he loueth vs moost whan he yeueth vs the yefte of the holy goost that is loue· by the whiche we knowe hym loue hym are made syker that we are his sones chosen to saluacion For this loue are we more to hym bouÌ„de than for ony other loue that euer shewed he for vs. eyther in our makynge or in our ayeÌ„byenge For though he had made vs and boughte vs but yf he saue vs wyth all what profyteth it elles to vs our makynge or our byenge Sothly ryght noughte Therfore the mooste token of loue shewed to vs as me thynketh is this That he yeueth hymselfe in his godhede to our soules He gaaf hym selfe fyrste in his manhede to vs for our Raunson whanne he offred himselfe to the fader of heuen vpon the awter of the crosse This was a ryghte fayre yefte and a ryght grete token of loue But what tyme he gyueth hymselfe in his godhede ghoostly to oure soules for oure saluacyon And maketh vs for to knowe hym and for to loue hym Thenne louyth he vs fully for thenne yeueth he hymselfe to vs and more myghte he not yeue vs ne lesse myghte not suffyce to vs And for this skylle it is sayd that the ryghtyng of a synfull soule thorugh foryeuenesse of synnes is arected and appropered pryncypally to the worchynge of the holy ghoste For the holy ghoste is loue And in the ryghtynge of a soule our lorde Ihesu sheweth to a soule most of his loue for he doth awaye all synne and oonyth it to hym And that is the beste thynge that he maye doo to a soule and therfore it is appropred to the holy ghost The makyng of the soule is appropred to the fader as for the souereyne myghte and power that he shewyth in makynge of it The byenge of it is aretted to the sone as for the souereyne wytte and wysdome that he shewed in his manhede For he ouercome the fende pryncypally thrugh wysdom and not thorugh strengthe But the ryghtynge anâ— the full sauynge of a soule by foryeuenesse of synnes is aprâ—pred to the thyrde persone that is the holy ghoste For therin sheweth Ihesu mooste loue vnto manÌ„es soule And for thâ—â— thynge shall he be mooste loued of vs ayen His makynge iâ— comen to vs and to all vnresonable creatures For as he made vs of noughte soo made he hem And therfore is this weâ—ke greteste of myghte but not mooste of loue Also the byeâ—â—ge is comen to vs and to all resonable soules as to Iewes â—â—arracyns and to fals crysten men For he deyed for al souleâ— ylyke and bought hem yf thei woll haue the perfyte loue 〈◊〉 it And also it suffyceth for the bienge of all though it be soâ— that all haue it not And this werke was moost of wysdome not moost of loue But the ryghtynge and the halowyng of our soules thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost that is oonly y e worchynge of loue And that is not comen but it is specyalle gyfte oonly to chosen soules And sothly that is moost worchynge of loue to vs that are his chosen chylderne This is the loue of god that I spake of whiche thou sholde coueyte and desyre for this loue is god hymself and the holy ghoste This loue vnformed whan it is yeuen to vs it worcheth in our soule al that gode is â–ª and all that longeth to godenes This loue loueth vs or that we loue hym for it cleÌ„seth vs fyrst of our synnes and makyth vs for to loue hym makyth our wyll stronge for to ayenstonde all synÌ„es and styreth vs for to assaye ourself thrugh dyuers exercyse both bodily ghostly in al vertues It stireth vs also for to forsake the synÌ„e and flesshly affeccoÌ„ns and worldly dredes It kepeth vs fro malycyous temptacoÌ„ns of the fende· and dryueth vs oute fro besynes vanyte of the worlde and fro conuersacoÌ„n of worldly louers All this dooth the loue of god vnfourmed whan he yeueth hymself to vs we doo right nought but suffre him and assente to hym for that is the moost that we do that we assente wylfully to his gracyous worchyng in vs And yet is not that wyll of vs but of his makyng so that me thinkyth that he dooth in vs all that is well done yet see we it not And not onÌ„ly dooth he thus but after this loue dooth more for he openeth the eye of the soule and shewith to the soule y â— syghte of IhuÌ„ wonderfully and the knowyng of hym as the soule maye suffre it thus by lytyll by lytyll and by y e syghte he rauyssheth all the affeccyon of the soule to hym and thenÌ„e begynÌ„eth the soule for to knowe him ghostly brenÌ„yngly for to loue hym ThenÌ„e seeth the soule somwhat of the kinde of the blessed godhede of IhuÌ„ how that he is all and that he worcheth all that al gode dedes y t are done gode thouÈtes are onÌ„ly of him for he is al souerein myÈt al souerein sothfastnes al souereyne godenes And therforÌ„ euery gode dede is done of hym by him he shal onÌ„ly haue y e worship the thaÌ„ke for al good dedes and noo thynge but he For though wretched meÌ„ stele his worshypp here for a whyle Neuerthelesse att the laste ende shall sothfastnesse shewe well that Ihesu dyde alle â–ª and man dyde ryght noughte of hym sefe And thenne shall theues of goddes good that are not acorded wyth hym here in this lyfe for her trespaas be demyd to deth and Ihesu shall be fully worshypped thanked of alle blessed creatures for his worchynge This loue is not elles but IhuÌ„ hymselfe that for loue worcheth all this in mannes soule· and refourmeth it in felynge to his lyknes as I haue before sayd som what as I shall saye This loue bryngeth in to the soule the full hede of all vertues and makyth hym all
but that one may lightly be deceyued They are like in the maner of felyng outward but they are full dyuers wythin And therfore they are not for to desyre gretly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght bi the spiryte of discrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyll that he were not begyled as saynt IohÌ„n sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“bare si ex deo sit Saynt IohÌ„n biddeth vs that we shold not trust to euery spiryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or noo wherfore by one assaye I shall telle the as me thynkith how thou shalt know the good fro euyll ¶ How y u shalt know whaÌ„ the shewing to the bodely wyyttê felyng of hem ben good or euyll Caplm xi IF it soo be that thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes wyth thy bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery wondful so wnyng wyth thy bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other than of kynde or ony hete in thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delite in ony part of thy body or if a spiryte bodely aperith vnto y â— as it were an angel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y â— or ony suche felyng whiche y u knowest wel y t it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creature beware in y t tyme or soo ne after wisely beholde y e stiryng of thi hert If y u be stirred bicause of y â— likyng that y u felist to draw out thy hert fro y e miÌ„de the beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacoÌ„n As fro prayer thynkyng of thiself thy defawâ—es fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set the syght of thy hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte thy rest pryncipally therin wenyng y â— it shold be a parte of heueÌ„ly ioye of angels blysse for thy the thynkith that y u sholdest nother pray ne thynke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte the therin This felyng is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so liking wondful refuse it asseÌ„t not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whaÌ„ he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacoÌ„n he is wondly wroth For he hateth no thyng more thenÌ„e for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowyng the loue of god y e whiche he wythout body of synÌ„e lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open synnes he wold hynd hym begile hym by suche vanyte of bodely sauours or swetnes in the wyttes for to brynge a soule in to ghostly pride in to a fals sikernes of hymself weninge y t he had therby a felyng of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth aboute hym whaÌ„ he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcoÌ„n he myght falle in errours or heresies or faÌ„tasies or in other bodely or ghostly myscheues Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felyng lette not thy hert fro ghostly ocupacoÌ„n but it makith the more deuoute more feruent for to pray it makith the more wise for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in the begynÌ„yng neuerthelesse afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desire of vertues and encreaseth thy loue more to god to thyn euencrysten Also it makith the more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokeÌ„s may thou knowe that it is of god made bi the presence the touchyng of a good angell that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her truste her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more ê‘fytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they beÌ„ ê‘fyte that feleÌ„ suche delyte it semyth thenÌ„e that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of y e glorifyeng of the body whiche it shal haue in y e blisse of heueÌ„ I wote not whether there be ony suche man liuyng in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semith to my sight in y â— tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in y e caue xxx wynter euery day was borne vp wyth angels was fed both bodi soule by y e preseÌ„ce of hem thus we rede in y e story of her Of this maner assayeÌ„g of werkyng of spyrites spekith saynt IohÌ„n in his pistle thus techeth thê° OiÌ„s spÌ„s q soluit ihÌ„m hic noÌ„ eÌ„ ex deo Euery spiryte y e loseth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god Thise wordes may be vndstoÌ„de in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vndstoÌ„de hem to this purpose y t I haue sayd ¶ what knytteth IhuÌ„ to maÌ„nes soule what loseth him therfro Ca xii THe knyttyng y e fastenyng of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by gode will grete desire to hym onÌ„ly for to haue him see him in his blysse ghostly The more y t this desire is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is y e loslyer is he knitte TheÌ„ne what spiryte or what feling y t it be the whiche lesseth this desire wold drawe it downe fro y e stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styeng vp to IhuÌ„ this spiryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkyng of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spiryte or a felyng or a reuelacoÌ„n make this desire more knytte the knottes of loue deuocoÌ„n to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowyng more clerly makith it more meke in it self this spiryte is of god Here may y u see soÌ„what that y u shalt not suffre thi hert wilfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felyng of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were gode but y u shalt holde hem in thy sighte nought or lityl in rewarde of ghostly desire on stedfaff thynking on ihuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy hert ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges shold a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupied Caplm xiii BVt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And that is that y u might knowe the wisdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hym in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placoÌ„n that other is none thus saith saynt poul In caritate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„prehendere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sit longitu do latitudo sublimitas ê“funduÌ„ Be ye roted grouÌ„ded in charite that ye myght knowe he saith neyther souÌ„de of the ere
ne swete sauour in the mouth ne none suche bodely thynge but that ye myght knowe fele wyth all halowes whiche is the length of the endles beyng of god the brede of the woÌ„derfull charyte the goodnes of god the heyth of the almyghty mageste of him the grouÌ„dles depnes of the wisdom of god In knowyng ghostly felyng of thise shold be the ocupacoÌ„n of a conteÌ„platyff man For in thise may be vnderstoÌ„de the ful knowyng of al ghostly thynges This ocupacoÌ„n is that one thyng the whiche saynt poul coueyted sayeÌ„g thê° VnuÌ„ que retro suÌ„t obliuisceÌ„s in anteriora me extendaÌ„ sequor si quo mo do compÌ„hendaÌ„ suê‘num braniuÌ„ Thus moche is to saye â—o thynge as hoo sayth is best to me for to coueyte and that is that I myght fogete all thynges the whyche ben behyndwarde or backewarde and I shall stretche out myne hert euer forwarde for to fele and to grype the souereyne mede of the endeles blysse Hynwarde are all bodely thynges Forwarde are goostly thynges And for saynt poul wolde forgete all bodely thinges his owne bodi also with that y â— he myght see ghostly thynges ¶ How in reason wylle vertue begynneth in loue in likyng it is made perfyte Caplm xiiii NOw I haue tolde you a lityll of coÌ„templacoÌ„n what it sholde be For this entent that thou myght knowe it and sette it as a marke byfore the syghte of thy sowle and for to desyre all thy lyf tyme to come to ony part of it bi â— grace of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst This is the conformyng of a soule to god the whiche maye not be hadde but yf it be fyrste reformyd bi fulhede of vertues turned in to affeccoÌ„n that is whaÌ„ a man loueth vertues for they beÌ„ gode in heÌ„self There is many a maÌ„ that hath vertu of lownes pacieÌ„ce charite to his eueÌ„crysten suche other onÌ„ly in his reson will hath no ghostly delite ne loue in hem For oftymes he felith grutchinge heuynes bitternes for to do hem neuertheles yet he doth hem onÌ„ly by stiryng of reson for drede of god this man hath vertues in reson in wyll but not loue of heÌ„ in his affeccyoÌ„ But whaÌ„ by grace of IhuÌ„ by ghostly bodely exercise reson is tourned in to light wyll in to loue thenÌ„e hath he vertues in affeccoÌ„n For he hath so wel gnawe on the bytter barke of the notte that he hath brokeÌ„ it fedeth him with y e kyrnell y t is to say The vertues whiche were fyrst heuy for to doo are now turned into a very delyte sauour as whaÌ„ a man liketh in mekenes in pacieÌ„ce in cleÌ„nes in sobyrte in charyte as in ony delytes â—othly tyll thise vertues ben turned thê° in to affeccioÌ„ he may wel haue the ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n but the iii sothfastly shall he not take ¶ Of the meanes that bryngeth a soule to conteÌ„placioÌ„ Caplm xv NOw sitheÌ„ vertues are disposyng to conteÌ„placoÌ„n thenÌ„e it behouith y e vse certen meanes for to come to vertues Thre meanes there beÌ„ whiche men most comynly vsen y â— yeuen heÌ„ to conteÌ„placoÌ„n As redyng of holy writte of holy teching ghostly meditacioÌ„ besie prayer wyth deuocoÌ„n Bi meditacoÌ„n shall thou see as I sayd thy wretchidnes thy synÌ„es thy wyckidnes As pryde couetise gloteny slouth lecherye wickyd stirynges of enuye yre hatred maleÌ„colye angrines bitternes and vnskilfull heuynes Thou shalte also see thy herte full of vayne shames and dredes of thy flesshe and of the worlde Alle thyse stirynges wyllen all waye boylle out of thi hert a water will renÌ„e out of y e spring of a stinkiÌ„g well let y â— siÈte of thy soule that y u maist neuer see ne fele clerely y e loue of IhuÌ„ cryst For wite y u wel tyll thi hert be moche cleÌ„sid thruÈ stable trouth besie beholdiÌ„g of cryst maÌ„hede fro suche synÌ„es y u may not haue ghostly knowyng of god ê‘fytly witnessyng hiÌ„self in the gospel thê° BtiÌ„ muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipÌ„i de uÌ„ videbuÌ„t Blessid be clene of hert for they shal see god Also in meditacion y u shal see vertues whiche be nedful to y â— for to haue as mekenes myldnes pacieÌ„ce riÈtwisnes gostly streÌ„gth teÌ„perauÌ„ce cleÌ„nes pees sobernes fayth hope charite Thyse vertues y u shal see in meditacioÌ„ how gode how fayr how ê“fitable they beÌ„ bi prayer y u shal desire hem gete hem without wiche y u may not be conteÌ„platif For Iob saith thê° InhabuÌ„daÌ„cia igredieris sepulcruÌ„ That is to say y u shalt inâ—pleÌ„te of gode bodely werkis gostly vertues entre thy graue y t is the rest in conteÌ„placoÌ„n ¶ What a maÌ„ shold vse refuse bi y e vertue of mekenes Caplm xvi â–ª NOw if thou sholdest vse wisely gostly werkes sikerly traueyle in heÌ„ the behouyth to begynÌ„e riÈt lowe Thre thynges y e nedeth to haue first vpoÌ„ y t whiche as on a siker grouÌ„de thou shal set al thy werke thise iii. are mekenes siker fayth hole enteÌ„t to god First the behouyth to haue mekenes in this maner y u shalt holde thyselfe in thy wyll in thi felyng yf thou may vnable to dwell amoÌ„ge meÌ„ vnworthy to serue god in coÌ„uersacoÌ„n wyth his seruauÌ„t vnê“fitable to thy eueÌ„cristen waÌ„tyng both cuÌ„nyng myÈt to fulfyll gode werkes of actif lyf in helpe of thy euencristen as other men wymÌ„en done And therfor as a wretche outcaste refuse of all men wymÌ„en art sperred in a hous alone y t y u sholdest dere ne greue no man or woman by euyl ensaÌ„ple sithe thou canst not ê“fyte heÌ„ by gode werkyng â—uer this y â— behouith to loke feder y â— sâ—â—h y u art so vnable to serue our lord by bodely werkes outward how moche more behouyth y â— to holde y â— vnable vnworthy to serue him ghostly by inwarde ocupacoÌ„n For our lord is a spiryte as the prophete sayth SpÌ„s ante facieÌ„ nrÌ„am xpÌ„s dnÌ„s Before our face a ghost is our lord cryst the kyndly seruyse to him is ghostly as he sayth hymself Veri adorantes adorabuÌ„t preÌ„m in spÌ„u veritate Sothfast seruauÌ„tes shall worshyp him in spiryte sothfastnesse Thenne y u that art soo boystous soo lewde soo flesshli soo blynde in goostly thynges namly of thyn owne soule whiche the behouyth fyrst to knowe yf thou sholdest come to the knowynge of god How sholdest thou theÌ„ne fele thyself able or worthy for to haue state or lyknes of conteÌ„platyf lyf the whiche lyf as I haue sayd lyeth pryncipally in ghostly knowyng felinge of god This I say to the not that y u sholdest forthynke thi purpose be mispaid with thy enclosyng but y t thou sholdest fele this lowenes sothfastly in thy hert yf thou myght for
