done in prosesse of longe tyme. sodenly he is rauysshed with dethe vnware without prouisyon he is take fro the body ¶ How a synfull soule is vexed and trowbled after her departynge fro the body cao. .iijo. WHan the soule with greate fere moche sorowe is departed fro the body angels come to take her to presente her tofore the ferdfull Iuge And thenÌ„e she remembrynge her euyll wicked werkes the whiche she dyde by nyght or day trembleth quaketh loketh how she myght escape or flee desyreth truesse sayenge O yeue me space though it be but an houre Thenne shal the werkes as in maner of spekyng say Thou hast wroughte vs. we ben thy werkis We shall not lese the. but abyde styll with the go with the to the Iugemente And they shal accuse her of many synnes trespaces and sholl fynde many fals wytnesse ayenste her al though true wytnes were suffycyent to her dampnacion The euyll fendes with ferdfull loke and terryble countenaunce shalle feere her and purswe her wyth grete cruelte and woodnesse and shall catche her with greate drede and feere and holde her styll yf she be not delyuered frome theym by the helpe socoure of oure lorde ThenÌ„e the soule beholdynge the eyen the mouth other bodely wyttes closed and spered by whom she was wont to passe forth to take her sportes playsyre in worldly thynges shall retorne to herselfe And whan she seeth herself alone lefte naked without body smytten with grete fere and drede she shall fayle in herself by dyspeyre And by cause she folysshly lefte the loue of god for the loue of the worlde and flesshly plesyre she shall be forsake of oure lorde lyke a wretche in that tyme of so grete nede of helpe And shall be delyuered to the deuylles to be punysshed and tormented cruelly for her mysdedes ¶ On this wyse is the soule of a synner not knowynge the daye ne the hour of his passynge rauysshed w e deth spared departed fro the body tremblynge quakynge she passeth of her Iourneye full of sorowe wretchydnesse And hauynge none excuse to alledge and shewe for her synnes she trembleth for drede to appere before almyghty god She is smyten with grete and wonderful fere vexed with many troublous thoughtes whan at her departynge fro the body all other thynges sette a syde she coÌ„sydereth only herselfe hym to whom the tyme draweth nyghe that she muste gyue accomptes rekenyng And knoweth that he may neuer be declyned ne chauÌ„ged frome ryghtwysnes she consydereth well how streyght a Iuge shall sytte on her what reasons she shall alledge and put for her dyscharge in couÌ„tynge of her lyf at soo streyghte a Iugement of soo precyouse Iustyce And though it be so that she remembre no thynge ne fynde in her self ony offence wherof she sholde be ferde dredfull Yet whan she shall come before that streyghte Iuge she fereth there be somwhat that is not in her remembraunce Her fere drede encreaseth wexeth the more whan she thynketh that she coude not escape that tyme of this lyfe withoute synne And also suche werkis as she thynketh be good coÌ„mendable that she hath done in her lyfe yet they be not all fawtles yf they sholde be streyghtly Iugyd pyte mercy set a syde who can coÌ„sydre call to mynde how many euyll werkys we do by processe of lytyll tyme. And what good thynges we by our neclygence leue vndo Sothely lyke as iâ— is synne trespaas to do euyll soo it is a mysse defawte to leue good thynges vndo And soo it is greate hurte peryll to vs whan we nother do wel ne thyÌ„ke wel But suffre our mynde to be occupyed abowte tryfles thynges that ben varyaunt vnprouffytable Sothly is is full harde to kepe oure mynde surly frome euyll thoughtes it is also very harde to be moche occupyed in worldely thynges without synne And therfore there can no man Iuge rebuke hymself perfytly· For he is soo moche occupyed troubly with soo many thoughtes that he in maner knoweth not himself soo that he knoweth not well what he doth or suffreth Wherfore he is smyte with sodeyne fere drede in his coÌ„scyence at his passage out of this world For though he fynde no thynge to his knowelege that greueth his conscyence yet he dredyth suche thynges as he knoweth not ne hath in his remembraunce ¶ Of the dygnyte noblesse of mannys soule Of the wretchydnesse of the body And how wretchyd the soule is made by the body cao. .iiijo. O Thou soule of man aourned with thymage of god made fayre bewteuous with his symylytude spoused and