a wylfull comforte and ease sothly yf thy soule be within as for y e bodely wyttes it is neuertheles ful ferre withouten 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 ymagynyng As vnto this I saye that I wolde y e thou woldest neuer aske man this questyon For he that wyl sothfastly loue god he askyth not comynly whether this is greter synne or this For hym shal thynke what thynge lettith hym fro the loue of god is grete synne and hym shal thynke noothynge synne but that thyng whiche is not good letteth hym fro y e loue of god What is synne but a wantynge or a forberyng of good I say not that it shal be paynful to hym as a dedely synne or a venyal sholde ben ne I saye not but that he knoweth dedely fro venyal more fleeth it ¶ Whan the vse of the wyttes ben dedely synne whaÌ„ venyal CaplmÌ„ lxxxii NEnertheles some dele shal I saye to thy questyoÌ„ For thy desyre drawyth more oute of myn hert than I thought for to haue sayd in y e begynnyng Our lorde sayth in the gospel thus Homo quidaÌ„ fecit cenaÌ„ magnaÌ„ et vocauâ—â— multos milit setuuÌ„ suuÌ„ dicere inuitatis vt venireut Primus dixit UillaÌ„ emi rogote habe me exculatuÌ„ Scds dixit IugabouÌ„ emi quinque et eoprobate illa Ettercius dixit UxoreÌ„ duxi ideo noÌ„ possuÌ„ venire A man made a grete supper and called many therto And sent his seruaunt at supper tyme after heÌ„ y t were prayed The fyrst excused hym sayd on this wyse y t he myght not come for he had bought a towne \ The tother also excused hym that he myght not come for he had bought fyue yockes of oxen yede for to assaye heÌ„ The thyrde for he had wedded a wyfe I leue for to spe of the fyrst of the last I telle the of y e myddelest of hyÌ„ y t bought y e oxen for he is to this purpoos Fyue yockes of oxen betoken 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„ so he wolde not come Ryght soo saye I to the For to haue thy wyttes vse hem in nede it is no synne But yf thou go wylfully for to assaye heÌ„ by vayne delyte in creatures then it is syn For yf thou chese that delyte as for a fynall reste of thy soule as a ful lykynge that thou kepest none other blysse to haue but suche manere wordly vanyte then it is dedely for thou chesest it as thy god and so shalt thou be put fro y e supper For saynt poul forbede vs y t we sholde not assay our wyttis so whan he sayd thus Post coÌ„cupisceÌ„cias tuas non eas Thou sholt not go after thy lustis ne wyl fully assaye thy lykynges A man or a woman y t is encoÌ„bred with dedely synne shal not wel escape dedely synne in this though he see it not but I hope it toucheth not y e Neuertheles yf thou by freelte y e delyte iÌ„ thy wyttes suche vanytee but in y t thou kepest the in charyte in other sydes and thou chesest not this delyte for a full reste of thy soule but thou settest aye god before al thyng in thy desyre this synne is venyal after the cyrcuÌ„staunce more or lesse ne thou shalt not for thyse venyall synnes be put fro the supper in the blysse of heuen but thou shalt wante the taastyng the assayeng of that dylycate supper lyuyng in erthe but yf thou be besye with al thy myghtes for to ayenstonde suche veyal synÌ„es For though it be so that venial synnes breke not charite sothly they lette the feruour the ghostly felynge of charyte ¶ How a ghostly man or wnman shal haue heÌ„ to hem y t come to hem Caplm lxxxiii BUt now sayst thou that thou maye not kepe the fro heryng of vanytees for dyuers men worldly other come ofte for to speke with the. and telle the some tales of vanyte As vnto this I saye thus y e comynge with thyn euen crysten is not moche ayenst y e but helpyth y e somtyme yf thou werche wysely For thou may assaye therby the mesure of thy charyte to thyn euen cristen whether it be moche or lytyl Thou art bouÌ„den as eche man woman is to loue thyn euen crysten pryncypally in thyn herte also iÌ„dede for to shewe hem tokens of charyte as reson asketh after thy myghte after thy knowynge Now sythen iâ— is so that thou owest not to go oute of thyn hous for to seke occasyon how thou myght profyte thyn euen crysten by dedes of mercy by cause thou arte encloos neuertheles thou arte bounden for to loue hem al in thyn herte and to hem that come to y t to shewe heÌ„ tokens of loue sothfastly And therfore who so wylspeke with the what that he be or in what degree y t he be thou knowe not what he is ne why he comyth be soone redy with a good wyl for to wyte what his wyl is Be not dangerous ne suffre hym not longe abyde the but loke how redy how gladde thou woldest be yf an angel of heuen wolde come so speke with the. soo redy so buxome be thou in wyl for to speke with thyne euen crysten whan he comith to the for thou wotest not what he is ne why he comyth ne what nede he hath of y â— or thou of hym tyl thou haue assayed And though thou be in prayer or in deuocyon y t the thynketh looth for to breke of For y e thynketh thou sholdest noâ—l eue god for no maÌ„nys speche me thynketh not so in this caas For yf thou be wyse thou shalt not leue god but thou shalte fynde hym haue hym see hym in thyn euen cristen as wel as in prayer But on a other maner thou shalt haue hym than in prayer If thou canst wel loue thyn eueÌ„ crysten it sholde not hynder y t for to speke with hem dyscretly Dyscrecyon shalt thou haue on this manere as me thynketh Who so comyth to the aske hym mekely what he wyl And yf he come for to telle his dysese for to be coÌ„forted of thy speche here hym gladly and suffre hym saye what he wyll for ease of his owne herte And whan he hath done comforte hym yf thou can gladly goodly charytably sone breke of And thenne after y t yf he wyl falle in to ydle tales or vanytees of the worlde or of other mennes dedes answere hym but lytyl ne fede not his speche and he shal soone be wery and sone take his leue If it be an other man that comith for to teche the as a man of holy chyrche here hym
grace comith otherwyse ¶ Of taryenges teÌ„ptacyons y e soules fele by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng goyng to Ihrlm. of remedyes ayenst hem CaplmÌ„ xxii NOw art thou in y e way woost how thou shalt go Now beware of enmyes y t wol be besy for to lette y t yf they maye for her entente is for to putte out of thyn herte that desyre and y e longynge that thou hast to the loue of IhuÌ„ for to dryue the home ayen to y e loue of worldly vanyte for there is no thyng that greueth hem so moche Thyse enmyes are pryncypally flesshly desyres vayne dredes y t rysen out of thyn herte thorugh corrupcyon of thy flesshly kynde wolde lette thy desyre of the loue of god that they myght fully restfully occupye thyn herte Thyse are thy next enmyes Also other enmyes there are as vnclene spyrytes that are besy with sleyghtes wyles for to dysceyue the But one remedye shalt thou haue that I sayd before What so it be y t they saye trowe hem not but holde forth thy waye onÌ„ly desyre y e loue of IhuÌ„ Answere euer thus I am nought I haue nought I coueyte nought but oonly the loue of our lorde IhuÌ„ If thyn enmyes saye to the fyrste thus by styrynges in herte y t thou art not shryuen aryght or there is some olde synne hyd in thyn hert y t thou knowest not ne neuer were shryuen aryght And therfore thou must torne home ayen leue thy desyre goo shryue y e better Trowe not this sayeng for it is fals for thou art shriueÌ„ trust sykerly and y t thou art in y e waye y t nedeth no more ransakynge of shryfte for that y t it passyd Holde forth thy way thynke on IhrÌ„lm Also yf they saye that thou art not worthy to haue y e loue of god wherto shalt thou couete that thou mayst not haue ne art not worthy therto Trowe hem not but go forth saye thus Not for I am worthy but for I am vnworthy therfore wolde I loue god For yf I had it y t sholde make me worthy And sythen I was made therto though I sholde neuer haue it yet wol I coueyte it and therfore wol I praye thynke that I myght gete it And then yf thyn enmyes see y t thou begynnest to wexe bolde wel wylled to thy werke they begyn to wexe aferde of the Neuertheles they wol not cease of taryenge the whan they maye as longe as thou art goynge in the waye what with drede manassynge on that one syde what with flaterynge and fals pleysyng on y t other syde for to make y e breke thy purpose torne home ayen they wol saye thus If thou holde forth thy desyre to Ihesu so fully trauelyng as thou begynnest thou shalt falle in to sykenes or in to fantasyes or in to frenesyes as thou seest y t some donÌ„ Or thou shalt fal in to pouertee bodely myscheyf no man shal wel helpe the Or thou myght falle in to priue temptacyons of the fende that thou shalt not helpe thyself For it is wonder peryllous to ony man for to yeue hym fully to the loue of god leue all the worlde no thynge coueyte but oonly the loue of hym for so many perylles maye falle y t a man knoweth not of And therfore torne home ayen leue this desyre for thou shal neuer brynge it to the ende and do as other worldly men done Thus sayen thyn enmyes but trowe heÌ„ not but holde for thy desyre saye not elles but thou woldest haue Ihesu be at IhrÌ„lm And yf they perceyue then thy wyl so stronge y â— thou wolt not spare for synne ne for syknes for fantasyes ne for frenesyes for dowtes ne for dredes of ghostly teÌ„ptacyons for myscheyf ne for pouerte for lyfe ne for deth but euer forth thou wolt with one thynge no thynge but one make deefere to hem as though thou herde hem not holdest the forthe styfly in thy prayer in thyn other ghostly werkes without styntynge with dyscrecyon after couÌ„seyle of thy souereyne or of thy ghostly fader then begyn they for to be wrothe to go a lytyl nerer the. Then they begyn for to robbe the bete the do the al the shame that they can And that is whan they make that al the dedes y t thou doost ben they neuer so wel done are deuyed of other men as euyl torned in to the wors partye And what so euer it be y t thou woldest haue done in helpe of thy body or of thy soule it shal be letted or hyndred by other men so y t thou shalt be put fro thy wyl iÌ„ al thyng y t thou skyfully coueytes al this they donÌ„ y t thou sholdest be styred to yre or maleÌ„coly or euyl wyl ayenst thyn euen crysten But ayeÌ„st al thyse dyseases al other that thou may fele vse this remedye Take IhuÌ„ in thy mynde anger the no more with hem Tarye not with hem but thynke on thy lessoÌ„ y t thou art nought y t thou hast nought thou may nouÈt lese of erthly good thou coueytest nought but y e loue of IhuÌ„ holde forth thy waye to IhrÌ„lm with thy occupacyon And neuertheles yf thou be taryed somtyme thorugh freelte of thyself with suche vneases that fallen to thy bodely lyfe thorugh euyl wyl of man or malyce of the fende assone as thou may come ayen to thyself leue of thy thynkyng of thy dysease go forth to thy werke Abyde not longe with hem for drede of thyn enmyes ¶ Of a general remedy ayeÌ„st wycked styrynges paynful taryenges y t falleÌ„ to her hertes of y e flesshe of y e worlde of the fende Caplm xxiii ANd after this whan thin enmyes see that thou arte so wel wylled that thou arte not angry nor heuy ne wrothe ne moche styred ayenste noo creature for oughte that they maye doo or speke ayenste theâ— but settest thy herte fully for to suffre all that maye falle ease or vnease praysynge or lackynge and that thou wolt charge noo thynge with that that thou myghte kepe thy thoughte and thy desyre hoole to the loue of god thenne are they moche abasshed But thenne woll they assaye the with flaterynge and vayne pleysynge And that is whan they brynge to the syghte of thy soule al thy good dedes vertues and bere vpon the that all men praysen the and speke good of thy holynes and howe all men loue the and worshyppe the for thy holy lyuynge Thus done thyn enmyes that thou sholdest thynke her sayenge soth haue delyte in this vayne Ioye and reste the therin But yf thou do wel thou shalt holde al suche Iangelynge falsed and flaterynge of thyn enmye that profereth the to drynke venym tempered with honye And therfore refuse it and saye thou wol not
werkynge therof and makyth hymself to traueyle in a nother whiche he hath not yet oonly for he seeth or hereth that other men dyde so sothly he may renne a whyle tyl he be wery And thenne shal he tourne home ayen And but he be ware he may hurte his fete by some fantasyes or that he come home But he that werketh in suche grace as he hath And desyreth by prayer mekely lastyngly after more And after felyth hys hert styred for to folowe the grace whiche he desyred he maye sykerly ren yf he kepe mekenes And therfore desyre of god as moche as thou maye without mesure of dyscrecyon of all that longeth to his loue or to heuen blysse For who soo can moost desyre of god moost shall fele of hym But werkyth as thou mayst and crye god mercy for y t thou mayst not Thê° it semyth saynt poul sayd Unusquisque habet domum suum a deo Alius autem sic alius vero sic ItmÌ„ Unicutque nostrum data est gracia scdm mensuram donacionis cristi ItmÌ„ Diuisiones graÌ„rum sunt Alii datursermo sapiencie alii sermo sciencie c ItmÌ„ Ut sciamus que a deo donata sunt nobis Saynt poul fayth that euery man hath his yeft of god one thê° and another thus For to euery man that shal be saued is yeuen a grace after the mesure of crystes yeft And therfore it is spedeful that we knowe the yeftes whiche arne yeuen vs of god that we myght werke in heÌ„ for by those we shal be saued as some by bodely werkes and by dedes of mercy some by grete bodely penaunce some by sorowe wepyng for her synnes al her lyfe tyme some by prechynge techynge some by dyuers graces yeftes of deuocyon shal be saaf come to blysse ¶ That a man sholde traueyle to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof and breke downe the grounde of synne therin Caplm xlii NEuertheles there is one werke whiche is nedeful spedeful to traueyle in And I hope an hyghe playne waye as moche as maye be in mannes werke to contemplacyon And y t is a man for to entre in to hymself for to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof The fayrnes and the foulnes of it In this inwarde beholdynge thou shalt mowe see the worshyp the dygnyte whiche it sholde haue by kynde of the fyrst makynge and thou shalt see the wretchydnes and the myscheyf whiche thou art falle in for synne And of this syght shal come a desyre with grete longyng in thyn herte for to recouer ayen y â— dygnyte worshyp whiche thou hast loste Also thou shalt fele a lothynge a grysyng of thyself with a grete wyl for to destroy bere downe thy self and al thynges that letten the fro that dygnyte and that Ioye This is a ghostly traueyle harde and sharpe in the begynnynge who so wyll quyckely traueyle ther in For it is a traueyle in the soule ayenste the grounde of al synnes lytyl and moche whiche grouÌ„de is nought elles but a fals mysruled loue of man to hymselfe Out of this loue as saynt austen sayth spryngeth all maner of synne dedely and venyal And sothly vntyl this grouÌ„de be wel ransaken and depe doluyn and as it were nere dryed vp by outcastyng of al flesshly and worldly dredes and loues a soule maye neuer fele ghostly the brennynge loue of Ihesu cryst ne haue the homlynes of his gracyous presence ne haue clere syght of ghostly thynges by lyght of vnderstondynge This is the traueyle that a man behoueth to drawe his herte and his mynde fro the flesshly loue and the lykynge of al erthly creatures fro vayne thoughtes and fro flesshly ymagynacyons And out fro the loue and the vycyous felynge of hymself that the soule shal mowe noo rest fynde in no flesshly thoughtes ne erthly affeccyon Thenne in as moche as the soule maye not fynde his gholy rest in the loue and in the syght of Ihesu Cryst it behouyth nedelynges to sustre payne Thys traueylle is somdelyche strayte and narowe And neuertheles I hope it is the way whiche cryst teched to heÌ„ y â— wolde he his perfyâ—e louers in y e gospel sayeng thê° ConteÌ„dâ—ie iâ—trare per angustaÌ„ portaÌ„ qmÌ„ aâ—â—a est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ et pauci inueniunt eaÌ„ Stryue ye for to entre by a strayte yate for the waye y t ledeth to heuen is narow and fewe men fyndeth it And how streyte this waye is our lorde telleth in a nother place thus Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipÌ„m tolat cruceÌ„suaÌ„ sequaâ— me ItmÌ„ Qui odit aiÌ„am suaÌ„ in hoc mundo in vitam eternam custoditeaÌ„ That is to say who so wyl come after me forsake hymself hate his owne souâ—e That is to saye Forsake al flesshly loue and hate his owne flesshly lyf and vayne likyng of al his bodely wyttes for loue of me And take the crosse That is to saye Suffre y â— payne of this a while and thenne folowe me that is to say in coÌ„templacyon of my manhede of my godhede This is a strayte waye a narow that no bodely thyng may passe thorugh it for it is a sleeng of all synÌ„e as saynt poul sayth Mortificate meÌ„bra vestra que sunt super terraÌ„ immundiciaÌ„ libidineÌ„ concupiscenciaÌ„ malam Slee your membres vpon erth not the membres of the body but of the soule as vnclennes lust vnskylful loue of your self to erthely thynges Therfore as thy traueyle hath ben here before for to ayenstonde bodely synnes open temptacions of the enmye as it were fro without right soo the behouyth now in this ghostly werke within thy self for to destroye breke the grounde of synÌ„e in thyself asmoche as thou may And that thou myght y e more redyly brynge it aboute I shal telle the as me thynkyth ¶ How a man shall knowe the wretchydnes and the worshyp of his soule that it had fyrste of And what wretchydnes and myscheyf it is falle in for synne Capitulum xliii THe soule of a man is a lyf made of thre myghtes mynde reason wyl to the ymage the lyknes of the blessyd trynyte In as moche as the mynde was made myghty stedfast by the vertue of the fader almyghtydod for to holde hym without foryetyng distractynge or lettyng of ony creature And so it hath lyknes of the fader The reason was made bryght and clere without errour or derknes as perfectly as a soule iÌ„ a body vngloryfyed myght haue And so it hath the lyknes of the sonne whiche is endles wysdom And the loue the wyl was made clene brennynge in to god without bestly loue of the flesshe of ony creature by the souereyne goodnes of god the holy ghost And so it hath y e lyknes of the holy ghost whiche is blessyd loue so y t a mannes soule
whiche may be called a made trinyte was fulfylled in mynde syght loue of y e vnmade most blessyd trynyte whiche 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 fyrst synne of man But whan adam synned chesynge loue delyte in hymself in creatures he lost al his worship his dignyte and thou also in hym fel fro y e blessyd trinyte in to a fowle derke wretchyd trinyte that is iÌ„ to the foryetynge of god and vnknowynge of hym and in to a bestly lykynge of hymself And y e skylfully For as dauid layth in the sawter Homo cuÌ„ in honore esset non intellexit coÌ„peratus est iumentis insipientibê et silis factus est illis A maÌ„ whan he was in worshyp he knewe it not And therfore he lost it and was made lyke a best See now then the wretchydnes of thy soule For as the mynde was somtyme stablyd in god ryght so now it hath forgoten hym and sekith his rest in creatures now from one to an nother and neuer may fynde ful reste For he hath loste hym in whom is ful reste And ryght soo it is of reason and the loue also whiche was clene in ghostly sauour swetnes now it is tournyd into a fowle bestly lust lykynge in it self in creatures in flesshly sauours both in the wyttes as in gloteny lechery and in ymagynyng as iÌ„ pryde vaynglory couetise In somoche that thou mayst vnnethes do ony good dede but yf thou be defoyled with vaynglory Ne thou maye not wel vse none of thy .v. wyttes clenly in no creature delectable but yf thy herte be taken eâ—gleymed with a veyne lust lykynge of it whiche putteth out the loue of god fro the hert as in felynge and the ghostly sauour that it may not come therin Euery maÌ„ that lyueth in spyryte knowith wel al this This is the wretchydnes of the soule and the myscheyf for the fyrst synne of man without al other wretchydnes synnes whiche thou hast wylfully put therto And wyte thou well though thou had neuer done synne with thy body dedely ne venyal but oonly this that is called orygynal for it is fyrst synne and that is not elles but lesynge of thy ryghtfulnes whiche thou was made iÌ„ sholde thou neuer haue ben saued yf our lorde IhuÌ„ cryste by his precyous passyon had not delyuerde the restored y e ayen ¶ How euery man may be saued by y e passyon of cryst be he neuer so wretched CaplmÌ„ xliiii ANd therfore yf thou thynke that I haue here before spoken to hye to the. for thou mayst not take it ne fulfylle it as I haue sayd or shal say I wyl now fal downe to the as lowe as thou wyl for my profyte as wel as for thyn Thenne 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 aske onÌ„â—â— saluacyoÌ„ by vertue of this precyous passyoÌ„ mekely trustly without dout thou shal haue it And for this oryginal syn al other thou shalt he saaf ye thou shal be saaf as an anker incluse not oonly thou but al crysteÌ„ soules whiche trusteÌ„ vpoÌ„ his passioÌ„ meken heÌ„self knowlegyng her wretchydnes askyng mercy foryeuenes y e fruyt of this precyous passyoÌ„ only lowyng heÌ„self to the sacramentes of holy chyrche though it beso y t they haue ben encoÌ„bred with synne al her lyftyme neâ—er had felynge of ghostly â—auour or swetnes or ghostly knowyng of god they shallen iÌ„ this fayth iÌ„ her good wyl by vertue of this precious passion of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst be saaf come to y e blysse of heueÌ„ Al this knowest thou wel but yet it lyketh me for to say it Se here y â— endles mercy of our lord how low he falleth to y â— to me to al synful caytyfs TheÌ„ aske mercy haue it Thus sayd y â— prophete in y e persone of our lorde OiÌ„s enim quicuÌ„que inuocauerit nomeÌ„ duÌ„i saluê° erit Euery maÌ„ what y t he be y t calleth y e name of god y t is to say askith saluacyoÌ„ by IhuÌ„ his passyoÌ„ he shal be saaf This certesye of our lorde some meÌ„ takeÌ„ wel beÌ„ saued therby some men iÌ„ truste of this mercy this curtesie lyen styl in her syn wene for to haue it whan heÌ„ lust then mow they not for they are taken or they were so they dampne heÌ„self But then sayest thoâ— yf this be soth then wonder I gretly for y t I fynde in some holy mennes bokes Some sayeÌ„ as I vnderstonde y t he y t can not loue this blessyd name IhuÌ„ ne fynde ne fele in it ghostly Ioye delectable with ghostly swetnes in the blysse of heueÌ„ he shal be alyene neuer shal he com therto Sothly thyse wordes whan Ihem red stonyed me made me gretly aferde for I hope as thou sayst y t by y e mercy of our lord shal be saaf by kepyÌ„g of y e coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes by very repeÌ„tauÌ„ce for her euyl lyuing before done whiche felt neuer gostli swetnes ne inly sauour iÌ„ y e name of ihuÌ„ therfore I merueyl me y e more y t they say contrari herto as it semyth And vnto this I maye saye as me thynketh that her sayenge yf it be well vnderstonde is soth and is not coÌ„trary to that y â— I haue sayd For this name Ihesu is nought elles for to saye vpon englysshe but heler or he le Now euery man y t lyueth in this wretchyd lyfe is ghostly seke For there is no man that lyueth withoute synne whiche is ghostly syknes as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth of hymselfe and of other perfyte men thus Si dixerimus qr pccmÌ„ non habemus ipÌ„i nos ceduci mus eâ— veritas in nobis non est If we saye that we haue no synne we begyle ourself and there is no sothfastnes in vs. And therfore he maye neuer come to the Ioy of heuen vnto he be fyrst made hole of this ghostly sykenes But this ghostly hele may no man haue that hath vse of reason but yf he desyre it loue it and haue delyte therin iÌ„ as moche as he hopyth for to gete it Now y e name of IhuÌ„ is nothynge elles but this ghostly he le Wherfore it is soth y t they say that there may no man be saaf but yf he loue and lyke in the name of Ihesu For there may no man be ghostly hole but yf he loue desyre ghostly helth For ryght as yf a man were bodely seke there were no erthly thynge so dere ne so nedful to hym ne so moche sholde be desyred of hym as bodely helth for though thou woldest yeue hym al the rychesse
no maÌ„ y t lyghteth a laÌ„tern for to set it vnder a busshel but vpoÌ„ a candelstycke That is to say Thy reason shal not be ouerlayd wyth erthly besynes ne vayne thoughtes erthly affeccyons but aye vpwarde aboue al vayne thoughtê erthly thyÌ„ges as moche as thou may yf thou do so thou shalt see then al the molle al y e fylthe smalle motes iÌ„ thy hous for why he is lyght That is to say al flesshly loues dredes in thy soule Not al. for as dauid sayd Delicta quis iÌ„telliger who may know al his trespasses â–ª As who say no maÌ„ thou shalt cast out of thyn hert all suche synÌ„es swepe thy soule clene with y e besome of y e drede of god and with the water of thyn eyeÌ„ wasshe it so shalt thou fynde thy drame Ihesu He is drame he is peny he is thyne herytage This drame wyll not be founden soo lyghtly as it is sayd for this werke is not of one houre ne of one day but many dayes and yeres with moche swete swynke of body traueyle of the soule yf thou cease not but seche besely sorowe syghe depe mourne stylly stowpe lowe tyl thyn eyen water for anguysshe and for payne for thou hast lost thy tresour IhuÌ„ at the last whan he wyl wel shal thou fynde thy drame Ihesu And yf thou fynde hym as I haue sayd that is yf thou maye in clennes of conscience fele the homely and the peesful presence of that blessed name Ihesu cryste as a shadowe or a glemerynge of hym Thou maye yf thou wyl calle all thy frendes to the for to make myrth with the and melodye for thou hast founden the drame IhuÌ„ ¶ Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy Caplm xlix SEe now then the curtesye and the mercy of IhuÌ„ thou hast lost hym â–ª but where Sothly in thy hous that is in thy soule That is to saye yf thou haddest lost al the reason of thy soule by the fyrste synne thy soule sholde neuer haue founde hym ayen but he lefte to the thy reason and so he is in thy soule neuer shall be lost out of it Neuertheles thou art neuer the nerer to hym tyl thou haue founde hym He is in the thoughe he be lost fro the But thou arte not in hym tyl thou haue founde hym Thenne was this his mercy that he wolde suffre hym to be loste oonly where he maye be founde It nedeth not to renne to Rome ne to Iherusalem for to seche hym there but tourne thy thought iÌ„ to thyn owne soule where he is hydde as the prophete sayth Ueretues deus absconditus Sothly lorde thou art an hydde god leche hym there Thus sayth hymselfe in the gospel Simile est regnum relorum thesauro abscoÌ„dito in agro queÌ„ qui inuenit homo abscondit pregaudio illius dadit et vendit vniuersa que habet et emit agrum illuÌ„ The kyngdom of heuen is lykened to a tresoure hyd in the felde the whiche whan a man fyndeth for Ioye of it he gooth and selleth al that he hathe byeth the felde Ihesu is tresour hydde in thy soule Then yf thou myght fynde hym in thy soule and thy soule in hym I am syker for Ioye of it thou wolde yeue the lykyng of all erthly thyng for to haue it Ihesu slepyth in thy hert ghostly as he dyde somtyme bodely whan he was in the shippe with his discyples But they for drede of perysshynge wakened hym and soone after he saued hem fro tempeste Doo thou so styre hym by prayer wake hym with grete cryenge of desyre he shal soone ryse helpe the ¶ What letteth a man to here see Ihesu wythin hymselfe CaplmÌ„ L NEuertheles I hope better that thou slepest ofter to hym than he doth to the For he callyth y e full ofte with his swete pryue voys styreth thyn hert ful stylly y â— thou sholdest leue al other Ianglyng of al other vanytes in thy soule oonly take kepe of hym for to here hym speke Thus sayth dauyd of our lorde Audi filia vide et inclina aurem tuam obliuiscere populuÌ„ tuuÌ„ domum patris tui My doughter here see and bowe thyn ere to me and foryete the folke of thy worldly thoughtes and the hous of thy flesshly and kyndely affeccyons Lo here may thou see how our lorde callyth y â— al other whiche wyl herken to hym what lettyth the then that thou may nother see hym ne here hym Sothly there is so moche dynne and cryenge in thyn herte of vayne thoughtes and flesshly desyres that thou may nother here hym ne see hym Therfore put awaye vnrestfull dynne and breke the loue of synne of vanytee and brynge in to thyn hert loue of vertues ful charite and then shalt thou here thy lorde speke to the. ¶ That mekenes charyte beÌ„ y e specyallyuerey of IhuÌ„ thrugh the whiche mannes soule is refourmed to y e lyknes of hym CaplmÌ„ li AS longe as IhuÌ„ fyndeth not his ymage refourmed in the. he is straunge and the ferther fro y e For thy shape the for to be arayed in his lyknes that is in mekenes and charyte the whiche arne his lyuereys And then wyl he homelyche knowe the and shewe to the his pryuytees Thus sayd he hymself to hys dyscyples Qui diligit me diligetur a patre meo et manifestabo ei meipÌ„m Who soo loueth me he shall be loued of my fader and I shal shewe myself vnto hym There is no vertue ne no werke that thou maye do y e thou maye make the lyke to our lorde without mekenes and charyte for thyse two arne specyally to god moost leyf And y â— semyth wel in the gospel where our lorde spekyth of mekenes thus Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne of me he sayd not for to go bare fote ne for to goo into Deserte and there for to fast fourty dayes ne yet also for to chese you dysyples But lerne of me meknes for I am mylde meke in hert Also of charyte he sayth thus Hoc est peccatum meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos Item In hoc cognoscent omnes qr discipuli mei estis si dilexcionem habueritis ad iuuicem This is my byddynge that ye loue you togyder as I loued you for in that shal men knowe you for my dyscyples Not for ye werke myracles or casteÌ„ out deuylles or prechen or teche but yf echone of you loue other in charyte And yf thou wyl be lyke to hym haue meknes and chayte That charyte is that thou know dest wel loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe ¶ HOw a man shal fynde the grounde of synne within hymselfe Caplm lii NOw hast thou herde a lytyl what thy soule is what worshyp it had and how
