theyr neyghbour / and agaynste themselfe ¶ Agaynst theÌ„selfe / for they lyuen not vertuously ¶ Also vnryghtwysely they bere theÌ„ agaynst me / for they yeldeÌ„ not worshyp to my name / nor they gyueÌ„ no thankynges nor presynges to me as they ben bounde / but as theues they taken awaye fro me that is myne gyuyÌ„ge it to theyr owne propre sensualyte ¶ Also they done vnryghtwysenesse to me / agaynst theÌ„selfe / as blyÌ„de men and vncunnynge / not knowynge me in theÌ„ ¶ And all this cometh by theyr owne loue / whiche desyre may not be fulfylled / nor they ben neuer contented / as the Iewes and the mynysters of the lawe dydeÌ„ to my sone ¶ For they maden them selfe blynde / throwe enuy / throwe theyr owne propre loue ¶ Therfore they knewe not the sothefastnesse of my sone ¶ And whaÌ„ they knewe not the cuerlastynge lyfe / whiche was withi theÌ„ / they dydeÌ„ not theyr dewte / and that veryâ—yed my sothefastnesse / and that is my sone / whaÌ„ he sayde thus / the kyngedome of god is within you / but that knewe they not ¶ And the cause was / for they hadden lost the lyght of reason / and in this maner they lefâ—eÌ„ theyr dewre vndone / whiche dewre sholde haue be to gyue thaÌ„kynge and worshyp to me and to my sone / whiche is all one with me ¶ And therfore as blynde men they dydeÌ„ suche vnryghtwysenesse to me / parsuynge my sone / to the dyspytefull dethe of the crosse / with repreues and wronges wouteÌ„ ende ¶ So they that ben lyke to them / done vnworthynesse to me / to theÌ„selfe / and to theyr neyghbour / sellyÌ„nge vnryghtfully theyr owne flesshe / and of theyr sogetes / of other ¶ Of the vnworthynesse in to whiche a maÌ„ falleth throwe these defautes Also it speketh of these wordes Paraclitus autem queÌ„ mittet pater c. ALso throwe this synne and for other defautes / they falleÌ„ somtyme in a false IudgemeÌ„t / as I shall shewethe after ¶ They ben euer sclanÌ„dred in my werkes / the whiche ben all ryghtfull / and all beÌ„ ordeyned in sothefastnesse / throwe mercy loue ¶ With this wicked fals Iudgement / the Iewes dydeÌ„ repreue wyckrdly the ryghtfull werkes of my sone / throwe wycked ve / nym of enuy / and pryde / demynge them with theyr falsenes and theyr lesynges and sayde this is he that casteth oute in the vertu of Bellabub ¶ So the wycked Iewes weren so fulfylled with theyr owne propre loue / and grounded so in vnclennesse / as in pryde / auaryce / lose of dyscrecy on / with impasence / many other defautes that ben vsed / that alway they ben sclaundred in me / and in my seruauÌ„tes / demyÌ„ge falsly / those vertues ben fened / and not trewe ¶ And the cause is / for theyr herte is infecte / hathe no ryght nor trewe rast of the soule / nor ghostly sauour / wherfore all good werkes semen to them vnsauory and wycked ¶ O blyndnesse of mankynde / why wyll thou not beholde thy dygnyte / fro greate thou arte become full lytle / fro a lorde thou arte made a seruaunte and bounde / for thou arte made seruaunte and soget to synne ¶ And thou arte made suche as he is / whome thou serues ¶ Synne is noughte / therfore thou arte become to noughte ¶ Synne hathe taken thy lyfe fro the hathe betaken the to dethe ¶ This lyfe and dominacyon was taken to you / of the doctryne and the gloryous brydge / of my dere sone ¶ WhaÌ„ ye weren seruauntes of the fende / my sone toke you out of that seruage bycause the ye sholden not perysshe ¶ I ordeyned my sone a seruaunte and I put in hym obedyence / that the inobedyence of Adam sholde be put out ¶ And that pryde sholde be confounded / he meked hymselfe to the moost cruell dethe of the crosse ¶ He dyscryed all vyces by the vertu of his dethe / that no man myght saye that suche a vyce was vnpunysshed / for throwe his passyon bytter dethe / all vyces wereÌ„ punysshed in hym ¶ All remedyes weren gyuen / for he wolde delyuer them fro euerlastynge dethe ¶ They dyden dyspyse that holy blode / they dyden trede it vnder the fete of an vnordynate affeccyon ¶ This is that vnryghtwysenesse / and theyr false Iudgement / with the whiche the worlde is repreued ¶ And so it shal be repreued / in the greate daye of the Iudgement so wytnesed my sone that is my sothefastnesse / whan he sayde ¶ The comforter that is called the holy ghost / whome my fader shall sende in my name / he shall vndermyne the worlde of vnryghtwysenes / the worlde was repreued whaÌ„ I sende my holy spyryte in the apostles ¶ Here is how chryste speketh this reason O go mittam paraclituÌ„ qui muÌ„duÌ„ arguet c. And how the one of these repreues is contynuall THere beÌ„ thre vnder mynynges of the worlde ¶ One was whan the holy ghost dyscended on crystes dyscyples as I sayde before for whaÌ„ they wereÌ„ strengthed by my myght / and lyghtned with the wysdome of my sone / than they dyden receyue bothe grace and vertu / in the fulnesse of the holy ghoste ¶ Than the holy ghoste whiche is one with me / and with my sone / repreued the worlde / by the monycyons of his dyscyples / with the techynge of my holy sothefastnes / that is my sone ¶ They and suche other whiche came of them / folowynge that sothefastnesse / whiche they knewe by theyr techynge / dyden repreut the worlde ¶ This is a contynuall vndermynynge / whiche I dâ— to the worlde as the techyÌ„ge of holy scrypture saythe and by the prechyÌ„ge of my seruauÌ„tes / whan the holy ghost put hymselfe in theyr tongues / and shewed theym my sothefastnesse ¶ And ryght so in the contrary / the fende receyueth hym on the toÌ„gues of his seruauntes that is to saye on the tongues of them / whiche gon by the wycked floode ¶ This holy vndermynynge / is put to the worlde coÌ„tynually in the maner as I sayd before throwe the greate loue that I haue to the helthe of soules ¶ And they maye not saye / we hadden no man to excuse vs / for the truthe therof is clerly shewed / whaÌ„ vertu and vyce was shewed to them ¶ And I made them to se the fruyte of vertues / and the harme of vyces / to the entent that I sholde graunte to theÌ„ bothe to loue and to drede me / with the hate of vyces / and loue of vertues ¶ And now that doctryne is not shewed by an angell / for they sholdeÌ„ not saye / an angel maye not offende for be is a blyssed spyryte ¶ He feleth no greuaunce of the flesshe / as we fele ¶ This they maye not saye / for that doctryne was gyuen to theÌ„ of my sone / the whiche was