more therwith ne hange noo lenger therupon as thou woldest by maistry not fele suche wretchidnes â—eue of goo to some other good dede bodily or ghostly and thynke for to doo better a nother tyme But though thou fall on a nother tyme in the same ye an huÌ„dred tymes ye a thousande tymes yet doo as I haue sayd and all shall be well Ferder more a soule that neuer may fynde rest of hert in prayer but all her lyf tyme is striuyng wyth her thoughtes and taryeth trowbleth wyth hem yf she kepe her in mekenes charyte in other sydes she shal haue ful moche mede in heuen for her good traueyle ¶ Of meditacoÌ„n of synful men after that they ben hooli tourned to god Caplm xxxiiii Now of meditacoÌ„n shal I telle y t a lityll as me thynketh Thou shalt vndstonde that in meditacoÌ„ns may no certen rule wel be set euery man for to kepe for they are in free yeft of our lord after the dyuers disposynges of chosen sowles and after the state that they ben in And also after y t they profyten in vertues in her astate soo he encreaseth her meditacoÌ„ns both in ghostly knowyng louyng of hym For who soo is euer ylike wyse in knowyng of god ghostly thynges it semyth that he wexeth but a lityl in the loue of god that may be shewed opinly in thapostles whaÌ„ they in y e day of peÌ„tecost were fulfylled wyth brenÌ„yng loue of y e holy ghost thei were made neyther foles ne foltis but they were made woÌ„der wyse both in knowyng spekyng of god of ghostly thynges asmoche as a man myght haue in flesshe liuyng Thus spekyth holy wrytte of hem Repleti suÌ„t oeÌ„s spÌ„u sctoÌ„ et ceperuÌ„t loqui magnalia dei They were fulfylled of the holy ghoost and they began to speke the grete merueyles of god And all that knowyng they had by rauisshyng in loue of the holy ghost Dyuerse meditacyons there ben whiche our lorde putteth in a mannes hert Some shall I telle the as me thynkith for this entent If thou fele ony of hem that y u sholdest y e better traueyle in hem In the begynnyng of coÌ„uersion of suche a man that hath be moche foyled wyth worldly or flesshely synnes comynly his thought is moost vpon his synÌ„es wyth grete compunccion sorowe of herte wyth grete wepynges and many teres of the eye mekely besely asking merci for yeuenes of god for hem And yf he be towchyd sharpely for our lord wyll make hym soone clene hym shall thynke that his synnes are euer in his syght so fowle soo horryble that vneth shal he mow bere hymself And though he shryue him neuer so clerly yet shal he fynde fightyng fretyng and bitynge of his conscyence that him shall thynke that he is not shriuen ryght And vnneth shall he mow haue ony rest in somoche that he shold not endure suche traueyle ne were it that oure lorde of his mercy comforteth hym somtyme as he wyll bi grete deuocoÌ„n of his passion or of some other as he wylle yeue it Vpon this maner werketh our lorde in some menÌ„es hertes more or lesse as he wylle And all this is the grete mercy of our lord that not oonly wyll foryeue the synne or the trespase but he wyll both forgyue the trespase the payne for it in purgatory for suche a lityl payne here of bityng of coÌ„science And also yf he will dispose a man to receyue ony specyall yefte of the loue of god hym behouyth fyrst to be scowred clensed by suche a fyre of compunccoÌ„n for al the grete synÌ„es before done Of this maner traueylle spekith dauid in many places of the sawter and specyally in the psalme Miserere mei deus ¶ That the meditacoÌ„n of the manhede of cryst or of hys passyon is yeuen freely of the holy ghost And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen Caplm xxxv ANd thenne somtyme after this traueyle and somtyme wyth all suche a man or elles a nother the whyche by grace of god hath be kept in InnoceÌ„ce our lorde yeuith a meditacoÌ„n of his manhede as of his birth or of his passoÌ„n and of the compassyon of our lady saynt mary whan this medytacoÌ„n is made by the holy ghost thenne it is right profitable gracyous And that thou shalt wite by this token Whan it is so that thou arte styred to a meditacoÌ„n in god and thy thoughte is sodenly draweÌ„ out fro all worldly flesshly thynges and the thynketh as thou seest in thy soule thy lorde IhuÌ„ in a bodily lyknes as he was in erthe and how he was taken of the Iewes and bouÌ„den as a theyf beten dispysed scourged demid to deth How lowely he bare the crosse vpon his backe and how cruelly he was neyled therupon Also of the crowne of thornes vpon his hede and of the sharpe spere that stykked hym to the hert and thou in this ghostly sight felyst thyn herte styred to so grete compassion pyte of thy lorde Ihesu y e thou mornest wepest criest wyth all the myghtes of thi body and of thy soule woÌ„deryng the goodnes the loue the pacyence the mekenes of thy lorde IhuÌ„ that he wold for so sifull a caytif as thou arte suffre soo moche payne And neuertheles thou felist somoche goodnes mercy in our lorde that thyn hert ryseth vp in to a loue a gladnes of hym wyth many swete teres hauyng grete trust of foryeuenes of thy synÌ„es and of saluacyon of thy soule by the vertue of this precyous passion That whan the mynde of crystis passion or ony poynt of his manhede is thus made in thyn hert bi suche a ghostly syghte wyth deuowte affeccoÌ„n answeryng therto wyte y u well thenne that it is not of thyn owne werkyng ne feynynge of noo wyckid spiryte but by the grace of the holy ghost For it is an openyng of the ghostly eye in to crystis manhede And it maye be called the flesshly loue of god As saynt bernarde callith it In as moche as it is sette in the flesshly kinde of cryst And it is right good and a grete helpe in destroyeng of grete synnes and a gode waye to come to wertues and so after to contemplacyon of the godhede For a man shall not come to ghostly lyghte in contemplacyon of crystis godhede but yf he come fyrst in ymagynacoÌ„n bi bitternes and bi compassion and by stedfast thynkyng of his manhede Thus saynt poul dyde Fyrst he sayd thus Nichil indicaui me scire inter vos nisi ihÌ„m xpÌ„m et hunc crucifixum I shewed you righte nought that I couth· but Ihesu cryst and hym crucifyed As yf he had sayd My knowyng and my trust is oonly in y e passion of cryst And therfore sayd he thus also Michi auteÌ„ absit gloriari nisi in cruce dnÌ„i nostri ihuÌ„ cristi ForbodeÌ„ be fro me all
hym hole if thou myghte thou plesest hym not Right soo it is to a man that is seke ghostly and felyth the payne of ghostly syknes noo thyng is soo dere ne soo nedefull ne soo moche coueyted of hym as is ghostly helth and that is IhuÌ„ wythout whiche all the Ioyes of heuen may not lyke hym And this is the skille as I hope why our lord whaÌ„ he toke mankynde for our saluacoÌ„n he wold not be called by noo name that betokenid his endles beyng or his myghte or his wysdom or his ryghtwysnes but oonly by that y e betoke nyd the cause of his comyng was the saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule whiche saluacoÌ„n betokened this name IhuÌ„ ThenÌ„e by this it semyth soth that there shal noo man be saaf but yf he loue saluacoÌ„n onÌ„ly for to haue it thrugh the mercy of our lorde Ihū· by the merites of his passoÌ„n whiche loue he may haue that liuyth deyeth in the lowest degree of charytee Also I maye saye on that other partie that he that can not loue this blessid name IhuÌ„ wyth ghostly myrth ne encrease in it with heuenly melodie here he shall neuer haue ne fele in heuen y t fulhede of souereyne Ioye the whiche he that myght in thys lyf by abouÌ„dance of perfite charyte in IhuÌ„ shall fele haue soo maye her sayeng be vndstonde Neuertheles he shall be saaf and haue full mede in the syght of god yf he in this lyf be in the lowest degree of charyte by kepyng of goddis coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For our lorde sayth hymself thê° In domo patris mei mansiones multe suÌ„t In my faders hous are many soundry dwellynges Some are perfyte soules the whiche in this lyf were fulfilled of charyte grace of the holy ghost and songe louynges to god in conteÌ„placion of hym wyth wonderfull swetnes heuenly sauour Thise soules for they had moost charyte grace of the holy ghost shall haue hyest mede in the blysse of heuen for thyse arn called goddis derlynges Other soules that ar not disposid to conteÌ„placoÌ„n of god ne had not the fulhede of charyte as apostles marters had in the begynnyng of holy chirche shal haue lower mede in the blysse of heuen for thise arne called goddis frendes Thus calleth oure lorde in holy writte chosen soules sayeng thus Comedite amici et inebriamini caâ—issimi My frendes ete ye my derlynges be ye dronken As yf our lorde sayd thus ye that arne my trendes for ye kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes sette my loue before the loue of y e worlde loued me more thaÌ„ ony erthly thyng ye shall be fed wyth ghostly fode of the brede of lyf But ye y t arne my frendes that ye not oonly kept my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes but also of your owne free wyll fulfilled my couÌ„ceylles and ouer that ye loued oonly enteerly with al the myghtes of your soule breÌ„ned in my loue with ghostly delite as dyden principally the apostles marters and all other soules that myghte by grace come to the yeft of perfeccoÌ„n ye shal be made droÌ„ken wyth the hyest fresshest wyne in my celler that is the souereyne Ioye of loue in heuen ¶ That a man sholde be besye to reken ayen his worthynes and refourme ayen in hym the ymage of the Trinyte Caplm xlv NEuertheles though this be soth of the endles merci of god vnto the to me to al mankiÌ„de we shal not therfore in trust of this be y e more recheles wylfully in our lyuinge but the more besye for to pleyse hym namly now sythen we are restored ayen in hope by the passion of our lord to the dignyte the blysse whiche we had lost by adams synÌ„e And though we myght neuer gete it fully here yet we shold desire that we myght recouer here lyuynge a fygure a lyknes of y e dignytee that our soule myght be refourmed as it were in a shadowe by grace to the ymage of the trynite whiche we had by kynde· and after shall haue fully in blysse for that is the lyfe whiche is very contemplatyf vnto begynne here in that felynge of loue ghostly knowyng of god by openynge of the ghostly eye whyche shal neuer be lost ne be taken away but y e same shall be fulfylled otherwyse in y e blysse of heuen This behyght our lorde to mary mawdeleyne whiche was contemplatif and sayd thê° of her Maria optimaÌ„ parteÌ„ elegit que noÌ„ auferetur ab ea· That mary had chose the better partye that is the loue of god in contemplacoÌ„n for it shall neuer be take awaye fro her I saye not that thou maye her liuyng recouer soo hole ne soo perfyte clenÌ„es Innocence knowyng louinge of god as thou hadest first ne as thou shalt haue ne y u may not escape all y e wretchydnes paynes of synÌ„e ne thou liuynge in dedely flesshe maye destroye quenche all hooly the false vayne loue in thyselfe ne flee all venyall synnes that they ne wyll but yf they be stopped by grete feruour of charyte sprynge out of thyn hert as water dooth fro a stynkyng well But I wold that yf thou might not fully quenche it that y u might somwhat sleke it and come to the cleÌ„nes of soule as nere as thou mayst For our lorde behiÈte the chyldren of Israel whaÌ„ he ladde hem in to the londe of byhest And in fygure of hem to all crysten men thus Omne quod calcauerit pes tuus tuuÌ„ erit That is to saye Al 's moche londe as thou myghte trede vpon with thy fote of very desyre soo here moche shall thou haue in the londe of byhest that is in the blysse of heueÌ„ whan thou comyst thider ¶ How Ihesu shall be soughte desyred fouÌ„de ca xlvi SEke thenne that thou hast lost that thou myghte fynde it well I wote who soo myght ones haue an inwarde syghte a lityll of that dignytee and that ghostly fayrnes whyche a soule had by kynde and shall haue by grace he sholde lothe and dispise in his hert all the blysse the likyng and the fayrnes of this worlde as the stenche of a carion and he shal neuer haue wyll for to doo other dede nyghte daye sauynge the freelte and the bare nede of the bodily kynde but desyre mourne praye and seke how he myghte come ayen therto Neuertheles in as moche as thou hast not yet seen what it is fully For thy ghostly eye is not yet openyd I shall telle the oo worde for all in the whyche thou shalt seke desyre and fynde it for in that one worde is all that thou hast lost This worde is Ihesu I meane not this worde Ihesu paynted vpon y e walle or wrytten by lettres on the boke or fourmyd by lippes in souÌ„de of the mowthe or feyned in thy herte by traueyle of thy mynde For in this maner wyse maye a man oute of charyte fynde hym But I meane Ihesu crist