wedded to hym by fayth endoured wyth his holy spyryte redemed with his precyous blood deputed and putte to be kepte with his blessyd angellys pertener of his Ioye blysse the Inherytoure of his goodnes induyd with reason vnderstondynge What plesyre hast thou to be so coÌ„uersaunte with the vyle body wherby thou suffrest so moche greuauÌ„ce tribulacion payne By the body thou arte punysshed for the synnes of other thou arte broughte to nought repute a thyng in vayne of lytyll valour That carcas that thou louest cheryseste so moche with whome thou art so coÌ„uersauÌ„t is fowle lothsom matere torned in to flesshe couered wyth freyll vnsure bewte and hastely shall be stynkynge roten caryon and meete to wormes For though man exalte and magnefye himselfe neuer so moche yet he abydeth styll a foule vnclene carcas Certeynly yf thou consyder wel what fylth auoydeth by thy mouth thy nose other partes of thy body thou sawest neuer a fowler dounghyll Yf thou woll nombre couÌ„te all his wretchydnes howe greuous it is oppressyd with the heuy burden of synne bounde fretyd with vyces moued styâ—ed with concupicence trauayled and troubled with dyuers passyons affeccions defowled with Illusions euer pâ—â—oe redy to euyl hasty to euery vyce thou shalte fynde it full of shame confusyon Thorugh the flesshe man is made lyke vnto vanyte For thorugh it he is enfecte wyth the vyce of concupycsence vnleful desyre Wherby he is kept as thral in bondage and made so crockyd that he loueth vanyte and werked wyckydnesse ¶ Of the myserye and wretchydnes of man in his conceyuynge his byrth his lyfe and his deth Of the noblesse of the soule And of the sodayne myschyef of wycked men cao. .vo. MAn takehede what thou were before thy natyuyte What thou arte fro the begynnynge vnto thyne endynge And what thou thalte be after this lyf O man fyrste fylth lothsom matere Afterwarde a stynkynge sackefull of dounge And at the last mete to wormes to gnawe on in the grouÌ„de How sholdest thou be proude Sothly thou was fyrste as nought thenÌ„e thou made brought forth of vyse and fylthy matere wrapped in vnclene clothynge garmentes in thy moders
to hym presente in euery place lete vs do due reuerence and worshyppe ¶ Our soule sothly is the ymage of god for asmoche as it is apte and mete to take and receyue hym and maye be partener of hym It is the ymage of hym not only that it remembreth itselfe vnderstondyth or loueth itselfe But by cause it maye remembre vnderstonde and loue hym whiche made it And whan it soo dooth thenne it is wyse For sothly there is no thynge more lyke to the hyghe wysdome of almyghty god than is a resonable soule whyche by mynde vnderstondynge and loue resteth in the blessyd Trynyte In whiche she maye not reste and abyde but yf she remembre hym vnderstonde and also loue hym ¶ But yf she thynke dylygently on her lorde god after thymage of whome she is created and made And vnderstonde loue honoure and worshyppe hym wyth whome she maye eternally abyde and reste in perfyghte Ioye and blysse Sothly that soule is ryghte happy and blessyd in whome oure lorde fyndeth restynge And in whoo 's tabernacle he dwelleth and resteth That is an happy soule that maye saye My lorde maker hath restyd in my tabernacle Soothly he shal not deny to suche a soule the euerlastynge reste of heuen O why then̄e loke we not in our self but seke our lorde amonge outwarde thynges the whyche is with vs yf we wyll be with him Sothly he is both in vs and in vs. but that as yet is by fayth vnto suche tyme as we maye deserue to see him clerly We knowe sayth the apostle that by fayth Cryste abydeth in our hertes By fayth I remembre my maker I worshyp my mercyfull redemer and abyde my sauyoure I byleue that he lyueth in all creatures that he dwelleth within me And also I truste to knowe him in himself the whiche is moche more blysfull Ioyfull than all thyse ben For sothly to knowe perfytely the fader the sone the holy goste is euerlastynge lyfe perfyte blysse excedynge plesyre For the mortall eye hath not sene ne eere herde ne mannys herte vnderstōde clerly and perfytly how moche clernesse how moche Ioye how moche swetnes we shall haue in that blessyd syghte whan we shall beholde face to face him that is the lyght of all bryghte thynge the refuge and reste of trauelers labourers the receyuer and keper of them that torne to him the very lyfe to all that lyue And the