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
of go to some other gode dede bodely or sthostly and thynke for to do better a nother tyme But though thou fal on a nother tyme in the same ye an hundred tymes ye a thousande tymes yet do as I haue sayd and al shall be wel Ferder more a soule that neuer may fynde rest of hert in prayer but al her lyfe tyme is striuybng with her thoughtes and taryeth and trowbleth wyth hem yf she kepe her mekenes and charyte in other sydes she shal haue ful moche mede in heuen for her good traueyle ¶ Of medication of synful men afte that they beÌ„ hooly tourned to god CaplmÌ„ xxxiiii NOw of medytacyon shal I telle the a lytyll as me thynketh Thou shalt vnderstonde that in meditacyons may not certen rule wel be set euery man for to kepe for they are in free yeft of our lorde after the dyuers dysposinges of chosen solwles and after y t state that they ben in and also after that they profyten in vertues and in her astate Soo he encreaseth her meditacyons bothe in ghostly knowynge and louynge of y â— For who so is euery ylike wise in knowyng of god ghostly thynges it semeth that he wexeth but a lytyl in the loue of god and that may be shewed opynly in tha postles whan they in y t day of peÌ„tecost were fulfylled with brenÌ„ing loue of y e holy ghost they were made neyther foles nefoltie but they were made woÌ„der wyse both iÌ„ knowiÌ„g spekyng of god of gostly thiÌ„ges asmoches as maÌ„ myght haue in flesshe lyuyng Thus spekyth holy wryth of hem Repleti sunt omnes spÌ„u scâ—oÌ„ et ce perunt loqui magnalia dei They were fulfylled of y e holy ghost and they began to speke y t grete merueyles of god and al that knowynge they had by rauysshenge in loue of the holy ghost Dyuers meditacyons there ben whiche our lorde putteth in a mannes hert So me shal I telle as me thynkyth for thys entente If thou fele ony of them that thou sholdest y e better traueyle in heÌ„ In the begynnyng of coÌ„uercy on of suche a maÌ„ that hath be moche foyled with worldly or flesshly synns comynly his thought is moost vpon his synnes with grete compunccyon sorowe of herte with grete wepyng and many teres of the eye mekely besely askynge mercy foryenenes of god for hem And yf he be to wchyd sharpely for our lorde wyll make hym soone clene hym shall thynke that hys synnes are euer in his syght so fowle so horryble that vneth shal he mow bere hymself And though he shroue hym neuer so clerely yet shall he fynde fyghtynge fretynge and bytynge of his concyence that hym shal thynke that he is not shryuen ryght And vnneth shall he mow haue ony rest in somoche that he sholde not endure suche traueylene were it that our lorde of his mercy comforteth hym somtyme as he wyl by grete deuocyon of his passyon or of some other as he wylle yeue it Upon this maner werketh our lorde in some mennes hertes more or lesse as he wylle And all this is the grete mercy of our lorde that not oonly wyll foryeue the synne or the trespase but he wyl both forgyue the trespase and y e payne for it in purgatory for suche a lytyl payne here of bytynge of conscience And also yf he wyll dyspose a man to receyue ony specyal yeft of the loue of god hym behouyth fyrst to be scowred clensed by suche a fyre of conpunccion for al the grete synnes before done Of this maner traueylle speketh dauid in many places of the sawter and specyally in the psalme Miserere mei deus ¶ That y e meditatioÌ„ of y e maÌ„hede of cryst or of his passion is yeuen freely of the holy ghost And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen CaplmÌ„ xxxv ANd then somtyme after this traueyle and somtyme wyth al. suche a man or elles a nother the whiche by grace of god hath be kept in Innocence our lorde yeuith a meditacyon of his maÌ„hede as of his byrth or of his passyon and of the compassyon of our lady saynt mary whan this medytacyon is made by the holy ghost thenne it is ryght profytable and gracyous And that thou shalt wyte by this token Whan it is soo that thou art styred to a meditadyon in god thy thought is sodenly drawen out fro all worldly and flesshly thynges and the thynketh as thou seest in thy soule thy lorde Ihesu in a bodely lyknes as he was in erthe and how he was taken of the Iewes and bouÌ„den as a theyf beten and dispysed scourged and demyd to deth How lowely he bare y e crosse vpon his backe and how cruelly he was veyled therupon Also of the crowne of thornes vpon his hede and of the sharpe spere that stycked hym to the herte thou in this ghostly syght felyst thin herte styred to soo grete compassyon pyte of thy lorde Ihesu that thou mornest and wepest and criest with al the myghtes of thy body and of thy soule wonderynge the goodnes and the loue the pacyence and the mkenes of our lorde Ihesu that he wolde for so synful a caytyf as thou art suffre so moche payne And neuertheles thou felyst somoche goodnes mercy in our lorde that thyn hert riseth vp in to a loue a gladnes of hym with many swete teres hauyng grete trust of foryeues of the synnes of saluacyon of thy soule by the vertue of this precyous passion that whan y e mynde of crystes passion or ony poynt of his manhede is thus made in thyn hert by suche a ghostly syght with deuout affeccyoÌ„ answeryng therto wyte thou well thenne that it is not of thyn owne werkyng ne feynyng of no wyckyd spyryte but by the grace of the holy ghost For it is an openyÌ„ge of the ghostly eye in to crystis manhede And it may be called the flesshly loue of god as saynt bernarde callyth it In as moche