coÌ„fort To this I may answere as I sayd before yf thou grutche thou hast no stable wyll yf thy wyll be stable thou shalt not drede in this case se why Thou shalt vnderstande that the flesshe is euer coÌ„traryous to the spyryte the spyryte ê¯trarye to the flesshe herof thou hast ensample where sayÌ„t poule sayd of hyÌ„self in this wyse the goodnes whiche I wolde do I do not as yf he had sayd thus some good dedes I wyll desyre in my soule but I may not fulfyl them for feblenes of my flesshe all be it somtyme I ê‘forme them in dede it is wtout ony gladnes but what for this trowest thou that thapostle sholde therfore lese his mede for he wolde myght not or els he dyde good soÌ„tyme wtout gladnes Nay but moche the more his mede was encreaced for two causes Fyrst for the trauaylous werkynge of his body that he suffred whan the flesshe stryued soo sore ayenst the goodnes of the spyryte The seconde cause is for the heuynes trauayle whiche the spyryte suffred whan he had no ghoostly coÌ„forte In the same maner what euer grutchynge thou hast of thy flesshe ayenst good dedes or what heuynesse thou suffrest for defaute of ghoostly conforte be not therfore abasshed so thy wyll be stable but suffre abyde lowely the grace of god for thy more mede Be than stable in wyll the deuyll ne thy flesshe shall neuer haue maystrye of the for all the deuyls in hell may not make the to synne but thou put therto thy wyll Ne all the aungels of heuen may not make the to do good dedes but thou put to thy wyll ¶ Take hede than that thy wyll be well dysposed to god that it be set stably resonably than thou hast a spedefull begyÌ„nynge to come to the loue of god but for as moche as maÌ„nes wyll is ordeyned fyrst dysposed with the grace of god that he shall wyll good to haue that grace in wyll in all other dede Prayer me thynketh is nedefull therfore somwhat I wyl wryte of prayer as god wyll gyue me grace U ¶ What parfyte is in prayer and in what maner thou shalt praye PRayer in ensample of good lyuynge is moost spedefull to gete grace to drawe men to loue god A deuoute prayer often vsed purchaseth grace of almyghty god putteth awaye the fals suggesty +ons of the fende stablysshed a man in all goodnesse Therfore god sayth to his dyscyples thus Waketh prayeth that ye fall not in temptacyons Ryght as it is nedefull for a knyght that shall go in to batayll haue with hym armoure wepen ryght so it is nedeful spedefull to euery crysten man to haue with hym coÌ„tynuell prayer for what of our owne freelte what by malyce enuye that the fende hath to vs we be euer in this worlde in ghoostly batayll more or lesse by the suffrauÌ„ce of our lorde god ¶ Therfore sayth sayÌ„t Gregory the more we be trauayled with thoughtes or flesshely desyres the more nede we haue to stande besely in prayers So thus thou mayst se that prayer is spedefull nedefull ¶ Also prayer as I rede is a souerayne helpe to thy soule-confort solace to thy good aungell torment payne to the deuyl acceptable seruyce to god parfyte Ioye sad hope ghoostly helthe without corrupcyon ¶ Prayer is also a nedefull messager from euery mannes soule to almyghty god in heuen namely from that mannes soule whiche is moche troubled hath no reste Some ê¯scyences there be whiche be good that is to saye be well ruled be in reste to suche prayer is also a nedefull messager to holde the soule in ghoostly confort to encreace it stable it in goodnes But there be many other men wymen of dyuerse conscyence Some there be that haue a bad conscyence whiche be in rest not troubled that ben they that ben sette fully to euyll not to good Some haue a bad conscyence somwhat be troubled in theyr coÌ„scyence tho be suche that be somwhat euyll or begynne to be euyll Some haue good conscyeÌ„ce also ben greued in theyr conscyence be suche as lyue euyll begynne to be good Whyle the conscyence is thus troubled the soule hath no reste therfore to pursyewe for helpe grace prayer that nedefull messager must do well his offyce that is to saye besely without ony taryenge strongely without ony feynynge rather come to the presence of almyghty god hyÌ„ nedeth to haue two specyall frendes that is to say stedfast fayth and trusty hope with these two frendes prayer taketh his waye renneth fast to the yates of heuen entreth with out ony lettynge for he goth to the presence of that good lorde truly to do his message with full fayth sad hope full pyteously he sheweth his nedes the perylles of his soule Than anone the good lorde so ful of pyte mercy sendeth his blessyd loue in to that soule thorugh the pursute of that good prayer Whan this loue entreth in to that soule anone he maketh all glad that was full elenge sory he maketh