fared with a clene soule He wolde fayn fle a way he maye not for y e myÈte of y e hiest holdeth hym styll y e greuyth hym more than al the fyre of helle wonder mekely fallith y e soule to IhuÌ„ thenne wyth hertly louinges that he somiÈtly saueth a simple soule fro al malice of so fel a enmye by his grete mercy ¶ How by the same lyghte of grace y e blessed angels kynde maye be seeÌ„ And how IhuÌ„ is god man aboue all creatures after y â— the soule mage see hym here CaplmÌ„ xlvi ANd then after this by the self lyght may the soule see ghostly y e fayrhede of angels y e worthines of hem in kynde the subtylte of hem in substa unce the coÌ„fermynge of hem in grace y e fulnesse of endles blise the souÌ„dryhede of orders the dystynccoÌ„ns of persones how they lyue all in lyght of sothfastnes endles how they breÌ„ne al in loue of the holy ghost after y e worthynes of orders how they see and loue prayse IhuÌ„ in blessyd rest without ceesynge There is no syght of body ne no figure in ymaginacyon in this maner worching but al ghostly of ghostly creatures Then begynneth y e soule to haue grete aqueyntauÌ„ce of y e blessed spirytes a gret felyshyp They are ful teÌ„der ful besy about suche a soule to helpe it They are maysters to teche it often thrugh her ghostly presence towchyng of her lyght dryuen out fantasyes fro y e soule they Illymyn y e soule gâ—acyously they coÌ„fort y e soule by swete wordes sodenly sowned iÌ„ a clene herte And yf ony dysease falle ghostly they seruen the soule mynystre to it al that it nedeth Thus saynt poul said of heÌ„ Nonne oeÌ„s sunt administratorii spÌ„us missi propter eos q hereditateÌ„ capiuÌ„t salutis wote ye not wel y t holy spyrites are minysters sente of IhuÌ„ for hem y t taken y e herytage of helth Thyse are chosen soules as who saith yes For wyte thou wel y t al this gostly worchyng of wordes of reasons brouÈt to y e mynde suche fair lykenes are made bi the mynistery of angels whaÌ„ y e lyght of grace abuÌ„dantly shineth in a clene â—oule It may not be tolde by â—oÌ„ge y e felynges y e lyght nynges y e graces the coÌ„fortes in specyal y e clene soules perceyue thrugh fauourable felyshyp of blessed angels The soule is wel at ease with hem to beholde how they done y t it wolde tende to no thyng elles But thenÌ„e wyth y e helpe of y e angel yet the soule seeth more for knowynge ryseth aboue al this in a clene sowle And y t is to beholde y e blessed kynde of IhuÌ„ Fyrst of his gracyous maÌ„hede how it is hyghed worthily aboue al angels kynde then after of his blessyd godhede For by knowyng of creatures is knowen the creatur then begynneth y e soule to preceyue a lytyl of the preuytees of the blessed trynyte â–ª It maye wel ynough for lyght of grace goth before therfore she shal not erre aslonge as she holdeth her with the lyghte Thenne is it opened sothfastly to y e eye of the soule the onÌ„ly hede in substaunce dystynccoÌ„n of persones in the blessyd trynite as it maye be seen here and moche other sothfastnes of y e blessid trinyte pertynent to this matere the whiche is openly declared shewed by writynge of holy doctours of holy chyrche And wyte thou well y e the same the self sothfastnes of y e blyssyd trinyte y t thise holy doctours Inspyred thrugh grace wryten in her bokes in streÌ„gthing of our trouth a clene soule maye see in knowyng thrugh y e self lyght of grace I wol not expresse tomoche of this mater here specyally for it nedeth not wond grete loue felith y e soule with heueÌ„ly delyte in felyng of this sothfastnes whaÌ„ it is made thrugh specyal grace for loue lyght goth bothe togyder iÌ„ a clene soule There is no loue y t riseth of knowyng and of specyal beholgyng y t maye towche soner oure lorde as this loue maye For why this knowyng is worchiest hyeste in itself onÌ„ly of IhuÌ„ god man yf it be specyally shewed by y e lyght of grace and therfore is y e fyre of loue flaming of this more brenÌ„yng than it is of knowyng of ony creature bodily or ghostly al thise gracyoê° knowynges felyd in a soule of y e vnyuersyte of al creatures in manere before sayd of our lorde IhuÌ„ maker keper of all this fayr vnyuersyte I calle heÌ„ fayr wordes swete spekynges of our lorde IhuÌ„ to a soule y t whiche he wol make his true spouse He shewith preuytees profereth ryche yeftes of his tresour arayeth the soule with heÌ„ ful honestly She nede not be ashamed with y e coÌ„pany of her felâ—wes to apere afterwarde to the face of IhuÌ„ her sponse Al this louely daliaunce of preuy speche bytwyxe Ihesu and a soule maye be called an hidde worde of y t whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Porto ad medcinÌ„i est verbum scondiâ—um et veâ—as susurru percepit auris mea Sothly to me is sayde an hydde worde and the veynes of hys rownynges myn eere hathe perceyued The inspyracyon of Ihesu is an hydde worde For it is preuyly hydde frome all louers of the worlde and shewed to his louers thrugh whiche a clene soule perceyueth redily y e veynes of his rownyng that are specyally shewenges of his sothfastnes for eueryche gracyous knowynge of sothfastnes felt with Inly saudur ghostly delyte is a preuy rownyng of Ihesu in y e ere of a clene soule Hym behoueth to haue moche cleÌ„nes mekenes al other vertues to be halfe deyf to noys of worldly Ianglyng that shold wysely perceyue thise swete ghostly rownynges y t is y e voys of IhuÌ„ Of y t whiche dauyd sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i preparantis ceruos et reuelabit coÌ„ deÌ„sa The voys of our lord ihuÌ„ arayeng hertes he shal shew thycke That is the Inpyracyon of IhuÌ„ makyth soules lyÈt as hertes y t sterten fro therâ—he ouer busshes breres of al worldly vanyte he sheweth to heÌ„ y e thicke y t are his prenites y t may not be perceyued but by sharpe eye Thise beholdinges sothfastly grouÌ„ded in grace iÌ„ meknes maketh a soule wyse breÌ„nyng iÌ„ desyre to y e face of IhuÌ„ Thise are y e ghostly thinges y t I spake of before they beÌ„ called new gracyoê° feliÌ„ges I do but touch heÌ„ a lytyll for wyssinge of y e soule For a soâ—le y t is clene stired by grace to vse of thê werkiÌ„g may se morÌ„ iÌ„ an hour of suche ghostly matere than myghte be wryten in a grete boke ¶ Thys finsshyith this present boke whiche expowneth many notable doctrynes in coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n whiche as me semyth
bothe he sholde well tel whyche were good whyche were euyll But he that neuer felyd neyther or els but y â— one maye lyghtly be deceyued They are lyke in y e maner of felynge outward but they are ful dyuers within And therfore they are not for to desyre greatly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght by the spyryte of dyscrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyl y t he were not begyled as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“ba re siex deo sit Saynt IohnÌ„ beddeth vs that we sholde not trust to euery spyryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or no wherfore by one allay I shal tel the as me thynketh how thou shalt knowe the good fro euyl ¶ How thou shalt know whaÌ„ the shewynge to the bodely wyttis felynge of hem beÌ„ good or euyl Ca xi IF it so be y t thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes with the bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery woÌ„derful sownynge with bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other thaÌ„ of kynde or ony hete iÌ„ thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delyte in ony part of thy body or yf a spyryte bodely aperyth vnto y e as it were an aungel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y e or ony suche felynge whiche thou knowest wel y e it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creatnre beware in y e tyme or sone after wysely beholde y e styrynge of thy hert If thou be styrred by cause of y e lykynge y t thou felyst to draw out thy hert fro y e mynde beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacyon As fro prayer thynkynge on thy selfe thy defawtes fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set y e syght of thi hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte and thy rest pryncypally therin wenyng y t it shold be a part of heueÌ„ly ioy of auÌ„gels blys for thy y â— thiÌ„kith y t thou sholdest nother pray ne thinke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte therin This felynge is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so lykynge wonderful refuse it assent not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whan he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ he is woÌ„derly wroth For he hateth no thynge more then for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowynge the loue of god y e whiche he without body of synne lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open syÌ„nes he wolde hynder hym begile hym hy suche vanyte of bodely â—auours or swetnes in y e wyttes for to bryÌ„ge a soule in to ghostly pryde in to a fals sykernes of hymself wenynge y t he had therby a felynge of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth about hym whan he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcyon he myght falle in errours or heresyes or faresyes or iÌ„ other bodely or ghostly myschenes Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felynge lette not thy hert fro grostly ocupacyon but it makyth the more deuout more feruent for to pray it makyth the more wyse for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in y e begynÌ„ynge neuertheles afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desyre of vertues and encrenseth thy loue more to god to thyn euen crysten Also it makyth y e more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokens may thou knowe that it is of god made by the presence the touchynge of a good auÌ„gel that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her trust her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more perfytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they ben perfyte that felen suche delyte it semith then that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of the gloryfyenge of the body whiche it shall haue in y e blysse of heuen I wote not whether there be ony suche man lyuynge in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semyth to my syght iÌ„ y e tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in the caue .xxx. wynter euery day was borne vp with auÌ„gels was fed both body soule by the presence of hem thus we rede in y â— story of her Of this maner assayenge of werkynge of spyrytes speketh saynt IohnÌ„ in his pistle thus techeth thus O iÌ„sspÌ„s qui sol uit thmÌ„ hic non eÌ„ ex deo Euery speryte y â— losyth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god thise wordes may be vnderstonde in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vnderstonde hem to this purpose that I haue sayd ¶ What knytteth Ihesu to mannes soule what loseth hym therfro Caplm xii THe knyttynge y e fastynge of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by good wyl grete desyre to hym onÌ„ly for to haue hym see hym iÌ„ his blysse ghostly The more y e this desyre is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is the loslyer is he knytte TheÌ„ what spyryte or what felynge y t it be y t whiche lesseth this desyre wolde drawe it downe fro the stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styenge vp to IhuÌ„ this spyryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkynge of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spyryte or a felynge or a reuelacioÌ„ make this desyre more knytte y e knottes of loue deuocyoÌ„ to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowynge more clerly maketh it more meke in it self this spyryte is of god Here may thou see soÌ„what y t thou shalt not suffre thy here wylfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felynge of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were good but thou shalt holde hem iÌ„ thy syght nouÈt or lytyl in rewarde of ghostly desyre on stedfast thynkynge on IhuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy herte ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges sholde a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupyed Calm xiii BUt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And y â— is y â— thou myght knowe the wysdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hyÌ„ in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placyoÌ„ that other is none thus sayth saynt poul In carâ—â—ate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„preheÌ„dere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sic longitudo laâ—itudo suolimitas
sauerest without forth in thy bodyly wyttes or within in ymagynacyon knowynge or felyng in thy reason brynge it al within y e trouth the rules of holy chyrche cast all in the morter of mekenes breke it smalle with a pestel of drede of god torugh the powder of all this in the fyre of desyre and offre it so to god and I telle y e forsoth wel shal that offringe lyke in the syght of thy lorde IhuÌ„ and swete shal the smoke of that fyre smelle to the face of thy lorde Ihesu This is for to say Drawe al this that thou felyst within the trouthe of holy chyrche and breke thyself in mekenes And offre the desyre of thyn hert oonly to thy lorde IhuÌ„ for to haue hym and nought elles but hym And if thou do thus I hope by the grace of cryst thou shalt neuer be ouercome by thyn enmye This taught vs saynt poul whan he sayd thus \ Siue maÌ„ducatis siue bibitis siue quicquid aliut facitis oiÌ„a in nomine dnÌ„i facite Whether ye ete or drynke or what maner of dede that ye doo al doo ye in the name of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst for sakynge yourself and offre it vp to hym Meanes whiche thou shalt most vse as I haue before sayd arne prayer medytacyon Fyrst I shal shew the alytyl of prayer and after of medytacyon ¶ Of prayer that is spedeful to gete clennes of herte vertues CaplmÌ„ xxiiii PRayer is profyte spedfull to vse for to gete cleÌ„nes of herte by destroyenge of synne receyuynge of vertues not that thou sholdest by thy prayer make our lorde know what thou desyrest For he knoweth well ynough what the nedeth but for to make the able redy by thy prayer that thou myght receyue as a clene vessel the grace y t our lorde wyl freely yeue to the Whiche grace may not be felte tyl thou be assayd puryfyed by y e fyre of desyre in deuoute prayer For though it be soo that prayer is not the cause for whiche our lorde yeueth grace neuertheles it is a way by the whiche grace frely yeuen comyth to a soule ¶ How men sholde pray and wheron the poynt of her thought shal be set in prayer CaplmÌ„ xxv BUt now desyrest thou peraueÌ„ture for to knowe how thou sholdest pray And vpon what thynge thou sholde set the poynt of thy thought in thy prayer And also what prayer were best for y e for to vse As to the fyrst I answere and saye thus That whan thou art wakenyd of thy slepe redy for to pray thou shalte fele thyself flesshly and heuy euer douÌ„warde to vayne thoughtis other of dremes or faÌ„tasyes or of vnskylful besynes of the worlde or of thy flesshe Then behoueth the for to quycken thyn hert by prayer styre it as moche as thou may to some deuocyon And in thy prayer that thou set not thyn hert in ony bodely thynge but al thy traueyle shall be for to drawe in thought fro beholdynge of al bodely thynge that thy desyre myght be as it were nakyd and bare fro al erthly thynges euer vpwarde styenge vnto Ihesu cryst Whom thou may neuer see bydely as he is in his godhede ne by bodely lyknes in ymaginacyon But thou may chrugh deuoute contynuel beholdynge of the mekenes of his precyous manhede fele the goodnes of the grace of his godhede Whan thy desyre is eased holpen and as it were made free fro al flesshly thoughtis affeccoÌ„ns is moche lyft vp by ghostly myght in to ghostly sauour delyte iÌ„ hyÌ„ of his ghostly preseÌ„ce holde therin moche of y e tyme of thy prayer so y t thou hast no grete mynde of erthly thynge or elles y e mynde greueth y e but lityl yf thou caÌ„ pray thê° thaÌ„ caÌ„st thou pray wel For prayer is nought elles but a styenge desyre of the hert in to god by withdrawynge of the hert fro al erthly thoughtes And so is prayer lykned to a fyre whiche of his owne kynde leueth the lowenes of the erth alway styeth vp into thayer Ryght soo desyre in prayer whan it is to wchyd lyghtned of the ghostly syre whiche is god it is euer vpstyenge to hym that it came fro ¶ Of the fyre of loue Caplm xxvi AL men y â— speken of the fyre of loue knowen not wel what it is for what it is I can not telle the saue this I may telle the that it is neyther bodely ne bodely felyd A soule maye fele it in prayer or in deuocyon Whiche soule is in the body but he felyth it not with no bodely wytte For though it be so that it werke in a soule the body may torne in to an hete as it were chaffed for lykynge trauayle of the spyrite Netheles the fyre of loue is not bodely for it is onely in the ghostly desyre of the soule This is no dowte to noo man or womaÌ„ that felyth deuocyon But some ben symple wene by cause it is called fyre that it sholde be hote as bodely fyre is for thy I say that I haue sayd ¶ That the certeÌ„ prayer in speche ordened of god of holy chyrche is best to heÌ„ y â— beÌ„ new tourned to god to deuocyoÌ„ Ca xxvii NOw as for the other for to knowe what prayer were best for to vse I shal say as me thynke Thou shalt vnderstonde y t there ben iii. maner of prayers The fyrst is prayer of speche made specyally of god as is the pater noster and made also more generally by thordynaunce of holy chyrche as matyns euensonge houres And also made by deuoute men of other specyal sayenges as to our lorde to our lady to his sayntes As to this maner of prayer whiche is callyd vocal me thynketh vnto the that art relygyous by custome rule art bounde for to say mateyns and houres I holde it moost spedeful for to say hem as deuoutly as thou mayst For whan thou sayest thy mateyns thou sayest also thy pater noster pryncypally other more For to styre the to more deuocyon was it ordened for to say also psalmes ympnes suche other whiche beÌ„ made by the holy ghost as the pater noster is And therfore thou shalt not say hem hastely rechelesly as thou were euyl apayd that thou art bounde with hem but thou shalt gader thyn affeccyon thy thought for to say hem sadly more deuoutly than ony othrer specyall prayer of deuocyon trowynge forsothe that syth it is the prayer of holy chyrche ther is no prayer so profytable to the whiche is vocal for to vse comynly as that is And so shall thou put away al heuanes by grace thou shalt turne thy nede in to a good wyll thy bonde in to a grete fredom y t it shal no lettynge be to the of ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ And after this thou may yf thou
syde who so lyuyth in dedely synne wyl not leue it ne ameÌ„de hym therof ne receyue the sacrament of penaunce or elles yf he receyue it he takyth it not sothfastly for the loue of god that is for the loue of vertue clennesse but oonly for drede or shame of the worlde or for drede onÌ„ly of paynes of helle he is not refourmed to the lyknesse of ceyued a fals crysten maÌ„ y t hath ben encoÌ„bred with dedely syn al his lyfe tyme is refourmed iÌ„ his soule withiÌ„ vnperceyuably out takeÌ„ a tournyng of his wyl thorough a pryue myght a gracyous werchyng of y e holy ghost y t sodeÌ„ly werchyth in tyme of a monent or a twynkelynge of an eye ryghtyth a frowarde soule tourneth it fro ghostly fylth to fayrnes vnseable of a seruauÌ„t of y e fende makyth a son of Ioye of y e prysoner of helle makyth a perceyuer of heueÌ„ly herytage not ayeÌ„stoÌ„dyng al y e flesshly felyng of this synful ymage y t is y e bodely kynde For thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de y t y e sacrameÌ„t of baptym or of penauÌ„ce is not of y t vertu for to lete destroy vtterly al y e styrynges of flesshly lustes paynful passyons y t a maÌ„nes soule neuer fele no maner rysyng ne styrynges of heÌ„ no tyme For yf it were so then were a soule fully refourmed here to y e worshyp of y e fyrst makyng But y t may not be fully iÌ„ this lyf But it is of y e vertu y t it cleÌ„seth soule fro al the synÌ„es before done And yf it be departed fro y e body sauyth it fro daÌ„pnacyon And yf it dwelle in y e body it yeuyth y e soule grace to ayenstoÌ„de y e styrynges of syn it kepyth it in grace also y t no maner of lusty styrynges or of passyons y t it felyth in y e flesshe be it neuer so greuous shal dere it ne departe it fro god asloÌ„ge as it wylfully senteth not therto Thus saynt poul meaned whaÌ„ he sayd thê° Nichil daÌ„pnacoÌ„nis in htis qÌ„ noÌ„ scdm carneÌ„ ambulant That is Thyse soules y t arn refourmed to y e ymage of god in feyth thorugh the sacrament of baptym or of penauÌ„ce shal not be dampned for felynges of this ymage of synÌ„e yf it so be y t they go not after y e styryuges of y e flesshe by dede doyng ¶ That we sholde beleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage yf our coÌ„science wytnes to vs a ful forsakyng of synne a true tornyng of our wyl to good lyuyng Ca. ix OF this refourmynge in fayth spekyth saynt poul thus Iustus ex fide viuit The ryghtwysman lyueth in fayth That is He that is made ryghtful by baptym or by penaunce he lyueth in fayth whiche suffyseth vnto saluacyoÌ„ to heuenly pees as saynt poul sayth Iustificati ex fide paceÌ„ habemus ad deuÌ„ That is we y t arn ryghted refourmed thorugh faythe in cryst hathe pees accorde made betwyx god vs. nought ayenstondyng y t vycyous felynges of our body of syn For though this refourmyng be pryue maye not wel be felte here in this lyf neuertheles who so trowyth it stedfastly shapyth his werkes bysely for to accorde to his trouth y t he tourne not ayen to dedely synÌ„e Soothly whan y â— houre of deth comyth the soule is departed fro this bodyly lyf then shal he fynde it sooth y t I saye now Thus sayd saynt IohnÌ„ in coÌ„forte of chosen soules y t lyuen here iÌ„ fayth vnder y e felyng of this paynful ymage Karissimi nunc sumus filii dei sed non duÌ„ aparuit quod erimus Scimus auteÌ„ qmÌ„ cuÌ„ cristus apparuit tunt apparebimus cum eo similes et in gloria That is My dere frendes we arn now whyle we lyue here y e soÌ„nes of god for we arn refourmed by faythe in cryst to his lyckenes But it shewyth not yet what we arn but it is al pryue Neuertheles we knowe wel y t whaÌ„ our lorde shal shewe hym at the laste daye then shal we appere with hym lyke vnto hym in endles Ioye If thou wolte wyte thenÌ„e yf thy soule be refourmed to the ymage of god or no by y t I haue sayd thou maye haue entree Ransake thy conscyence loke what thy wyl is For there in stondeth al If it be tourned fro al maner of dedely synne that thou woldest for no thynge wyttyngly and wylfully breke y â— to And therfore hym nedeth euer be striuyng fightynge ayenst wycked styrynges of this ymage of synne y t he make none accorde therwith ne take noo frendshyp to it for to be buxum to his vnskylful biddynges For if he do he begyleth hymselfe But soothly yf he stryueth with hem hym nedeth not moche drede of assentynge For stryfe brekyth pees fals accorde It is good that a man haue pees with al thynge sauf with y e fende with this ymage of synne for ayenste hem hym nedeth euer fyght in his thoughte in his dede tyl he haue geten on hem the maystry y t shall neuer be fully in this lyfe as longe as he hereth felyth this ymage I saye not but y â— a soule maye thornghe grace haue the hyer honde ouer this ymage so ferforthe y t he shall not folowe ne sente to the vnskylful styrynges of it But for to be so clene delyuerde fro this ymage that he sholde fele no suggestyon ne Ianglyng of flesshly affeccyon ne of vayne thought no tyme maye no man haue in this lyfe I hope y t a soule that is refourmed in felynge by rauysshynge of loue in contemplacyon of god may be so ferre fro the sensualyte and fro vayne ymagynacyon and so ferre drawen out and departe fro the flesshly felynge for a tyme that it shall not fele but god but that lasteth not euer And therfore saye I that euery man behouyth stryffe ayenst this ymage of synne and namely he that is refourmed in fayth oonly that soo lyghtly maye be dysceyued therwith In y e person of whiche meÌ„ sayth saynt poul Caro concupiscit aduersê° spirituÌ„ spuÌ„s aduersê° carneÌ„ That is A soule refourmed to y e lyknes of god fyghtyth ayeÌ„st y t flesshly styrynges of this ymage of synne also this ymage of synne stryueth ayenst the wyll of the spyryte This manere of fyghtyng of this dowble ymage saynt poule knewe whaÌ„ he sayd thus Inueni legem in membris meis repugnanteÌ„ legi meÌ„tis mee capitiuum meducenteÌ„ in legem peccati That is I haue founde two lawes in myself One lawe in my soule within and another in my flesshly lymÌ„es without fyghtyng with it y t ofte ledeth me as a wretchyd prysoner to y e lawe of syn By thyse two lawes in a soule I vnderstonde this double ymage By the lawe of the spyryte I vnderstonde y â— reason of the