as it is sette in the flesshly kinde of cryst And it is ryght good and a grete helpe in destroyenge of grete synnes and a good waye to come to vertues and so after to contemplacion of the godhede For a man shal not come to ghostly light in contemplacyon of crystes godhede but yf he come fyrst in ymagycyon by bytternes and by compassyon and by stedfast thynkyng of his maÌ„hede Thus saynt poul dyde Fyrst he sayd thus Nichil indicaui me scire inter vos nisi IhmÌ„ xpÌ„m hunt crucifixum I shewed you ryght nought that I couth but Ihesu cryst and hym crucyfyed As yf he had sayd \ My knowynge and my trust is oonly in the passyon of cryst And therfore sayd he thus also Micht auteÌ„ absit gloriari nisi in cruce dnÌ„i nostri thuÌ„ crysti Forboden be fro me al maner of Ioye lykynge but in the crosse and in the passyon of oure lorde Ihesu
werkynge therof and makyth hymself to traueyle in a nother whiche he hath not yet oonly for he seeth or hereth that other men dyde so sothly he may renne a whyle tyl he be wery And thenne shal he tourne home ayen And but he be ware he may hurte his fete by some fantasyes or that he come home But he that werketh in suche grace as he hath And desyreth by prayer mekely lastyngly after more And after felyth hys hert styred for to folowe the grace whiche he desyred he maye sykerly ren yf he kepe mekenes And therfore desyre of god as moche as thou maye without mesure of dyscrecyon of all that longeth to his loue or to heuen blysse For who soo can moost desyre of god moost shall fele of hym But werkyth as thou mayst and crye god mercy for y t thou mayst not Thê° it semyth saynt poul sayd Unusquisque habet domum suum a deo Alius autem sic alius vero sic ItmÌ„ Unicutque nostrum data est gracia scdm mensuram donacionis cristi ItmÌ„ Diuisiones graÌ„rum sunt Alii datursermo sapiencie alii sermo sciencie c ItmÌ„ Ut sciamus que a deo donata sunt nobis Saynt poul fayth that euery man hath his yeft of god one thê° and another thus For to euery man that shal be saued is yeuen a grace after the mesure of crystes yeft And therfore it is spedeful that we knowe the yeftes whiche arne yeuen vs of god that we myght werke in heÌ„ for by those we shal be saued as some by bodely werkes and by dedes of mercy some by grete bodely penaunce some by sorowe wepyng for her synnes al her lyfe tyme some by prechynge techynge some by dyuers graces yeftes of deuocyon shal be saaf come to blysse ¶ That a man sholde traueyle to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof and breke downe the grounde of synne therin Caplm xlii NEuertheles there is one werke whiche is nedeful spedeful to traueyle in And I hope an hyghe playne waye as moche as maye be in mannes werke to contemplacyon And y t is a man for to entre in to hymself for to knowe his owne soule and the myghtes therof The fayrnes and the foulnes of it In this inwarde beholdynge thou shalt mowe see the worshyp the dygnyte whiche it sholde haue by kynde of the fyrst makynge and thou shalt see the wretchydnes and the myscheyf whiche thou art falle in for synne And of this syght shal come a desyre with grete longyng in thyn herte for to recouer ayen y â— dygnyte worshyp whiche thou hast loste Also thou shalt fele a lothynge a grysyng of thyself with a grete wyl for to destroy bere downe thy self and al thynges that letten the fro that dygnyte and that Ioye This is a ghostly traueyle harde and sharpe in the begynnynge who so wyll quyckely traueyle ther in For it is a traueyle in the soule ayenste the grounde of al synnes lytyl and moche whiche grouÌ„de is nought elles but a fals mysruled loue of man to hymselfe Out of this loue as saynt austen sayth spryngeth all maner of synne dedely and venyal And sothly vntyl this grouÌ„de be wel ransaken and depe doluyn and as it were nere dryed vp by outcastyng of al flesshly and worldly dredes and loues a soule maye neuer fele ghostly the brennynge loue of Ihesu cryst ne haue the homlynes of his gracyous presence ne haue clere syght of ghostly thynges by lyght of vnderstondynge This is the traueyle that a man behoueth to drawe his herte and his mynde fro the flesshly loue and the lykynge of al erthly creatures fro vayne thoughtes and fro flesshly ymagynacyons And out fro the loue and the vycyous felynge of hymself that the soule shal mowe noo rest fynde in no flesshly thoughtes ne erthly affeccyon Thenne in as moche as the soule maye not fynde his gholy rest in the loue and in the syght of Ihesu Cryst it behouyth nedelynges to sustre payne Thys traueylle is somdelyche strayte and narowe And neuertheles I hope it is the way whiche cryst teched to heÌ„ y â— wolde he his perfyâ—e louers in y e gospel sayeng thê° ConteÌ„dâ—ie iâ—trare per angustaÌ„ portaÌ„ qmÌ„ aâ—â—a est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ et pauci inueniunt eaÌ„ Stryue ye for to entre by a strayte yate for the waye y t ledeth to heuen is narow and fewe men fyndeth it And how streyte this waye is our lorde telleth in a nother place thus Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipÌ„m tolat cruceÌ„suaÌ„ sequaâ— me ItmÌ„ Qui odit aiÌ„am suaÌ„ in hoc mundo in vitam eternam custoditeaÌ„ That is to say who so wyl come after me forsake hymself hate his owne souâ—e That is to saye Forsake al flesshly loue and hate his owne flesshly lyf and vayne likyng of al his bodely wyttes for loue of me And take the crosse That is to saye Suffre y â— payne of this a while and thenne folowe me that is to say in coÌ„templacyon of my