that is done withouten trouthe in cryst is dedely synne But we crysten men haue this pryuilege of his mercy that suche felynges are noo synÌ„e but thei are payne of the oryginall synne Neuertheles whan by neclygence by blyndenes of thiself this felyng is receyued vnwarly in thy thoughte and tourned in to loue likynge thenne is there synne more or lesse after the mesure of the loue somtyme venyall and somtyme dedely whan it is venyall whan dedely fully can I not telle the Neuertheles a lityll I shall say as me thynketh ¶ Whan pryde is dedely synne And how it is in flesshely liuyng men dedely synne Caplm lvii· THenÌ„e the stirynge of pryde is receyued tourned in to lykyng somoche that the herte cheseth it for a full rest a full delyte and secheth none other ende but oonly likyng therin thenÌ„e is this pryde dedely synÌ„e for he makith chesyth this delyte as his god wythout ayenstondyng of reason of wyll and therfore it is dedely synne But now sayst thou what fole is he that wolde chese pryde as his god no man that lyueth wolde doo soo As vnto this I saye that I can not telle the in specyal who synÌ„eth in pryde dedely but in general I shal say y t There is two maner of pryde The tone is bodily pride the other is ghostly pryde Bodely pryde is of flesshly liuynge men Ghostly pryde is of ypocrytes heretykes Thyse thre synÌ„e dedely in pryde I meane of suche a flesshly liuyng man as saynte poul spekith of thus Si scdm carneÌ„ vixeritis moriemini If ye lyue after your flesshe ye shall deye Thenne saye I thus that a worldely man whiche loueth sechyth pryncypally the worshyp of hymselfe and chesyth the likynge of it as rest of his herte and the ende of his blysse he synÌ„eth dedely But now sayst thou who wolde chese loue of his worshyppÌ„ in stede of his god As to this I say thê° that he that loueth his worshyp as for to seme better gretter of astate thaÌ„ ony other and traueyleth aboute it as moche as he maye yf he loue it somoche that for y e getyng of it y e kepyng the sauyng of it he brekith the coÌ„maundement of god or brekith loue charyte to his euen cristen or is redy in full wyll for to breke it rather than he sholde forbere his worshyp or lese it eyther of his name or of his state or of fulfillyng of his wyll sothly he synÌ„eth dedely For he louyth his worshyppÌ„ and chesyth it more than the loue of god and of his euen crysteÌ„ And neuertheles the man that synneth thus dedely he wolde saye wyth his mouth that he wyll not chese pryde for his god But he begileth hymself for he chesyth it by his dede Neuertheles a nother worldly man that louith worshyp of hymself and pursueth therafter yf he loue it not soo moche that he wold for the getyng or y e sauyng of it doo a dedely synÌ„e or breke charyte to his euen cristen he synneth not dedely but venyall more or lesse after the mesure of his loue and his likynge wyth other cyrcumstaunces ¶ How pryde in heretykes is dedely synÌ„e Caplm lviii AN heretyke synneth dedely in pryde for he chesyth his reste his delyte in his owne opinyon and in his owne sayeng for he weneth that it is soth whyche opinyon or sayenge is ayenst god holy chyrche and therfore synneth he in pryde dedely for he louyth hymself and his owne wyll witt soo moche that though it be openly ayenst the ordynaunce of holy chyrche he wyll not leue it but rest him therin as in sothfasnes â–ª and soo makyth he it his god but he begyleth hymselfe For god holy chyrche arn soo onyd acorded togyder y t who soo dooth ayenst that one he dooth ayenst bothe And therfore he that sayth he louyth god and kepith his biddynges and dispiseth holy chyrche and setteth at noughte the lawes the ordinaunces of it made by the hede and the souerayne in gouernaunce of all crysten men he lyeth he chesyth not god but he chesyth the loue of hymselfe contrary to the loue of god and soo he synneth dedely And in that he weneth moost to pleyse god he moost dysplesyth hym for he is blynde and wyll not see Of this blyndnes and this fals resting of an heretyke in his owne felyng spekith the wyse man thus Est via que videtur homini recta et nouissima eiê° ducuÌ„t ad mortem There is a waye whiche semyth to a man ryghtfull and the last ende of it bryngeth hym to endles dethe This waye specyally is callyd heresye For other flesshly synners that synÌ„en dedely and lyen therin comynly they suppose amys of hemself and felen bityng in conscience that they goo not in the right way But an heretyke supposeth that he dooth well techeth well and yet noo man soo well And soo weneth he that his way were the ryght waye and therfore felyth he noo bityng of coÌ„science ne mekenes in herte And sothly but yf god sende him mekenes of his mercy at the laste ende he gooth to helle And neuertheles yet weneth he for to haue done well and geteÌ„ him the blysse of heuen for his techyng ¶ How pryde in ypocrytes is dedely synne Caplm lix THe ypocryte also synneth dedely in pride He is an ypocrite that cheseth vayne Ioye of hymself as the rest and y e full delyte of herte vpon this maner of wise whan a man dooth many maner of good dedes bodily and ghostly and thenÌ„e is put to his mynde by suggestoÌ„n of the enmye beholdyng of hymselfe and of his good dedes Howe good how holy he is how worthy in mennes dome and how highe in goddis syghte aboueÌ„ other men he perceyueth this stiryng and receyueth it wylfully for he weneth it be gode and of god in as moche as it is soth for he dooth thyse gode dedes better than other meÌ„ And whan it is receyued thus by assent of his wyll as good yere ryseth of it alone and a delyte in his herte of hymselfe y t he soo moche grace hath that it rauyssheth his mynde oute of all other thoughtes bothe ghostly and flesshly for the tyme settyth it in vayne Ioye of hymselfe as in a reste of his herte Thys rauysshyng in ghostly pryde is delectable and therfore he kepyth it holdeth it and noryssheth it as moche as he may For this loue and vayne delyte he prayeth and waketh he fasteth and wereth the hayre and dooth other afflyccoÌ„ns and all this greueth hym but lityll He loueth he thanketh god somtime with his mouthe and somtyme wryngeth a tere oute of his eye and thenne he thynketh all saaf ynough But sothly all this is for loue of hymselfe whiche he cheseth and receyueth as it were loue and Ioye in god and in that is all the synne He chesyth not synne wylfully as for synne but he cheâ—yth
this delyte and Ioye that he felyth for god as the reste of his soule the whyche is synne wythouten displesyng or ayen stondyng of wyll For he weneth it were a Ioye in god and it is not soo and therfore synneth he dedely Iob saith thus of an ypocrite Gaudium ypocrite ad instar puÌ„cti Si ascenderit in celum superbia eius capud eius nubes tetigerit velut sterquiliniuÌ„ in fine perdetur The Ioye of an ypocryte is noo more than a poynte For yf he stye in to heuen wyth reysynge of hert and his heued touche the skyes at the last ende he shal be casten oute as a dounge hepe The Ioye of an ypocryte is but a poynt For yf he worshyppe hymself neuer soo moche and Ioye in hymself neuer soo moche al his lyf tyme and depeynte hymself wyth all his good dedes in syghte and in louynge of the worlde at the last it is ryght nought but sorowe payne But now sayst â–ª thou that there are fewe suche or elles none that is soo blynde that wold holde and chese vayne Ioye in hymself as for Ioye in god As vnto this I can not saye ne wylle not though I cowde but one thynge I telle that there are many ypocrytes and neuertheles they wene that they beÌ„ none and that be many that dredeÌ„ hemself as ypocrites and sothly they are none whyche is one and whiche is other god knoweth and none but he who soo wyll mekely drede â–ª he shall not be bigyled And who so weneth to be syker he may lyghtly falle For saynt poul sayth Qui se existimat aliquid esse cum nichil sit ipse se seducit who soo weneth hymselfe to be oughte whan he is ryght nought he begyleth hymself ¶ How stirynges of pryde and vainglory in good men beÌ„ but veniall synnes Caplm lx NEuertheles a man or woman whyche disposyth hym to lyue contemplatyf yf it be soo that he forsake hym selfe as in wyll and offre hym holy to god wyth a full generall wyll that he wold not synne in pryde wyttyngly ne haue Ioye in hymselfe wylfully but oonly in god yf he cowde and myghte And after this full wyll offred to god he felyth many stirynges of vaynglory and delyteth in hem for the tyme for he perceyueth hem not This likyng is but venyall synne and namly yf it be soo that whan he comyth to hymselfe he repreuyth hymself and ayenstondeth this stiryng wyth displesyng of wyll and askyth mercy and helpe of god Thenne the likyng whiche before was synne out lorde of his mercy soone forgyueth it And yet he shall haue mede for his goode traueyle in the ayenstondyng And that is a curtesye of oure lorde graunted to all those whyche arn specyally his seruauntes and more homely of his courte as are alle those that for his loue forsaken in a good true wyll all worldly and al flesshly synne and yeuen hem hooly body and soule vnto his seruyse in her myghte and her cunnynge As done pryncypally ancres encluse and true religyous the whyche for the loue of god and saluacion of her soules entren in to ony religyon approued by holy chyrche Or elles yf it be soo that they entren fyrst for a worldly cause as for her bodily sustenaunce or for some other suche if they repent hem and tourne it in to a goostly cause as for the seruyce of god Thyse as longe as they kepe this wyll and pursue it as they maye vpon her freelte are true religyous Also what man or woman that he be in what degree he be in holy chirche preste clerke or lewde man wydowe or mayden or wyf that wyll for the loue of god and saluacyon of his soule forsake all the worshyppes and likynges of this worlde in this worlde in his herte truly and fully betwix god and hym and all wylful besynes and erthly thinges to the bare nede And offre his wyllâ—nteerly for to be his seruaunt vpon his myghte by deuoute prayers and holy thoughtes wyth other good dedes that he maye doo bodely and goostly and kepyth his wyll hoole to god stedfastly All thyse arne specyally goddis seruauntes in holy chyrche And for this good wyll and good pourpoos that they haue of the yefte of god they shall encrese in grace and in charyte here lyuynge And they shall haue for this specyall wyll a specyall mede in the blysse of heuen before other chosen soules whyche offred not hooly her wyll and her bodi to goddis seruyce neither openly ne pryuely as they dyden All thyse whyche I calle goddis seruauntes and of his courte more specyall yf they by freelte and by vnkunnyng whan they fele suche stirynges of vaynglory for the tyme delyten therin and perceyuen it not for her reason and her wytte is letted by the likynge that they fele that it maye not see this stirynge They synne not dedely in this likynge of vayne glory For that wyll that they haue generally sette in her herte before to plese god and for to forsake all maner of synne yf they knewe it kepith hem here in suche stirynges and in all other that comen of freelte that they synne not dedely And shall kepe as longe as the grounde of that wyll is kepte hole ¶ How dyuers states in holy chyrche shall haue dyuers medes in heuen And of two specyall medes in heuen Caplm lxi ANd ouer this I say more in comforte of the and of all other hauyng the state of anker incluse and also by grace oâ— god in comforte of hem all that entre ony religyon approued in holy chyrche that all those that by the mercy of oure lorde shal be saaf they shall haue a specyall mede and a synguler worshyp in the blysse of heuen for her state of lyuynge before other soules that had not that state in holy chyrche though they ben neuer soo holy whyche worshyp is better than all the worshyp of this worlde wythouten comparyson For yf thou myghte see what it were thou woldest not for y e worship of this worlde yf thou myghtest haue it withouten synÌ„e chaunge the state eyther of anker or of religyous ne lese that synguler mede in the blysse of heuen whyche mede is callyd Accydentall mede Neuerthelesse that other men mystake not this that I saye Therfore I shall saye it more openly Thou shalt vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whyche oure lorde gyueth to chosen soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louynge and knowynge of hym after the mesure of charytee gyuen of god to a soule lyuynge in dedely flesshe This mede is beste and souereyne for it is god hymself And it is comyn to all the soules that shollen be saaf in what state or degree that they ben lyuyng in holy chirche more or lesse after the quantyte and the mochenes of her charyte in his life what degree he be in For he that moost loueth god in charyte he shall haue
and yre fastenyd therto with many dyuers braunches spryngyng oute of theym The whyche letten loue and charyte the whiche thou sholdest haue to thyn euen crysten The braunches of yre and enuye are thyse Hatrede euyll suspecion fals and vnskylfull demynge malecolye risyng of herte ayenst hem dyspisyng and vnkyndnes and bachityng and myssayenge vnskylfull blamyng myslikyng anguisshe and heuynes ayeÌ„ste hem that dispisen the or speke ony euyll of the· or ayenst y e A gladnes of her disese a felnes ayenst synful men and other that wylle not doo as the thynketh they shold doo wyth grete desyre of thyne herte vnder colour of charyte ryghtwysnesse that they were well punysshed and chastysed for her synne This stiryng semyth good Neuertheles yf y u ransake it well thou shalt fynde it more somtyme flesshly ayenst the persone than ghostly ayenst the synÌ„e Thou shalt loue the man be he neuer soo synfull and thou shalt hate the synne in eche man what he be Many are begyled in this for they sett the bytter in stede of the swete and taken derknes in the stede of lyghte ayenst the prophete sayeng Ve vobis que dicitis maluÌ„ bonuÌ„ bonum maluÌ„ ponentes lucem tenebras amaruÌ„ dulce woo be to hem that sayen good is euyll and euyll is good and setten lyghte as derknes and bytter in stede of swete Thus done all tho that whan they sholde hate the synne of her euen crysten and loue the persone they hate the persone in stede of the synne and wene that they hate the synne wherfore it is a crafte by it self who soo cowde doo it well ¶ That it is maystry to loue mennes persones and wysely hate her synnes Caplm lxv IT is noo maystry for to wake faste tyll thyn hede ake ne for to renne to Rome to Iherusalem vpon thy thy bare fete ne for to sterte aboute preche as yf thou woldest torne all men by thy prechyng Ne it is no maystâ—â— for to make chirches or chapels for to fede poor men make hospitals but it is a maistry a man to loue his eueÌ„cristen in charite wisely hate y e synÌ„e of hym loue the man For though it be soo y â— al thise dedes before sayd are gode in heÌ„self neuertheles they are comyn to good men and to bad for eche man myghte doo hem yf that he wolde had wherof And for thy for to doo that eche man may doo I holde it no maistry But for to loue his euen crysten in charyte hate his synÌ„e may noo man it doo but oonli good men whiche haue it of the yefte of god and not of her traueile as saynt poul saith Caritas dei diffusa est in cordibus vestris per spÌ„m sccmÌ„ qui datus est vobis Loue charyte is shed spred in your hertes by y e holy ghost whiche is yeueÌ„ to you And therfore it is more precyous the more deynte for to come by All other good dedes wythouten this make not a man gode ne worthy the blisse of heuen but this alone and oonly this maketh a man gode al his good dedes medeful All other yeftes of god werkes of man are comin to good to bad to chosen to reproued but this yeft of charyte is onÌ„ly of godd of chosen soules ¶ That for the same dedes dyuers men shall haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi A Good man for the loue of god fasteth waketh gooth on pilgrymage and forsakyth all the likynges of y e worlde sothfastly in his herte wythouten feynynge he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen And an ypocrite for vaynglori of hymself dooth the same dedes and receyueth his mede here Also a very precher of goddis worde fulfylled of charyte of mekenes sent of god and of holy chirche receyued yf he preche and teche goddis worde he shall haue a specyall mede of god that is the aureole for his prechyng An ypocryte or an heretyke that hath noo mekenes ne charytee ne arne sende of god nor yet of holy chyrche yf they preche they haue her mede here Also a good man in wordly state for loue of god makyth many chyrches chapelles abbeys hospytals and dooth many other good dedes of mercy he shall haue his mede in the blysse of heuen not for the dede in it selfe but for y e good will the charyte y t he hath of y e yeft of god for to doo tho good dedes An other man for vanytee of hymselfe and worshyp and pleysyng of the worlde and for his owne name dooth the same good dedes and hath his mede here The cause is in all thyse that the tone hath charyte and the tother none whiche is one and whiche is other our lorde knowith and none but he ¶ That all mennes good dedes shall be aproued that hathe liknes of good saaf the opyn heretike and the cursyd maÌ„ Caplm lxvii ANd therfore we sholde loue and worship al men in our hertes aproue examyn receyue all her dedes y t haue the lyknesse of goodnes though y â— doers in goddis syght ben bad saue of the opyn heretyke and of the opyn cursed maÌ„ Of thise two specyally we shall flee and eschewe the presence the coÌ„minyng wyth hem And we shal reproue and refuse her dedes seme they neuer soo good as longe as they arne rebell to god holy chyrche As yf a worldly cursed man make a chyrche or fede poor men thou maye sykerly holde it nought and deme it as it is Also yf an opyn heretyke whyche is rebell to holy chyrche preche teche though he conuerte a huÌ„dred thousande soules holde the dede as to hymself ryght nought For thyse men are opynly out of charyte wythout whyche is all noughte that a man dooth ¶ That noo good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte And that charyte fele they onÌ„ly y t beÌ„ meke ca lxviii ANd therfore it is a grete maistry a man to cun loue his euen crysten in charyte All this sayeng may be openly proued by saynt poulis wordes thus Si linguis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil sum Et si habuero omneÌ„ fidem ita vt montes transferaÌ„ caritatem auteÌ„ noÌ„ habeam nichil sum Et si nouerim misteria oiÌ„a et si destribuero omÌ„es facultates meas in cibos pauperuÌ„ et tradidero corpus meum igni vt ardeam caritatem autem non habuero nichil michi prodest Saynt poul in praysynge of charytee sayth thus If I speke the langage of all men and of angels also yf I haue noo charyte I am ryght noughte And yf I haue soo grete fayth that I maye tourne hylles and bere hem awaye and I haue noo charite I am ryght nought And also though I had all maner of knowyng of all pryuâ—tees without charyte I am ryght nought And yf I yeue al y t