and ofte assentynge to synne before y e hem thynke it impossyble for to ayenstonde it soo feyned herdnes of perfourmynge weekyth her wyl smytyth it downe ayeÌ„ Some also felen styryng of grace as whan they haue bytyng of conscyeÌ„ce for her euyl lyuynge that they sholde leue it But that is so paynful to heÌ„ heuy that they wol not suffre it ne abyde it but they fle therfro foryete it yf they may so ferforth that they seke lykynge and comforte outwarde in flysshly creatures so that they sholde not fele this bytynge of conscyence within her soule And more ouer some men are so blynde so bestly that they wene there is none other lyfe but this ne y t there is no soule other than a beest y t y e soule of a man deyeth with y e body as y e soule of a beest therfore they saye Ete we drynke we make we mery here for of this lyfe we ben syker we see none other heuen Sothly suche are some wretches that sayen thus in her hertes though they saye it not with her mouth Of the whiche men the prophete sayth thus Dixit incipieÌ„s in corde suo noÌ„ est deus That is y e vnwyse man sayd in his herte there is noo god This vnwyse man is euery wretchyd man that lyueth loueth synÌ„e and chesyth y e loue of this worlde as rest of his soule he sayth there is no god not with his mouth for he wol speke of hym soÌ„tyme whan he fareth wel flesshly as it were in reuerence whan he sayth blessyd be god Somtyme in dyspyte whan he is angry ayenst god or his euen crysten sweryth by his blessyd body or ony of his meÌ„bres But he sayth iÌ„ his thought y t there is no god that is eyther for he weneth y t god seeth not his synne or that he wyll not punysshe it so harde as holy wrytte sayth or that he wol foryeue hym y e synne though he see it not or elles y â— there shal no crysten man be daÌ„pned do he neuer so euyl Or elles yf he fast our lady fast or saye euery daye a certeyn oryson or here euery day ii masses or iii â–ª or do a certeyn bodely dede as it were in worshyp of god he shall neuer go to helle do he neuer somoche synne though he forsake it not this man sayth in his herte that there is no god But he is vnwyse as y e prophete sayth For he shall fele fynde in payne y t he is a god whom he forgate and set nought by but sette by the we le of the worlde as the prophete sayth Sola vexacio dabit intellectuÌ„ audituâ— That is Oonly payne shal yeue vnderstondynge For he that knowyth not this here ne wol not knowe it shal wel knowe it whan he is in payne ¶ A lytyl couÌ„seyle howe louers of this worlde sholde do yf they wol be refourmed in her soule byfore her partynge hens CaplmÌ„ xvi THyse men though they wote wel that they arne out of grace in dedely synne they haue no care ne sorowe ne thought therfore But they make flesshly myrth worldly solace asmoche as they maye And the ferder they ben fro grace y e more myrth they make perchauÌ„ce some holden hem wel payd y t they haue no grace y t they maye as it were the more fully freely folow y e lykynge of flesshly lustes as though god were a slepe myght not see hem And this is one of the moost defawte y t maye be And thus by her owne frowardnes they stop the lyght of grace fro her owne soule y t it maye not reste therin the whiche grace in asmoche as in it is shyneth to al ghostly creatures redy for to entre in there it is receyued as y e sonne shyneth ouer al creatures bodely there it is not letted thê° sayth saynt IohnÌ„ iÌ„ y e ghospel Lux in tenebris lucet â—enebre eaÌ„ non coÌ„prehenderuÌ„t That is the lyght of grace shyneth in derkenes that is to meÌ„nes hertes that are derke thorugh synne But the derknesse taketh it not That is thyse blynde hertes receyue not y e gracyous lyght ne haue not the profyte of it But ryght as a blynde man is vmbiâ—apped with the lyght of y e sonne whan he stoÌ„deth therin yet seeth it not ne hath no profyte ther of for to go therby ryght soo ghostly a soule blynded with dedely synÌ„e is al vmbylapped with this ghostly lyght and yet he is neuer the better for he is blynded and wol not see ne knowe his blyndenesse And y t is one of the moost lettynge of grace that a wretchyd man wol not be a knowe of his owne blyndnesse for pride of hymself or elles yf he knowe it he chargeth not but makyth myrth game as he were ouer al syker Therfore vnto al thyse men that are thus blynded and bouÌ„de with the loue of this worlde are fowle forshape fro y e fayrhede of man I saye counseyle that they thynke on her soule y t they able hem vnto grace asmoche as they may and that may they do vpon this wyse yf that they wol Whan that they fele hemself out of grace ouerlayed with dedely synne then that they thynke what myscheyf what peryl it is to hem for to be put out of grace departed fro god as they ben For there is no thynge that holdeth hem fro the pytte of helle that they ne sholde ryght soone falle therin but a bare syngyl â—hrede of this bodely lyfe wherby they hange what lyghtlyer may be lost than a syngyl threde maye be broken in two For were the breth stopped in her body that maye lyghtly falle her soule shal passe forth anone be in helle withoute ende And yf they wolde thynke thus they sholde quake shake for drede of the ryghtful domes of god of the herde punysshynge of synne they sholde make sorow morne for her synne and for lackynge of grace and then sholde they crye pray y t they myght haue grace yf they dede thus thenne sholde grace falle in put out deâ—knesse hardnes of herte and weyknes of wyl and yeue hem myght strengthe for to forsake the fals loue of this worlde as moche as is dedely synne For there is no soule soo ferre fro god thorugh wyckydnesse of wyl in dedely synne I out take none that lyueth in this body of synÌ„e that he ne may thorugh grace be ryghted refourmed to clennesse oflyuynge yf he woll bowe his wyl to god with mekenesse for to amende his lyfe hertly axe grace foryeuenes of hym excuse our lorde fully accuse hymself For holy wryt sayth Nolo morteÌ„ pccoÌ„rissed magis vt coÌ„uertat et viuat That is Our lorde sayth I wol not y e dethe of a synner but I wol
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
kernell is hyd wythin the shell of a nutte or as a lytyll bodily thynge is holdon within a nother moche but he is within all creatures as holdynge and kepynge hem in her beynge thrugh subtyltee and myghte of his owne blessed kynde clennes vnseable For right as a thynge that is moost precyous and moost clene is layed nerest Right soo by that lyknes it is sayde that the kynde of god that is moost precyous moost clene moost goodly ferrest fro bodily hede is hydde within al thynges And therfore he that woll seke god wythin he shall forgete fyrste all bodily thynges for all that is w t out and his owne body and he shall forgete thiÌ„kynge of his owne soule and thynke on the vnmade kynde that is Ihesu y t made hym quiknith hym holdith hym and yeueth hym reason mynde and loue the whiche is within hym thrugh his myghte and souereyne subtylte Upon this maner shall the soule doo whan grace towchyth it or elles it woll but lytell auayle to seâ—he Ihesu And to fynde hym wythin it self and wythin al creatures as me thiÌ„kyth Also it is sayd in holy wryte that god is lyghte Soo sayth saynt IohnÌ„ Deus lux iÌ„ That is God is lyghte This lyght shall not be vnderstonde as for bodily lyghte but it is vnderstonde thus God is lyghte That is God is trouth ang sothfastnes for sothfastnes is ghostly lyghte Thenne he that most gracyously knowyth sothfastnes best seeth god aÌ„d neuertheles it is lykened to the bodily lyght for this skill Ryght as the soÌ„ne sheweth to the bodily eye itself and all bodily thynge by it rihht so sothfastnes that is god sheweth to the reason of the soule itselfe fyrste and by itselfe al other gostly thynge that nedeth to y e knowynge of a soule Thus sayth the prophete Domine in lumine tuo videbimê° iumeÌ„ Lorde we shall see thy lyght by thy lyghte That is we shal see the that art sothfastnes by thyselfe On the selfe wyse it is sayd that god is fyre Deus nost ignis consumens est That is Our lorde is fyre wastynge That is for to saye God is not fyre elementare that heteth a body and breÌ„neth it but god is loue and charyte For as fyre wasted all bodily thynge y t may be wasted Ryght soo y e loue of god breÌ„neth wasteth all synne out of the soule And maketh it clene as fyre makyth clene all maner metalle Thyse wordes and alle other that arne spoken of our lorde in holy wrytte by bodely lyckenesse muste nedes be vnderstonde ghostly Elles there is noo sauour in hem Neuertheles the cause why suche manere wordes are sayd of our lorde in holy wrytte is this For we are so flesshly that we can not speke of god ne vnderstonde of hym but yf we by suche wordes fyrst be entred in Neuertheles whan the Inner eye is opened thrugh grace for to haue a lytyll syght of Ihesu Thenne shall the soule torne lyghtly ynough all suche wordes y e whiche of bodily thynges in to ghostly vnderstondynge This ghostly openynge of the Inner eye in to knowynge of the godhede whiche I calle refournynge in fayth and felynge For thenne the soule the whiche somwhat feleth in vnderstondynge of that thynge whiche y t it had before in naked trowynge and that is the begynÌ„yngâ— of contemplacioÌ„ of the whiche saynt poul sayth thus Non conteÌ„plaÌ„tibm nobis qÌ„ videÌ„tur sed qÌ„ non videÌ„tuâ— Quia que videntur temporalia sunt que autem non videntur eterna sunt That is Our contemplacioÌ„ is not in thynges that are seen but it is in thynges vnseable For thynges that are seen are passyng but vnseable thynges are euerlastyng to the whiche syghte euery soule sholde desyre for to come to both here in party and in the blysse of heuen fully For in that syght in that knowyng of IhuÌ„ is fully the blysse of a resonable soule endles lyfe Thus saith our lord Hec est autem vita eterna vt cognoscant te verum deum quem misisti IhesuÌ„ xpÌ„m That is Fader thys is endles lyfe y t thy chosen soules knowe the and thy sone whom thou haste sente one sothfaste god ¶ Of two maner of loue refourmed vnfourmed what it meanith And how we be beholde to loue Ihesu moche for our makynge but more for our ayen byeng but althermooste for our sauyng thrugh y e yeftes of his loue Caplm xxxiiii BUt nowe wondrest thou sythen this knoweng of god is the blysse y e ende of a soule why theÌ„ne haue I sayde here before that a soule sholde not elles coueyte but oonly the loue of god I spake no thynge of this sighte y t a soule sholde coueyte this Unto this maye I saye thus that the syght of Ihesu is full blysse of a soule and that is oonly for the lyght but it is also for the blyssed loue that comith out of that syght Neuertheles for loue comyth out of knowynge not knowynge out of loue therfore it is sayd that in knowynge in syght pryncipally of god with loue is the blysse of a soule and the more he is knowen the better he is loued But for asmoche as to this knowyng or to this â—oue that comith of it may not the soule come without â—oue therfore sayd I that thou sholdest coueyte loue â—or loue is cause why a soule comyth to this knowyng â—nd to this loue that comith of it And on what manÌ„â—hat is I shall telle the more openly Holy wryters sayeÌ„â— soth it is that ther is two maner of gostly loue One â—s called fourmed a nother is called vnfourmed ¶ Loue vnfourmed is god hym self the thirde persoâ—e in trynyte that is the holy gost He is loue vnfourâ—ed vnmade as saiÌ„t Io. sayth Deê° dileccoÌ„ est God â—s loue That is the holy gost Loue fourmed is the affeccioÌ„ of the soule made by the holy ghost of the syghte and of the knowyng of sothfastnes that is god oonly tyred and sette in hym This loue is called fourmed â—or it is made by the holy ghost This loue is not god â—n hymself for it is made but it is the loue of the sowle â—ellte of the syght of Ihesu stired to hym oonly Now â—ay thou see that loue formed is not cause why a souâ—e comyth to y e ghostly syghte of Ihesu And some men wolde thynke that they wolde loue god soo breÌ„nyngly as it were by theyr owne mighte that they were worthy for to haue the ghostly knowynge of hym Naye it is not soo But loue vn vnformed that is god hymself is cause of all this knowynge For a blynde wretched soule is so ferre fro the clere knowynge and the blessed felynge of his loue thorugh synne and freelte of the bodily kynde that it myght neuer come to it ne were it y e endles mochenes of the loue of god But theÌ„ne by cause he loueth vs soo moche therfore he
his herte Ca lxix By what tokens thou shal knowe yf thou louest thyn enmye And what ensample thou shal take of cryst for to loue hym Capitulum lxx How a man shal know how moche couetise is hidde in his hert Capitulum lxxi How a man shal knowe whan he synneth not in etynge dynkynge and whan he synneth venyall whan dedely Capitulum lxxii How the grouÌ„de of lechery sholde be destroyed with ghostly trauayle with bodely Capitulum lxxiii That a man sholde be besye to put away all styrynges of synne but more besye of ghostly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii That huÌ„ger and other bodely paynes letteÌ„ moche ghostly werkynge Capitulum lxxv What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in â—â—ynge or drynkynge Capitulum lxxvi That thorough besye desyre trauayle for mekenes charyte a man cometh sooner to other vertues than by trauayle in hemselfe Capitulum lxxvii Of the derkenes of the ymage of synne and what comyth in by the wyndowes therof CaplmÌ„ lxxviii That the soule for defawte of knowynge of itself gooth out by y e .v. wyttes to seche outwarde lykyng Ca lxxix That a soule sholde not begge without forth but with in of IhuÌ„ that it nedeth Capitulum lxxx That the hole of the ymagynacioÌ„ nedeth to be stopped as wel as the wyndowes of the wyttes Cplm. lxxxi Whan the vse of the wyttes is dedely synne and whan venyal Capitulum lxxxii How a ghostly man or woman shal haue hem that come to hem Capitulum lxxxiii Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothynge therof Capitulum lxxxiiii Whiche ben the lymÌ„es of the ymage of synÌ„e ca. lxxxv Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passynge forth in thymage of synne capitulum lxxxvi How we shold crucyfye this ymage of synÌ„e quycken the ymage of IhuÌ„ capitulum lxxxvii What prosyte comyth of kepynge of the hert and how moche the soule is what it louyth caplmÌ„ lxxxviii How y e ymage of synÌ„e shal be broken downe ca. lxxxix How a man shall haue hym â—o the styrynge of â—ryde of al other vyces capitulum lxxxx What thynge helpyth moost a mannes knowynge geteth to hym that hym lackyth and moost destroyeth synne in hym capitulum lxxxxi How a man shal be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu and Ihesu shapen in hym caplmÌ„ lxxxxii The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in redynge therof that was made to Capitulum lxxxxiii ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the fyrst book And after foloweth the fyrst part of this present volume ¶ That the Inner hauynge of mannes soule sholde be lyke the vtter Capitulum primuÌ„ GHostly suster in Ihesu cryst I pray the y t in y e callynge whiche our lorde hath callyd y t to his seruyce thou holde the payd stondested fastly therin trauaylynge besely wyth al y e myghtes of thy soule by y e grace of IhuÌ„ cryst for to fulfyl in sothfastnes of good lyuynge y e state whyche thou haste take in lyknes in semyng And as thou hast forsake the worlde as it were a dede man turned to our lorde bodely in syght of men Ryght so y t in thyn hert myght be as it were dede to al erthly loues dredes turned holy to our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst For wyte thou wel a bodely tournynge to god without the hert folowynge is but a fygure a lyknes of vertues noo sothfastnes Wherfore a wretched man or woman is he or she that leuyth the Inwardly kepynge of hymself shapeth hyÌ„ wythout forth oonly a forme and liknes of holynes in habyte or clothynge in speche in bodely werkes beholdynge other mennes dedes and demynge her defawces wenynge hymself to be ought whan he is right not and so begyleth hymself Do thou not so but turne thy hert with thy body pryncipally to god shape the with in to his lycknes by mekenes charyte other ghostly vertues and thenÌ„e art thou truly torned to hym I say not that thou soo lyghtly on the fyrst day maye be tournyd in thy soule by fulhede of vertues as thou myghte with thy body be closyd in a hous but that thou sholde knowe that the cause of thy bodely closynge is y t thou myght the beter come to ghostly closynge And as thy body is closyd fro bodely conuersacoÌ„n of men ryght so that thyn hert myght be enclosed fro the flesshly loues dredes of al ecthly thynges And that thou myghte y e beter come therto I shal tel the in this lytyl wrytynge as me thynkyth ¶ Of actyflyf the werkes therof Caplm ii THou shate vnderstoÌ„de that there is in holy chyrche two maner of lyues as saynt gregory fayth in y â— whiche cristen they sholde be sauf That one is called actyf the other conteÌ„plat yf without one of thyse ii noo man may be sauyd Actyflyflyeth in loue charite shewed outwarde by good bodely werkes iÌ„ fulfyllynge of goddes coÌ„maundementes of the .vii. werkes of mercy bodely ghostly to a manÌ„es euyn crysten This lyf longeth to all worldly men whiche haue rychesse pleÌ„ty of worldly goodes for to spende And so to al other the whiche haue state offyce or cure of other men And haue goodes for to spende lerid lewde temporel or spirytuel And generally al wordly men are bounde to fulfylle it after her myght cuÌ„nynge as reson discrecoÌ„n asketh If he moche good haue moche good for to doo If he lytyl haue lesse may he doo And yf he nought haue theÌ„ne must he haue a good wyl Thyse ben werkes of actyflyf other bodely or ghostly Also a grete part of actyflyflyeth in grete bodely dedes the whiche a man doth to hymself as grete fastynge moche wakynge other sharpe penauÌ„ce doynge for to chastyse the flesshe wyth dyscrecoÌ„n for trespace before done And by suche penaunce for to refrayne lustes lykynges of it and to make hym buxuÌ„ redy to the wyl of the spyryte Thyse werkes though they beÌ„ actyf they helpe ryght moche ordeneth a man in the begynnynge to come to coÌ„templatyflyf yf they beÌ„ vsed with dyscrecyon ¶ Of conteÌ„platyflyf the werkes therof Caplm iii. COnteÌ„platyflyflyeth in perfyte loue charyte felyd iÌ„wardly by ghostli vertues by fothfast knowynge syght of god ghostly thynges This lyflongeth to hem specyally the whiche for the loue of god forsaketh al wordly rychesse worshyppes outwarde besynes hooly yeuen hem body soule after her myght cunnynge to the seruyse of god by ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Now thenne syth it is soo that thy state asketh for to be conteÌ„platyf for that is th eÌ„tent of thy enclosynge that thou myght more frely and enteerly yeue the to ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Thenne behouyth the for to be ryght besye both nyght daye with traueyle of body of spyrite for to come to that lyf as nygh as thou mayst by suche meanes as thou hopest were
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
wyll vse other as thy pater noster or ony suche other of thise in the whiche thou felest most sauour most ghostly coÌ„ for in y t holde I best to the. this maner of prayer is spedfull comynly to euery man in the begynnynge of his conuersyon for to vse mooste of ony other ghostely ocupacyon \ For a man in the begynnynge is rude boystous and flesshly but yf he haue the grace can not thynke noo ghostly thoughtes in meditacyon for his soule is not yet clensed fro the olde synÌ„e therfore I hope it is moste spedful for to vse this maner of prayer as for to say his pater noster his aue to rede vpon his sawter suche other ¶ For he y t can not renne lyghtly by ghostly prayer for his fete of knowynge of louynge ben seke for synne him nedethe to haue a syker staffe for to holde hym by This staffe is specyal prayer of speche ordened by god and holy chyrche in helpe of mennys soules By the whiche prayer the soule of a flesshly man that is alway fallynge dounwarde in to worldly thoughtes flesshly affeccyons shall be lyft vp fro hem be holden by it as by a staffe fed with shete wordes of the prayer as a chylde with mylke ruled by it that he fall not in to errours ne fantasyes by his vayne meditacyons For in this maner of prayer is noo deceyte who so wyl stedfastly mekely trauayle therin ¶ What peryl is to men y t in y e begynÌ„yng of her torninge to god leueth the comyn prayer of thordynaunce of of â—oly churche yeueÌ„ hem to medytacyoÌ„ Ca xxviii THen may thou see by this that thise men yf ony be suche y t in the begynnynge of hyr conuersyoÌ„ or soone after whaÌ„ they haue felt a lytyl ghostly coÌ„fort other in deuocyon or in knowyng are not yet stabled therin they leue suche prayer vocal to sone other bodely exercise yeue them hooly to mydytacion they beÌ„ not wise for oftsythes in her rest for her meditacyons they ymagyn thynke on ghostly thiÌ„ges after her owne wytte folow her bodely felynge haue not yet receyued grace therto therfore they by descrecyon oftesythes ouertrauayle her wittes breken her bodely myght so they fal in to fantatasyes syngler conceytes or in opyn errours letten y e grace that god yeuyth heÌ„ by suche vanitees the cause of all this is a preuy pryde of hemself as whaÌ„ they haue felt a lytyl grace they wene it so moche passynge other y t they fall in vaynglory so they lese it If they wyst how lytyl it were y t they fele iÌ„ regard of that y e godyeuith or may yeue they sholde be ashamyd to speke ought therof but it were in grete nede Of this maner of prayer by speche shekyth dauyd in the â—awter thus Uoce mea ad dnÌ„m clamaui voce mea ad dnÌ„m depÌ„catus sum Loo dauid y e propheâ—e for to styre other men to pray both with hert with mouth sayd with thy voys I cryed to god with my speche I besought our lorde ¶ Of the ii maner of prayer y t is in speche not certayn but folowyth y e styryng of deuocyoÌ„ Caplm xxix THe ii maner of prayer is by speche but it is not of ony certayn specyal al sayeng And this is whaÌ„ a man or a woman felyth grace of deuocyon by the yeâ—t of god in his deuocyon spekith to hym as he were bodely in his preseÌ„ce with suche wordes as acordeth moost to his styryng for the tyme. as comyth to his mynde after dyuers rewardes whiche he felyth in his hert eyther rehersyng his synnes his wretchydnes or the malyce the sleyghtes of the enmye or elles the mercy the goodnes of god And with that he cryeth with desyre of herte with speche of mouth to our lorde for socour for helpe as a man that were in peryl amoÌ„ge his enmyes or in syknes shewynge his â—ores to god as to a leche sayenge as dauid sayd Eripe me de inimicis me is deus meus A lorde delyuer me of myn enmyes Or elles thus Sana aiÌ„am meaÌ„ qr peccaue tibi A lorde he le my soule for I haue synned ayenst y e Or suche other as cometh to mynde And also hym thynketh so moche godenes grace mercy in god y t hym lykith with grete affeccyon of y e hert for to loue hym thanke hym by suche wordes psalmes as acordeth to y e louyng praysynge of god as dauyd sayd CoÌ„fitemini dnÌ„o qmÌ„ bonê° qmÌ„ in sclm miÌ„a eius Loue ye prayse our lorde for he is good by suche other as he is styred to say ¶ That y e ii maner of paryer pleseth moche god makyth a man to haue hyÌ„ in body as he were droÌ„ke makyth hym in soule to be wounded with the swerde of loue Caplm xxx THis maner of prayer moche pleseth god for it is oonly of y e affeccyoÌ„ of y e hert therfore it goth neuer vnsped without some grace thys prayer loÌ„geth to the ii part of conteÌ„placyon as I haue sayd before Who so hath this yeft of god reuereÌ„tly hym behouith for the tyme to flee presence company of all men to be alone y t he be not letted who so haue it holde it whyle he may for it may not longe last in the feruour For if grace come plenteuously it is traueylous woÌ„derfully to y e spyrite though it be likyng And it is moche wastyng to y e bodely kynde who so moche vse it For it makyth the body yf grace come myghtly for to styre tourne here there as a man y t were madde or droÌ„ken cowde haue no rest this is a poynt of y e passioÌ„ of loue y â— whiche by grete vyoleÌ„ce maystry brekyth down al lustes lykynges of ony erthly thynge it wouÌ„deth y e soule wyth y e blysful swerde of loue y t the body falleth downe may not bere it This touchynge is of so grete myght y t the moost vycyous or flesshly man lyuyng in erthe yf he were well towched ones myghtely with this sharpe swerde he sholde be ryght sadde sobre a grete whyle after lothe al y â— lustes lykynges of his flesshe al erly thynges whiche he had moost delyte in ¶ How y e fyre of loue wasteth al flesshli lustes as other fyre wastyth hodely thynges Caplm xxxi OF this maner of felynge spekith the prophete Ieremye thus Et factus est in corde meo quasi ignis estuans clausus qm in ossibus meis defeci ferre noÌ„ sustinens This is thus moche to vnderstoÌ„de The loue the felyng of god was made in my hert not fyre but as fyre glowyng For as bodely fyre breÌ„neth wasteth al bodely thyng where it comyth Ryght so