more openly of this ymage as me thynketh This ymage is a fals mysruled loue vnto thyself Out fro this comen al maner of synÌ„es by seueÌ„ Ryuers whiche arne thyse Pryde Enuye Ire Accidie couetyse glotenye lecherie Lo this is somwhat y t thou may fele By one of thyse ryuers renÌ„eth out al maner of syn putteth the out of charyte yf it be dedely synÌ„e or it letteth y e feruour of charyte yf it be venial Now may thou grope y t this ymage is not nouÈt but it is moche of bad for it is a grete spekyng of loue vnto thyself with suche vii ryuers as I haue sayd But now sayst thou howe may this be soth I haue forsaken y e worlde I am stoken in an house I medle with no man I chyde not I stryue not I neyther by ne selle I ne haue no worldly besynes but by y e mercy of god I kepe me chaste with holde me fro delytes And ouer this I praye I wake I traueyle bodely ghostly as I maye How sholde then this ymage be soo moche in me as thou spekest of As to this I aÌ„swere graunt to y e y t I hope thou doost al thy se werkes moo therto yet maye it be soth as I saye Thou art besye vpoÌ„ thy myÈt for to stop y e ryuers with outeÌ„ but the spryng within on happe thou leuest hole Thou art lyke to a maÌ„ the whyche had iÌ„ his yerde a stiÌ„kyng wel with many renÌ„ynges fro it He yede he stopped the renninges left the spryng hole wende al had be syker but the water sprange vp at the grounde of y e welle stode styl somoche y â— it corrupted al the fayrnes of his gardeÌ„ yet reÌ„neth no water out Ryght so maye it be with y e If it be so y t thou hast by grace stopped y â— ryuers of this ymage withoute so moche it is wel but beware of y e sprynge within Sothly but yf thou stoppe clense y t as moche as thou may it wyl corrupte al y â— floures of the garden of thy soule shewe the neuer so fayre outwarde in syght of men But now sayst thou wherby shal I knowe y t the grouÌ„de is stopped yf I traueylle aboute it As vnto this I shal telle by assaye how thou shalt knowe this ymage yf it be in the how moche it is in the and therby shalte thou wytte howe moche it is stopped and how lytyl also in the And asmoche as pryde is the pryncipal Ryner I shal telle y â— therof fyrst ¶ What pryde is And whan it is syn Caplm lvi PRyde is not elles as clerkes sayeÌ„ but loue of thyne owne excellence y t is of thyn owne worhyp Then the more thou louest lykest in thyn owne worshyp the more is the pryde \ soo the more is the ymage in y t If thou fele in thyn herte a styryng of pryde thon that arte holyer wyser better and more vertuous than a nother is y e god hath yeuen the grace for to serue hym better than other done thou thynkest al other byneth y e and the abouen hem or ony other thought of thyselfe whiche sheweth to thy syght of thy soule an excellence an ouerpassynge of other meÌ„ or wymmen and of this styryng thou felyst loue delyte vayne plesyng in thy self that thou art so this is a token that thou berest this blacke ymage whiche yf it be preue for menÌ„es eyen neuertheles it sheweth hym openly in goddes syght But mow sayst thou y t thou may not flee suche styringes of pryde for ofte thou felyst heÌ„ ayenst thy wyl therfore thou holdest heÌ„no syn or yf they ben syn they ben nought but venyal As to this I saye thus that the felynge of thyse styrynges of pryde or of ony other the whiche spryngen out eyther of y â— corrupcion of this fowle ymage or by incastynge of the enmye it is no synÌ„e in as moche as thou felyst hem and that is a grace a pryuylege by vertue of the passyon of Ihesu cryste graunted to al crysten men baptyzed in water in the holy ghost For soâ—hly to Iewes sarazyns whiche trowe not in Ihesu cryst all suche styrynges are dedely synnes For saynt poul sayth O mÌ„e quod non est exfide pcâ—mÌ„ est Al that is done withouten trouthe in cryst is dedely syn But we crysten men haue this pryuylege of his mercy that suche felynges are no synÌ„e but they are payne of y e orygynal synne Neuertheles whan by neclygence and by blyndenes of thyselfe this felyng is receyued vnwarly in thy thought tourned in to loue lykynge then is there synne more or lesse after the mesure of the loue soÌ„tyme venyall somtyme dedely whan it is venyall whan dedely fully can I not telle y â— Neuertheles a lytyl I shal saye as me thynketh ¶ Whan pryde is dedely synne And how it is in flesshely lyuynge men dedely synne Caplm lvii THen the styryng of pryde is receyued tourned in to lykynge somoche that the herte cheseth it for a ful rest a ful delyte secheth none other ende but oonly lykyng therin then is this pryde dedely syn for he makyth chesyth this delyte as his god without ayeÌ„ stondyng of reason of wyl therfore it is dedely synne But now sayst thou what fole is he y t wolde these pryde as his god no maÌ„ y t lyueth wolde do so 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 â— There is two maner of pryde The cone is bodely pryde the other is ghostly pryde Bodely pryde is of flesshly lyuynge men Ghostly pryde is ypocrytes and heretykes Thyse thre synÌ„e dedely in pryde I meane of suche a flesshly lyuynge man as saynt poul spekyth of thus Siscdm carneÌ„ vixeritis moriemini If ye lyue after your flessh ye shal deye Then saye I thus that a worldely man whiche loueth sechyth pryncypally y e worshyp of hym self and chesyth the lykynge of it as rest of his herte and the ende of his blysse he synneth dedely But now sayst thou who wolde chese loue of his worshyp in stede of his god As to this I saye thus that he that loueth his worshyp as for to seme better gretter of astate than ony other and traueyleth aboute it as moche as he maye yf he loue it somoche that for the getynge of it the kepynge and the sauynge of it he brekyth the coÌ„maundement of god or brekith loue charyte to his euen crysten or is redy in ful wyl for to breke it rather than he sholde forbere hys worshyp or lese it eyther of his name or of his state or of fulfyllyng of his wyl sothly he synneth dedely For he louyth his worshyp cheseth it more than the loue of god and of his euen crysten And
of her euen crysten sothely it hyndreth heÌ„ and letteth hem fro the feruour of charyte also fro y e specyal mede whiche they sholde haue in the blysse of heuen for perfyte pouerte and that is a grete losse yf they myght se it For who so myght know ghostly mede how good how precyous and how worthy it is for it is aye lastyng he wolde not for the loue of al erthly Ioye or hauour of al erthly thyng eyf he myght haue it withouten synne lette ne lesse y e lest mede of the blysse of heueÌ„ whiche he myght haue yf that he wolde I speke ferther thaÌ„ I doo But I praye the doo thus as I saye by the grace of god yf thon maye or ony other man who soo wyll For that were a comforte to my herte that yf I may not haue it in myselfe as I saye that I myghte haue it in y e Or in ony other creature whiche hathe receyued more plente of his grace than I But see nowe thenne syth couetyse in the naked grounde letteth a man or a woman soo moche fro the ghostely felynge of y e loue of god howe moche more thenne it letteth and combrethe wordly men wymÌ„en the whiche by al her wyttes bodely besynes nyghte daye studye traueyle how they myght gete ryches plente of worldly good They can none other delyte haue but in worldly thynges ne they wyl not for they seche it not I say no more of heÌ„ at this tyme for in this wrytyng I speke not to hem But this I saye yf they myght see wolde see what they do they sholde not do so ¶ How a man shal knowe whaÌ„ he synneth not in etynge drynkyng whan he synneth venyally whan dedely Caplm lxxii yEt may thouse more in this ymage though it be derke that is flesshly loue to thyselfe in glotenye accidie lechetye Thyse flesshly lykynges makeÌ„ a man ful bestly ferre fro y e inly sauour of y e loue of god fro y e clere syght of ghostly thynges But now sayest thou Syth y e behoueth nedelinges ete is no syn drynke slepe y t may thou not do without lyking therfore y e thynketh thê As vnto this I say y t yf thou kepe iÌ„ etyng or in drynkyng in other nedeful thynges of thy body mesure in thy nede thou receyuest noo more lykynge than kynde askyth And alle this thou doost for ghostly delyte whiche thou felyst in the soule I graunt y e forsoth y t thou then synnest ryght nought therin for then can thou wel ete slepe Sothly withouteÌ„ doubte I am ful ferre fro y e knowyng ferder fro y e werching For to ete I haue by kynde but to cuÌ„ne ete I maye not but by the grace of god Saynt poul had by grace this cunnyng as he sayth hymselfe thus Ubique in oiÌ„bus institutus suÌ„ scio saciari esurire habuÌ„dare penuciaÌ„ pati OiÌ„a possuÌ„ in eo qui me comfortat I am enformed kenned in all thynges For I can huÌ„ger I can ete I can with plente I can with pouerte I maye al in hym y e strenghthyth me \ Saynt austyn sayd tyll our lorde thê° Lorde thou hast teched me y t I sholde take mete as a medycyne Hunger is a syknes of kynde mete is a medicine therto Therfore y e lykyng y e comith with al in asmoche as it is kyndly nedful it is no synÌ„e but whan it passyth into lust into wylful likyng then it is synne And therfore therÌ„lyeth al y e maystry for to cuÌ„ne departe wysely nede fro luste wylful lykyng they are so knyt togyder y e one comyth with y e other so y t it is harde for to receyue that one as y e nede repreue that other as wylful luste y t whiche oft comyth vnder colour of nede Neuertheles syth it is so y t nede is y e grouÌ„de of this y e nede is no syn for be a man neuer so holy hym behoueth to ete drynke slepe therfore y e lust y e lykynge that cometh vnder the colour of this nede passyth this nede is y e lesse syn For a man synneth not dedely comynly in glotenye but yf he be encoÌ„bred with other dedely synnes beforn done then may he y e lyghtlyer synÌ„e dedely in this For it is soth he that chelyth â—ust lyking of his flesshe delytes iÌ„ welfare of mete or drynke as ful reste of his herte that he wolde neuer haue other lyfe ne other blisse but lyue euer in suche lustê of his flesshe yf he might it is no dowte but y t he synneth dedely for he loueth his flesshe more than god But he that lyeth indedely syn of pryde or enuye or suche other he is soo blynded by y e deuyl that for y e tyme he hath no power of his free wyl therfore he may not wel ayenstoÌ„de flesshly lykinges whan they come but falleth down wylfully to hem as a beest doth to caryoÌ„ And in asmoche as he hath no generall wyll before to god pryncipally by cause that he is in dedely syn therfore y e lust of glotenye y t whiche he falleth iÌ„ lyghtly is to hyÌ„ dedely syn for he makith none ayeÌ„stoÌ„dyng general ne specyal But a nother maÌ„ or woman whiche in grace charyte hath alwaye a good general wyl to god in his soule wheder he slepe or wake ete or drynke or what good dede y t he dooth so y t it be not euyl in itself by y t whiche wyl desyre he chesyth god aboue al thyng hath leuer forbere al thyng of y e worlde than wrathe his god for loue of hym This wyl though it be but general it is of so grete vertu bi y e grace of our lorde IhuÌ„ y t yf he fal by freelte in lust in lykyng of mete of drynke or of suche other syknes eyther by excesse of tomoche eting or to ofteÌ„ or to gredely or to lustly delycatly or to sone iÌ„vntyme it saueth hyÌ„ kepith hyÌ„ fro dely synÌ„e And this is soth aslong as he is in charyte by other dedes kepyth his general wyl to al y e he dooth namly yf he knowe amonge his owne wretchydnes crye after mercy be in purpose specyally to ayenstoÌ„de suche flesshly lustes for our lorde is good mercyfull thyse venyal synÌ„es of glotenye he foryeueth ryght sone vnto a meke soule For the styryng y e lykyng of glotenye in asmoche as they are hardest for to flee by cause of nede of y e bodely kynde among al other synÌ„es are moost exscusable leest peryllous And therfore thou shalt not ryse ayenst y e grouÌ„de of this syn as thou shalt ayenst all other synnes \ for y e grouÌ„de of this syn is oonly nede whiche may not be escaped but if thou wylt do
y t adam was that fyrst trespaced And so though he ought it not for his owne persone for hymself myghte not synne Neuertheles he oughte 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 myght yelde to god ony thynge of his owne that he ought not but oonly this blessyd Ihesu For he myght paye god one thynge that he ought not as for hymselfe and that was nought but one thynge that was to yeue his precyous lyfe by wylful takyng of dethe for loue of sothfastnes This ought he not As moche good as he myght do to y â— worshyp of god in this lyfe al 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 boonde to deye for dethe is oonly a payne ordeyned to man for his owne synne but our lorde Ihesu synned neuer ne he might not synne and therfore he ought not for to deye Thenne sythen he ought not for to deye â–ª and yet wylfully he deyed thenne payde he to god more thaÌ„ he ought And sythen that was the beste mannes dede moost worthy that euer was done Therfore was it resonable that the synne of mankynde sholde be foryeuen In as moche as mankynde had founde a maÌ„ of y e same kynde without wemme of synne that is Ihesu that myght make amendes for the trespaas done myght paye our lorde god al that he ought and ouer more y t he ought not Then syth that our lorde Ihesu god man deyed thus for saluacyon of mannes soule it is ryghtful y t syn sholde be foryeuen manÌ„es soule y t was his ymage sholde mow be reformed restored to the fyrst lyknes to y e blysse of heuen This passyon of our lorde this precyous dethe is the grounde of al y e refourmyng of al mannes soule without whiche myght neuer mannes soule haue be refourmed to the lyckenesse of hym ne come to the blysse of heuen But blessyd may he be in al his werkynge Now is it so that thorough the vertue of his precyous passyon the brennyng swerde of Cherubyn that droue adam out of paradyce is now put awaye and y e endles gates of heuen arn open to euery man that wyl 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 y t yate redy to receyue euery soule y t wyl be refourmed here iÌ„ this lyf to his lycknes For now may euery soule yf y t he wyl be refourmed to y e lykenesse of god syth y t the trespaas is for yeuen the amendes thorugh Ihesu is made for the fyrste gylte Neuertheles though this be sothe al soules haue not the profyte ne the frute nf this precyous passyon ne arne not refourmed to y e lyckenes of hym That the Iewes paynyms also fals crysten men beÌ„ not refourmed effectually thorough the vertue of y e passyon for her owne defawte Caplm iii TWo manere of men arne not refourmed by the vertue of this passyon One is of hem y t trowe it not An other is of heÌ„ y t loue it not Iewes paynems haue not the benefyce of his passyon for they trowe it not Iewes trow not y t IhuÌ„ the sone of y e vyrgyn mary is goddys sone of heuen Also the paynems trowe not y t the souereyne wysdome of god wolde become the son of man and in manhede wolde suffre the paynes of deth And therfore the Iewes helde the prechynge of y e crosse of the passyon of cryste nought but sclaunder blasphemye the paynems helde it nought but fantome folye But true crysten men helde it the souereyne wysdom of god his grete myghte Thus sayd saynt poul Predicamus vobis crystuÌ„ crucifixum iude is quidam scandeluÌ„ gentibus autem stulticiam ipÌ„is auteÌ„ vocatis iudeis grecis xpÌ„m dei virtutem et dei sapienciam That is we preche to you that ye trowe that Ihesu cryst crucyfyed the son of mary is goddis son scuereyne vertue wysdom of god the whiche Ihesu to Iewes paynems that trowe not in hym is put sclaunder and foly And therfore thyse men by her vntrouthe putten hemselfe fro the refourmynge of her owne soule stondynge her vntrouthe shal they neuer be saaf ne come to the blysse of heuen For sothe it is fro the begynnynge of y e worlde vnto the laste endyng was there neuer maÌ„ saaf ne shal be â—aaf but yf he had trouth generall or specyall in Ihesu cryste to come or I come For ryght as al chosen soules that were before the Incarnacyon vnder y e 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 generaly as chyldern and other symple and inperfyte soules hadden that knewe not specyally the pryuyte of the Incarnacyon Ryght so all chosen soules vnder the newe testamente hathe trouthe in cryste that he is come eyther openly or felyngly ghostly men wyse men haue or elles generally as chyldern haue that dyen crystned and other symple lewde soules haue that arne nourysshed in the bosom of holy chirche Syth this is sothe then thynketh me that thyse meÌ„ gretly and greuously erren that sayen that Iewes sarasyns by kepynge of her owne lawe may be made saaf though they trowen not in IhuÌ„ cryste as holy chyrche trowyth In as moche as they wene y â— her owne trouth is good and syker and suffysaunt to her saluacoÌ„n And in that trouthe they done as it semyth many gode dedes of ryghtwysnes And perauenture yf they knewe that crysten fayth were better than her owne is they wolde leue her owne and take it therfore y t they sholde be saaf Naye it is not ynough soo For cryste god and man is bothe waye and ende And he is medyatour betwene god and man And withoute hym maye no soule be reconsyled ne come to the blysse of heuen And therfore they that trowen not in hym that is both god and man maye neuer be saaf ne come to blysse Other men also that louen not cryste nor his passyon arne not refourmed in the soule to the lyckenes of hym And thyse men arne false crysten men the whiche arne oute of charyte lyuen deyen in dedely synne Thyse men trowen wel as it semyth that Ihesu is goddis son And that his passyon suffyseth to saluacoÌ„n of mannes soule And they trowe also all the other artycles of the faythe But it is an vushaply trouthe and a dede for they loue hym not ne they chese not the frute of his passyon but they lyen stylle in her synne and in the false loue of this worlde
therof but thou wolde be at Iherusalem Suche lettynge thou shalt fele or elles other lyke what of thy flesshe what of the worlde what of the fende moo than I maye reherce now For a man as longe as he suffreth his thought wylfully renne aboute the worlde in beholdynge of sondry thynges he perceyueth fewe lettynges But assone as he drawyth al his thought his yernynge to one thynge oonly for to haue yt. for to knowe that for to loue that and that is oonly Ihesu then shal he wel fele many paynful lettynges For euery thynge that he felyth is not that y t he coueyteth is lettynge to hym Therfore I haue tolde the of some specyally as for example And ouermore I saye generally that what styrynge that thou felyst of thy flesshe or of the fende pleysaunte or paynful bytter or swete lykynge or dredful gladsom or sorowful that wolde drawe downe thy thought and thy desyre fro the loue of Ihesu to worldly vanyte and lette vtterly thy ghostly couetyse that thou haste to the loue of hym and that thy herte sholde be occupyed with that styrynge restyngly sette it at nought receyue it not wylfully tarye not therwith to longe But yf it be of worldly thyng y e behoueth nedes to be done to thy selfe or to thyn euen crysten spede the soone of it brynge it to an ende y t it hange not on thyn herte If it be a nother thynge y t nedeth not or elles it to wcheth not the. charge it not Iangyll not therwith ne angre the not drede it not lyke it not but smyte out thyn herte redely and saye thus I am nought I haue nought Nought I seke ne coueyte but the loue of Ihesu Knyght thy thought to this desyre strength it maynten it with prayer with other ghostly werkes that thou forgete it not and it shal lede the in thy ryght waye saue the fro al perylles that though thou fele hem thou shalt not perisshe And I hope that it shal brynge the to perfyte loue of our lorde IhuÌ„ Neuertheles on that other syde I saye also what werke or what styrynge it be that maye helpe thy desyre strengthe it nourysshe it and make thy thought ferrest fro luste and mynde of the worlde more hole and hole more brenÌ„yng to y e loue of god whether it be prayenge or thynkyng stylnes or spekynge redyng or herynge onÌ„lynes or comonyng goynge or syttyng kepe it for the tyme werche therin allonge as sauour lastyth If it be so y t thou take therwith mete drynke slepe as a pylgryme doth kepe discrecoÌ„n in thy worchyng after couÌ„seyle ordynauÌ„ce of y e soueryne For haue he neuer so grete hast in his goynge yet he wol ete drynke slepe Do thou lyke wyse For though it let the one tyme. it shal forther the a nother tyme ¶ Of an euyl daye a gode nyghte what it meaneth how y e loue of the worlde is lykened to an euyl day the loue of god to a good nyght CaplmÌ„ xxiiii yF thou wolt wyte then what this desyre is sothly it is IhuÌ„ for he makyth this desyre in y e yeueth it y e And he it is y e desyreth iÌ„ y e he it is y t is desyred He is al he doth al yf thou myght see hym Thou doost nought but suffrest hym worche in thy soule and assentyst to hym with grete gladnesse of herte y t he wouche sauf for to do so in the Thou arte nought elles but a resonable Instrument wherin y t he worcheth And therfore whan thou felyst thy thought by to wehynge of his grace take vp with desyre to IhuÌ„ with a myghty deuout wyl for to plese hyÌ„ loue hyÌ„ theÌ„ thynke y t thou hast IhuÌ„ for he it is y t thou desyrest Beholde hyÌ„ wel for he goth before y t not iÌ„ bodely lyknes but vnseÌ„seably by priue preseÌ„ce of his myght Therfore see hym ghostly yf thou may and festen althy thought and thyn affeccyon to hym folowe hym where soo he gooth for he shal lede the y e ryght waye to IhrÌ„lm that is the syght of pees contemplacyon Thus prayed the prophete to the fader of heueÌ„ sayenge thus Emitte luceÌ„ tuaÌ„ veritateÌ„ tuam ipa me deduxetunt et adduxetunt in montemscmÌ„ tuuÌ„ et in tabernacula tua That is Fader of heuen sende out thy lyght and thy sothfastnesse y t is thy sonne IhuÌ„ anb he shal lede me by desyre in me to y e holy hylle and in to thy tabernacles that is to the felynge of perfyte loue heyght in conteÌ„placyon Of this desyre speketh the prophete thus Memoriale tuuÌ„ in desiderio aiÌ„e mee AiÌ„a mea desyderauit te in nocte sed spÌ„us meus iÌ„ pÌ„cordiis meis That is Lorde Ihesu the mynde of the is prynted in desyre of my soule For my soule hath desyred the in the nyght and my spyryte hath coueyted the in al thynkynges And why the prophete sayth he hath desyred god al in y e nyght as a tymful space bytwyx dayes two For whan one daye is ended a nother comyth not anone but fyrst comyth nyght departeth the dayes somtyme longe somtyme shorte and thenne after comyth a nother day The prophete meaned not onÌ„ly of this maner of nyght but he meaned a ghostly nyght Thou shalt vnderstonde that there ben two dayes or two lyghtes The fyrste is a fals lyght the â—ecoÌ„de is a true lyght The fals lyght is the loue of this worlde that a man hathe in hymselfe of corrupcyon of hys flesshe The true lyght is the perfyte loue of Ihesu felyd thorugh grace in a mannes soule The loue of this worlde is a false lyght For it passeth awaye and lasteth not and so it perfourmeth not that that it behoteth This lyght behyght the fende to Adam whan he styre hym to synne and sayd thus Aperientur oculi vestri et eritis sicut dii That is your eyen shal be opened and ye shal be as goddys And he sayd sothe there For whan AdaÌ„ had synned anone his Inner eye was sperred ghostly lyght withdrawe his vtter eye were opened he felt and sawe a new lyght of flesshlh lykynge and worldely loue that he sawe not before And soo sawe he a new day but this was an euyl daye For thys was it that Iob waryed whan he sayd thus Pereat dies in qua natus sum That is Perysshe the daye in the whiche I was borne He waryed not the daye rennynge in the yere that god made but he waryed this daye that man made that is the concupyscens and the loue of this worlde in the whiche he was borne thorough he felyd it not Then this daye and this lyghte he asked of god that it sholde perysshe and noo lenger laste But the euerlastinge loue of Ihesu is a true daye and a blessyd lyght For god is bothe loue
kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lytyll bodily thynge is holdon within a nother moche but he is within all creatures as holdynge and kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtyltee and myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous and moost clene is layed nerest Right soo by that lyknes it is sayde that the kynde of god that is moost precyous moost clene moost goodly ferrest fro bodily hede is hydde within al thynges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shall forgete fyrste all bodily thynges for all that is w t out and his owne body and he shall forgete thiÌ„kynge of his owne soule and thynke on the vnmade kynde that is Ihesu y t made hym quiknith hym holdith hym and yeueth hym reason mynde and loue the whiche is within hym thrugh his myghte and souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace towchyth it or elles it woll but lytell auayle to seâ—he Ihesu And to fynde hym wythin it self and wythin al creatures as me thiÌ„kyth Also it is sayd in holy wryte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Deus lux iÌ„ That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lyghte but it is vnderstonde thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth ang sothfastnes for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte Thenne he that most gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god aÌ„d neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyght for this skill Ryght as the soÌ„ne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it rihht so sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe al other gostly thynge that nedeth to y e knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete Domine in lumine tuo videbimê° iumeÌ„ Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lyghte That is we shal see the that art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus nost ignis consumens est That is Our lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and breÌ„neth it but god is loue and charyte For as fyre wasted all bodily thynge y t may be wasted Ryght soo y e loue of god breÌ„neth wasteth all synne out of the soule And maketh it clene as fyre makyth clene all maner metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of our lorde in holy wrytte by bodely lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo sauour in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy wrytte is this For we are so flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lytyll syght of Ihesu Thenne shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes y e whiche of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondynge This ghostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowynge of the godhede whiche I calle refournynge in fayth and felynge For thenne the soule the whiche somwhat feleth in vnderstondynge of that thynge whiche y t it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„yngâ— of contemplacioÌ„ of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plaÌ„tibm nobis qÌ„ videÌ„tur sed qÌ„ non videÌ„tuâ— Quia que videntur temporalia sunt que autem non videntur eterna sunt That is Our contemplacioÌ„ is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seen are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ„ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est autem vita eterna vt cognoscant te verum deum quem misisti IhesuÌ„ xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe y t thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanith And how we be beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makynge but more for our ayen byeng but althermooste for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiiii BUt nowe wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse y e ende of a soule why theÌ„ne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thynge of this sighte y t a soule sholde coueyte this Unto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the lyght but it is also for the blyssed loue that comith out of that syght Neuertheles for loue comyth out of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syght pryncipally of god with loue is the blysse of a soule and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this â—oue that comith of it may not the soule come without â—oue therfore sayd I that thou sholdest coueyte loue â—or loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng â—nd to this loue that comith of it And on what manÌ„â—hat is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„â— soth it is that ther is two maner of gostly loue One â—s called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed ¶ Loue vnfourmed is god hym self the thirde persoâ—e in trynyte that is the holy gost He is loue vnfourâ—ed vnmade as saiÌ„t Io. sayth Deê° dileccoÌ„ est God â—s loue That is the holy gost Loue fourmed is the affeccioÌ„ of the soule made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng of sothfastnes that is god oonly tyred and sette in hym This loue is called fourmed â—or it is made by the holy ghost This loue is not god â—n hymself for it is made but it is the loue of the sowle â—ellte of the syght of Ihesu stired to hym oonly Now â—ay thou see that loue formed is not cause why a souâ—e comyth to y e ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men wolde thynke that they wolde loue god soo breÌ„nyngly as it were by theyr owne mighte that they were worthy for to haue the ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue vn vnformed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is so ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myght neuer come to it ne were it y e endles mochenes of the loue of god But theÌ„ne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he