incarnate / with very deedly flesshe as ye haue ¶ Also other there weren / the whiche dydeÌ„ folowe crystes techyÌ„ge suffrynge creatures as ye ben reasonable and deedly / with stryfe of the ftesshe agaynste the spyryte / as seynt Paule was / and full many seyntes the whiche weren trauayled with many passyons ¶ Whiche passyoÌ„s weren suffred of my goodnesse / for that encrese of grace vertues in theyr soules ¶ And they weren borne in synne / as ye ben / nouryshed with the same meet / and as I was god than / so I am god nowe ¶ For my myghte was not made lesse / nor it maye not be made lesse ¶ Also I wyll / I can / and I maye / gyue my helpe to all that ben of wyll to aske to haue helpe of me ¶ A man desyreth to be holpeÌ„ of me / whaÌ„ he gothe oute of that floode / and goeth vpon the brydge / folowynge the waye of my fothefastnesse / that is the waye of my beloued sone ¶ Wherfore the Iewes / and wycked crysten men / sholden haue no excusacyoÌ„ / for they ben repreued ¶ I shewed theÌ„ contynually the sothefastnesse / and they woldeÌ„ not receyue it ¶ And for that yf they dyspose them not whaÌ„ they haue tyme / all suche shall abyde / be condempned in the seconde repreuynge / whiche shall be in the laste tyme / wher my ryghtwysenes shall crye ¶ Ye that ben deed / aryse you vp and come to youre Iudgement that is to saye you that ben deed to grace / and deed to bodyly dethe aryse ye vp and come ye with youre vnryghtwysenesse / false Iudgementes / and with the lyght of very feythe / whiche is quenched in you / whiche lyghte was brennynge in the tyme of holy baptyÌ„ ¶ This lyghte was quenched with thy pryde / and with the vanyte of thy herte / whiche pryde and vanyte / thou hase nouryshed with thy propre loue / and with thy owne extollyÌ„ge / throwe thy propre repuytacyon ¶ Wherfore by thy owne propre wyll / thou hase rennen throw the floode of delytes / folowynge the wyÌ„cked greuous temptacyons of the fende / and thy frele flesshe ¶ To the whiche perell / thy owne wycked wyll hathe lad that / by a lower waye / in to the floode that is rennynge ¶ And thus the fende the peryllous floode / hathe brought the to euerlastynge derkenesse and tourment ¶ The fyfte chapytre is of the seconde vndermynynge / in the whiche vnryghtwysenes ben repreued / bothe in specyall and in generall ¶ Also of foure pryncypall tourmeÌ„tes of them that ben dampned / whiche all other tourmeÌ„tes folowe / and in specyall of the foule syghte of the fende ¶ Also of the thyrde reprefe in the daye of dome ¶ Also of the Ioye of them that ben saued blyssed / as is rehersed iÌ„ the kalendre Ca. v. OVre lorde god dyd shewe to this mayde of the secoÌ„de vndermynynge / and dyd saye to her thus ¶ Dere doughter this secoÌ„de vnderminyÌ„ge is whan the soule cometh to the last ende of this lyfe / where is the remedy / for it is come to the extremytes of the dethe / where the worme of coÌ„scyence hathe lyfe ¶ And now in the tyme of dethe / for in asmoche as he seeth that he may scape not fro my haÌ„des / than he begynneth to se this worme ¶ Therfore the soule freteth herselfe with ful greate reprefe and vndermynyge / beholdyÌ„ge that clerly throwe her owne defaures / she entreth in to peynes iÌ„tollerable ¶ Yet yf this soule had that lyght of grace with the whiche she myght knowe what euyll she hadde done / wolde sorowe therfore / not pryÌ„cypally for drede of helpenes / but for she hathe offended my euer beynge goodnesse thaÌ„ myght she fynde mercy ¶ But yf the tyme of dethe passeth forthe without lyght of grace / onely with the worme of consyence / withouteÌ„ hope of meryte / of my sones bloode shedde for her / or yf she sorowe more for her owne harme wylfully / than for me / she gothe thaÌ„ to euerlastyÌ„ge dampnacyon ¶ And than shall she myserably / and wretchydly be punysshed / and cas vnder the fete of yeâ—als Iudgement of vnryghtwysenesse ¶ And not onely of vnryghtewysenesse of fals Iudgementes generally iÌ„ all her werkes / but moche more sharpely she shal be put vnder the fete of vnryghtwysenesse and of fals IudgemeÌ„t in specyall / whiche she vsed in her last ende / and that is in demynge fals wenyÌ„ge / that her mysery and synne was more than my mercy ¶ That is the greatest synne / whiche shal not be releshed in this worlde nor after / yf she dye so ther with / for by her owne wyll / she dyspysed and forsoke my mercy / for that is more greuous to me / than al the synnes that she dyd ¶ Wherfore the dyspyracyoÌ„ of Iudas / was more dysplesaunce and greuaunce to my sone / thaÌ„ his betrayÌ„ge ¶ Also they ben made blynde in this false dome / wher they dydeÌ„ thynke that theyr trespases weren more / thaÌ„ my mercy / that is so large / whiche may not be