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
oute of charyte fynde hym But I meane Ihesu cryst that blessyd persone god and man sonne of vyrgyn mary whom this name betokenith that is al goodnes endles wisdom loue and swetnes thy Ioy. thy worshyp and thyn euerlastyng blysse thy god thy lorde and thy saluacyon Thenne yf it be so thou seleâ—t a grete desyre in thyn hert to Ihesu eyther by mynde of this name Ihesu or by mynde and sayeng of ony other worde or in prayer or in ony dede y â— thou doost whiche desyre is somoche that it putteth oute as it were by strength al other thoughtes and desyres of y e worlde of the flesshe that they maye not reste in thyn herte Then sechest thou wel thy lorde Ihesu And whaÌ„ thou felyst this desyre to god to Ihesu al is one holpen and comforted by a ghostly myghte in somoche that it is tourned in to loue affeccion ghostely sauour swetnes In to lyght and knowynge of sothfastnes so moche that for the tyme the poynt of thy thought is set vpoÌ„ no thynge y t is made Ne is felyth no styrynge of vayn glory ne of itselfe nother ne none other euyl affeccyon for they mow not appere that tyme But onÌ„ly is enclosed rested softed enoynted in Ihesu thenne hast thou somwhat of Ihesu Not hym as he is but a shadowe of hym For the better that thou fyndest hym the more shalt thou desyre hym Then by what maner prayer or medytacyon or occupacyon that thou maye haue grettest clennest desyre to hym haue moost felyng of hyÌ„ by y e ocupacyoÌ„ thou sechest hym best best fyndest hym Therfore yf it come to my mynde as it were askynge what hast thou loste what sechest thou Lyfte vp thy mynde the desyre of thy hert to IhuÌ„ cryst though thou be blynde nought may see of his godhede And say y â— hyÌ„ hast thou lost hym wolde thou haue no thynge but hym to be with hym where he is None other Ioye none other blysse in heueÌ„ ne in erth but hym And though it be so y t thou fele hym in deuocyoÌ„ or in knowyng or in ony other yefte what y â— it be rest not there as thoughe thou had dest fully founde Ihesu But for yete y â— y â— thou hast fouÌ„de And alway by desyryng after Ihesu more more for to fynde hym better as thoughe thou haddest ryght nought fouÌ„de in hym for wyte thou wel what y t thou felyst of hym be it neuer so moche ye though thou were rauysshed in to the thyrde heueÌ„ with poul yet hast thou not founde Ihesu as he is in his Ioye Know thou or fele thou neuer so moche of hym he is yet aboue it therfore yf thou wol fully fynde hym as he is in y e blysse of louyng cease thou neuer whyle thou lyuest ne of ghostly desyrynge ¶ What profyte it is to haue the desyre of Ihesu Caplm xlvii SOthly I had leuer fele haue a sothfast desyre a clene in myn hert to my lorde Ihesu crist though I see ryght lytyll of hym with my ghostly eye than â—or to haue without this desyre al â—odely penauÌ„ce of all men lyuing al vysyons or reuelacyons of auÌ„gel sapperyng songes sowninges sauours smelliÌ„ges brenÌ„inges ony lykynges or bodely felynges And shortly for to say or al y e Ioy of heueÌ„ of erthe whiche I myght haue without this desyre to my lorde IhuÌ„ Dauyd the prophete felte as I saye as I vnderstoÌ„de whan he sayd thê° Quid enim michi est iÌ„ celo ate quid volui super terraÌ„ Lorde what thynge is to me in heuen or what wolde I without y e aboue erth As yf he had sayd thê° Lorde IhuÌ„ what heuenly Ioy is lykyng to me without desyre of y â— whyles I am iÌ„ erth or without loue of y â— wheÌ„ I come to heueÌ„ as who say ryght none TheÌ„ yf thou wyl fele oni thyng of hyÌ„ bodely or ghostly coueyâ—e not but for to fele sothfastly a desyre of his grace of his mercyfyl preseÌ„ce y t y e thynketh y â— thyn hert may fynde none other rest iÌ„ no thyng but in hyÌ„ Thus coueyted dauid whaÌ„ he sayd thê° CoÌ„cupiuit anima mea desiderare iustificaciones tuas iÌ„ omÌ„e teÌ„pore Lorde my soule coueyted y â— desyre of thy ryghtwysnes iÌ„ euery tyme Seke theÌ„ as dauid dyde desyre by desyre And yf thou may fele by thy desyre in prayers iÌ„ medytacoÌ„ns y e homely presence of IhuÌ„ crist in thy soule bynde thyn hert fast therto y â— it fal not therfro And yf thou stoÌ„ble that thou may soone fynde hym ayen ¶ Where with what thynge IhuÌ„ shal be sought founde Caplm xlviii SEke then IhuÌ„ whoÌ„ thou hast lost He wyl be sought he may then soÌ„what by founden for he sayth hymself Omnes qui querit inueniet Euery maÌ„ y â— sechyth shal fynde The sekyng is traueylous but the fyndyng is blysful Do therfore after y e counseylle of y e wyse man yf thou wyl fynde hyÌ„ Si quesieris quasi pecuniaÌ„ sapienciaÌ„ sicut thesauruÌ„ effoderis illaÌ„ tunc intelliges timoreÌ„ dnÌ„i scieÌ„ciaÌ„ inuenies If thou seke wisdoÌ„ y â— whiche is IhuÌ„ as syluer golde deluest depe ther after thou shalt fynde it The behouyth for to delue depe iÌ„ thyn hert for therin he is hylde cast out ful cleÌ„ly alloues lykynges sorowes dredes of al erthly thynges so shalt thou fynde wysdoÌ„ IhuÌ„ Be thou then lyke to y e womaÌ„ of y e gospel of y â— whiche our lorde sayth thê° Que mulieâ— habens dragmas deceÌ„ c. what woman is yt. y â— hath lost a drame y t she ne wyl lyght a lantern cast her hous vp so downe seche tyll she fynde it As who saye none And whan she hath fouÌ„den it she calleth her frendes sayth to heÌ„ thus Makyth myrth wyth me melodye for I haue fouÌ„den the drame y t I had lost This drame is IhuÌ„ y t thou hast loste And yf thou wylte fynde hyÌ„ lyght vp a laÌ„tern y t is goddes worde as dauyd sayth Lucerna pedibm meis verbuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Lorde thy worde to my fete is a laÌ„tern By this lantern shalt thou see where he is how thou shalte fynde hyÌ„ And yf thou wylte thou may with this lyght vp an other lantern y t is the reasoÌ„ of thy soule For as our lorde â—ayth Lucerna corporis tui est oculê° tuus The laÌ„terne of thy body is thy bodely eye Ryght so may be sayd y t y e lantern of thy soule is reasoÌ„ by y e whiche y t soule may se al ghostly thiÌ„ges By this laÌ„tern may thou fynde IhuÌ„ y t is soth yf thou holde vp the lantern fro vnderneth the busshel as our lorde sayth Nemo accendit lucernaÌ„ poniteaÌ„ sub mo diâ— sed super candelabruÌ„ There is
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
haue mede for his good traueyle in the ayenstondynge And y t is a curtesye of oure lorde graunted to al those whiche arne specyally his seruauÌ„tes more homly of his courte as are al those y t for his loue forsaken in a good true wyl al worldly al flesshly syn euen heÌ„ holy body soule vnto his seruyse her myght her cuÌ„uyneg As done principally ancres encluse true relygous the whiche for the loue of god saluacyon of her soules entren in to ony relygyon approued by holy chyrche Or elles yf it be so y t they entreÌ„ fyrst for a worldly cause as for her bodely sustenaunce or for some other suche yf they repent heÌ„ tourne it in to a ghostly cause as for the seruyce of god Thyse as loÌ„ge as they kepe this wyll pursue it as they may vpon her freelte are true relygyous Also what maÌ„ or womaÌ„ y t he be in what degree he be in holy chyrche preste clerke or lewde man wydowe or mayden or wyf y t wyl for the loue of god saluacyoÌ„ of his soule forsake al y e worshippes lykynges of this worlde in this worlde in his hert truly fully betwyx god hym al wylful besynes erthly thynges to the bare nede And offre his wyl enteerly for to be his sernaunt vpon his myghte by deuoute prayers holy thoughtes with other gode dedes that he may do bodely ghostly kepith his wyl hole to god stedfastly Al thyse arne specyally goddes seruauÌ„tes in holy chyrche And for this good wyl good purpoos y t they haue of the yefte of god they shall encrese in grace in charyte here lyuynge And they shall haue for thys specyal wyl a specyal mede in the blysse of heuen before other chosen soules whiche offred not hooly her wyll her body to goddes seruyce neyther openly ne pryuely as they dyden Al thyse whiche I calle goddis seruauntes of his courte more specyall yf they by freelte by vncunnynge whan they fele suche styrynges of vayn glory for the tyme delyten therin perceyuen it not for her reason her wytte is letted by the lykynge y t they fele that it may not see this styryng They syn not dedely in this lykyng of vaynglory For y t wyl y t they haue generally sette in her herte before to plese god for to forsake al maner of syn yf they knewe it kepyth heÌ„ here in suche styrynges in al other that comen of freelte that they synne not dedely And shal kepe as long as y e grunde of that wyl is kept hole ¶ How dyuers states in holy chyrche shal haue dyuâ—rs medes in heuen And of two specyal medes in heuen Capitulum lxi ANd ouer this I say more in comforte of the al other hauyng the state of anker incluse and al so by grace of god in comforte of hem all that enter ony relygyon approued in holy chyrche that al those y t by y e mercy of our lorde shal be saaf they shall haue a specyal mede a singuler worshyp in the blysse of heuen for her state of lyuynge before other soules that had not y e state in holy chyrche though they ben neuer soo holy whiche worshyp is better than al the worshyp of this worlde withouten comparysoÌ„ For yf thou myght se what it were thou woldest not for the worshyp of this worlde yf thou myghtest haue it withouten synne chaunge the state eyther of anker or of relygyous ne lese that synguler mede in y e blysse of heuen whiche mede is callyd Accydental mede Neuertheles that other men mystake not thys that I saye Therfore I shal saye it more opeÌ„ly Thou shalte vnderstonde that there are two medes in the blysse of heuen whiche our lorde gyuen to choseÌ„ soules The tone is souereyne and pryncypall As is louyuge and knowyng of hym after the mesure of charyte yeuen of god to a soule lyuynge in dedely flesshe This mede is beste and souereyne for it is god hymself And it is comyn to all the soules that shollen be saaf in what state or degree that they ben lyuynge in holy chyrche more or lesse after the quantite y e mochenes of her charyte in his lyf what degre he be in For he y e most loueth god in charete he shall haue mooste mede in the blysse of heuen For he shal moost loue god and knowe hym that is the souereyne mede And as for this mede it shal falle that some maner of man or woman as a lorde or a lady knyght or squyre machaunte or plough man or what degree he be in man or woman shal haue more mede than some preste or frere monke chanon or anker incluse And why Sothly for he loued god more in charyte An other mede there is that is secundary whiche our lorde gyueth for specyall good dedes that a man dooth wylfully ouer that he is bouÌ„den to Of thre dedes pryncypal doctours of holy chyrche maken mynde Of marterdome prechynge and manhode Thyse thre werkes as for an excellence in as moche as they passen al other shal haue specyal mede whiche they callen aureole And that is nought elles but a synguler worshyp and specyal token ordeyned of god in rewarde of y e specyal dede byfore other men that dyde not soo ouer the souereyne mede of loue of god whiche is comyn to hym and to al other Ryght soo it is of al other specyal good dedes the whiche yf they ben done sothfastly arne specyally acceptable to the syght of god and in y e dome of holy chyrche they arne excellent As arne enclosynge of ankers doon by y e auctoryte of holy chyrche Also entryng iÌ„ to ony relygyon approued And the streyghter that the relygyon is the more excellent is the dede in the dome in holy chyrche Also after thyse and byneth thyse the takyng of the order of preste eyther for cure of mennes soules and for to mynyster the sacramentes of holy chyrche Or elles for synguler deuocyon to pleyse god profyten her eueÌ„ crysten by the sacryfyce of the precyous body of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst Sothly they arne specyal dedes excelleÌ„t openly shewed in the dome of holy chyrche and in y e syght of our lorde whan they arne done sothfastly for god they arne excellent and they shullen haue specyal mede eche man in his degree in the blysse of heuen The state of bysshop prelate is abouen al thyse dedes as for this accydentall mede That this is sothe it semyth by holy wrytte where it sayth thus in the prophete Danyel Tu autem vade ad tempus perfinitum et requiesces et stabis in sorte tua in fine dierum This is for to saye thus moche The auÌ„gel whan he had shewed to Danyel the pryuytees of god he sayd to hym thus Goo thou to the reste of thy bodely dethe and thou shalt stonde in thy sorte
of her euen crysten sothely it hyndreth heÌ„ and letteth hem fro the feruour of charyte also fro y e specyal mede whiche they sholde haue in the blysse of heuen for perfyte pouerte and that is a grete losse yf they myght se it For who so myght know ghostly mede how good how precyous and how worthy it is for it is aye lastyng he wolde not for the loue of al erthly Ioye or hauour of al erthly thyng eyf he myght haue it withouten synne lette ne lesse y e lest mede of the blysse of heueÌ„ whiche he myght haue yf that he wolde I speke ferther thaÌ„ I doo But I praye the doo thus as I saye by the grace of god yf thon maye or ony other man who soo wyll For that were a comforte to my herte that yf I may not haue it in myselfe as I saye that I myghte haue it in y e Or in ony other creature whiche hathe receyued more plente of his grace than I But see nowe thenne syth couetyse in the naked grounde letteth a man or a woman soo moche fro the ghostely felynge of y e loue of god howe moche more thenne it letteth and combrethe wordly men wymÌ„en the whiche by al her wyttes bodely besynes nyghte daye studye traueyle how they myght gete ryches plente of worldly good They can none other delyte haue but in worldly thynges ne they wyl not for they seche it not I say no more of heÌ„ at this tyme for in this wrytyng I speke not to hem But this I saye yf they myght see wolde see what they do they sholde not do so ¶ How a man shal knowe whaÌ„ he synneth not in etynge drynkyng whan he synneth venyally whan dedely Caplm lxxii yEt may thouse more in this ymage though it be derke that is flesshly loue to thyselfe in glotenye accidie lechetye Thyse flesshly lykynges makeÌ„ a man ful bestly ferre fro y e inly sauour of y e loue of god fro y e clere syght of ghostly thynges But now sayest thou Syth y e behoueth nedelinges ete is no syn drynke slepe y t may thou not do without lyking therfore y e thynketh thê As vnto this I say y t yf thou kepe iÌ„ etyng or in drynkyng in other nedeful thynges of thy body mesure in thy nede thou receyuest noo more lykynge than kynde askyth And alle this thou doost for ghostly delyte whiche thou felyst in the soule I graunt y e forsoth y t thou then synnest ryght nought therin for then can thou wel ete slepe Sothly withouteÌ„ doubte I am ful ferre fro y e knowyng ferder fro y e werching For to ete I haue by kynde but to cuÌ„ne ete I maye not but by the grace of god Saynt poul had by grace this cunnyng as he sayth hymselfe thus Ubique in oiÌ„bus institutus suÌ„ scio saciari esurire habuÌ„dare penuciaÌ„ pati OiÌ„a possuÌ„ in eo qui me comfortat I am enformed kenned in all thynges For I can huÌ„ger I can ete I can with plente I can with pouerte I maye al in hym y e strenghthyth me \ Saynt austyn sayd tyll our lorde thê° Lorde thou hast teched me y t I sholde take mete as a medycyne Hunger is a syknes of kynde mete is a medicine therto Therfore y e lykyng y e comith with al in asmoche as it is kyndly nedful it is no synÌ„e but whan it passyth into lust into wylful likyng then it is synne And therfore therÌ„lyeth al y e maystry for to cuÌ„ne departe wysely nede fro luste wylful lykyng they are so knyt togyder y e one comyth with y e other so y t it is harde for to receyue that one as y e nede repreue that other as wylful luste y t whiche oft comyth vnder colour of nede Neuertheles syth it is so y t nede is y e grouÌ„de of this y e nede is no syn for be a man neuer so holy hym behoueth to ete drynke slepe therfore y e lust y e lykynge that cometh vnder the colour of this nede passyth this nede is y e lesse syn For a man synneth not dedely comynly in glotenye but yf he be encoÌ„bred with other dedely synnes beforn done then may he y e lyghtlyer synÌ„e dedely in this For it is soth he that chelyth â—ust lyking of his flesshe delytes iÌ„ welfare of mete or drynke as ful reste of his herte that he wolde neuer haue other lyfe ne other blisse but lyue euer in suche lustê of his flesshe yf he might it is no dowte but y t he synneth dedely for he loueth his flesshe more than god But he that lyeth indedely syn of pryde or enuye or suche other he is soo blynded by y e deuyl that for y e tyme he hath no power of his free wyl therfore he may not wel ayenstoÌ„de flesshly lykinges whan they come but falleth down wylfully to hem as a beest doth to caryoÌ„ And in asmoche as he hath no generall wyll before to god pryncipally by cause that he is in dedely syn therfore y e lust of glotenye y t whiche he falleth iÌ„ lyghtly is to hyÌ„ dedely syn for he makith none ayeÌ„stoÌ„dyng general ne specyal But a nother maÌ„ or woman whiche in grace charyte hath alwaye a good general wyl to god in his soule wheder he slepe or wake ete or drynke or what good dede y t he dooth so y t it be not euyl in itself by y t whiche wyl desyre he chesyth god aboue al thyng hath leuer forbere al thyng of y e worlde than wrathe his god for loue of hym This wyl though it be but general it is of so grete vertu bi y e grace of our lorde IhuÌ„ y t yf he fal by freelte in lust in lykyng of mete of drynke or of suche other syknes eyther by excesse of tomoche eting or to ofteÌ„ or to gredely or to lustly delycatly or to sone iÌ„vntyme it saueth hyÌ„ kepith hyÌ„ fro dely synÌ„e And this is soth aslong as he is in charyte by other dedes kepyth his general wyl to al y e he dooth namly yf he knowe amonge his owne wretchydnes crye after mercy be in purpose specyally to ayenstoÌ„de suche flesshly lustes for our lorde is good mercyfull thyse venyal synÌ„es of glotenye he foryeueth ryght sone vnto a meke soule For the styryng y e lykyng of glotenye in asmoche as they are hardest for to flee by cause of nede of y e bodely kynde among al other synÌ„es are moost exscusable leest peryllous And therfore thou shalt not ryse ayenst y e grouÌ„de of this syn as thou shalt ayenst all other synnes \ for y e grouÌ„de of this syn is oonly nede whiche may not be escaped but if thou wylt do
worse as slee y t nede as many foles done whiche sholden slee y â— theyf spare the true man That is to say They sholden slee vnskylful luste y t wylful lykyng spare kepe y e bodely kynde they do not soo But ayenst al other synnes thou shalt aryse for to destroye not oonly dedely synnes y e grete venyals but also ayenst y e gounde of heÌ„ as moche as thou mayst See by this skylle Thou maye not lyue without mete driÌ„ke but thou may lyue without lecherye yf thou wy neuer but y e better And therfore thou shalt not flee only y e dede of it whiche is dedely syn but also wylful lykyng of it in thyn herte withouten dede whiche is venyal syn soÌ„tyme it is dedely but also thou shalt traueyle ayenst y e grouÌ„de of it for to destroye y e felyng the rysyng of flesshly strynge ¶ How the grouÌ„de of lecherye sholde be destroyed with ghostly traueyle with bodely Caplm lxxiii BUt this trauayle ayenst the grounde of lecherye shal be ghostly as by prayers ghostly vertues not by bodely penaunce For wyte thou wel y t yf thou fast wake scourge thyselfe doo al y t thou can thou shalt neuer haue y e clennes y e chastyte without y e yefte of god the grace of mekenes Thou sholdest soner slee thy self than thou sholdest slee flesshly styrynges felynges of lust lecherye eyther in thyn hert or in thy flesshe by ony bodely penaunce But by the grace of IhuÌ„ in a meke soule y e grouÌ„de may be moche stopped destroyed the spryng may be moche dryed And y t is very chastyte in body in soule On the same manere may be sayd of pride of couetyse of suche other for thou myÈt liue yf thou were not prowde ne couetous therfore thou shalt destroy al y e felynges of heÌ„ asmoche as thou maye But in glotenye thou shalt ryse smyte away y e vnskylful styrynges saue y e grounde hole ¶ That a maÌ„ sholde be besye to put away al styrynges of syn but more besy of ghogly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii ANd therfore he that ryseth ayenst the felynge of flesshly lykyng in mete drinke more fully and more sharply than of pryde or couetise whiche for they semen fayraren not lyghtly reproued Or of Enuye or of Lecherye I saye that he is halfe blynde For he seeth not yet ghostly vnclennes As of pryde and enuye how fowle it is in goddys syght I hope If a man myght see with his eye ghostly how foule pryde couetyse arne in the syght of god how contrary to hym He sholde more loth a styryng of pryde the vayne lykyng of it And also he sholde the more agryse ryse ayenst y e euyl wyl of enuye or yre to his euen crysten than many a styrynge or lykynge eyther of glotenye or of lecherye Neuertheles al men wenen not so For comynly men arn more eschewe for to fele a styring of flesshly synne haue for it more sorowe heuynesse than for the grete lykynges in vaynglory or in other ghostly synÌ„es But they arn not wyse For yf they wyl vnderstoÌ„de holy wrytte doctours sawes therof they sholden finde as I say whiche I ne maye ne wyll reherse now I wyl not excuse hem y e fall in lykynges of glotenye lecherye y t they synne not For I wote wel y t al the spyces of hem arn synÌ„e more or lesse after the mesure of the luste of the synne other lykynges with wylfull cyrcumstaunces But I wolde y t thou knewe charged al ylke a synne as it is more the more as arn ghostly synÌ„es lesse the lesse arn as flesshly synÌ„es And yet shal thou neuertheles hate flee al both bodely ghostly vpon thy myght For wyte thou wel y e flesshly desyres vnskylful lykynges in mete drynke Or ony lykynges y e longen to y e body passyng resonable nede though they ben not alwaye grete synnes to hym y t is in charite neuertheles to a soule y e desyreâ—h clennes ghostly felynge of god they arn ful heuy paynful bytter moche for to eschewe For the spyryte may not fele his kyndly sauour within tyll the flesshe haue loste hys bestly sauour withouten ¶ That huÌ„ger other bodely paynes letteth moche ghostly werching ca. lxxv ANd therfore yf thou wolt come to clenÌ„es of herte the behouith ayenstoÌ„de vnskylful styryng of flesshly desyres But ayenst the grouÌ„de thou shalt not ryse as I haue sayd before For the grounde of it is nede as kyndely hunger whiche thou shal nedelynges fele and tent therto in tyme and helpe thyself ayenst it by medycyne of mete as thou woldest helpe thyselfe resonable ayenst a bodely syknes y t thou myght more freely serue god bothe bodely and ghostly For wyte thou wel what man or woman that shall be occupyed ghostly in thoughtes vnskylful payne or hunger wylfully taken or bodely syknes in the stomake or in y e hede or in other partye of the body for y e defawte of good rulyng of hym self by tomoche fastyng or by ony other wyse shal moche lette the spyryte and moche hynder hym fro y e knowynge beholdynge of ghostly thynges but yf he haue the more grace For though it be so that bodely payne eyther of penaunce or of syknesse or elles bodely occupacyon somtyme letteth not the feruour of loue to god in deuocyon but ofte encreasyth it Neuertheles I hope that it lettyth the faruour of loue in contemplacyon the whiche maye not be hadde ne felyd sadly but in reste of body and of soule ¶ What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng CaplmÌ„ lxxvi FOr thy do thou skylfully y e longeth to the kepe thy bodely kynde vpon reyson and suffre god then sende what he wyl hele or syknesse take it gladly and grutche not ayenst god wylfully Do thou as I say take thy mete as it commyth And ordeyne for it yf nede be vpon reason And take it gladly as for nede But be wel waar of lust that commyth with nede Eschewe to moche as wel as to lytyl And so whan thou haste done and thenne it commyth to thy mynde y e bytyng of conscyence that thou haste eten to moche And soo thenne begynnest for to tary the drawe to ouermoche bytternes Lyfte vp y e desyre of thyn hert thy good lorde IhuÌ„ and know thyself for a wretche a beest aske hym for gyuenesse and saye that thou wylte amende it truste of forgyuenesse Leue of then and tarye no lenger with all ne stryue not moche as thou woldest destroye it vtterly for it is not worthe for to do so Thou shalt neuer brynge it soo abowte \ but redely ordeyne the rede to some other occupacyoÌ„ bodely or ghostly after thou felyst the dysposed that