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 Lo this the loue that I spake of that thou sholdest oonly coueyte and dysyre this vnfourmed loue that is the holy ghost For sothly a lesse thynge or a lesse yefte than he is maye nat auayle vs for to brynge vs to the blessed syght of IhuÌ„ And therfore sholde we fully desyre and aske of Ihesu oonly this yeft of loue y t he wolde for the mochenes of his loue so blessed touch our herte wyth his vnseable lyghte to the knowynge of hym and departe wyth vs of his loue y t as he loueth vs that we myght loue hym ayen Thus sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Nos diligamê° deum qmÌ„ ipse prior dilexit nos That is Loue we god now for he fyrst loueth vs He loued vs moche whan he made vs to his lyknes But he loued vs more whan he bought vs wyth his precyous blode thrugh wylfull takynge of deth in his man hede fro the power of the fende and fro the pyne of hell but he loueth vs moost whan he yeueth vs the yefte of the holy ghost that is loue be y t whiche we knowe him and loue hym and are made syker that we are his sones chosen to saluacion For this loue are we more to hym bouÌ„de thaÌ„ for ony other loue that euer shewed he for vs. eyther in our makynge or in our ayenbyenge For though he had made vs and bought vs but yf he saue vs with all what profyteth it elles to vs our makynge or our byenge Sothly ryght nought Therfoâ— the mooste token of loue shewed to vs as me thynketh is this That he yeueth hiÌ„selfe in his manhode to ouâ— soules ¶ He gaaf hym selfe fyrste in his maÌ„hede to â—e for our Raunson whanne he offred hymselfe to the fader of heuen vpon the awter of the crosse ¶ This was a ryght fayre yefte and a ryght grete token of loue But what tyme he gyueth hymselfe in his godhege ghostly to our soules for our saluacion And maketh vs for to knowe hym and for to loue hym Thenne louyth he vs fully For theÌ„ne yeueth he hymselfe to vs And more myght he not yeue vs Ne lesse myghte not suffyce to vs ¶ And for this skylle it is sayd that the ryghtynge of a synfull soule thorugh foryeuenesse of synnes is areâ—ted and appropered pryncypally to the worchynge of the holy ghoste For the holy ghost is loue And in the ryghtynge of a soule our lorde Ihesu sheweth to a soule moost of his loue For he doth awaye all synne and â—onyth 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 makynge of the soule is appropred to the fader as for the souereyne myghte and power y t 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 feÌ„de pryncypally thrugh wysdome and not thrugh strenghte But the ryghtynge and the full sauynge of a soule by foryeuenesse of synnes is approprede to the thyrde persone that is the holy ghoste For therin sheweth Ihesu mooste loue vnto mannes soule And for that chynge shall he be mooste loued of vs ayen His makynge is comen to vs and to all vnresonable creatures For as he made vs of noughte â–ª soo made he hem And therfore is this werke greteste of myghte but not mooste of loue Also the byenge is comen to vs and to all resonable soules as to Iewes and saracyns and to fals crysten men For he deyed for all soules ylyke and bought hem yf they woll haue the perfyte loue of it also it suffyceth for the bienge of al though it be so that al haue it not And this werke was most of wysdome not most of loue But the ryghtynge and the halowynge of our soules thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost that is oonly in that worchynge of loue And that is not comen to all but it is a specyall gyfte oonly to them whiche be chosen soules And sothly that is mooste 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 y e holy gost This loue vnformed whaÌ„ it is yeueÌ„ to vs it worâ—heth in our soule all y e gode is all y e longeth to godenes This loue loueth vs or that we loue hym for it cleÌ„seth vs fyrst of our synnes and maketh vs for to loue hym maketh our wyll stronge for to ayenstond all synnes and styreth vs for to assaye our self thrugh dyuers exercyse both bodily gostly in all vertues It stireth vs also for to forsake the synne and flesshly affeccions and worldly dredes It kepeth vs fro malycyous temptacions of the fende and dryueth vs out fro besynes vanyte of the worlde and fro conuersacion of worldly louers All this dooth the loue of god vnformed whaÌ„ he yeueth hymself to vs we do right nought but suffre hym and assente to him for that is the moost that we doo that we assente wylfully to his gracyous worchynge in vs and yet is not that wyl of vs but of his makynge so that me thynketh that he dooth in vâ— all that is well done yet see we it not And not oonly dooth he thus but after this loue dooth more for he openeth the eye of the soule and shewith to y e soule that syght of Ihesu wonderfully and the kâ—owynge of him as the soule maye suffre it thus by lytyll and by lytyll and by that syghte he rauyssheth all the affeccion of the soule to hym thenne begynneth the soule for to knowe hym ghostly and brynnyngly for to loue hym ThiÌ„â—ne seeth the soule somwhat of the kynde of the blessed godhede of Ihesu howe that he is all and that he worcheth all and that all gode dedes the whiche are done and gode thouhtes are oonly of hym for he is all seuereyn myght all souereiÌ„ sothfastnes al souerein godnes therfore euery gode dede is donÌ„ of him by him he shal oonly haue the worship the thanke for all good dedes and noo thynge but he For though wretched meÌ„ stele his worchypp here for a whyle Neuerthelesse att the laste ende shall sothfastnesse shewe well that Ihesu dyde alle And man dyde ryght uoughte of hym selfe And thenne shall theues of goddes that are not acorded wyth hym here in this lyfe for her trespaas be demyd to deth IhuÌ„ shal be fully worshipped thanked of al blessed creatures for his worchynge This loue is not elles but Ihesu hymself that for loue worcheth al this iÌ„ mannes soule and refourmeth it iÌ„ felynge to his lykenes as I haue before sayd and somwhat as I shall saye
felynge of worldely loue and rauysshed in to the preuyte of ghostly loue yeldeth thankynge to hym sayeÌ„ge thus My pryuete to me That is My lorde IhuÌ„ thy preuyte is shewed to me and preuyly hydde fro al louers of the worlde For it is called hydde nanna That may lightlyer be asked than tolde what it is And that our lorde Ihesu behoteth to his louer sayenge thus Dabo sibi manna absconditum quod nemo nouit nisi qui ac cipit That is I shal yeue manna hidde that noo man knoweth but he that takith it This manna is heuenly mete and angels fode as holy wrytte sayth For angels are fully fede and fylled wyth clere syghte in brenuynge loue of oure lorde Ihesu and that is maÌ„na For we mo we aske what it is but not wyte what it is But y e louer of IhuÌ„ is not fylled yet here but he is fedde by a lytyl taastynge of it whyles he is bounden in this bodyly lyfe This tastynge of this manna is a lyfly felynge of gra had thorugh openynge of the ghostly eye And this grace is not an other grace that a chosen soule felyth in the begynnynge of his conuersyon but it is the same and y e selfe grace but it is otherwyse felt and shewed to a soule For why grace wexeth with the soule the soule wexeth with grace And y e more clene y t the soule is ferre departed fro the loue of the worlde the more myghty is the grace more in warde more ghostly shewynge in the preseÌ„ce of our lorde Ihesu so y t the same grace y t torneth hem fyrst too synnes makyth hem begynnynge profytynge by yeftes of vertue exercyse of good werkes maken hem also perfyte And thaâ— grace is called a lyfly felynge of grace for he y â— hath it felyth it wel knoweth well by experyence that he is in grace It is full lyfly tâ— hym for it quyckneth the soule wonderfully makyth it soo hole that it feleth no paynful dysease of the body though it be feble sykly For why then is the body myghtyest moost hole moost restful the soule also without thys grace the soule can not lyue but in payne for it thynkith y t it myght euer kepe it no thynge sholde put it awaye And neuertheles yet it is not so for it passeth awaye ful lyghtly But neuertheles though the souereyne felynge passeth awaye withdrawe the reley fleneth styl kepâ—th the soule in sadnes makyth it for to desyre y e comynge ayen And this is also the waker slepe of the spouse of the whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Ego dormio cormenÌ„ vigilat I slepe my herte wakyth That is I slepe ghostly whan thorugh grace the loue of the worlde is slayne in me and wycked styrynges of flesshly desyres are dede somoche that vnethes I fele hem I am not taryed with hem my herte is made free And then it wakyth for it is sharpe and redy for to loue IhuÌ„ and see hym The more I slepe fro outwarde thynges y e more waker I am in knowynge of Ihesu of In warde thynges I maye not wake to Ihesu but yf I slepe to the worlde And therfore y e grace of the holy ghost sperynge y e flesshly eye dooth the soule slepe fro worldly vanytee and openynge the ghostly eye wakyth in to the syghte of goddys mageste helyd vnder the clowde of his precyous manhede As the gospel saythe of the apostles whan they were with oure lorde Ihesu in his transfyguracyon Fyrste they slepte Et euigilantes videruÌ„t magestatem They wakynge sawe his mageste By slepe of the apostles is vnderstonde deyenge of worldly loue thrugh InspyracioÌ„ of the holy ghost By her walkynge contemplacion of Ihesu Thorugh this slepe the soule is brought in to reste fro noyse of flesshly luste And thrugh walkinge it is reysed vp in to the syghte of Ihesu and gnostâ—ely â—hâ—nges The more that the eyen are spered in this 〈◊〉 slepe fro the aperyte of erthly thynge The sharper is the Inner syghte in louely beholdynge of heuenly fayâ—hede Thys slepynge and this wakynge loue worcheth thorughe the lyght of grace in the soule of the louer of our lorde Ihesu ¶ How specyal grace in beholdynge of our lorde Ihesu withdrawyth soÌ„tyme fro a soule And how a sowle shal haue her in the absâ—ence and presence of IhuÌ„ And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye y e gracyous preseÌ„ce of Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xli SHewe me then a soule that thorugh inspyracyon of grace hath openynge of the ghostly syght in to beholdyng of IhuÌ„ y â— is departed draweÌ„ out fro y e loâ—â— of the worlde so ferforth that it hath puryte pouerte of spyrite ghostly rest In warde scylence pees in conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes pryuyte of hert waker slepe of the spouse that hath loste lykyng Ioyes of y e worlde taken with delyte of heueÌ„ly sauour euer threstynge softly shyghynge y â— blessed presence of IhuÌ„ I dare hardly pronounce that this soule brenÌ„eth al in loue shyneth in ghostly lyght worthy for to come to the name to the worshyp of the spowse for it is refourmed in felynge made able redy to contemplacyon Thyse are the tokens of InspyracoÌ„n in openynge of y e ghostly eye For why whan the eye is opened the soule is in ful felynge of al thyse vertues before sayd for that tyme Neuertheles it falleth often tymes that grace withdrawyth in partye for corrupcoÌ„n of mannes freelte suffreth then the soule for to fal in to itself in flesshlyhede as it was beforne And then is the soule in payne in sorowe for it is blynde vnsauery can no good It is weyke vnmyghty encoÌ„bred with the body with al y e bodyly wyttes It seâ—heth desyreth after y e grace of IhuÌ„ ayen it maye not fynde it For holy wryâ— sayth of our lorde thê° PostqmÌ„ vultuÌ„ suuÌ„ absconderit non eÌ„ qui conteÌ„plat euÌ„ That is After whan our lorde IhuÌ„ hath hydde his face there is none that maye beholde hym whan he sheweth hym the soule may not vnsee hym for he is lyght whaÌ„ he hydeth hym it may not see hym for the soule is derke His hydynge is but a subtyl assayenge of the soule His shewynge is a wonder mercyfull goodnes in coÌ„forte of the soule Haue ye no wonder though the felynge of grace be withdrawe somtyme fro a louer of IhuÌ„ For holy wrytte sayth y e same of the spouse that she fareth thus Quesiui et non inueni illuÌ„ vocaui et noÌ„ respondit michi I seched I fouÌ„de hym not I called he answered not That is whan I fall downe to my frelte then grace withdraweth for my fallyng is cause therof not his fleeng But then fele I peyne of my wretchydnes in his absence And therfore I soughte hym by grete desyre of
best to the. Neuertheles before that I telle the of the meanes I shal telle the tyrst a lytyl more of this lyf conteÌ„platyf that thou might somwhat se what it is sythen set it as a marke iÌ„ the syght of thy soule wherto thou shalt drawe in al thyn occupacyon ¶ Of the fyrst part of coutemplacyon Caplm iiii COntemplatyflyf hath thre partes The fyrst lieth in knowynge of god ghostly thynges geten by reason by techyng of man by studye in holy wryt without ghostly affeccoÌ„n Inly sauour felyd by y e specyal yefte of the holy ghost This parte haue specyally lettred men grete clerkes whiche by loÌ„ge studye trauaylle in holy wrytte comen to this knowynge more or lesse after y e subtylte of kyndly wyt coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce of studye of the general wyt y t god yeueth to euery man y t hath vse of reason This knowynge is good it maye be called a part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n in asmoche as it is a syght of sothfastnes a knowynge of ghostly thyÌ„ges Neueâ—â—theles it is but a fygure a shadowe of very conteÌ„placâ—â—on for it hath not ghostly sauour in god ne inwardly swetnes the whiche no man may fele but yf he be iÌ„ grete charyte For it is the proper welle of our lorde to the whiche cometh none alien but this maner knowynge is comyn to good vadde for it maye be had without charyte therfore it is not very conteÌ„placoÌ„n As oft sithes ypocrytes flesshly lyuyng men haue more suche knowynge than many other crysteÌ„ men yet haue thyse men to charyte Of this maner knowynge spykyth saynt poul thê° Si habuero oeÌ„m scienciaÌ„ nouerim misteria oiÌ„a caritateÌ„ auceÌ„ noÌ„ habeaÌ„ nihil suÌ„ If I had ful knowing of al thynges I knew al preuytees I had not charyte I am ryÈt nought Neuertheles yf they y â— haue this knowynge kepe hem iÌ„ mekenes in charyte flee worldly flesshly synnes after her myght it is to hem a good way a grete dysposynge to very conteÌ„placioÌ„ yf they desyre pray deuoutly after the grace of the holy ghost Other men y â— haue this cuÌ„nyng turneth it to pryde vaynglory of heÌ„self or in to couetyse desyrynge of worldly states worshyps ryches not mekely takyng it to the praysyng of god ne charytably speÌ„deth it in y e ê“fyte of her eueÌ„strysten some of heÌ„ falleÌ„ other into heresyes errours or in to other open synÌ„es by y â— whiche they sclauÌ„der heÌ„self al holy chyrche Of this cuÌ„nynge sayth saynt poul thê° ScieÌ„cia in flat caritas auteÌ„ edeficat knowiÌ„g alone lyfteth vp the hert into pride but meÌ„ge it with charyte then turneth it in to edifycacoÌ„n This knowyng alone is but water vnsauery colde And therfore yf they y t haue it wolde mekely offre it vp to our lorde pray hym of grace he shold with his blessyng turne the water in to wyne as he dyde at y e prayer of his moder at the fest of Archetryclyne that is for to say He sholde turne the vnsauery knowing into wysdom and the colde naked reason in to ghostly lyght brennynge loue by the yeft of the holy ghost ¶ Of the ii part of contemplacoÌ„n Caplm v THe ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n lyeth pryncypally iÌ„ affeccyon without lyght of vnderstondynge oâ— ghostly thynges this is comynly of simple and vnleâ—â—tred men whiche yeuen hem hooly to deuocyon this is felyd on this maner whan man or woman in mediâ—tacoÌ„n of god by the grace of y e holy ghost felyth feruouâ— of loue ghostly swetnes by y e mynde of crystys passoÌ„â—â— or ony of his werkes in his manhede or he felyth a grâ—â—te trust in the goodnes iÌ„ the mercy of god for the foryâ—â—uenes of his synnes and for his grete yeftis of grace or els he felyth a drede in his affeccoÌ„n with grete reuerence of the preuy domes of god the whiche he seeth not of hys ryghtwysnes or in prayer he felyth the thought of his hert drawe vp fro al erthely thynges strenyd togyder with al the myghtâ—s of hys hert vpstyeng to our lorde by feruent desyre with ghostly delyte And neuer theles in that tyme he hath no open syght in vnderstandynge of ghostly thynges ne of pryuytees of holy wryt in specyal but onÌ„ly that hym thynketh for the tyme no thynge lyketh hym so moche as for to pray or thinke as he dooth for sauour delite coÌ„forte that he fyndeth ther in And yet can he not tel what it is but he felyth it wel for it is a yeft of god For out of it spryngen many swete teres breÌ„nynge desyres stylle mourniÌ„ges whiche scoureth clenseth the herte fro all the fylth of synne maketh it melte in to woÌ„derful swetnes of Ihesu cryst buxum soople redy to fulfyl all goddys wyll Insomoche that hym thynkyth he makith noo charge what comyth of hymself soo that goddys wyl were fulfylled with suche many styrynges mo than I can or may say This felynge maye not be had without grete grace who soo hath it for the tyme he is in charite whiche charyte maye not be lost ne lessed thoughe the feruour of it pasâ—e away but by a dedely syn y t is coÌ„fortable This maye be called y e .ii. part of coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ neuertheles thê part hath .ii degrees ¶ Of y e lower degree of y e ii part of coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n ca. vi THe lower degree of this felynge meÌ„ whiche are actyff may haue by grace whaÌ„ they beÌ„ vysyted of our lorde as myghtely as feruently as they y e yeue hem holy to conteÌ„platyf lyf hath this yeft but this felynge in his feruour comith not alway whaÌ„ a maÌ„ wold ne it lastyth not ful longe It comyth gooth as he wyl that yeueth it therfore who so hath it â–ª meke hymself thanke god kepe it preuy â–ª but yf it be to his confessour and holde he it as loÌ„ge as he may with descrecoÌ„n And whaÌ„ it is withdrawen drede not to moche but stoÌ„de sadly in fayth in a meke hope with pacyeÌ„ce abydyÌ„ge tyl it come ayen This is a lytyl tastynge of the swetnes of the loue of god of the whiche dauid sayth thê° in the sawter Gustate videte qmÌ„ suauis est dnÌ„s Taast ye se ye the sweâ—nes oâ— our lorde ¶ Of the hyer degree of the ii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n Ca. vii THe hyer degree of this part may not be had and holden but of hem the whiche beÌ„ in great rest of body and soule the whiche by grace of IhuÌ„ longe traueyle bodely ghostly felyth a rest of hert clennes in conscyence so y â— hem lyken no thyng so moche for to do as to syâ—te stylle in reste of body for to alway pray to god thynke on our lorde to thynke somtyme on the blessyd name of
bothe he sholde well tel whyche were good whyche were euyll But he that neuer felyd neyther or els but y â— one maye lyghtly be deceyued They are lyke in y e maner of felynge outward but they are ful dyuers within And therfore they are not for to desyre greatly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght by the spyryte of dyscrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyl y t he were not begyled as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“ba re siex deo sit Saynt IohnÌ„ beddeth vs that we sholde not trust to euery spyryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or no wherfore by one allay I shal tel the as me thynketh how thou shalt knowe the good fro euyl ¶ How thou shalt know whaÌ„ the shewynge to the bodely wyttis felynge of hem beÌ„ good or euyl Ca xi IF it so be y t thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes with the bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery woÌ„derful sownynge with bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other thaÌ„ of kynde or ony hete iÌ„ thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delyte in ony part of thy body or yf a spyryte bodely aperyth vnto y e as it were an aungel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y e or ony suche felynge whiche thou knowest wel y e it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creatnre beware in y e tyme or sone after wysely beholde y e styrynge of thy hert If thou be styrred by cause of y e lykynge y t thou felyst to draw out thy hert fro y e mynde beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacyon As fro prayer thynkynge on thy selfe thy defawtes fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set y e syght of thi hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte and thy rest pryncypally therin wenyng y t it shold be a part of heueÌ„ly ioy of auÌ„gels blys for thy y â— thiÌ„kith y t thou sholdest nother pray ne thinke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte therin This felynge is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so lykynge wonderful refuse it assent not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whan he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ he is woÌ„derly wroth For he hateth no thynge more then for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowynge the loue of god y e whiche he without body of synne lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open syÌ„nes he wolde hynder hym begile hym hy suche vanyte of bodely â—auours or swetnes in y e wyttes for to bryÌ„ge a soule in to ghostly pryde in to a fals sykernes of hymself wenynge y t he had therby a felynge of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth about hym whan he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcyon he myght falle in errours or heresyes or faresyes or iÌ„ other bodely or ghostly myschenes Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felynge lette not thy hert fro grostly ocupacyon but it makyth the more deuout more feruent for to pray it makyth the more wyse for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in y e begynÌ„ynge neuertheles afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desyre of vertues and encrenseth thy loue more to god to thyn euen crysten Also it makyth y e more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokens may thou knowe that it is of god made by the presence the touchynge of a good auÌ„gel that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her trust her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more perfytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they ben perfyte that felen suche delyte it semith then that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of the gloryfyenge of the body whiche it shall haue in y e blysse of heuen I wote not whether there be ony suche man lyuynge in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semyth to my syght iÌ„ y e tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in the caue .xxx. wynter euery day was borne vp with auÌ„gels was fed both body soule by the presence of hem thus we rede in y â— story of her Of this maner assayenge of werkynge of spyrytes speketh saynt IohnÌ„ in his pistle thus techeth thus O iÌ„sspÌ„s qui sol uit thmÌ„ hic non eÌ„ ex deo Euery speryte y â— losyth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god thise wordes may be vnderstonde in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vnderstonde hem to this purpose that I haue sayd ¶ What knytteth Ihesu to mannes soule what loseth hym therfro Caplm xii THe knyttynge y e fastynge of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by good wyl grete desyre to hym onÌ„ly for to haue hym see hym iÌ„ his blysse ghostly The more y e this desyre is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is the loslyer is he knytte TheÌ„ what spyryte or what felynge y t it be y t whiche lesseth this desyre wolde drawe it downe fro the stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styenge vp to IhuÌ„ this spyryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkynge of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spyryte or a felynge or a reuelacioÌ„ make this desyre more knytte y e knottes of loue deuocyoÌ„ to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowynge more clerly maketh it more meke in it self this spyryte is of god Here may thou see soÌ„what y t thou shalt not suffre thy here wylfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felynge of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were good but thou shalt holde hem iÌ„ thy syght nouÈt or lytyl in rewarde of ghostly desyre on stedfast thynkynge on IhuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy herte ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges sholde a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupyed Calm xiii BUt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And y â— is y â— thou myght knowe the wysdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hyÌ„ in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placyoÌ„ that other is none thus sayth saynt poul In carâ—â—ate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„preheÌ„dere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sic longitudo laâ—itudo suolimitas
ê“fuÌ„duÌ„ Be ye roted grounded in charite that ye myght knowe he saith neyther souÌ„de of the ere ne swete fauour in y e mouth ne none suche bodely thynge but that ye myght knowe fele with al halowes whiche is the length of y e endles beynge of god the brede of the wonderful charyte the goodnes of god the heyth of the almyghty mageste of hym the groundles depnes oâ— the wysdom of god In knowyng ghostly felynge of thyse sholde be the occupacyon of the contemplatyf man For in thyse may be vnderstonde the ful knowyng of al ghostly thynges This ocupacyon is that one thynge the whiche saynt poul coueyted sayeÌ„ge thus UnuÌ„ que retro suÌ„t obliuisceÌ„s in anteriora me extendaÌ„ sequorsi quo modo compÌ„hendaÌ„ supernuÌ„ braniuÌ„ Thus moche is to saye â—o thynge as hoo sayth is best to me for to coueyte and y t is y t I myght forgete al thynges y t whiche ben behyndwarde or backewarde and I shal stretche out myn hert forwarde for to fele and to grype the souereyne mede of the endles blysse Hynwarde are al bodely thynges Forwarde are ghostly thinges And for saynt poul wolde forgete al bodely thynges his owne body also with that y u he myght see ghostly thynges ¶ How in reason wyll vertue begynneth in loue in lykyng it is made perfyte Caplm xiiii NOw I haue tolde you a lytyl of contemplacoÌ„n what it sholde be For this entent that thou myght knowe it and set it as a marke before y e syght of thy soule for to desyre al thy lyftyme to come to ony part of it by grace of our lorde Ihesu cryst This is the conformynge of a soule to god the whiche may not be had but yf it be fyrste reformyd by fulhede of vertues turned in to affeccion and that is whan a man loueth vertues for they ben good in heÌ„self There is many a maÌ„ that loueth vertue of lownes pacyence and charyte to his euencrysten and suche other onely in hys reason wyl and hath noÌ„ ghostly delytene loue in hem For of tymes he felith grutchynge heuynes and bytternes for to doo hem And neuertheles yet he dothe hem onely by styrynge of reason for drede of god thys man hathe vertues in reason and in wyll but not loue of hem in his affeccyon ¶ But whan by grace of Ihesu and by ghostly and bodely exercyse reason is tourned in to lyght And wyll into loue Thenne hathe he vertues in affeccyon For he hathe soo well gnawen on the bytter barke of the notte that he hathe broken it And fedeth hym with the kyrnell That is to saye The vertues whiche were fyrste heuy for to doo are nowe turned into a very delyte and sauour as whanne a man lyketh â—n mekenes in pacyens in clennes in sobyrte And in charyte as in ony delytes Sothlytyll thyse vertues ben turned thus in to affecâ—ion he maye well haue the ii parte of contemplacyon But the thre soth fastly shal he not take ¶ Of the meanes that bryngethe a soule to contemplation Capitulum xv NOwe sythen vertues are dysposinge to contemplatyon thenne it behouyth the vse certen meanes for to come to vertues \ Thre meanes there ben whyche men moost comynly vsen that yeuen hem to contemplacyon As redynge of holy wrytte and of holy techynge ghostely meditacyon and besye prayer with deuocyoÌ„ By medytacyoÌ„ shal thou see as I sayd ehy wretchydnes thy synnes and thy wyckydnes As pryde couetyse gloteny slothe and lecherye and wycked styrynge of enuye yre hatred malencolye angrynes yt byttenes vnskilful heuynes Thou shalt also se thy herte ful-of vayne shames dredes of thy flesshe and of the worlde Alle thyse styrynges wyllen alwaye boylle out of thy hert a water wyll renne out of the of the sprynge of a stynkynge well And lette the syghte of thy soule that thou mayste neuer see ne fele derely the loue of Ihesu cryst For wyâ—e thou well tyll thy hert be moche clensyd thrugh stable trouth besye beholdynge of crystes manhede fro suche synÌ„es thou may not haue ghostly knowynge of god perfytly wytnessynge hymself in the gospel thus BtiÌ„ muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipÌ„i deuÌ„ videbâ—t Blessyd be clene of hert for they shal se god Also in medytacyoÌ„ thou shal see vertues whiche be nedful to the for to haue as mekenes myldnes pacyence ryghtwysnes ghogly strength temperaunce clennes â–ª pees sobernes fayth hope charyte â–ª Thyse vertues thou shall see in meditacyon how good how fayre how profytable they ben by prayer thou shal desyre hem gete hem without whiche thou may not be contemplatyf For Iob sayth thus InhabundaÌ„cia iÌ„gredieris sepulcruÌ„ That is to say â–ª thou shalt in plente of gode bodely werkys and gostly vertues entre thy graue that is y e rest in contemplacyon ¶ What a man sholde vse and refuse by the vertue of mekenes Cplm xvi NOw yf thou sholdest vse wysely gostly werkes sykerly trauayle in heÌ„ the behouith to begynne ryght lowe Thre thynges y t nedeth to haue fyrst vpon the whiche as on a siker grouÌ„de thou shal set al thy werke thise iii. are mekenes siker fayth hole enteÌ„t to god Fyrst y e behouyth to haue meknes in this maner thou shalt holde thyselfe in thy wyll in thy felynge yf thou may vnable to dwelle amonge men vnworthy to serue god in couersacyon with his seruauntys vnprofytable to thy euencrysten wantynge both cunnynge myght to fulfyl good werkes of actyflyf in helpe of thy eueÌ„crysten as other men wymÌ„en done And therfore as a wretche outcaste refuse of al men wymmen are sperred in a hous alone y t thou sholdest dere ne greue no man or woman by enyl ensampse sithe thou canst not profyte heÌ„ by good werkyng Ouer this the behoueth to loke ferder y t syth thou art so vnable to serue our lord by bodely werkes outwarde how moche more behoueth the to holde y e vnable vnworthy to serue hym ghostly by inwarde ocupacyon For our lorde is a spyryte as the prophete layth SpÌ„s ante faciemntam xpÌ„s dnÌ„s Before our face a ghost is our lorde cryst the kyndly seruyse to hym is ghostly as he sayth hyÌ„self Ueri adorantes adorabuÌ„t preÌ„m inâ—pÌ„u veritate Sothfast seruauntes shal worshyp hym in spyryte sothfastnesse Thenne thou that art so boystous so lewde so flesshly soo blynde in ghostly thynges namly of thyn owne soule whiche the behouyth fyrst to knowe yf thou sholdest come to the knowynge of god Howe sholdest thou thenÌ„e fele thyself able or worthy for to haue state or lyknes of contemplatyf lyf the whiche lyf as I haue sayd lyeth pryncypally in ghostly knowyng felyng of god This I say to the not y t thou sholdest for thynke thy purpose be myspayde with thy clothinge but y t thou sholdest fele this lownes fothfastly in thy