I haue sayde before For the grounde of it is nede as kyndely huÌ„ger whiche thou shal nedelynges fele and tent therto in tyme and helpe thyself ayenst it by medicyne of mete as thou woldest helpe thiself resonable ayenst a bodily syknes that thou myght more freely serue god bothe bodily ghostly For wyte thou well what man or woman that shall be occupyed ghostly in thoughtes vnskylfull payne or hunger wylfully taken or bodily syknes in the stomake or in the hede or in other partye of the body for the defawte of gode rulyng of hymself by tomoche fastyng or by ony other wyse shall moche lette the spiryte and moche hynder hym fro the knowyng beholdynge of ghostly thynges but yf he haue the more grace For thoughe it be soo that bodily payne either of penaunce or of syknesse or elles bodily occupacyon somtyme letteth not the feruour of loue to god in deuocyon but ofte encreasyth it Neuertheles I hope that it lettith the feruour of loue in contemplacoÌ„n the whyche maye not be hadde ne felyd sadly but in reste of body of soule ¶ What Remedye a man shall vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng Caplm lxxvi FOr thy dooâ— thou skylfully that longeth to the and kepe thy bodily kynde vpon reison and suffre god thenne sende what he wyll hele or syknesse take it gladly and grutche not ayeÌ„st god wylfully Do thou as I saye take thy mete as it commyth And ordeyne for it yf nede be vppon reason And take it gladly as for nede But be wel waar of lust that commyth wyth nede â—schewe to moche as well as to lityll And soo whan thou haste done and thenne it commyth to thy mynde the bytynge of conscyence that thou haste eten tomoche And soo thenne begynnest for to tary the and drawe to ouer moche byttyrnesse Lyfte vp the desyre of thyne herte to thy good lorde Ihesu and know thyself for a wretche and a beste and aske hym forgyuenesse and saye that thou wylte amende it and truste of forgyuenesse Leue of thenne and tarye noo lenger wyth all ne stryue not moche as thou woldest destroye it vtterly for it is not worthe for to doo soo Thou shalte neuer brynge it soo abowte but redily ordeyne the redi to some other occupacyon bodily or ghostly after thou felyst the disposyd that thou myghtest more profyte in other vertues as mekenesse and charyte For wyte thou well he that hathe in his desyre in his traueylle none other rewarde to none other thynge but to mekenes and charytee aye cryenge after hem how he myght haue hem he shal in that desyre werchynge folowand after profyte and wexe in all other vertues as in chastyte abstynence and suche other yf he haue but lityll rewarde in hem in a yere more than he sholde wythouten thys desire profyte in seuen yf he stryue wyth glotenye lechery and suche other contynuelly and bete hymselfe wyth scourges eche daye fro morow to euensong tyme ¶ That thorough by desyre and traueyle for mekenesse charytee a man comyth sooner to other vertues than by traueyle in hemself Caplm lxxvii GEte to the thenne mekenes and charytee And yf thou wolte traueyle swynke besily for to haue hem y u shalt haue ynough for to doo in getyng of hem And yf y u may gete hem they shall rule the mesure the full pryuely how thow shalt ete and how thou shalt drynke and socour all thy bodyly nede that there shall noo man wyte it but yf thou wolte that shal not be in perplexite ne in yre ne in anguysshÌ„nes and heuines ne in lustes ne in likynges but in pees of glad coÌ„scieÌ„ce w c a sad restfulnes I speke ferder thaÌ„ I thouÈt to haue spokeÌ„ in this materÌ„ but netheles do yf y u may as I the saye I hope god shal make al wel bi this y t I haue said may y u somdel see in this ymage of synne how moche it letteth the The gospell sayth how Abraham spake to the ryche man that was beryed in hell on this wyse Chaos magnum inter nos vos firmatum est vt hii qui voluÌ„t transire ad vos non possuÌ„t nec huc transmeare There is a grete chaos that it to sayen a thycke derknesse betwene vs the that we mowe not come to the ne thou tyll vs This derke ymage in thy soule and min also maye be called a grete chaos that is a grete derknes for it letteth vs that we mow not come to abraham whiche is Ihesu and it lettyth hym that he woll not come to vs â–ª ¶ Of the derknes of the ymage of synne And what comyth in by the wyndowes therof Caplm lxxviii LIfte vp thy lanterne and see in this ymage fyue wyndowes by the whiche synne comyth in to thy soule as y e prophete sayth Mors ingreditur per fenestras nostras Deth comyth in by our wyndowes Thise wyndowes arn the fyue wittes by the whiche thy soule gooth out fro by hymself sechyth his delyte and his fedynge in erthely thynges ayenst hys owne kynde As by the eye for to see curyous and fayre thynges and soo of other wyttes By the vnskylful vsyng of thise wyttes in to vanyte wilfully thy soule is moche letted fro ghostly wyttes wythin and therfore the behoueth stoppeÌ„ thise wyndowes or spere hem but oonly whan nede asketh for to open hem ¶ That the soule for defawte of knowynge of it self gooth onte by fyue wyndowes to seche outwarde likynge Caplm lxxix ANd that were lityll maystry to the yf thou myghtest ones see thy soule by clere vnderstondyng what it is and how fayr it is in his owne kynde Ne it were that it is soo ouerlayed wyth a blacke mantell of this foule ymage but for y u knowist it not therfore y u leuest the inly sighte of thiself sechest thy mete forth withouteÌ„ as a best vnresonable thê° saith lorde manassyng to a chosen soule in holy writte Si ignoraste o pulcra inter mulieres egredere abi post vestigia greguÌ„ sodalium tuorum et pasce edos tuos Thou fayre amonge wymmen yf thou knowe not thyselfe goo oute and walke after the steppes of the flocke of thy felowes and fede thy gete it is thê° moche for to say Thou soule fayr by kynde made to the lyknesse of god freel as a woman in the body foâ— y e fyrste synne by cause that thou knowest not thyselfe that angels foode sholde be thy delyces wythin Therfore thou goost oute by thy bodily wyttes and sechest thy mete and thy likynge as a beste of the flocke that is as one repreuyd and therewyth thou fedest thy thoughtes and thyn affeccyons whiche arn vnclene as gotes It is a shame to the for to doo soo ¶ That a soule shold not begge without forth but with in of Ihesu that it nedeth Caplm lxxx ANd therfore tourne home ayen in thyself
vppe thy frende whyche is Ihesu by deuoute prayer and meditacoÌ„n Here hast thou herde the membres of this ymage ¶ Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made and wherof the ymage of synne and how we ben passyng forthe in the ymage of synne Caplm lxxxvi THis is not the ymage of Ihesu but it is liker an ymage of the deuyll For the ymage of Ihesu is made of vertues wyth mekenes perfyte loue charyte but this is of false flesshly loue to thyself wyth al thyse membres festuyd therto This ymage berest thou euery man what that he be vntyll by grace of Ihesu it be somdele destroyed broken downe Thus it semyth that dauyd sayth in the sawter boke VeruÌ„p tamen in ymagine pertransit homo sed et frustra conturbat This is for to saye Though it be soo that a man were made in the begynÌ„yng to the ymage of god stable stedfast neuerthelesse by cause of synÌ„e he forthpassith liuyng in this worlde in this ymage of synne· bi the whiche he is vnstable trowbled in vayne Also saynt poul spekyth of this ymage thus Sicut portauimê° ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis sic portemê° ymagineÌ„ celestis That is to saye If we wol come to the loue of god as we haue here before borne y e ymage of the erthly maÌ„ fyrst adam that is the ymage of synÌ„e Right soo now lete vs bere the ymage of the heuenly man Ihesu whiche is the ymage of vertues ¶ How we sholde crucifye this ymage of synne and quycken the ymage of Ihesu Caplm lxxxvii WHat shall thou thenÌ„e doo wyth this ymage I answere the by a worde y u the Iewes sayd to pylat of cryste Crucifige euÌ„ Take thou this body of synne doo hym on y e crosse That is for to saye Breke down this ymage slee the false loue of synne in thyself as cristis body was slayne for our synne our trespaas Right soo the behouyth yf thou wolte be like to cryste slee thy bodily likynge and flesshely lustes in thyselfe Thus sayd saynt poul Qui autem cristi sunt cameÌ„ suam crucifixerunt cum viciis concupiscenciis Thise that arn cristis folowers hath crucifyed and slayne her flesshe that is the ymage of synne wyth all the lustes the vnskylfull lykynges of it Slee thenne and breke downe pryde and set vp mekenesse Also breke downe yre enuye and reyse vp loue charyte to thyn euen crysten Also in stede of couetyse pouertee in spiryte In stede of accidye feruour in deuocyon wyth glad redynes to all good dedes And in the stede of glotenye lecherye sobirte chastyte in body in soule This coÌ„sydered saynte poul whan he said thus Deponentes veterem homineÌ„ cuÌ„ suis actibus qui corruÌ„pitur scdm desideria erroris et induite nouuÌ„ homineÌ„ qui scdm deum creatus est in sanctitate iusticia ye shall put down the olde man that is the ymage of sinne of the olde adam wyth all his membres for he is rotin in desyres of errour and ye shal shape you clothe you in a new man whiche is the ymage of god by holynes ryghtwysnes and ful hede of vertues who shall helpe the. breke down this ymage Sothly thy lorde Ihesu In the vertue in the name of hym shall thou breke downe this mawmente of synne Praye hym besily and desyre and he shall helpe the ¶ What profyte comyth of kepyng of the herte And how moche the soule is what it louyth Caplm lxxxviii GAder thenne thyn herte togyder and doo after the couÌ„seyl of the wyse man whan he sayth thê° OmÌ„i custodia serua cor tuuÌ„ qmÌ„ ex ipÌ„o vita procedit with all thy besynes kepe thyn herte· for oute of it comyth lyfe And that is soth whan it is well kepte For thenne wyse thoughtes clene affeccyons and brennyng desyres of vertues of charyte and of the blisse of heuen comen oute of it and makith the soule to lyue a blessed lyf Also on the contrary wyse yf it be not kepte thenne as our lorde sayth in the gospel De corde exiuÌ„t cogitaciones male que coinquinant hominem Euyll thoughtes and vnclene affeccyons comen oute of the herte the whiche defoulen man as oure lorde sayth They eyther benymme the lyfe of the soule by dedely synne Or elles they feble the soule and maken it syke yf they ben venyall For what is a man but his thoughtes and his loues Thyse maken a man oonly good or badde As moche as thou louest god and thyn euen crysten and knowyst hym soo moche is thy soule And yf thou lityll loue hym lityll is thy soule yf thou nouhgt loue hym nougte is thy soule It is noughte as for good but it is moche as for synÌ„e And yf thou wylt wyte what thou louest loke where vpon thou thynkest For where the loue is there is the eye and where the likynge is there is moost the herte thynkynge If thou loue moche god the likyth for to thynke moche vpon hym And yf thou loue lityll thenne lityll thou thynkest vpon hym Rule well thy thoughtes and thyn affeccoÌ„ns and thenne arte thou vertuous ¶ How the ymage of synne shall be broken downe Caplm lxxxix BEgynne thenne on and breke this ymage whan thou hast Inwardely bethoughte the of thyselfe and of thy wretchydnesse as I haue sayd how prowde how vayne and how enuyous how malencolyous how couetous how flesshly and how full of corrupcyon Also how lityll knowyng felyng or sauour thou haast of god and of ghostly thynges How wyse how quicke and how moche sauour thou hast in erthly thynges And shortly that the thynketh the also full of synne as the hyde is full of flesshe Be thou not to moche adradde though thou thynke soo of thyselfe And whan thou hast doon thus lyft vp thenne the desyre of thy herte to thy lorde Ihesu and praye hym of helpe Erye to hym by grete desyres and syghinges that he wyll helpe the to bere this grete bourden of this ymage or elles that he wyll breke it Thynke also suche a shame it is for the to be fedde wyth swynes mete of flesshly sauours that sholdest fele a ghostly sauour of heueÌ„ly Ioye If thou doo thus thenne begynnest thou for to aryse ayenste the hole grounde of synne in the as I haue sayd And it maye soo be that thou shalt fele payn and sorow for thou shalt vnderstonde that there maye noo soule lyue wythout grete payne but yf he haue reste and delyte eyther in his creatour or in a creature Thenne whan thou rysest ayenst thyself by a feruente desyre for to fele of thy lorde Ihesu and for to draew out thy loue fro al bodyly thynges and fro reste in thy bodily felynge in soo moche that thou arte encombred of thiselfe And the thynketh that all creatures ryseÌ„ ayenst the and all thynges whiche thou haddest delyte in before tourneth
Some man in the begynnyng But the sadde felyng of it shall he not haue for cryst is the doore and he is porter and wythouten his leue his lyuereye maye there noo man come in as he sayth hymselfe Nemo venit ad patrē nisi per me Noo man comyth to the fader but by me That is for to saye Noo man maye come to the contemplacyon of the godhede but he be fyrste refourmed by fulnesse of mekenesse and charyte to the kycknesse of Ihesu in his manhede ¶ The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in redynge therof that it was made to Caplm lxxxxiii LOo I haue tolde the a lityll as me thynketh fyrste of cōtemplatyf lyf what it is and sithen of the wayes whyche by grace leden therto noughte for I haue it in felyng and in werchyng as I haue it in sayeng Neuerthelesse I wolde bi thyse wordes suche as they aren fyrste styre myne owne necligence for to doo better than I haue done And also my purpoos is for to styre the or ony other man or woman that hathe taken the state of lyfe contemplatyf for to traueyle more besily and more mekely in that maner of lyfe by suche symple wordes as god hath gyue me grace for to saye And therfore yf ony worde be therin that styreth the or comforteth the more to the loue of god thanke god for it is his gyfte and not of the worde And yf it cōforte the not or elles thou takest it not redely studie not tolonge theraboute but laye it besyde the tyll a nother tyme and yeue the to thy prayer or to other ocupacōn Take it as it woll come and not all at ones Also thise wordes that I write take hem not to streytly but there that the thynkith by gode auysement that I speke to shortly eyther for lackynge of englysshe or wantyng of reason I praye the amende it oonly where nede is Also thyse wordes that I wryte to the they longen not all to a man that hath actyf life but to the or to ony other whiche hath the state of lyfe contemplatyf ¶ THE grace of our Lorde Ihesu Cryste be wyth the AMEN ¶ Here begynnen the chapytours of the ii boke ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body Caplm primum How it nedeth to mankynde that oonly thorough the passion of cryst sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the firste synne Caplm scdm That the Iewes and paynems and also fals crysten men bē not refourmed effetually thorough the vertue of the passion for her owne defawte Caplm iii. Of two manere of refourmynges of this ymage one in fulnes a nother in fayth Caplm iiii That refourmyng in partye is in two maners one in fayth a nother in felynge Caplm v. That thorugh the sacrament of baptym that is grounded in the passyon of cryste this ymage is refourmed fro origynall synne Caplm vi That thorugh the sacrament of penaūce that stondeth in contricōn confessyon satisfaccōn this ymage is refourmed fro actuall synne Caplm vii How in the sacrament of baptym of penaunce thorough a pryue vnperceyuable werchyng of the holy ghost this ymage is refourmed though it be not seen ne felte Caplm viii That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmyng of this ymage yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne a true tournyng of our wyll to gode liuyng Caplm ix· That all the soules that lyuen mekely in y e fayth of holy chirche and haue her fayth quyckened in loue and charyte ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall gyfte of deuocyon or of ghoostly felynge Cap̄lm x. That soules refourmed neden euer to fyghte