lykynges of it Slee then breke downe pryde set vp mekenesse Also breke downe yre and enuye reyse vp loue charyte to thyn euen crysteÌ„ Also in stede of couetyse pouerte in spyryte In stede of accydye feruour in deuocyon with glad redynes to al gode dedes And in the stede of glotenye lecherye sobyrte chastyte in body in soule This consydered saynt poul whaÌ„ he sayd thus Deponentes veterem homineÌ„ cuÌ„ suis actibus qui corruÌ„pitur scdm desideria erroris et induite nouuÌ„ homineÌ„ qui sedm deum treatus est in sanctitate iusticia ye shal put down the olde man that is y e ymage of synne of the olde adam with all hys membres for he is rotyn in desyres of errour and ye shal shape you clothe you in a new man whiche is y e ymage of god by holynes ryghtwysnes and full hede of vertues who shal helpe the breke downe this ymage Sothly thy lorde Ihesu In the vertue in the name of hym shal thou breke downe this mawmente of synne Praye hym besyly desyre he shal helpe the ¶ What profyte comyth of kepyng of y â— hert And how moche the soule is what it louyth CaplmÌ„ lxxxviii GAder then thyn herte togyder do after the couÌ„seyle of y e wyse man whan he sayth thus OmÌ„i custodia serua cor tuum qmÌ„ exipÌ„o vita procedit With al thy besynes kepe thyn herte for out of it comyth lyfe And that is sothe whan it is wel kepte For thenÌ„e wyse thoughtes clene affeccyons and brennynge desyres of vertues of charyte of y e blisse of heuen comynour of it and makyth the soule to lyue a blessyd lyf Also on y e contrary wyse yf it be not kepte then as our lorde sayth in the gospel De corde exiuit togitationes male que coinquinant hominem Euyl thoughtes vnclene affeccyons comen out of the herte the whiche defoulen man as our lorde sayth They eyther benymme the lyfe of y e soule by dedely synne Or elles they feble the soule maken it syke yf they ben venyall For what is a man but his thoughtes and his loues Thyse maken a man oonly gode or badde As moche as thou louest god and thyn euen erysten knowest hym so moche is thy soule And yf thou lytyl loue hym lytyl is thy soule yf thou nought loue hym nought is thy soule It is noughte as for good but it is moche as for synÌ„e and yf thou wylt wyte what thou louest loke where vpoÌ„ thou thynkest For where the loue is there is the eye and where the lykynge is there is moostyÌ„ herte thynkyng If thou loue moche god y e lyketh for to thyÌ„ke vpoÌ„ hyÌ„ moche yf thou loue lytyl thenÌ„e lytyl thou thynkest vpoÌ„ hym Rule wel thy thoughtes thin affeccyon then arte thou vertuous ¶ How the ymage of synne shal be â—roken downe Capitulum lxxxix BEginne then on breke this ymage whan thou hast Inwardely bethought the of thyselfe and of thy wrecchydnesse as I haue sayd howe prowde howe vayne and how enuyous how malencolyous how couetous how flesshly how ful of corrupcioÌ„ Also how lytyl knowyng felyng or sauour thou haast of god and of ghostly thynges How wyse how quycke how moche sauour thou hast iÌ„ erthly thynges And shortly that the thynketh the also ful of syn as y e hyde is ful of flesshe Be thou not to moche adradde though thou thynke soo of thyself And whan thou haste doon thus lyft vp then the desyre of thy herte to thy lorde Ihesu praye hym of helpe Crye to hym by grete desyres syghinges that he wyl helpe the to bere this grete bourden of this ymage or elles that he wyl breke it Thynke also suche a shame it is for the to be fedde with swynes mete of flesshly sauours that sholde fele a ghostly sauonr of heueÌ„ly Ioy If thou do thus then begynnest thou for to aryse ayenste the hole grounde of synne in the as I haue sayd And it maye so be that thou shalt fele payne and sorowe for thou shalt vnderstonde that there maye noo soule lyue without grete payne but yf he haue reste or delyte eyther in his creatour or in a creatour Thenne whan thou rysest ayenst thyself by a feruent desyre for to fele of thy lorde Ihesu for to drawe out thy loue fro al bodely thynges and fro reste in thy bodely felyng in so moche that thou arte encombred of thyselfe And the thynketh that al creatures rysen ayenst the al thynges whiche thou haddest delyte in before tourneth y e to payne And whaÌ„ thou forsakest thus thyself and thou maye not lyghtly fynde comforte in god nedelynges thy soule shal suffre payne Neuerthelesse I hope who soo wolde suffre this payne a whyle stedfastly cleuyng vpon y e desyre and naked mynde of Ihesu cryste and vpon desyre y t he wolde not haue but his lorde falle not lyghtly therfro ne seche no comforte outwarde for a tyme for it lastyth not longe Our lorde is nyghe and sone shal ease the herte For he wyl helpe to bere thi body ful of corrupcoÌ„n And he wol with his mercyful myght of gracyous presence breke downe this false ymage of loue in thyselfe Not al atones but lytyl and lytyl tyl thou be somdele refourmed to his lyckenesse ¶ How a man shall haue hyÌ„ to y e styryng of pryde al other vices Caplm lxxxx AFter suche an hole rysyng ayenst thyself whan it is passyd thou shalt more sobyrly more easely rule thiself And y e more sadly for to kepe thy thouÈtes thyne affeccyons for to knowe hem whether they ben good or bad And then yf that thou fele a styryng of pryâ—de in ony maner of speche of it Besoone wel waar yf y t thou maye and suffre not it scape lyghtly awaye But take it in mynde and rente it breke it and dyspise it do al the shame that thou maye therto Loke thou spare it not ne trowe it not speke he neuer so fayre for it is fals though it seme soth as the prophete sayth Popule meê° qui te beatuÌ„ dicunt ipsi te desipiunt et in erroreÌ„ mittuÌ„t That is to saye thus Thou man of my peple they that sayen thou arte blessyd and holy they begyle and bryngen the into errour And yf thou doo thus often besyly thou shalt by the grace of IhuÌ„ within shorte tyme stoppe moche of the sprynge of pryde moche abate y â— vayne delyte therof y t thou shalt vnethes fele it And whan thou felyst it it shal be so weyke and as it were halfe dede that it shal not moche greue the And thenne shall thou mow haue a ghostly syght of mekenesse how good and how fayre it is thou shalt desyre it loue it for y e goodnes of itselfe that the shall lyken for to beholdeÌ„ as thou arte
grace in beholdyng of IhuÌ„ withdrawyth soÌ„tyme fro a soule how a soule shal haue her in y e abseÌ„ce presence of IhuÌ„ And how a soule shal desyre y t iÌ„ it is alwaye y e gracyous presence of IhuÌ„ CaplmÌ„ xli A coÌ„mendacyon of prayer offryd to IhuÌ„ of a soule conteÌ„platyffe And how stablenesse in prayer is a syker werke to stonde in And how euery felynge of grace in a choseÌ„ soule may be sayd Ihesu but the more clener a soule is y e worthyer is his grace CaplmÌ„ xlii How a soule thorough y e openyng of y e ghostly eye receyueth a gracious loue able to vnderstoÌ„de holy wryt And how Ihesu y t is hydde in holy wrytte sheweth hymselfe to his louers CapmÌ„ xliii Of the pryue voys of Ihesu so wnynge in a soule wherby it shal be knowen how al the gracyous Illumynacyons made in a souse ben called y e spekynges of Ihesu Capitulum xliiii How thorough gracyous openynge of the ghostly eye a soule is made wyse mekely sothfastly to se the dyuersyte of degrees in holy chyrche as traueyllyng for to see angels kynde fyrst of reproued CapÌ„lm xlv How by y e same lyght of grace the blessed angels kynde may be seen how Ihesu is god man aboue al creatures after y t y e soule maye see hym here CapÌ„lm xlvi ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of y e seconde boke ¶ Here after folowyth the seconde boke of mayster Waltere Hylton ¶ That a man is the ymage of god after the soule not after the body Caplm Primum FOr asmoche as thou couetyst gretely and askyst it for charyte for to here more of an ymage the whiche I haue before tymes in partye dyscryued to y t therfore I wyl gladly with drede fal to thy desyre helpyng y e grace of our lorde Ihesu cryst in whom I fully truste I shal open to the a lytyl more of this ymage At y e begynnyng yf thou wylt wyte playnly what I meane by this ymage I telle the forsoth that I vnderstonde noughte elles but thyn owne soule For thy soule my soule and euery resonable soule is an ymage and y t a worthy ymage for it is the ymage of god as y e apostle sayth Uir est ymago dei That is to saye A man is the ymage of god and made to the ymage and to the lyknes of hym not iÌ„ the bodely shappe without but in y e myghtes of it with in as holy wrytte sayth Formauit deus hominem ad ymagineÌ„ similitudineÌ„ suam That is Our lorde god shope maÌ„ iÌ„ his soule â—o his owne ymage lyknes This is y e ymage y t I haue spoken of This ymage made to y e ymage of god in y e fyrstâ— hapynge was woÌ„derly fayre bryghtful of breÌ„nyng loue ghostly lyÈt but thorough synne of the fyrst man adam it was dysfygured and for shapen into a nother lyknes as I haue before sayd For it fel fro y t ghostly lyght and that heueÌ„ly fode in to paynful derknes and lust of this wretchyd lyfe exyled flemyd oute fro the herytage of heuen that it sholde haue had yf it had stonde stylle into the wretchydnes of thys erthe and afterwarde in to the pryson of helâ—e there to haue be without ende Fro the whiche pryson to the heuenly herytage it myght neuer haue come agayne but yf it had be refourmed to the fyrste shappe and the fyrste lyckenes But that refourmyng myght not be made by none erthly man for euery man was in the same myscheyf And none myght suffyse to helpe hymselfe and so moche lesse a nother man Therfore it nedeth to be done by hym that is more than man that is oonly god y t was skylful that he sholde refourme and restore man to blysse yf he sholde be saaf whiche of his endles goodnes fyrste shope hym therto How thenne it myght be refourmed how it is refourmed to y e fyrste lyckenes by hym y t fourmed it by the grace of god I shal telle the For y t is the entente of this wrytynge ¶ How it neded to mankynde y t oonly thorough y e passyoÌ„ of cryste it sholde be restored refourmed y e was for shape by the fyrste synne Caplm ii THe ryghtwysnes of god a sketh y t a trespace done be not foryeuen but yf amendes be made for it yf it may be done Now it is sooth mankynde y t was hole in adam the fyrste man trespassed agaynste god so wonder greuously whan it forfeyted y e specyal byddynge of hym and assented to the false counsayle of the fende that it deserued ryghtfully for to haue be departed fro hym and dampned to helle withouten ende so ferforth that stondynge the ryghtwysnes of god it myght not be foryeuen but yf amendes were fyrste made and full satysfaccyon therfore But this amendes myght no man make that was man oonly and comen out of adaÌ„ by kyndely generacyon for this skylle For the trespasse vnworshyp was endles grete therfore it passyd maÌ„nys myght to make ameÌ„des for it And also for his skyl He y t hath trespassed shal make amendes hym behouyth for to yeue to hym y t he hath trespassed vnto al that he owyth though he had not trespassed And also ouer that hym behouyth yeue soÌ„what that he owyth not but oonly for that he trespassed But mankynde had not where with that he myght paye god for his trespaas ouer that he ought hym \ For what gode dede that man myght do in body or in soule it was but his dette For euery man ought as the gospel sayth for to loue god with al his herte al his soule and all his myghtes and better myght he not do than this And neuertheles this dede suffyced not to the refourmynge of mankynde Ne this myght he not do but yf he had be fyrst refourmed Thenne neded it that yf mannes soule sholde be refourmed and y e trespaas made gode that our lorde god hymself sholde refourme this ymage and make amendes for this trespaas sythen that no man myght But that myght he not do in his godhede for he myght not ne ought not to make amendes by sufferyng of payne in his owne kynde therfore it neded the he sholde take that same mankynde that had trespassed and become man And that myght he not by the comyn lawe of generacyon For it was impossyble goddis sonne to be borne of towchyd woman Therfore hym muste become man thoroughe a gracyous generacyon by the werkynge of y e holy ghoste of a clene gracious mayden our lady saynt Mary so was it done For our lorde Ihesu goddes sonne became maÌ„ and thorugh his precyous deth that he suffred made amendes to y e fader of heueÌ„ for manÌ„es gylte And y e myght he well do for he was god he oughte not for hymselfe but in as moche as he was man borne of y e same kynde
vnto her laste ende And so they ben not refonrmed to the lyckenesse of god but goon to the paynes of helle endelesly as Iewes and sarasyns done and in to moche more gretter payne than they In as moche as they had y e trouthe and kepte it not For that was more trespaas than that they had neuer hadde it Thenne yf thou wolte wyte whiche soules arne refourmed here in this lyfe to the ymage of god thoroughe the vertue of his passyon soothly oonly those that trowen in hym and louen hym in whiche soules the ymage of god that was thorough synne forshapen \ as it were in to a fowle bestes lyckenes is restored refourmed to y e fyrst shape and to the worthynes and worshyp that it had in the begynnynge Withoute whiche restorynge and refourmynge shall neuer soule be faaf ne come to blysse Of two maner refourmynges of this ymage one iÌ„ fulnes another in fayth Capl'm iiii NOw sayest thou how maye this be soth that the ymage of god the whiche is mannes soule myghte be refourmyd here in this lyfe to his lyckenesse in ony creature It semyth naye it myght not be so For yf it were refourmed then sholde it haue stable mynde clere syght clere brennynge loue in god ghostly thynges euerlastyngly as it had in the begynnyng But y t is no creature as thou trowest lyuynge here in this lyfe For as ayenst thyself thou canst wel saye the thynke the ful ferre therfro Thy mynde thy reason y e loue of thy soule arne so moche sette in beholdyng iÌ„ loue of erthly thynges that of ghostly thynges thou felyst ryght lytyl Thou felyst no refourmynge in thyselfe but thou arte so vnbylapped with this blacke ymage of synne for ought y t thou maye do that vpon what syde thou the tour ne thou felyst thyself defoyled spotted with flesshly styrynges of this foule ymage other chauÌ„gyng felyst thou none fro flesshlynes into ghostlynesse neyther in pryue myghtes of thy soule with in ne in bodely felynge with out Wherfore ye thynken that it myghte not be y t this ymage myght be refourmed Or elles yf it myght be refourmed Thenne askest thou how it myght be refourmed To this I answere laye thus There is two manere of refourmyng of the ymage of god whiche is mannes soule One is in fulnesse A nother is in partye Refourmynge in fulnesse maye not be had in this lyfe but it is delayed after this lyfe to y e blysâ—e of heuen where mannes soule shal fully be refourmed not to that state that it had at the fyrste begynnyng by kynde or myght haue had thorough grace yf it had stonde hole But it shal be restored to moche more blysse and moche hyer Ioye thorough the grete mercy the endles goodnesse of god than it shold haue had yf it had neuer fallen For then shal the soule receyue the hole y e ful felyng of god in al mightes of it without medelyng of ony other affeccyon And it shal see mankynde in the persone of Ihesu aboue y e kynde of angels onyd to the godhede For then shal IhuÌ„ bothe god man be al in al oonly he none other but he as y e prophete sayth Dominus solus exaltabitur in illa die That is our lorde Ihesu in that daye y t is euerlastyng daye shal be hyghed oonly none but he And also y e body of man shal then be gloryfyed For it shall receyue fully the ryche dowary of vndedelynes with al y t longeth therto This shal a soule haue with y e body moche more than I can saye But that shall be in the blysse of heuen not in this lyfe For though it be so y t the passyoÌ„ of our lorde be cause of al this ful refourmynge of mannes soule neuerthelesse it was not his wyl for to graunte this full refourmynge ryght anone after his passyon to al chosen soules that were lyuynge in tyme of his passyon But he delayed it vnto the laste daye And that was for this skylle Sooth it is y t our lorde Ihesu Cryste of his mercy hath ordeyned a certayne nomber of soules to saluâ—cyoÌ„ whiche nomber was not fulfylled in the tyme of his passyon And therfore it neded that by length of tyme thorough kyndly generyon of men it sholde be fulfylled Thenne yf it had so be that as sone after the dethe of our lorde euery soule that wolde haue trowed in hym sholde by his lyfe haue be blessyd and ful refourmed without ony other abydynge there wolde no creature that lyued thenne haue be that he ne wolde haue receyued y e faythe for to haue be made blessyd And thenne sholde generacyon haue ceased And so sholde we that arne now chosen souled lyuynge and other soules that come after vs not haue ben borne And so sholde our lorde haue fayles of his nomber But that maye not be And therfore our lorde purueyed moche better for vs in that that he delayed the full refourmyng of mannes soule tyl the laste ende as saynt poul sayth Deo pro nobis melius prouidente ne siue nobis consuÌ„marentur That is Our lorde purueyeth better for vs in the delaye of our refourmynge than yf he had graunted it thenne For this skylle that the chosen soules here beforne sholde not make a ful ende without vs that come after A nother skylle is this For syth that man in his fyrst fourmynge of god was sette in his free wyl and had free chesynge whether he wolde haue fully god or no. It was therfore resonable that syth he wolde not cheâ—e god thenne but wretchydly felle from hym If he sholde afterwarde be refourmed that he sholde be sette agayne in the same free chesynge that he was fyrst in whether he wolde haue y e profyte of his refourmynge or no And this maye be a skylle why mannes soule was not refourmed fully as faste after the passyon of Ihesu cryste That refourmyng in party is iÌ„ two maners one in fayth another in felynge CaplmÌ„ v. ANother refourmynge of this ymage is in partye and this refourmynge maye be had in this lyfe and but yf he had in this lyfe it maye neuer be had ne the soule may neuer be saaf But this refourmynge is on two maners One is in fayth oonly A nother is in fayth and in felynge The fyrst refourmynge in fayth oonly suffyseth to saluacyon The seconde is worthy to haue passynge mede in the blysse of heuen The fyrst maye be hadde lyghtly and in shorte tyme The seconde maye not soo but thoroughe lengthe of tyme and moche ghostly traueyle The fyrste maye be hadde with the felynge of the ymage of synne for thoughe a man fele noo thynge in hymselfe but all styrynges of synne and flesshly desyres not ayenstondynge that felynge yf he wylfully assent not therto he maye be refourmed in fayth to the lyckenesse of god But the seconde refourmynge puttyth out the lykynge in felynge