hert yf thou myght for it is soth no lees And then thou shal desyre nyght day after thy myght for to come as nere as thou mayst to y e state whiche thou haste take trowynge stedfastly that it is best to the by the mercy of god for to traueyle in And though it be soo that thou may not come to the fulhede of it here in this lyfe y t thou myght be in the begynnynge of it trust sykerly for to haue the fulhede by the mercy of god in the blisse of heuen For sothly that is my lyf I fele me so wretched so fraile flesshly so ferre fro true felyng fro that y u I speke that I caÌ„not ellys but crye mercy desyre after as I may with an hope y t our lorde wyl brynge me therto in the blysse of heuen Doo thou so beter after that god yeuyth y e grace The felynge of this lownes shal put out of thyn hert vnshylful beholdynge of other menÌ„es dedes and it shal dryue the hooly to beholde thyselfe as there were no man lyuynge but god and thou And thou shalde me holde thyself more vyle more wretche thaÌ„ is ony creature y t beryth lyf that vneth shal thou suffre thyself for the gretnes noÌ„bre of synne fylthe that thou shal fele in the Thus behouyth y e for to fele soÌ„tyme yf thou wylt be very meke For I telle the sothly yf thou wylte be truely meke thou shalt thynke a venyal synne in thiself more greuous paynful to the and greter be in thy syght somtyme than grete dedly synnes of other men This is soth to the yf thou wyl be conteÌ„platyf for this skyl That thynge the whiche putteth the soule or lettyth it moost fro the felynge knowyng of god oweth to be moost greuous paynful to y e But a venyalsynne of thyself lettyth the more fro the felynge perfyte loue of Ihesu cryst than other mannes synne may doo be it neuer so moche Semeth it then that thou sholde more aryse in thyn owne hert ayenst thiself for to hate and deme in thyself all maner of synne whiche lettyth the fro the syght of god more than ayenst y t defawtes of other men For yf thyn hert be clene of thyn owne synnes sothly the synnes of al other men sholde not dere the. And therfore yf thou wyl fynde rest here in the blysse of heuen after the couÌ„seyle of one of the holy faders say euery day what am I and deme thou no man ¶ Who sholde blame mennes defawtes deme hem who not Caplm xvii BUt now seest thou how may this be syth it is a dede of charyte for to blame men of her defawtes and for to deme hem for her amendynge it is a dede of mercy As to this I answere as me thynkith that to the or to ony other the whiche hathe state and purpoos of lyfe contemplatyf it falleth not for to leue the kepynge of hemselfe and for to beholde and to blame other men of her defawtes but yf it were full grete nede soo that a man sholde perysshe but yf thou blamyd hym But y e men whiche are actyf and haue soueraynte cure ouer other as prelates curates suche other they are â—ounde by theyr offyce by way of charite for to see and seke and deme ryghtfully other mennes desawtes Not of desyre and delyte for to chastyse hem but oonly for nede with drede of god in his name for loue of saluacyon of her soules Other men that are actyf and haue no cure of other men they are bounde for to blame other men of her defawtes by the way of charyte onely that whan the synne is dedely and it maye not well be corrected by none other man and whaÌ„ he trowyth that he the sooner sholde be amended by his vndertakynge Els it is beter that we cesse That this is soth it semyth by saynt IohnÌ„ whiche helde the state of contemplatyf lyf saynt peter whiche had the state of actyflyf WhaÌ„ our lorde in his laste sowper wyth hys dyscyples at the preuy stirynge of saynt peter to saynt IohnÌ„ tolde saynt IohnÌ„ how Iudas sholde bytraye hym sa yt IohnÌ„ tolde it not to saynt peter as he askid but he turned hym and layed his hâ—ed vpon cryst is breest and was arauysshed by loue in to contemplacyon of goddis priuytees And soo medefully to hym that he forgate both Iudas and saynte peter in tokenynge and techynge to other men whiche wolde be cuotemplatyf that they sholde dyspose hem to doo the same ¶ Why men sholde worshyp other and low hemself in her owne herte vnder al other Caplm xviii THen seest thou here somwhat that thou shalt nother deme other men ne conceyue ayenst hem wylfully none euyl suspycyon but thou shalt loue hem ne see thou no defawte in hem and worshyp hemiÌ„ thy hert suche as ledeth in the worlde accyflyt and suffren many triâ—ulacyons temptacyons whiche thou sittinge in thy hous felyst nought of And they haue ful moche traueyle disese for her owne other mennes sustynaunce and many of hem had well leuer serue god yf they myght as thou doost in bodely rest And neuertheles they in her worldly â—esynes flee many synnes the whiche yf thou were in her state thou sholdest falle in and they do many good dedes whiche thou cowde not doo It is no doubt that many done thus whiche they ben thou wost not \ And therfore thou shalt worship al sette hem in thy herte all aboue the as thy souerayns and cast the downe vnder her fete that thou be vylest lowest in thyn owne syght for it is noo drede ne noo peryl to the how moche thou may lowe thyself bynethe al other though it were so that in goddis syght thou haddest more grace than ony other But it is peril to the to hye the lyft thiself in thy thought wylfully aboue ony other man thoughe he were the moost wretche or the moost synful cayâ—yf that is in erthe For our lorde sayth Qui se huliat exaltabitur et qui exaltat huliatur Who so hyeth hymself he shal be lowed who so lowyth hymself he shal be hyed This part of mekenes the behoueth for to haue in thy begynnynge and by thys by grace shal thou come to the fulhede of it soo of all other vertues For Who so hath one vertue he haâ—h al other vertues Asmoche as thou hast of meknes somoche as thou hast of charyte of pacyence of other vertues though they ben not shewed outwarde Be then besye to gete mekenes holde it for it is the fyrste the last of al vertues It is the fyrst for it is the grounde as â—aynt austyn sayth If thou thynke for to bylde an hye house of vertues ordeyne y t fyrst a depe grouÌ„de of mekenes Also it is the last for it is kepynge sauynge of all other vertues
of go to some other gode dede bodely or sthostly and thynke for to do better a nother tyme But though thou fal on a nother tyme in the same ye an hundred tymes ye a thousande tymes yet do as I haue sayd and al shall be wel Ferder more a soule that neuer may fynde rest of hert in prayer but al her lyfe tyme is striuybng with her thoughtes and taryeth and trowbleth wyth hem yf she kepe her mekenes and charyte in other sydes she shal haue ful moche mede in heuen for her good traueyle ¶ Of medication of synful men afte that they beÌ„ hooly tourned to god CaplmÌ„ xxxiiii NOw of medytacyon shal I telle the a lytyll as me thynketh Thou shalt vnderstonde that in meditacyons may not certen rule wel be set euery man for to kepe for they are in free yeft of our lorde after the dyuers dysposinges of chosen solwles and after y t state that they ben in and also after that they profyten in vertues and in her astate Soo he encreaseth her meditacyons bothe in ghostly knowynge and louynge of y â— For who so is euery ylike wise in knowyng of god ghostly thynges it semeth that he wexeth but a lytyl in the loue of god and that may be shewed opynly in tha postles whan they in y t day of peÌ„tecost were fulfylled with brenÌ„ing loue of y e holy ghost they were made neyther foles nefoltie but they were made woÌ„der wyse both iÌ„ knowiÌ„g spekyng of god of gostly thiÌ„ges asmoches as maÌ„ myght haue in flesshe lyuyng Thus spekyth holy wryth of hem Repleti sunt omnes spÌ„u scâ—oÌ„ et ce perunt loqui magnalia dei They were fulfylled of y e holy ghost and they began to speke y t grete merueyles of god and al that knowynge they had by rauysshenge in loue of the holy ghost Dyuers meditacyons there ben whiche our lorde putteth in a mannes hert So me shal I telle as me thynkyth for thys entente If thou fele ony of them that thou sholdest y e better traueyle in heÌ„ In the begynnyng of coÌ„uercy on of suche a maÌ„ that hath be moche foyled with worldly or flesshly synns comynly his thought is moost vpon his synnes with grete compunccyon sorowe of herte with grete wepyng and many teres of the eye mekely besely askynge mercy foryenenes of god for hem And yf he be to wchyd sharpely for our lorde wyll make hym soone clene hym shall thynke that hys synnes are euer in his syght so fowle so horryble that vneth shal he mow bere hymself And though he shroue hym neuer so clerely yet shall he fynde fyghtynge fretynge and bytynge of his concyence that hym shal thynke that he is not shryuen ryght And vnneth shall he mow haue ony rest in somoche that he sholde not endure suche traueylene were it that our lorde of his mercy comforteth hym somtyme as he wyl by grete deuocyon of his passyon or of some other as he wylle yeue it Upon this maner werketh our lorde in some mennes hertes more or lesse as he wylle And all this is the grete mercy of our lorde that not oonly wyll foryeue the synne or the trespase but he wyl both forgyue the trespase and y e payne for it in purgatory for suche a lytyl payne here of bytynge of conscience And also yf he wyll dyspose a man to receyue ony specyal yeft of the loue of god hym behouyth fyrst to be scowred clensed by suche a fyre of conpunccion for al the grete synnes before done Of this maner traueylle speketh dauid in many places of the sawter and specyally in the psalme Miserere mei deus ¶ That y e meditatioÌ„ of y e maÌ„hede of cryst or of his passion is yeuen freely of the holy ghost And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen CaplmÌ„ xxxv ANd then somtyme after this traueyle and somtyme wyth al. suche a man or elles a nother the whiche by grace of god hath be kept in Innocence our lorde yeuith a meditacyon of his maÌ„hede as of his byrth or of his passyon and of the compassyon of our lady saynt mary whan this medytacyon is made by the holy ghost thenne it is ryght profytable and gracyous And that thou shalt wyte by this token Whan it is soo that thou art styred to a meditadyon in god thy thought is sodenly drawen out fro all worldly and flesshly thynges and the thynketh as thou seest in thy soule thy lorde Ihesu in a bodely lyknes as he was in erthe and how he was taken of the Iewes and bouÌ„den as a theyf beten and dispysed scourged and demyd to deth How lowely he bare y e crosse vpon his backe and how cruelly he was veyled therupon Also of the crowne of thornes vpon his hede and of the sharpe spere that stycked hym to the herte thou in this ghostly syght felyst thin herte styred to soo grete compassyon pyte of thy lorde Ihesu that thou mornest and wepest and criest with al the myghtes of thy body and of thy soule wonderynge the goodnes and the loue the pacyence and the mkenes of our lorde Ihesu that he wolde for so synful a caytyf as thou art suffre so moche payne And neuertheles thou felyst somoche goodnes mercy in our lorde that thyn hert riseth vp in to a loue a gladnes of hym with many swete teres hauyng grete trust of foryeues of the synnes of saluacyon of thy soule by the vertue of this precyous passion that whan y e mynde of crystes passion or ony poynt of his manhede is thus made in thyn hert by suche a ghostly syght with deuout affeccyoÌ„ answeryng therto wyte thou well thenne that it is not of thyn owne werkyng ne feynyng of no wyckyd spyryte but by the grace of the holy ghost For it is an openyÌ„ge of the ghostly eye in to crystis manhede And it may be called the flesshly loue of god as saynt bernarde callyth it In as moche as it is sette in the flesshly kinde of cryst And it is ryght good and a grete helpe in destroyenge of grete synnes and a good waye to come to vertues and so after to contemplacion of the godhede For a man shal not come to ghostly light in contemplacyon of crystes godhede but yf he come fyrst in ymagycyon by bytternes and by compassyon and by stedfast thynkyng of his maÌ„hede Thus saynt poul dyde Fyrst he sayd thus Nichil indicaui me scire inter vos nisi IhmÌ„ xpÌ„m hunt crucifixum I shewed you ryght nought that I couth but Ihesu cryst and hym crucyfyed As yf he had sayd \ My knowynge and my trust is oonly in the passyon of cryst And therfore sayd he thus also Micht auteÌ„ absit gloriari nisi in cruce dnÌ„i nostri thuÌ„ crysti Forboden be fro me al maner of Ioye lykynge but in the crosse and in the passyon of oure lorde Ihesu
thou lost it And also I haue tolde the that this worshyp myght by grace besye traueyle somwhat be recouered ayen in partie of felynge Now shall I telle febly as I can how thou shalte mowe entre in to thyself for to se the grounde of synne and for to destroye it as mache as thou maye so shal thou mow recouer a parte of the dignite Thou shalt cease for a tyme fro all bodely werkes fro al outwarde besynes as thou may wel Then shalt thou drawe in to thyselfe thy thought fro thy bodely wyttes y â— thou take no kepe what thou herest or seest or felest so that the poynt of thyn hert be not fyched on hem And after this drawe in nerer thy thoughte fro all maner ymagynynge yf thou maye fro all bodely thynge and fro all thoughtes of thy hodely dedes before done or of other mennes dedes This is lytyll maystry for to doo whan thou hast deuocyoÌ„ But thou shalt do thus whaÌ„ thou hast deuocyon For then it is ryght moche the harder â—nd set thyne entent and thy ful purpoos as thou woldest not seche ne fele ne fynde but oonly the grace the ghostly presence of Ihesu This is traueyllous for vayne thoughtes wyllen prees in to thyne herte thycke for to drawe thy thoughte downe to hem And yf thou doo thus thou shalte fynde somwhat not Ihesu whom thou sekest but onÌ„ly a nakyd mynde of his name what theÌ„ Sothly but thê° thou shalt synde a derke ymage a paynful of thyn owne soule whiche hath nother lyght of knowyng ne felyng of loue ne lykyÌ„g This ymake yf thou be holde wittely is al vmbylapped with blacke strikyÌ„g clothes of syn as pride enuye re Accidye couetise Glotenye and lecherye This is not the ymage of IhuÌ„ but it is an ymage of synne And saynt poul callyth it a body of synne and a body of dethe This ymage thys blacke shadowe thou berest aboute with the where soo thou goost Out fro this spryngen many grete stremes of synne and smale also Ryght as out of the ymage of Ihesu yf it were refourmed in the bemes of ghostly lyght sholden stye vp to heuen as brennyng desyres clene affeccyons wyse thoughtes and al honestee of vertues Ryght so out of this ymage spryngen styrynges of pryde of enuye and of suche other the whiche casteth the downe fro the honestee of man in to a bestes lyknes ¶ To what thynge is the ymage of synne lyke what it is in it selfe Caplm liii NOw perauenture thou beginnest for to thynke vnto what thynge this ymage sholde be lyke therfore y t thou sholdest not long studye there aboute I telle y â— that it is lyke to no bodely thynge What is it theÌ„ sayst thou Sothly it is nought and that maye thou fynde yf thou wylte assaye as I haue sayd to the. Drawe in to thyself thy thought fro all bodely thynges and then shalt thou fynde ryght nought wherin thy soule maye rest This nought is no thynge elles but derknes of coÌ„scyence a lackynge of loue and of lyght As synÌ„e is nought but a wantynge of good yf it so were that the grouÌ„de of synne were moche abated dryed vp in the thy soule were reformed ryght to thymage of Ihesu thenne yf thou drewe in to thyselfe thy herte thou sholdest not fynde nought but thou sholdest fynde IhuÌ„ Not oonly the naked mynde of this name but thou sholdest fynde IhuÌ„ cryst in coÌ„science redely techyng y â— Thou sholdest fynde lyght of vnderstondynge and no derknes of vncuÌ„nyng Thou sholdest fynde loue and lykyng of hym and noo payne of bytternes heuynes But for thou art not refourmed therfore whan thy soule cometh in fro al bodely thynges fyndeth nought but derkenes heuynes hym thynketh an huÌ„dred wynter to he be out ayen by some bodely delyte or vayne thought y t is no wonder For who so comyth home vntyl his hous and fyndeth no thyng therin but sâ—ynke smoke â–ª and a chydynge wyf he wolde soone renne out of it Ryght so thy soule whan it fyndeth noo comforte in it self but blacke smoke of ghostly blyndnes and grete chydyng of flesshly thoughtes cryenge vpon the that thou may not be in peas sothly it is soone wery tyl it be out ayen This is the derknes of conscience ¶ Who so wyl fynde Ihesu hym behouyth abydyngly traueyle in ghostly derkenes ayenst the ymage of synne Capitulum liiii NEuertheles in this derke coÌ„science behoueth y e to swynke and swete That is to saye The behouyth to drawe in to thyself thy thought fro al bodely thynges as moche as thou may And then whan thou fyndest ryght nought fro all bodely thynges as moche as thou may And then whan thou fyndest ryght nought but sorowe payne and blyndnes in this derknes yf thou wyl fynde Ihesu the payne of this derke conscyence the behouyth suffre and abyde a while therin And here the behouyth to be waar that thou take Ihesu cryste in thy thought ayenst this eche derkenes in thy mynde And by besye prayer and feruent desyre to god Not syttynge the poyne of thy thought in that forsayd nought but in Ihesu cryste whiche thou desyrest Thynke styfly on the passyon and on his meknes thorugh myght of hym tthou shalt aryse Do as thou woldest bere it downe go thrugh it Thou shalt agryse lothe this derknes and this nought ryght as y e deuyl thou shalâ— despyse it and al to breste it For al within this nought is IhuÌ„ hydde in his Ioy whom thou may not fynde by thy sechyng but yf thou passe the derknes of conscyence This is the ghostly traueyle y e I speke of And thys traueyle is cause of al this wrytyng for to styre y t therto yf thou fele grace This derkenes of conscyence and this nought y t I speke of is the ymage of the fyrst adam Saynt poul knewe it wel for he sayd thus of it Sicut portauimus ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis ita portemus ymagineÌ„ iam celestis As we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man y t is the fyrst adam Ryght so that we myght now bere the ymage of y e heuenly maÌ„ whiche is Ihesu y e secoÌ„de adaÌ„ He bare this ymage oft ful heuy for it was so comberous to hym y t he cried out on it sayeng thus O quis liberabit me de corporis mortis huius O who shal delyuer me fro this body this ymage of dethe And then he coÌ„forted hymselfe other also thus Gracea dei per thmÌ„ xpÌ„m The grace of god by Ihesu cryste ¶ What is propyrly the ymage of synne what comyth out therof CaplmÌ„ lv NOw haue I tolde the a lytyl of this ymage how it is nought neuertheles yf it be fer fro thy knowynge how it myght be an ymage for nought is but nought â–ª but so myght thou not lyghtly vnderstonde it I shal telle the
neuertheles the man y ◠synneth thus dedely he wolde saye with his mouth y ◠he wyl not chese pryde for his god But he begyleth hȳselfe for he chesyth it by his dede Neuertheles a nother worldly mā that louyth worship of hymself pursueth therafter yf he loue it not so moche y t he wolde for the getyng or the sauyng of it do a dedely synne or breke charyte to his euen crysten he synneth not dedely but venyal more or lesse after the mesure of his loue his lykynge with other cyrcumstaunces ¶ How pryde in heretykes is dedely syn Caplm lviii AN heretyke synneth dedely in pryde for he chesyth his reste his delyte in his owne opynyon in his owne sayeng for he weneth y t it is soch whiche opynyon or sayenge is ayenst god holy chyrche and therfore synneth he in pryde dedely for he louyth hymselfe his owne wyl wytte so moche y ◠though it be openly ayenst the ordynaunce of holy chyrche he wyll not leue it but rest hym therin as in soch fastnes and so makyth he it his god but he begyleth hymselfe For god and holy chyrche arn soo onyd and accorded togyder y ◠who soo dooth ayenst that one he dooth ayenste bothe And therfore he that sayth he loueth god and kepyth his byddynges and dispyseth holy chyrche and setteth at nought the lawes and the ordynaunces of it made by y ◠hede the souerayne in gouernaūce of al crysten men he lyeth he chesyth not god but he chesyth y e loue of hȳself contrary to the loue of god so he syn̄eth dedely And in that he weneth moost to plese god he moost dysplesyth hym for he is blynde and wyl not see Of this blyndnes this fals restyng of an heretyke in his owne felinge spekith the wyse man thus Est via que videtur homini recta et nouissima eius ducūt ad mortē Thre is a waye whiche semith to a man ryghtful and y ◠last ende of it bryngeth hym to endles dethe This waye specyally is callyd heresye For other flesshly syn̄ers that synnen dedely lyen therī comynly they suppose amis of hemself and felen bytyng in conscience that they go not in the ryght waye But an heretyke supposeth that he dooth wel techeth wel and yet no man so well And so weneth he that his way were the ryght waye therfore felyth he no byryng of conscyence ne mekenes in herte And sothly but yf god sende hym mekenes of his mercy at the laste ende he gooth to helle And neuertheles yet weneth he for to haue done wel getē hym y e blysse of heuen for his techynge ¶ How pryde in ypocrytes is dedely syn Caplm̄ lix THe ypocryte also syn̄eth dedely in pryde He is an ypocryte that cheseth vayne Ioye of hymselfe as y e rest the ful delyte of herte vpon this maner of wyse whan a man dooth many maner of good dedes bodely ghostly and thenne is put to his mynde by suggestōn of the enmye beholdyng of hymself of his gode dedes Howe good how holy he is how worthy in mennes dome how hyghe in goddes syght abouen other men he perceyueth this styryng receyueth it wylfullly for he weneth it be good and of god in as moche as it is soth for he doth thyle gode dedes better thā other mē And whan it is receyued thus by assent of his wyll as good yere ryseth of it alone a delyte in his hert of hym self y t he so moche grace hath that it rauyssheth his mȳde out of al other thoughtes bothe ghostly and flesshly for the tyme settyth it in vayne Ioye of hymself as in a reste of his herte This rauysshynge in ghostly pryde is delectable and therfore he kepyth it holdeth it noryssheth it as moche as he maye For this loue vayne delyte he prayeth waketh he fasteth wereth y e hayre dooth other afflyccyons al this greueth hym but lytyl He loueth he thanketh god somtyme with his mouthe sōtyme wryngeth a tere out of his eye then̄e he thynketh al saaf ynough But sothly al this is for loue of hymself whiche he cheseth receyueth as it were loue Ioye in god and in that is al the synne He chesyth not synne wylfully as for synne but he chesyth this delyte and Ioye that he felyth for god as the reste of hys soule the whiche is synne withouten dysplesyng or ayēstondyng of wyl For he weneth it were a Ioye in god it is not so and therfore synneth he dedely Iob sayth thus of an ypocryte Gaudiū ypocrite ad inster pūcti Si accenderit in celum superbia eius caput eius nubes tetigerit velut sterquilineum in fine perdetur The Ioye of an ypocryte is noo more than a poynte For yf he stye in to heuen wyth reysynge of herte and his heued touche the skyes at the laste ende he shall be casten oute as dounge hepe The Ioye of an ypocryte is but a poynte For yf he worshyppe hymselfe neuer soo moche and Ioye in thymselfe neuer soo moche all hys lyfe tyme and depeynte hymselfe wyth al his gode dedes in syght and in louynge of the worlde at the last it is ryght nought but sorowe and payne But nowe sayst thou that there are fewe suche or elles none that is soo blynde that wolde holde and chose vayne Ioye ī hymself as for Ioye in god As vnto this I can not say ne wyl not though I cowde but one thynge I telle the that there are many ypocrytes And neuertheles they wene that they ben none and that be many that dredē hemselfe as ypocrytes and sothly they are none whyche is one and whiche is other god knoweth and none but he who so wyl mekely drede he shal not be bygyled And who so weneth to be syker he maye lyghtly falle For saynt poul sayth Qui seexistimat aliquid esse cū nithil sit ipsi se seducit who soo weneth hȳself to be ought whan he is ryght nought he begyleth hymself ¶ How styrynges of pryde and vaynglory in good mē ben but venyal synnes Caplm lx NEuertheles a man or a woman whiche dysposyth hym to lyue contemplatyf yf it be so that he forsake hymselfe as in wyll offre hym holy to god with a ful general wyl that he wolde not synne ī pryde wyttyngly ne haue Ioye in hymselfe wylfully but oonly in god yf he cowde and myght And after this ful wyl offered to god he felyth many styrynges of vaynglory delyteth in hym for the tyme for he perceyueth hē not This lykynge is but venyal syn̄e and namly yf it be so that whan he comyth to hymselfe he repreuyth hymself and ayenstondeth this styryng with dysplesyng of wyl and askyth mercy and helpe of god Thenne the lykng whiche before was synne our lorde of his mercy soone forgyueth it And yet he shal
as a prophete at the laste daye And sothly as Danyel shall stonde as a prophete at the laste daye of dome and haue the worshyp and the excellence of a prophete ouer y e souereyne blessyd mede of loue syght of god Ryght so shalte thou stonde as an anker in that sorce a relygyous in the sorte of relygyoÌ„ And soo of other excellent dedes and haue a synguler worshyp passyng other meÌ„ at the daye of dome ¶ A shorte stirynge to mekenes and charyte Caplm lxii NOw by thyse wordes thou maye yf thou wolte trowe hem conceyue comforte for thy degre of lyuyng also matere of mekenes for though it be so y t thou shalt haue so moche mede specyally for thy state of liuiÌ„g if thou be saaf neuertheles it may be y t ther is many a wyfe many worldlyche womaÌ„ shal be nerer god than thou more shal loue god better know hym htaÌ„ thou shalt for al thy state And that ought to be ashame for the but yf thou be beye for to gete loue and charite as fully asperfytly as a worldely man or womaÌ„ For thou maye haue as moche charyte of the gyft of god as he or she hathe that dwellyth stylle in worldely besynes thou shalt haue as moche of y e souereyn mede as he shal And thou shal ouer that for that state whiche thou hast taken haue a synguler mede a worshyp whiche he shal not haue Then yf thou wyl do wel meke thyselfe forgete thy state as it were ryÈt nought For it is soth by it self it is ryght nought And y e thy desyre be thy besines for to destroye synÌ„es for to gete charyte mekenes other ghostly vertues for therin lyeth al ¶ How a man shal knowe how moche pryde is in hym Capitulum lxiii I Haue nyghe forgoten this ymage But nowe I tourne ayen therto yf thou wyll wyte how moche pryde is therin Thou maye yet assaye thyself thus Loke now wysely flater not thyself yf louynge praysynge or worshyppynge or flesshly fauour of worldelymen or of other be lykyng to thyn hert and torne it to vayne gladnes wyl payeng of thyself Thynke stylly in thyne herte that men sholden prayse thy lyfe rewarde thy speche more than of other And also on contrary wyse yf it be so y e men repreue the setten y â— at nought Holde the but a fole or an ypocryte or yf they sclauÌ„der the. or speke euyl of the falsly or in ony other waye that they dysease the vnskylfully And for thy thou felystin thyne hert a greuous heuynes ayenst hem a grete rysyng in thyn hert with ayenstondyng for to suffre ony shame or vylanye in the syght of y e worlde If it be thus with the it is a token that there is moche pryde in this derke ymage seme thou neuer so holy in the syght of meÌ„ For though thyse styrynges ben not but lytyl and venyal neuertheles they shewen wel that there is moche pryde hydde in the grounde of thyne herte as y e foxe dareth in his denne Thyse styrynges with many moo spryngen out of this ymage so moche y t thou maye vnnethes do ony good dede but it shal be medled with some pryde or vayne delyte in thyself And soo with thy pryde thou defowlest al thy good dedes and makyth hem loothsom in the syght of thy lorde I saye not that they are lost for they are medled with this pryde But I saye that they are not so pleysaunt to thy lorde as they sholde be yf they were symple truly roted in y e vertue of mekenes And therfore yf thou wylte haue clennes of herte for to come to the loue of god the behoueth not oonly flee the rest of thyn herte in vaynglory by wylful assentyng to pryde also the recheles lykynge therin of thy freelte yf it be a yenst thy wyl But also y e felyng of thy pryde thou shalt flee eschew as moche as thou may But y â— thou mayst not do but yf thou be ful quycke reedy aboute the kepyuge of thyne herte as I shal telle after ¶ Of Enuye and yre and of her braunches And how in stede of synne mannys persone is ofte hated Capitulum lxiiii TOurne this ymage vp so downe And loke wel therin and thou shalt finde two membres of enuye and yre fastenyd therto with many dyuers braunches spryngyng oute of theym The whiche letten loue and charyte the whiche thou sholdest haue to thyn eueÌ„ crysten The braunches of yre and enuye are thyse Hatrede euyl suspecyon fals and vnskylful demynge malecolye rysynge of herte ayenst hem dyspysyng and vnkyndnes and bacbytynge and myssayeng vnskylfull blamyng myslykyng anguysshe heuynes ayenst heÌ„ y e dyspysen the or speke ony euyl of the or ayenst the. A gladnes of her dysese a felnes ayenst synful meÌ„ other y â— wyl not do as the thynketh they sholde do with grete desyre of thyne herte vnder colour of charyte ryght wysnesse y t they were wel punysshed chastysed for her syn This styryng semyth gode Neuertheles yf thou ransake it wel thou shalt fynde it more soÌ„tyme flesshly ayenst the persone than ghostly ayenst the synne Thon shalt loue the man be he neuer so synfull and thou shalt hate the synne in eche man what he be Many are begyled iÌ„ this for they set the bytter in stede of y e swete and takeÌ„ derknes in the stede of lyght ayenst the prophete sayeng Ue vobis que dicitis maluÌ„ bonuÌ„ bonum maluÌ„ ponentes lucem tenebras amaruÌ„ dulce Woo be to hem that sayen good is euyl euyl is good and setten lyght as derkenes and bytter in stede of swete Thus done all tho y e whan they sholde hate y e syn of her euen crysten loue the persone they hate y e persone in stede of the syn wene y t they hate the synne wherfore it is a crafte by it self who so cowde do it wel ¶ That it is maystry to loue mennes persones wysely hate her synnes Caplm lxv IT is noo maystry for to wake faste tyl thyn hede ake ne for to renne to Rome to IerusaleÌ„ vpoÌ„ thy bare fete ne for to sterte aboute preche as yf thou woldest torue al men by thy prechyng Ne it is no maystry for to make chyrches chapels for to fede poor men make hospytals but it is as maystry a man to loue his euen crysten in charite wysely hate the synne of hym loue the man for though it be soo y t al thyse dedes before sayd are good in heÌ„self neuertheles they are comyn to good men to bad For eche man myght doo hem yf yâ—â—e wolde had wherof And for thy for to do y e eche man maye do I holde it no maystry But for to loue his euen crysten in charyte and hate his synne may noo man it do but oonly