and to stryue strongly ayenst the stirynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to stiryng and whan not Caplm xi That this ymage is bothe fayr and foule whyle it is in this lyfe here though it be refourmed· and of dyuersyte of felynges pryuely had bytwene thyse soules that ben refourmed other that ben not Caplm xii Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not refourmed and some ben refourmed on̄ly in fayth and some in fayth and in felynge Caplm xiii How men that ben in synne forshape hemself into dyuers bestes lyknes they ben callyd the louers of this worlde xiiii How louers of this world vnablen hem in diuers maners to the refourmyng of her owne soule Caplm xv A lityll counceylle how louers of this worlde sholden doo yf they will be refourmed in her owne soule byfore her partyng hens Caplm xvi That refourmyng in fayth and in felyng maye not sodenly begoten but by grace and moche bodily ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii The cause why soo fewe soules in rewarde of the multitude of other comyth to this reformyng in fayth in felyng xviii An other cause also of the same and how wilfull bodily customes indiscretly rewarded vsed somtyme hyndreth soules fro felyng of more grace Caplm xix How that wythout moche bodily ghostly besynesse wythoute moche grace and mekenesse soules maye not be refourmed in felyng ne be kepte therin after they come therto xx An entree how a soule shall haue her in meanynge and werchynge that woll come to this refourmynge by ensample of a pylgryme goynge to Iherusalem And of two manere of mekenesse Caplm xxi Of taryenges temptacyons that soules felen by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng and gooyng to Iherusalem and of remedyes ayenst hem Caplm xxii Of a generall remedie ayenst wicked stirynges and paynful taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the worlde and of the fende Cap̄lm xxiii Of an euyll daye and a good nyghte what it meanyth and how the loue of the worlde is lykned to an euyll day and the loue of god to a good nyghte Caplm xxiiii How that the desyre of Ihesu felte in this lyghtsome derknes sleeth all stirynges of synne and ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu Caplm xxv How a man shall knowe fals illumynacyons feyned by the fende fro the true lyghte of knowyng that comyth out of ihesu and by what tokens Caplm xxvi How grete profyte it is to the soule to be broughte thorough grace in to lyghtsome derkenesse and how a man shall dispose hym yf he wyll come therto Caplm xxvii That in refourmynge of a soule the werkynge of oure lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes that is callyng ryghtyng magnifyenge glorifyenge Caplm xxviii How it fallyth somtyme that soules begynnynge and perfytyng in grace seme to haue more loue as bi outwarde tokens than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin Caplm xxix On what manere a man shal haue knowynge of his owne soule and
how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god and man one persone Caplm xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shall be take and on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poulis wordes Caplm xxxi How god openyth the Inner eye of the soule to see hym not all at ones but by dyuers tymes and of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample Caplm xxxii How IhuÌ„ is heuen to y e soule why he is called fyre xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed and vnfourmed what it meaneth and how we ben beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyeng but althermoost for our sauynge thrugh the yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiii How that some soule loueth ihesu by bodily feruours and by her owne manly affeccoÌ„ns that ben stired by grace and by reison And how some louen Ihesu more restfully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thorugh specyall grace of the holy ghost Caplm xxxv That the yette of loue amonge al the yeftes of Ihesu is worthyest and moost profytable And how Ihesu dooth al that is well done in his louers oonly for loue and how loue makith the vsyng of all vertues all good dedes lyght eesy xxxvi How loue thorugh gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu sleeth al styrynges of pryde and makyth the soule for to lese sauour and delyte in all erthly worshyp Caplm xxxvii How loue sleeth all stirynges of wrath and enuye softly and refourmyth in the soule the vertues of pees and pacyeÌ„ce and of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles Caplm xxxviii How loue sleeth couetyse lecherye and gloteny and sleeth the flesshly sauour and delyte in all the fyue bodily wyttes softly and easely thorugh a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ xxxix What vertues and graces a soule receyueth thorugh openynge of the Inner eye in to the gracyous beholdynge of Ihesu And it maye not be goten oonly thorugh mannys traueylle but thorugh specyall grace traueyle also Caplm xl How specyall grace in beholdyng of Ihesu wythdrawith soÌ„tyme fro a soule and how a soule shal haue her in the absence and presence of Ihesu And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye the gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ Caplm xli A coÌ„mendacyon of prayer offryd to Ihesu of a soule contemplatyffe And how stablenesse in prayer is a syker werke to stonde in And how euery felynge of grace in a chosen soule maye be sayd Ihesu but the more clener a soule is the worthier is his grace Caplm xlii How a soule thrugh the openyng of the ghostly eye receyueth a gracyous loue able to vnderstonde holy wrytte And how Ihesu that is hydde in holy wrytte sheweth hymself to his louers Caplm xliii Of the pryue voys of Ihesu sownynge in a soule wherby it shall be knowen and how all the gracyous Illumynacyons made in a soule beÌ„ called the spekynges of IhuÌ„ Caplm xliiii How thorugh gracyous openynge of the gholy eye a soule is made wyse mekely and sothfastly to see the dyuersite of degrees in holy chirche as traueyllyng and for to see angels kynde fyrst of reproued Caplm xlv How by the same lyghte of grace the blessyd angelles kynde maye be seen and how Ihesu is god and man aboue all creatures after that the soule maye see hym here Caplm xlvi ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the seconde boke ¶ Here after folowyth the seconde boke of mayster walterÌ„ Hylton ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body Caplm primum FOr asmoche as thou couetyst gretly and askyst it for charyte for to here more of an ymage the whiche I haue before tymes in partie discriued to the therfore I wyll gladly wyth drede fall to thy desyre and helpyng the grace of our lorde Iesu cryst in whom I fully truste I shall open to the a lityll more of this ymage At the begynnyng yf thou wylt wyte plainly what I meane by this ymage I telle the forsoth that I vndstonde nought elles but thyn owne soule For thy soule and my soule and euery resonable soule is an ymage and that a worthy ymage for it is the ymage of god as the apostle saythe Vir est ymago dei That is to saye A man is the ymage of god and made to the ymage and to the lyknes of hym not in the bodily shappe wythoute but in the myghtes of it within as holy wrytte sayth Formauit deus homineÌ„ ad ymagineÌ„ similitudineÌ„ suaÌ„ That is Our lorde god shope man in his soule to his owne ymage lyknes This is the ymage that I haue spoken of This ymage made to the ymage of god in the fyrst shapyng was wonderly fayr and bryghte full of brennyng loue and ghostly lyghte but thorugh synne of y e fyrst man adam it was disfygured and forshapen in to a nether lyknes as I haue before sayd For it fell fro y e ghostly lyÈte that heuenly fode in to paynfull derknes and lust of this wretchyd lyfe exyled and flemyd oute fro the herytage of heuen that it sholde haue had yf it had stonde stylle in to y e wretchydnes of this erthe and afterwarde in to the prison of helle there to haue be wythoute ende Fro the whyche pryson to y e heuenly herytage it myghte neuer haue come agayen but yf it had be refourmed to the fyrste shappe and the fyrste lickenes But that refourmynge myghte not be made by none erthly man for euery man was in the same myscheyff And none myghte suffyse to helpe hymselfe and soo moche lesse a nother man Therfore it nedeth to be done by hym that is more than man that is oonly god and that was skylfull that he sholde refourme and restore man to blysse yf he sholde be saaf whiche of his endles goodnes fyrste shope hym therto How thenne it myghte be refourmed and how it is refourmed to the fyrste lyckenes by hym that fourmed it by the grace of god I shall telle the For that is the entente of this wrytynge ¶ How it neded to mankynde that oonly thorugh the passyon of cryste it sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii THe ryghtwysnes of god asketh that a trespace done be not foryeuen but yf amendes be made for it yf it maye be done Now it is sooth mankynde that was hole in adam the fyrste man trespassed ayenste god soo wonder greuously whan it forfeyted the speciall byddyng of hym and assented to the false counseylle of the fende that it deserued ryghtfully for to haue be departed fro hym and dampned to helle wyth outen ende soo ferforth that stondynge the ryghtwysnesse of god it myghte not be foryeuen but yf amendes were first made and full satysfaccyon therfore But this amendes myghte noo man make that was man oonly and comen oute of adam by kyndely
pro nobis melius prouidente ne sine nobis consuÌ„marentur That is Our lorde purueyeth better for vs in the delaye of our refourmynge than yf he had graunted it thenne For this skylle that the chosen soules here beforn sholde not make a full ende wythoute vs that come after A nother skylle is this For syth that man in hys fyrste fourmynge of god was sette in his free wyll and had free chesyng whether he wolde haue fully god or noo· It was therfore resonable that syth he wolde not chese god thenÌ„e but wretchydly felle from hym If he sholde afterwarde be refourmed that he sholde be sette agayn in the same free chesinge that he was fyrst in whether he wolde haue the profyte of his refourmynge or noo And this maye be a skylle why manÌ„es soule was not refourmed fully as faste after the passyon of Ihesu cryste ¶ That refourmyng in partye is in two maners one in fayth a nother in felynge Caplm v. A Nother reforming of this ymage is in partie and this refourming may be had in this lyf but yf it be had in this lyf it maye neuer be hadde ne the soule maye neuer be saaf But this refourmynge is on two maners One is in faythe oonly A nother is in fayth and in felynge The fyrste refourmynge in fayth oonly suffiseth to saluacyon The seconde is worthy to haue passynge mede in the blysse of heuen The fyrste maye be had lyghtly and in shorte tyme The seconde maye not soo but thorugh lengthe of tyme and moche ghostly traueyle The fyrst maye be had wyth the felynge of the ymage of synne for though a man fele noo thynge in hymselfe but all stirynges of synne and flesshly desyres not ayenstondynge that felynge yf he wylfully assente not therto he maye be refourmed in fayth to the lycknesse of god But the seconde reformyng puttyth oute the likyng in felynge of flesshly stirynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynnyng and profitynge soules and of actyf men The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyf men· For by the firste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmyng destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synÌ„e and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thorugh 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 moos beste Fyrste lete vs speke of that one and syth of that other and soo we shall come to the thyrde ¶ That thorugh the sacrament of baptym that is grounded in the passion of Cryste this is refourmed fro origynall synne Caplm vi TWo maner of synÌ„es makith a soule to lese y e shape the lyknes of god That one is called origynall y t is the firste synÌ„e thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done synne thyse ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blisse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to thendles payne of helle but yf it be thoruÈ the grace of god reformyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens oute of this lyfe Neuerthelesse two remedyes aren there ayenst thise two synnes by the whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is the sacramente of baptym ayenste origynall synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenste actuell synne A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of origynall synne hath noo lyckenesse of god He is noughte but an ymage of the fende and a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thrugh the vertue of faythe of holy chirche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of the fende and made lyke an angell of heuen Also the same falleth to a Iewe or to a farracyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne noughte but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour and falleÌ„ mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy ghoste sothly wythoute ony more taryeng they arne refourmed to the lickenesse of god soo fully as holy chirche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe oute of this worlde they sholde streyghte flee to heuen wythoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer soo moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe and neuer sholde they fele the payâ—ne of helle ne of purgatori And that pryuelege sholde they hâ—ue by the meryte of crystis passion ¶ That thorugh the sacrament of penauÌ„ce that stondâ—â—h in contricyon confession and satisfaccion this ymage is refourmed fro actuall synne Caplm vii ALso what crysten man or woman that hath lost the lickenesse of god thorough a dedely synne brekynge godâ—dis commaundementes yf he thorugh towchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricion of herte and be in full wylle for to amende hym and torne him to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wylle receyuyth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyll therto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans that was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyll thorugh dedely synne is now by the sacrament of penauÌ„ce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curteysie of oure lorde and an cudeles mercy that soo lyghtly foryeuyth all manere of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abideth not grete penaunce dooyng ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne and a full forsakyng in wyll of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournynge of the herte to him This askith he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this wythoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shall not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycoÌ„n and loue be the more And therfore shall he goo and shewe hym and shryue hym to his ghostly fader and receyue penaunce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyll it soo that bothe the synÌ„e and the payne maye be done away or he passe hens And that is the skylfull ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that though the synne be foryeuen thorugh the vertue of contricyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllyng of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shall yf he maye shewe to his preste plener confessyon for that is his token his warraunte of foryeuenesse ayenste all his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenste a kynge of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a full sykernesse for to haue oonly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a