of flesshly styrynges and worldly desyres and suffreth noo suche spottes abyde in this ymage The fyrste refourmynge is oonly of begynâ—ynge and profytynge soules and of actyfmen The seconde is of perfyte soules and of contemplatyfmen For by the fyrste refourmynge the ymage of synne is not destroyed but it is lefte as it were all hole in felynge But the seconde refourmynge destroyeth the olde felynges of this ymage of synne and bryngeth in to the soule newe gracyous felynges thoroughe the werkynge of the holy ghoste The fyrste is good the seconde is better but the thyrde that is in the blysse of heuen is moost beste Fyrste lette vs speke of that one and sythe of that other And soo we shall come to the thyrde That thorough the sacrament of baptym y t is grounded in the passyon of cryst this ymage is refourmed fro orygynal synne CaplmÌ„ vi TWo manere of synnes makyth a soâ—le to lese y e shape the lyknesse of god That one is called orygynal y t is y e fyrst syn thother is called actuel y t is wylfully done syn thise ii synÌ„es put away a soule fro y e blysse of heueÌ„ daÌ„pneth it to theÌ„dles payn of hel but if it be thorough the grace of god refourmyd to his lyckenesse or it passe hens out of this lyfe Neuertheles two remedyes arne there ayenst thyse two synnes by y t whiche a forshapen soule maye be restored agayne One is y e sacramente of baptym ayenste orygynal synne a nother is the sacramente of penaunce ayenst actuel synÌ„e A soule of a chylde that is borne and is vncrystenyd by cause of orygynal synne hath no lyckenesse of god He is nought but an ymage of the fende a bronde of helle But as soone as it is crystened it is refourmed to the ymage of god and thorugh the vertue of fayth of holy chyrche sodeynly it is tourned fro the lyckenesse of y e fende made lyke an angel of heuen Also y e same falleth to a Iewe or to a sarazyne the whiche or they ben crystened arne nought but mancyples of helle But whan they forsaken her errour fallen mekely to the trouthe in cryste and receyue the baptym of water in the holy sthost sothly without ony more taryenge they arne refourmed to the lyckenesse of god soo fully as holy chyrche troweth that yf they myghte as soone after baptym passe out of this worlde they sholde streyght flee to heuen withoute ony more lettyng had they done neuer so moche synne before in the tyme of her vntrouthe neuer sholde they fele the paynes of helle ne of purgatory And y e pryuelege sholde they haue by the meryte of crystis passyon That thorough the sacrament of penaunce y e stondeth in contrycyon confessyon satysfaccyon this ymage is refourmed fro actual synne CaplmÌ„ vii ALso what crysten man or woman y t hath lost y e lyckenesse of god thoroughe a dedely synne brekynge goddis commaundementes yf he thoroughe to wchynge of grace sothfastly forsake his synne with sorowe and contricyon of herte and be in ful wyl for to amende hym and torne hym to good lyuynge And in this forsayd wyl receyueth the sacramente of penaunce yf he maye Or yf that he maye not he is in wyltherto Sothly I saye that this mannes soule or womans y t was forshapen fyrste to the lyknesse of the deuyl thorough dedely synne is nowe by the sacrament of penaunce restored and shapen ayen to the ymage of our lorde god This is a grete curtesye of our lorde and an endles mercy that so lyghtly foryeuyth al maner of synne and soo sodeynly yeuyth plente of grace to a synful soule that askyth mercy of hym He abydeth not grete penaunce doynge ne paynful flesshly sufferyng or he foryeue it But he askyth a lothynge of synne a ful forsakynge in wyl of the soule for the loue of hym and a tournyng of y e hert to hym This askyth he for this yeuyth he And thenÌ„e whan he seeth this withoute ony delayenge he foryeuyth the synne and refourmyth the soule to his lyknesse The synne is foryeuen that the soule shal not be dampned Neuerthelesse the payne detted for the synne is not yet fully foryeuen but yf contrycyon loue be the more And therfore shal he go and shewe hym shriue hym to his ghostly rader and receyue penauÌ„ce enioyned for his trespaas and gladly fulfyl it so that bothe the synne y e payne maye be done awaye or he passe hens And that is the skylful ordynaunce of holy chyrche for grete profyte of mannes soule that thoughe the synne be foryeuen thorough the vertue of contrycyon neuerthelesse in fulfyllynge of mekenesse and for to make hole satysfaccyon he shal yf he may shewe to his preste plener confessyoÌ„ for y t is his token his warraunt of foryeuenesse ayenste al his enmyes and y t is nedefull for to haue For yf a man had forfeyted his lyfe ayenst a kyng of this erthe it were not ynough to hym as for a fulsykernesse for to haue onÌ„ly foryeuenesse of the kynge but yf he haue a charter the whiche may be his token his warraunt agaynste al other men Ryght so maye it be sayd ghostly If a man haue forfeyted agaynst the kynge of heuen his lyfe thorough dedely synne It is not ynough to hym to fulsykernesse for to haue foryeuenes of god oonly by contrycyon betwene god and hym but yf he haue a charter made by holy chyrche yf he maye come therto And that is the sacrament of penaunce the whiche is his charter his token of foryeuenes For syth that he forfeyted both ayenste god and holy chyrche it is skylful that he haue foryeuenesse for that one and a warrant for y e other And this oo skylle why that confession is nedeful A nother skylle is this For syth this refourmyng of the soule stondyth in fayth oonly not in felyng therfore a flesshly man that is rude boystouse can not deme lyghtly but outwarde of bodely thynges sholde not mow haue crowyd y t his synnes had ben foryeueÌ„ hym but yf he had some bodely token and that is confessyon thorough the whiche token he is made â—ll syker of foryeuenes yf y t he do that in hym is This is the trouth of holy chyrche as I vnderstonde it Also a nother skylle is this Though the grounde of foryeuenesse stonde not pryncypally in confessyon but in contrycyon of y e herte and in forthyn kynge of synne neuertheles I hope that there is many a soule that sholde neuer a felyd very contricyoÌ„ nor had full forsakynge of synne yf confessyon had not be For it fallyth oft sythes that in the tyme of coufessyon grace of compunccyon comyth to a soule that before neuer felyd grace but euer was colde and drye and ferder fro felyng of grace And therfore syth confessyon was so profytable to the more partye of crysten men holy chyrche ordeyned for the more sykernesse
glad wel payed y t he is delyuered of it by this assay may he wyte y t were the lykyng neuer so grete in the flesshly felynge y t he assented not ne synned not namly dedely Neuertheles a remedye there is syker to suche a symple soule y t is marred in itself can not helpe it y t he be not to bolde in hymself vtterly wenynge y ◠suche flesshly styryng with lykyng are no syn̄eh for he myght so falle in to rechelesnes into fals sekernes Ne also y t he be not to dredeful ne to symple in wytte for to deme hem al as dedely synne nor as grete venyals for nother is soth but y t he holde hē al as syn̄es wretchydnes of hymself that he haue sorowe for hē be not to besy for to deme hem nother dedely ne venyall But yf his conscience be gretly greued y ◠he hastely go shewe to his confessour in general or in specyal suche styrynges namly euery styrynge y e begynneth to festen ony rote in y e herte moost ocupyeth it for to drawe it downe to synne worldly vanytee And then whan he is thus shryuen generally or specyally trow then stedfastly y ◠they ben foryeuen dyspute nomore about hem that arne passed foryeuen whether they were dedely or venyal But y t he be more besy to kepe hym better ayenst hem that arne comyng And yf he do thus then maye he come to reste in conscyence But then some arn so flesshly so vncūnyng that they wolde fele or see or here foryeuenes of her syn̄es as opēly as they myght fele see a bodely thynge And for as moche as they fele it not so therfore they falle ofte in suche weeres doubtes of hymself neuer maye come to reste and in that arne they vnwyse for faythe gooth before felyng Our lorde sayd to a man that was in y e palsye whan he helyd hym thus Cōfide sili remiremittū◠tibi pccā tua That is Sone trowe stedfastly thy syn̄es arn foryeuen y ◠He sayd not to hym se or fele how thy syn̄es arne foryeue y ◠for y e foryeuenes of syn̄es is doon ghostly vnseable thorough the grace of y e holy ghost but trowe it Ryght on the same wyse euery man that wyl come to reste in conscyence hym behouyth fyrst yf he do y ◠in hym is trowe without ghostly felynge foryeuenes of his synnes And yf he fyrste trowe it he shal afterwarde thorough grace fele it and vnderstonde if it is soo Thus sayth the apostle Nisi crederitis nō intellegitis That is But yf ye fyrst trowe ye maye not vnderstonde Trouth gooth before and vnderstondynge comyth after the whiche vnderstondynge that I calle the lyght of god yf it be gracyous a soule maye not haue but thorough grete clennesse as oure lorde sayth Beati mundo corde qm̄ ip̄i deum videbunt Blessyd be clene of herte for they shall see god not with her flesshly eye but with the Inner eye that is vnderstondyng clensed and lyghted thorough grace of the holy ghost for to se sothfastnes y e whiche clennes a soule maye not fele but yf he haue stable trouth goynge before as thapostle sayth Fide mundans corda eorum That is our lorde clenseth y e hertes of his chosen thoroughe fayth therfore it is nedful y t a soule trowe fyrst the refourmynge of hymself made thorough the sacramente of penaunce though he see it not And that he dyspose hymselfe fully for to lyue ryghtfully and vertuously as his tronth askyth soo that he maye after come to syght and to the refourmynge in felynge ¶ That this ymage is bothe fayre fowle whyles it is in this lyfe here though it be refourmed And of dyuersyte of felynges pryuely had betwene thyse soules that ben refourmed other y t ben not Caplm̄ xii FAyr is mannes soule fowle is a mannes soule Fayr in as moche as it is refourmed in fayth to y e lyckenes of god But it is foule in as moche as it is medlyd with flesshly felynges vnskylful styrynges ofth ymage of syn Foule without as it were a beest fayr withī lyke to an āgel Foule in felyng of the sensualyte fayre in trouth of the reason Foule for the flesshly appetyte fayre for the good wyl Thus fayre thus foule is a chosen soule sayenge holy wrytte thus Nigra sū sed formosa filie Ierlm sicut tabernacula cedar et sicut pellis salomonis That is I am blacke but I am fayre shaply ye doughter of Ihr̄lm as y e tabernacles of cedar as the skynne of salomon That is ye angels of heuen y ◠arne doughters of the hye Ier̄lm wonder not on mene dyspyse me not for my blacke shadowe For though I be blacke without by cause of my flesshly kynde as is a tabernacle of cedar Neuertheles I am ful fayre with in as the skynne of salomon for I am refourmed to the lyckenes of god By cedar is vnderstōde a reproued soule the whiche is a tabernacle of the deuyll By salomon is vnderstōde our lorde Ihesu For he is pees peasyble By the skynne of salomon is vnderstonde a blessyd anget in whom our lorded wellyth And is hydde as is the lyfe hydde in the skyn̄e of a quycke body And therfore is an aungel lyckened to a skynne Thenne maye a chosen soule with meke truste in god and gladenes of herte saye thus Though I be blacke by cause of my body of synne as a reproued soule that is one of the tabernacles of the fende neuertheles I am within ful fayre thoroughe trouthe good wyll lyke to an angel of heuen For so sayth he in a nother place Nolite considerare me qd fusca sū qm̄ decolorauit me sol That is Beholde me not that I am swart for y ◠sonne hath defaded me The sonne makyth askynne swarte oonly without and not within it betokenith this flesshly lyfe Therfore sayth a chosen soule thus Repreue me not for I am swart for the swartnesse y ◠I haue is al without of towchynge of berynge of this ymage of synne but it is no thynge within And therfore soothly though it be so y t a chosen soule refourmed in fayth dwelle in this body of synne fele the same flesshly styrynges vse y ◠same bodely werkes as doth a tabernacle of cedar so ferforth y ◠in mānes dome there sholde no dyfference be bytwyx y t one that other Neuertheles within in her soules there is a full grete deuersyte and in the syght of god there is full moche twynnynge But the knowynge of this whiche is one and whiche is other oonly kepte to god for it passeth mannes dome mannes felynge therfore we shall no man deme as euyl for that thynge that maye be vsed bothe euyll well A soule that is not refourmed is take so fully with the loue
â— leuyth y e souereyn good euerstyng lyfe y t is god vnsought vnloued vnknowen vnworshypped and chesyth his reste his blysse in a passynge delyte of an erthely thyng Neuerthelesse thus done al y e louers of this worlde that haue her Ioye her blysse in this wretchyd lyfe Some haue it in pryde vaynglory of hemself y e whan they haue loste the drede of god they traueyle studye nyght day how they mow come to worshyp praysynge of the worlde maken noo force how it be soo that they myght come therto ouerpasse al men eyther in clergy or in crafte in name or fame In ryches or in reuerence in souerente maystershyp in hye state lordshyp Some meÌ„ haue her reste in ryches in outragious hauour of erthly good setten her hertes so fully for to gete it y â— they seke not elles but how they myght come therto Some haue her lykynge in flesshly lustes of glotenye lecherye in other bodely vnclennes And some in oo thynge some in a nother And thus wretchydly thyse y â— done thus forshapen hemself fro the worthynes of maÌ„ torne hem in to dyuers bestes lyckenes The prowde man is torned into a lyon for pryde for he wolde be drade worshypped of all men that no man ayenstonde y e fulfyllynge of his flesshly wyl nother in worde ne in dede And yf ony man wolde lette his mysproude wyl he weryth felle wrothe woll be wroken of hym as a lyon wrekith hym on a lytyl beest This maÌ„ that dooth thus is no man for he dooth vnresonably ayenst y â— kynde of a man so he is tourned transfourmed in to a lyon Enuyous angry men arne torned in to houÌ„des thoroughe wrathe an enuye y e brekyth ayen her euen cristeÌ„ bytyth heÌ„ by wycked malycyous wordes greuyth hem y t haue not trespassed with wrongfull dedes harmyng hem in body in soule ayenst goddis byddynge Some men arne forshapen in to asses y e arne slowe to y e seruyce of god and euyl wylled for do ony good dede to her euen crysten They arne redy ynough for to renÌ„e for worldly profyte for erthly worshyp or for pleysauÌ„ce of an erthly man But for ghostly mede for helpe of her owne soules or for y e worshyp of god they are soone yrke they wol not therof And yf they ought done they goon but a pase with frowarde wyl Some are torned in to swyne for they are so blynde in wytte so bestly in maners that they haue no drede of god but folowen onÌ„ly the lustes and lykynges of her flesshe and haue no rewarde to the honeste of man ne for to rule hem after the byddynge of reason ne for to restrayne the vnskylfull styrynges of the flesshly kynde but assone as a flesshly styrynge comyth of synne they are redy for to falle ther to and folowe as swyne done Some men are torned in to wulfes that lyuen raueyn as fals couetous men done that thorough maystry ouerledyng robben her eueÌ„ crysten of her worldly goodes Some men are torned in to foxes as fals men deceyuable men that lyuen in trecherye gyle Al thyse many other moo y t lyuen not in drede of god but breken his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes forshapen hemself fro the lyknes of god maken hem lyke to bestes ye worse than bestes for they are lyke to the fende of helle And therfore sothly thyse men y t lyuen thus yf they ben not refourmed whan the hour of deth cometh the soules of hem are departed fro y e bodyes then shal her eye be opened y t is nowe stopped with synne thenne shal they fele fynde the payne of her wretchydnes that they lyued in here And for asmoche as y e ymage of god was not refourmed thorugh the sacrament of penaunce in hem neyther in fayth ne in felynge here in this lyfe they shal be as cursed caste out fro y e blessyd face of our creatour and they shal be dampned with y â— deuyl in to the depnes of helle there for to be without ende Thus sayth saynt IohnÌ„ in thapocalipse Tumidis et incredulis execratis homicidis fornicatoribus venificis ydolatris omÌ„ibê mendacibê pars illorum erit in stagno ardenti igne sulphure That is To prowde men mystrowyng men to cursed to men sleers to lecherous couetous to poyseners and worshyppers of mawmentes to al fals lyers her dele shal be with y e deuyl in the pytte of helle brennyng with fyre brymston If y e louers of this worlde wolde oft thynke on this how al this worlde shal passe and drawe to an ende and how al wycked loue shal be harde punysshed they sholde within shorte tyme loth al worldly lustes y t they now most lyke they sholde lyfte vp her herte for to loue god and they wolde besyly seke traueyle how they myght be refourmed to his lyckenes or they passe hens ¶ How louers of this worlde vnable hem in dyuers maners to the refourmynge of her owne soule Capitulum xv BUt now sayth some of hem thus I wolde fayne loue god be a good man forsake y e loue of the worlde yf that I myght but I haue no grace therto If I had the same grace that a good man hath I sholde do as he dooth But for I haue it not therfore I maye not so it is not to me to wyte but I am excused vnto thyse meÌ„ say Iâ—hê° Soâ—h it is as they saye y t they haue no grace and therfore they lyen styl in her synne maye not ryse out But that auayleth hem not ayenst god for it is her owne defawte They vnable hem by dyuers wayes so moche that the lyght of grace maye not shyne to hem nerest in her hertes For some are so fro warde y t they wol no grace haue ne they wol no gode men be For they wote well that yf they sholde be good men they must nedes forbere the grete lykynge the luste of this worlde that they haue in erthly thynges y t wol they not For heÌ„ thken it is so swete y t they wol not forgo it And also they must nedes take werkes of penauÌ„ce As in fastyng wakyng prayeng many other good dedes doyng In chastisynge of theyr flessh iÌ„ withdrawyng of theyr flesshly wyll y t maye they not do For it is made so sharpe and so dredful to her thynkyng that they vggen lothen for to thynke vpon it and so cowardly wretchydly dwel they stelle in her synne Some wolde haue grace as it semyth and begynnen to able hem therto but her wyll is wonder weeke For assone as ony styrynge of synne comyth though it be contrary to the byddyng of god they falle anone therto for they are so bounde thorugh custome by oft fallynge
grace comith otherwyse ¶ Of taryenges teÌ„ptacyons y e soules fele by her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowyng goyng to Ihrlm. of remedyes ayenst hem CaplmÌ„ xxii NOw art thou in y e way woost how thou shalt go Now beware of enmyes y t wol be besy for to lette y t yf they maye for her entente is for to putte out of thyn herte that desyre and y e longynge that thou hast to the loue of IhuÌ„ for to dryue the home ayen to y e loue of worldly vanyte for there is no thyng that greueth hem so moche Thyse enmyes are pryncypally flesshly desyres vayne dredes y t rysen out of thyn herte thorugh corrupcyon of thy flesshly kynde wolde lette thy desyre of the loue of god that they myght fully restfully occupye thyn herte Thyse are thy next enmyes Also other enmyes there are as vnclene spyrytes that are besy with sleyghtes wyles for to dysceyue the But one remedye shalt thou haue that I sayd before What so it be y t they saye trowe hem not but holde forth thy waye onÌ„ly desyre y e loue of IhuÌ„ Answere euer thus I am nought I haue nought I coueyte nought but oonly the loue of our lorde IhuÌ„ If thyn enmyes saye to the fyrste thus by styrynges in herte y t thou art not shryuen aryght or there is some olde synne hyd in thyn hert y t thou knowest not ne neuer were shryuen aryght And therfore thou must torne home ayen leue thy desyre goo shryue y e better Trowe not this sayeng for it is fals for thou art shriueÌ„ trust sykerly and y t thou art in y e waye y t nedeth no more ransakynge of shryfte for that y t it passyd Holde forth thy way thynke on IhrÌ„lm Also yf they saye that thou art not worthy to haue y e loue of god wherto shalt thou couete that thou mayst not haue ne art not worthy therto Trowe hem not but go forth saye thus Not for I am worthy but for I am vnworthy therfore wolde I loue god For yf I had it y t sholde make me worthy And sythen I was made therto though I sholde neuer haue it yet wol I coueyte it and therfore wol I praye thynke that I myght gete it And then yf thyn enmyes see y t thou begynnest to wexe bolde wel wylled to thy werke they begyn to wexe aferde of the Neuertheles they wol not cease of taryenge the whan they maye as longe as thou art goynge in the waye what with drede manassynge on that one syde what with flaterynge and fals pleysyng on y t other syde for to make y e breke thy purpose torne home ayen they wol saye thus If thou holde forth thy desyre to Ihesu so fully trauelyng as thou begynnest thou shalt falle in to sykenes or in to fantasyes or in to frenesyes as thou seest y t some donÌ„ Or thou shalt fal in to pouertee bodely myscheyf no man shal wel helpe the Or thou myght falle in to priue temptacyons of the fende that thou shalt not helpe thyself For it is wonder peryllous to ony man for to yeue hym fully to the loue of god leue all the worlde no thynge coueyte but oonly the loue of hym for so many perylles maye falle y t a man knoweth not of And therfore torne home ayen leue this desyre for thou shal neuer brynge it to the ende and do as other worldly men done Thus sayen thyn enmyes but trowe heÌ„ not but holde for thy desyre saye not elles but thou woldest haue Ihesu be at IhrÌ„lm And yf they perceyue then thy wyl so stronge y â— thou wolt not spare for synne ne for syknes for fantasyes ne for frenesyes for dowtes ne for dredes of ghostly teÌ„ptacyons for myscheyf ne for pouerte for lyfe ne for deth but euer forth thou wolt with one thynge no thynge but one make deefere to hem as though thou herde hem not holdest the forthe styfly in thy prayer in thyn other ghostly werkes without styntynge with dyscrecyon after couÌ„seyle of thy souereyne or of thy ghostly fader then begyn they for to be wrothe to go a lytyl nerer the. Then they begyn for to robbe the bete the do the al the shame that they can And that is whan they make that al the dedes y t thou doost ben they neuer so wel done are deuyed of other men as euyl torned in to the wors partye And what so euer it be y t thou woldest haue done in helpe of thy body or of thy soule it shal be letted or hyndred by other men so y t thou shalt be put fro thy wyl iÌ„ al thyng y t thou skyfully coueytes al this they donÌ„ y t thou sholdest be styred to yre or maleÌ„coly or euyl wyl ayenst thyn euen crysten But ayeÌ„st al thyse dyseases al other that thou may fele vse this remedye Take IhuÌ„ in thy mynde anger the no more with hem Tarye not with hem but thynke on thy lessoÌ„ y t thou art nought y t thou hast nought thou may nouÈt lese of erthly good thou coueytest nought but y e loue of IhuÌ„ holde forth thy waye to IhrÌ„lm with thy occupacyon And neuertheles yf thou be taryed somtyme thorugh freelte of thyself with suche vneases that fallen to thy bodely lyfe thorugh euyl wyl of man or malyce of the fende assone as thou may come ayen to thyself leue of thy thynkyng of thy dysease go forth to thy werke Abyde not longe with hem for drede of thyn enmyes ¶ Of a general remedy ayeÌ„st wycked styrynges paynful taryenges y t falleÌ„ to her hertes of y e flesshe of y e worlde of the fende Caplm xxiii ANd after this whan thin enmyes see that thou arte so wel wylled that thou arte not angry nor heuy ne wrothe ne moche styred ayenste noo creature for oughte that they maye doo or speke ayenste theâ— but settest thy herte fully for to suffre all that maye falle ease or vnease praysynge or lackynge and that thou wolt charge noo thynge with that that thou myghte kepe thy thoughte and thy desyre hoole to the loue of god thenne are they moche abasshed But thenne woll they assaye the with flaterynge and vayne pleysynge And that is whan they brynge to the syghte of thy soule al thy good dedes vertues and bere vpon the that all men praysen the and speke good of thy holynes and howe all men loue the and worshyppe the for thy holy lyuynge Thus done thyn enmyes that thou sholdest thynke her sayenge soth haue delyte in this vayne Ioye and reste the therin But yf thou do wel thou shalt holde al suche Iangelynge falsed and flaterynge of thyn enmye that profereth the to drynke venym tempered with honye And therfore refuse it and saye thou wol not