he begyleth hymselfe The nerer that he weneth he be y e feder he is For cryste sayd to hem that wolde be his dyscyples thus Hoc est preceptuÌ„ meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos This is my byddynge that ye sholde loue togyder as I haue loued you For yf ye loue as I haue loued theÌ„ are ye my dyscyples But now sayste thou how shalte thou loue hym that is badde aswel as hym that is good As vnto this I say thus that thou shalt loue both good badde in charyte but not for the same cause as I shall telle how Thou shalte loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe Now thou shalt loue thyselfe onÌ„ly in god or elles for god In god thou louest thyselfe whan thou arte ryghtful by grace vertuous and louest not thyself but oonly for y t ryghtwysnesse vertues y t god yeueth y t then louest thou thyselfe in god for thou louest not thyselfe but god Also for god thou louest thyself as yf thou were indedely synne and woldest be made ryghtful vertuous then louest thou thyselfe not as thou arte for thou arte vnryghtful but as thou woldest be Ryght so shal thou loue thyn euen crysteÌ„ If they beÌ„ good ryghtful thou shalt loue hem by charyte in god oonly for they beÌ„ good ryghtful for then louest thou god in hem as goodnes ryghtwysnes more than yf they ben badde indedely synne as thyn enmyes that haten the or other of y t whiche thou hast full heuydence y t they are not in grace yet shalt thou loue hem not as they arne ne as good men ryghtfull men for they arne bad and vnryghtfull but thou shalt loue hem for god that they myghte be good ryghtfull And so shalt thou no thynge hate in heÌ„ but y e thyng y t is contrary to ryghtwysnes y t is synÌ„e This is as I vnderstonde y e techyng of saynt Austyn for to departe y e loue of the man fro the hate of the synÌ„e y e loue of thyn euen crysteÌ„ He y t is meke or wolde sothfastly be me can loue thus his euen crysten none but he ¶ How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hyd in his herte CaplmÌ„ lxxi LIfte wel vp this ymage loke wel aboute and thou shalt mowe see couetyse and loue of erthly thynges occupye a grete partye of this ymage though it seme lytyl Thou hast forsaken rychesse and moche honour of this worlde and arte spered in a dongeon but hast thou forsaken clenly the loue of al this I hope not yet It is lesse maystry for to forsake worldly good than to forsake the loue of it Parauenture thou hast not for saken thy couetyse but thou hast chaunged it fro grete thynges in to smale as fro a pownde vnto a peny and fro a syluer pece vnto a dysshe of an halfpeny This is a symple chaunge thou art no good marchaunt Thyse ensamples arne chyldysshe neuertheles they betoken more If thou trowe not me assay thyself If thou haue loue delyte in the hauyng holdynge of ony thynge y t thou hast suche as it is with y e whiche loue thou fedest thyn herte for a tyme. Or yf thou haue desyre yerniÌ„g for to haue somÌ„ thyng y t thou hast not with whiche desyrethyn herte is traueyled stroubleâ— by vâ—skylful besynesse that the clene desyre of vertu of god may not rest therin this is a token y t there is couetyse in this ymage And yf thou wolte assay better loke yf ony thynge that thou hast be taken awaye fro the by maystry or by borowyng or by ony other wyse thou may not gete it ayeÌ„ for thy thou arte disesed angred trowbled in thyne hert bothe for thou waÌ„test y t thyng y t thou woldest haue may not haue it also ayenst hym y t hath it thou arte styred for to stryue chyde with hym for he myght restore y e ayen wyl not this is a token y t thou louest worldly goodes For thus done worldly men whan her good her rychesse is taken fro heÌ„ they arn heuy sory angry chyding stryusg ayeÌ„st heÌ„ y t haue it opeÌ„ly by worde by dede but thou doost al this in thyn hert pryuely where god seeth yet thou art in more defawte than a worldly man For thou hast forsaken in lyknes y e loue of worldly thinges But a worldly maÌ„ hath not do so therfore he is excused thoughe he stryue pursue for his goodes by lawful wayes for to haue hem ayeÌ„ But now sayest thou y t the behoueth for to haue thy necessaryes of suche thynges as loÌ„gen to y t as wel as a worldly maÌ„ I grauÌ„t wel therto but thou sholde not loue it for it self ne lykinge haue in the holdyng ne in y e kepyng ne sorowe ne heuynesse fele in y e lesyng or in y e withdrawynge of it For as saynt gregory sayth Asmoche sorow as thou hast in lesyng of a thyng so moche loue haddest thou iÌ„ y e kepynge And therfore yf thyn herte were made hoole thou haddest sothfastly felt desyre of ghostly thynges had there with al a syght of the leest ghostly thyng y t is all y e loue the lykyng of ony â–ª erthly thyng thou sholdest sette it at nought it sholde not cleue vpon the For to loue for to haue more than y e nedeth skylfully oonly for luste lykyng it is a defawte Also for to fetchen thy loue vpon y t thynge that the nedeth for it selfe it is defawte but not so grete But for to haue vsen that thyng y t the nedeth withouten loue of it more than kynde or nede asketh withouteÌ„ whiche the thyng may not be vsed it is no defawte Sothly in this poynt as I trowe many y t I haue y e state y e lyknesse of pouerte arn moche letted hyndred fro y e loue of god I ne accuse no maÌ„ ne no state reproue for in eche astate some arn good some arne other But one thyng I saye to euery man or woman that hath taken the state of wilful pouerte whither he be relygious or seculer or what degree he be in as long as his loue his affeccyon is bounden fastened and as it were glewed with the loue of ony erthly thynge that he hath or wolde haue he may not haue ne fele sothfastli y t clene loue the clere syght of ghostly thynges For saynt Austyn sayd to our lorde thus Lorde he loueth y e but lytyl that louyth ony thynge with the that he loueth not for the For the more loue couetyse of ony erthly thyng is with the the lesse is the loue of god in thyn herte For though it be so that this loue of erthly thyng putteth heÌ„ not out of charite but yf it be so moche that it strangle y e loue of god
worse as slee y t nede as many foles done whiche sholden slee y â— theyf spare the true man That is to say They sholden slee vnskylful luste y t wylful lykyng spare kepe y e bodely kynde they do not soo But ayenst al other synnes thou shalt aryse for to destroye not oonly dedely synnes y e grete venyals but also ayenst y e gounde of heÌ„ as moche as thou mayst See by this skylle Thou maye not lyue without mete driÌ„ke but thou may lyue without lecherye yf thou wy neuer but y e better And therfore thou shalt not flee only y e dede of it whiche is dedely syn but also wylful lykyng of it in thyn herte withouten dede whiche is venyal syn soÌ„tyme it is dedely but also thou shalt traueyle ayenst y e grouÌ„de of it for to destroye y e felyng the rysyng of flesshly strynge ¶ How the grouÌ„de of lecherye sholde be destroyed with ghostly traueyle with bodely Caplm lxxiii BUt this trauayle ayenst the grounde of lecherye shal be ghostly as by prayers ghostly vertues not by bodely penaunce For wyte thou wel y t yf thou fast wake scourge thyselfe doo al y t thou can thou shalt neuer haue y e clennes y e chastyte without y e yefte of god the grace of mekenes Thou sholdest soner slee thy self than thou sholdest slee flesshly styrynges felynges of lust lecherye eyther in thyn hert or in thy flesshe by ony bodely penaunce But by the grace of IhuÌ„ in a meke soule y e grouÌ„de may be moche stopped destroyed the spryng may be moche dryed And y t is very chastyte in body in soule On the same manere may be sayd of pride of couetyse of suche other for thou myÈt liue yf thou were not prowde ne couetous therfore thou shalt destroy al y e felynges of heÌ„ asmoche as thou maye But in glotenye thou shalt ryse smyte away y e vnskylful styrynges saue y e grounde hole ¶ That a maÌ„ sholde be besye to put away al styrynges of syn but more besy of ghogly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii ANd therfore he that ryseth ayenst the felynge of flesshly lykyng in mete drinke more fully and more sharply than of pryde or couetise whiche for they semen fayraren not lyghtly reproued Or of Enuye or of Lecherye I saye that he is halfe blynde For he seeth not yet ghostly vnclennes As of pryde and enuye how fowle it is in goddys syght I hope If a man myght see with his eye ghostly how foule pryde couetyse arne in the syght of god how contrary to hym He sholde more loth a styryng of pryde the vayne lykyng of it And also he sholde the more agryse ryse ayenst y e euyl wyl of enuye or yre to his euen crysten than many a styrynge or lykynge eyther of glotenye or of lecherye Neuertheles al men wenen not so For comynly men arn more eschewe for to fele a styring of flesshly synne haue for it more sorowe heuynesse than for the grete lykynges in vaynglory or in other ghostly synÌ„es But they arn not wyse For yf they wyl vnderstoÌ„de holy wrytte doctours sawes therof they sholden finde as I say whiche I ne maye ne wyll reherse now I wyl not excuse hem y e fall in lykynges of glotenye lecherye y t they synne not For I wote wel y t al the spyces of hem arn synÌ„e more or lesse after the mesure of the luste of the synne other lykynges with wylfull cyrcumstaunces But I wolde y t thou knewe charged al ylke a synne as it is more the more as arn ghostly synÌ„es lesse the lesse arn as flesshly synÌ„es And yet shal thou neuertheles hate flee al both bodely ghostly vpon thy myght For wyte thou wel y e flesshly desyres vnskylful lykynges in mete drynke Or ony lykynges y e longen to y e body passyng resonable nede though they ben not alwaye grete synnes to hym y t is in charite neuertheles to a soule y e desyreâ—h clennes ghostly felynge of god they arn ful heuy paynful bytter moche for to eschewe For the spyryte may not fele his kyndly sauour within tyll the flesshe haue loste hys bestly sauour withouten ¶ That huÌ„ger other bodely paynes letteth moche ghostly werching ca. lxxv ANd therfore yf thou wolt come to clenÌ„es of herte the behouith ayenstoÌ„de vnskylful styryng of flesshly desyres But ayenst the grouÌ„de thou shalt not ryse as I haue sayd before For the grounde of it is nede as kyndely hunger whiche thou shal nedelynges fele and tent therto in tyme and helpe thyself ayenst it by medycyne of mete as thou woldest helpe thyselfe resonable ayenst a bodely syknes y t thou myght more freely serue god bothe bodely and ghostly For wyte thou wel what man or woman that shall be occupyed ghostly in thoughtes vnskylful payne or hunger wylfully taken or bodely syknes in the stomake or in y e hede or in other partye of the body for y e defawte of good rulyng of hym self by tomoche fastyng or by ony other wyse shal moche lette the spyryte and moche hynder hym fro y e knowynge beholdynge of ghostly thynges but yf he haue the more grace For though it be so that bodely payne eyther of penaunce or of syknesse or elles bodely occupacyon somtyme letteth not the feruour of loue to god in deuocyon but ofte encreasyth it Neuertheles I hope that it lettyth the faruour of loue in contemplacyon the whiche maye not be hadde ne felyd sadly but in reste of body and of soule ¶ What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng CaplmÌ„ lxxvi FOr thy do thou skylfully y e longeth to the kepe thy bodely kynde vpon reyson and suffre god then sende what he wyl hele or syknesse take it gladly and grutche not ayenst god wylfully Do thou as I say take thy mete as it commyth And ordeyne for it yf nede be vpon reason And take it gladly as for nede But be wel waar of lust that commyth with nede Eschewe to moche as wel as to lytyl And so whan thou haste done and thenne it commyth to thy mynde y e bytyng of conscyence that thou haste eten to moche And soo thenne begynnest for to tary the drawe to ouermoche bytternes Lyfte vp y e desyre of thyn hert thy good lorde IhuÌ„ and know thyself for a wretche a beest aske hym for gyuenesse and saye that thou wylte amende it truste of forgyuenesse Leue of then and tarye no lenger with all ne stryue not moche as thou woldest destroye it vtterly for it is not worthe for to do so Thou shalt neuer brynge it soo abowte \ but redely ordeyne the rede to some other occupacyoÌ„ bodely or ghostly after thou felyst the dysposed that
lowely wyth reuerence for his order And yf his speche comforte the aske of hym make the not for to teche hym It talleth not to y e for to teche a preste but in nede If his speche coÌ„forte the not answere lytyll and he wyl sone take his leue If it be a nother man y t cometh to yeue y t his almesse or elles for to here the speke or for to be taughte of ye. speke godely mekely to hem all repreue no man of his defawtes it falleth not to the but yf he be the more homely with the that thou wotest wel that he wyl take it of y e And shortly to saye as thou conceyuest that sholde profyte thyn euen crysten namly ghostly maye thou saye yf thou can and he wyl take it And of al other thynges kepe scilence asmoche as thou mayst thou shalt in short tyme haue but lytyl prees that shall lette the Thus me thynketh doo better yf thou can ¶ Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothyng ther of Caplm lxxxiiii BI this that I haue sayd may thou see a lytyl the derknes of this ymage of synne not for I haue dyscryued it fully to the as it is for I can not Neuertheles by this lytyl thou maye see more yf thou loke wel But now sayst thou wherby wotest thou that I bere suche an ymage aboute with me as thou spekest of As on this I can answere I maye take vpon me a worde sayde by the prophete and it is this Inuent idolum michi That is to saye I haue founde a fals ymage that men callen a mawmente in myselfe wel fowle dysfygured for shapen with wretchydnes of al thyse synnes whiche I haue shoken of by the whiche I am casten downe in many flesshly lykynges and worldly vanytees fro clennes of herte and felynge of ghostly vertues more than I can or maye saye and that me repenteth and I crye god mercy By this wretchydnes that I fele in myselfe more than I haue sayd maye I y â— better telle the of thyn ymage For al come we of adam and of eue clothed with clothes of a bestes hyde as holy wrytte sayth of oure lorde thus Facit deus ade vxori eius tunicas pelliceas Our lorde made to adam to his wyfe clothes of a bestes hyde In token that for his synne he was forshapen lyke to a beste with whiche bestly clothes we al ben borne and vmbylapped dysfygured fro oure kyndely shappe ¶ Whiche ben the lymmes of the ymage of synne Caplm lxxxv THenne is this a vgly ymage for to loke vpon The hede is pryde For pryde is the fyrste and pryncypal synne as y e wyse man sayth IniciuÌ„ oiÌ„s pctiÌ„ superbia The begynnyng of al maner of synne is pryde The backe the hynder partye of it is couetyse as saynt poul sayth Que retro sunt obliuiscens in anteri ora me extendo I shal for yete al worldly thynges whiche arne backewarde and I shal stretche me forwarde endles thynges The brest in the whiche is the herte is enuye for it is no flesshly synne but it is a deuels synne as the wyse man sayth Inuidia diaboli mors intrauit in orbeÌ„terrarum Imitantur illum oeÌ„s qui ex parte eius sunt By enuye of y â— deuyl dethe comyth in to al y e worlde For thy al tho that are of his partye folow hym ther in The armes of it are wrathe in asmoche as a maÌ„ wreketh hym of his wrathe by his armes ayenst cristis byddynge in the gospel Si quis te percusserit super vnam maxillam prebe sibi alteram If a man smyte the vpon the tone cheke with his hoÌ„de thou shalt not smyte hym ayen but offre hym y t other cheke The bely of this ymage is glotenye as saynt poul sayth Esca ventri et venter escis deus hunc has destruet Mete serueth to the bely and the bely serueth to gete mete but god shall destroye bothe bely and mete That shal be at the last ende in the ful reformynge of his chosen and in demynge of reproued The membres of it are lecherye of the whiche saynt poule sayth thus NoÌ„ exibiatis meÌ„bra vestra arma iniquitatis ad peccatum ye shall not yeue your membres specyally your pryue membres for to be armes of synne The fete of thys ymage are accydye Therfore the wyse man saythe to the slowe for to styre hym to good werkes Discurre festina suscita amicum tuum That is to saye Renne quyckely aboute vnto good werkes haast the soone for the tyme passyth reyse vp thy frende whiche is Ihesu by deuoute prayer medytacyon Here hast thou herde the membres of this ymage ¶ Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passing for the in y e ymage of synne CaplmÌ„ lxxxvi THis is not y e ymage of Ihesu it is lyker an ymage of the deuyl For the ymage of Ihesu is made of vertues with mekenes and perfyte loue and charyte but this is of false flesshly loue to thyselfe with al thyse membres festnyd therto This ymage berest thou enery man what that he be vntyl by grace of Ihesu it be soÌ„ dele destroyed broken downe Thus it semith that dauyd sayth in y e sawter boke UeruÌ„ptamen in ymagine pertransit homo sed in frustra coÌ„turbatur This is for to saye Though it be so that a man were made in y e begynnynge to the ymage of god stable stedfast neuertheles by cause of syn he forpassyth lyuyng in this worlde in this ymage of synne by the whiche he is vnstable and trowbled in vayne Also saynt poul spekith of this ymage thus Sicut portauimus ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis sic portemus ymaginem celestis That is to say If we wol come to the loue of god as we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man fyrst adam that is the ymage of synne Ryght soo nowe lete vs bere the ymage of the heuenly man Ihesu whiche is the ymage of vertues ¶ How we sholde crucyfye this ymage of syn quyckeÌ„ the ymag of Ihesu Caplm lxxxvii WHat shal thou then do with this ymage I answere the by a worde that the Iewes sayd to pylat of cryste Crucifige eum Take thou this body of synne do hym on the crosse That is for to say Breke downe this ymage slee the false loue of synÌ„e in thyself as cristis body was slayne for our synne our trespaas Ryght so the behouith yf thou wolte be lyke to cryst â—lee thy bodely lykynge and flesshly lustes in thyself Thus sayd saynt poul Qui autem cristi sunt carnem suam crucyfixerunt cum viciis concupiscenciis Thyse y t arne crystys folowers hath crueyfyed and slayne her flesshe that is the ymage of synne with al the lustes the vnskylful
the .ii. boke ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule not after the body Caplm primum ¶ Howit neded to mankynde y e oonly thorough y e passyoÌ„ of cryste it sholde be restored refourmed y â— was for shape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii That the Iewes paynyms also fals crysten men beÌ„ not refourmed effectually thorough the vertue of y e passyon for her owne defawte Caplm iii Of two maner refourmynges of this ymage one iÌ„ fulnes another in fayth Caplm iiii That refourmyng in party is iÌ„ two maners one in fayth another in felynge CaplmÌ„ v. That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y t stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is reâ—ourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii How in y â— sacrament of baptym of penauÌ„ce thorough a pryue vmperceyuable werchynge of y e holy ghost this ymage is reâ—ourmed thouÈe it be not seen ne felt ca. viii That we sholde by leue stedfastly refourmyng of this ymage yf our coÌ„science wytnes to vs a ful forsakynge of syn a true tournyng of our wyl to gode lyuyÌ„g \ ca iâ— That al y e soules y t lyuen mekely in y e fayth of holy chyrche haue her fayth quyckened in loue charyte ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be so y t they maye not fele y e specyal gyfte of deuocyon or of ghostly felynge Capitulum x. That soules refourmed neded euer to fyght to stryue strongly ayenst y t styrynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to styrynge whan not CaplmÌ„ xi That this ymage is bothe fayr foule whyle it is iÌ„ this lyfe here though it be rofourmed of dyuersyte of felynges pryuely had bytwene thyse soules y â— ben refourmed other that ben not CaplmÌ„ xii Of thre maner of men of y e whiche some ben not refourmed some ben refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth some in fayth in felynge CaplmÌ„ xiii How meÌ„ y â— ben in syn forshape heÌ„self into dyuers bestes lyknes they ben callyd y e louers of this worlde xiiii How louers of this worlde vnable heÌ„ in dyuers maners to y e refourmyng of her owne soule CaplmÌ„ xv A lytyl counceyle how louers of this worlde sholden do yf they wyll be refourmed in her owne soule byfore her partyng hens CaplmÌ„ xvi That refourmyng in fayth in felyng maye not sodenly be goten but by grace moche bodely ghostly traueyle in lengthe of tyme CaplmÌ„ xvii The cause why so fewe soules in rewarde of y e multytude of other comyth to this refourmynge in fayth in felynge CaplmÌ„ xviii Another cause also of y e same how wylful bodely customes indiscretly rewarded vsed somtyme hyndreth soules fro felyng of more grace CaplmÌ„ xix How that without moche bodely ghostly besynesse without moche grace mekenesse soules may not be refourmed in felyngne be kepte theriÌ„ after they come therto CaplmÌ„ xx An entree how a soule shal haue her in meanyng werchyng that wol come to this refourmynge by ensample of a pylgryme goynge to Ierusalem And of two maner of mekenesse CaplmÌ„ xxi Of taryeÌ„ges a teÌ„ptacyons y e soules felen by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng goyng to IerusaleÌ„ of remedyes ayenst hem CaplmÌ„ xxii Of a general remedy ayenst wycked styrynges paynful taryenges y e fallen to her hertes of the flesshe of the worlde of the fende CaplmÌ„ xxiii Of an enyl daye a good nyght what it meanyth and how y e loue of y e worlde is lykned to an euyl daye y e loue of god to a good nyght Caplm xxiiii How y â— the desyre of Ihesu felte in this lyghtsome derknes sleeth al styrynges of synne ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu CapÌ„lm xxv How a man shal knowe false illuminacyons feyned by y e fende fro y e true lyght of knowynge y e comyth out of Ihesu by what tokens CapÌ„lm xxvi How grete profyte it is to the soule to be brought thoroughe grace in to lygtsome derkenesse how a man shal dyspose hym yf he wyl come therto CapmÌ„ xxvii That in refourmyng of a soule the werkyng of our lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes y â— is callyng ryghtyng magnyfyeng gloryfyenge CaplmÌ„ xxviii How it fallyth soÌ„tyme y e soules begynnyng perfytyng in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokens than some haue that ben perfyte yet it is not so in soth within CaplmÌ„ xxix On what maner a man shal haue knowyng of his owne soule how a man sholde sette his loue in Ihesu god man one persone CaplmÌ„ xxx How this manere of spekyng of refourmyng in felyng of a soule shal be take on what wyse it is refourmed how it is founde in saynt poules wordes CaplmÌ„ xxxi How god openyth y e Inner eye of y e soule to se hym not al at ones but by dyuers tymes of thre maner of refourmynge of a soule by ensample CaplmÌ„ xxxii How IhuÌ„ is heueÌ„ to y e soule and why he is called fyre Capitulum xxxiii Of two maners of loue fourmed vnfourmed what it meaneth how we ben beholde to loue IhuÌ„ moche for our makyng but more for our ayenbyenge but alther most for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue xxxiii How y â— some soule loueth Ihesu by bodely feruours by her owne manly affeccyons y e ben styred by grace by reason And how some louen Ihesu more restfully by ghostly affeccyons oony styred In warde thorough specyal grace of the holy ghost CaplmÌ„ xxxv That the yefte of loue amonge al the yefter of Ihesu is worthyest moest profytable And how Ihesu dooth al y â— is wel done in his louers onÌ„ly for loue how loue makyth the vsyng of al vertues al good dedes lyght eesy Capitulum xxxvi How loue thorugh gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu â—leeth al styrynges of pryde makyth y e soule for to lese sauour delyte in al erthly worshyp CaplmÌ„ xxxvii How loue sleeth all styrynges of wrath enuye softly refourmyth in the soule the vertues of pees pacyence of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles CaplmÌ„ xxxviii How loue sleeth couetyse lechery gloteny sleeth the flesshly sauour delyte in al the fyue bodely wyttes softly and easely thorough a gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ Capitulum xxxix What vertues graces a soule receyueth thorugh openyÌ„g of y â— Inner eye in to the gracyous beholdynge of IhuÌ„ And it maye not be goteÌ„ onÌ„ly thorugh manÌ„es traueyle but thorugh specyal grace traueyle also CaplmÌ„ xl How specyal
grace in beholdyng of IhuÌ„ withdrawyth soÌ„tyme fro a soule how a soule shal haue her in y e abseÌ„ce presence of IhuÌ„ And how a soule shal desyre y t iÌ„ it is alwaye y e gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ CaplmÌ„ xli A coÌ„mendacyon of prayer offryd to IhuÌ„ of a soule conteÌ„platyffe And how stablenesse in prayer is a syker werke to stonde in And how euery felynge of grace in a choseÌ„ soule may be sayd Ihesu but the more clener a soule is y e worthyer is his grace CaplmÌ„ xlii How a soule thorough y e openyng of y e ghostly eye receyueth a gracious loue able to vnderstoÌ„de holy wryt And how Ihesu y t is hydde in holy wrytte sheweth hymselfe to his louers CapmÌ„ xliii Of the pryue voys of Ihesu so wnynge in a soule wherby it shal be knowen how al the gracyous Illumynacyons made in a souse ben called y e spekynges of Ihesu Capitulum xliiii How thorough gracyous openynge of the ghostly eye a soule is made wyse mekely sothfastly to se the dyuersyte of degrees in holy chyrche as traueyllyng for to see angels kynde fyrst of reproued CapÌ„lm xlv How by y e same lyght of grace the blessed angels kynde may be seen how Ihesu is god man aboue al creatures after y t y e soule maye see hym here CapÌ„lm xlvi ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of y e seconde boke ¶ Here after folowyth the seconde boke of mayster Waltere Hylton ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule not after the body Caplm Primum FOr asmoche as thou couetyst gretely and askyst it for charyte for to here more of an ymage the whiche I haue before tymes in partye dyscryued to y t therfore I wyl gladly with drede fal to thy desyre helpyng y e grace of our lorde Ihesu cryst in whom I fully truste I shal open to the a lytyl more of this ymage At y e begynnyng yf thou wylt wyte playnly what I meane by this ymage I telle the forsoth that I vnderstonde noughte elles but thyn owne soule For thy soule my soule and euery resonable soule is an ymage and y t a worthy ymage for it is the ymage of god as y e apostle sayth Uir 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 iÌ„ the bodely shappe without but in y e myghtes of it with in as holy wrytte sayth Formauit deus hominem ad ymagineÌ„ similitudineÌ„ suam That is Our lorde god shope maÌ„ iÌ„ his soule â—o his owne ymage lyknes This is y e ymage y t I haue spoken of This ymage made to y e ymage of god in y e fyrstâ— hapynge was woÌ„derly fayre bryghtful of breÌ„nyng loue ghostly lyÈt but thorough synne of the fyrst man adam it was dysfygured and for shapen into a nother lyknes as I haue before sayd For it fel fro y t ghostly lyght and that heueÌ„ly fode in to paynful derknes and lust of this wretchyd lyfe exyled flemyd oute fro the herytage of heuen that it sholde haue had yf it had stonde stylle into the wretchydnes of thys erthe and afterwarde in to the pryson of helâ—e there to haue be without ende Fro the whiche pryson to the heuenly herytage it myght neuer haue come agayne but yf it had be refourmed to the fyrste shappe and the fyrste lyckenes But that refourmyng myght not be made by none erthly man for euery man was in the same myscheyf And none myght suffyse to helpe hymselfe and so moche lesse a nother man Therfore it nedeth to be done by hym that is more than man that is oonly god y t was skylful 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 myght be refourmed how it is refourmed to y e fyrste lyckenes by hym y t fourmed it by the grace of god I shal telle the For y t is the entente of this wrytynge ¶ How it neded to mankynde y t oonly thorough y e passyoÌ„ of cryste it sholde be restored refourmed y e was for shape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii THe ryghtwysnes of god a sketh y t a trespace done be not foryeuen but yf amendes be made for it yf it may be done Now it is sooth mankynde y t was hole in adam the fyrste man trespassed agaynste god so wonder greuously whan it forfeyted y e specyal byddynge of hym and assented to the false counsayle of the fende that it deserued ryghtfully for to haue be departed fro hym and dampned to helle withouten ende so ferforth that stondynge the ryghtwysnes of god it myght not be foryeuen but yf amendes were fyrste made and full satysfaccyon therfore But this amendes myght no man make that was man oonly and comen out of adaÌ„ by kyndely generacyon for this skylle For the trespasse vnworshyp was endles grete therfore it passyd maÌ„nys myght to make ameÌ„des for it And also for his skyl He y t hath trespassed shal make amendes hym behouyth for to yeue to hym y t he hath trespassed vnto al that he owyth though he had not trespassed And also ouer that hym behouyth yeue soÌ„what that he owyth not but oonly for that he trespassed But mankynde had not where with that he myght paye god for his trespaas ouer that he ought hym \ For what gode dede that man myght do in body or in soule it was but his dette For euery man ought as the gospel sayth for to loue god with al his herte al his soule and all his myghtes and better myght he not do than this And neuertheles this dede suffyced not to the refourmynge of mankynde Ne this myght he not do but yf he had be fyrst refourmed Thenne neded it that yf mannes soule sholde be refourmed and y e trespaas made gode that our lorde god hymself sholde refourme this ymage and make amendes for this trespaas sythen that no man myght But that myght he not do in his godhede for he myght not ne ought not to make amendes by sufferyng of payne in his owne kynde therfore it neded the he sholde take that same mankynde that had trespassed and become man And that myght he not by the comyn lawe of generacyon For it was impossyble goddis sonne to be borne of towchyd woman Therfore hym muste become man thoroughe a gracyous generacyon by the werkynge of y e holy ghoste of a clene gracious mayden our lady saynt Mary so was it done For our lorde Ihesu goddes sonne became maÌ„ and thorugh his precyous deth that he suffred made amendes to y e fader of heueÌ„ for manÌ„es gylte And y e myght he well do for he was god he oughte not for hymselfe but in as moche as he was man borne of y e same kynde
vnto her laste ende And so they ben not refonrmed to the lyckenesse of god but goon to the paynes of helle endelesly as Iewes and sarasyns done and in to moche more gretter payne than they In as moche as they had y e trouthe and kepte it not For that was more trespaas than that they had neuer hadde it Thenne yf thou wolte wyte whiche soules arne refourmed here in this lyfe to the ymage of god thoroughe the vertue of his passyon soothly oonly those that trowen in hym and louen hym in whiche soules the ymage of god that was thorough synne forshapen \ as it were in to a fowle bestes lyckenes is restored refourmed to y e fyrst shape and to the worthynes and worshyp that it had in the begynnynge Withoute whiche restorynge and refourmynge shall neuer soule be faaf ne come to blysse Of two maner refourmynges of this ymage one iÌ„ fulnes another in fayth Capl'm iiii NOw sayest thou how maye this be soth that the ymage of god the whiche is mannes soule myghte be refourmyd here in this lyfe to his lyckenesse in ony creature It semyth naye it myght not be so For yf it were refourmed then sholde it haue stable mynde clere syght clere brennynge loue in god ghostly thynges euerlastyngly as it had in the begynnyng But y t is no creature as thou trowest lyuynge here in this lyfe For as ayenst thyself thou canst wel saye the thynke the ful ferre therfro Thy mynde thy reason y e loue of thy soule arne so moche sette in beholdyng iÌ„ loue of erthly thynges that of ghostly thynges thou felyst ryght lytyl Thou felyst no refourmynge in thyselfe but thou arte so vnbylapped with this blacke ymage of synne for ought y t thou maye do that vpon what syde thou the tour ne thou felyst thyself defoyled spotted with flesshly styrynges of this foule ymage other chauÌ„gyng felyst thou none fro flesshlynes into ghostlynesse neyther in pryue myghtes of thy soule with in ne in bodely felynge with out Wherfore ye thynken that it myghte not be y t this ymage myght be refourmed Or elles yf it myght be refourmed Thenne askest thou how it myght be refourmed To this I answere laye thus There is two manere of refourmyng of the ymage of god whiche is mannes soule One is in fulnesse A nother is in partye Refourmynge in fulnesse maye not be had in this lyfe but it is delayed after this lyfe to y e blysâ—e of heuen where mannes soule shal fully be refourmed not to that state that it had at the fyrste begynnyng by kynde or myght haue had thorough grace yf it had stonde hole But it shal be restored to moche more blysse and moche hyer Ioye thorough the grete mercy the endles goodnesse of god than it shold haue had yf it had neuer fallen For then shal the soule receyue the hole y e ful felyng of god in al mightes of it without medelyng of ony other affeccyon And it shal see mankynde in the persone of Ihesu aboue y e kynde of angels onyd to the godhede For then shal IhuÌ„ bothe god man be al in al oonly he none other but he as y e prophete sayth Dominus solus exaltabitur in illa die That is our lorde Ihesu in that daye y t is euerlastyng daye shal be hyghed oonly none but he And also y e body of man shal then be gloryfyed For it shall receyue fully the ryche dowary of vndedelynes with al y t longeth therto This shal a soule haue with y e body moche more than I can saye But that shall be in the blysse of heuen not in this lyfe For though it be so y t the passyoÌ„ of our lorde be cause of al this ful refourmynge of mannes soule neuerthelesse it was not his wyl for to graunte this full refourmynge ryght anone after his passyon to al chosen soules that were lyuynge in tyme of his passyon But he delayed it vnto the laste daye And that was for this skylle Sooth it is y t our lorde Ihesu Cryste of his mercy hath ordeyned a certayne nomber of soules to saluâ—cyoÌ„ whiche nomber was not fulfylled in the tyme of his passyon And therfore it neded that by length of tyme thorough kyndly generyon of men it sholde be fulfylled Thenne yf it had so be that as sone after the dethe of our lorde euery soule that wolde haue trowed in hym sholde by his lyfe haue be blessyd and ful refourmed without ony other abydynge there wolde no creature that lyued thenne haue be that he ne wolde haue receyued y e faythe for to haue be made blessyd And thenne sholde generacyon haue ceased And so sholde we that arne now chosen souled lyuynge and other soules that come after vs not haue ben borne And so sholde our lorde haue fayles of his nomber But that maye not be And therfore our lorde purueyed moche better for vs in that that he delayed the full refourmyng of mannes soule tyl the laste ende as saynt poul sayth Deo pro nobis melius prouidente ne siue 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 beforne sholde not make a ful ende without vs that come after A nother skylle is this For syth that man in his fyrst fourmynge of god was sette in his free wyl and had free chesynge whether he wolde haue fully god or no. It was therfore resonable that syth he wolde not cheâ—e god thenne but wretchydly felle from hym If he sholde afterwarde be refourmed that he sholde be sette agayne in the same free chesynge that he was fyrst in whether he wolde haue y e profyte of his refourmynge or no And this maye be a skylle why mannes soule was not refourmed fully as faste after the passyon of Ihesu cryste That refourmyng in party is iÌ„ two maners one in fayth another in felynge CaplmÌ„ v. ANother refourmynge of this ymage is in partye and this refourmynge maye be had in this lyfe and but yf he had in this lyfe it maye neuer be had ne the soule may neuer be saaf But this refourmynge is on two maners One is in fayth oonly A nother is in fayth and in felynge The fyrst refourmynge in fayth oonly suffyseth to saluacyon The seconde is worthy to haue passynge mede in the blysse of heuen The fyrst maye be hadde lyghtly and in shorte tyme The seconde maye not soo but thoroughe lengthe of tyme and moche ghostly traueyle The fyrste maye be hadde with the felynge of the ymage of synne for thoughe a man fele noo thynge in hymselfe but all styrynges of synne and flesshly desyres not ayenstondynge that felynge yf he wylfully assent not therto he maye be refourmed in fayth to the lyckenesse of god But the seconde refourmynge puttyth out the lykynge in felynge