nouÌ„bred / therfore they ben tourmented with fendes ¶ Also they beÌ„ repreued of vnryghtwysenesse / and that is whan they sorowe more for theyr penes and harmes / than for my offences ¶ Ther they done vnryghtwysenesse / for they yelden to me that is not myne / nor to theÌ„ that longeth to them ¶ They sholden yelde to me loue / with contrycyoÌ„ of herte / they sholden yelde to me / and offre vp to me bytternesse of soule / sorowe for offences done to me / but they done the contrary / gyuynge to themselfe the loue sorowe for theyr peynes that they abyden ¶ They done also vnryghtwysenes / as thou sees / therfore whan they haue put behynde my mercy / they sholden be tourmeÌ„ted for bothe ¶ For I of my ryghtwysenesse haue ordeyned theÌ„ to be tourmented / of my mynysters the fendes / with the seruauÌ„te of theyr sensualyte / and with the cruell spyryte of the fende / to whome they beÌ„ made sogettes and seruauntes / as they of theyr ê“pre sensualyte dydeÌ„ offeÌ„de me / my ryghtwysenes hathe sende them to be tourmented ryght sharpely / for they dydeÌ„ wretchydly ¶ Of foure pryncypall tourmentes of them that ben dampned / and of the foule syght of the fende My doughter no tongue suffyseth not to tell the grete peynes of suche wretched soules / as these thre pryncypall vyces deseruen and sholden haue that is to saye a mannes owne propre loue of the whiche loue cometh forthe the seconde that is to saye the extollyÌ„ge / and reputacyon of hymselfe ¶ And of that reputacyon cometh forthe the thyrde that is to saye pryde / with false iustyfyenge themselfe / with cruelte / and with other vnclene and wycked synnes / whiche done folow here after ¶ So I sayde to the / y they
/ that they dyd to theyr neyghbour / other dedes that they dyd in theyr wycked lyuynge for they wolde not leue theyr synne al shal be put in reprefe to theÌ„ than ¶ Also they shold be repreued of the crueltes / that they dyd to theyr neyghbours / of that synÌ„e of pryde / with loue of vncleÌ„nes / theyr auarice ¶ And whan they so that grete mercy whiche they myght haue had of me / theyr vndernymyÌ„ge shal be moche harder thaÌ„ the soule had in tyme of dethe ¶ For at that general dome that soule that body of suche shall be tourmented bothe togyder / for asmoche as the body was felowe with the souls / instrumeÌ„t to worke bothe good and yll / at theyr owne wyl ¶ Euery workyÌ„ge good or yl / is wrought by some maner of a maÌ„nes neyghbour ¶ Therfore doughter goodnes glory wtout ende is gyueÌ„ ryghtfully to my choseÌ„ soules / with theyr bodyes gloryfyed / gracyously they be rewarded for theyr labours / the whiche they had togyder body soule in my name ¶ In that same maner euerlastynge peyne shall be gyue to wycked men with body soule ¶ Bycause that body was instrument of euyll / therfore that peyne shall be made newe encreased in that syght of my sone / whan the soule the body shal come togyder / thaÌ„ shall the wretched sensualyte be repreued with his vncleÌ„nes / beholdyÌ„ge that humanyte of cryst / ioyned with that iyâ—e of cleÌ„nes of my godheed / and whaÌ„ they beholde your nature of Adaâ— / enhauÌ„sed aboue that courte of angels ¶ Also they shal se theÌ„selfe put downe in to the depenes of hell / beholdynge that largenes that mercy gyuen to them that be blyssed ¶ And whaÌ„ the blyssed soules receyue the fruyte of my sones blode / whiche sone is called the laÌ„be of god ¶ Also that blyssed soules do se all that peynes whiche they suffre in that worlde / ordeyned for that or nameÌ„tes of the bodyes / as a raye of golde is put vpoÌ„ a clothe / that is not by that vertu of that body / but onely by that pleÌ„tuous blys of that soule / whiche representeth to his body that fruyte of his trauayles / bycause that that body was assocyate to the soule to the excersyces of vertues ¶ Also that body shall be knowe outewardely / ryght as a myrrour representeth and sheweth the face of a man / ryghte so the fruyte of his labours shal be presented shewed in his hyghe body as it is sayde before ¶ And whaÌ„ al these other soules full of mysery derkenes beholde somoche dygnyte iÌ„ blyssed soules / of the whiche dygnite they be pryued and excluded / than theyr peyne coÌ„fusyon encreaseth / for the token of theyr wyckednesse synnes whiche they dyd / shall be shewed in theyr bodyes / with peynes tourmentours to theyr tourmeÌ„t ¶ Wherfore in that dredefull worde whiche they shal here / go ye to that fyre euerlastyÌ„ge thaÌ„ shal theyr bodyes with the soules go downe euer to abyde with that fendes wtoute ony remedy of hope ¶ There they shall sorowe togyder in theyr peynes / to the encrese of theyr peynes / theyr wretchydnes with al theyr fylthes / euery maÌ„ by hymselfe in dyuers wyses / after that theyr euyll werkes were dyuers in erthe ¶ A couetous maÌ„ with that fylthe of his auaryce / breÌ„nynge ther in that fyre with worldely substauÌ„ce / mhiche wyckedly falsely he purchased / loued in that worlde ¶ The cruell maÌ„ shall be tourmenteb with his cruelte / that vnclene maÌ„ with his vncleÌ„nes with his wretched coÌ„cupyssence ¶ An vnryghtful man with his vntruthe vnryghtfulnes ¶ The enuyous maÌ„ with his enuy ¶ An hatered maÌ„ with that hatered of his neyghbour ¶ And forthermore there shall be bâ—endeâ— vnordynate loue oâ—â—maÌ„nes loue / of the whiche â—alâ—e 〈◊〉 cometh all euyll ¶ And the 〈…〉 a passyâ—ge peyne intollerable / for asmoche â—s that synne was begynnyÌ„ge of all euyll moder to pryde / whiche is moder of all synÌ„es ¶ Wherfore euery soule body togyder / shall be punysshed togyder ¶ And thê° myserably they go to theyr ende / which go by that lower way of the flode / wyl not tourne to knowlege theyr owne defautes / aske mercy as I sayd before ¶ But so they gone to the gates of hell / for they haue folowed the techynge of that fende ¶ And he is theyr gate / and theyr entrynge to hell / as it is sayde before ¶ And in that coÌ„trary wyse my chosen chyldren whiche go vpon that brydge aboue / those go by that way of sothefastnes / that sothefastnes is to theÌ„ that gate of entryÌ„ge ¶ Therfore my sone whiche is my sothefastnes fayde / 〈◊〉 mâ—mdy come to my sader but by me ¶ He is that gate that waye by the whiche they passe ouâ—t that they may â—â—ntre to me / whiche am that peaseble see ¶ And so in that coÌ„trary / they that went by that way of pardycyon / whiche waye gyueth to them a deed water / so be peryshed loste ¶ To that perel that fende calleth â—tyrreth suche blynde soules fooles / by full peryllous teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s / false suggestyons whiche for blyndenes and lacke of grace do not parceyue / nor they take no hede / how they haue lost that lyght of very feythe / folowe that wyll the wordes of the fende as thoughe he spake to them and sayde ¶ Who so hathe thrust and desyreth water of dethe / let hem come to me / I shall gyue it to hym ¶ And here now moder and systren endeth the seconde parte of this orcharde / in the whiche we be taughte the waye to he uen ¶ And how we be ordeyned to labour in this worlde / euery man in his owne vyneyerde ¶ And of thre ladders whiche helpe a soule to the loue of god ¶ In this party also oure lorde speketh ful comfortably of his grete mercy / and of dyuersyte of synnes ¶ And how soules shall be repreued at the day of Iudgement ¶ And of the pryncypall tourmentes in hell / and of the ioyes of heuen ¶ Our lorde than graunt â—â— so feruently to labour / euery man in his owne vyneyerde / that bâ— the prayer of his blyssed moder / and by his grete mercy / that we maye gracyously scape that drefull daye of Iudgement / 〈◊〉 with his chosen chyldren / to entre in to the gates of blysse / the gloryous syght of hym euer to reioyce Ame◠¶ The .iii. boke Tertia ¶ The fyrste chapytre of the .iii. party / sheweth of that profyte of temptacyons / and how euery soule in that last ende of his lyfe shall tast and fele by knowynge â—â— he fully pas / what peyne or ioye he shall haue after he is passed ¶ Also how the fende catcheth soules budet the coloure of
and wor shyp to god / whyther they wyll or wyll not ¶ ANd in somothe theyr syght is parfyte that not onely they se my worshyppe and ioye pmonge heunly creatures that dwell in blysse without ende but also ymoÌ„ge deed ly creatures / for the worlde wyll he or not / he yeldeth praysynge and louynge to the name of god / and yet in sothe they yelde me no suche louynge and preysynge as a trewe louer dothe / that loueth me aboue all thynges / but I wyll put oute and drawe oute fro them ioye and pray syÌ„ge to my name / and that is for asmoche as my ioy shyneth in them / and also the abundaunce of my charyte / by the whiche I grasite thern to haue tyme leÌ„gthe oflyfe / com maunde the erthe that he swalowe them not for theyr defautes / but I abyde them mercyfully / and bydde the erthe to gyue them of his fruyte and the sone to warme them gyue theÌ„ lyghte and here / and the fyrmament that he moue and styrre / and all other creatures whiche I made for theÌ„ / by my greate mercy and chary te I make theÌ„ vse theÌ„ / not hynge of them withdrawynge for theyr wyekednesse / but I graunte it them as well to theÌ„ as to theryghtwyse lyuers / and ofte tymes more to synners than to ryght wyse men ¶ Of ten tymes I withdrawe fro them abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of goodes / the whiche can suffre / and be able to suffre that I myght gyue them more abundasitly the endeles goodnesse of heuen for theyr pasyence / thus my mercy charyte shyneth vpon worldely meÌ„ ¶ Otherwhyle also in parsecueyoÌ„s that seruauntes of the worlde do to my seruauntes / for suche parsecucy ons they be preued in pasyence and in charyte / the whiche they offre to me with meke contynuall prayer in theyr parsecucyons / and so worshyp and praysynge is yelde to my name ¶ In this maner the worlde wyll he or not he yeldeth praysynge glory to my name / thoughe his entent be not therfore / but rather for to do to mereprefe and shame ¶ How that the fendes do yelde worshyp to god agaynst theyr wyl ALl those that dwell in the worlde to the encrese of vertues in my seruauntes by the ctuell parsecucyoÌ„s / in maner they lyue and stonde in hell as fendes do / for they be as the fendes tourmentoures / fulfyllynge the wyll of fendes whiche be theyr may sters vpon my seruauntes / and so they enerese the mede meryte of them / that be my seruauntes ledynge them agaynste theyr wyll to the ryghte waye of heuen ¶ They encrese exercyse theÌ„ in vertues / with many greuous temp tacyons heuynesses in many maners ¶ Somryme they make one to do an other wroÌ„ge / and somtyme to styrre hym for to take awaye his goodes and not onely for the good but for to make them to lose charyte wenynge that my seruaunte wyl be out of charpte / for losse of worldely goodes ¶ And in that that they wene for to make them for to lose charyte / wenynge that my seruaunte wyl be out of charyte / for losse of worldely goodes / in the that they wene for to make them lose charyte / they be the more strengthed in charyte / and preued in vertu of pasyence / strengthe / and parseueraunce ¶ In this wyse they yelde worshyp and praysynge to my name / and so in theÌ„ is fulfylled my truthe that I made them / for that worshy p an praysynge of me / that they shold take ê‘te of my fayrenesse ¶ But whan the fende rebelled to me by his pryde / he fell adowne was departed delyuered fro my syghte ¶ And therfore nowe bycause they maye not yelde to me praysynge by by loue of hery charyte in themselfe ¶ Cherfore I sende them as instru mentes of vertu to my seruauntes / for to excercyse them to vertu / also for to punesshe all suche endelesly / that for theyr dedly trespases be daÌ„pned I haue made them to them as Iuâ— tyces / and also for to purge them that gone adowne to purgatory ¶ And thus thou maye knowe and se it is fothe that my truthe is fulfylled in them / that is that they yelde to me loye and wo / shyp / not as cytysyns of endelesse ioye / fro the whiche loye for theyr owne defautes / they be tul ly vtrerly departed / but as instrumentos for vertues to my speeyall seruauÌ„tes as my Iustyces bothe to dampnable soules / also to those soules that gone to paynes oâ—purgato ry / to shew to theÌ„ my ryght wysnes ¶ How a ê‘fyte soule that is passed fro this worlde / seeth fully the glory the laude of the name of god ieuery creature ¶ And how in the soule is ended the peyne of desyre / and not the delyre ¶ Also howe seynt Paule after tyme that he was take to se the glory of them that be in blysse / he coueted to be vnbouÌ„de and vn losed frome the body / and so done they whiche come to the thyrde the fourthe foresayd state / and of other maters as it is shewed before in the kalender Ca. iiii A what is he that seeth and tasteth veryly / bow that all creatures reasonable and vnreasonable also iÌ„ fendes is seen the presynge louyÌ„ge of my name / truly a soule that is departed fro the body and is cme to me his endelesse ioye Suche a soule seeth purely and knoweth the truthe in her syghte / for by the syghte that she hathe in me euerlastynge fader / she soueth / by loue she is fulfylled / by fulfyllynge she knoweth the truthe / by knowynge of truthe she is made stydfast iÌ„ her wyll / stablyshed knytte to that mynde in suche awyse that she maâ—e in no wyse fussre peyne / for she hathe that the whiche she desyred to haue before onely for to seme and the ioy presynge of my name / the whiche ioye praysynge she seeth in my seyntes veryly fully in other holy spyrytes / in all other creatures in fendes / as I haue sayde to the before ¶ And thoughe it so be that suche a soule se offeÌ„ce trespas done to me / wherof before she was doleful forowful / thaÌ„ whaÌ„ she is in ioye than maye she haue no sorowe therfore / but onely compassyon without peyne / louyÌ„ge prayenge for them that do trespas to me that I sholde shewe them mercy by affeccyon of charyte ¶ For all be it that peyne is ended in suche a soule / charyte is encresed ¶ Ryght as my onely sothefaste sone I hesu ended peyne of his peynful desyre in his peynfull dethe vpoÌ„ the cros / whiche peynful desyre he vare fro the begyÌ„nyÌ„ge that I sende hyÌ„ in the worlde for your helthe vnto the ende of his bodyly lyfe / yet was not ended the desyre of
penaunce that they bare actually / and namely whan they sawe that theyr penauÌ„ce was harde to them and so deedly / so shortly the penaunce that they bare was tourned to them in to swetnes ¶ All suche mynysters whan they were made pÌ„lates / they wolde somtyme make themselfe subicctes / and somtyme seruauÌ„tes whaÌ„ they were lordes / and somtyme as I sayde they wolde make them by compassyon lyke olde people / and whaÌ„ they were stronge myghty / they made themselfe feble ymonge feble / with fooles ryghte symple people / they shewed themselfe symple / and so with all maner of people by mekenesse charyte they couthe lede theyr lyues and gyue eche of them meet ¶ But who dyd this ¶ Certayne the honger of desyre that they dyd conceyue in me / of my worshyppe and helthe of soules ¶ They ranne for to ete the blessyd meet / vpon the table of my blessyd sone Ihesu cryste on the cros / eschewynge no maner labour / but as louers of soules good curates of holy chyrche / for the spredyÌ„ge abrode of holy feythe / they wente ymonge thornes of many try bulacyoÌ„s / and they punyshed themselfe with very pasyence / offerynge to me encens of loue longynge / and swete smellynge desyres of meke and coÌ„tynual prayer / with wepynge and waylynge ¶ And so they anoynted the woundes of theyr neyghbours sores the is to saye the woundes of deedly synses / by the whiche anoyntynge they were made parfytely hole / yf they with mekenesse dyd receyue suche denoute oyntementes ¶ A repetycyon of wordes sayde before / and of the reuerence that shall be done to preestes / whether they be good or badde NOw my dere doughter I haue shewed to the a lyted sparcle of the excellence of theym ¶ I call it a sparcle in comparyson of that excellence that is with me in heuen of theym ¶ I haue also tolde vnto the of theyr dygnyte and worthynesse / in the whiche dygnyte I haue put theÌ„ sâ—che as I haue chosen to my specyall mynysters / and of that dygnyte and auctoryte that I gaue them / I wyll not that for no defaute that they done / they be touched by the hondes of seculer men in vyoleÌ„ce / for yf they so touche theÌ„ / they offende me meruaylously ¶ But I wyll that they haue them in dewe reuereÌ„ce not for themselfe but for me / that is for the auctoryte that I haue gyueÌ„ them / and that