crowne of theym that ouercome they re goostly enmyes Thus I fynde in my soule the ymage of the hygh gloryous Trynyte to the whiche moost hyghe gloryous Trynyte I owe to referre and orther all my lyfe that I maye remembre hym and putte my playsyre cōtemplacyon in hym The soule is the ymage of almyghty god that whiche conteyneth thre thynges the mynde the vnderstōdynge wyl To the mynde we attrybute put all thynge that we lerne or know though we thynke not alway theron To the vnderstōdynge we attrybute all that we knowe is true the whiche also we cōmende putte to our mynde By the mynde we ben resemblyd lyke to the fader by vnderstondynge to the sone by wyll or loue to the holy goost for there is no thynge in vs more lyke to the holy goost than is the wyll or true loue For true loue is the yefte of god more nor so precyous that there is noo yefte of god and it is ble excellente than it is For true loue that cometh of god and is god himself is properly called the holy goost by whome the loue of god is diffused sprad in our hertes And by whome all the holy blessyd trynyte dwelleth and abydeth in vs. ¶ Of wretchydnes of the body and of the dredfull Iugemente cao. secundo ON the outwarde mannys behalfe I am comen of my faders the whyche haue made me the chylde of dampnacyon before they haue made me the chylde of natyuyte Synners in theyr synne haue begotten a synnarr whome they haue norysshed of theyr synne Wretches haue broughte forth a wretche in to wretchydnesse of thys worlde I haue not of them but wretchydnesse and synne and this corruptyble and rotlewe body that I carye aboute And soothly I haste towarde them the whiche by bodely deth be passed oute of this worlde Whan I beholde theyr sepulcre and graues I fynde not els in them but powder wormes stenche lothsomnesse Suche as I am now they were but lately and suche as they be I shall be hastely What am I A man made of lothsom and fylthy matere torned in to flesshe wepynge waylynge put in to exyle of this worlde And loo now I dye full of wyckednes abhomynacyon fylthe And hastly I shal be presented before the streyte Iuge to gyue a counte rekenynge of my werkes Woo shall be to me wretche whan the daye of dredfull Iugemente shall come the bokes shall be opened wherin all my purposes desyres thoughtes shal be rehersed in the presence of almyghty god Then̄e shall I stonde quakynge tremblynge in the Iugement before our lorde castynge downe myne hede as gretly abasshed in my conscyence whan I remembre myne vnkyndenesse trespaces and whan it shall be sayde of me beholde this man and his werkes Thenne shall I haue in mynde all my dutyes synnes For by the prouydēce vertue of almyghty god it shall be soo ordeyned that euery mannis good dedes and euyll shal be reducyd called ayene to his mynde they shall be shewed with a meruelous swyftnesse that his knowlege maye accuse excuse his conscyence And thus shall euery man be Iuged For euery man shal be Iuged of his dedes euery man̄ys secretis and preuytees shall be shewed to euery man Suche as we woll not for shame confesse shall be shewed to all men And all that euer we coloure here by dyssymulacyon shall be brennyd there with the vengable flamme of fyre For the cruell wode fyre shal be lete lose reyne at lyberte And the longer that our mercyfull lorde abydeth vs. of his greate gentylnesse yeueth vs space to amende our lyfe the more streyter shall he punysshe vs by ryghtwysnesse yf we wyl not amende wherfore loue we thenne somoche coueyte the lyfe of this worlde in the whyche lyf y◠lenger we cōtynue abyde the more euyll we do synne And the lenger that we lyue the more blame we deserue For euyll thynges shrewdnes encrease growe dayly gode thynges ben withdrawen Man is in cōtynuall variacion chaūge now in prosperite now in aduersyte wote not whan by deth he shal be put therfro For lyke as a sterre with bryght bemes moueth swyftly and sodenly vanysshed away as a spercle of fyre is quenched torned to asshes Soo dooth this bodyly lyf as we maye well see yf we take hede ¶ For whan a man lyueth merely this worlde And trusteth soo longe to endure dysposed ordeyneth many thynges to be