of god and that nedeth for to be done fyrst For as I haue before sayd it maye not elles be refourmed in felynge ¶ How it falleth somtyme that soules begynÌ„yng at profytynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokeÌ„s than some haue that ben perfyte and yet it is not soo in soth wythin CaplmÌ„ xxix BUt now sayest thou how maye this be sothe For there are many soules newe tourned to god that haue many ghostly felynges Some haue grete compunction for her synnes and some haue grete deuocyons feruours in her prayers and often haue sundry techinges of ghostly liÈte in vnderstonding and some men haue other maner felynges of confortable hete and grete swetnes and neuertheles thise soules come neuer fully in this restfull derkenes that I speke of wyth feruent desyre and lastyng loue and thought in god ThenÌ„e askest thou whether thise soules be reformed iÌ„ felynge or noughte It semeth yes in asmoche as they haue suche grete ghostly felynges that other meÌ„ that stoÌ„de only iÌ„ fayth fele not of Unto this I maye saye as me thynkith that thise ghostly felynge whether they stonde in compunction or deuocyon or in ghostly ymaginacyon are not the felynges whyche a soule shal haue and fele iÌ„ the grace of contemplacion I say not but they are sothfast and gracyously yeueÌ„ of god But thyse soules that felen suche are not yet refourmed in felynge ne they haue not yet y â— yefte of perfeccioÌ„ ne ghostly the brenninge loue of IhuÌ„ as they maye come to And neuertheles often it semyth otherwyse that suche soules fele more of the loue of god thaÌ„ other that haue the yefte of perfeccyon in asmoche as the felyng shewyth more outwarde by grete feruour of bodily tokens in wepynge prayenge knelinge spekynge and other bodily styrynge soo ferforth that it semyth to a nother man that they were euer rauysshed in loue And though me thynkith it is not soo wel I wote that thise maner felinges and feruours of deuocioÌ„ and compunccion that thise men fele are gracious â—eftes of god sent in to choseÌ„ soules for to drawe heÌ„ out of worldly loue and flesshly luste that hath ben longe tyme roted in her hert fro the whiche loue they sholde not be draweÌ„ out but bi suche feable stirynge of grete feruours neuer theles y t the feruours is somoche in outwarde shewyng it is not onÌ„ly for mochenes of loue y t they haue but it is for litylnes and weyknes of her soule that may not bere a lityl towching of god for it is yet as it were fleshly festned to the flesshe neuer was yet departed fro ghostly mortifyeng and therfore the lest towching of loue and the lest sperkyl of ghostly lyÈte sent fro heuen in to suche a soule is so moche so comfortable so delectable ouer al the likinge that euer it felte before in flesshly loue of erthly thynge y t it is ouertaken with it And also it is so newe and sodeyn and so vnkouth that it maye not suffre for to bere it but brestyth and shewyth out in wepynge sobbyng other bodily stirynge Right as the costrell y t is olde whan it receyueth new wine that is fresshe And myghty the costrel boyleth oute and is in poynte for to cleue and brest vntyl the wyne hath boylled and spourged oute al vnclennesse but also sone as the wyne is fyned and cleryd thenne it stondeth styl aud the costrel hole Right so a sonle that is olde thrugh synne whan it receyueth a lytyl of the loue of god that is soo fresshe and so myghty y t the body is in poynte for to cleue to breke ne were that god kepith it hole But yet it brestyth oute at the eyen by weping and at y e mouth by spekyng and y t is more for weyknes and feblenes of the soule thaÌ„ for mykylnes of loue For afterwarde whan loue hath boyled al the vnclennes oute of the soule bi suche grete feruours then is the loue clere stondeth styl And then is both the body and the soule moche more in pees and yet hath the soule moche more loue than it had before though it shewelesse outwarde For it is now al hole in reste wythin and noughte but lityll in outwarde shewynge of feruour And therfore I saye y t thyse soules y t feleâ— suche grete hodily feruours though they beÌ„ in moche grace are not yet refourmed in felynge but they are gretely dysposed towarde For I trowe that suche a man naÌ„ly y t hath be gretly defoylled in synÌ„e shal not be refourmed in felynge but yf he be fyrste brente and purifyed wyth suche grete compunccyons goynge before Another soule that neuer was moche defoyleth wyth loue of y e worlde but hath euer be kepte fro grete synnes in innoceÌ„ce maye lyghtlyer and more pryuely wythout grete feruour shewed outwarde comÌ„ to this refourmynge Thenne is this soch as I hope that suche comfortes and feruours that a soule felyth in the state of begynÌ„ynge or of profytyng are as it were his ghostly foode sente fro heuen for to strengthe hym in his trauely Right as a pylgryme traueyleth al daye meteles drynkles and is nerehonde ouercome wyth werynes falleth at the laste to a good Inne and there hath he mete drynke is wel refresshed for the tyme Right soo ghostly a deuoute soule that wol forsake the loue of the worlde wolde fayne loue god and settyth al his besynes therto prayeth and traueyleth al daye bodely and ghostly and somtyme feleth noo comforte ne sauour in deuocyon TheÌ„ our lorde hauynge pyte ouer al his creatures that it sholde not perisshe for defawte ne torne iÌ„to heuynes or grutchynge sendeth it amonge his ghostly foode comforteth it in deuocyon as he wouchith saaf And whaÌ„ the soule feleth ony comforte thenne holdeth he hym wel payd for all his traueylle and all the disease that it had on the day whan it fareth well at euen by felynge of ony grace The self wyse falleth it of other soules that are profitynge ferforth in grace They felen ofte tymes gracyous towchynges of the holy ghoste in her soule bothe in vnderstondynge syght of ghostly thynges and in affeccy of loue But yet ben they not refourmed in felyng ne they are not yet perfyte for why al suche felynges come to heÌ„ in that state as it were vnwarly for they come or they wyte it gooth fro hem or they wyte it And they can not come therto ayen ne wote not where they shall fynde it for they haue not yet homlynes with heÌ„ of thoughte and lastyng desyre in IhuÌ„ ne the eye of her soules is not opyned to y e beholdyng of gostly thiÌ„ges but they nyghe faste towarde therfore they are not yet refourmed iÌ„ felyng ne they haue not yet y e ful yeft of conteÌ„placioÌ„ ¶ On what maner a man shal haue knowynge of hys owne soule and how a man sholde sette his loue
in IhuÌ„ god man one persone CaplmÌ„ xxx IT nedeth a soule that wolde haue knowynge of ghostly thynges for to haue firste knowynge of it self For it maye not haue knowyng of a kynde aboue it self but yf it haue knowynge of itself And that is whan the foule is soo gadred iÌ„ to itself and departed fro beholdynge of al erthly thynges fro the vse of bodely wittes that it felyth itself as it is in the owne kynde without a body Thenne yf thou coueyte for to knowe and see thy soule what it is thou shalte not torne thy thought with ymaginacion in to thy body for to seke it and fele it as it were hyd within thyn herte as thy herte is hydde holden within thy body If thou seke soo thou shalt neuer fynde it in itselfe The more thou secheste for to fynde fele it as thou woldest fele a bodily thyng the ferder thou arte therfro For thy soule is no body but a lyfe vnseable not hyd and holden with in thy body as a lesse thynge is hyd holden within a more but it is holdynge and quyknyng thy body moche more thaÌ„ thy body is in myght in vertue Then yf thou wolt fynde it withdraw thi thoughte fro al bodily thynge outwarde fro mynde of thyn owne body also fro al thy fyue wyttes asmoche as thou maye and thynke on the kynde of a resonable soule ghostly as thou woldest thynke for to knowe ony vertue as sothfastnes or mekenes or ony other vertue Righte soo thynke that a soule is a lyfe vndedely vnseably hath myght in itself for to see and knowe the soueryn sothfastenes And for to loue the souereyne goodnes y t is god whan thou seest this then felyst thou somwhat of thyself Seke thyself in none other place but y e more fully y e more clerly y t thou maye thynke of the kynde and the worthynes of a resonable soule what it is and what is y e wyndly werkynge of it y e better seest thou thiselfe It is ful harâ—e for a â—oule that is rude and moche in the flesshe for to haue syghte and knowynge of it or of an angel or of god It falleth anone in to ymagynacion of bodily shappe and it weneth therby for to haue the sighte of it selfe and so of god and soo of ghostly thynges And that maye not be For alle ghostly thinges are sene and knowen by vnderstonding of the soule not by ymaginacion Ryght as a soule seeth by vnderstoÌ„dyng that the vertu of right wysnes is for to yeue to euery thynge that it oweth to haue right soo on suche a maner maye the soule see itselfe by vnderstondynge Neuertheles I saye not that thy soule shall reste stylle in this knowinge bue it shal by this seke hyer knowynge aboue itselfe that is the kynde of god For the soule is but a myrour in the whyche thou shalt see god ghostly And therfore thou shalt fyrste fynde thi myrrour kepe it bryghte clene fro flesshly fylth worldly vanytee holde it well vp fro the erthe that thou myÈt see it our lorde therin also â–ª For to this ende traueylen all chosen soules in this lyfe in her meaning in her enteÌ„t though they haue not specyally the felinge of this And therfore it is said before that many soules beginÌ„yng profiting haue many grete feruours moche swete deuocioÌ„ and as it semith breÌ„nynge al in loue yet haue they not perfytly loue ne ghostly knowynge of god For wyte thou well fele a soule neuer somoche feruour somoche that him thinkyth that y e body may not bere it or though he melte al in to wepynge aslonge as his thynkyng his beholdyng of god is moost or al in ymagynacion not in vndstoÌ„dyng he come not yet to prrfyte loue ne to coÌ„teÌ„placion For thou shalt vndstoÌ„de y t the loue of god is on thre maner wyse Al are good but echone is better thaÌ„ other The fyrste comyth onÌ„ly thrugh fayth wythout gracious ymaginacioÌ„ or ghostly knowyng of god This loue is in the leest soule that is refourmed in fayth in y e lowest degree of charyte And it is good for it suffyceth to saluacyon The seconde loue is that a soule felyth thorugh fayth ymagynacyon of IhuÌ„ iÌ„ his manhede This loue is better than the fyrste whan the ymagynacyon is styred by grace for why the ghostly eye is opened in beholdynge of our lordes manhede The thyrde loue that the soule feleth thorugh ghostly syght of y e god hede in the manhede as it maye be seen here that is best and wooste worthy and that is perfyte loue this loue a soule felyth not vnto it be refourmed in felyng Soules begynnyng profytyng hath not this loue for they cannot thynke on IhuÌ„ ne loue hym goodly but as it were almanly flesshly after the condycyons lyknes of man and vpon that rewarde they shape al her worchynge in her thoughtes in her affeccyons They drede hym as a man worshyp hym loue hym pryncypally in maÌ„ly ymagynacyon go no ferder As thus If they haue done amysse and trespased ayenst god they thynke then y e god is wrothe with hem as a man sholde yf they had trespassed ayenst hym therfore they falle downe as it were to the fete of our lorde with sorowe of herte and cryen mercy And whan they done thê° they haue a good trust y â— our lorde of his mercy wol foryeue hem her trespasse This maner of doyng is ryght good but it is not ghostly as it myghte be Also whan they woll worshyp god they present hem in her thought as they were before our lordes face in a bodely lyckenes ymagyne a wonderful lyght there our lorde Ihesu is and thenne they reuerence hym worshyp hym drede hym fully put hem in his mercy for to do with hem what he wol Also whaÌ„ they wol loue god they beholde hym worshyp hym dreâ—e hym as a man not yet as god in man eyther in hys passyon or in some other thyng of his manhede and in y â— beholdinge they fele her hertes moche stired to that loue of god This manere of worchynge is good gracyous but it is moche lesse and lower than is the worching of vnderstondynge That is whan the soule gracyously beholdeth god in man For in our lorde Ihesu are two kyndes the manhede and the godhede Thenne ryght as the godhede is more souereyne and more worthy thaÌ„ is the manhede Ryght so the ghostly beholdynge of the godhede in Ihesu maÌ„ is more worthyer and more ghost stlyer and more medeful than ne beholdyng of the manhede alone whether he beholde the manhede as dedly or as gloryfyed And ryght so by the same skyl the loue y â— a soule felyth in thynkyng and beholdynge of the godhede in man whan it is gracyously shewed is worthyer ghostlyer more medeful than the feruour of
deuocyon that the soule feleth by ymaginÌ„acyon oonly of the man hede shewe it neuer somoche outwarde For in rewarde of that this is but manly for our lorde sheweth hym not in ymaginacion as he is ne that he is for the soule myght not that tyme for freelte of the flesshhede suffre it soo Neuerthels vnto suche soules that can not thynke of the godhede ghostly that they sholde not erre in her deuocyon but that they sholde be comforted strengthed thrugh some maner Inwarde beholdynge of IhuÌ„ for to forsake synne and the loue of the worlde therfore oure lorde Ihesu tempreth his vnseable lighte of his godhede and clotheth it vnder bodile lykenes of his manhede and she wyth it vnto the Inner eye of a soule and fedeth it wyth the loue of his precyous flesshe ghostly The whiche loue is of soo grete myghte that it sleeth all wycked loue in the soule and strengthe it for to suffre bodyly penaunce and other bodyly dysease in tyme of nede for loue of Ihesu And this is the shadowyng of our lorde Ihesu ouer a chosen soule in the whiche shadowyng the soule is kepte fro brennyng of worldly loue For ryght as a shadowe is made of a lyght of a bodi ryght so this ghostly shadow is made of y e blessed vnseable lyght of the godhede of the manhede ooned therto shewed to a deuout soule of the whiche shadowe the prophete sayth thus SpÌ„s ante facieÌ„ nostram xpÌ„s dnÌ„s sub vmbra eiê° viuemus inter gentes Our lorde cryst before our face as a spyrite vnder his shadowe we shal lyue amonge folke That is our lorde Ihesu in his godhede is a spyryte that maye not be seen of vs lyuyng in flesshe as he is in his blessed lyght therfore we shal lyue vnder y e shadow of his manhede as long as we are here But though this besooth y t this loue in ymaginacyon be good Neuertheles a soule sholde desyre for to haue ghostly loue in vnderstoÌ„dyng of the godhede for that is the ende y e ful blysse of the soule and al bodely beholdynges are but meanes ledynge a soule to it I say not that we sholde refuse the manhede of Ihesu and departe god fro man but thou shalt in Ihesu man beholde drede wonder loue ghostly the godhede And so shalt thou without departyng loue god in man and both god man ghostly not flesshly Thus taught our lorde mary mawdeleyne that sholde be contemplatyfe whan he sayd thus Noli me tangere non duÌ„eneÌ„ ascendi ad patreÌ„ meuÌ„ Touche me not I am not yet styed vp to my fader That is to saye Mary magdalene loued wel our lorde Ihesu before the tyme of his passyon but her loue was moche bodely lytyl ghostly She trowed wel y t he was god but she loued hym a lytyl as god for she kouth not thenÌ„e and therfore she suffreth al her affeccyon and al her thought falle in hym as he was in fourme of man And our lorde blamed her not thenne but praysed it moche But after whan he was rysen fro dethe and appered to her she wolde haue worshypped hym with suche manere loue as she dyde before and thenne our lorde forbode her and sayd thus Towche me not That is Sette not thy reste ne the loue of thyn herte in that fourme of man y â— thon seest with thy flesshly eye only for to reste therin For in that four me I am not styed vp to my fader That is I am not eueÌ„ to the fader for in that fourme of man I am lesse than he Towche me not so but let thy thought and thy loue in y e fourme in whiche I am euen to the fader that is y e fourme of the godhede and loue me knowe me worshyp me as god man godly not as a man manly So shalt thou touche me For sythen I am both god man and al the cause why I shal be loued worshipped is for I am god and for I toke the kynde of man And therfore make me god in thyne herte and in thyne loue And worshyppe me in thyne vnderstondynge as Ihesu god and man souereyne sothfastnes and souereyne goodnes and blessed lyfe for that I am And thus taughte our loâ—de her as I vnderstonde and also al other soules that arne dysposed to contemplacyon and able therto that they sholde doo soo Neuertheles other soules that arne not sybtyll in kynde ne are not yet made ghostly thoroughe grace it is good to hem that they kepe for the her owne worchynge in ymagynacyon with manly affeccyon vnto more grace come freely to hem It is not syker to a man to lene one good thynge vtterly tyll he see and fele a better Upon the selfe wyse it maye be sayd of other maner felinges that are like to bodyly as herynge of delectable songe or felynge of comfortable hete in the body seenge of lighte or swetnes of bodili sauour Thyse are not ghostly felynges for ghostly clyn are felte in the myghtes of the soule pryncipally in vnderstondynge loue and lytyl in ymagynacyon But thise felynges are felte in the myghtes of the body in ymagynacyon and therfore they are not ghostly felynges But whaÌ„ they are best moost true yet are they but outwarde tokens of the Inly grace that is felte in y e myghtes of the soule This may be openly preued by holy wryt sayeng thus ApparueruÌ„t appostolis dispertitelingue taÌ„qmÌ„ ignis sed itque supra singulos eorum spiritus scuÌ„s The holy ghost appered to the apostles in the daye of penthecost in the lickenes of brennynge tonges enflammed her hertes â—et vpon eche of hem Now soth it is the holy ghost that is god in hymselfe vnseable was not that fyre ne the tonges that were seen ne that brennyng that was felt bodily but he was vnseabli felt in the myghtes of her soules for he lyghtned her reason and kyndeled her affeccion thrugh his blessed precense so clerely and so brennyngly that they had sodeynly the ghostly knowyng of sothfastnes y e perfeccyon of loue as our lorde behyght hem sayenge thus Spiritus sanctus docebit vos omnem veritatem That is the holy ghost shal teche you al sothfastnes then was that fyre and that brennyng nought elles but a bodily token outwarde shewed in wyâ—nessynge of that grace that was Inwardly felte And as it was in hem soo is it in other soules that are vysyted and lyghtned within of the holy ghost and hath with that suche outwarde felynge in coÌ„forte and wytnessyng of the grace inwarde But that grace is not as I hope in all soules that are perfyte but there our lorde wol Other Inperfyte soules that haue suche felynges outwarde and haue not yet receyued Inwarde grace it is not good to hem to reste in suche felynges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue and to more stablynesse of thoughte in
the affeccions For thenne it dredeth god in maÌ„ as sothfastnesse wondreth hym as myghte loueth hym as goodnes This syghte and this goodnes and this knowynge of Ihesu with the blessed loue that comyth out of it may be called refourmyng of a soule in felynge and in fayth that I speke of It is in fayth For it is derke yet as in rewarde of that ful knowynge of IhuÌ„ wyih the blessed loue that comith onte of it y t shal be in heuen For then shal we se hym not oonly y t he is but as he is As saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Tunc videbimus eum sicut est That is Thenne shal we see hym as he is Neuertheles it is in felynge also as in rewarde of y e blynde knowynge that a soule hath stondynge oonly in faythe For this soule knowyth somwhat of the very kynde of Ihesu god thorughe his gracyous syght but y e other knowyth not but oonly trowith it is soth Neuertheles y t thou y e better maye conceyue what I meane I shal shewe thyse thre maner refourmyng of a soule by ensaÌ„ple of thre men stondyng inlyÈt of the son Of the whiche thre one is blynde a nother may see but he hath his eyen stopped the thyrde lokyth forth full syght The blynde man hath no maner knowyng that he is in the sonÌ„e but he trowith it yf a true man telle hym And he betokeneth a soule that is oonly refourmed in fayth y t trowyth in god as holy chyrche techeth wote not what This suffyceth as for saluacyon That other man seeth a lyght of the sonne but he seeth it not clerly what it is for the lyd of his eye letteth hym that he maye not see But he seeth thorugh the lyd of his eye a glymerynge of grete lyghte And he betokeneth a soule that is refourmed in fayth and in felynge and soo is he contemplatyfe For he seeth some what of the godhede of Ihesu thoroughe grace Not clerly ne fully for the lydde that is hys bodyly kynde is yet a walle bytwyxe hys kynde and the kynde of Ihesu god and lettythe hym frome the clere syghte But he seeth thoroughe thys walle after that grace towchyth hym more or lesse that Ihesu is god and that Ihesu is souereyne good nesse and souereyne beynge and a blessyd lyfe and all that other goodnesse comyth of hym Thus seethe the sowle by grace notayenstondynge the bodily kynde and the more clene and subtyl that the soule is made and y e more it is depared fro flesshly hede the sharper sight it hath the myghtyer loue of the godhede of Ihesu This syght is so myghty that thoughe none other man lyuynge wolde trowe in Ihesu ne loue hym he wolde neuer trowe the lesse ne loue hym the lesse for he seeth it sothfastly that he may not vntrowe it The thyrde man y t hath ful syght of the sonne he trowith it not for he seeyth it fully And he betokeneth a ful blessyd soule that without ony walle of body or of synne seeth openly the face of Ihesu in the blysse of heueÌ„ There is no fayth therfore he is fully refourmed in felynge There is no state aboue the seconde refourmyng that a soule may come to here in this lyfe for this is the state of perfeccyon the way to heuen warde Neuertheles al y e soules that are in this state are not al lyke ferforth For some hath it lytyl shortly seeldom some lenger clerer and oftiner and some hath it best clerest and lengest after y e aboundyng of grace yet al thyse haue the yefte of contemplacion For the soule hath not perfyte syght of Ihesu al at ones but fyrst a lytyl a lytyl and after y t it profyteth and comyth to more felyng And aslonge as it is in this lyfe it maye waxe more in knowyng in this loue of Ihesu and sothly I wote not what were more leyf to suche a soule that hath felte a lytyl of it than vtterly al other thynges lefte and sette at nought Tent onÌ„ly therto for to haue clerer syght clenner loue of Ihesu in whoÌ„ is al the blessed trynyte This maner knowyng of Ihesu as I vnderstonde is the openynge of heâ—en to the eye of a clene soule of the whiche holy meÌ„ speke of in her wrytynge Not as some wene that the openynge of heuen is as yf a soule myghte see bi ymaginacioÌ„ thrugh the scyes aboue the fyrmament how our lorde Ihesu syeteth in his mageste in a bodily lighte as moche as an hundreth sonnes Nay it is nat soo ne though he see neuer so hyghe on that maner sothly he seeth not the gostly heuen The hygher he styeth aboue the sonne for to see Ihesu god so by suche ymagynacioÌ„ the lower he falleth bineth the sonne Neuertheles this maner syght is sufferable to siÌ„ple soules that can noo better seche him that is vnseable ¶ Howe IhuÌ„ is heuen to the soule And why he is called fyre Caplm xxxiii WHat is heuen to a resonable soule Sothly noughte elles but Ihesu god For yf that be heueÌ„ only that is aboue al thyng then ne is god onely heuen to maÌ„nes soule for he is onely aboue the kiÌ„de of a soule theÌ„ne yf a soule may thorugh grace haue knowynge of y e blessed kynde of Ihesu sothly he seeth heueÌ„ for he seeth god Therfore there are many men that erren in vnderstoÌ„dynge of some wordes that are sayd of god for they vnderstonde them not gostly Holy wrytynge sayth that a soule that woll fynde god shall lyft vpwarde the Inner eye seke god aboue itselfe Thenne some meÌ„ that wolde doo after this sayenge vnderstoÌ„de this worde aboue hemself as for hygher settynge in stede worthynes of place as one elemente or planete is aboue a nother in settyne worthynes of a bodely place But it is nat soo gostly For a soule is aboue al bodily thynge that by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of kynde Right soo on the selfe wise god is aboue all bodily gostly creatures not by settynge of stede but by subtyltee worthynes of his vnchangeable blessyd kynde And therfore he that wol wisely see he god fynde hym he shall not renne out w t his thought as he wolde clyme aboue the sonne parte the firmament and ymagyn that mageste as it were of an hundred sonnes he shall rather drawe downe the sonne al the fyrmameÌ„t and forget it and caste it beneth hym there he is and sett all and all bodily thinge also at nought And thynke thenne yf he can ghostly both of him selfe and of god also And yf he doo thus thenne seeth the soule aboue it selfe thenne seeth it in to heuen Upon this self maner shall this worde within be vnderstond It is comynly sayd that a soule shall see our lord within all thynge and within itselfe Soth it is y t our lorde is within all creatures but not on that maner y t a