Nichil dampnacoÌ„nis in hiis qui noÌ„ scdm carnem ambulant That is Thyse soules that arne refourmed to the ymage of god in fayth thorugh the sacrameÌ„t of baptym or of penauÌ„ce shall not be dampned for felynges of this ymage of synne yf it soo be that they goo not after y e stirynges of the flesshe by dede doynge ¶ That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne a true torning of our wyll to good liuyng Ca· ix OF this refourmynge in fayth spekyth saynt poul thus Iustus ex fide viuit The rightwisman lyueth in fayth That is He that is made rightfull by baptym or by penaunce he lyueth in fayth whiche suffyseth vnto saluacoÌ„n and to heuenly pees as saynt poul sayth Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus ad deuÌ„ That is we that arne ryghted and refourmed thorugh faythe in cryste hathe pees and accorde made betwyx god and vs. noughte ayenstondynge the vycious felynges of our body of synne For though this reformyng be pryue and maye not well be felte here in this lyfe neuerthelesse who so trowyth it stedfastly and shapyth his werkes bisely for to accorde to his trouth and that he tourne not ayen to dedely synÌ„e Soothly whan the houre of dethe comyth and the soule is departed fro this bodily lyfe thenne shall he fynde it sooth that I saye now Thus sayd saynt IohÌ„n in comforte of chosen soules that lyuen here in fayth vnder the felynge of this painfull ymage Barissimi nunc sumus filii dei sed non duÌ„ apparuit quid erimus Scimus auteÌ„ qmÌ„ cum cristus apparuit tunc apparebimus cum eo similes ei in gloria That is My dere frendes we arne now whyle we lyue here the sonnes of god for we arn refourmed bi faythe in cryste to his lyckenes But it shewyth not yet what we arn but it is all pryue Neuerthelesse we knowe well that whan our lorde shall shewe hym at the laste daye thenne shall we appere wyth hym lyke vnto hym in endles Ioye If thou wolte wyte thenne yf thy soule be refourmed to the ymage of god or noo by that I haue sayd thou maye haue entree Ransake thy conscyence and loke what thy wyll is for there in stondeth all If it be tourned fro all maner of dedely synne that thou woldeste for noothynge wyttyngly and wylfully breke the coÌ„maundement of god And for that thou haste mysdone here before ayenste his biddynge thou haste shryuen the therof mekely wyth full herte to leue it and arte sory that thou dydest it I saye thenne sykerly that thy soule is refourmed in faythe to the lyckenesse of god ¶ That all the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche and haue her faythe quyckened in loue and chaâ—ryte ben refourmed by this sacramente though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall yefte of deuocyon or of ghostly felynge Caplm x· IN this refourmynge that is oonly in faythe the 〈◊〉 parte of chosen soules leden her lyfe that setteÌ„ her wyll stedfastly for to flee all manere of dedely synne and for to kâ—pe hem in loue charyte to her euen crysten and for to kepâ— the coÌ„maundementes of god after her cunnynge And whan it soo is that wycked stirynges and euyll wylles rysen in her hertes of pryde or of enuye of yre or lecherye or of ony other hede synne they ayenstonde hem and stryuen ayenst hem by dysplesynge of wyll soo that they folowe not in dede thyse wycked wylles And neuerthelesse yf they falle lyghtly as it were ayenste her wyll thorugh freelte or vncuÌ„nynge as soone her conscyence greuyth hem and pynyth hem soo greuously that they mow haue noo reste tyll they be shryuen and maye haue foryeuenes Sothly all thise soules that thus lyuen in this refourmynge and ben founde therin in the houre of dethe they shall be saaf and come to the full refourmynge in the blysse of heuen though it be soo that they myghte neuer haue ghostly felynge ne Inwarde sauour ne specyall grace of deuocoÌ„n in all her lyfe tyme For elles yf thou say that noo soule shall be saaf but it were refourmed in ghostly felynge that it myght fele deuocoÌ„n and ghostly sauour in god as some soules doon thorugh specyall grace thenÌ„e sholde fewe soules be saaf in rewarde of multytude of other Nay it is not for to trowe that that for the soules that oonly arn deuoute and bi grace come to ghostly felyng and for noo moo our lorde Ihesu sholde haue take mankynde and suffred that harde passyon of dethe It had be a lityll purchaas to hym for to haue come fro so ferre to soo nere and fro soo hye to soo lowe for soo fewe soules Nay his mercy is spradde larger than soo Neuertheles on the contrary wyse yf thou trowe that the passyon of our lorde is soo precyous and his mercy somoche that there shal noo soule be dampned and namely of noo crysten man doo he neuer soo euyll as some fooles wene soothly thou erreste gretely Therfore goo in the meane and holde the in the middes and trow as holy chirche trowyth And that is that the moost sinfull man that lyueth in erthe yf he torne his will thorugh grace fro dedely synne wyth sothfaste repentaunce to the seruyse of god he is refourmed in his soule And yf he deyed in that state he shall be saaf Thus behighte our lorde by his prophete sayenge thus In quacuÌ„que hora conuersus fuerit peccator ingemuerit vita viuet et non morietur That is In what tyme that it be that the synful man is tourned to god fro synÌ„e and he haue sorow therfore he shall lyue and he shal not deye endelesly And on the other syde who soo liuyth in dedely synÌ„e and wylle not leue it ne amende hym therof ne receyue the sacrament of penaunce or elles yf he receyue it he takyth it not soothfastly for the loue of god that is for the loue of vertue clennesse but oonly for drede or shame of the worlde or for drede oonly of paynes of helle he is not refourmed to the lyknesse of god And yf he deye in that plyghte he shall not be saaf His trouth shall not saue hym for his trouthe is dede and lackyth loue and therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened wyth loue charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degree of charite as arn symple soules the whiche felen not the yeft of speciall deuocyon ne ghostly knowynge of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chirche trowith and knowyth not fully what that is for it nedeth not to hem· And in that trowyth they kepe hem in loue and charytee to her euen crysten as they maye and fleen all dedely synne after her cuÌ„nynge and dooen the dedes of mercy to her euen crysten
I be blacke bi cause of my body of synÌ„e as a reproued soule y t is one of the tabernacles of the fende neuertheles I am within full fayr thorugh trouthe good wyll lyke to an angell of heuen For soo sayth he in a nother place Nolite considerare me qd fusca suÌ„ qmÌ„ decolorauit me sol That is Beholde me not that I am swart for the sonne hath defaded me The sonÌ„e makyth a skynne swarte onÌ„ly wythout and not wythin and it betokenith this flesshly lyfe Therfore sayth a chosen soule thê° Repreue me not for I am swart for the swartnesse that I haue is all wythoute of touchyng of berynge of this ymage of synne but it is noo thynge wythin And therfore soothly though it be soo y t a chosen soule reformed in fayth dwelle in this body of sinÌ„e and fele the same flesshly stirynges and vse the same bodily werkes as dooth a tabernacle of cedar soo ferforth that in maÌ„nes dome there sholde noo dyfference be bytwyx that one and that other Neuertheles within in her soules there is a ful grete dyuersite· and in the syghte of god there is ful moche twinnynge But the knowyng of this whiche is one and whiche is other is oonly kepte to god â–ª for it passeth mannes dome manÌ„es felynge and therfore we shall noo man deme as euill for that thynge that maye be vsed bothe euyll well A soule that is not refourmed is take soo fully wyth the loue of the worlde and soo moche ouerlayed wyth the likynge of his flesshe in all his seÌ„sualyte that he chesyth it as a full reste of his herte and in his pryue meanynge he wolde not elles haue but y t he myght euer be syker therof He felith noo lycour of grace stiryng him for to lothe his flesshly lyf ne for to desire heuenly blysse And therfore I may say that he bereth not this ymage of synÌ„e but he is borne of it as a man that were seke and soo weyke that he myghte not bere hymselfe And therfore he is layed in a bedde and borne in a lytere Ryght soo suche a synfull soule is soo weyke and soo vnmyghti for lackyng of grace that he maye neyther meue honde ne fote for to doo ony good dede ne for to ayenstonde by displesyng of wyll the leest stirynge of synne whan it comyth but it falleth downe therto as it were a beest vpon careyne But a soule that is refourmed though he vse his flesshly wyttes and fele flesshly stirynges neuerthelesse he lotheth hem in his herte· for he wolde for noo thynge fully reste in hem but he fleeth the reste as the bitynge of an adder and had leuer haue his rest and the loue of his herte in god yf that he cowde· and somtyme desyreth therto and often grutcheth of the lykynge of this lyfe for loue of the lyfe euerlastynge This soule is not borne in this ymage of synne as a seke man though he fele it but he beryth it For thorugh grace he is made myghty stronge for to suffre and bere his body wyth all the euyll stirynges of it wythoute hurtynge or defoylynge of hymself and that is in asmoche as he loueth hem not ne foloweth hem not· ne seÌ„teth not to hem the whiche arn dedely synnes as a nother dooth This was bodily fulfylled in the gospel of a man that was in the palsye and was soo feble that he myghte not goo and therfore was he layed and borne in a lytere and broughte to our lorde And whan our lorde sawe hym in myscheyf of his gâ—â—odnesse he sayd to hym Surge et tolle grabatum tuuÌ„ et 〈◊〉 in domum tuaÌ„ That is Rise vp and take thy bedde and 〈◊〉 in to thy hous And soo he dyde and was hole And soothly right as this man bare vpon his backe whan he was made hole the bedde that before bare hym Right soo it maye be sayd ghostly that a soule refourmed in fayth berith this ymage of synne the whyche bare hym before And therfore be not adradde tomoche of thy blackenesse that thou haste of beryng of this ymage of synne But as ayenste the shame the dyscoÌ„forte that y u hast of the beholdyng of it and also ayen vpbraydyng that thou felist in thy hert of thy ghostly enmyes whan thei say to the thê° where is thy lord IhuÌ„s what sekest yu. wherÌ„ is y e fairnes that y u spekest of what felist y u ouÈte but blindnes of synne where is that ymage of god that thou sayest is refourmed in the Comforte thiselfe and be faythfull styfly as I haue before sayd And yf thou doo soo thou shalt by this trouth destroye all the temptacyons of thyn enmyes Thus sayde the appostle poul Accipe scutuÌ„ fidei in quo omnia tela hostis nequissima poteris extinguere That is Take to the a shelde of stedfaste trouth thorugh the whiche thou may quenche al the brennyng dartes of thyn enmye ¶ Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not refourmed and some ben refourmed oonly in fayth and some in fayth and in felynge Caplm xiii BY this that I haue said maye thou see that after dyuers partyes of the soule arne dyuers states of men Some men arne not refourmed to the lyckenesse of god and some arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god And some arn refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth and some arne refourmed in fayth and in felynge For thou shalt vnderstonde that a soule hath two partyes That one is called sensualyte and that is flesshly felynge by the fyue outewarde wyttes the whiche is comon to man and to beest Of the whiche sensualyte whan it is vnskilfully and vnordynatly ruled is made the ymage of synne whan it is not ruled after reason for thenne is the sensualyte synÌ„e That other partye is called reason and that is departed in two In the ouer partye in the nether The ouer party is lickened to a man for it sholde be mayster and souereyne and that is propirly the ymage of god For by that oonly the soule knowyth god and louyth hym And the neyther is lyckened to a woman for it sholde be buxum to the ouer partye of reison as woman is buxum to maÌ„ and that lyeth in knowyng and rulynge of erthly thynges for to vse hem discretly after nede for to refuse hem whaÌ„ it is noo nede for to haue euer with it an eye vpwarde to the ouerpartie of reason with drede reuerence for to folow it Now maye I saye y t a soule that lyueth after likynges and the lustes of his flesshe as it were an vnskylfull beest and neyther hath knowyng of god ne desyre to vertues ne to good liuynge But is all blynded in pryde frette wyth enuy ouerlayed wyth couetyse defoyled wyth lecherye and other grete synnes Is not refourmed to y e lyckenesse of god for it lyeth and resteth fully in the ymage of synne that is sensualyte A nother soule that dredeth god
hole this desyre to IhuÌ„ yf thou be free and art not bounde but vnd the comyn lawe and that doo Bynde the not to wylfull customes vnchaungably that sholde lette the fredom of thyne herte for to loue IhuÌ„ yf grace wolde visyte the specyally For I shall telle the whiche customes are euer gode and nedeful to be kept Loo suche custome is euer gode to holde y t stoÌ„deth in getyng of vertue lettyng of synÌ„e that custome sholde neuer be left for y u shal euer be meke pacyeÌ„t· sobre chast yf thou wel doo so of al other vtues But the custome of a nother thynge that lettyth a better is goode for to leue whan tyme is there a man maye As thus If a man haue in custome for to saye thus many beedes or for to thynke this maner of thouÈte thê° longe tyme or for to wake or knele thus longe or ony other suche bodily dede this custome is for to leue somtyme whaÌ„ resonable cause lettith or elles yf more grace comyth otherwyse ¶ Of tarienges temptacoÌ„ns that soules fele bi her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowinge and gooyng to Ihrlm and of remedyes ayenste hem Caplm xxii NOw arte thou in the way woost how thou shalt goe Now bewaar of enmyes that woll be besy for to lette the yf they maye for her entent is for to putt out of thyn herte that desyre that longyng that thou hast to the loue of IhuÌ„ and for to dryue the home ayen to the loue of worldly vany te for there is noo thinge that greueth hem somoche Thyse enmyes are pryncipally flesshly desyres vayne dredes that risen oute of thyn herte thrugh corrupcoÌ„n of thy flesshly kynâ—e and wolde lette thy desyre of the loue of god that they myght fully restfully ocupye thyn herte Thise are thyn next enâ—â—â—es Also other enmyes there are as vnclene spirytes that aâ—â—besy wyth sleyghtes wyles for to disceyue the But one râ—â—medie shalt thou haue that I sayd before What so it be thâ—â— they saye trowe hem not but holde forth thy waye onÌ„ly 〈◊〉 the loue of IhuÌ„ AnswerÌ„ euer thê° I am nought I haue â—â—â—ughte I coueyte noughte but onÌ„ly the loue of our lorde Ihâ—â— If thyn enmyes saye to the fyrst thus by stirynges in hert thâ—â— thou arte not shryuen aright or there is some olde synÌ„e 〈◊〉 thyn herte that thou knowest not ne neuer were shriuen 〈◊〉 And therfore thou must torne home ayeÌ„ leue thy desire 〈◊〉 shryue the better Trowe not this sayeng for it is fals for y â— arte shryue trust sikerly that thou arte in y e waye the nedeth nomore ransakyng of shryfte for that y â— is passed Holde forthe thy waye thynke on Ihrlm Also yf they saye that thou arte not worthy to haue the loue of god wherto shalt thou coueyte that thou maye not hauene arte not worthy therto Trowe hem not but goo forth and saye thus Not for I am worthy but for I am vnworthy· therfore wolde I loue god For yf I had it that sholde make me worthy And sythen I was made therto though I sholde neuer haue it yet woll I coueyte it and therfore woll I praye thynke that I myght gete it And thenne yf thyne enmyes see that thou begynnest to waxe bolde and wel wylled to thy werke they begyn to wexe aferde of the Neuerthelesse they woll not cease of taryenge the whanne they maye as longe as thou arte gooynge in the waye what wyth drede manassynge on that one syde what wyth flaterynge and fals pleysynge on that other syde for to make the breke thy purpose and tourne home ayen they woll saye thus If thou holde forth thy desyre to Ihesu soo fully trauelynge as thou begynnest thou shalt falle in to syckenes or in to fantasyes or in to frenesyes as thou seest that some donÌ„ Or thou shalt falle in to pouertee and bodily myscheyf and noo man shall well helpe the Or thou myghte falle in to priue temptacoÌ„ns of the fende that thou shalt not helpe thyselfe For it is wonder peryllous to ony man for to yeue hym fully to the loue of god and leue all the worlde and noo thynge coueyte but oonly the loue of hym· for so many perylles may falle that a man knoweth not of And therfore torne home ayen and leue this desyre for thou shal neuer brynge it to the ende and doo as other worldly men done Thus sayen thyn enmyes but trowe hem not but holde for the thy desyre and saye not elles but thou woldest haue Ihesu and be at Ihrlm And yf they perceyue thenne thy wyll so stroÌ„ge that thou wolt not spare for synÌ„e ne for syknesse for fantasyes ne for frenesyes for dowtes ne for dredes of ghostly teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns for myscheyf ne for pouerte for lyfe ne for deth but euer forth thou wolt wyth one thynge and noo thyng but one make deef ere to hem as though y u herde hem not holdeste y e forth styfly in thy prayer in thyne other ghostly werkes without stintyng with discrecoÌ„n after couÌ„seyle of thy souereyn or of thy ghostly fader thenne begyn they for to be wrothe and to goo a lytyll nerer the. ThenÌ„e they begyn for to robbe the bete the and do the all the shame that they can And that is whan they make that all the dedes that thou doost ben they neuer soo well done are denyed of other men as euyll torned in to the wors partye And what so euer it be that thou woldest haue done in helpe of thy body or of thy soule it shall be letted or hyndred by other men so that thou shalt be put fro thy wyll in all thyng that thou skilfully coueytes And al this they done that y u sholdest be styred to yre or maleÌ„coly or euyll wyll ayeÌ„st thy eueÌ„cristen But ayenst all thise diseases al other that thou maye fele vse this remedye Take IhuÌ„ in thy mynde and anger y â— not with hem Tarye not wyth hem but thynke on thy lesson y â— thou arte noughte that thou hast noughte thou may noughtelese of erthly good thou coueytest nought but the loue of IhuÌ„ and holde forth thy waye to Ihrlm wyth thy occupacoÌ„n 〈◊〉 neuertheles yf thou be taryed soÌ„tyme thrugh freelte of thyâ—â—â— wyth suche vneases that fallen to thy bodily lyfe thrugh 〈◊〉 wyll of man or malyce of the fende assoone as thou maye 〈◊〉 ayen to thyself leue of the thynkyng of thy dysease 〈◊〉 forth to thy werke Abyde not longe wyth hem for 〈◊〉 thyn enmyes ¶ Of a generall remedye ayenst wycked stirynges 〈◊〉 taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the 〈◊〉 and of the fende Caplm xxiiâ— ANd after this whan thin enmyes see that thou aâ—te 〈◊〉 well wylled that thou arte not angry nor heuy ne wâ—â—the ne moche stired ayenste noo creature for oughte that they may doo or speke