in peas reste that was sore troubled Hope cometh agayn that was out and ghoostly strength that was awaye is fully restored whan the enemyes of the soule that is to saye the fendes se this helpe confort to the soule with sorowfull chere they torne awaye thus they begynne to crye Alas alas sorowe wo is come to vs flewe fast awaye for god fyghteth for this soule Thus mannes soule is delyuered fro the fende by prayer so it may sothly be sayd that prayer is a spedefull a nedefull messager fro maÌ„nes soule to almyghty god in heuen ¶ Thus thou hast herde what is prayer se now ferthermore how thou shalt praye ¶ As often as thou prayest or what euer thou prayest put all thy wyll in goddes wyll in the ende of thy prayer desyrynge euermore in euery askynge his wyll to be fulfylled and no thynge thy wyll For thou mayst praye aske some thynge that he wyl not here ne grauÌ„te as yf thou praye for soules that be dampned thy prayer is not accepted Also it may so be that thou desyrest not that is moost helpynge to thy soule ne to other perauenture for whom thou prayest Also many men prayed somtyme for no good entent and for that they be not herde Therfore to be alwaye syker whaÌ„ euer thou prayest put thy desyre and thy entent in askynge in goddes wyl for he knoweth all thynges and whateuer thou prayest he wyll not graunte it the but that is moost proufytable for the. To this accordeth an holy clerke and sayth Oftentyme god graunteth not many men at theyr wyll for he wyll graunte them other grace thaÌ„ they aske to more helth of theyr soules So that it is nedeful that we put all our askyÌ„ge in to his
frendes and I trowe amonge all these thou shalt haue cōpunccōn plente of teres Whan there cometh suche deuocyon than is tyme that thou speke for thyn owne nede for all other quycke or deed that trusten to thy prayer Caste downe thy body to the groūde lyfte vp thy herte on hye with dreedfull there than make thy mone yf thou wylt thou mayst thynke thus saye A lord god almyghty blessyd mote thou be thou madest me thou boughtest me thy suffraūce is full grete in me thou woldest not take me in to dampnacyon that often I haue deserued but thou hast kepte saued me tyll I wolde forsake synne and torne hole to the. Now lorde with sorowfull herte I knowleche to thy godhede that falsely I haue spended and without proufyte all my wyttes and vertues whiche thou hast gyuē me in helpynge of my soule all the tyme of my lyfe in dyuerse vanytees all the lȳmes of my body in synne superfluytees the grace of my crystendom in pryde other wretchydnesse And sothly good lorde I haue loued other thynges moche more than the not withstandynge my grete vnkyndenes euer thou hast nourysshed me and tenderly kepte me Of thy grete suffraūce I had full lytell knowynge of thy grete ryght wysnes I had but lytell drede I toke no hede to thanke that for thy grete goodnes but al my lyfe frō daye to daye grete mater of wrath I haue shewed to the thrugh mȳ owne wyckednes herfore lorde I wote not what I shall saye to the but onely this worde in whiche I trust God of thy grete mercy haue mercy on me I wote well lorde all that I haue cometh onely of the I wote well without the no thynge may be but my synne wretchydnes cometh all of me wherfore lorde with meke herte I beseche thy grace do not to me as I haue deserued but after thy grete mercy and sende me grace of thyn holy ghoost to lyghten myn herte to cōforte my spyryte to stable me in the ryght waye to performe thy cōmaundementes that I may haue perseueraūce in that I haue begonne that I be nomore departed frō the by my vnstablenes or by temptacyons of myn enemye It is lorde yet ful worthy that I be chastysed for my wycked lyuȳge with what rodde thy wyll is welcome be thy sendynge Pacyētly good lorde sende me grace gladly to suffre thy chastysynge cōfort me amōge for thy grete grace whan thy wyll is withdrawe thy rodde take me to thy mercy Full bytter be these temptacyons full greuous to suffre though they be dredefull I wote well here after they shall be medefull to my soule but good lorde thou knowest well myn herte is ryght feble moche is mȳ vnstablenes my connynge is but lytell therfore good lorde strength me stable me teche me as thou madest me bought me so kepe defende me body soule I take to the no thynge after my wyll but as thou wylt lorde so mote it be And now good Ihesu goddes sone knower of all thȳge helpe me in wycked thoughtes that I dysplease the not in lyuynge ne in assentynge full often I haue dyspleased the in dyuerse thoughtes all ayenst thy wyll moche to my lykynge therfore it is thy ryghtwysnes that I be trauayled with other thoughtes at thyn ordynaūce greuous to me but curteys Ihesu