manhede of my godhede This is a strayte waye a narow that no bodely thyng may passe thorugh it for it is a sleeng of all synÌ„e as saynt poul sayth Mortificate meÌ„bra vestra que sunt super terraÌ„ immundiciaÌ„ libidineÌ„ concupiscenciaÌ„ malam Slee your membres vpon erth not the membres of the body but of the soule as vnclennes lust vnskylful loue of your self to erthely thynges Therfore as thy traueyle hath ben here before for to ayenstonde bodely synnes open temptacions of the enmye as it were fro without right soo the behouyth now in this ghostly werke within thy self for to destroye breke the grounde of synÌ„e in thyself asmoche as thou may And that thou myght y e more redyly brynge it aboute I shal telle the as me thynkyth ¶ How a man shall knowe the wretchydnes and the worshyp of his soule that it had fyrste of And what wretchydnes and myscheyf it is falle in for synne Capitulum xliii THe soule of a man is a lyf made of thre myghtes mynde reason wyl to the ymage the lyknes of the blessyd trynyte In as moche as the mynde was made myghty stedfast by the vertue of the fader almyghtydod for to holde hym without foryetyng distractynge or lettyng of ony creature And so it hath lyknes of the fader The reason was made bryght and clere without errour or derknes as perfectly as a soule iÌ„ a body vngloryfyed myght haue And so it hath the lyknes of the sonne whiche is endles wysdom And the loue the wyl was made clene brennynge in to god without bestly loue of the flesshe of ony creature by the souereyne goodnes of god the holy ghost And so it hath y e lyknes of the holy ghost whiche is blessyd loue so y t a mannes soule
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
conteyned in holy wryt And thenne there fal to mynde wordes reasons senteÌ„ces ynough to occupye hym in ful ordynate full sadly And what comforte ghostly delyte sauour swetnes a soule may fele then in his ghostly werke thrugh dyuers Illumynacyons Inly perceyuynges preuy knowynges sodeyn towchynges of the holy ghost by assaye the soule maye wyte elles not And I hope that he shal not erre be so y â— his teeth that ben his In warde wettes be kepte whyte clene fro ghostly pryde fro curyosyte of kyndly wyt I hope that Dauyd felt ful grete delyte in this maner werke whan he sayd thus QmÌ„ dulcia faucibê meis eloquia tuasuper mel ori meo How swete are thy spekinges lorde IhuÌ„ to my chekes ouer hony to my mouth That is Lorde IhuÌ„ thyn holy wordes endyted in holy wryt brought to my mynde thrugh grace are swetter to my chekes y t are y e affeccoÌ„ns of my soule than hony is to my mouth Sothly this is a fayre werke wythoute paynful traueille for to see Ihesus thus This is one maner of syght of IhuÌ„ as I sayde before Not as he is but clothed vnder lykenes of werkes of wordes Perspeculum in enigmate By a myrroure by a lyckenesse As the appostle sayth Ihesu is endeles myght wysdome and goodnes Ryght wysnesse sooth fastnesse holynesse and mercy And what this Ihesu is in hymselfe maye noo soule seene here But by effecte of his worchyng he maye be seen thrugh the lyght of grace as thus His myght is seen by makyng of al creatures of nought his wysdome inordinate disposynge of hem his goodnes in sauyng of hem his mercy in foryeuenes of synnes his holines in yeftes of grace his right wynes in harde punysshyng of synne his softnes in true rewardynge of good werkes And al this is expressed in holy wrytt And this seeth a soule in holy wrytte with al other accydentes that fallen herto And wyte thou wel that suche gracyous knowynges in holy wrytte or in other wrytynge that is made thorugh grace are noughte elles but swete letters seÌ„den and made betwyx a louynge soule and Ihesu loued Or elles yf I shall saye sothlyer betwyxe Ihesu y e true louer and the soules loued of hym He hath ful gret tendernes of loue to al his chosen chyldern y â— are here closed in clay of this bodily lyf And therfore though he be absent fro heÌ„ hygh hyd aboue in y e bosoÌ„ of y e fader fulfylled in delyces of y e blessed god hede yet notwithstoÌ„dyng he thynketh vpon heÌ„ vysyteth heÌ„ ful oft thrugh his gracyous ghostly presence coÌ„forteth heÌ„ by his letters of holy wryt dryueth out of her hertes heuines werines dowtes dredes maketh hem glad mery in hym truly trowyng to al his behetynges mekely abidyng fulfyllyng of his wyl Saynt poul sayth thus QuecuÌ„que scripta suÌ„t ad nostraÌ„ doctrinaÌ„ scripta suÌ„t vt per consolacioneÌ„ scripturarum spÌ„e habeamus Al y e is wryten to our techynge it is wryten y t by coÌ„forte of wrytynge we myght haue hope of saluacyon And this is a nother werke of coÌ„templacoÌ„n for to see IhuÌ„ in scryptures after openyng of the ghostly eye The clenner the syght is in beholdyng y e more coÌ„forted is the affeccyon in tastynge A ful lytyl sauour felte in a clene soule of holy wryt in this maner before sayd shold make the soule set lytyl pryce by knowyng of al y e vii artes or of al the worlde of al worldly cuÌ„nynges For the ende of this knowynge is saluacoÌ„n of a manÌ„es soule in euerlastynge lyf the ende of that other as for hemselfe is but vanytee a passynge delyte but yf they be torned thrugh grace to this ende ¶ Of the pryuevoys of Ihesu sownyng in a soule wherby it shall be knowen And how al the gracyous IlluminacoÌ„ns made in a soule ben called the spekynges of IhuÌ„ CaplmÌ„ xliiii LO thyse are fayre newe felynges in a clene soule yf a sowle were fulfylled with suche it myÈe be layd And sothly y t is were refourmed somwhat in felyng but