for to desyre god thynke onÌ„ly â—n hym thou maye as it were fyrste aske thyselfe in thyn owne thought whether thou coueyte for to haue ony thyng of this lyfe for loue of itself or for to haue the vse of ony of thy bodily wyttes in ony creature And thenne yf thyn eye answere the thus I wolde see right noughte and thy mouthe I wolde sauour right nought and after thyn eere I wolde here ryght nought thy body I wolde fele right nouÈt And after yf thine herte say I wolde thynke right nought of erthly thynge ne of bodily dede ne I wolde haue affeccoÌ„n fastned flesshly to no creature but oonly in god and to godwarde yf that I cowde And whan they answere all thus to the that is done ful redily yf grace towche the. thenÌ„e art thou entred somwhat into this derkues For though thou fele perceyue gleÌ„tynges proferynges of vayne thoughtes precynge in of flesshly affeccions neuerthelesse thou arte in this profitable derknes yf it be soo that thyn thoughte be not fyxed in hem For suche vayn ymagynacoÌ„ns that falle in the herte vnauisedly trowbleÌ„ this derknes and pyneth the soule somwhat by cause that it wolde be hidde fro hem maye not but they doo not awaye y â— profyte of this derknes for the soule shall by that waye come to restfull myrknes And thenÌ„e is this derknes restful whan the soule is hydde for a tyme fro the paynfull felyng of all suche vayn thoughtê onÌ„ly is rested in desire loÌ„gynge to IhuÌ„ with a ghostly beholdynge of hym as it shall be sayd afterwarde But that lasteth but a whyle hoole Neuerthelesse though it be but a shorte tyme it is full profytable ¶ How that the desyre of Ihesu felt in this lyghtsom derknes sleeth al stirynges of synÌ„e ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu Caplm xxv THenÌ„e sithen this derknesse this nyghte is soo good so restfull though it be shorte that stondeth onÌ„ly in desyre longyng to the loue of IhuÌ„ wyth a blynde thynkyng on hym how good thenÌ„e how blessid is it for to fele his loue for to be illumyned wyth his blessid vnseable present lyghte for to see sothfastnes the whiche lyght a soule receyueth whaÌ„ the nyghte passith the daye spryngeth This I hope was the nyighte that the prophete meaned whan he said My soule hath desired the in y â— nyghte As I haue before sayd it is moche better to be hydde in this derke nyghte fro beholdyng of the worlde though it were paynful than for to be oute in fals lykyng of this worlde y t semyth soo shinyng soo coÌ„fortable to hem that are blynde in knowynge of ghostly lyghte For whan y u arte in this derknes thou arte moche nerer Ihrlm than whan thou art in the myddes of the fals lyght Therfore applye thine hert fully to the stiryng of grace vse for to woon in this derknes and by oft assayeng to be homly therin it shal be so â—â—e made restfull to the And the true lyghte of ghostly knowynge shall sprynge to the. not all at ones but pryuely by lityll bi lityll as the prophete sayth HabitaÌ„tibus in regione vmbre mortis lux orta est eis That is To dwellynge in the countree of shadowe of dethe lighte was sprongen That is Lighte of grace sprongen and shall sprynge to all theym that can wonne in the shadowe of dethe that is in this derkenesse that is lyke to dethe For as deth sleeth a lyuyng body all flesshly felinges of it right so desyre to the loue of IhuÌ„ felyd in this derkes sleeth al synnes all flesshly affeccoÌ„ns and all vnclene thoughtes for the tyme And thenne nyghest thou faste to Ihrlm Thou arte not there yet but by smalle sodein lyghtynges that glidyrth oute of smale caues fro that cytee shall thou mowe see it fro ferre or that thou come therto For wyte thou well though y t thy soule be in this restfull derknesse wythout troublynge of worldly vanytees it is not yet clothed all in lyghte ne torned all in to fyre of loue But it felyth well that there is soÌ„what aboue itself that it knowith not ne hath not yet but wold haue it brenÌ„yngly yerneth it And that is nought elles but y e syighte of Ihrlm wythout forth the whiche is lyke to a cytee y t the prophete Ezechyell sawe in his visyons He sayth that he sawe a cyte sette vpon an hylle heldinge to the southe that to his syghte whan it was moten was nomore of lengthe of brede than a reede that is vi cubytes a palme of length But assone as he was broughte in to the cyte lokyd aboute hym thenÌ„e thoughte hym that it was wonder moche For he saw many halles chambres bothe open pryuee He sawe gates porches outwarde Inwarde and moche more byldynge thaÌ„ I saye now on length on brede many huÌ„dred cubites TheÌ„ne was this wonder to hym how this cyte wythin was thus longe so large that so lityll to his sighte was whan he was without This cyte betokeneth the perfite loue of god sett in the hylle of conteÌ„placoÌ„n the whiche vnto the syghte of a soule that wythout the felynge of it traueyleth in the desyre towarde semyth somwhat but it semyth but a lityll thynge noo more than a reede that is vi cubytes a palme of length By vi cubites are vndstonde the perfeccoÌ„n of manÌ„es werke And by the palme a lityll to wchynge of conteÌ„placoÌ„n He seeth wel that there is suche a thynge that passeth the deserte of all the worchynge of man a lityll as the palme passeth the vi cubytes but he seeth not within what it is neuertheles yf he may come wythin the cyte of conteÌ„placoÌ„n thenne seeth he moche more than he sawe fyrste ¶ How a man shall knowe fals IllumynacoÌ„ns feyned by y e fende fro the true lyght of knowyng that comyth out of IhuÌ„ and by what tokens Caplm xxvi BVt now bewaar of the mydday fende that feyneth lyghte as it came out of Ihrlm and is not soo For the tende seeth that our lorde IhuÌ„ shewyth lyghte to his louers of so the fastnes therfore in deceyuyng of hem that are vnwyse he shewyth a lyghte that is not true vnder colour of a true lyghte and deceyueth hem Neuertheles how a soule maye knowe the lyghte of sothfastnes whan it shyneth from god whan it is feyned thrugh the enmye shall I saye as me thynketh by an example of the fyrmament Somtyme the fyrmamente shewyth a lyght fro the sonÌ„e semyth the sonne is not And somtyme shewyth the true sonÌ„e truely A knowynge of that one from that other is this The feyned sonne shewyth hym not but bitwix two blacke reyny clowdes ThenÌ„e by cause y e sonne is nere there shyneth out fro the clowdes a lyghte as it were a sonÌ„e
fully sette hym to forsake the loue of the worlde And maye thorugh grace come to felyng and knowynge of hymselfe And holde hym mekely in that felynge he shall not be dysceyued wyth none errours ne heresyes ne wyth fantasyes For alle thyse comen by the gate of pryde Thenne yf that pryde maye be stopped out thenne there shall noo suche synne reste in a soule And though that they come and profer hem they shal not entre For grace that the soule felyth in this meke derkenes shall teche the soule sothe fastnes shew to it y t al suche proferynges are of theÌ„mye ¶ How grete profite is it to the soule to be broughte thrugh grace in to lyhtsome derkenes And how a man shall dispose hym yf he woll come therto Caplm xxvii THere are many deuoute soules that thrugh grace come in to this derkenes felen the knowing of hemself· and yet wote they not fully what it is and that vnknowynge in partye hyndreth hem They fele well often her thought her affeccoÌ„n draweÌ„ out and departed fro the mynde of erthly thinges and brought in to grete reste of a delectable softnes with out pinfull trowblynge of vayne thoughtes or of her 〈◊〉 wyttes and they fele that tyme soo grete freedom of spirite â— they maye thynke on Ihesu peasible and offre her psalmes â— prayers myghtily sauourly swetly to hym as longe as 〈◊〉 of bodily kynde maye suffre it They wote well that thâ—â— felynge is good but they noot what it is Therfore vnto 〈◊〉 suche soules I saye as me thynketh that this maner of 〈◊〉 though it be but shorte and but seldom it is sothfastly 〈◊〉 derkenesse that I speke of For it is a felynge of hemself 〈◊〉 and a rysynge aboue hemself thrugh brenÌ„ynge desire to the â—â—yghte of IhuÌ„ Or elles yf I shall saye more sothly this griâ—â—ous felynge is a ghostly syghte of IhuÌ„ And yf they maye kepe hem in that reste or brynge it thrugh grace in to a custome soo that they myghte lyghtly freely haue it whan hem lyke and holde hem in it they sholde neuer be ouercome by teÌ„ptacion of the fende ne of the flesshe ne by errours ne heresyes for they are sette in the gate of contemplacyon able and redy for to receyue the perfyte loue of Ihesu Therfore he that hath it it is good that he knowe it mekely â—repe it tenderly and poursew it feruently that noo crature lette hym vtterly from it that he ne folowe it whan he maye And that he forgete and sette at noughte all thynge that sholde putte hym fro this yf he be free of hymself and maye doo what he woll wythoute sclaunder or disease of his euencrysten For me thynkith that he maye not come to this rest lyghtly but yf he haue grete pleÌ„te of grace and sette hymself for to folowe after the stirynge of grace And that oweth he for to doo For grace woll euer be free namely fro synne and worldly besynes and from all other thynges that letten the worchyng of it though they are noo synne Neuertheles a nother soule that hath not yet receyued this fulnesse of grace yf he desyre for to come to this gostly knowynge of Ihesu as moche as in him is he muste able hymself to it and putt awaye all lettynges that stoppen grace as moche as he maye He muste lerne for to deye to y e worlde and forsake the loue of it truely Fyrste pryde bodily ghostly that he desyre noo worshyp worldly cuÌ„nynge ne worldly crafte benefyces ne rychesse precyous clothynge ne worldly araye ne noo thynge where thrugh he sholde be worshypped aboue other men He shall coueyte none of all thyse But yf they ben putt vpon hym take hem wyth drede soo that he be poore both outwarde and Inwarde or elles fully Inwarde in herte And that he coueyte for to be forgeten of the worlde that men rewarde hym noo more be he neuer soo ryche ne so cunnynge than the poorest man that lyueth Also that he suffreth not his herte reste in beholding of his owne dedes or in his vertues wenynge that he dooth better than a nother for he forsakyth the worlde and other done not soo and therfore setteth well by hymselfe Also he muste leue all rysyng of herte and euyll wyll of yre and enuye ayenst his euencristen And that he dysease noo man ne anger hym vnskylfully in worde ne in dede ne yeue ony man matere where thorugh he myghte skylfully be angred or styred soo that he myghte be free fro euery man And also that he forsake couetyse that he coueyte ryght noughte of erthly good but onÌ„ly aske his bodily sustenaunce that hym nedeth and holde hym payd whan god styreth other men for to yeue hym And that he putte noo manere of truste in hauour of ony worldly good ne in helpe or fauour of ony worldly frende but pryncypally and fully in god For yf he doo otherwyse he byndeth hymselfe to the worlde And he maye not therfore be free for to thinke on Ihesu And also glotenye and lecherye and al other flesshly vnclennes vtterly he muste leue that the affeccoÌ„n be bouÌ„de to noo woman by flesshly homelynesse For it is noo dowte that suche blynde loue that is somtyme atwyxe a man and a woman and semyth good and honest for asmoche as they wolde not synne in dede in the syghte of god is full vnclene and well grete synne For it is a grete synne that a man shall suffre his affeccyon that sholde be festened to Ihesu and to al vertues and to al ghostly clennes for to be bounde wiâ—h ony flesshly loue of ony creature wylfully namly yf it 〈◊〉 soo moche that it bereth downe the thoughte and makyth 〈◊〉 vnrestful that he maye noo sauour haue in god Thus 〈◊〉 it wylfully that a man dooth it and sayth it is synne 〈◊〉 is so blynded wyth it that he woll not see it And also 〈◊〉 a man coueyte not delices of metes and drynkes onÌ„ly 〈◊〉 of his flesshe but holde hym payd wyth suche 〈…〉 maye easely haue wythout grete besynes namly yf 〈…〉 what mete it be that woll doo awaye huÌ„gre and kepe the 〈◊〉 in comyn strengthe vnto the seruyse of god And 〈◊〉 grutche not ne stryue not ne angre hym not for his mete thâ—ugh he be somtyme not serued as the flesshe wolde All thyse synnes and all other must be forsake vtterly in his wyll and in dede whan he maye And other thynges that letteth hym so that he maye dyspose hym for to thynke freely on Ihesu For as longe as thyse lettynges and suche other hange vpoÌ„ hym he maye not deye to the worlde ne come in to this derkenesse of knowynge of hymselfe And therfore that he myght come therto he muste doo all thyse as saynt poul dide sayeng thus Michi muÌ„dus crucifixus est ego muÌ„do This worlde is slayne crucyfied to me and I to the worlde That is He y t hath forsake the loue of