to demyng of y e Iewes as ypocrites heretykes are y e wol suffre moche bodily payne are soÌ„tyme redy for to suffre dethe wyth grete gladnes wyth mighty wyl as it were in the name of Ihesu for loue oh hym Sothly y e loue y e gladnes y t they haue in suffâ—yng of bodily myscheyf is not of the holy ghost It comyth not fro y e fyre that breÌ„neth in the hye awter of heuen but it is feyned by the fende enflammed of helle for it is fully meÌ„ged wyth the heyght of pryde and of presumpcion of hemselfe and despyte and demyng and dysdeyne of hem that thus punysshe hem They wene y t all this is charyte and that they suffre all that for the loue of god but they are begyled of y e myddaye fende A true louer of ihuÌ„ whan he suffreth harme of his eueÌ„ crysten is so strengthed thorugh grace of the holy ghost and is made soo meke soo pacyente soo peasyble And that so sothfastly that what wronge or harme it be that he suffre of his euen crysten he kepeth euer mekenes He dyspyseth hym not he demyth hym not but he prayeth for hym in his herte and hath of hym pyte and coÌ„passyon moche more teÌ„derly than of a nother man y t neuer dide hym harme And sothly better loueth hym and more feruently desyreth the saluacion of his soule by cause that he seeth that he shall haue so moche ghostly profyte of the euyl dede of that other man though it be ayenst his wyl But this loue and this mekenes worcheth onÌ„ly the holy ghoste aboue the kynde of man in hem that he maketh the true louers of Ihesu ¶ How loue sleeth couetyse lechyry and glotenye and sleeth that flesshly sauour and delyte in al the v. bodyly wyttes softly and easely thrugh a gracyous beholdyng of Ihesu Capitulum xxxix COuetise also is slayne in a sowle by the worchinge of loue for it makyth the soule soo coueytous of ghostly gode and to heuenly ryches soo ardaunt that it setteth ryght nought by al erthly thynges It hathe noo more deynte in hauyng of a precyous stone thanne a chalke stone ne more loue hath he in a hundreth pouÌ„de of golde thanne in a pounde of leed It setteth al thinge that shal perysshe at one pryce No more he chargeth that one than that other as in his loue For it semyth wel that al thyse erthly thynges that worldly men lete so grete pryce of loue soo deyntly sholde passe awaye torne to nought both the thynge in itself and the loue of it And therfore he bryngeth it in his thoughte by tyme in to that plyghte that it shal be after and so acounteth it as nought And whan worldly louers stryuen fyghten and plede for erthly good who maye fyrste haue it the louer of Ihesu stryueth wyth noo man but kepyth hymselfe in pees and holdeth hym payd with that y t he hath and wol stryue for no more For hym thynkyth y t he nedeâ—h no more of al the ryches in erthe than a skant bodyly sustenaunce for to saue the bodyly lyf withal as longe as god wol and that he maye lyghtly haue And therfore woll he no more than skantly hym nedeth for the tyme that he maye frely be dyscharged fro besynes aboute the kepynge and the dispendyng of it And fully yeue his herte his sesynes aboute the sekynge of Ihesu for to fynde hym in clenÌ„es of spiryte for that is al his couetyse For why oonly clene of herte shall see hym Also flesshly loue of fader and moder and other worldly frendes hangeth not vpon hym It is euen kutte fro his herte with the swerde of ghostly loue that he hath no more affeccion to fader or moder or to ony worldly freÌ„de than he hath to a nother man But yf he see or fele in hem more grace or more vertue than in other men Oute take this That his fader and his moder had the selfe grace that some other men haue But neuertheles yf they ben not soo thenne loueth he other men better thaÌ„ hem that is charyte And soo sleeth goddis loue couetyse of the worlde and bringeth in to the soule pouerte in spyryte And that dooth loue not oonly in hem that haue right noughte or worldly gode but also in some creatures that are in grete worldly state and haue dispeÌ„dinge or erthly ryches Loue sleeth in some of hem couetyse so ferforth that they haue more lykynge ne sauour in hauynge of hem than of a strawe Ne though they be lost for defawte of hem that sholde kepe hem they sette noughte therby For why the herte of goddis louer is thrugh the yefte of the holy ghost taken so fully wyth y e syghte of the loue of a nother thynge that is Ihesu and that is soo precyous and so worthy that it woll receyue none other loue restyngly that â—s contrary therto And not onÌ„ly doth loue this but also it sleeth the lykyng of lechery al other bodily vnclennes And bryngeth in to y e soule very chastyre torneth it in to likynge For the soule felyth so grete delyte in the syghte of IhuÌ„ that it lykyth for to be chaste is no grete hardnes to it for to kepe chastyte for it is so moost ease moste rest And vpoÌ„ the selfe wyse the yefte of loue sleeth lustes of glotenye makyth y e soule sobre temperauntâ— and bereth it vp so myghtily that it maye not rest in lykynge of mete drynke but it taketh mete drynke what it be that leest greueth the bodyly coÌ„plexyon yf he maye lyghtly come therto Not for loue of itself but for y e loâ—e of god On this maner wyse y e louer of god seeth wel y t hym nedeth for to kepe his bodyly lyf with mete drynke asloÌ„ge as god wol suffre hâ—m to be togyder Then shal this be y e dyscrecoÌ„n of the louer of IhuÌ„ as I vnderstoÌ„de y â— hath felyng worchynge in the loue y t vpon what maner y t he maye most kepe his grace holâ— and leest be letted fro worchyng in it thorugh takynge of bodyly sustenaunce so shal he do That maner of mefe y e leest letteth lest troubleth y e herte and maye kepe the body in strengthe be it flesshe be it fysshe be it brede ale y t I trowe the soule cheseth for to haue yf it maye come therby For al the besynes of the soule is for to thinke on IhuÌ„ with reuerent loue euer without â—ettynge of ony thynge yf y t it myght And therfore sythen it must nedes soÌ„what be letted hyndred the lesse y t it is letted hyndred by mete or drynke or ony other thynge the leuâ—r it is It had leuer vse the beste mete moste of pryce vnder the sonÌ„e yf it lesse letted the kepynge of his herte than for to take but brede water yf y t letted hym more For
worchynge of loue And the more it traueyleth so the more reste he feleth This restful traueylle is full ferre fro flesshly ydlenes blynde sykernes It is ful of ghostly werke but it is callyd reste For grace looseth the heuy yocke of flesshly loue fro the soule makyth it myghty free thorugh the yeft of ghostly loue for to worche gladly softly and delectably in al thynge that grace styreth it for to worche in And therfore it is called an holy ydlenes and a rest most besy and so it is in inrewarde stylnes fro the grete cryeÌ„ge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth Inspyracyon of the holy ghost in beholynge of IhuÌ„ For why His voyse is soo swete so myghty that it putteth sylenee in a sowle to IaÌ„glynge of al other spekers for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i iÌ„ virtute That is The voys of our lorde Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Uiuê° est sermo dei et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio That is quycke is y e worde of IuÌ„ spedy more perysshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne the soule kepte in scyleÌ„ce fro al wycked styrynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ„ est scilenciuÌ„ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scylence was made iÌ„ heueÌ„ as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lyfte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌ„uersacoÌ„n so it is in sylence But for as moche as that scylence maye not laste hoole contynually for corrupcyon of the bodily kynde Therfore it is lyckened to the tyme of halfe an houre A full shorte tyme y e soule thinketh y t it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And thenne hath it pees in conscience For why Grace puttyth out gnawynge prickynge stryuynge flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde makyth Ihesu a soule bothe one in ful accordaunce of wyll ¶ There is none vpbardynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuyng of defawtes made y e tyme in a soule For they haue kyssed and made frendes and al is forgiuen y t was mysse done Thus felyth the soule then with ful meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And coÌ„ceyueth a ful grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in consciency of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heueÌ„ly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth Ipse spiritus testimonium peâ—hibet spiritui nostro quontam filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost berith wytnes to our spyryte y t we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscience sothfastly felt thrugh grace is y e very Ioye of y e soule as y e apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimoniuÌ„ conscientie mee That is my Ioye is y e wytnesse of my conscyeÌ„ce y t is whan it wytnessyth pees acorde true loue freÌ„dshyp betwyxe IhuÌ„ a soule And whan it is in this pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan y â— soule is bounden with loue of y e worlde then is it byneâ—h al creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it beryth it downe by maystry y t it maye not see Ihesu ne loue hym For ryght as y e loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh so the beholdynge and thynkynge and vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle ¶ But then thrugh openyng of y e ghostly eye in to IhuÌ„ y e loue is torned And y e sowle is receysed vp after hys owne kynde a boue all bodily creatures And then the beholdynge thynkyng and the vsynge of heÌ„ is ghogly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hath then ful grete dysdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue hem thorugh grace It setteth noughte by al the worlde for why al shall passe perysshe vnto this hynes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comyth none errour ne deceyte of the fende for Ihesu is fothfastly in syght of the soule that tyme al thyng byneth hym Of this y e prophete speketh thus Accedat hoÌ„ ad cor altuÌ„ et exaltabitur deus Come man to hyghe herte god shal be highed That is a man y â— thrugh grace comyth to the hyghnes of thoughte shal see that IhuÌ„ is oonly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And then is y e soule aboue moche strauÌ„ged fro felyshyp of worldly louers Though her body be in middes amoÌ„ge hem ful ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccions of creatures I chargeth not though it neuer se man ne speke with hym ne haue comforte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth so grete homlynes of the blessed presence of oure lorde Ihesu and somoche sauour of hym that it may lightly for his loue foryete y t flesshly affecccoÌ„n the flesshly minde of al creatures I saye not that it shal not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time and see hem and loue hem ghostly freely not flesshly and paynfully as it dyde before Of this oonlynes speketh the prophete thus Ducam eam in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌ„ly stede and I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ„ ledeth a soule fronoyous coÌ„pany of flesshly desyres in to oonlynes of thought and makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of hys Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth Ihesu and tentyth fully to him and hath loste the sauour and the conforte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this oonlynes it fleeth y e companye of all men yf it maye And sechyth oonlynes of body for that moche helpeth to oonlynes of the soule and to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge y t it hath wythout of vayne Ianglyng or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge so it is in pryuyte of herte Al wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed and blynded with worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshe or of y e fende synketh in and gooth thorugh it But thenne thrugh grace it is drawen in to the preuy chambre in to the syghte of oure lorde Ihesu and hereth his preuy counseyle And is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus Secretum meum michi secretum meum michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ„ thrugh Inspyracyon of grace taken vp fro outwarde
felynge of worldely loue and rauysshed in to the preuyte of ghostly loue yeldeth thankynge to hym sayeÌ„ge thus My pryuete to me That is My lorde IhuÌ„ thy preuyte is shewed to me and preuyly hydde fro al louers of the worlde For it is called hydde nanna That may lightlyer be asked than tolde what it is And that our lorde Ihesu behoteth to his louer sayenge thus Dabo sibi manna absconditum quod nemo nouit nisi qui ac cipit That is I shal yeue manna hidde that noo man knoweth but he that takith it This manna is heuenly mete and angels fode as holy wrytte sayth For angels are fully fede and fylled wyth clere syghte in brenuynge loue of oure lorde Ihesu and that is maÌ„na For we mo we aske what it is but not wyte what it is But y e louer of IhuÌ„ is not fylled yet here but he is fedde by a lytyl taastynge of it whyles he is bounden in this bodyly lyfe This tastynge of this manna is a lyfly felynge of gra had thorugh openynge of the ghostly eye And this grace is not an other grace that a chosen soule felyth in the begynnynge of his conuersyon but it is the same and y e selfe grace but it is otherwyse felt and shewed to a soule For why grace wexeth with the soule the soule wexeth with grace And y e more clene y t the soule is ferre departed fro the loue of the worlde the more myghty is the grace more in warde more ghostly shewynge in the preseÌ„ce of our lorde Ihesu so y t the same grace y t torneth hem fyrst too synnes makyth hem begynnynge profytynge by yeftes of vertue exercyse of good werkes maken hem also perfyte And thaâ— grace is called a lyfly felynge of grace for he y â— hath it felyth it wel knoweth well by experyence that he is in grace It is full lyfly tâ— hym for it quyckneth the soule wonderfully makyth it soo hole that it feleth no paynful dysease of the body though it be feble sykly For why then is the body myghtyest moost hole moost restful the soule also without thys grace the soule can not lyue but in payne for it thynkith y t it myght euer kepe it no thynge sholde put it awaye And neuertheles yet it is not so for it passeth awaye ful lyghtly But neuertheles though the souereyne felynge passeth awaye withdrawe the reley fleneth styl kepâ—th the soule in sadnes makyth it for to desyre y e comynge ayen And this is also the waker slepe of the spouse of the whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Ego dormio cormenÌ„ vigilat I slepe my herte wakyth That is I slepe ghostly whan thorugh grace the loue of the worlde is slayne in me and wycked styrynges of flesshly desyres are dede somoche that vnethes I fele hem I am not taryed with hem my herte is made free And then it wakyth for it is sharpe and redy for to loue IhuÌ„ and see hym The more I slepe fro outwarde thynges y e more waker I am in knowynge of Ihesu of In warde thynges I maye not wake to Ihesu but yf I slepe to the worlde And therfore y e grace of the holy ghost sperynge y e flesshly eye dooth the soule slepe fro worldly vanytee and openynge the ghostly eye wakyth in to the syghte of goddys mageste helyd vnder the clowde of his precyous manhede As the gospel saythe of the apostles whan they were with oure lorde Ihesu in his transfyguracyon Fyrste they slepte Et euigilantes videruÌ„t magestatem They wakynge sawe his mageste By slepe of the apostles is vnderstonde deyenge of worldly loue thrugh InspyracioÌ„ of the holy ghost By her walkynge contemplacion of Ihesu Thorugh this slepe the soule is brought in to reste fro noyse of flesshly luste And thrugh walkinge it is reysed vp in to the syghte of Ihesu and gnostâ—ely â—hâ—nges The more that the eyen are spered in this 〈◊〉 slepe fro the aperyte of erthly thynge The sharper is the Inner syghte in louely beholdynge of heuenly fayâ—hede Thys slepynge and this wakynge loue worcheth thorughe the lyght of grace in the soule of the louer of our lorde Ihesu ¶ How specyal grace in beholdynge of our lorde Ihesu withdrawyth soÌ„tyme fro a soule And how a sowle shal haue her in the absâ—ence and presence of IhuÌ„ And how a soule shal desyre that in it is alwaye y e gracyous preseÌ„ce of Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xli SHewe me then a soule that thorugh inspyracyon of grace hath openynge of the ghostly syght in to beholdyng of IhuÌ„ y â— is departed draweÌ„ out fro y e loâ—â— of the worlde so ferforth that it hath puryte pouerte of spyrite ghostly rest In warde scylence pees in conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes pryuyte of hert waker slepe of the spouse that hath loste lykyng Ioyes of y e worlde taken with delyte of heueÌ„ly sauour euer threstynge softly shyghynge y â— blessed presence of IhuÌ„ I dare hardly pronounce that this soule brenÌ„eth al in loue shyneth in ghostly lyght worthy for to come to the name to the worshyp of the spowse for it is refourmed in felynge made able redy to contemplacyon Thyse are the tokens of InspyracoÌ„n in openynge of y e ghostly eye For why whan the eye is opened the soule is in ful felynge of al thyse vertues before sayd for that tyme Neuertheles it falleth often tymes that grace withdrawyth in partye for corrupcoÌ„n of mannes freelte suffreth then the soule for to fal in to itself in flesshlyhede as it was beforne And then is the soule in payne in sorowe for it is blynde vnsauery can no good It is weyke vnmyghty encoÌ„bred with the body with al y e bodyly wyttes It seâ—heth desyreth after y e grace of IhuÌ„ ayen it maye not fynde it For holy wryâ— sayth of our lorde thê° PostqmÌ„ vultuÌ„ suuÌ„ absconderit non eÌ„ qui conteÌ„plat euÌ„ That is After whan our lorde IhuÌ„ hath hydde his face there is none that maye beholde hym whan he sheweth hym the soule may not vnsee hym for he is lyght whaÌ„ he hydeth hym it may not see hym for the soule is derke His hydynge is but a subtyl assayenge of the soule His shewynge is a wonder mercyfull goodnes in coÌ„forte of the soule Haue ye no wonder though the felynge of grace be withdrawe somtyme fro a louer of IhuÌ„ For holy wrytte sayth y e same of the spouse that she fareth thus Quesiui et non inueni illuÌ„ vocaui et noÌ„ respondit michi I seched I fouÌ„de hym not I called he answered not That is whan I fall downe to my frelte then grace withdraweth for my fallyng is cause therof not his fleeng But then fele I peyne of my wretchydnes in his absence And therfore I soughte hym by grete desyre of
herte he yaue to me no feble answerynge And then I cryed with al my soule Reuertere dilecte mi Torne ayen thou my loued And yet it semyd as he herde me not The paynful felynge of myself the assaylynge of flesshly loues dredes in this tyme y e wantyng of my ghostly strength is a contynuel cryenge of my soule to Ihesu And neuertheles our lorde makyth straunge comyth not crye I neuer so fast For he is syker ynough of his louer y t he wol not torne ayen to worldly loue fully he may no sauour haue therin therfore abydeth he the lenger But at the last whan he wol he comyth ayen ful of grace of sothfastnes vysyteth the soule y e languyssheth in desyre by syghynges of loue to his presence to wchyth it anoynteth it ful softly with the oyle of gladnes makyth it sodeynly hole fro al pyne and then cryeth the soule to Ihesu in ghostly voys with a glad herte thus Oleum effusum nomen tuum Oyle yshedde is thy name Thy name is Ihesu that is he le Then aslonge as I fele my soule sore syke for synne pyned with y e heuy burden of my body sory and dredynge for perylles and wretchydnes of this lyfe so longe lorde IhuÌ„ thy name is oyle speryd not oyleshed to me But whaÌ„ I fele my souâ—e sodeynly towched with the lyght of thy grace heled softed fro all the fylthe of synne comforted in loue in lyght with ghostly strength gladnes vnspekable then maye I saye with lusty louynge ghostly myghte to the Oyle yshed is thy name IhuÌ„ to me For by the affecte of thy grayous vysytynge I fele wel of thy name the true expownynge y â— thou art IhuÌ„ heele For oonly thy gracyous presence helyth me fro sorowe fro synÌ„e Blessed is y â— soule that is euer fedde in felyng of loue in his preseÌ„ce or is borne vp by desyre to hym in his absence A wyse loâ—er is he wel taught y â— sadly reuereutly hath hym in his presence louely beholdeth hym wythout dyssolute lyghtnes and pacyently easely beryth hym in his absence without venemous dispeyre ouer pynful bytternesse This chaungabilyte of absence presence of IhuÌ„ that a soule felyth is not perfeccyon of the soule ne it is not ayenst the grace of perfeccyon or of contemplacyon but in so moche perfeccyon is the lesse ¶ For the more lettynge y â— a soule hath of itself fro contynuel felynge of grace the lesse is the grace and yet neuertheles is y e grace in itself grace of conteÌ„placyon This chaungabylyte of absence presence falleth as wel in the state of perfeccyon as in state of begynnynge but in a nother maner for ryght as there is dyuersyte of felynge in the presence of grace bytwex thyse two states ryght so is there in the absence of grace And therfore he that knoweth not the absence of grace is redy to be dysceyued And he that kepith not the presence of grace is vnkynde to y e vysytyng whether he be in state of begynners or perfyte Neuertheles the more stablenes that there is in grace vnhurâ—e vnbroken the louelyer is the soule and more lyke vnto hym in whom is no chaungabylyte as y e apostles sayth And it is ful â—emely that the spouse be lyke to IhuÌ„ spouse in maners in vertues ful acordynge to hym in stablynes of peâ—fyre loue But y â— falleth seeldom now here but in the specyal spouse For he that perceyueth no chauÌ„gabylyte in felyng of his grace but ylyke hole stable vnbroken vnhurt as hym thynketh he is eytherful perfyte or ful blynde He is perfyte that is sequestyrde fro al flesshly affeccyons comonynge of al creatures and al meanes are broken awaye of corrupcyon of synÌ„e betwyx IhuÌ„ his soule fully ooned to hym with softnes of loue But this is onÌ„ly grace aboue mannys kynde He is ful blynde y t feyneth hym in grace without ghostly felynge of goddys Inspyracyon setteth hymself in a maner of stablynes as he were euer in felyng in worchynge of specyal grace demyng that al is grace that he dooth felyth without within thynkynge that what so euer he do or speke is grace holdyng hymself vnchauÌ„gable in specyallyte of grace If there be ony suche as I hope there be none he is ful blynde in felynge of grace Buâ— then myght thou saye thus that we sholde loue onÌ„ly in trouthe not coueyte ghostly felynges ne rewarde hem yf they come For the apostle sayth Iustê° ex fide viuit That is The ryghtwysman lyueth in trouthe Unto this I say y â— bodyly felynges ben they neuer so comfortable we shal not coueyte ne rewarde moche yf they come But ghostly felynges suche as I spake of yf they come in the maner as I haue sayd before we sholde euer desyre y t are sleenge of al worldly loue openyng of y â— ghostly eye puryte of spiâ—ite pees of coÌ„science al other before sayd We sholde coueyte to fele euer the lyfly Inspyracyon of grace made by y e ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ in our soule yf y t we myght for to haue hym in our syght with reuereÌ„ce and euer fele y e swetnes of his loue by a woÌ„derful homlynes of his presence This sholde be our lyfe our feling in grace after y e mesure of his yefte in whom al grace is to some more to some lesse For his presence is feled in dyuers manere wyse as he wouchith saaf And in this we sholde lyue worche that longeth to vs to worche for wythout this we shold not cunne lyue For ryghte as the soule is the lyfe of the body ryghte soo is Ihesu the lyfe of the soule by his gracyous presence And neuertheles this maner felynge be it neuer soo moche it is yet but trouth as in rewarde of that y â— shal be of these Ilâ—hesu in the blysse of heuen Lo this felynge sholde we desyre for eueryche a soule resonable o wyth for to coueyte with al the myghtes of it nyghyng to IhuÌ„ oonynge to hym thorugh felynge of his gracyous vnseable presence How y â— presence is feled it may better be knowen by experyence than by ony wrytynge for it is the lyfe the loue the myght the lyght the Ioye the reste of a chosen soule And therfore he that hath ones sothfastly feled it maye not forbere it without payne he maye not vndesyre it it is so good in itselfe and soo comfortable what is more comfortable to a soule here than for to be drawe out thrugh grace fro the vyle noye of worldly belynesse fylthe of desyres and fro vayne affeccyon of al creatures in to rest softnes of ghostly loue pryuely perceyuynge y e gracyous presence of Ihesu felably fed wyth sauour of his vnseable blessed face Sothly ne thynge me thynketh No