of flesshly styrynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynâ—ynge and profytynge soules and of actyfmen The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyfmen For by the fyrste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmynge destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synne and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thoroughe the werkynge of the holy ghoste The fyrste is good the seconde is better but the thyrde that is in the blysse of heuen is moost beste Fyrste lette vs speke of that one and sythe of that other And soo we shall come to the thyrde That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi TWo manere of synnes makyth a soâ—le to lese y e shape the lyknesse of god That one is called orygynal y t is y e fyrst syn thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done syn thise ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blysse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to theÌ„dles payn of hel but if it be thorough the grace of god refourmyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens out of this lyfe Neuertheles two remedyes arne there ayenst thyse two synnes by y t whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is y e sacramente of baptym ayenste orygynal synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenst actuel synÌ„e A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of orygynal synne hath no lyckenesse of god He is nought but an ymage of the fende a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thorugh the vertue of fayth of holy chyrche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of y e fende made lyke an angel of heuen Also y e same falleth to a Iewe or to a sarazyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne nought but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour fallen mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy sthost sothly without ony more taryenge they arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god soo fully as holy chyrche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe out of this worlde they sholde streyght flee to heuen withoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer so moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe neuer sholde they fele the paynes of helle ne of purgatory And y e pryuelege sholde they haue by the meryte of crystis passyon That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y e stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is refourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii ALso what crysten man or woman y t hath lost y e lyckenesse of god thoroughe a dedely synne brekynge goddis commaundementes yf he thoroughe to wchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricyon of herte and be in ful wyl for to amende hym and torne hym to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wyl receyueth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyltherto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans y t was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyl thorough dedely synne is nowe by the sacrament of penaunce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curtesye of our lorde and an endles mercy that so lyghtly foryeuyth al maner of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abydeth not grete penaunce doynge ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne a ful forsakynge in wyl of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournyng of y e hert to hym This askyth he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this withoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shal not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycyon loue be the more And therfore shal he go and shewe hym shriue hym to his ghostly rader and receyue penauÌ„ce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyl it so that bothe the synne y e payne maye be done awaye or he passe hens And that is the skylful ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that thoughe the synne be foryeuen thorough the vertue of contrycyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllynge of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shal yf he may shewe to his preste plener confessyoÌ„ for y t is his token his warraunt of foryeuenesse ayenste al his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenst a kyng of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a fulsykernesse for to haue onÌ„ly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a charter the whiche may be his token his warraunt agaynste al other men Ryght so maye it be sayd ghostly If a man haue forfeyted agaynst the kynge of heuen his lyfe thorough dedely synne It is not ynough to hym to fulsykernesse for to haue foryeuenes of god oonly by contrycyon betwene god and hym but yf he haue a charter made by holy chyrche yf he maye come therto And that is the sacrament of penaunce the whiche is his charter his token of foryeuenes For syth that he forfeyted both ayenste god and holy chyrche it is skylful that he haue foryeuenesse for that one and a warrant for y e other And this oo skylle why that confession is nedeful A nother skylle is this For syth this refourmyng of the soule stondyth in fayth oonly not in felyng therfore a flesshly man that is rude boystouse can not deme lyghtly but outwarde of bodely thynges sholde not mow haue crowyd y t his synnes had ben foryeueÌ„ hym but yf he had some bodely token and that is confessyon thorough the whiche token he is made â—ll syker of foryeuenes yf y t he do that in hym is This is the trouth of holy chyrche as I vnderstonde it Also a nother skylle is this Though the grounde of foryeuenesse stonde not pryncypally in confessyon but in contrycyon of y e herte and in forthyn kynge of synne neuertheles I hope that there is many a soule that sholde neuer a felyd very contricyoÌ„ nor had full forsakynge of synne yf confessyon had not be For it fallyth oft sythes that in the tyme of coufessyon grace of compunccyon comyth to a soule that before neuer felyd grace but euer was colde and drye and ferder fro felyng of grace And therfore syth confessyon was so profytable to the more partye of crysten men holy chyrche ordeyned for the more sykernesse
generally to al crysteÌ„ men that euery man woman sholde ones in the yere at the lest be shryuen of all her synnes that come to her mynde to her ghostly fader though they had neuer soo moche contrycyon before tyme Neuertheles I hope wel that yf al men had ben as besye aboute the kepyng of themselfe in eschewynge of almaner of synne And had comyn to as moche grete knowynge and felyng of god as some man hathe That holy chyrche sholde not haue ordeyned the token of confessyon as for nedeful bonde for it had not neded But for al men arne not so perfyte and perauenture moche of the more partye of crysten men is vnperfyte therfore holy chyrche ordeyned confessyon by waye of general bonde to al crysten men that wyl knowe holy chyrche as her moder wol be buxome to her byddynge If this be soth as I hope it is then erreth he gretely that generally sayth that confessyon of synnes for to shewe a preste is neyther nedeful to a synner ne behoful and that no man is bounde therto For by that that I haue sayd it is both nedeful spedful to al soules that in this wretchyd lyfe are defoyled thorough synne and namely to those y t arne thorough dedely synne forshapen fro the lyknes of god whiche mye not be refourmed to his lykenesse but by the sacrament of penaunce that pryncypally stondeth in contrycyon and sorowe of herte and secundary in shryfte of mouthe folowynge after yf it maye be hadde Upon this mauere by this sacrament of penaunce is a synful soule refourmed to the ymage of god and to hys lyckenesse ¶ How in the sacramente of baptym and of penaunce thorough a preuy vnperceyuable worchynge of the holy ghost this ymage is refourmed though it be not seen ne felt CalpmÌ„ viii BUT this refourmange stondeth in fayth not in felyng For ryght as the propyrte of the fayth is for to trowe y t thou seest not ryght so it is for to trowe y e thou felyst not But he y t is refourmed in his soule by y e sacrament of penaunce to y e ymage of god he felyth no chauÌ„gynge in hymself neyther in his bodely kynde without ne in the pryue substaunce of the soule within other than he dyde for he is as he was vnto his felynge and he felyth the same styrynges of synne the same corrupcyon of his flesshe in passyons worldly rysynge in his herte as he dyde before And neuertheles he shal trowe y t he is thorugh grace refourmed to y e lyknes of god though he nother fele it ne see it He may wel fele sorowe for his synne a tornyng of his wyll fro synÌ„e to cleÌ„nesse of lyuynge yf y t he haue grace take good kepe of hymselfe but he may nother see ne fele the refourmyng of his soule how it is wonderly vnperceyuably chaunged fro y e fylthe of the fende vnto the fayrnes of an angel thorough a pryue gracyous werchyng of the holy ghost That maye he not see but he shal trowe it And yf he trowe it then is his soule refourmed in trouthe For ryght as holy chyrche trowith by y e sacrament of baptym sothfastly receyued a Iewe or a sarasyn or a chylde borne is refourmed in soule to the lyckenesse of god thorough a pryue vnperceyuable werthyng of the holy ghost not ayeÌ„ stoÌ„dyng al y e flesshly styrynges of his body of syn y e whiche he shal fele after his baptim as wel as he dyde before Ryght so by y e sacrament of penauÌ„ce mekely truly recoÌ„maundement of god And for that thou haste mysdone here before ayenste his byddyng thou hast shryuen y â— therof mekely with ful herte to leue it arte sory that thou dydest it I saye then sykerly that thy soule is refourmed in fayth to the lyknes of god ¶ That al the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche haue her fayth quyckened in loue chary ben refourmed by this sacrament though it be soo y e they may not fele y â— specyal yefte of deuocoÌ„n or of ghostly felynge CalpmÌ„ x IN this refourmynge that is oonly in fayth y e moste parte of chosen soules leden her lyfe that setteÌ„ her wyl stedfastly for to flee al manere of dedely synne and for to kepe hem in loue charyte to her euen crysteÌ„ and for to kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god after her cuÌ„nynge And whan it so is that wycked styrynges euyl wylles rysen in her hertes of pryde or of enuye of yre or lecherye or of ony other hede synne they ayenstonde heÌ„ and stryuen ayenst hem by dysplesyng of wyl soo that they folowe not in dede thyse wycked wylles And neuertheles yf they falle lyghtly as it were ayenst her wyl thorugh freelte or vncuÌ„nynge as soone her conscyence greuyth hem and pynyth hem soo greuously that they mowe haue noo reste tyll they be shryuen and maye haue foryeuenesse Sothly al thyse soules that thus lyuenin 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 Thoughe it be soo that they myghte neuer haue ghostly felynge ne Inwarde sauoure ne specyall grace of deuocyon in al her lyfe tyme For elles yf thou saye that noo soule shall be â—aaf but it were refourmed in ghostly felyng that it myght fele deuocyon ghostly sauour in god as some soules doon thorough specyal grace then sholde fewe soules be saaf in rewarde of multytude of other Nay it is not for to trowe that y e for the soules that oonly arne deuoute and by grace come to ghostly felynge and for no mo our lorde IhuÌ„ sholde haue take maÌ„kynde suffred y e harde passyon of dethe It had be a lytyl purchaas to hym for to haue come fro so ferre to so nere and fro soo hye to so lowe for so fewe soules Nay his mercy is spred larger than soo Neuertheles on the contrary wyse yf thou trowe y t the passyon of our lorde is soo precyous his mercy so moche y t there shal no soule be dampned namely of no crysten man do he neuer so euyll as some fooles wene sothly thou eâ—rest gretly Therfore go in y e meane holde the in y e myddes trowe as holy chyrche trowith And that is that the moost synful man y t lyueth in there yf he torne his wyl thorough grace fro dedely synne with sothfaste repentaunce to the seruyce of god he is refourmed in his soule And yf he deyed in y e state he shal be saaf Thus behyght our lorde by his prophete sayenge thus In quacuÌ„que hora conuersus fuerit peccator ingemuerit vita viuit noÌ„ morietur That is In what tyme that it be that the synful man is tourned to god fro synne and he haue sorow therfore he shal lyue and he shal deye endelesly And on the other
soule whan it is refourmed to y e ymage of god By the lawe of the flesshe I vnderstonde y e sensualytees whiche I calle y â— ymage of synne In thyse two lawes a soule refourmed ledeth his lyfe as saynt poul sayth MeÌ„te enim seruio legi dei carne enim legi peccati In my soule that is in my wyl and in my reason I serue to the lawe of god but in my flessh y t is iÌ„ my flesshly appetyte I serue to the lawe of synne Neuertheles y t a soule refourmed shal not dispeyre thoughe he serue to the lawe of synne by felynge of the vycyous sensualyte ayenste the wyl of the spyryte by cause of corrupcyon of the bodely kynde Saynt poul excusyth it sayeng thus of his owne persone Non eniÌ„ quod volo bonuÌ„ hoc ago sed malum quod odi hoc facio Si auteÌ„ maluÌ„ quod odi hoc facio noÌ„ ego operor illud sed quod habitat iÌ„ me peccatuÌ„ I do not that good y t I wolde do That is I wolde fele no flesshly styryng that do I not But I doo that euyl y t I hate That is The synful styryng of my flesshe I hate and yet I fele hem Neuertheles syth it is so y t I haue y e wycked styrynges of my flesshe yet I fele hem and ofte delyte in hem ayenst my wyl they shal not be reherced ayenste me fro dampnacyon as yf I hadde done hem And why For the corrupcyon of this ymage of synne doth hem not I. Loo saynt poul in his persone god And yf he deye in y t plyght he shall not be saaf His trouth shal not saue hym for his trouth is dede lackyth loue therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened with loue and charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degre of charyte as arn symple soules y e whiche felen not y e yeft of specyal deuocyon ne ghostly knowyng of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chyrche trowyth and knowyth not fully what y t 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 al dedely synne after her cuÌ„nynge and dooen y e dedes of mercy to her euen crysten Al thyse longen to the blysse of heuen For it is wrytten in the apoc thus Qui timetis deum pusilli et magni lauâ—ate eum This is ye that dreden god bothe smale grete thanke hym By grete arn vnderstode soules y t arne profytyng in grace or elles perfyte in y e loue of god the whiche arn refourmyd in ghostly felynge By â—male arn vnderstoÌ„de soules vnperfyte of worldly men wymmen other that haue but a chyldys knowynge of god ful lytyl felynge of hym but arn brought forth in the bosom of holy chyrche nourysshed with the sacrament as chylderne arn fedde with mylke Al thyse sholde loue god thanke hym for saluacyon of her soules by his endles mercy goodnesse For holy chyrche that is moder of al thyse hath tender loue to al her chylderne ghostly prayeth asketh for hem al tenderly of her spowse that is Ihesu geteth hem hele of soule thorough vertue of his passyon And namly for hem that can not speke for hemselfe by ghostly prayer for her nede Thus I fynde in the gospel That y â— woman of Chanee asked of our lorde he le to her doughter that was traueyled with a fende our lorde made fyrst daungeour by cause she was an alyene Neuertheles she ceased not for to cry tyl our lorde had grauÌ„ted her askyng and sayd to her thus Aa woman moche is thy trouth be it to y e ryght as thou wolt In the same hour was her doughter hole This woman betokenith holy chyrche y â— asketh helpe of our lorde for symple vncuÌ„nynge soules that are traueyled with teÌ„ptacyon of y e worlde and can not speke perfytly to god by feruour of deuocoÌ„n ne brennyng loue in conteÌ„placyon And though it seme that our lorde make dauÌ„geour fyrste by cause that they arn as it were alyened fro hym neuerthelesse for the grete trouthe dyserte of holy chyrche he graunteth to her al y t she wyll And so arn thyse symple soules y t trowen stedfastly as holy chyrche trowyth putten hem fully in y e mercy of god maken hem vnder the sacrament and lawes of holy chyrche made saaf thorugh prayer trouth of her moder holy chyrche ¶ That soules refourmed neden euer to fyght to stryue ayenste the styrynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to y e styrynge whan not CaplmÌ„ xi THis refourmyng in fayth is lyghtly goten but it maye not so lyghtly beholde therfore what maÌ„ or woman y t is refourmed to the lyekenesse of god in trouth moche traueyle besynesse must they haue yf they wyl kepe this ymage hole clene y t it falle not downe ayen thorugh wekenesse of wyl to the ymage of synÌ„e He maye not be ydle ne reklees for y e ymage of synne is so nere festnyd to hym so contynually pressyth vpon hym by dyuerse styrynges of syn that but yf he be right wel waar he shal ful lyghtly thorugh assent fal ayeÌ„ ther comforteth al soules that thorough grace arne refourmed in fayth y â— they sholden not tomoche drede y e bourden of this ymage with the vnskylful styrynges therof yf it so be they sente not wylfully therto Neuertheles in this poynte many soules y â— arne refourmed in trouthe arne oft tymes moche tormented trowbled in vayne as thus Whan they haue felte flesshly styrynges of pryde or enuye of couetyse or lechery or of ony other he desynÌ„e they wote not somtyme whether they sent therto or no. that is no grete woÌ„der For in tyme of temptacyon a freel mannes thought is so trowbled so ouer layed y t he hath no clere syght ne fredom of hymself but is taken oft with lykyng vnwarly gooth forth a grete whyle or then he perceyue it And therfore fallen some in dowte dwere wheder they synÌ„ed in tyme of teÌ„ptacyon or no As ayenst this poynt I saye as me thynke y t a soule maye haue assayeng in this manere whed y t he assente or no If it be so y t a man is styred to ony maner of synne the lykynge is soo grete in his flesshly felynge y t it trowblyth his reason as it were with maystry ocupyeth the affeccoÌ„n of y e soule neuertheles he kepyth hym y t he foloweth not in dede ne he wolde not yf he myght but is rather paynful to hym for to fele the lykyng of y e synne fayne he wolde put it awaye yf he myght And then whan y e styryng is ouerpassed he is
of the worlde and so moche ouerlayed with the lykynge of his flesshe in al his sensualyte that he chesyth it as a ful rest of his herte and in his pryue meanynge he wolde not elles haue but y t he myght euer be syker therof He felyth no lycour of grace styryng hym for to lothe his flesshly lyf ne for to desyre heuenly blysse And therfore I maye saye that he bereth not this ymage of syn̄e but he is borne of it as a man that were seke so weyke that he myght not bere hymselfe And therfore he is layed in a bedde borne in a lytere Ryght so suche a synful soule is so weyke and so vnmyghty for lackynge of grace that he maye neyther meue honde ne fote for to do ouy good dede ne for to ayenstonde by dysplesynge of wyl the leest styryng 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 fele flesshly styrynges neuertheles he lotheth hem in his herte for he wolde for no thynge fully reste in hem but he fleeth the reste as the byttynge of an adder and had leuer haue his reste and y ◠loue of his herte in god yf y t he cowde somtyme desyreth therto and often grutcheth of the lykynge of this lyfe for loue of the lyfe euerlastyng This soule is not borne in this ymage of synne as a seke man thoughe he fele it but he beryth it For thorugh grace he is made myghty stronge for to suffre bere his body with al the euyl styringes of it without hurtynge or defoylynge of hymself and y ◠is in asmoche as he loueth hem not ne foloweth hē not ne senteth not to hem the whiche arne dedely synnes as a nother dooth This was bodely fulfylled in y ◠gospell of a man y ◠was in the palsye and was so feble y ◠he myght not go and therfore was he layed borne in a lytere and brought to our lorde And whan our lorde sawe hym in myscheyf of his goodnesse he sayd to hym Surge et tolle grabatum tuū et vade in domum cuā That is Ryse vp and take thy bedde go in to thy hous And so he dyde and was hole And sothly ryght as this man bare vpon his backe whan he was made hole the bedde that before bare hym Ryght so it maye be sayd ghostly that a soule refourmed in faythe beryth this ymage of synne the whiche bare hym before And therfore be not adradde to moche of thy blackenesse that thou haste of berynge of this ymage of synne But as ayenste y e shame the dyscomforte that thou haste of beholdyng of it and also ayen vpbraydynge that thou felyst in thy hert of the ghostly enmyes whan they sayd to the thus where is thy lorde Ihesus what sekest thou where is y e fayrnes y ◠thou spekest of what felyst thou ought but blyndnes of synne where is that ymage of god that thou sayest is refourmed in the Comforte thyselfe and be faythful styfly as I haue before sayd And yf thou do so thou shalt by this trouth destroye al the temptacyons of thin enmyes Thus sayd the apostle poul Accipe scutum fidei in quo omnia tela hostis nequissima poteris extinguere That is Take to the ashelde of stedfaste trouth thorugh the whiche thou maye quenche al the brennynge dartes of thyn enmye ¶ Of thre manere of men of y e whiche some ben not refourmed some ben refourmed on̄ly in fayth some in fayth in felynge Caplm̄ xiii BI this that I haue sayd maye thou see that after dyuers partyes of the soule arn dyuers states of men Some men arn not refourmed to the lykenesse of god and some arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god And some arn refourmed on̄ly in fayth and some arne refourmed in fayth in felynge For thou shalt vnder stonde y t a soule hath two partyes That one is called sensualyte that is flesshly felynge by the fyue outwarde wyttes the whiche is comon to man to beest Of the whiche sensualyte whan it is vnskylfully and vnordynatly ruled is made the ymage of synne whan it is not ruled after reason for thenne is the sensualyte syn̄e That other partye is called reason that is departed in two In the ouer partye in y ◠nether The ouer party is lyckened to a man for it sholde be mayster and souereyne and that is propyrly the ymage of god For by that on̄ly the soule knowyth god and louyth hym And the neyther is lyckened to a woman for it sholde be burum to the ouer partye of reyson as woman is buxum to man and that lyeth in knowynge and rulynge of erthly thynges for to vse hem dyscretly after nede and for to refuse hē whan it is no nede for to haue euer with it an eye vpwarde to the ouer partye of reasō with drede reuerence for to folow it Now may I say y ◠a soule that lyueth after lykynges the lustes of the flesshe as it were an vnskylful beest neyther hath knowynge of god ne desyre the vertues ne to good lyuynge But is al blynded in pryde frette with enuy ouerlayed whth couetyse defoyled with lecherye and other grete synnes Is not refourmed to y e lyckenesse of god for it lyeth resteth fully in the ymage of synne that is sensualyte A nother soule that dredeth god and ayenstondeth dedely styrynges of the sensualyte foloweth hem not But lyueth resonably in ruelynge gouernaūce of worldly thynges and setteth his entent and his wyl for to pleyse god by his outwarde werkes is refourmed to the lyknesse of god in faythe And though he fele the same styrynges of synne as y e other dooth it shal not dysease hym for heresteth not in hem as that other dooth But a nother soule that fleeth thorugh grace al dedely styrynges of the sēsualyte venyals also ferforth y t he felyth hem not is refourmed in felynge for he folowyth y e ouerparty of reason in beholdyng of god ghostly thynges as I shal tel the afterwarde ¶ How men that ben in synne forshapen hemselfe in to dyuerse bestes lyckenesse And they bē called the louers of the worlde Caplm̄ xiiii A Wretchyd man is he then that knowyth not y ◠worthynesse of his soule ne wyll not knowe it how it is moost worthy creature that euer god made out take an angel whom it is lyke to ▪ hye aboue al other kynde bodely to the whiche no thynge maye suffyse as full reste but oonly god And therfore he sholde nothynge loue ne lyke but hym oonly ne coueyte ne seke but how he myght be refourmed to his lyknes but for he knowyth not this therfore he sekyth coueytyth his rest his lykynge outwarde in bodely creatures werse than hym self is Unkyndly he doth vnresouably he werkyth y
and ofte assentynge to synne before y e hem thynke it impossyble for to ayenstonde it soo feyned herdnes of perfourmynge weekyth her wyl smytyth it downe ayeÌ„ Some also felen styryng of grace as whan they haue bytyng of conscyeÌ„ce for her euyl lyuynge that they sholde leue it But that is so paynful to heÌ„ heuy that they wol not suffre it ne abyde it but they fle therfro foryete it yf they may so ferforth that they seke lykynge and comforte outwarde in flysshly creatures so that they sholde not fele this bytynge of conscyence within her soule And more ouer some men are so blynde so bestly that they wene there is none other lyfe but this ne y t there is no soule other than a beest y t y e soule of a man deyeth with y e body as y e soule of a beest therfore they saye Ete we drynke we make we mery here for of this lyfe we ben syker we see none other heuen Sothly suche are some wretches that sayen thus in her hertes though they saye it not with her mouth Of the whiche men the prophete sayth thus Dixit incipieÌ„s in corde suo noÌ„ est deus That is y e vnwyse man sayd in his herte there is noo god This vnwyse man is euery wretchyd man that lyueth loueth synÌ„e and chesyth y e loue of this worlde as rest of his soule he sayth there is no god not with his mouth for he wol speke of hym soÌ„tyme whan he fareth wel flesshly as it were in reuerence whan he sayth blessyd be god Somtyme in dyspyte whan he is angry ayenst god or his euen crysten sweryth by his blessyd body or ony of his meÌ„bres But he sayth iÌ„ his thought y t there is no god that is eyther for he weneth y t god seeth not his synne or that he wyll not punysshe it so harde as holy wrytte sayth or that he wol foryeue hym y e synne though he see it not or elles y â— there shal no crysten man be daÌ„pned do he neuer so euyl Or elles yf he fast our lady fast or saye euery daye a certeyn oryson or here euery day ii masses or iii â–ª or do a certeyn bodely dede as it were in worshyp of god he shall neuer go to helle do he neuer somoche synne though he forsake it not this man sayth in his herte that there is no god But he is vnwyse as y e prophete sayth For he shall fele fynde in payne y t he is a god whom he forgate and set nought by but sette by the we le of the worlde as the prophete sayth Sola vexacio dabit intellectuÌ„ audituâ— That is Oonly payne shal yeue vnderstondynge For he that knowyth not this here ne wol not knowe it shal wel knowe it whan he is in payne ¶ A lytyl couÌ„seyle howe louers of this worlde sholde do yf they wol be refourmed in her soule byfore her partynge hens CaplmÌ„ xvi THyse men though they wote wel that they arne out of grace in dedely synne they haue no care ne sorowe ne thought therfore But they make flesshly myrth worldly solace asmoche as they maye And the ferder they ben fro grace y e more myrth they make perchauÌ„ce some holden hem wel payd y t they haue no grace y t they maye as it were the more fully freely folow y e lykynge of flesshly lustes as though god were a slepe myght not see hem And this is one of the moost defawte y t maye be And thus by her owne frowardnes they stop the lyght of grace fro her owne soule y t it maye not reste therin the whiche grace in asmoche as in it is shyneth to al ghostly creatures redy for to entre in there it is receyued as y e sonne shyneth ouer al creatures bodely there it is not letted thê° sayth saynt IohnÌ„ iÌ„ y e ghospel Lux in tenebris lucet â—enebre eaÌ„ non coÌ„prehenderuÌ„t That is the lyght of grace shyneth in derkenes that is to meÌ„nes hertes that are derke thorugh synne But the derknesse taketh it not That is thyse blynde hertes receyue not y e gracyous lyght ne haue not the profyte of it But ryght as a blynde man is vmbiâ—apped with the lyght of y e sonne whan he stoÌ„deth therin yet seeth it not ne hath no profyte ther of for to go therby ryght soo ghostly a soule blynded with dedely synÌ„e is al vmbylapped with this ghostly lyght and yet he is neuer the better for he is blynded and wol not see ne knowe his blyndenesse And y t is one of the moost lettynge of grace that a wretchyd man wol not be a knowe of his owne blyndnesse for pride of hymself or elles yf he knowe it he chargeth not but makyth myrth game as he were ouer al syker Therfore vnto al thyse men that are thus blynded and bouÌ„de with the loue of this worlde are fowle forshape fro y e fayrhede of man I saye counseyle that they thynke on her soule y t they able hem vnto grace asmoche as they may and that may they do vpon this wyse yf that they wol Whan that they fele hemself out of grace ouerlayed with dedely synne then that they thynke what myscheyf what peryl it is to hem for to be put out of grace departed fro god as they ben For there is no thynge that holdeth hem fro the pytte of helle that they ne sholde ryght soone falle therin but a bare syngyl â—hrede of this bodely lyfe wherby they hange what lyghtlyer may be lost than a syngyl threde maye be broken in two For were the breth stopped in her body that maye lyghtly falle her soule shal passe forth anone be in helle withoute ende And yf they wolde thynke thus they sholde quake shake for drede of the ryghtful domes of god of the herde punysshynge of synne they sholde make sorow morne for her synne and for lackynge of grace and then sholde they crye pray y t they myght haue grace yf they dede thus thenne sholde grace falle in put out deâ—knesse hardnes of herte and weyknes of wyl and yeue hem myght strengthe for to forsake the fals loue of this worlde as moche as is dedely synne For there is no soule soo ferre fro god thorugh wyckydnesse of wyl in dedely synne I out take none that lyueth in this body of synÌ„e that he ne may thorugh grace be ryghted refourmed to clennesse oflyuynge yf he woll bowe his wyl to god with mekenesse for to amende his lyfe hertly axe grace foryeuenes of hym excuse our lorde fully accuse hymself For holy wryt sayth Nolo morteÌ„ pccoÌ„rissed magis vt coÌ„uertat et viuat That is Our lorde sayth I wol not y e dethe of a synner but I wol