transieris per igneÌ„ flamma non nocebit te That is My chylde yf thou passe thorugh fyre drede not for the flaÌ„me shall not deere the It shall clense the fro all flesshly fylthe and make the able to receyue ghostly fyre of the loue of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌ„ynge att 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 Caplm xxix BVt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete coÌ„punccoÌ„n for her synÌ„es somÌ„ haue grete deuocoÌ„ns feruours in her prayers ofteÌ„ haue suÌ„dry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vndstonding some meÌ„ haue other maner felynges of comfortable hete grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre lastyng loue thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be refourmed in felynge or noughte It semyth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other men that stonde oonly in fayth fele not of Vnto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynges whether they stonde in compuÌ„ccion or deuocoÌ„n or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shall haue fele in y e grace of conteÌ„placoÌ„n I say not but they are sothfast gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet the yefte of perfeccoÌ„n ne ghostly the brenÌ„inge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god than other that haue the yefte of perfeccoÌ„n in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge kneâ—â—â—ge spekynge other bodily stirynge soo ferforth y t it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo well I wote that thise maner felinges feruours of deuocoÌ„n coÌ„punccoÌ„n that thise meÌ„ fele are gracious yeftes of god sent in to chosen soules for to drawe hem out of worldly loue flesshly luste that hath ben loÌ„ge tyme roted in her hert fro y e whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirige of grete feruours neâ— theles y t the feruour is somoche in outward shewing it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes weyknes of her soule y t may not berÌ„ a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it werÌ„ fleshly festned to y e flesshÌ„ neu was yet deê‘ted fro it bi gostly mortifyeÌ„g therforÌ„ y e lest towching of loue y e lest sperkil of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heueÌ„ in to suche a soule is somoche so coÌ„fortable so delectable ouer al y e likiÌ„g that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thyng that it is ouertaken wyth it And also it is soo newe sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth shewyth oute in wepynge sobbynge other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell that is olde whan it receyueth new wyne that is fresshe myghty the costrell bolneth oute and is in poynte for to cleue brest vntyll the wyne hath boylled spourged oute all vnclenÌ„esse but also sone as the wyne is fyned cleryd thenÌ„e it stondeth styll the costrel hole Right so a soule that is olde thrugh synÌ„e whan it receyueth a lityll of the loue of god that is soo fresshe soo myghty that the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by wepyng and at y e mouth by spekynge and that is more for weyknes feblenes of the soule than for mykilnes of loue For afterward whan loue hath boylled all the vnclenÌ„es oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours thenÌ„e is the loue clere stondeth styll And thenÌ„e is both the body the soule moche more in pees and yet hath y e soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewe lesse outwarde For it is now all hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye that thise soules that feleÌ„ suche grete bodily feruours though they ben in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretly dysposed towarde For I trowe y t suche a man namly that hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente puryfyed wyth suche grete coÌ„punccoÌ„ns goynge before A nother soule that neuer was moche defoylled wyth loue of the worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete sinÌ„es in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde come to this refourmyng ThenÌ„e is this soth as I hope that suche comfortes feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytynge are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his traueyle Right as a pilgryme traueyleth all daye meteles drynkles· and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke and is well refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that woll forsake the loue of the worlde· wolde fayne loue god and settyth all his besynes therto prayeth traueylleth all daye bodyly ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocon ThenÌ„e our lorde hauynge pyte ouer all his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne in to heuynes or grutchyng sendeth it amonge his ghostly fode comforteth it in deuocoÌ„n as he wouchith saaf And whan the soule feleth ony coÌ„forte thenÌ„e holdeth he hym well payd for all his traueylle all the disease that it had on y â— day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The selfe wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferfor the in grace Thei felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syghte of ghostly thynges and in affeccion of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why all suche felinges come to hem in that state as it were vnwâ—arly for they come or they wyte it and goth fro hem or they wyte it and they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes wyth heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soule is not opyned to the beholdynge of ghostly thynges·
worcheth by reason of the soule but that other he worcheth by hymselfe The fyrste is vnperfyte that other is perfyte The fyrste mekenes that a man feleth of beholdynge of his ownes synnes and of his owne wretchydnes thrugh the whiche beholdyng he thynketh hymselfe vnworthy for to haue ony yefte of grace or ony mede of god But hym thynketh it ynough that he wolde of his grete mercy graunte hym foryeuenesse of his synnes And also he thynketh hym by cause of his owne synnes that he is woors than the mooste synner that lyueth and that euery man dooth better thanne he And so by suche beholdynge thresteth he hym selfe downe in his thoughte vnder all men And he is besie for to ayenstonde the stirynges of pryde asmoche as he maye bothe bodily pride ghostly and dispiseth hymself soo that he assenteth not to the felinges of pryde And yf his herte be taken somtyme with it that it be defoyled wyth vayn Ioye of worshyp or of cuÌ„nynge or of praysynge or of ony other thinge as soone as he maye perceyue it he is euyll payd wyth hymself and hath sorowe for it in hert and asketh foryeuenes of it of god and shewyth hym to hys confessour â–ª and accuseth hymself mekely receyueth his penaunce This is gode mekenes but it is not yet perfyte mekenes for it is of soules that are begynÌ„ynge profitinge in grace caused of beholdynge of synÌ„es Loue worchyth this mekenes by reason of the soule Perfyte mekenes a soule feleth of the syghte the ghostly knowynge of IhuÌ„ For whan the holy ghost lyghtneth the reason in to the syghte of sothfastnesse how IhuÌ„ is all that he dooth all the soule hath soo grete loue soo grete Ioye in that ghostly syghte for it is so sothfaste that it foryeteth itself and fully leneth to IhuÌ„ wyth all the loue that it hath for to beholde hym It takyth no kepe of no vnworthynes of itselfe ne of synÌ„es afore done but settyth at nought itself wyth all the synÌ„es all the good dedes that euer it dyde as yf there were noo thynge but IhuÌ„ Thus meke dauyd was whan he sayd thus Et substaÌ„cia mea taÌ„qmÌ„ nichiluÌ„ anÌ„ te That is Lorde IhuÌ„ the syghte of thy blessed vnmade substance thyn endles beynge sheweth well vnto me that my substauÌ„ce beynge of my soule is as noughte anence the Also aneÌ„ce his eueÌ„crysten he hath noo rewarde to hem ne demynge of hem whether they ben better or wors than hymself is For he holde hymself all other men as it were euen ylike nought of heÌ„self anence god â–ª that is soth For all the goodnes y t is done in heÌ„selfe or in hem is onÌ„ly of god whom he beholdeth as al And therfore setteth he al other creatures at noughte as he dooth hymself Thus meke was the prophete whan he sayd thus OmÌ„es gentes quasi non sint sic sunt coram eo et quasi nichiluÌ„ mane reputate suÌ„t ei Al men are before oure lorde as noughte as vnnotefull and nought they are acouÌ„ted to hym That is anentes the endles beynge and the vnchauÌ„gable kynde of god mankynde is as noughte For of noughte it is made to noughte sholde it torne but yf he kepte it in the beynge that made it of noughte This is sothfastnesse and this sholde make a soule meke yf it myghte see thorugh grace this sothfastnes Therfore whan loue openeth the Inner eye of the soule for to see this sothfastnes wyth other cyrcuÌ„staunces that comen wyth all thenÌ„e begynÌ„eth the soule for to be sothfastly meke For thenÌ„e by the syghte of god it felith and seeth itself as it is And thenne forsakith the soule the beholdynge the lenynge to itself and fully fallith to the beholdynge of IhuÌ„ And whan it dooth soo thenne settith the soule noughte by all the Ioye the worshyp of the worlde For the Ioye of worldly worshyp is soo lytyll soo nought in rewarde of that Ioye that loue that it felyth in the ghostly syghte of IhuÌ„ knowynge of sothfastnes that though it myght haue it wythout ony synne he wolde noughte of it Ne though men wolde worshyp hym prayse hym fauour hym or 〈◊〉 hym att grete state it likyth hym noughte Ne though he haâ— cuÌ„nynge of all the vii artes of clergye of all craftes vnd the sonÌ„e or had power for to werke al maner myracles he hathe no morÌ„ deinte of al this ne morÌ„ sauour of heÌ„ than to gnawâ— on a drye stycke He had wel leuer foryete al this for to be alone out of the sight of the worlde than for to thynke on hem be worshipped of al men For y e hert of a true louer of IhuÌ„ is made somoche soo large thrugh a lytill syghte of hym a lytyll felynge of his ghostly loue that all the likynge all the Ioye of all erth may not suffyce for to fyll a corner of it And thenÌ„e semyth it well that thyse wretched worldly louers that are as it were rauysshed in loue of her owne worshyppÌ„ and poursewe after it for to haue it wyth all the mighte and all the wytte that they haue they haue noo sauour in this mekenes they are wonder ferre therfro But the louer of IhuÌ„ hath this mekenes lastyngly and that not wyth heuynes striuynge for it but wyth likynge 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 sothfastnes and worthynes of IhuÌ„ thrugh the yefte of the holy ghoste That reuerente syghte and that louely beholdyng of Ihesu comforteth the loue soo wonderfully and bereth it vp soo myghtly and soo softly sothly that it maye not lyke ne fully rest in no ne erthly Ioye ne it woll not He makith none force wherther men lacke hym or prayse hym worshyp hym or dispyse him as for hymself He settyth it not at hert neyther for to be wel payd yf men dyspyse hym as for more mekenes ne for to be euell payd that men sholde worshyp hym or prayse hym He had leuer for to foryete both that one that other onÌ„ly thinke on IhuÌ„ gete mekenes by that way And that is moche y e sykerer waye who myght come therto Thê° dide dauid whaÌ„ he sayd Ocli mei semê‘ ad dnÌ„m qmÌ„ ipÌ„e euellet de laqueo pedes meos That is Myn eyen are euer open to IhuÌ„ our lorde for why he shal plucke my fete fro snares of sinÌ„es For whaÌ„ he dooth soo thenÌ„e forsakyth he vtterly hymself vndcastyth hym holy to IhuÌ„ thenÌ„e is he in a syker warde for the sheelde of sothfastnes the whiche he holdeth kepyth hym soo well y t he shall not be hurte thrugh noo stirynge of pryde as longe as he holdeth hym within the sheelde as the prophete sayth Scuto circuÌ„dabit
lorde yeueth there is none soo good ne soo profytable so worthy ne so excellent as this is For there is no yefte of god that is bothe the yeuer the yefte but this yefte of loue And therfore it is the best the worthyest The yefte of prophecie the yeftes of myracles worchyng the yefte of the grete knowynge couÌ„seylyng and the yefte of grete fastynge or of grete penaunce doinge or ony other suche are grete yeftes of the holy ghost but they are not the holy ghost For a reproued soule a daÌ„pnable myghte haue all thise yeftes as hath a choseÌ„ soule And therfore al thyse maner yeftes are not gretly for to desyre ne moche for to charge But the yefte of loue is the holy ghost god hymself and hym maye noo soule haue be dampned wyth all For that yefte saueth it onÌ„ly fro dampnacoÌ„n makyth it goddis sone perceyuer of heuenly herytage And y â— loue as I haue before sayd is not the affeccoÌ„n of loue that is formed in a soule but it is y â— holy ghoste hymself that is loue vnfourmed that saueth a sowle For he yeueth hymselfe to a soule fyrst or the soule louith hym and he fourmeth the affeccyon in the soule and maketh the soule for to loue hym onÌ„li for hymself And not onÌ„ly that but also bi this yefte the soule loueth itself all his eueÌ„crysten as itself onÌ„ly for god And this is the yefte of loue that makyth shedynge atwyx chosen soules reproued And this yefte makyth full pees atwyxe god a soule and oonyth all blessed creatures holy in god for it makith IhuÌ„ for to loue vs and vs him also and euery eche of vs for to loue other in hym Coueyte this yefte of loue pryncypally as I haue sayd For yf he woll of his grace yeue it the on that maner wise it shall open lyghteÌ„ the reason of thy soule for to see sothfastnes that is god ghostly thynges And it shall styre thyn affeccoÌ„n hooly for to see sothfastnes that is god ghostly thynges And it shall styre thyn affecion holy fully for to loue hym And it shall worche in thy soule oonly as he woll and thou shalt beholde IhuÌ„ reuerently with softnes of loue and see how he doth Thus byddeth he by his prophete that we shold doo saienge thus Vacate videâ—e 〈◊〉 ego suÌ„ deus Cease ye and seeth that I am god That is ye y t are refourmed in felynge and haue your InÌ„er eye opened in to syghte of ghostly thynges cease ye some tyme of outwarde worching and see y t I am god That is See onÌ„ly how I Ihesu god man doo Beholde ye me for I do all I am loue and for loue I doo al that I doo and ye doo nought And that thys is sooth I shall shewe you For there is noo good dede doon by you ne good thought felte in you but yf it be done thrugh me That is Thrugh mighte and wysdome and loue myghtely wyttely and louely Elles it is noo good dede But now is it soth that I IhuÌ„ am bothe myghte and wysdom and blessed loue and ye noughte for I am god Thenne mowe ye well see that I doo alle your good dedes And all good thoughtes and alle your good loues in you and ye doo ryght noughte And yet neuerthelesse ben alle thyse goode dedes called yours Not for ye worche hem pryncypally but for I yeue heÌ„ to you for loue that I haue to you And therforÌ„ sytheÌ„ I y t am IhuÌ„ and for loue dooth al this cease thenÌ„e ye of the beholdynge of yourself and sette yourself at nought loke on me and see that I am god for I doo al this This is somwhat of the meanynge of the veers of dauyd before sayd See thenÌ„e and beholde what loue worcheth in a chosen soule that he refourmeth in felynge to his lyknes whan the reason is lyghtned a lytyll to the ghostly knowynge of IhuÌ„ and to the felynge of his loue ThenÌ„e bryngeth loue in to the soule the full hede of vertues and torneth hem al in to softnes in to likynge as it were wythout worchynge of the soule for the soule stryueth not moche for the getynge of hem as it dyde before but it hathe hem easely felyth hem restfulfully onÌ„ly thrugh the yefte of loue that is the holy ghost And that is a well grete coÌ„fort and gladnes vnspekable whan it felyth sodenly and wote neuer how the vertue of mekenes pacience sobertee sadnesse chastyte clennes louered to his euencrysten and all other vertues the whiche were to hym somtyme traueylous paynfull and harde for to kepe are now torned in to foftnes likynge and in to wondfull lightnes soo ferforth that hym thynkith noo maystry ne no hardnes for to kepe euery vertue but it is moost lykynge to hym for to kepe it all this makyth loue Other men that stonden in the comoetee of charyte are not yet so ferforth in grace but worche vnder the byddyng of reason they stryuen fyghten all daye ayenst synÌ„es for the getynge of vertues and sometyme they beÌ„ aboue and somtyme byneth as wrastleers are Thyse men done ful well They haue vertues in reason wyll not in sauour ne in loue for they fyighten wyth hemself as it were by her owne myghte for heÌ„ and therfore may they not haue full rest ne fully the hyer hoÌ„de Neuertheles they shall haue moche mede but they are not yet meke ynough They haue not yet putt heÌ„self all fully in goddis honde for they see him not yet But a soule that hath ghostly syghte of IhuÌ„ taketh noo grete kepe of stryuynge for vertues for that tyme He is not besy abowte hem specially but he setteth all his besynes for to kepe that syghte that beholdyng of IhuÌ„ that it hath for to holde the minde stably therto and bynde the loue onÌ„ly to it y t it fall not therfro forgete al other thynges asmoche as it maye And whaÌ„ it dooth thus thenÌ„e is IhuÌ„ sothfastly mayster ayen all synÌ„es bishado wyth it wyth his blessed presence and getith it all vertues And the soule is soo comforted soo borne vp wyth the softe felyng of loue that it hath of the syghte of IhuÌ„ that it feleth noo grete disease outwarde And thus sleeth loue generally alle synÌ„es in a soule reformeth it in the newe felynges of vertues ¶ How loue thrugh gracyous beholding of IhuÌ„ sleeth all â—â—â—rynges of pryde maketh the sowle for to lese sauour delyte in all erthly worshyp Caplm xxxvii NEuertheles how loue sleeth synÌ„es and refourmeth vertues in a soule more specyally shall I saye and fyrste of pryde of mekenes that it contrary vertue therto Thou shaâ—â— vnderstonde that there is two maner of mekenes One is haâ— by worchynge of reason A nother is felte of the specyall yefte of loue Bothe are of loue but that one loue