peas ryght wysnesse vnderstondyng· shal be comyn to al. In that perpetuell peas shal be no dyuersyte of tonges or langage but a peasyble a greable concorde of maners desyres In the flood of that playsure the appetyte heepyd sacyat wyth plenteuousnes shal desyre noo more There shall be soo moche felycyte and blysse For there shal be the hepe or mough of felycyte and blysse excedynge Ioye and myrthe plenteuouse gladnesse ¶ Who is able to haue the Ioyes of heuen viijo. BVt who is he that is apt and conuenyent to thyse Ioyes sothely he that is a true penytent A good obedyent a louely felow and a faythfull seruaunt A true and perfyte penytent is euer in sorowe and laboure He sorowith for his synnes that ben presente also that ben paste And labouryth dylygently that he maye beware shone synnes to come For very true parfyte penaunce is to sorowe for synnes wythoute sessynge He sorowyth for his synnes that he hath done that he doo ne cōmyse nomore suche synnes as he ought to sorowe and bewayle fore For he is not very penytent ne sorowfull whyche dooth and cōmysyth contynually suche offences as he ought to be penytent sorowfull fore Therfore yf thou wolt be veryly and perfytly penytent ceasse of synne And be in wyll purpoos no more for to synne ¶ A good obedyent submyttyth his wyll and is refusynge for leyff or for lothe And geuyth hym holy ly to oure lorde god That he maye saye Myne herte is redy good lorde ▪ myne herte is redy It is redy to do what so euer thou cōmaūdest it It is redy wyth a beckenynge to obeye redely at thy byddynge And so it is redy good lorde to serue the to mynystre helpe myn neyghbours to kepe well myselfe and to reste in contemplacyon of heuenly thynges ¶ A good an amyable or a louely felowe is dylygent seruysable to all noyous or greuous to none He is dylygent seruesable For he is deuoute to god benygne gentyll to his neyghbour and sobre to the worlde He is the seruaunt of our lorde god felowe of his neyghbour and lorde of the worlde He hath heuenly thynges that ben aboute him to Ioye in thynges that ben equall to hym to felysshyp company with And thynges vnderneth hym to serue hym He is noyous or greuous to none but he dressyth and ordenyth lowe thynges to the prouffyte of mydwarde thynges to the honour worshyp of thynges aboue subdued folowynge heuenly thynges subduynge and rulynge erthly thynges ¶ A faythfull seruaūt is besy in contemplacion of god kepynge of himself Therfore put all thy dylygence to kepe thyselfe well Then̄e knowynge that thyne owne dylygence maye neuer be suffycyent to kepe the withoute the helpe of god call for the helpe of oure lorde Thenne aske with deuoute prayer the defence kepynge of holy angelles to beholde in the the good the plesaunte and perfyte wyll of thy maker Purchace also wyth deuoute prayer the helpe of all that reyneth with Cryste ¶ Renne by eche one syngulerly Make thy supplicacion to them euery one syngulerly And crye to them saye· Haue mercy on me haue mercy on me Specyally ye that ben my frendes haue ruth pyte on me Receyue a banysshed creature ▪ Neuertheles I wolde fayne be your seruaunte· Receyue your brother and seruaunte that fleeth to you for socour Your broder kynnesman in the blood of our mercyfull redemer Beholde a begger stondynge at the dore cryenge knockynge Open ye and lede hym to the kynge that I protestate cowchyng lowe at his fete may shewe to hym all my wretchydnesse and necessytees that I suffre ¶ At the last shewe thy herte with all the progenye kynred therof to thy prelate And lete no synne abyde in the that is not put awaye by pure and clene confessyon Also put Ihesu Chryste vpon thy herte as a seale and the locke keper of thy lyfe whome cryste kepeth the dore of the herte and is the porter therof that all the housmenye of the herte go in and forth by hym consequently there shall be thousandes vpon thousandes of angels watchynge and kepynge at the gates of thyne outwarde wyttes And there is noo alyante stranger soo bolde to breke those terryble and ferdful hostes for reuerence of the keper and vssher and for dyffence and kepynge of angellys ¶ A pasynge good lesson for to encrease in vertue and goodnesse And of charytable loue of thy neghboure cao. ixo. SE that thou be a curyous a dylygent tetcher of thy helth dysposycyon Dyscusse and examyne well thy lyfe euery daye Take good hede how moche thou profytest how moche thou lackeste how ferre thou arte frome pure perfeccyon How thou arte in maners cōdycyons How in dedes in thy desyres And how lyke thou arte to god or how vnlyke How nygh or how ferre thou arte fro him Not in longe dystaūce of places but in