reuerence sholde neuer be mynyshed / thoughe vertu be mynyshed in them ¶ I tolde that also of vertuous mynysters and of theyr vertues / for I sayd they be mynysters of the sonne / that is is of the body and the blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ And also they be mynysters of all other sacrameÌ„tes / for that dygnyte toucheth loÌ„geth bothe to good mynysters to bad / eche of theÌ„ maye do that mynystracyon ¶ I sayd to the also that they that be suche blessyd mynysters / haue the condycyoÌ„ of the sonne / yllumynynge hetynge by the loue of charyte theyr neyghbours / with that hete they make verrues to burâ—owne and growe in the soules of theyr subiectes ¶ I sayde also to that / that they were angels ordeyned of me for youre kepynge / for to kepe you brethe iÌ„ you to your holy coÌ„uersacyoÌ„ of lyuyÌ„ge ê‘fyte prayers doctryne with the myrrour of good lyuynge / also that they may serue you / mynystryÌ„ge to you the holy sacrameÌ„tes ¶ Thus thou maye se how moche they be worthy for to be beloued / iÌ„ what reuereÌ„ce they shold be had / for euery vertuous minyster is worthy to be beloued had in reuereÌ„ce / â—or that auctoryte y they haue of me in mynystrynge of the sacramentes of holy chyrche ¶ And so for theyr vertu dygnyte they shold he loued / theyr defautes shold be hated the lyueÌ„ wretchedly / yet sholde ye not make youre selfe Iudges for I wyll not that bycause they be my mynysters anoynted ¶ Ye knowe wel that yf an vnclene maÌ„ yll arayed sholde bryÌ„ge to you fro a grete lorde a worthy tresour / of the whiche tresour ye muste take gladly / what for the loue of the tresour the lorde that sende it / ye wyll not hate the bryÌ„ger / though he be torne ragged ¶ I trowe ye wolde besy you for reuereÌ„ce of the lorde with all youre myght to wasshe or auoyde awaye his vnclennesse / hyÌ„ to araye more better ¶ Ryght so sholde ye do after the ordre of charyte and of dewete to suche vnworthy mynysters / and I wyl that ye do so to suche vnworthy mynysters / that with vncleÌ„nesse torne clothes of vyces departed fro charyte / bryÌ„ge to you grete tresours / that is holy sacramentes of holy chyrche / of the whiche sacrameÌ„tes / ye receyue lyfe of grace / thoughe they be in so grete defautes / of the which ye receyue theÌ„ mekely for the loue of me endeles god / whome I sende to you for to mynystre the sacrameÌ„tes / as I haue sayde ¶ Theyr defautes sholde be dysplesynge to you / ye sholde with all youre myght charytably with holy prayer araye theÌ„ agayne in vertuos lyuyÌ„ge / and washe with teeres theyr vnclennesse awaye fro them / that is offre them vp to me with wepynge and waylynge and holy desyre / that I maye araye theÌ„ agayne of my endelesse goodnesse with the vesture of charyte ¶ Ye knowe well that I wyll shewe and do to them grace / so that they wyll dyspose theÌ„ for to receyue it / and that ye also dyspose you for to beseche me and praye me for them / for it is not my wyl that they mynystre to you my gracyous sonne as I haue sayde in derkenesse / nor that they be naked fro the clothe of vertu / nor that they be vnclene by dyshonest lyuynge / but I haue put them to you as angels iÌ„ erthe / and as my sonne that sholde gyue lyght ¶ Thus sholde ye praye for them to me / and not for to Iudge theÌ„ / but suffre me to hane the Iudgement of them / and I by youre prayers yf they wyll receyue mercy / I shall gyue them mercy / yf they wyll in nowyse correcke theÌ„ iÌ„ this lyfe / the dygnyte that they haue shall tourne them to greate harme / for with greate reprefe iÌ„ the ende of theyr dethe / they shal be sende of me to endeles peyne / yf as I sayde they amende them not in theyr lyuynge and receyue not the largenesse of my mercy ¶ And of the dedes and wycked lyfe of euyll preestes / and euyll mynysters NOw take hede dere doughter / to the ende that thou and other of my seruauntes maye haue more mater to offre for them to me meke and contynual prayer / I wyl shewe the the wretched lyuynge of theÌ„ ¶ They that be wycked what euer syde thou
whiche floodes maye come oute frome the / that arte the parmanents peaseable see ¶ I thanke the fader / and endelesse thankynge be to the / that hase satysfyed to me of that I asked the / and of that I knewe not / whiche I asked not of the / and also bycause thou hase styrred me to wepe / and taught me mater of wepynge / for to offer in prayer / swete thyÌ„ges / delectable thynges / and longe desyres / before the with meke contynual prayer ¶ Now therfore I aske of the / that thou shewe mercy to the worlde / and to holy chyrche I praye the that thou fulfyll that thynge / whiche thou wolde I prayed for ¶ Wo be to me most wretche that am cause of all euyl / and yet can not sorowe it within my soule ¶ Good lorde tary no longer / but haue ruthe and pyte on all the worlde / bowe the lorde and fulfyll the desyre of thy seruaunte ¶ O what am I / thou arte he that makes bothe me and thy seruauntes for to crye to the after mercy / and therfore gracyously here the voyces of theÌ„ ¶ Thy sothefastnesse sayd thus / serche and ye shall fynde / knocke and it shall be opened to you / aske it shal be grauÌ„ted to you ¶ O endelesse fader / thy seruauntes crye to the for mercy ¶ Good fader answere them after theyr desyres / for I knowe well properly it longeth to the for to haue mercy and for to gyue mercy / and therfore thou maye not deny it / but thou muste nedes gyue mercy to them that aske it ¶ They knocke at the gate of thy sothefastnesse / for in thy onely sothefaste sone Ihesu they knocke thy meruaylous loue whiche thou hase to man / and so they crye at the gate / wherfore the fyre of thy charyte sholde not nor maye not wtholde / but that it muste nedes open the same gate to theÌ„ that knocke with parseueraunce ¶ Therfore endelesse fader / open the breestes / breke the harde hertes of thy creatures not for theÌ„ that do not knocke but do it for thy infynyte goodnesse / and for the loue of thy seruauntes / whiche for them do knocke at the gate ¶ Graunte thou endelesse fader theyr askyÌ„ge / whom thou sees stoÌ„de knockynge at the gate of thy goodnesse / and what do they aske good lorde ¶ Certayne the blode of this gate / that is the blode of thy onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / for in that blode / thou hase wasshed a waye the wyckednesse stynkyÌ„ge fylthe of synne / whiche came by the synne of Adam that is oure blode good lorde for of that blode thou hase made to vs a bathe / I knowe wel therfore thou maye not nor wyl not deny theÌ„ that aske the in parseueraunce ¶ Gyue therfore good lorde the fruyte of that blode to thy creatures / putte good lorde the pryce of that blode vpon that balaunce of thy sone / lest the fendes of hell lede awaye thy shepe with hym ¶ Thou art a veri good shepeherde that hase gyuen to vs a very trewe shepeherde / that is thy sone Ihesu / the whiche for thy obedyence gaue his lyfe for his shepe / of his blode made a bathe ¶ This is the blode that thy seruauÌ„tes do aske of the as hongry soules at thy gate by the whiche blode they aske that thou shewe mercy to the worlde / make holy chyrche smell swetely in swete smellynge floures of vertu / and deuoute and holy curates / with whose swete smell / they put awaye the stynkyÌ„ge smell of stynkynge floures ¶ Thou endelesse fader dyd saye / that for the loue whiche thou hase to thy reasonable creatures / for the prayers of thy seruauntes / that suffer moche labour for soules / thou wolde shewe mercy to the worlde / and araye holy chyrche worthyly / and so refresshe vs. ¶ Therfore delaye not / nor tary not endeles fader for to turne to synners thy eye of mercy but say to theÌ„ thus or that ye cryed to me for mercy / I herde you with my ere of mercy ¶ Open good lorde the gate of thy meruaylous charyte / the whiche thou hase graunted to vs by the grace of thy sone ¶ I knowe ryghte well good lorde that thou openes the gate or that we knocke ther at / for with the affecyon and loue that thou hase gyuen to thy seruauÌ„tes / they knotke to the crye / sekynge thy worshyp helthe of soules ¶ Therfore endelesse fader graunte theÌ„ breed of lyfe / that is the fruyte of thy blode of thy onely sone sothefaste Ihesu / whiche fruyte they aske of the / for ioye and worshyp of thy name and helthe of soules ¶ For it semeth and sothe it is that it is more ioye to the / worshyp for to saue soules of thy creatures / than for to suffer them obstynately in hardenesse of herte ¶ To the endeles fader al this is possyble / for thoughe thou made vs withoute vs / yet thou wyll not saue vs without vs. ¶ And therfore constrayne theyr wylles gracyously / dyspose theÌ„ for to desyre and wyll / that they wyll not ¶ This I aske the for thy infynyte mercy / thou hase made vs of noughth / therfore nowe to suche as we be / shewe mercy / refresshe the vessels that thou hase made and formed to the ymage and lykenesse of the / reforme them to grace / in the mercy in the blode of of thy ryght swete and well byloued sone Ihesu cryst ✚ LAVS DETVR DEO ¶ Nowe moder and systren here I haue made an ende of this the fyfte boke / in the whiche you may fynde ghostly / good / holy doctryne for the helthe of soules / with greate consolacyon comforte to youreselfe / with swete herbes and plantes of swete odour and smell In the whiche boke is made meÌ„cyon of the blessyd sacrament and of his vertues / with the reformacyoÌ„ of preestes and theyr subiectes / with many and dyuers maters / and ensamples of good lyuyÌ„ge / as is conteyned in the sayde boke Sexta ¶ The syxte boke ¶ The fyrst chapyter speketh of the syxte party / and it treateth moche of the prouydence of god / and fyrste of his prouydence generally / that is to say / how god prouyded man to be man / how he formed hym of noughte to his ymage and lykenesse ¶ And howe god prouyded man to sanacyon with incarnacyon of his sone / whan the gates of Paradyse were shyt for the synne of Adam ¶ And how he prouyded hymselfe / gyuynge hymselfe contynually to vs in the meet of the auter ¶ Also how god prouyded to gyue hope in his creatures / how he that moste parfytely hopeth / moste tasteth the prouydence of god ¶ And of other maters / suche as be rehersed to you before in the kalender Ca. i. benedictê° q