more y t he be torned to me lyue For our lorde wol that the moost frowarde man y t lyueth forshapen thorugh synne yf he torne his wyl aske grace that he be refourmed to his lyknesse ¶ That refourmyng in fayth in felyng may not sodēly be goten by grace moche bodely ghostly traueyle ī lengthe of tyme Caplm xvii THis refourmyng is in fayth as I haue before sayd y t lyghtly may be had But after this comyth refourmyng in fayth in felynge that maye not lyghtly begote but thorugh longe trauyle moche besynesse For refourmynge in fayth in comyn to al chosen soules though they ben in the lowest degree of charyte But refourmynge in felynge is specyally of thyse soules y t may come to the state of perfeccyon that maye not sodeynly be had but after grete plente of grace moche ghostly traueyle a soule maye come therto and that is whan he is fyrste helyd of his ghostly syknes and whan al bytter passyons flesshly lustes other olde felynges arne brente oute of the herte with fyre of desyre newe gracyous felynges arne brought Inne with brennynge loue ghostly lyght Then̄e ryght nyghe hygheth a soule to perfeccyon and to refourmynge in felynge ¶ For soth it is ryght as a man that is broughte nye to deth thorough bodely syknesse though he receyue a medicyne by the whiche he is restored and syker of his lyfe he maye not therfore anone ryse vp and go to werke as an hole maye for the feblenes of his body holdeth hym downe that he muste abyde good whyle and kepe hym wel with medicynes and dyete hym by mesure after y e techynge of a leche tyl he maye fully recouer bodely he le Ryght so ghostly he that is brought to ghostly dethe thorugh dedely synne though he thorugh medycyne of the sacrament of penaūce be restored to lyfe that he shal not be dampned neuertheles he is not anone hole of all his passyons and of al his flesshly desyres ne able to contemplacyon but hym behouyth abyde a grete whyle and take good kepe of hymselfe and rule hym soo that he myght recouer ful hele of soule for he shal langern a grete whyle or that he be fully hole Neuertheles yf that he take medecynes of a good leche vse hem in tyme with mesure with dyscrecyon he shall moche the sooner be restored to his ghostly strength and come to refourminge in felynge For refourmynge in fayth is y e lowest state of al chosen soules For byneth y t myght they not well be But refourmynge in felyng is the hyest state in this lyfe that the soule maye come to But fro the lowest to y e hyest maye not a soule sodenly styrte no more than a mā that wol clymbe vpon a ladder hye and setteth his fote vpon the lowest stele may at the nexte flee vp to y e hyest But hym behoueth go by processe one after a nother tyl he maye come to the ouerest Ryght so it is ghostly noo man is made sodenly souereyne in grace but thorough longe exercyse and slye werkynge of a soule maye come therto namly whan he helpyth and techyth a wretchid soule in whome al grace lyeth For without specyal helpe and Inwardly techynge of hym maye noo soule come therto ¶ The cause why so fewe soules in rewarde of y t multytude of other comen to this refourmg in fayth in felynge Caplm̄ xviii BUt now sayst thou Syth our lorde is so curteys of his goodnes of his gracyous yeftes so free wonder it is then that so fewe sowles as it semyth in rewarde of the multytude of other maye come to this refourmynge in felynge It semyth y t he were dangerous that is not sothe or that he toke no rewarde of his creatures the whiche by takyng of fayth are become his seruauntes Unto this I may answere saye as me thynketh that one enchesen is this Many that are refourmed in fayth setten not her hertes for to profyte in grace ne for to seke none hyer estate of good lyuynge thorugh besye traueyle in prayeng a thynkyng and other bodely ghostly werkynge but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe hemselfe out of dedely synne for to stonde stylle in that plyght as they are in For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degre in heuen They wol coueyte no more Thus perchaunce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worlde actyflyfe and that is lytyl wonder of hem For they are so occupyed with worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly we tkynge And neuertheles it is peryllous to hem for they falle out al daye and are nowe vp now downe maye not come to the stablenes of gode lyuyng Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge But other men wymmen y t are free fro worldly besynesse yf they woll maye haue her nedeful sustynaunce without grete bodely besynes specyally as relygyous men wymmen may that bynden hemselfe to the state of perfeccyon by takynge of relygion and other men also in seculer state that haue moche reason in grete kyndly wytte myght yf they wolde dyspose hem there to come to moche grace Thyse men are more to blame for they stōde stylle as they were ydle wol not prouffyte in grace ne in no ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god For sothly it is peryllous to a soule that is refourmed oonly in sayth and wol no more seke profyte ne yeue hym besyly to ghostly traueyle for he maye so lyghtly lese that he hath and falle ayen to dedely synne For a soule may not stonde styl alwaye in one state whyle that it is in the flesshe For it is eyther profytynge in grace or peyrynge in syn̄e For it fareth by hym as it dooth by a man that were drawe out of a pytte whan he were vp he wolde no ferder go than y e pyttes brynke Sothly he were a moche foole for a lytyl puffe of wynde or an vnwarly styryng of hȳ selfe sholde soone caste hym downe ayen wors than he was byfore Neuertheles yf he fle fro y e brynke as ferre as he maye go forth on the erthe then though there come a grete storme he is the more syker for he falleth not in the pytte Ryght so ghostly he that is drawen out of y e pytte of synne thoroughe refourmynge of faythe and whan he is our of dedely synne he thynketh hymselfe syke◠ynoughe And therfore he wol not profyte but holde hym stylle as he is by the pyttys brynke as nere as he maye sothely he is not wyse For atte the leest temptacyon of hys enmye or of hys flesshe he falleth in to synne ayen But neuerthelesse yf he flee fro the pytte that is yf he sete
entree howe a soule shal haue her in menynge and worchynge that woll come to this refourmynge by ensample of apylgryme goynge to Iherusalem And of two maner of mekenes CaplmÌ„ xxi NEuertheles for thou coueytest for to haue some maner worchynge by the whiche thou myght y e rather nyghen to that refourmynge I shall saye as me thynketh by the grace of our lorde Ihesu the shortest y â— redyest helpe that I knowe in this werchyng And how that shal be I shal telle the by an ensample of a good pylgryme vpon this wyse There was a man that wolde go to IerusaleÌ„ And for he knewe not the waye he came to a nother man y t he hoped knewe the waye better thyder and asked whyder he myght come to that cyte that other man sayd to hym that he myght not come thyder without grete dysease and moche traueyle For the waye is longe and peryllous and full of grete theues robbers and many other lettynges there ben that fallen to a man in the goynge And also there are manysere wayes as it semyth â—edynge thyderwarde But meÌ„ all daye are slayne and dyspoyled and maye not come to that place that they coueyten Neuerthelesse there is one waye the whiche who so taketh it holdeth it he wol vndertake that he sholde come to that cyte of Ierusalem he sholde neuÌ„er lese his lyf ne be slayne ne deye for defawte He sholde ofte be robbed euyl bete suffre moche dysese in the gooynge but his lyfe sholde be saaf Thenne sayd the pylgryme So that I maye haue my lyfe saaf come to that place that I coueyte to I charge not what myschyef I suffre in goynge And therfore say me what thou wolt sothly I behote the for to do after the That other man answereth sayth thus Lo I sette y t in y e ryght waye This is the waye And that thou kepe the lernynge that I teche y â— what so thou herest seest or felyst that sholde lette the in the waye abyde not with it wylfully tary not for it wylfully beholde it not lyke it not drede it not but euer go forth in thy waye thynke that thou woldest be at Iherusalem for that thou couetest that thou desyrest nought elles but that And yf men robbe the dyspoyl the. bete the scorne the pyspyse y e stryue not ayen yf thou wolte haue thy lyfe but holde y t with the harme y t thou hast go forth as nought were y t thou take no more harme And also yf men wol tary y â— with tales fede y â— with lesynges for to drawe y t to myrthes for to leue thy pylgrymage make a deefere answere not ayen saye nought elles but that thou woldest be at Ierusalem And yf men profer y e yeftes wol make the ryche with worldly good rente not to heÌ„ thinke euer on Iherusalem And yf thou wol holde this way do that I haue sayd I vndertake thy lyfe y t thou shalt not be slayne but thou shalt come to y e place y t thou coueytest to Ghostly to our purpose Ierusalem is asmoche for to saye as a syght of peas betokeneth contemplacyon in perfyte loue of god For contemplacyon is nought elles but a syght of god whiche is very pees Then yf thou coueyte for to come to this blessyd syght of very pees be a true pylgryme to IhrÌ„lm warde though it be so y t I were neuer there neuertheles as ferforth as I can I shal set y t in y e waye thyderwarde The begynnyng of y e hyghe waye in y e whiche thou shalt go is refourmyng in fayth grouÌ„ded mekely in y e fayth in y e lawes of holy chyrche as I haue sayd before For trust sykerly though thou haue synÌ„ed here before yf thou be now refourmed by the sacrament of penauÌ„ce after y e lawe of holy chyrche y t thou art in y e ryght way Now theÌ„ sytheÌ„ thou arte in y e syker way yf thou wol speke in thy goyng make good Iournayes y e behoueth to holde thise ii thynges ofteÌ„ in thy mynde meknes loue y t is I am nought I haue nouÈt I coueyte nought but one Thou shalt haue y e meanyng of thyse wordes iÌ„ thyn entent in habyt of thy soule lastyngly though thou haue hem not euer specyally in thy thought for y t nedeth not Mekenes sayth I am nought I haue nouÈt Loue sayth I coueyte nought but one y t is IhuÌ„ Thyse two streÌ„ges wel festned with y e mynde of Ihesu makyth good a corde in y e harpe of the soule whan they ben craftly towched with y e fynger of reason For y e lower thou smytes vpoÌ„ y e one y e hyer sowneth y e other The lesse thou felyst y t thou art or y t thou hast of thyself thorugh mekenes y e more thou coueytest for to haue of IhuÌ„ in desyre of loue I mene not onÌ„ly of y e mekenes y t a soule felyth in y e syght of his owne synÌ„e for freelnes wretchydnes of this lyfe or of y e wretchydnes of his euen crysteÌ„ For though this mekenes be sothfast medycynable neuertheles it is boystous flesshly as in regarde not clene ne softe ne louely But I meane also this mekenes y t the soule felyth thorugh grace in syght beholdyng of y e endles beynge of thyn owne herte For it fareth by werkes by desyre as it dooth by styckes by a fyre For the more styckes are layed to y e fyre the gretter is the fyre Ryght so y e more dyuers ghostly workynge y t a man hathe in his thought for to kepe hole his desyre y e myghtyer more brennyng shal his desyre be to god And therfore loke wysely what werke thou canst beste do y e moost helpyth for to saue hole this desyre to IhuÌ„ yf thou be free art not bouÌ„de but vnder y e comyn lawe y t do Bynde y t not to wylfull customes vnchauÌ„gably that sholde lette y e fredom of thyn herte for to loue IhuÌ„ yf grace wolde vysyte y t specyally For I shal tel the whiche customes are euer gode nedeful to be kept Loo suche custome is euer good to holde y e stondeth in getyng of vertue lettyng of synÌ„e y e custome sholde neuer be lelft for thou shal euer be meke pacyent sobre chast yf thou wel do so of al other vertues But the custome of a nother thynge y t lettyth a better is gode for to leue whan tyme is there a man may As thus If a man haue in custome for to saye thê° many beedes or for to thynke this maner of thought thus long time or for to wake or knele thus long or ony other suche bodely dede this custome is for to leue somtyme whan resonable cause lettith or elles yf more
towche the. thenÌ„e art thou entred soÌ„ what in to this derknes for though thou fele perceyue gleÌ„tynges proferynges of vayne thouÈtes presing in of flesshly affeccyons neuertheles thou art in this profitable derknes if it be so y t thy thought be not fyxed in heÌ„ For suche vayne ymagynacoÌ„ns y t fal in y e herte vnauysedly trowbleÌ„ this derknes pyneth y e soule soÌ„ what by cause y t it wolde be hyd fro hem may not but they do not awaye y e profyte of this derknes for the soule shal by y e way come to restful myrknes And then is this derknes restful whan y e soule is hyd for a tyme fro y e paynful felynge of al suche vayn thouÈteâ— only is rested in desyre loÌ„ginge to IhuÌ„ with a ghostly beholdyng of hym as it shal be sayd afterwarde But y e lasteth but a whyle hole Neuertheles though it be but a shorte tyme it is ful profytable ¶ How y t the desyre of Ihesu fele in this lyghtsom derknes sleeth al styrynges of synne ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem y t is Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xxv THen sithen this derknes this nyght is so good so restfull though it be shorte that stondeth only in desyre longyng to the loue of Ihesu wyth a blynde thynkynge on hym how good thenne how blessyd is it for to fele his loue and for to be illumided wyth his blessyd vnseable present lyght for to see sothfastnes the whiche lyght a soule receyueth whaÌ„ the nyghte passith the daye spryngeth This I hope was the nyght y t the prophete meaned whan he sayd My soule hath desyred y t in y e nyÈt as I haue before sayd it is moche better to be hyd iÌ„ this derke nyght fro beholdyng of y â— worlde though it were paynfull than for to be out in fals lykyng of this worlde y t semyth so shinyng so coÌ„fortable to hem y t are blynde in knowyng of ghostly lyght For whaÌ„ thou art in this derknes thou art mekyl nerer IhrÌ„lm than whan thou art in the myddes of the fals lyght therfore applye thyn herte fully to the steryng of grace vse for to dwellen in this derknes be often assayenge to beÌ„ homely theâ—in it shal sone be made restful to the. y e true lyght of ghostly knowyng shal sprynge to the. not all at onys but preuyly by lytyl by lytyl as y e prophete sayth HiÌ„tantibus in regione vmbre martis lux orta est eis That is To the dwellyng in the countre of shadowe of deth lyght was sprongen y t is lyght of grace spronge shal spryng to al hem y t can dwelle in the shadowe of deth y t is in this derknes y t is lyke to deth for as deth sleeth a lyuyng body al flesshly felynges of it ryght so desyre to loue IhuÌ„ felyd in this derkenes sleeth al synnes al flesshly affeccyons al vnclene thoughtes for y e tyme. than nyghest thou fast to IhrÌ„lm thou art not yet at it but be smale sodeyne lyghtynges that glydern outthorughe smale cauys fro that cyte shalt thou mow seen is fro ferre or that thou come therto For wete thou well though that thy soule be in this restful derknes withouten troublyng of worldly vanytees it is not yet there it sholde be it is not yet clothyd al in lyght ne turned al in to fyre of loue but it felyth wel that there is som what aboue itself y t it knowith not ne hath not yet but wolde haue it breunyngly desyreth it that is not elles but the lyght of IhrÌ„lm without forth the whiche is lyke to a cyte that the prophete ezechyel sawe in his vysyons He sayth that he sawe a cyte sette vpon an hylle heldynge to y e south y t to his syght whan it was meten was no more of length of brede than a rodde y t was syxe cubytes a palme of lengthe but as sone as he was brought in to the cyte loked aboute hym than thought hym y t it was woâ—der mekyl for he sawe many halles chaumbrys both open and preuy he sawe gates and porches vtterwarde innerwarde mekyl more byggyng than I saye now on length on brede many huÌ„dred cubytes thanne was this wonder to hym how this cyte within was so longe so large y t was so lytyl to his syght whan he was without This cyte betokeneth y t pertyte loue of god sette in the hylle of coteÌ„placyon y t whiche â–ª vnto y e syght of a soule y t without the felynge of it traueyleth in the desyre towarde semyth somwhat but it semyth but a lytyl thynge no more than a reede that is vi cubites a palme of length By vi cubytes are vnderstoÌ„de y e perfeccyon on manÌ„es werke And by y â— palme a lytyl towchynge of conteÌ„placyon He seeth well y t there is suche a thynge y t passeth y e deserte of al y e worchyng of man a lytyl as the palme passeth the vi cubites but he seeth not within what it is neuertheles yf he maye come within the cyte of contemplocyon thenne seeth he moche more than he sawe fyrste ¶ How a man shal knowe fals Illumynacyons feyned by the fende fro y e true lyght of knowynge y e comyth out of IhuÌ„ by what tokens CaplmÌ„ xxvi BUt now bewaar of the myddaye fende y â— feyneth lyght as it came out of IhrÌ„lm is not so For the tenâ—e seeth y t our lorde IhuÌ„ shewyth lyght to his louers of sothfastnesse therfore in the â—eceyuing of heÌ„ y t are vnwyse he shewyth a lyght y t is not true vnder colour of a true lyght deceyueth heÌ„ Neuertheles how a soule may knowe the lyght of sothfastnes whan it shyneth froÌ„ god whan it is feyned thorugh y e enmye shal I saye as me thynketh by an ensample of the fyrmament SomtymÌ„ the fyrmament shewyth a lyght fro the sonne semyth y e sonne is not And soÌ„tyme shewyth y e true sonne truely A knowing of y e one from y e other is this The feyned sonne she wyth hym not but bitwixe two blacke reyny clowdes ThenÌ„e by cause y e sonne is nere there shyneth out fro the clowles a lyghte as it were aloÌ„ne is none But the true sonne she with him whan the frymament is clere or moche clered fro the blacke clowdes Now to our purpose Some meÌ„ as it semich forsakith the loue of the worlde wold come to the loue of god to y e lyghte of vnderstondynge of hym But they woll not come thrugh this derknes that I haue spokeÌ„ of before They woll knowe hemfelfe truely ne mekely what they haue beÌ„ before ne what they are yet thrugh synÌ„e ne how nought they are in her owne kynde ayeÌ„st god They are not besy for to entree in to
the soule felyth in this meke derkenes shall teche the soule sothtastnes and shewe to hym that all suche profetynges are oâ— the enmyes ¶ How grete profyte is it to a soule to be brought thorugh grace into lyghtsom derknes And how a man shall dyspose hym yf he wol come therto CaplmÌ„ xxvii THere are many deuout soules that thorugh grace come in to this derkenes felen the knowynge of hemself and yet wote they not fully what it is y e vnknowynge in partye hyndred hem They fele wel often her thought and her affâ—ccyon drawen out and departed fro the mynde of erthly thynges and brought in to grete rest of a delectable softnes without pinful trowblyng of vayne thoughtes or of her bodely wyttes and they fele y e tyme so grete freedom of spyryte y t they maye thynke on Jhesu peasyble and offre her psalmes prayers myghtyly sauourly swetly to hym aslonge as freelte of bodely kynde maye suffre it They wote wel y t this felynge is good but they noot what it is Therfore vnto all suche soules I saye as me thynketh y t this maner of felynge though it be but shorte but syldom it is soth fastly this derkenes that I speke of For it is a felyng of hymselfe fyrst and a rysynge aboue hemselfe thorughe breunynge dysyre to the syght of IhuÌ„ Or elles yf I shal saye more sothly this gracyous felynge is a ghostly syght of Ihesu And yf they maye kepe hem in that rest or brynge it thorughe grace in to a custome so y t they myÈt lghtly freely haue it whan hem lyst holde hem in it they sholde neuer be ouercome by teÌ„ptycyon of the fende ne of the flesshe ne by errours ne heresyes for they are sette in the gate of contemplacyon able redy for to receyue y t perfyte loue of IhuÌ„ Therfore he that hath it it is good y t he knowe it mekely kepe it tenderly pursew it feruently y t no creature lette hym vtterly from it y t he ne folowe it whan he maye And y t he forgete sette at nought al thynge y t sholde put hym fro this yf he be free of hymself may do what he wol without sclaunder or dysease of his euencrysteÌ„ For me thynkyth that he may not come to this rest lyghtly but if he haue grete pleÌ„te of grace sette hym for to folowe after y e styryng of grace And y t oweth he for to do For grace wol euer be free namely fro synne worldly besenes from al other thynges y t letten the worthyng of it though they are no synne Neuertheles a nother soule y t hath not yet receyued this fulnes of grace yf he desyre for to comÌ„ to thê ghostly knowyng of IhuÌ„ as moche as in hym is he must able hym self to it put away al lettynges y t stoppen grace as moche as he maye He muste lerne for to deye to y e worlde forsake y e loue of it truely Fyrst pryde bodely ghostly y t he desyre no worthyp worldly cunnynge ne worldly cratt benefyces ne rychesse precyous clothiÌ„g ne worldely araye ne no thynge where thrugh he sholde be worshypes aboue other meÌ„ He shal coueyte none of a thise But yf they ben put vpon hym take hem with drede so y t he be poore both outwarde In warde or elles fully Inwarde in herte And y t he coueyte for to be forgeteÌ„ of y e worlde y e men rewarde hym no more be he neuer so ryche ne so cunnynge than y e 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 so and therfore setteth wel by hym selfe Also he muste leue all rysynge of herte and euyll wyll of yre and enuye ayenst his euencristen And that he dysease noo man ne anger hym vnskyfully in worde ne in dede ne yeue ony man matere where thorugh he myghte skylfully be angred or styred soo that he mygh to be free fro euery man And also that he forsake couetyse that he coueyte ryght noughte of erthly gooâ— but oonly aske his bodely sustenaunce that hym nedeth and holde hym payd whan god styreth other men for to yeue hym And y t he put no manere of truste in hauour of ony worldly good ne in helpe or fauour of ony worldly frende but pryncypally fully in god For yf he doo otherwyse he byndeth hymselfe to the worlde And he maye not therfore be free for to thynke on Ihesu And also glotenye and lecherye and al other flesshly vnclennes vtterly he muste leue that the affeccyon be bounde to no woman by flesshly homlynesse For it is no dowte that suche blynde loue that is somtyme atwyxe a maÌ„ and a woman and semyth good and honest for as moche as they wolde notsynne in dede in the syght of god is ful vnclene wel grete synne For it is a grete synne that a man shal suffre his affeccyon that sholde be festened to Ihesu and to al vertues and to al ghostly clenÌ„es for to be bounde with ony flesshly loue of ony creature wylfully namly yf it be so moche that it bereth downe the thoughte and makyth it vnrestfull that he maye no sauour haue in god Thus I holde it wylfully that a man dooth it and sayth it is synne or elles is so blynded with it that he woll not see it And also that a man coueyte not delyces of metes and drynkes oonly for luste of his flesshe but holde hym payd with suche mete as he may easely haue without grete besynes namly yf he be hole what mete it be that wol do awaye hungre and kepe y e body in comyn strengthe vnto y e seruyse of god And that he grutche not ne striue not ne angre hym not for his mete though he be somtyme not serued as y e flesshe wolde Althyse synnes and al other must be forsake vtterly in his wyl 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 hymself And therfore that he myght come therto he muste do all thyse as saiÌ„t poul dide sayeÌ„g thê° Michi mundus crucifixus est et ego muÌ„do This worlde is slayne crucyfied to me I to the worlde That is He y t hath forsake the loue of the worlde in worshippes and riches in all other worldly thynges before sayd for the loue of god and loueth not it ne pursewyth not it but is well payd that he hathe right nought of it ne wolde haue though be myghte sothly to hym the worlde is dede for he hath noo sauour ne delyte theryn Also yf the
of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌ„yng at profytynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokeÌ„s than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin CaplmÌ„ xxix BUt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete compunction for her synnes and some haue grete deuocyons feruours in her prayers and often haue sundry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vnderstonding and some men haue other maner felynges of confortable hete and grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre and lastyng loue and thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be reformed iÌ„ felynge or noughte It semeth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other meÌ„ that stoÌ„de only iÌ„ fayth fele not of Unto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynge whether they stonde in compunction or deuocyon or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shal haue and fele iÌ„ the grace of contemplacion I say not but they are sothfast and gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet y â— yefte of perfeccioÌ„ ne ghostly the brenninge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god thaÌ„ other that haue the yefte of perfeccyon in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge knelinge spekynge and other bodily styrynge soo ferforth that it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo wel I wote that thise maner felinges and feruours of deuocioÌ„ and compunccion that thise men fele are gracious â—eftes of god sent in to choseÌ„ soules for to drawe heÌ„ out of worldly loue and flesshly luste that hath ben longe tyme roted in her hert fro the whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirynge of grete feruours neuer theles y t the feruours is somoche in outwarde shewyng it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes and weyknes of her soule that may not bere a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it were fleshly festned to the flesshe neuer was yet departed fro ghostly mortifyeng and therfore the lest towching of loue and the lest sperkyl of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heuen in to suche a soule is so moche so comfortable so delectable ouer al the likinge that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thynge y t it is ouertaken with it And also it is so newe and sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth and shewyth out in wepynge sobbyng other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell y t is olde whan it receyueth new wine that is fresshe And myghty the costrel boyleth oute and is in poynte for to cleue and brest vntyl the wyne hath boylled and spourged oute al vnclennesse but also sone as the wyne is fyned and cleryd thenne it stondeth styl aud the costrel hole Right so a sonle that is olde thrugh synne whan it receyueth a lytyl of the loue of god that is soo fresshe and so myghty y t the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by weping and at y e mouth by spekyng and y t is more for weyknes and feblenes of the soule thaÌ„ for mykylnes of loue For afterwarde whan loue hath boyled al the vnclennes oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours then is the loue clere stondeth styl And then is both the body and the soule moche more in pees and yet hath the soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewelesse outwarde For it is now al hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye y t thyse soules y t feleâ— suche grete hodily feruours though they beÌ„ in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretely dysposed towarde For I trowe that suche a man naÌ„ly y t hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente and purifyed wyth suche grete compunccyons goynge before Another soule that neuer was moche defoyleth wyth loue of y e worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete synnes in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer and more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde comÌ„ to this refourmynge Thenne is this soch as I hope that suche comfortes and feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytyng are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his trauely Right as a pylgryme traueyleth al daye meteles drynkles and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke is wel refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that wol forsake the loue of the worlde wolde fayne loue god and settyth al his besynes therto prayeth and traueyleth al daye bodely and ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocyon TheÌ„ our lorde hauynge pyte ouer al his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne iÌ„to heuynes or grutchynge sendeth it amonge his ghostly foode comforteth it in deuocyon as he wouchith saaf And whaÌ„ the soule feleth ony comforte thenne holdeth he hym wel payd for all his traueylle and all the disease that it had on the day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The self wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferforth in grace They felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syght of ghostly thynges and in affeccy of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why al suche felynges come to heÌ„ in that state as it were vnwarly for they come or they wyte it gooth fro hem or they wyte it And they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes with heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soules is not opyned to y e beholdyng of gostly thiÌ„ges but they nyghe faste towarde therfore they are not yet refourmed iÌ„ felyng ne they haue not yet y e ful yeft of conteÌ„placioÌ„ ¶ On what maner a man shal haue knowynge of hys owne soule and how a man sholde sette his loue