maners dysposycyon Studye besely to knowe thyself for yf thou knowe thyselfe well thou art better and more cōmendable than yf thyself vnknowen thou knewe the course of the sterres the vertues of herbes the complexyons of men the nature of bestys had knowlege of all thynges in heuen in erthe and in hell And therfore rendre the to thyself and yf it be not alwaye at the leest wyse somtyme amonge Rule gouerne wysely thyn affeccions desyres Dresse well thy dedes And correcte thyne excesse mysdedes Lete no thynge abyde within the vntamed vntaughte Put all thy transgressyons mysdedes before thyne eyen and ordeyne thyselfe before thyself as thou were a nother And soo wayle and sorowe thyselfe Wepe for thy wyckydnesse and syn̄e wherin thou haste offended almighty god and shewe to hym thy wretchydnesse Shew to hym also the malyce of thy aduersaryes enmyes And whan thou offrest and presentest thyself tofore hym in teeres I pray the remembre me For sothely syth I had knowlege of the in Cryste I loue the and desyre and beere wyth me the mencyon and remembraunce of the thyther were vnlefull thoughtes deserue tourmentynge and holy and honest thoughtes deserue rewarde and mede Whan I praye I stonde as a preest at the awter of god there haue mynde on the. Sothely thou quytest me yf thou loue me make me partener of thy prayers deuoute orysons I praye the lete me be present with the in remembraūce there as that thou byddeste deuoute prayers before oure lorde for the and thy famylyer and homely frendes ¶ Merueyle not though I sayde lete me be present For yf thou loue me by cause I am the ymage of god I am as presente to the as thyne owne persone For the same thynge that thou arte I am Sothely euery resonable soule is the ymage of god Therfore he that seketh the ymage of god in himself sekyth aswell his neyghbour as his owne self
sorowe not that is a sygne of deth token of dampnacion For a membre or lymeÌ„ that felyth no payne is deed And an vnsensyble soore that is without felynge is vncurable I am lyghte wanton and I correcte not myselfe but I torne ayene dayly to synnes that I haue confessed and be shryuen of And I kepte me not fro the dyche where in to other I myselfe haue falle or els I haue seene other falle in And whan I sholde wepe and praye for euyll that I haue done and for good dedes that I haue be neglygent to doo Alas for sorowe it torneth me contrary For I haue be slacke and colde from the feruoure of prayer Ane now I abyde â—olde withoute helynge And therfore I maye not wepe myself for the grace of teeres is gone fro me I may not layne my synnes For where someuer I goo my coÌ„cyence gooth with me berynge with it what someuer I haue put ther in wheter it be good or euyll It kepeth her whyle I lyue And whan I am dede it shall yelde ayene that that it toke to kepe Yf I do well it is redy at the honde And yf me thynke I doo well exalte myself therof it is not absent but present It is presente to the lyuynge it foloweth the dede And where as my Ioye is there is cofusyon vnseparable after the qualyte of that that is put and betaken to the coÌ„scyence Thus in myne owne hous and in myne owne housholde I haue accusers Iuges and tourmentours My conscyence accuseth me Mynde is wytnesse Reason the Iuge Playsyre the pryson Drede the tormentour The frowarde delyte the tourmentynge Soothly as many euyll pleysyres as there ben there shal be as many tormentynges For the rewyth we be punyssheth wherof we haue plesyre ¶ Of thre goostly enmyes the flesshe the worlde and the deuyll And also of theyr temptacyon resystence ayenste theym cao. xvo. HElpe me my lorde god for myne enmyes that is to saye the body the worlde the deuyll haue byseged and vnbylapped my soule I maye not flee fro my body ne chace it frome me I must nedes cary it abowte for it is tyed to me It is not lefull to dystroye it I am constreyned to systeyne it Whan I fede it I nourysshe myne enmye ayenste me Yf I ete ynough it be stronge the helthe of it is aduersarye to me Sothly the worlde hath vmbylapped besyeged me on euery syde and woundyth me wyth his arowes by .v. gates that is to saye v. bodely wyttes The eye beholdeth torneth the wytte of the mynde the eere hereth boweth therto the intente of the herte Smellynge letteth cogytacion thought the mouth speketh oft tyme disceyueth Thardoure hete of luste for a lytyll occasyon is excyted styred And but it be