whan thy wyl is put them awaye take me in to thy grace Iesu cryst goddes sone whiche stode styll before the Iuge no thȳge to hȳ answerynge withdrawe my tongue tyll I thynke what how I shall speke that may be to thy worshyp Ihesu goddes sone whose hondes were boūde full sore for my loue gouerne wysshe mȳ hondes al myn other lȳmes that all my werkes may begynne gracyously ende to thy moost pleasure Also lorde thou seest well that many ther be that trust to my prayer for grace that ye shewe to me more thā I am worthy ye wote well lorde I am not suche as they wene but though me prayer be vnworthy take hede to theyr lownes to theyr deuocōn what they desyre to your worshyp graūte it them for your goodnes Graūte them me to all other for whom we be bounde to praye grace to loue all that is to your lykynge and you to loue to your moost pleasynge no thynge to desyre that sholde dysplease you All maner temptacyons myghtely to withstande all other vanytees for your loue to despyse you good lorde euer to haue in mynde and in your seruyce for to abyde to our lyues ende And yf ye graūte vs ony thynge to doo that shall be to vs medefull graunte prate to the soules whiche be departed from the body in the paynes of purgatorye abydynge your mercy Amen ¶ In suche maner thou mayst praye in the begȳnynge whan thou art well entred in to deuocyon thou shalt perauenture haue better felynge in prayers and in holy medytacyons otherwyse than I can saye or shewe Good broder or syster praye thā for me whiche by the techynge of almyghty god haue wryten to the these fewe wordes in helpynge of thy soule A Good curteys aungell ordeyned to my gouernale I knowe well my feblenes my vnconnynge also well I wote that strength haue I none to do goddes seruyce but onely of his gyfte of your besy kepynge The connynge that I haue cometh no thȳge of me but what god wyll sende me by your good entysynge Now good gracyous aūgel I aske you lowely mercy for lytell hede I haue taken of your good besynes but now I thāke you as I can with full herte besechynge you that ye kepe me truely this daye euermore slepynge wakynge with syker defendynge your holy techȳge Defende me kepe me from bodely harmes defende me kepe me from ghoostly peryles to goddes worshyp sauȳge of my soule Teche me wysshe me my wyttes for to dyspende moost to goddes worshyp pleasynge Fede me with deuocyon sauour of ghoostly swetnes conforte me whā nede is ayenst my ghoostly enemyes suffre me not to lese y◠grace that is graūted me but of your worthy offyce kepe me in goddes seruyce to my lyues ende And after the passynge of the body presente my soule vnto the mercyfull god For though I fall aldaye by mȳ owne freelte you I take in wytnes that euer I hope in mercy Gladly wolde I worshyp the I myght to your lykynge therfore god to worshyp for you you also in hym after his holy techynge I thanke hym with this holy prayer ¶ Pater noster Et ne nos Sed libera nos a malo Amen Deo gratias ¶ Enprynted at London in Fletestrete in the sygne of the sonne By Wynkyn de Worde Anno dn̄i MCCCCC vi
to wynne his frendes soule This loue is the gretest loue in this worlde many there be I trowe thrugh the gyfte of god that haue this parfyte loue but yf it thynke the harde to come to suche an hyghe loue be therfore not agast For other parfyte loue there is wherin thou mayst loue parfytly thy god as I fynde by the techynge of an holy clerke where he couÌ„seylleth in this wyse ¶ Yelde we vs to god of whome we be made and suffre we not theym to haue the maystrye ouer vs whiche ben not of so grete value as we be but rather haue we the maystrye ouer theym As thus lete reason haue the maystrye ouer vyces lete the body be subgect to the soule and lete the soule be subgect to god than is all the parfeccyon of man fulfylled Thus we sholde lyue by reason as the same clerke sheweth by ensample For as we put lyuely thyÌ„ges before them the be not lyuely Also as we put wytty thyÌ„ges before them that haue no wyttene reason Also ryght as we putte tho that ben not dedely before theym that ben deedly ryght so yf we wyl lyue parfytly we must putte proufytable thynges before theym that ben lusty and lykynge Also put them that ben honest before theym that ben proufytable Also putte theym that ben holy before them that ben honest And put all thynges that ben parfyte before them that ben holy Take hede thaÌ„ of this for yf thou wylt lyue after this techynge thaÌ„ thou mayst lyue parfytely yf thou lyue parfytely thou shat loue parfytely lyue than thus thou shalt come to parfyte loue But for as moche as it is full harde to come so sodaynly to suche a parfyte loue therfore take hede to tho thre degrees of loue whiche ben reherced