thynge maye make the soule of a louer ful of myrthe but the gracyous presence of Ihesu as he can shewe hym to a clene soule He is neuer heuy ne sory but whan he is with hymself in flesshlynes He is neuer ful gladde ne mery but whan he is out of hymselfe as he was with Ihesu in his ghostlynes And yet is that no ful myrthe for euer there hangeth an heuy luÌ„pe of bodyly corrupcyon on his soule bereth it downe moche letteth y â— ghostly gladnes and y â— must euer be whyles it is here in this lyfe but neuerthese for I speke of chaungabylyte of grace howe it comyâ—th goth that thou mystake it not therfore I meane not of the comyn grace that is had felte in trouth in good wyl to god without the whiche hauynge lastynge therin no man maye be saaf for it is in the leest chosen so uâ—e y â— lyueth but I meane of specyal grace felt by Inspyracyon of y e holy ghost in the maner as it is before sayd The comen grace that is charyte lasteth hole what so euer a man do aslonge as his wyll his entente is true to god withoute the whiche hauynge lastynge that he wolde not synne dedely ne the dede y â— he wylfully dooth is not forbede as for dedely synne For this grace is not losts but for dedely synÌ„e And then it is dedely syÌ„ne whan his concyence wytnesseth with a vysement that it is dedely synne yet neuertheles he dooth it or elles his conscyence is so blynded that he holdeth it no dedely synÌ„e al though he doo the dede wylfully the whiche is forbode of god holy chyrche as dedely synne Specyal grace felt thrugh the vnseable presence of Ihesu that makyth a soule a perfyte louer lastyth not euerylyke hole in the hyghnes of felyng but chauÌ„gably comyth gooth as I haue sayd before Thus our lorde sayth SpuÌ„s vbi vult spirat vocem eius audis nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat The holy ghost spyreth where he woll and thou herest his voys but thou wost not whaÌ„ he comith ne whether he gooth He comyth pryuely some tyme whan thou arte leest waar of hym but thou shalt well knowe hym or thou go For woÌ„derfully he styryth myghtyly torneth thin herte in to beholding of his godenes and doth thin hert melte delectably as waxe ayenst y â— fyre in to softnes of his loue and this is the voys that he sowneth But then he gooth or thou wote it for he withdrawyth hym soÌ„what nought in al but fro excesse in to sobirte The hyghnes passeth but y e substaunce theffectte of grace dwelleth stylle And that is asloÌ„ge as y e soule of a louer kepyth hym clene falleth not wylfully to recheleshede or dissolucion in flesshlynes ne to outwarde vanyte as somtymÌ„ it dooth though it haue no delyte therin for frelte of itself Of this chauÌ„gabylyte iÌ„ grace speke I of now ¶ A commendacyon of prayer offred to IhuÌ„ of a soule contemplatyfe And how stablynes in prayer is a syker werke to stoÌ„de in And how euery felynge of grace in a chosen soule may be sayd IhuÌ„ but the more clenner the soule is the worthyer is the grace CaplmÌ„ xlii THe soule of a man whyle it is not towched with specyal grace is blunt boystous to ghostly werke câ— nought theron It may not therof for weyknes of itself It is both olde drye vndeuoute vnsauery in itself But thenne comyth the lyghte of grace thrugh towchyng makyth it sharpe suptyl redy able to ghostly werke and yeueth it a grete fredom and an hole redynes in wyl for to be buxom to al the styrynge of grace redy for to worche after that grace styreth the soule For by openynge of y e ghostly eye it is applyed al fully to grace redy to pray And how the soule prayeth thenne shal I telle the The moost specyal prayer that y â— soule vseth and hath moost coÌ„forte in I hope is the Pater noster or elles psalmes of the sawter The pater noster for lewde men and psalmes ympnes other seruyce of holy chirche for lettred The soule prayeth thenne not in maner as it dyde before in comyn maner of men by hyghnes of voys or by renable spekynge oute but in ful grete stylnesse of voys softnes of herte For why his mynde is not trowbled ne taryed with outwarde thynges but hole gadred togyder in itself And the soule is set as it were in a ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ and therfore euery worde euery syllable is sowned sauerly swete delectably with ful acorde of mouthe of herte For why the soule is torned then al in to fyre of loue And therfore euery worde that it preuely prayeth is leke to a spercle springyng out of a fyre bronde y â— chafeth al y e myghtes of the soule torneth heÌ„ iÌ„ to loue lyÈtneth heÌ„ so coÌ„fortably y t y e soule lyst euer for to pray do none other thyng The more it prayeth y e better it may y e myghtier it is for grace helpeth y e soule wel makyth al thyng lyght easy y t it lyste ryght wel to psalme synge the louynges of god with ghostly myrth in heueÌ„ly delyte This ghostly werke is fode of y e soule this prayer is of moche vertue For it wasteth bryngeth to nouÈt al teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns of y e fende preuy a perte it sleth al y e mynde y e lykynge of y e worlde of flesshly synÌ„es it bereth vp y e body y e soule fro paynful felynge of wretchydnes of this lyf It kepyth y e soule iÌ„ felyng of grace worchyng of loue norysshe it euer ylyke hote fresshe as styckes norissheth fyre It puttith awaye alyrkyng heuynes of hert holdeth it iÌ„ smight iÌ„ ghostly gladnesse Of this prayer spekyth dauyd thus Dirigat oracio mea sicut insensuÌ„ in conspectu tuo That is Dressed be my prayer lorde as enceÌ„ce in thy sighte For ryght as ensence y t is cast in y e fyre makyth a swete smel by y e reke styghyng vp to the ayre ryght so a psalme sauourly softly songe or sayd in a brennynge herte yeuyth vp a swete smelle to y e face of our lorde IhuÌ„ and to al the courte of heuen There dare no flesshe flye rest vpon the pottes brynke boylynge on the fyre Right soo may there no flesshly delyte reste vpon a clene soule y t is happed warmed al in y e fyre of loue boylytige and blowinge psalmes louynges to IhuÌ„ This prayer is euer herde of Ihesu It yeldyth grace to Ihesu And receyueth grace agayne It makyth a soule homely felowly with IhuÌ„ and wyth alle the angels of heuen Use it who soo maye The werke is good and gracyous in itselfe And though it be not al fully contemplacyon
in itselfe ne the werkyng of loue by itselfe Neuerthelesse it is a parte of contemplacyon For why It maye not be doone on this maner wyse but in plentee of grace thrugh openinge of the ghostly eye And therfore a soule that hath this fredom and thys gracyous felynge in prayenge wyth ghostly sauour and heuenly delyte hath the grace of contemplacyon in maner as it is This prayer is a ryche offâ—ynge fylled al in fatnes of deuocion receyued by angels and presented to the face of Ihesu The prayer of other men that are besy in actyf werkes is made of two wordes For they oft tymes fourmeth in her hertes one worde thrugh thynkyng of worldly besynes sownen in her mouth a nother worde of y e psalme songe or sayd And not for that yf her entente be true yet is her prayer good medeful though it lacke sauoure swetnes But this manere of a man coÌ„templatyfe is made but of one worde for as it is fourmed in y e herte righte soo hooly it sowneth in the mouth as it were noughte but one thynge that fourmyth sowneth And sothly nomore it is For the soule thrugh grace is made hole in itselfe so ferre departee fro the flesshlyhede that it is mayster of the body and thnÌ„e is the body noughte elles but as an Instrumente a troÌ„pe of the soule in the whyche the soule blowith swete notes of ghostly louynges to IhuÌ„ This is the trompe that Dauyd spoke of thus Buccinate in neomenia tuba in insigni die soleÌ„pnitatis vestre Blowe ye wyth a trompe in the newe mone That is ye soules that are refourmed in ghostly lyft thrugh openynge of the Inner eye Blowe ye deuoutly sownynge psalmes wyth the trompe of your bodily tonge And therfore for this prayer is plesaâ—nte to Ihesu and soo profytable to the soule Thenne it is good to hym that is newe torned to god what that he be that wolde pleyse hym And coueyteth to haue some queynt felyng of grace for to coueyte this felynge That he myght thrugh grace come to this lyberte of spyryte offre his prayers his psalmes to Ihesu contynuelly stably deuoutly with hole mynde brennyng affeccoÌ„n in hym to haue it nere hoÌ„de in custome whaÌ„ grace wol styre hym therto This is a syker felynge a sothfast If thou may come therto holde it the dare not renne aboute here there and axe questyons of euery ghostly man what thou sholde do howe thou shalte loue god and how thou shalt serue god speke of ghostly maters y t passen thy knowynge as perchaunce some done That maner of doynge is not full profytable but yf more nede make it Kepe y â— to thy prayers stylly fyrste with traueyle y t thou myght come afterwarde to this restful felynge of ghostly prayer and that shal teche the wysdome ynough sothfastly without feynynge or fantasye and kepe it fourth yf they haue it leue it not but yf grace come other wyse woll remoue it fro the for a tyme and make y e for to worche on a nother maneâ— then maye thou leue it for a tyme after torne ayen therto And he that hath this grace in prayer asketh not wherupon he shal sette the poynte of his thought in his prayer whether vpon the wordes that he sayth or elles on god or on the name of IhuÌ„ as some aske for the felynge of grace techyth hym wel ynough ¶ For why the soule is torned in to the eye and sharply beholdeth the face of IhuÌ„ is made syker that it is IhuÌ„ y â— it felyth seeth I meane not IhuÌ„ as he is in hymself in fulnes of his blessed godhede but I meane Ihesu as he wol shewe hym to a clene sowle holden in body after the clennesse that it hath For wyte thou wel that euery â—he a felynge of grace is Ihesu maye be called Ihesu And after that the grace is more or lesse so felyth the soule more or lesse Ihesu ye the fyrste felynge of specyal graâ—e in a begynner that is called grace of compunâ— yon contricyon for his synnes is verily IhuÌ„ for whythe maketh y e contrycyon in a soule by his presence But IhuÌ„ is theÌ„ne ful boystously and rudely felte ful ferre fro his ghostly subtylte for the soule can noo better ne maye no better for vnclennesse of itselfe thenne Neuertheles afterwarde yf y e soule profyte encrease in vertues and in clennes the same Ihesu and none other is seen and felt of the same soule whan it is towched with grace but y t is more ghostly nere to the godly kynde of Ihesu And sothly y t is the moost thynge that Ihesu loueth in a foule that it myght be made godly and ghostly in syghte and in loue lyke to hym in grace to that y â— he is by kynde for that shal be the ende of all louers Then mayste thou be syker that what tyme that thou felyste thy soule styred by grace specyally in that maner as it is before sayd by openynge of thy ghostly eye thou seest and feleste IhuÌ„ Holde hym faste whyle thou may kepe the in grace and lete hym nought lyghtly fro the Loke after none other Ihesu but that same by felynge of that selfe grace more godly that it myghte wexe in the more and more And drede the nought thouÈ IhuÌ„ that thou felyst be not Ihesu as he is in his full godhede that thou sholdest therfore mowe be deceyued yf thou lened to thy felynge but truste thou well yf thou be a louer of Ihesu that thy felyng is true and that Ihesu is truly felte seen of the thorugh his grace as thou may se hym here And therfore leue fully to thy felynge whan it is gracyous and ghostly kepe it tenderly haue grete deynte not of thyselfe but of it that thou myghte see and fele Ihesu euer better better For grace shall euen techethe by itself yf thou wol falle therto tyll thou come to the ende But perchaunce thou begynnest to wonder why I saye one tyme y t grace worchyth al this on a nother tym y t loue worchyth or god worchyth Unto this I saye thâ— y t whan I say y e grace worcheth I meane loue Ihesu and god for al is one and noughte but one IhuÌ„ is loue Ihesu is grace Ihesu is god And for he worcheth all in vs bi his grace for loue as god therfore may I vse what worde of thyse iiii that me lyst after my styrynge in this writynge ¶ How a soule thrugh the openynge of the ghostly eye receyueth a gracous loue able to vnderstoÌ„de holy wryt And how Ihesu that is hydde in holy wryt shewyth him selfe to his louers CaplmÌ„ xliii THen the soule of a louer felyth IhuÌ„ in prayer in the maner before sayd thynkyth y â— it wolde neuer fele otherwyse Neuertheles it falleth that somtyme grace putteth scilence to vocal prayeng
chastyse hem And thou shalt also loke know wysly thy thyngis thy worldly goodes be ryghtly kepte by thy seruauÌ„tes gouerned truely spended y â— thou myght y e more plenteously fulfyl the dedes of mercy with heÌ„ vnto thy euencrysteÌ„ Also thou shalt with mary leue besynes of y â— worlde syt downe at y e feet of oure lorde by meknes in prayers in holy thoughtes in contemplacyoÌ„ of hym as he yeueth the grace so shalt thou go fro y e one to y e other medfully fulfyll heÌ„ bothe than kepest thou wel the order of charyte ¶ Unto what maner of man longeth actyflyf CaplmÌ„ ii NEuertheles y â— thou ne haue no wond of this y t I saye therfore I shal tel y t declare to y e a lytyl more opeÌ„ly thou shalt vnderstonde y t there is thre maners of lyuyng one is actyflyf an other is conteÌ„platyf y e thyrde is made of bothe y t is medled Actyflyf aboue longeth to worldly men wymen y e whiche are lewde in knowyng of gostly occupacyon for they ne fele sauour ne deuocoÌ„n by feruour of loue as other men donÌ„ ne they cuÌ„ne no skyl of it yet neuertheles they haue drede of god of y e payne of hel therfore they fle synne they haue desyre for to plese god for to come to heuen a gode wyl haue to her euencrysten vnto thise men it is nedful spedful to vsen y e werkis of actyflyf as besely as they may in y e helpe of hemself of her euen crysten for they cuÌ„ne not elles done ¶ Unto whoÌ„ longyth conteÌ„platyflyf Caplm iii COntemplatyflyfe longeth alone to suche men wymen y t for y e loue of god forsaken al open synÌ„es of the worlde her flesshe albesynes charges gouernaunce of worldly goodys maken hemself pore naked to y e bare nede of y e dodyly kynde flen fro souereynte of al other men to y e seruyce of god vnto â—hise men it longeth for to trauenylen occupien heÌ„ inwardly for to gete thrugh y e grace of our lorde clennes in herte pes in coÌ„scyence by destroyeng of synne receyuyng of vertues so for â—o come to coÌ„templacioÌ„ whaÌ„che cleÌ„nes may not be had withoute grete exercyse of body coÌ„tynuel traueyle of y e spiryte iÌ„ deuout prayers feruent desyres gostly medytacyons ¶ Unto whoÌ„ longeth medled lyf Caplm iiii THe thyrde lyf y t is the medled lyfe loÌ„geth to men of holy chyrche as to prelatys to other curatis y e whiche haue cure soueryute ouer other men for to teche rewle heÌ„ bothe her bodyes her soules pryncypally in fulfyllyng of y e dedes of mercy bodely ghostly vnto thise men it longeth soÌ„tyme to vsen werkes of mercy in actyflyf in helpe sustinauÌ„ce of heÌ„self of her so gettys of other also And soÌ„tyme for to leue al maner of besynes outwarde yeuen heÌ„ vnto prayers medytacyons as redyng of holy wryt to other gostly occupacoÌ„ns after y t they felen heÌ„ dysposed Also it longeth to somÌ„ teÌ„perel whiche han souereynte with mekyll auer of worldly goodes hauen also as it were lordshyp ouer other men for to gouerne susteyne heÌ„ as a fader hath ouer his chyldrâ—n a mayster ouer his seruauÌ„tis a lorde ouer his tenauÌ„tis the whiche meÌ„ han also receyued of our lordes yeft grace of deuocyon in party sauour of ghostly occupacyon Unto these meÌ„ also longeth medled lyf y t is both actyf coÌ„teÌ„platyf for if thyse meÌ„ stondyng y e charge y e bonde y t they haue taken wylen leue vtterly y e besynes of the worlde y â— whiche oweth skylfully to ben vsed iÌ„ fulfullyng of her charge holy yeueÌ„ heÌ„ to coÌ„teÌ„platyf life they do not wel for they kepe not y e ordre of charyte for charite as thou knowest wel lyth both in loue of god of thyn euencrysteÌ„ therfore it is y â— he y t hath charyte to vse bothe in werkyng now to y e one now y e other for he y â— for y e loue of god in conteÌ„placyon leueth y e loue of his euencrysten dooth not to heÌ„ as he aught whaÌ„ he is bouÌ„de therto he fulfyllyth not charyte also on y e contrary wyse who so hath soo grete rewarde to werke of actyflyf to besynes of y e worlde y t for y e loue of his euâ—ncrysten he leueth gostly occupacoÌ„n vtterly after y t god hath dysposed hym therto he fulfyllyth not charyte this is y e sayeÌ„g of saynt gregory for though our lorde for to styre some to vse this medled lyf toke vpon hymself y e persone of suche maner men bothe of prelates of holy chyr of suche other as are dysposed therto as I haue sayd yaf heÌ„ ensaÌ„ple by his owne werkyng y t they sholde vse this medlyd lyf as he dyde y â— tyme y t he spake with men medled with heÌ„ sheweng his dedys of mercy for heÌ„ taught y e vncuÌ„nynge vnknowen by his prechyng he vysited the seke heled heÌ„ of her dyseses he fed the hungry oÌ„forted y e sory neuerthels other tymes he left the conuersacion of al worldly men of his dyscyples went in to desert vpon y e hyllys contynued al nyÈt in prayers alone as y e gospel sayth therfore this medled lyt shewyth our lorde in hymself to ensample of all other men y t haue taken y â— charge of this medlyd lyf y t they sholde oo tyme yeue heÌ„ to besynes of worldly thynges at resonable nede to the werkys of actyflyf in profyt of her euen crysteÌ„ whiche they haue cure of an other tyme yeuen heÌ„ holly to deuocyon to conteÌ„placyon in prayers medytacyons ¶ How holy bysshops vsed medled lyf Caplm v. THis lyf ledden holy bysshops whiche had cure of meÌ„nes soules mynystracyon of teÌ„perel goodes for these holy meÌ„ leften not vtterly y e minystracoÌ„n the lokyng y â— dyspendyng of worldly goodes yeuen heÌ„ holy to conteÌ„placyon as mekyl grace of conteÌ„placyon as they had but they leften ful ofte her owne rest in conteÌ„placyon whaÌ„ y â— they had well euer haue ben stylle for loue of her euen crysten enter metyd heÌ„ with worldly besynes in helpyng of her so gettis sothly y t was charite for wysly dyscretly they departed her lyuyng in two O tyme they fulfyllyd y e lower party of charyte by werkys of actyflyf for they were bouÌ„de therto by takyng of her prelacye an other tyme they fulfyllyd the hygher party of charite iÌ„ conteÌ„placyon of god of gostly thynges by prayers medytacyons so they hadden charyte to god to her euen crysten bothe in affeccyoÌ„ of a soule within also in shewyng of bodyly dedys withouten Other men y t were only contemplatyf
were fre fro al curys prelacye they hadden ful charyte to god to her euen cristen but it was only in affeccyon of her soule not iÌ„ outwarde shewynge in hap so mek ylit was y e more ful inwarde y â— they myÈt not ne it neded not ne it fyl not for heÌ„ to shewe it outwarde but these men y â— were in prelacye other also y â— were hoâ—y temperâ—â— men hadden full charyte in affeccyon within also iÌ„ werkynge y t is properly this medled lyf bothe of actyf of contemplatyf lyf sothly for suche a man that is in spyrytuell souereynte as prelatis curatis ben or iÌ„ temperel souereynte as worldly lordes maysters are I holde this medled lyf best most behouely to hem as longe as they are bounden therto But to other y â— are fre not bounden to temperel ministracyoÌ„ne to spyrytual I hope that lyfe contemplatyf alone yf they myght come therto sothfastly were best most skedful most medeful most fayre most worthy to hem for to vse to holde not for to leue it wylfully for ony outwarde werkyng of actyflyf but yf it were in grete nede at grete releuyng comfortyng of other men eyther of her bodyes or of her soules than yf nede aske it at the prayer instaunce of other or elles at the byddyng of his souereyn I hope it be gode to shewe it to heÌ„ in outwarde werkys of actyflyf for a tyme in helpynge of her euern crysten ¶ What lyf most accordyd to hym y t this was wrytteÌ„ to Caplm vi By this y â— I haue sayd a party maye thou vnderstonde whiche is one whiche is other whiche accordyth most to thy state of lyuyng sothly as me thynketh this medled lyf accordeth most to ye. sythen our lorde hath ordeyned set y e in the state of souereynte of other men as mekyl as it is lent the abundaunce of worldly goodes for to reule susteyne specyally al thise y â— are vnder thy gouernaunce thy lordship after thy myÈt cuÌ„nyng also therwith thou had receyued grace of y e mercy of our lorde for to knowe thyself gostly desyre sauour of hys loue I hope that this lyfe y â— is medled is best and accordeth most to the. that for to departe wisly thy lyuyng for wyte thou wel yf thou leue nedful besynes of actyflyf be rekles taken no kepe of thy worldly goodes how they are spended kept ne makest no force of thy so gettis of thyn euen crysten by cause of desyre wyl y â— thou hast only to yeue the to gostly occupacyon wenyng y t thou art by y â— excused yf thou do so thou dost not wysly For what are al thi werkis worth whether they be bodily or gostli but if they be done ryghtfully resonably to the worshyp of god after his bydding sothly ryght noght than yf thou leue y â— thyng y t thou art bounde to by y e waye of charyte of ryght reason wylt holy yeue y â— to an other thynge wylfully as it were to a more plesaunce of god whiche thou art not fully bounde to thou dost not worshyp discretly to hym thou art besy to worshyp his hed his face to aray it fayr curyously but thou leuest his body with y e feet ragged rent takest no kepe therof there thou worshypest hym not for it is velany no worshyp a maÌ„ for to be curyously arayed vpoÌ„ his hed with peyrles precyous stones al his body naked bare as it were a begger RyÈt so gostly it is no worshyp to god to crowne his hed leue his body bare thou shalt vnderstonde y e oure lorde IhuÌ„ cryst as man his hed of his gostly body whiche is holy chirche y â— meÌ„bres of his body are al crysten men somÌ„ are armes some are feet some are other meÌ„bres after suÌ„dry werkynges y â— they vsen iÌ„ her lyuing thaÌ„ yf y â— thou be besy with al thy myght for to aray his hed y t is for to worshyp hymself by mynde of his passion of his other werkes iÌ„ his manhed by deuocoÌ„n medytacoÌ„n of hyÌ„ foryetyst his feet y t are thy chyldren thy seruauÌ„tis thy tenauÌ„tis al thyn euen crysteÌ„ letyst heÌ„ spyl for defaute of kepyng vnarayed vnkept not tent to as they ouÈt for to be thou plesyst hym not thou dost no worshyp to hym thou makest y e to kysse his mouth by deuocoÌ„n gostly prayer but thou tredest vpoÌ„ his feet defoulyst hem iÌ„ as moche as thou wylt not tent to heÌ„ for neclygence of thyselfe y â— whiche thou hast take cure of thus thynketh me neuertheles yf thou thynke y t this is not soth for it were a fayr offyce to worshyp y e hed of hym as for to benial day occupyed in medytacyon of y e manhed than for to go lower to other werkys make clene his feet as for to be besy bothe in worde iÌ„dede aboute y e helpe of thyn euen crysten thynke not so for sothly he wyl more the thanke for y e meke wesshyng of his feet whan they are ryght foule stynken vpoÌ„ ye. than for al y e precyons peyntyng arayeng y t thou canst make about his hed by mynde of his maÌ„hed for it is fayr ynough nedeth not to beÌ„ arayed of y e mekyl but his feet his other meÌ„bres y t are soÌ„tyme euyl arayed had nede to be loked holpen by y e naÌ„ly sytheÌ„ thou art bouÌ„de therto therfore wyl he cuÌ„ne y e more thaÌ„ke than yf thou wylt mekely teÌ„derly loke to hem for y e more lower seruyce y t thou doost to thy lorde for y e loue of hym or to ony of his membres whan nede ryght asketh it with a glad meke herte the more plesyst thou hym thynkyng y t it were ynough to y â— for to be at y e lest degre at y e lowest state sythen it is his wyl y t it be so for it semeth sythen he hath put y e iÌ„ y e state for to traueyle serue other men that it is wel done y t thou sholdee fulfyl it after thy myght this ensample I saye to the not for thou doost not thus as I say for I hope y t thou doost thus better but I wolde that thou sholdest do thus gladly not thynke both for to leue soÌ„tyme gostly occupacoÌ„n entermete y t with worldly besynes in wyse kepyng spendyng of thy worldly goodes iÌ„ gode reulyng of thy seruauÌ„tis of thi tenauÌ„tis in other gode werkis werkyng to all thyn euen crysten after thy myght but that thou sholdest do both werkis in dyuers tymes with as gode wyl that one as that other if thou myghâ—est As yf thou haddest prayed ben occupyed ghostly thou shalt