soone lefte ouercomen anone it occupyeth heteth brenneth kyndleth all the body For fyrste it prycketh tyckleth the flesshe a lytyll wyth thoughte Thenne it defoyleth the mynde wyth fowle deletacyon And at the laste it subdueth the mynde to it by consentynge to shrewdnes The deuyll also whome I maye not se and therfore I sholde rather be the more ware of hym for he hath bended his bowe wyttely preuely hath put therin his arowes to shote at me Hath thret to hyde gylders and snares for me And hath sayde who shall espye them He hath put a gylder in golde syluer in all thynges that we mysuse whan we ben delyted euyll in them we ben snared And he hath not only layed a snare but also lyme Lyme is loue of possessyon desyre of cogytacion thought coueytynge of worshyp playsyre of the flesshe with the whyche the soule is snared lymed tyed that it maye not flee by the wayes of heuenly Syon with the fethers af contemplacyon The arowes of the deuyll ben Ire wrathe enuye lechery other wherwyth the soule is wounded who is he that may quenche his fyry dartes Alas for sorowe A faythfull man is oft tymes ouercome with thyse dartes Woo is me For bataylles ben on euery syde Dartes flee on euery syde On eury syde ben temptacions perylles What waye someuer I torne there is noo surete to me And I drede bothe those thynges that ben plesaunt that ben dysplesaunt Bothe hungre refeccion slepe watche laboure reste fyghte ayenst me Bowrde is no lesse suspect to me than wrathe For I haue sclaundred many in bourdynge And I drede noo lesse prosperyte than aduersyte for prosperous thynges deceyue me vnware with theyr swetnesse But thynges that ben vnprosperous by cause they haue some bytternes as bytter pocion and drynke make me suspecte and feryd I feere more euyll that I doo preuely than that I do openly For that euyll that no man seeth noo man repreueth And where there is noo drede of a rebuke the tempter the deuyl is moche bolde and wyckydnesse is lyghtlyer done Noo merueyle for there is batayle on eueryche parte and peryll drede on euery syde And lyke as they done that dwelle where warre is Soo muste we loke hether thether and torne the hede aboute to loke at euery cragge or stronde The flesshe tempteth me with thinges of luste pleysyre The worlde with vayne thynges And the deuyll with bytter thynges As ofte as flesshly cogytacyon mouyth my mynde vnportunely with mete drynke or slepe other carnall thynges perteynynge to the body the flesshe speketh to me And whan the herte is occupyed wyth vayne thoughtes as with ambucyon desyre of worldly worshyppes with bostynge pryde it cometh of the worlde And whan I am prouoked vnportunely to Ire to wrath bytternesse of the soule it is suggestyon of the deuyll the whyche behoueth to be resysteth withstonde as it were the deuyll hymselfe and to shon flee as fro the paynes of helle It is the properte of deuylles fendes to offre to vs euyl suggestyons And oure dewty is not to consente to theym Sothely as oft as we resyste we ouercome yâ— deuyll we glad angellys and honoure god Our lorde hymself exhortyth vs to fyght and helpyth vs to gete the vyctory He beholdyth how we fyght helpyth whan we faylle And crownyth vs whan we gete the vyctory ¶ Of the deuyll And how he temptyth man by the flesshe cao. xvio. MY carcas made of claye holdyth the condicyons therof and therfore I haue of it thoughtes of vnclennesse and foule playsures Of the worlde thoughtes of curyosyte and vanyte And of the deuyll of bytternesse and malyce Thyse thre enmyes fyght ayenst me and pursue me somtyme pryuely and somtyme openly but alwaye malycyously Sothely the deuyll trustyth cheyfly in helpe of the flesshe For an enmy of housholde noyeth moost And it hath made couenaunt with hym to distroye me For it was brought forth of synne nourisshyd in synne Corrupte gretly at his begynnynge but moche more corrupte by euyll custome And that is the cause that it