in delyces / rychesse / states of that worlde / but my owne loue coÌ„strayneth me / for I loued you or that ye loued me / I loued you meruaylously / that it is whiche coÌ„strayneth me / also the prayers of my seâ—uauÌ„tes / by the mylde mekenes of that holy ghost / that mynystreth to theÌ„ the worshyp of me loue of theyr neyghbours / by the whiche they serche helth of theyr soules with meruaylous charyte / besyenge theÌ„ to please me / and to bynde my hoÌ„des of dyuyne ryghtewysenesse whiche a wycked maÌ„ deserued to haue / thus I am coÌ„strayned with meke waylynge coÌ„tynuall prayer ¶ Who maketh theÌ„ so for to crye ¶ My prouydeÌ„ce / for I prouyded to the nede of this deed creature / iÌ„ asmoche as it is sayde of me thus Nolo morteÌ„ c. I wyll not the the dethe of a synner / but I wyl that he be tourned lyue ¶ In thy soule also dere doughter thou sees my prouydeÌ„ce / yf thou opeÌ„ the eye of thy soule / that wycked meÌ„ whiche ly iÌ„ so greate mysery / that be made stynkynge fylthe of dethe / derke by wantynge of lyght of grace / for they go syÌ„gyÌ„ge laughynge speÌ„dynge theyÌ„r tyme with vanytes / in delyces / in greate vnhonestes / waÌ„tayne in all thynges / greate glotoÌ„s / eters dryÌ„kers so ferforth that of theyr wombes they make theyr god / with hate / raÌ„coure / pryde / they go also with all wretchednesse as I haue tolde the in another place they do not knowe theyr owne astate / for they walke in suche awaye that wyll brynge theÌ„ to the dethe euerlastynge / but yf they ameÌ„de them in theyr lyuynge go more warely ¶ It were a greate foly for a maÌ„ that were coÌ„deÌ„pned to the dethe to go syngynge dauÌ„syng as he gothe by the way towarde his dethe / shold it not as thou thynkes yes certayne ¶ In suche foly ben suche wretches / in somoche the more wtout ony coÌ„paryson that they receyue more harme thaÌ„ they that is peyne of the dethe of soule whiche is more thaÌ„ the peyne of the body / suche lose that lyfe of grace / they but lyfe of body / such receyue endeles peyne / they but peyne that is fynyte / thus they dye in state of daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ / they go thyder syngynge / blynde / fooles / fooles aboue all other fooles / my seruauÌ„tes be in the state of waylynge wepiÌ„ge / in afflyccyon tourmeÌ„t of body iÌ„ holy wakynges / in coÌ„tynuall prayer with syghynges sobbyÌ„ges / makyÌ„ge theyr bodyes lene for the helthe of theyr soules ¶ But suche syngers as be rehersed before / they scorne all suche and theyr owne scornes fal on theyr proper heeddes / whan they be in peyne / to them that labour for the loue of me / shall be gyueÌ„ fruyte of theyr labour in the blysse of heueÌ„ / whiche my owne endeles goodnes haue made hyÌ„ for to dyscerne / for I god the fader am ryghtwyse / that yelde to eche after his labour / but sothely my seruauÌ„tes cesse not / nother for ê‘secucyoÌ„s / scornes / nor vnkyndenes of theÌ„ / but rather they encrese in more desyre ghostly excercyse ¶ Who maketh this that they knocke with so greate hoÌ„ger at the gate of my mercy ¶ My ê“uydeÌ„ce that maketh me prouyde to that helthe of these wretches / to encrese vertu the fruyte of loue charyte in seruauntes ¶ These maners of my prouydences be infynyte whiche I vse in the soule of a synner / that I myghte therby drawe hym out fro that trespas of deedly synÌ„e ¶ Now shall I speke to the of suche that be rysen fro synne / what my prouydeÌ„ce dothe in theÌ„ / yet be vnparfyte / I shall not declare that agayne by repetycyon the state of the soule / for therof I haue told the by order / but shortli somwhat shall I saye yt. ¶ Of the prouydeÌ„ce whiche god vseth ordeyneth / for theÌ„ that be vnparfyte in loue Wyll thou knowe dere doughter what maner I vse for to arayse an vnê‘fyte soule fro her imê‘feccyoÌ„ / other whyle I ê“uyde to her of many dyuers thoughtes / brynge hre somtyme in to baraynes of soule / oftetymes it semeth to suche that be forsake of me vtterly / for they fele nothyÌ„ge ghostly / they thynke they be not in the worlde / outtake that they fele this / that his wyll wyll not offeÌ„de me / this gate of wyll whiche is fre / I wyll not suffer ghostly enemyes to vndo it / but yet I gyue theÌ„ leue bothe fendes other enemyes / that they maye smyte at al other gates / but not at this the whiche is the pryncypall gate / whiche kepeth the cytee of the soule / neuerthelesse the soule hathe a keper that is fre chose whiche dwelleth at that gate / for this cause I haue made fre chose keper of that gate / the after hyÌ„ the gate be opened / as he wyll so be it done or not done ¶ There be many gates loÌ„gynge to that cytee / but princypally there be .iij. of whome there is one whiche euer holdeth hyÌ„ closed shyt yf he wyl / is the keper of all the other gates / these iij. gates be these / myÌ„de / intelleccyon / wyl / but that specyal gate whiche I speke of is wyll / for yf wyll coÌ„sent thaÌ„ by that gate entreth the enemy of ê‘pre loue / other enemyes that folowe hyÌ„ / thaÌ„ intelleccyoÌ„ receyueth dethenesse / whiche is the enemy of lyght / the myÌ„de receyueth hate kepeth it / thyÌ„kynge vpon that iniuryes wroÌ„ges / whiche gate is the enemy of loue of charite of neyghbourheed ¶ It receyueth also kepeth delectacyoÌ„s of that worlde in dyuers maners / after dyuersyte of synnes / whiche be contrary to vertu ¶ After tyme that these gates be thus opened / the smal dores of the bodyly wyrtes be opened / whiche be instrumeÌ„tes answerynge to the soule / for thou knowes well the that mysruled affeccyoÌ„ of maÌ„ that hathe his gates open / answereth with these instrumeÌ„tes / whose workes be desyled / the eye of suche an vnordynate affeccyoÌ„ bryÌ„geth none other thyÌ„ge thaÌ„ dethe / for it seeth nothyÌ„ge els but deed thyÌ„ges vnordynately / where he sholde not ¶ Suche vanyte of herte lyghtenes with other vnhonestes / is cause of ghostly dethe / bothe to hyÌ„ to other ¶ O wretched man the eye whiche I I haue gyueÌ„ the for to beholde heueÌ„ other fayrenes of creatures for me so to se behold my mynysters / thou be holdes rather fylthe in wretchednes of lyuyÌ„ge / so wynnes dethe / in the same wyse the ere delyteth in dyshonest thynges / other to here the dedes of thy neyghbours by false domes / where I wolde thou herde me / the necessite of thy neyghbour