deuocyon that the soule feleth by ymaginÌ„acyon oonly of the man hede shewe it neuer somoche outwarde For in rewarde of that this is but manly for our lorde sheweth hym not in ymaginacion as he is ne that he is for the soule myght not that tyme for freelte of the flesshhede suffre it soo Neuerthels vnto suche soules that can not thynke of the godhede ghostly that they sholde not erre in her deuocyon but that they sholde be comforted strengthed thrugh some maner Inwarde beholdynge of IhuÌ„ for to forsake synne and the loue of the worlde therfore oure lorde Ihesu tempreth his vnseable lighte of his godhede and clotheth it vnder bodile lykenes of his manhede and she wyth it vnto the Inner eye of a soule and fedeth it wyth the loue of his precyous flesshe ghostly The whiche loue is of soo grete myghte that it sleeth all wycked loue in the soule and strengthe it for to suffre bodyly penaunce and other bodyly dysease in tyme of nede for loue of Ihesu And this is the shadowyng of our lorde Ihesu ouer a chosen soule in the whiche shadowyng the soule is kepte fro brennyng of worldly loue For ryght as a shadowe is made of a lyght of a bodi ryght so this ghostly shadow is made of y e blessed vnseable lyght of the godhede of the manhede ooned therto shewed to a deuout soule of the whiche shadowe the prophete sayth thus SpÌ„s ante facieÌ„ nostram xpÌ„s dnÌ„s sub vmbra eiê° viuemus inter gentes Our lorde cryst before our face as a spyrite vnder his shadowe we shal lyue amonge folke That is our lorde Ihesu in his godhede is a spyryte that maye not be seen of vs lyuyng in flesshe as he is in his blessed lyght therfore we shal lyue vnder y e shadow of his manhede as long as we are here But though this besooth y t this loue in ymaginacyon be good Neuertheles a soule sholde desyre for to haue ghostly loue in vnderstoÌ„dyng of the godhede for that is the ende y e ful blysse of the soule and al bodely beholdynges are but meanes ledynge a soule to it I say not that we sholde refuse the manhede of Ihesu and departe god fro man but thou shalt in Ihesu man beholde drede wonder loue ghostly the godhede And so shalt thou without departyng loue god in man and both god man ghostly not flesshly Thus taught our lorde mary mawdeleyne that sholde be contemplatyfe whan he sayd thus Noli me tangere non duÌ„eneÌ„ ascendi ad patreÌ„ meuÌ„ Touche me not I am not yet styed vp to my fader That is to saye Mary magdalene loued wel our lorde Ihesu before the tyme of his passyon but her loue was moche bodely lytyl ghostly She trowed wel y t he was god but she loued hym a lytyl as god for she kouth not thenÌ„e and therfore she suffreth al her affeccyon and al her thought falle in hym as he was in fourme of man And our lorde blamed her not thenne but praysed it moche But after whan he was rysen fro dethe and appered to her she wolde haue worshypped hym with suche manere loue as she dyde before and thenne our lorde forbode her and sayd thus Towche me not That is Sette not thy reste ne the loue of thyn herte in that fourme of man y â— thon seest with thy flesshly eye only for to reste therin For in that four me I am not styed vp to my fader That is I am not eueÌ„ to the fader for in that fourme of man I am lesse than he Towche me not so but let thy thought and thy loue in y e fourme in whiche I am euen to the fader that is y e fourme of the godhede and loue me knowe me worshyp me as god man godly not as a man manly So shalt thou touche me For sythen I am both god man and al the cause why I shal be loued worshipped is for I am god and for I toke the kynde of man And therfore make me god in thyne herte and in thyne loue And worshyppe me in thyne vnderstondynge as Ihesu god and man souereyne sothfastnes and souereyne goodnes and blessed lyfe for that I am And thus taughte our loâ—de her as I vnderstonde and also al other soules that arne dysposed to contemplacyon and able therto that they sholde doo soo Neuertheles other soules that arne not sybtyll in kynde ne are not yet made ghostly thoroughe grace it is good to hem that they kepe for the her owne worchynge in ymagynacyon with manly affeccyon vnto more grace come freely to hem It is not syker to a man to lene one good thynge vtterly tyll he see and fele a better Upon the selfe wyse it maye be sayd of other maner felinges that are like to bodyly as herynge of delectable songe or felynge of comfortable hete in the body seenge of lighte or swetnes of bodili sauour Thyse are not ghostly felynges for ghostly clyn are felte in the myghtes of the soule pryncipally in vnderstondynge loue and lytyl in ymagynacyon But thise felynges are felte in the myghtes of the body in ymagynacyon and therfore they are not ghostly felynges But whaÌ„ they are best moost true yet are they but outwarde tokens of the Inly grace that is felte in y e myghtes of the soule This may be openly preued by holy wryt sayeng thus ApparueruÌ„t appostolis dispertitelingue taÌ„qmÌ„ ignis sed itque supra singulos eorum spiritus scuÌ„s The holy ghost appered to the apostles in the daye of penthecost in the lickenes of brennynge tonges enflammed her hertes â—et vpon eche of hem Now soth it is the holy ghost that is god in hymselfe vnseable was not that fyre ne the tonges that were seen ne that brennyng that was felt bodily but he was vnseabli felt in the myghtes of her soules for he lyghtned her reason and kyndeled her affeccion thrugh his blessed precense so clerely and so brennyngly that they had sodeynly the ghostly knowyng of sothfastnes y e perfeccyon of loue as our lorde behyght hem sayenge thus Spiritus sanctus docebit vos omnem veritatem That is the holy ghost shal teche you al sothfastnes then was that fyre and that brennyng nought elles but a bodily token outwarde shewed in wyâ—nessynge of that grace that was Inwardly felte And as it was in hem soo is it in other soules that are vysyted and lyghtned within of the holy ghost and hath with that suche outwarde felynge in coÌ„forte and wytnessyng of the grace inwarde But that grace is not as I hope in all soules that are perfyte but there our lorde wol Other Inperfyte soules that haue suche felynges outwarde and haue not yet receyued Inwarde grace it is not good to hem to reste in suche felynges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue and to more stablynesse of thoughte in
easy CaplmÌ„ xxxvi ASke thou then of god no thyng but this yeft of loue that is the holy ghost For among al y e yeftes y e our lorde yeueth there is none so good ne so profytable so worthy ne so excelleÌ„t as this is For there is no yefte of god that is bothe the yeuer and y e yefte but this yefte of loue And therfore it is the best and the worthy est The yefte of prophecye the yeftes of myracles worchyng the yefte of the grete knowyng and couÌ„selynge and the yefte of grete fastynge or of grete penauÌ„ce doinge or ony other suche are grete yeftes of the holy ghost but they are not the holy ghost For a reproued soule a dampnable myghte haue al thise yeftes as hath a choseÌ„ soule And therfore al thise maner yeftes are not gretly for to desyre ne moche for to charge But the yefte of loue is the holy ghost god hymself And hym may no soule haue be daÌ„pned wyth al For that yefte saueth it onÌ„ly fro dampnacyon makyth it goddis sone perceyuer of heueÌ„ly heritage And that loue as I haue before sayd is not the affeccyon of loue that is formed in a soule but it is the holy ghoste hymselfe that is loue vnfourmed y t saueth a sowle For he yeueth hymself to a soule fyrst or the soule louith hym and he fourmeth y e affeccyon in y e soule maketh the soule for to loue hym oonly for hymself And not onÌ„ly that but also bi this yefte the soule loueth itself al his euencrysteÌ„ as itself onÌ„ly for god and this is the yefte of loue that makith shedinge atwyx chosen soules reproued And this yefte makyth fully pees atwyxe god a soule and onÌ„ly al blessed creatures holy in god for it makyth IhuÌ„ for to loue vs vs hym also And euery eche of vs for to loue other in hym Coueyte this yefte of loue pryncypally as I haue sayd For yf he woll of his grace yeue it the on that maner wyse it shall open lyghteÌ„ the reason of thy soule for to see sothfastnes y t is god ghostly thynges And it shal styre thyn affeccoÌ„n holy for to see sothfastnes y t is god ghostly thinges And it shal styre thyn affeccion holy fully for to loue hym it shall worche in thy soule oonly as he wol thou shalt beholde IhuÌ„ reuerently with softnes of loue see how he doth Thus byddeth he by his prophete that we sholde do sayenge thus Uacate et videte qmÌ„ ego suÌ„deus Cease ye seeth y e I am god That is ye y â— are refourmed in felynge haue your InÌ„er eye opened in to syÈt of ghostly thynges cease ye some tyme of outwarde worchyng see y t I am god That is See onÌ„ly how I IhuÌ„ god man do Beholde you me for I do al I am loue for loue I do al y t I do ye do nought And y t this is sooth I shall shewe you For there is no gode dede doon by you ne good thought felte in you but yf it be done thrugh me That is Thrugh myght wysdome loue my ghoâ—ly wyttely louely Elles it is noo good dede But now is it soth y â— I IhuÌ„ am bothe myght wysdome and blessed loue ye nought for I am god Then mowe ye welâ—e that I do al your good dedes And al gode though see and al your good loues in you and ye do ryght nought And yet neuertheles ben al thyse good dedes called yours Not for ye worthe hem pryncypally but for I yeue heÌ„ to you for loue that I haue to you And therfore sythen I y â— am Ihesu and for loue dooth al this cease then ye of the beholdynge of yourselfe and sette yourselfe at nought loke on me see that I am god for I do al this This is somwhat of the meanyng of the verse of dauyd before sayd See then beholde what loue wercheth in a chosen soule that he refourmeth in felynge to his lykenes whan y e reason slyghtned a lytyl to y e ghostly knowynge of IhuÌ„ and to y e felynge of his loue Then bryngeth loue in to the soule the full hede of vertues and torneth hâ—m al into softnes in to lykynge as it were with out worchynge of the soule for the soule stryueth not moche for the getynge of hem as it dyde before but it hathe hem easely and felyth hem restfully oonly thorughe the yefte of loue that is the holy ghost And that is a wel grete comforte and gladnes vnspekable whan it felyth sodenly and wote neuer how the vertue of mekenesse and pacyence soberte and sadnesse chastyte and clennes louered to hys euen crysten and al other vertues the whiche weâ—e to hym soÌ„tyme traueylous paynful harde for to kepe are now torned into softnes lykyng and in to wonderful lyghtnes so ferforthe that hym thynkith no maystrine no hardnes for to kepe euery vertue but it is most lykyng to hym for to kepe it al this makyth loue ¶ Other men that stonden in the comoetee of charyte and arne not yet so ferforthe in grace But worche vnder the byddynge of reason they stryuen and fyghten al daye ayenste synnes for the getynge of vertues and sometyme they ben aboue and somtyme bynethe as wrast lees are Thyse men done ful well They haue vertues in reason and wyl not in sauour ne in lone for they fyghten wyth hemselfe as it were by her owne myght for hem And therfore may they not haue full rest ne fully the hyer honde Neuerthelesse they shal haue moche mede but they are not yet mâ—ke ynough They haue not yet putte hemselfe al fully in goddys honde for they see him not yet But a soule that hath ghostly sighte of Ihesu takethe noo grete kepe of stryuynge for vertues for that tyme He is not besy abowte hem specially but he setteth all his besynesse for to kepe that syghte and that beholdyng of Ihesu that it hath for to holde the mynde stably therto And bynde the loue oonly to it that it fall not therfro and forgete all other thynges asmoche as it maye And whanne it dooth thus thenne is Ihesu sothfastly mayster ayen all synnes And bishado wyth it wyth hys blessed presence and getyth it all vertues And the soule is so comforted so borne vp with the softe felynge of loue that it hath of the syghte of IhuÌ„ that it feleth noo grete dysease outwarde And thus sleeth loue generally alsynnes in a soule reformeth it in the newe felynges of vertues ¶ How loue thrugh gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ sleeth al styrynges of pryde maketh y â— soule for to lese sauour delyte in al erthly worshyp CaplmÌ„ xxxvii NEuertheles how loue sleeth synnes refourme th vertues in a soule more specyally shal I saye fyrst of pryde of meknes that it contrary vertue therto Thou
shalt vnderstonde that there is two maner of mekenes One is had by worchyng of reason Another is felte of the specyal yeft of loue Bothe are of loue but that one loue worcheth by reason of the soule but that other he worcheth by hymself The fyrst is vnperfyte y e other is perfyte The fyrste mekenes that a man feleth of beholdyng of his owne synnes and of his owne wretchidnes thrugh the whiche beholdyng he thynketh hym selfe vnworthy for to haue ony yefte of grace or ony mede of god But hym thynketh it ynoughe that he wolde of his grete mercy graunt hym foryeuenesse of his synnes And also he thynketh hym by cause of his owne sinnes that he is worse than the moste synner that lyueth and that euery man doth better than he and so by suche beholdynge thresteth he hymselfe downe in his thoughte vnder al men And he is besy for to ayenstonde the styrynge of pryde asmoche as he maye bothe bodyly pryde ghostly and dyspiseth hymself so that he assenteth not to the felynges of pryde And yf his herte be taken somtyme with it that it be deâ—oyled with vayne Ioye of worshyp or of cunnyng or of praysyng or of ony other thynge as sone as he maye perceyue it he is euyl payd wyth hymself hath sorowe for it in hert asketh foryeuenes of it of god she wyth hym to his confessour accuseth hymself mekely receyueth his penauÌ„ce This is good meknes but it is not yet perfyte mekenes for it is of soules y â— are begynnynge profytyng in grace caused of beholdynge of synnes Loue worchyth this meknes by reason of the soule Perfyte mekenes a soule feleth of y e syghte the ghostly knowyng of IhuÌ„ For whan the holy ghost lyghtneth the reason in to the syght of soth fastnes how IhuÌ„ is al that he doth al the soule hath so grete loue so grete Ioye in that ghostly syght for it is so soth faste that it foryeteth itself fully leneth to IhuÌ„ with all y e loue that it hath for to beholde hym It takith no kepe of no vnworthynes of itselfe ne of synnes afore done but setteth at nought itself with al the synnes al y e gode dedes that euer it dyde as yf there were no thyng but IhuÌ„ Thus meke dauyd was whan he sayd thus Et sebstaÌ„cia mea tanqmÌ„ nichiluÌ„ anÌ„ te That is Lorde Ihesu the syght of thy blessed vnmade substance thyn endles beynge sheweth wel vnto me that my substaunce beyng of my soule is as nought anence y â— Also anence his eueÌ„ crysten he hath no rewarde to hem ne demynge of hem whether they ben better or worse than hymselfe is For he holde hymself al other men as it were euen ylike nought of heÌ„self anence god that is soth For al the goodnes y â— is done in hamselef or in heÌ„ is onÌ„ly of god whoÌ„ he beholdeth as al And therfore setteth he al other creatures at nought as he doth hymself Thus meke was the prophete whan he sayd thus OmÌ„es gentes quasi non sintsic sunt coram eo et quasi nichiluÌ„ mane reputate sunt eâ— Al men are before our lorde as nought as vunotefull and noughte they are a counted to hym That is anentes the endeles beynge aud the vnchaungable kynde of god mankynde is as noughte For of noughte â—â—â—â—â—ade and to noughte sholde it torne but yf he kepâ—e it in the beynge that made it of noughte Thys is sothfastnesse and this sholde make a soule meke yf it myght see thorughe grace this sothfastnesse Therfore whan loue openeth the Inner eye of the soule for to see this sothfastnesse wyth other cyrcumstaunces that comen wyth al thenne begynneth the soule for to be sothfastly meke For thenne by the syghte of god it felyth seeth itselfe as it is And thenne forsakyth the soule the beholdynge and the lenynge to itself and fully fallith to the beholdinge of Ihesu And whan it dooth soo thenne settyth the soule noughte by al the Ioye and the worshyp of the worlde For the Ioye of worldly worshyp is so lytyl and so nought in rewarde of that Ioye and that lone that it felith in the ghostly syghte of Ihesu and knowynge of sothfastnes that though it myghte haue it without ony synne he wolde noughte of it Ne though meÌ„ wolde worshyppe hym prayse hym and fauour hym or set hym att grette state it lykyth hym noughte Ne though he had cunnynge of al the vii artes of clergye and of all craftes vnder the sonne or had power for to werke al manere myracles he hathe no more deynte of al this ne more sauour of hem than to gnawe on a drye stycke He had wel leuer forgete al this and for to be al one out of the sight of the worlde than for to thynke on hem and be worshypped of al men For the herte of a true louer of Ihesu is made somoche and soo large thrugh a lytyl syght of hym and a lytyl felynge of his ghostly loue that al the lykynge and al the Ioye of al erth maye not suffyce for to fyll a corner of it And thenne semyth it well that tbyse wretched worldly louers that arne as it were rauysshed in loue of her owne worsyhppe And pourse we after it for to haue it wyth al the myghte and all the wytte they that haue they haue noo sauour in this mekâ—nes they are woÌ„der ferre therfro But the 〈◊〉 of Ihesu hath this mekenes lastyngly And that not wyth heuynes and striuynge for it but wyth likynge and gladnes The whiche gladnesse it hath not for it forsakyth the worshyp of the worlde for that were a prowde mekenes that longeth to an ypocryte but for he hath a syghte and a ghostly knowynge of sothfastnesse and worthynes of Ihesu thrugh the yefte of the holy ghoste That reuerente syght and that louely beholdyng of Ihesu comforteth the loue soo woÌ„derfully and bereth it vp so myghtyly and so softly sothly that it maye not lyke ne fully rest in none erthly Ioye ne it wol not He makith none force whether men lacke hym or prayse hym worshyp hym or dispyse him as for hymselfe He settyth it not at herte neyther for to be well payd yf men dyspyse hym as for more mekenes Ne for to be euell payd that men sholde worshyp hym or payse hym He hadde leuer for to foryete both that one and that other And oonly thynke on Ihesu and gete mekenes by that waye And that is moche the lykerer waye who myght come therto Thus dyde dauid whan he sayd O culâ— mei semper ad dnÌ„â— quoniam ipse euelleâ— de laqueo pedes meos That is Myn eyen are euer open to Ihesu our lorde for why he shal plucke my fete fro snares of sinnes For whan he dooth so thenne forsakyth he vtterly hymself vndercastyth hym holy to Ihesu then is he in a syker warde for the
he hath no rewarde for to gete hym grete mede for the payne of fastynge be put ther by fro softnes in herte but al his besynes is for to kepe his hert as stably as he maye in the syght of IhuÌ„ in the felynge oâ— his loue And sothly as I trowe he might with lesse lykynge vse y e beste mete y t is gode in the owne kynde than a nother man y t worcheth al in reason without the specyal yeft of loue sholde mowse y e worst out take mete that thrugh crafte of cury osyte is onÌ„ly made for luste That maner of mete may he not wel acorde with al And also on that other syde yf lytyl mete as onÌ„ly brede ale most helpeth easeth his herte and kepyth it moost in pees it is most leyf than to hym for to vse it so namly yf he fele bodyly strengthe only of the yefte of loue withal And yet doth loue more for it sleeth accidye flesshly ydlenes and makyth the soule to be occupyed in goodnes namly Inwarde in beholdyng of hym by the vertue of whiche the soule hath sauour ghostly delyte in prayenge in thynkynge in al other maner of doyng that nedeth for to be done after the state that he is in withoute heuynes or paynful bytternes whether he be relygious or seculer Also it sleeth the vayne lykyng of the v. bodyly wyttes For the syght yf the eye that the soule hath no lykyng in the syghte of ony worldly thing but it feleth rather peyne and dysease in beholdynge of it be it neuer soo fayre neuer soo precyous neuer soo wonderful And therfore as worldely louers renne oute some tyme for to se newe thynges for to wonder on hem And soo for to fede her hertis wyth the vayne syghte of hem Ryghte so a louer of Ihesu is besye for to renne awaye withdrawe hym fro the syghte of suche maner thynges that the Inner syghte be not letted For he seeth ghostly a nother maner thynge that is fayrer and more woÌ„derful and that wolde he not forbere Ryght on the selfe wyse is it of spekynge heryng It is a peyne to y e soule of a louer of IhuÌ„ for to speke or here ony thing y t myght let the fredoÌ„ of his harte for to thynke on IhuÌ„ what soÌ„ge or melody or mynst ralsye outwarde y t yt be yf it let the thought y t it may not freely And rest fully pray or thynke on hym It lykyth hym ryght nought the more delectable y t it is to other men the more vnsauery it is to hym And also for to here ony maner of spekyng of other men but it be soÌ„what towchynge the worchyng of his soule in the loue of IhuÌ„ it lykyth hym ryght nought he is elles ryght sone wery therof He had wel leuer be in pees here ryght nonght ne speke ryght nought than for to here the spekynge y e techynge of the grettest clerke of erthe with al y e reasons that he can saye to hym thorugh mannes wyttes but yf he can speke felyngly styryngly of the loue of Ihesu for y t is his crafte pryncypally And therfore wolde he not elles speke here ne see but that myghte helpe hym ferder hym in to more knowynge better felynge of hym ¶ Of worldly speche it is no dowte y t he hath no sauour spekynge ne in herynge of it ne in worldly tales ne in tydynges â–ª ne no suche vayne Iangelyng that longeth not to hym And so it is in smellynge saueryng The more y t the thoughte sholde be dystracte and broken fro ghostly reste by y e vse eyther of smellynge or sauerynge â–ª or of ony of the bodyly wyttes the more he sleeth it The lesse y t he feleth of hem the leuer is hym And yf he myght lyue in the dody without y e felyng of ony of hem he wolde neuer fele hem For they trouble the herte ofte tymes and putteth it fro reste and they maye not fully be eschewed Neuertheles the loue of IhuÌ„ is somtyme so myghty in a soule y t it ouercomyth sleeth all y t is contrary therto for a tyme ¶ What vertues graces a soule receyueth thrugh openyng of y t InÌ„er eye in to y e gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ how it maye not begete onÌ„ly thrugh mannes traueyle but thrugh specyal grace traueyle also CaplmÌ„ xl THus worcheth loue in a soule openynge y e ghostly eye in to beholdynge of IhuÌ„ by inspyracoÌ„n of specyal grace makyth it clene subtyl able to y e werke of conteÌ„placioÌ„ what this openyng of y e ghostly eye is y e grettest clerke iÌ„ erth caÌ„ not ymagyn by his wyt ne shew fulli by his toÌ„ge for it may not be gete by study ne thruÈ maÌ„nes traueyle onÌ„ly but priÌ„cypally by grace of y e holy ghost with traueyle of maÌ„ I drede moche to speke ouÈt of it for me thynketh I caÌ„ not I passeth myn assay my lyppes are vnclene Neuertherles for I hope loue axeth loue byddyth therfore I shall saye a lytyl more of it as I hope loue â—echeth This openynge of y e ghostly eye is y e lyghty derkenes ryche noughte y t I spake of before it maye be called puryte of spyryte and ghostly reste In warde stylnes and pees of conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes of soule a lyftly felynge of grace pryuyte of herte y e waker slepe of the spouse and taastynge of heuenly sauour brennyng in loue shynynge in lyght entre of conteÌ„placoÌ„n refourmyng in felyng Al thyse reasons are sayde in holy wrytynge by dyuersmen for euery of hem spake of it after his felynge in grace And though al thise beÌ„ dyuers in shewyng of wordes neuertheles they are al in one senteÌ„ce of sothfastnes For a soule that thrugh vysitynge of grace hath one hath all For why a syghynge soule to see the face of IhuÌ„ whan it towched thrugh specially grace of the holy ghost it is sodeynly chaunged torned fro the plyte y t it was in to a nother maner of felynge It is wonderfully departed drawen fyrste in to itselfe fro the loue the lykynge of al erthly thinge somoche that it hath lost the sauour of the bodyly lyfe of al thynge y t is saaf onÌ„ly IhuÌ„ And then it is clene fro al the fylth of synne so ferforth that y e minde of it al vnordeyned affeccyon of ony creature is sodeynly wasshen wyped awaye y t there is no mene lettynge betwyxe IhuÌ„ and the soule but oonly the bobyly yfe then it is in ghostly rest For why al paynful dowtes dredes all other temptacyons of ghostly enuyes are dryuen out of the herte y t they trowble not ne synke not therin for the tyme It is in rest fro the noye of worlly besynes paynfull taryenges of wycked styrynges but it is full besye in the fre ghostly
chastyse hem And thou shalt also loke know wysly thy thyngis thy worldly goodes be ryghtly kepte by thy seruauÌ„tes gouerned truely spended y â— thou myght y e more plenteously fulfyl the dedes of mercy with heÌ„ vnto thy euencrysteÌ„ Also thou shalt with mary leue besynes of y â— worlde syt downe at y e feet of oure lorde by meknes in prayers in holy thoughtes in contemplacyoÌ„ of hym as he yeueth the grace so shalt thou go fro y e one to y e other medfully fulfyll heÌ„ bothe than kepest thou wel the order of charyte ¶ Unto what maner of man longeth actyflyf CaplmÌ„ ii NEuertheles y â— thou ne haue no wond of this y t I saye therfore I shal tel y t declare to y e a lytyl more opeÌ„ly thou shalt vnderstonde y t there is thre maners of lyuyng one is actyflyf an other is conteÌ„platyf y e thyrde is made of bothe y t is medled Actyflyf aboue longeth to worldly men wymen y e whiche are lewde in knowyng of gostly occupacyon for they ne fele sauour ne deuocoÌ„n by feruour of loue as other men donÌ„ ne they cuÌ„ne no skyl of it yet neuertheles they haue drede of god of y e payne of hel therfore they fle synne they haue desyre for to plese god for to come to heuen a gode wyl haue to her euencrysten vnto thise men it is nedful spedful to vsen y e werkis of actyflyf as besely as they may in y e helpe of hemself of her euen crysten for they cuÌ„ne not elles done ¶ Unto whoÌ„ longyth conteÌ„platyflyf Caplm iii COntemplatyflyfe longeth alone to suche men wymen y t for y e loue of god forsaken al open synÌ„es of the worlde her flesshe albesynes charges gouernaunce of worldly goodys maken hemself pore naked to y e bare nede of y e dodyly kynde flen fro souereynte of al other men to y e seruyce of god vnto â—hise men it longeth for to trauenylen occupien heÌ„ inwardly for to gete thrugh y e grace of our lorde clennes in herte pes in coÌ„scyence by destroyeng of synne receyuyng of vertues so for â—o come to coÌ„templacioÌ„ whaÌ„che cleÌ„nes may not be had withoute grete exercyse of body coÌ„tynuel traueyle of y e spiryte iÌ„ deuout prayers feruent desyres gostly medytacyons ¶ Unto whoÌ„ longeth medled lyf Caplm iiii THe thyrde lyf y t is the medled lyfe loÌ„geth to men of holy chyrche as to prelatys to other curatis y e whiche haue cure soueryute ouer other men for to teche rewle heÌ„ bothe her bodyes her soules pryncypally in fulfyllyng of y e dedes of mercy bodely ghostly vnto thise men it longeth soÌ„tyme to vsen werkes of mercy in actyflyf in helpe sustinauÌ„ce of heÌ„self of her so gettys of other also And soÌ„tyme for to leue al maner of besynes outwarde yeuen heÌ„ vnto prayers medytacyons as redyng of holy wryt to other gostly occupacoÌ„ns after y t they felen heÌ„ dysposed Also it longeth to somÌ„ teÌ„perel whiche han souereynte with mekyll auer of worldly goodes hauen also as it were lordshyp ouer other men for to gouerne susteyne heÌ„ as a fader hath ouer his chyldrâ—n a mayster ouer his seruauÌ„tis a lorde ouer his tenauÌ„tis the whiche meÌ„ han also receyued of our lordes yeft grace of deuocyon in party sauour of ghostly occupacyon Unto these meÌ„ also longeth medled lyf y t is both actyf coÌ„teÌ„platyf for if thyse meÌ„ stondyng y e charge y e bonde y t they haue taken wylen leue vtterly y e besynes of the worlde y â— whiche oweth skylfully to ben vsed iÌ„ fulfullyng of her charge holy yeueÌ„ heÌ„ to coÌ„teÌ„platyf life they do not wel for they kepe not y e ordre of charyte for charite as thou knowest wel lyth both in loue of god of thyn euencrysteÌ„ therfore it is y â— he y t hath charyte to vse bothe in werkyng now to y e one now y e other for he y â— for y e loue of god in conteÌ„placyon leueth y e loue of his euencrysten dooth not to heÌ„ as he aught whaÌ„ he is bouÌ„de therto he fulfyllyth not charyte also on y e contrary wyse who so hath soo grete rewarde to werke of actyflyf to besynes of y e worlde y t for y e loue of his euâ—ncrysten he leueth gostly occupacoÌ„n vtterly after y t god hath dysposed hym therto he fulfyllyth not charyte this is y e sayeÌ„g of saynt gregory for though our lorde for to styre some to vse this medled lyf toke vpon hymself y e persone of suche maner men bothe of prelates of holy chyr of suche other as are dysposed therto as I haue sayd yaf heÌ„ ensaÌ„ple by his owne werkyng y t they sholde vse this medlyd lyf as he dyde y â— tyme y t he spake with men medled with heÌ„ sheweng his dedys of mercy for heÌ„ taught y e vncuÌ„nynge vnknowen by his prechyng he vysited the seke heled heÌ„ of her dyseses he fed the hungry oÌ„forted y e sory neuerthels other tymes he left the conuersacion of al worldly men of his dyscyples went in to desert vpon y e hyllys contynued al nyÈt in prayers alone as y e gospel sayth therfore this medled lyt shewyth our lorde in hymself to ensample of all other men y t haue taken y â— charge of this medlyd lyf y t they sholde oo tyme yeue heÌ„ to besynes of worldly thynges at resonable nede to the werkys of actyflyf in profyt of her euen crysteÌ„ whiche they haue cure of an other tyme yeuen heÌ„ holly to deuocyon to conteÌ„placyon in prayers medytacyons ¶ How holy bysshops vsed medled lyf Caplm v. THis lyf ledden holy bysshops whiche had cure of meÌ„nes soules mynystracyon of teÌ„perel goodes for these holy meÌ„ leften not vtterly y e minystracoÌ„n the lokyng y â— dyspendyng of worldly goodes yeuen heÌ„ holy to conteÌ„placyon as mekyl grace of conteÌ„placyon as they had but they leften ful ofte her owne rest in conteÌ„placyon whaÌ„ y â— they had well euer haue ben stylle for loue of her euen crysten enter metyd heÌ„ with worldly besynes in helpyng of her so gettis sothly y t was charite for wysly dyscretly they departed her lyuyng in two O tyme they fulfyllyd y e lower party of charyte by werkys of actyflyf for they were bouÌ„de therto by takyng of her prelacye an other tyme they fulfyllyd the hygher party of charite iÌ„ conteÌ„placyon of god of gostly thynges by prayers medytacyons so they hadden charyte to god to her euen crysten bothe in affeccyoÌ„ of a soule within also in shewyng of bodyly dedys withouten Other men y t were only contemplatyf