is so contrary to the soule That it grutchyth somoche and is soo vnpacyente to be taughte And entycyth vnlefull thynges obeyeth not to reason wyll not be refreyned wyth ony drede That crokyd serpent enmy of mankynde helpyth it vsyth it For he hath no other desyre labour ne study but to lese our soules This is he that besyly werketh euyl speketh subtylly entyseth craftely deceyueth wylyly excyteth vnlefull meuynges And setteth on fyre venemous cogitacions moueth batayle and stryfe nourysshed hatred incyteth and styreth to gloteny moueth to letchery Excyteh the desyre of the flesshe maketh redy occasyon of synne And cessyth not to tempte the hertes of men wyth a thousande craftes of hurte and noyenge This is he that smyteth vs wyth our staffe byndeth oure hondes wyth our owne gyrdell that our body the whyche is yeuen to vs to our helpe maye be to our hurte and sclaunder It is a greuous stryffe grete peryll to fyghte ayenste an enmye of houshold namely syth we be strangers he a cytezyn He dwelleth in his regyon and we ben outlawes pylgrymes It is also grete Ieopardye to sustene so ofte so contynuall dayly conflyctes and batayles ayenst the watches and subtyltees of dysceyte of the deuyll the whiche is very subtyll both by nature and also by longe excersye vse of his malyce ¶ Of the blysse of heuen cao. .xvijo. MY lorde god delyuer me frome myne enmyes and frome theym that haue hatyd me For they haue ben comforted agaynste me Forsoch I that haue lyued ayenst myself vnto this houre shall begyn now by thy grace to lyue to myselfe we sholde lyue soo that whan the body begynneth to be deuoured with wormes the soule maye make mery with sayntes in heuen The spyryte sholde be dressyd toward the place that he sholde go to We sholde haste thyther where we sholde alwaye lyue where we shall neuer drede to deye ayene Wherfore loue we so moche this slyppy faylynge lyfe where we lyue with somoche laboure Where we vneth content satysfye our body of that that is necessary in etȳge drynkynge slepynge We ought moche more to loue euerlastynge lyfe where we shall suffre noo labour where is chyef myrth chyef felicyte blysse Happy lyberte happy blysse Where men shall be lyke to the angels of god And ryghtwys men shal shyne as the sonne in the kyngdome of theyr fader Of what manere trowest thou shall be thenne the bryghtnes of soules whan the lyght of bodyes shal haue the bryghtnesse of the sonne There is no heuynesse no trowble no sorowe ne drede no labour noo dethe But perpetuell helthe alwaye perseruaraunt abydynge There shall be noo malyce ne mysery of the flesshe There is no sekenesse· no necessyte noo hunger noo thurste noo colde noo hete noo fayntnesse of faste ne other temptacyon of the enmye No wyll to synne no leysyre to trespace but all thynge shal be in gladnesse Ioye And men felyshypt to angels shal flouryshe euermore without infyrmyte of body There shall be inyfnyte myrth euerlastyng blysse wherin that that is ones purchaced shall alwaye be possessyd There is rest fro labour peas of enmyes myrth of noueltees sykernesse of eternyte swetnesse delectacion of the euerlastynge vysyon syghte of god And who is he that desyreth not gretly to dwell there both for reste peas and myrth eternyte and the blessyd syghte of god There is no pylgrym but who someuer maye deserue to come thyther shall dwell sekerly in that perpetuell countre alwaye glad alwaye sacyate of the gloryous syghte of god And the more that one is obedyent to a nother for god the more rewarde shal he receyue there And the more that he loued god the more clerly he shall se hym For the ende of man is to beholde god ¶ Of the dyspysynge of worldly thynges Of the olde man And of the pyte gentylnesse and mercy of god cao. xviijo. THe dayes ben of man as a shadowe vppon the erthe and he hath none abydynge but whan he weneth that he stondeth surly he is nyghe noughte Wherfore thenne gaderest thou the trsoures in erthe syth bothe that that is gadered and the gaderer passe awaye without loue And thou man what frute lokest after to haue of the worlde whose frute is hurte loste the ende of whome is deth Wolde god thou woldeste sauour vnderstonde prouyde for thy laste endynge I knowe one that hath lyued with the homely many yeres sytten att thy table And taken mete of thy honde slepte in thy bosome and spoken with the whan he wolde He sholde be thy seruaunte by ryght herytage But by cause thou hast nourysshed hym dylycatly from his chyldhode and spared the rodde he is made obstynate And hath lyfte his fote aboue thyne hede And hath broughte the to seruytude and bondage and ruleth the cruelly But perauenture thou wolte aske who this is It is thyn olde man that tredeth downe maketh fowle thy soule that sytteth atte noughte the countre that we sholde desyre For he sauoureth not but seketh thynges only that be flesshely This man is blynde