before begynne to lyue sadly in the fyrste than from the fyrst clymbe vp to the seconde fro the seconde to the thyrde yf thou be sadly stabled vpon the thyrde thou shalt lyghtely come to the fourth where is all perfeccyon yf thou haue perfeccyon thou shalt lyue perfytely Begyn thaÌ„ at the fyrst degree of loue so encrease in loue vertues yf thou wylt come to this degree of parfyte loue ¶ I rede that some men begyÌ„ne to be vertuous som encreace in vertues and some be parfyte in vertues Ryght so it fareth by the loue of god as soone as thou art in wyll begyÌ„nest to loue god that loue is not yet parfyte but thou must stande fast nourysshe that wyll yf it be well nourysshed it wyll wexe stronge yf it hath full strength than it is parfyte ¶ To this purpose I rede also that no maÌ„ may be sodaynly in so hyghe a degree but euery man that lyueth in good coÌ„uersacion whiche may not be without loue they must begyÌ„ne at the lowest degree yf they wyll come to an hyghe parfeccyon Thus thaÌ„ good brother or syster whether thou be withstaÌ„de all vyces and gadre to the vertues for the loue of god and encreace in them tyll they ben parfytely stabled in the. And amonge all vertues loke that thou haue a feruent wyll to be besye deuout in prayers stande strongely ayenst temptacyons be pacyent in trybulacyons stable in perseuerauÌ„t that thou lyue parfytely so come to parfyte loue Take none hede of them that set lytell by parfeccyon as of them that saye that they kepe not to be parfyte it suffyseth to them to be lest in heuen or come within the yates of heuen these be many mennes wordes they be peryllous wordes For I warne the forsothe what man hath not parfyte loue here he shall be purged with paynes of purgatorye or ellys with dedes of mercy performed for hym in this worlde and so be made parfyte or he come to heuen blysse for thyder may noman come but he be ê‘fyte Beware therfore of suche lyght foly wordes trust more to thyn owne good dedes whyle thou art in this worlde than to thy frendes whan thou art deed thynke also this lyfe is but short the payne of purgatory passe all the paynes of the world the paynes of hell is euerlastynge the Ioye blysse of sayntes is euermore durynge Thynke also ryght as god is full of mercy pyte ryght so he is ryghtfull in his domes Yf thou wylt thynke on these wordes ofte I trust to the mercy of god thou shalt waxe stronge in vertues withstande so vyces yâ— within a short tyme thou shalt come to a parfyte loue whaÌ„ god hath so vysyted the that thou can loue hyÌ„ parfytely than shal all thy wyll all thy desyre be for to come to the loue whiche is moost parfyte that is to saye euermore to se almyghty god in his gloryous godhede euermore with hym to dwelle But for as moche as we may not come to our desyre but we begynne somwhat to loue hym here in this lyfe Therfore almyghty god mercyfull thorugh the besechynge of his blessyd moder Marye grauÌ„te vs grace so to loue hym here that we may come to the Ioyfull euerlastynge lyfe where is moost parfyte loue blysse without ende AmeÌ„ ¶ Here is reherced shortly how by encreace of vertues thou mayst come to parfeccyon what vertues thou shalt loue IN this fourth degree of loue whiche is called a parfyte loue thou art taught and couÌ„seylled to begynne at a lowe degree yf thou desyre to haue an hygh degree as thus Yf thou wylt haue this fourth degree of loue thou must begynne at the fyrst so encreace in vertues tyll thou come to parfeccyon But amonge all vertues al other poyntes whiche ben reherced before fyue poyntes there be as me thynketh spedefull nedefull euery man to haue kepe that ony good dede shall begynne brynge to good ende The fyrste is that thou haue a feruent wyll The seconde is that thou be besy in deuoute prayers The thyrde is that thou fyght strongely ayenst all temptacyons The fourth is that thou be pacyent in trybulacyons The fyfth is that thou thou be perseuerauÌ„t in good dedes Of these poyntes I spake before in the fourth degree of loue but for as moche as they be not there fully declared my wyll is by the helpe of god to wryte more opeÌ„ly of eche of them one after another fyrst to wryte of good wyll for that must be begynnynge endynge of all good dedes T ¶ How good wyll is and may be in dyuerse maners WYll may be in dyuerse maners is good and euyll besy feruent grete stronge but for as moche as reasoÌ„ whiche god hath gyue onely to maÌ„kynde techeth sheweth in euery maÌ„nes conscyence full knowyÌ„ge of euyll wyll by cause that good wyll may be in dyuerse kyndes therfore I leue at this tyme to speke of euyl wyl purpose me fully thrugh the techyÌ„ge of almyghty god to declare somwhat opeÌ„ly the vertue of good wyll I