not yet fully For why yet Ihesu sheweth more and ledeth the soule Inner And begynneth to speke more homely and more louely to a soule thenne to folow the styryng of grace For the prophete sayth QuocuÌ„que â—hat spiritus illuc gradiebantur et rote sequentes cum wheder so yede y e spyryte thider yede y e whyles folowynge him By wheles are vnderstoÌ„de y e true louers of IhuÌ„ For they are rouÌ„de iÌ„ vertue wythout angyle of frowardenes and lyghtly whyrlyng thorugh redynesse of wyl to the styryng of grace For after that grace styreth and techeth so they folowe worche as the prophete sayth But they haue fyrste a full siker assaye and a true knowyng of the voys of grace or they maye do so that they be not deceyued by her owne feynyng or by the myddaie fende Our lorde Ihesu sayth thus of his louers Oues meevocem meaÌ„ audiunt et cognosco eas et cognoscunt me mee My shepe heren my voys I knowe hem and they knowe me The preuy voys of Ihesu is ful true it makyth a soule true There is no feynyng in it ne fantasye ne pryde ne ypocrysy But softnesse mekenesse pees loue and charyte And it is ful of lyfe loue grace And therfore whan it sownyth in a sowle it is of so grete myghte sometyme that y e soule â—odeynly layeth of honde al that there is prayenge spekyng redynge or thynkyn in the manere before sayd al maner bodily werke and lystnyth therto fully herynge preceyuynge in rest and in loue the swete steuen of this goostly voys as it were rauysshed fro y e mynde of al erdely thynges And thenÌ„e some tyme sheweth IhuÌ„ in this pees hymselfe as an hawtful mayster and somtyme as a reuerent fader and soÌ„tyme as a louely spouse And it kepyth a soule in a wonderfull reuerence in a louely beholdynge of hym that the soule likeâ—h wel thenne and neuer so wel as thenne For it felyth so grete sykernesse and so grete reste in IhuÌ„ and so moche fauour of his goodnes that it wolde euer be so and neuer do other werke It thinkâ—th that it touchith IhuÌ„ and thrugh vertue of y e vnspekable touchynge it is made hole stable in itself reuerently beholdyng onÌ„ly IhuÌ„ as yf there were no thynge but IhuÌ„ oo thyng and he a nother borne vp oonly by the sauour y e wondful goodnes of hym y â— is that thynge y â— he felyth seeth And this felynge is ofte tymes without specyall beholdynge of holy wryt ne but with fewe wordes formyd tÌ„ the herte nought but thus amonge fallen in swete wordes accordynge to the felyng eyther louyng or worshyppyng or wondryng or otherwyse sownyng as the herte lykyth The soule is full moche departed fro loue or lykyng of y
saynt gregory sayth He y e gadreth vertues without mekenes he is lyke to hym y t whiche makyth beryth powder of spicery in the wynde Do thou neuer so many good dedes fast thou wake thou ar ony other good werke do thou yf thou haue no mekenes it is nought that thou doost ¶ How men sholde do y t wanten y e felynge of mekenes in affeccoÌ„n not dredyng to moche therfore Caplm xix NEuertheles yf thou may not fele this mekenes in thyn hert with affeccyon as thou woldest do as thou may meke thyself in wyl by reason trowynge that it sholde be so as I say though thou fele it not And in that holde the a more wretche that thou may not fele sothfastly thy self as thou arâ—e And yf thou do so though thy flesshe ryse there agayne and wylle not assent to thy good wyl be not to moche adrad but thou shalt bere suffre the fals felynge of thy flesshe as a payne and thenne thou shalt despyse repreue that felynge breke downe that rysynge of thyn herte as thou woldest be wel payd for to be troden spourned vnder other mennesfete And so by y e grace of IhuÌ„ cryst thrugh stedfast thynkynge on the mekenes of his precyous manhede shalt thou abaâ—emoche y e styrynges of pryde y e vertue of mekenes that was fyrst in thy nakyd wyl shal be turned in to felynge of affeccyon without whiche vertâ—e eyther in true wyll or in felynge who so dyspose hym to serue god in conteÌ„platyflyf as the blynde he shal stoÌ„ble he shal neuer come therto The hyer he clymÌ„yth by bodely penauÌ„ce other vertues hath not this mekenes y e lower he falleth For as saynt gregory sayth He that can not perfytly despyse hymself he founde neuer yet y e meke wysdom of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ How ypocrytes heretykes for lackyng of mekenes hyen hemself in her hret aboue al other Caplm xx yPocrytes ne heretikes fele not this mekenes neyther in good wylne in affeccyoÌ„ but ful drye ful colde arn her hertes her reynes fro y e soft felynge of this vertu and in so moche the ferder they beÌ„ fro it that they wene that they haue it They gnawe on the drye barke without but the swete kernel of it the inly sauour may they not come to They shew outwarde mekenes in habyte holy speche in lowly berynge as it semyth in many bodely and ghostly vertues but neuertheles in the wyl in thaffeccyon of her hert where mekenes sholde be it is faynt For they deme despysen setten at nought other men that wyll not do as they done teche they holden hem eyther foles by vncuÌ„nynge or blynded by flesshly lyuyng And therfore lyft they heÌ„self vpon hye in her owne syght aboue al other wenynge y t they liue better than other that they haue onely y e sothfastnes of good lyuynge in ghostly felynge synguler grace of god both in knowynge in ghostly felynge passynge other men And in this syght of hemself ryseth a delyte in her hertes in the whiche they worshyp praise hemself as there were none but they They pray len thaÌ„ken god with her lyppes but in her hertes they steleÌ„ as theues y e worship the thaÌ„kyng fro god settyth it in heÌ„self so they haue nother mekenes in felynge ne in wyl A wretchyd caytyf or a synner whiche falleth al daye he is sory that he doth soo though he haue not mekenes in affeccyon he hath it in a good wyll But an heretike or an ypocrite hath neyther For they haue the condycyon of the pharyse whiche cam as our lorde saythe in the gospel wyth the publycan in to the teÌ„ple for to pray And whan he came he prayed not ne asked ought of god for hym thought he had noo nede but he began to thanke god and sayd thus Lorde I thanke the that thou yeuest me grace more than to other that I am not as other men be robbers lechours or other suche synners And he lokyd besyde hym and sawe the publycan whiche he knewe for a wretche knockynge on his brest onely cryenge after mercy thenue he thanked god y t he was not suche one as he was for lorde he sayd I fast twyes in the weke and I paye truly my tythes And whan he had doo our lorde sayd that he yede home ayen without grace as he came gate ryght nought But now sayst thou wherin trespassyd this pharyse syth he thanked god was soth that he sayd as to this I answere say that this pharysee terspassyd in asmoche as he demyd and repreuyd in his hert the publican whiche was iustyfyed of god And also he trespassyd for he thankyd god oonly with his mouth but he delyted preuely wylfully bi a preuy pryde in hiÌ„selfe of y e yeftes of god stelyng y e worshyp louyng of god set it in hymself This same condycyon of this pharysee sothely hath heretykes and ypocrytes They wyl not gladly pray yf they pray they meke not hemselfe knowlegyng truly her wretchydnes but they make hemself by a fenynge for to thaÌ„ke loue god spekyth of hyÌ„ with her mouth but her delyte is vayne fals not iÌ„ god yet they wene not so they can not loue god For as the wysemaÌ„ sayth NoÌ„ est specyosalaus in ore peccatoris It is neyther fayr ne semely praysynge of god in the mouth of a synner wherfore it is profytable to the and to me to suche other wretches for to leue the condicyon of this pharisee feyned louynge of god and folowe y e plublican in lownes askynge mercy foryeuenes of synnes and grace of ghostly vertues y t we myght afterwarde with a clene hert sothfastly thaÌ„ke hym loue hym and yeue hym holy the worshyp without feynynge For our lord askith this by his prophete Suê‘ quem requiescet spÌ„s meus nisi suê‘ huÌ„â—leÌ„ contrituÌ„ spÌ„a trementuÌ„ sermones meos Upon whom shal my spiryte rest he answereth hymself and sayth vpoÌ„ none but vpon y e meke poor coÌ„tryte in hert dredynge my wordes Then yf thou haue the spyryte of god rulynge in thy hert haue mekenes and drede hym ¶ What thynges meÌ„ owe to byleue by a seker fayth Caplm xxi THe ii thynge whiche the behouith for to haue is seker trouth in al chartycles of the fayth in y e sacramentis of holy chyrche trowynge hem stedfastly with al thy wyll in thy herte and though thou fele ony styryng in thy hert ayenst ony of hem by suggestion of thyn enmye for to put the in dowte of hem be thou stedfast not to moche adrad of felynge of suche styrynges but â—orsake thyn owne wytte without disputyng or ran sakynge of hem sette thy fayth generally in the fayth of holy chyrche charge not the styrynge of thy hert Whiche
the whiche a man semyth forsaken of god and is not In comfort of hem that arne tempted our lorde saythe thus by his prophete In modico dereliquite in momento indignacionis mee percussite et in miseracionibê° meis multos congregabote In a lytyl I forlefte the. That is to saye I suffre the for to be taryed a lytyl And in a poynt of my wrathe I smote the that is to say Al the penaunce the payne y â— thou suffrest here is but a poynt of my wrathe in regarde of the payne of helle or of purgatory And yet in my many folde mercyes I shal gader togyder the whan the thynketh that thou art forsaken then shal I of my grete mercy gader the ayen to me For whaÌ„ thou wenyst that thou art as it were loste thenne shal our lorde helpe the as Iob sayth CuÌ„te consumptuÌ„ putaueris orieris vt lucifer et habebis fiduciaÌ„ That is to saye whan thou art brought so lowe by traueyle in temptacion that the thynketh none helpe ne no coÌ„forte but as thou were a forloor man yet stonde stefly in hope pray god sothly thou shalt sodenly sprynge vp as the day sterre in gladnes of hert and haue a very truste in god as Iob sayth ¶ How that god hem that he choseth he suffrth to be taryed tempted and after warde comforteth hem stableth hem in grace Caplm xxxix ANd also in coÌ„fort of suche men y t they shold not dyspeyre in temptacyoÌ„ the wyse maÌ„ sayth thê° of our lorde In temptacoÌ„ne ambular cuÌ„ eo In primis elegit eum timorem metum approbacionem inducit super illuÌ„ et cruciabit illuÌ„ in tribulacione doctrine sue donec temptet illuÌ„ in cogitacionibus suis. et credet anime illius ad iter directuÌ„ adducet illum et firmabit illuÌ„ letificabit illuÌ„ et denudabit absconditasua illi et the zaurisabit super illuÌ„ scienciaÌ„ intellectuÌ„ iusticie This is thus moche for to saye This wyse man for he wolde that noo man sholde dispeyre in temptacyon in comfort of hem sayth thus In temptacyoÌ„ our lorde for saketh not a man but he gooth with hym fro the begynnynge in to the last ende For he sayth fyrste he chesyth hym And that is whan he drawyth a man to hym by comfort of deuocyon And afterwarde sorowe drede assayenge he bryngeth vpon hym And that is whan he withdraweth deuocyon and suffreth hym to be tempted And he sayth that he turmenteth hym in tribulacyon vntyl he haue wel assayd hym in his thoughtes And vntyl a man wyl put al his trust in hym fulli And thenne after this our lorde bryngeth hym out in to the ryghte waye and festenyth hym to hym and gladdeth hym and sythen she wyth hym his pryuytees and yeuith hym his tresour of knowynge vnderstondynge of ryght wysnes By thyse wordes of holy wryt may thou see y e thyse temptacyons or ony other be they neuer soo vgly to a man y â— by grace is in ful wyll to forsake synne arne spedeful profytable yf he wyl suffre as he maye abyde goddis wyl not tourne ayen to synÌ„e whiche he hath forsakeÌ„ for no sorow ne paine ne drede oâ— suche teÌ„ptacyons but euer stonde styl in traueyl in prayer with gode hope Our lord of his endles goodnes hauyng pyte mercy of al his creatures whaÌ„ he seeth tyme he layeth to his hoÌ„de smyteth downe the deuyl al his power easeth hem of her traueyle And putteth a waye al dredes sorowes and derkenes out of her hertes and bringeth iÌ„ to her soules lyght of grace and openyth y e syght of the soule for to see that al the traueyle that they had it was spedeful to hem yeuynge to hem also a newe ghostly myght to ayenstonde al the fondynges of the fende al dedely synÌ„es without grete traueyle and ledeth hem in to a sadnes of good vertues lyuynge In the whiche yf they ben meke he kepeth hem vnto her last ende and then he taketh hem al holy to hym This thynge I saye to the yf thou be taryed or traueyled with ony suche maner of temptacyons be not tomoche adrad but do as I haue sayd and better yf thou maye And I hope by the grace of our lorde Ihesu cryste thou shalte neuer be ouer come by thyne enmye ¶ That a man sholde not yeue hym to ydlenes ne lightly leue the grace y t is yeuen hym of god CaplmÌ„ xl AFter this whan thou art escaped suche temptacyons or elles our lorde hath so kept y e as he doth many by his mercy that thou hast not be taryed moche with none suche Then it is good to the y t thou tourne not thy reste in to ydylnesse For there is many a maÌ„ y â— takyth rest vpon hym to sone But thou shalt yf thou wylte begynne a newe game a newe traueyle And y t is for to entre within in to thyn owne soule by medytacion for to knowe what it is And by the knowyng therof to come to the ghostly knowynge of god For saynte austyn sayth By the knowyng of myselfe I shal hete y e knowyng of god I say not that it is nedful to y e dette for to traueyle so ne to none other man but he fele hym styred by grace as he were callyd therto For our lorde gyueth dyuers gyftes where so he wyll not to one man al ne to al men one saaf charyte whiche is comyn to al men and therfore yf a man or a woman haue receyued a yefte of god as deuocyon in prayer or in the passyon of cryste Or ony other be it neuer so lytyl leue it not to sone for none other but yf he fele sothfastly a better But holde that he hath and traueyle therin stably euer desyryng a better whan god wyl gyue it Neuertheles yf that be withdrawen somwhat and he seeth a better And felith his hert styred therto Then semith it a callinge of our lorde to the better And then it is tyme that he folowe after for to gete it And fulfylle it as swyftly as he maye ¶ That a man sholde knowe the mesure of his gyft that he maye desyre and take a better whan god wyl gyue it CaplmÌ„ xli OUr holy faders here before taughten vs that we sholde knowe the mesure of our gyft And vpon that werke not takyng vpon vs by feynyng more than we haue in felynge We mow euer desyre the best but we mow not euer werke the beste for we yet haue not receyued that grace An houÌ„de that renÌ„eth after y e haar oonly for he seeth other houndes renne whan he is wery he resteth hym or tourneth hym home ayeÌ„ But yf he renne for he seeth y e haar he wyl not space for werynes tyl he haue goten it Ryght so it is ghostly who so hath grace be it neuer so lytyll and leuyth wylfully the
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
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
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
do but louen hym than shal he with bemys of ghostly lyght fulfyl al the myghtes of thy soule Haue thou no wonder though I cal the forsakynge of worldly loue derknes for the prophete callyth it so seyeng thê° to a sole Intra iÌ„ tenebras tuas filia caldeorum Go in to thy derknes thou doughter of caldee y t is Thou souse y e arte as a doughter of caldee for loue of y e worlde forsake it go in to thy derknes ¶ That in refourmynge of a soule y t werkynge of our lorde IhuÌ„ is departed in to foure tymes y t is callynge ryghtynge magnyfyenge and gloryfyenge Capitulum xxviii LO I haue sayd to y t a lytyl yf thou coueyte for to be refourmed in felynge how thou shalt dyspose y t towarde in thy forthgoyng Neuertheles I say not y t thou mayste do thus of thys elfe â–ª for I wote wel y t our lorde IhuÌ„ bryngeth al this to y e ende where that he wolde For he oonly thorugh his grace styreth a soule bryngeth a soule iÌ„ to this derknes fyrst sytheÌ„ iÌ„ lyghte as y e prophete sayth Sicut tenebre eius ita lumeÌ„ eiê° That is Ryght as the lyght of knowyng the feleng of ghostly loue is of IhuÌ„ ryght so the derknes that is y t for sakyng of worldly loue is of hym for he doth al He fourmyth refourmyth He fourmyth onÌ„ly by hymself but he refourmyth vs with vs For grace yeuen aplyenge of our wyl to grace worcheth all this And on what maner wyse he doth that saynt poul reherceth thus Quos deus pÌ„scinit fieri conformes ymaginis filii eius hos vocauit Et quos vocauit hos iustificauit Et quos iustificauit hos magnificauit Et quos magnificauit hos et glorificabit Thise y e god knewe before sholde be made shapely to the ymage of his sonne thyse he called thyse he ryghted thyse he magnyfyed and thyse he gloryfyed Though thyse wordes maye be sayd of all chosen soules in the lowest degre of charyte that are refourmed onÌ„ly in fayth neuertheles they may be vnderstonde more specyally of thyse soules that arne refourmed in felynge to the whiche our lorde god shewyth moche plente of grace and doth moche more besynes aboute hem For they are his owne sones specyally that here the fulshappe and the lyckenes of his sonne IhuÌ„ In the whiche wordes saynt poule departeth the worchyng of our lorde in foure tymes Fyrst is the tyme of callynge of a soule fro worldly vanyte and that tyme is often easy and comfortable For in begynnynge of tornynge suche a man that is disposed to moche grace is soo quyckely so felyngly inspyred and felyth oft so grete swetnes of deuocion and hath so many teres in compunction y â— he thynkyth hym somtyme as he were halfe in henen but this softnes passyth after for a tyme And theÌ„ne comyth the seconde tyme that is the tyme of ryghtynge y t is trauelous For whan he begynneth for to goo forth myghtely in the waye of ryghtwysnes settyth his wylful ayenst al synne without and within And stretchith out his desyre to vertues and to the loue of IhuÌ„ thenne felyth he moche lettynge bothe wyth hymself of frowardenes hardnes of his owne wyl and fro without forth thrugh temptacion of his enmye that he is ofte in ful grete tourment And that is no wonder For he hath so longe be croked to the fals loue of the worlde that he maye not be made ryght as a crokyd staffe may not be made euen but yf he be caste and weyked in the fyre Therfore our lorde IhuÌ„ seenge seÌ„deth what thynge is behoueful to a frowarde soule suffreth it to be traueyled taryed by suÌ„dry teÌ„ptacyons and for to be wel examyned thorugh ghostly tribulacyons that al the ruste of vncleÌ„nes myght be brente out of it And that shal be both within of dredes and dowtes and perplexitees that it shal nere hande falle in dyspeyre it shal seme as it were forsakeÌ„ of god and lefte all in the hondes of the fende out taken a lytyl preuy trust that it shal haue in y e goodnes of god and in his mercy For that preuy truste our lorde leueth in suche a soule goo he neuer soo ferre fro it by the whyche the soule is borne vp fro dispeyre saued fro ghostly myscheyf And also wythout itselfe it shal be mortifyed and pyned in the seÌ„sualyte eyther by dyuers syknes or by feable tourment of the fende or elles thrugh a preuy myghte of god the sely soule by felynge and berynge of the wretched body shal be soo pyned And it shal not wyte how that it shall mow suffre for to be in the boâ—y ne were that our lorde Ihesu kept it therin And yet neuertheles had the soule leuer for to be in alle this pyne than for to be blinded wyth the fals loue of the worlde for that were helle to suche a soule But the sufferynge of this manere pyne is noughte but purgatory therfore he suffryth it gladly he wolde not putte it awaye though he myghte for it is soo prouffytable All this dooth oure lorde in grete prouffyte of the soule for to dryue it oute of the seÌ„sualyte that it myghte receyue ghostly lyghte For after this whan the soule is thus mortyfied and brought fro worldly loue in to this derknesse y t it hathe noo more sauour ne delyte of worldly lykynge than of y e strawe But he thynkye it bytter as wormode Thenne commyth the thirde tyme of magnyfieng And that is whan the soule is refourmed in felynge in partye and receyueth the yefte of perfeccyon and the grace of contemplacyon and that is a tyme of grete reste for thenne is Ihesu more homely with a soule And after this comyth the fourth tyme of gloryfyenge That is whan the soule shall be fully refourmed in the blysse of heuen For thyse soules that arne thus called fro synne and thus ryghted or elles on other maner lyke by dyuers assayenge bothe thoroughe fyre and water and afterwarde are thus magnyfyed they sholde be gloryfyed For our lorde shal then yeue heÌ„ fully y t they here coueyted and more than they cowde couete for he shall areyse hem aboue al other chosen soules to the eueÌ„ hede of cherubyn and seraphyn sythen they passed all other in knowynge and louyng of god here in this lyfe Therfore he that woll come to this magnifyeng drede not this rightyng for that is the way For our lorde sayth by his prophete a worde of grete confort to all suche soules that are examined wyth fyre of tribulacyon thus Puer meus noli timere Si transieris perignem flamma non nocebitte That is My chylde yf thou passe thorugh fyre drede not for the flame shal not deere the It shall cleÌ„se the fro all flesshly fylthe and make the able to receyue ghostly fyre of the loue
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
after reteyn tyme breke of that than shalt thou bestly gladly occupy y e in some bodyly occupacyon to thyn euen crysten And also whan thou hast ben besy outwarde awhyle with thy seruauÌ„tis or wich other men profitably thou shalt breke of torne ageyne to thy prayers thy deuocyons after god yeueth y â— grace so shalt thou put away by grace of our lorde slothe ydylnes vayne rest that cometh of thy flesshe vnder colour of conteÌ„placyon letteth y e soÌ„tyme fro medful spedful occupacyon in outwarde besynes thou shaâ—â—â— be aye wel occupyed bodyly or gostly therfore yf thou wold do wel thou shalt do gostly as Iacob dyd bodyly holy wryt sayth y t Iacob whan he began to serue his mayster laban he coueytyd rachel his maysters doughter to his wyf for her fayr hed for her he serued seuen yere but whan he wende for to haue had her to his wyf he had fyrst lya y â— other doughte◠〈◊〉 stede of rachel afterwarde he toke rachel so he had bothe at y e last By Iacob in holy wryt is vnderstonden an ouercomer of synnes by thyse two wyues are vnderstoÌ„de as saynt gregory sayth two lyues in holy chirche actyf lyf conteÌ„platyf lyf lya is as moche for to saye as traueylous betokeneth actyf lyf rachel is as moche to saye as syght of begynÌ„yng y â— is god betokeneth lyf conteÌ„platyf lya bare chylâ—ren but she was sore yÈed rachel was fayre louely but she was barayn than ryght as Iacob coueytyd rachel for her fayrhed yet had her nought whan he wolde but fyrst he toke lya afterwarde rachel Ryght so eche man traueylynge sothfastly in conpuÌ„ccyon by grace for synnes of y e worlde of y e flesshe to serue god in clenÌ„es of gode lyuyng hath grete desyre to haue rachel y â— is for to haue rest iÌ„ gostly swetnes iÌ„ deuocoÌ„n conteÌ„placyoÌ„ for it is so fayr so louely in hope for to haue y â— lyf only he dysposed hym to serue oure lorde with al his myght but often whan he wende to haue had rachel y â— is rest in deuocyon our lorde suffred hym to ben asayed wel in tryueyle with lya y â— is eyther teÌ„ptacyons of y e worlde or elles of the deuyl or of hys flesshe or elles with other worldly besynes bodyly or ghostly in helpynge of his euen crysten whan he is wel traueyled with lya nerhonde onercome than our lorde yeueth hym rachel y t is grace deuocyon rest in conscyence than hath he both rachel lya So shal thou do after ensample of Iacob take these two lyues actyf conteÌ„platyf sythen god hath sent y e bothe vse y â— one with y â— other By that â—o lyf shalt thou bryng forth frute of many gode dedes in helpe of thyn euen crysten is y t by actyf by y e other thou shalt be made fayre bryght clene in the souereyn bryghtnes y t is god begynner ender of al y t is made and than shalt thou be sothfastly Iacob ouergoer ouercomer of al synÌ„es after this by grace of god thy name shal be chauÌ„ged as Iacobs â—ame was torned in to isrl Israel is as moche for to saye as a man seyng god theÌ„ yf thou be fyrst Iacob dyscretly wylt vse thyse two lyues in tyme thou shalt after be isrl y â— is very contemplatyf eyther in thys lyfe yf he wyl delyuer the make the fre fro chargys besyness is the whiche thou art 〈◊〉 de to or elles after this lyf ful in the blysse of heuen whaÌ„ thou comest thyder A man shal desyre contemplatyf for it is fayr medful therfore thou shalt ay haue it iÌ„ thy mynde in thy desyre but thou shalt haue in vsyng actyf lyf for it is so nedeful so spedful therfore yf thou be put fro reste in deuocyon whaÌ„ thou haddest leuer be styl therat eyther by thy childreÌ„ or by thy seruauÌ„tis or by ony of thyn euen crysten for her profyt or ese of her hert is skylfully asked be not angry with hem ne heuy ne dredful as though god wolde be wroth with the that thou leuest hym for ony other thyng for it is not so leue of lyghtly thy deuocyon whether it be in prayer or medytacyon go do thy dede thy seruyce to thyn euen crysten as lyÈtly as our lorde hymself bad the. doo so suffre mekely for his loue without grutchyng yf thou mayst or dysese or trowblyng of thyn herte by cause of medlyng of suche besynes ¶ That a man shall soÌ„tyme haue the more deuocyon whan he hath be lettyd by outwarde werkys Ca vii FOr it may fal soÌ„tyme y t y e more troublyng y â— thou hast outwarde with actyf werkis the more brennyng desyre thou shalt haue to god y e more clere syght of gostly thinges by grace of oure lorde in deuocyon whanne thou comest therto for it faryth therby as yf thou haddest a lytyl cole and thou woldest make a fyre therwith make it to brenne thou woldest fyrst laye to styckis ouerhyle the cole with the styckis neuertheles whan thou hast abyden a whyle afterwarde blowest a lytyl a none shal sprynge oute a grete flawme of fyre for the styekis are al turned to fyre Ryght so is gostly thy wyl thy desyre y t thou hast to god it is as it were a lytyl cole of fyre in thy soule for it yeueth to the soÌ„what of lyght of ghostly hete but it is ful lytyl for often it waryth colde turneth to flesshly rest soÌ„time in to ydelnes therfore it is good y t thou putte to styckes that are good werkis of actyf lyfe though it be so y t these werkes as it semyth for a tyme let thy desyre y t it may not be so clene ne so feruent as thou woldest be not to dredful therfore but abyde suffre a whyle so blowe at y e fyre y t is fyrst goo do thy werkis after goo thaÌ„ alone to thy prayes medytacyons lyft vp thyn hert to god pray hym of his goodnes y t he wyl accepte thy werkes y t thou doost to his plesauÌ„ce holde heÌ„ as nought in thyn owne syght but only at his mercy be a knowe mekely thy wretchydnes thy feelte arecte sothfastly thy gode dedes to hym in as mekyl as they are gode in as mekyl as they are bad not done dyscretly with al cyrcuÌ„staunces y t are nedeful to a good dede for defaute of descrecoÌ„n put heÌ„ to thyself than for this mekenes shal al thy good dedes turne iÌ„ to a flame of fyre as styckes is layde vpoÌ„ a cole so shal thy gode dedes outwarde not hyndre thy deuocoÌ„n but rather make it more And more ouer our lorde sayth in holy wryt thus Ignis in altari