deef dombe from his natyuyte Wycked in his aege rebell to vertue and trouth And enmye to the crosse of Cryste He mocketh an Innocente a symple man He walketh in hyghe thynges meruyllous· that ben aboue hys degre His boste his pryde is more than his strengthe He dredeth none He worsshyppeth none He sayth in his folysshnes that there is noo god He wexyth wery and slacke in good thynges And is glad wyth other mennys euylles He is nourysshed wyth vnclene thoughtes and perseuertth in theym withoute werynesse He scattereth and wasteth hys owne godes as a reuelar and a waster He coueytyth and reuyth other mennys as a neg on He gadreth to hym shame sclaundre Feynynge dysceytfull and prouokynge the wrath of god This man is borne all in synne And so he is nourysshed the frende of wyckydnesse the sone of deth the vessell of wrath and rebuke and redy to perysshe And yet he presumeth to tell shewe the ryghtwysnesse and lawes of god And speketh the Testamente of god He hateth dyscyplyne He casteth our lorde behynde his backe Whan he seeth a theef he renneth with hym and putteth his porcion and parte with aduoulterers He putteth sclaundre ayenste the chyldren of his moder and tresoreth the yre of god vp on hym And wyll take thyne herytage frome that in the daye of yre and reue it frome the vpon the erth And thou vengest not so greate Iniurye but dyssymylynge spekeste not one harde ne greuouse worde to hym Ne sheweste noo wrath ne angry countenaunce of hym but fauoureste hym that flatereth the. Thou playest wyth a mocker Knoweste thou not that it is Ismael that aplyeth with the This is noo playe of chyldhode ne of symplenes or Innocency But it is the mockynge the hurte and dethe of the soule Now hath he throwen the downe hedlynge in to the dyche that he hath made Now arte thou wounded now arte thou effemynate now art thou oppressyd with the yocke of wretchydnesse and thraldom thou arte troden fowle vnder his fete ¶ O thou wretchyd myserable man who shall delyuer the fro the bondes of this rebuke Ryse vp god And fall downe this armyd man fall he downe be he all to broken Also he is a wycked man the dyspyser of god the inordynat louer of hymself The frende of the worlde and seruaunt of the deuyll How semeth the Yf thou vnderstonde ryghte thou wolte saye with me he is worthy deth Putte hym on the crosse Dyfferre no lenger Dyfferre no lenger Spare noo lenger But hastely instantly boldly Crucefye this man But lete it be vpon the crosse of Cryst in whome is helth lyfe to whome yf thy man crucefyed crye he shall here hym benygnely answerynge sayenge Thou shalte be with me this daye in paradyce O how grete is the pyte of Cryste The wretche was withoute hope of helthe But the loue of god is so greate and so tendre and free His gentylnesse so redy his mekenesse soo merueylous his suffraunce soo pacyent that he heryth hym gracyously that cryeth to hym For he is mercyfull O how grete is the mercy of god How ineffable vnspekable is the ryghte honde of almyghty god Yesterdaye he was in derkenesse to daye in shynynge of lyght Yesterdaye in the mouthe of the lyon And to daye in the hondes of our sauyour Yesterday in the gates of hell and to day in the delyces of Paradyce But what prouffyten thyse letters of monycion but yf thou put the letters of dethe fro the conscyence what prouffyte thyse thȳges wryten vnderstonde but yf thou rede and vnderstonde thyselfe Therfore gyue dylygence to Inwarde redynge And rede vnderstonde thyn owne selfe that thou maye rede loue god That thou maye fyght and ouercome the worlde and all thy enmyes That thy laboure maye be tournyd in to reste and sorowe in to Ioye And after the derknes of this lyfe thou maye se the spryngynge of the bryghte mornynge And after thyse thou maye se the myddaye and heyghte of the sonne of ryghtwysnesse In whom thou shalt beholde the spouse with his spouses one lorde of euerlastynge glory that lyuyth and regneth euer more Amen ¶ Here we make an ende of this ryght prouffytable treatyse the Medytacyons of saynt Barnard Whyche for very fauour and charytable loue of all suche persones as haue not vnderstondynge in lattyn hath be translatyd fro latyn in to englysshe b◠a deuoute student of the Vnyuersyte of Cambrydge And hath put it to be Enprȳted at Westmester by Wynkyn the Worde the .ix. daye of Marche the yere of our lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxvi