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
thou myghtest more profyte in other vertues as mekenesse charyte For wyte thou wel he that hathe in his desyre in his traueylle none other rewarde to none other thynge but to mekenes and charyte aye cryenge after hem howe he myght haue hem he shal in that desyre werchynge folow and after profyte and wexe in al other vertues as in chastyte abstinence suche other yf he haue but lytyl rewarde in hem in a yere more than he sholde withouten this desyre profyte in seuen yf he stryue with gloâ—enye lechery suche other contynuelly bete hymself with scourges eche day fro morowe to euensong tyme ¶ That thorough by desyre traueyle for mekenesse charyte a man comyth soner to other vertues than by traueyle in hemself Caplm lxxvii GEte to the then mekenes charyte And yf thou wolte traueyle swynke besyly for to haue hem thou shalt haue ynough for to do in getynge of heÌ„ And yf thou maye gete heÌ„ they shall rule the mesure y e ful pryuely how thou shalt ete how thou shalt drynke so cour al thy bodyly nede that there shall no man wyte it but yf thou wolt that shal not be in perplexite ne iÌ„ yre ne in anguysshnes and heuynes ne iÌ„ lustes ne in lykynges but in pees of glad conscence with a sad restfulnes I speke ferder than I thought to haue spoken iÌ„ this matere but netheles do yf thou may as I the say I hope god shal make al wel by this y t I haue sayd maye thou somdel see in this ymage of syn how moche it letteth y t The gospel sayth how Abraham spake to the ryche maÌ„ that was beryed in hel on this wyse Choas magnum inter nos vos ficmatum est vt hii qui volunt transire ad vos non possunt nec huc transmeare There is a grete chaos that is to sayen a thycke derknesse betwene vs the that we mow not come to the ne thou tyl vs This derke ymage in thi soule min also may be called a grete chaos y t is grete derknes for it letteth vs y t we mow not come to abraham whiche is Ihesu it lettyth hym y t he wol not come to vs ¶ Of the derknes of the ymage of syn And what comyth in by the wyndowes therof Caplm lxxviii LIft vp y e lantern se iÌ„ this ymage fiue wiÌ„dowes by the whiche syn comyth in thy comyng iÌ„to soule as y e prophete sayth Morâ— ingreditur per fenestras nostras Deth comith in by our wyndowes Thyse wyndowes arn the fyue wyttes by y e whiche thy soule gooth out fro by hymself sechyth his delyte and his fedynge in erthly thynges ayenst his owne kynde As by y e eye for to see curyous fayre thynges so of other wyttes By the vnskylfull vsynge of thyse wyttes in to vanyte wylfully thy soule is moche letted fro ghostly wyttes within and therfore the behoueth stoppeÌ„ thyse wyndowes or spere hem but oonly whan nede asketh for to open hem ¶ That the soule for defawte of knowynge of itself gooth out by fyue wyndowes to seche outwarde lykynge Capitulum lxxix ANd that were lytyl maystry to y t yf thou myghtest ones see thy soule by clere vnderstondynge what it is and how fayre it is in his owne kynde Ne it were that it is so ouerlayed with a blacke maÌ„tel of this toule ymage but for thou knowyst it not therfore thou leuest the inly syght of thy self and sechest thy mete forth withonten as a beest vnresonable thus sayth our lorde maÌ„nassynge to a chosen soule in holy wrytte Si ignoras te o pulcra inter mulieres egredere abi post vestigia greguÌ„ sodalium tuorum et pasce edos tuos Thou fayre amonge wymmen yf thou knowe not thyself go oute and walke after the steppes of the flocke thy felowes and fede the gete and it is thus moche for to saye Thou soule fayre by kynde made to the lyknesse of god freel as a woman in the body for the fyrst synne by cause that thou knowest not thyself that auÌ„gels foode sholde be thy delyces therin Therfore thou goost oute by thy bodely wyttes and sechest thy mete and thy lykyng as a beste of the flocke that is as one repreuyd and therwyth thou fedest thy thoughtes and thyne affeccyons whiche arne vnclene as gotes It is a shame to the for to doo so ¶ That a soule sholde not begge without forth but wythin of Ihesu that it nedeth Caplm lxxx ANd therfore tourne home ayen in thyselfe holde the within and begge noo more withouten namely swynes mete For yf thou wyl algates be a begger aske and craue within of thy lorde Ihesu for he is ryche ynough and gladlyer wol yeue y t than thou wolt aske And renne noo more out as a beste of the flocke y t is a worldly man or woman that hath noo more delyte but in his bodely wyttes And yf thou do thus thy lorde Ihesu wol yeue the all that the nedeth For he may lede the in to his wyne celer and make the for to assay of his wynes whiche the lyketh best for he hath many tonnes Thus a chosen soule Ioyenge in holy wrytte sayth of our lorde Introduxit me rex in cellam vinariaÌ„ A kynge ladde me in to a wyne celer And that is for to saye In as moche as I forsake the dronkennes of flesshly lustes worldely lykynges whiche arn bytter as wormode for thy the kynge of blysse lorde Ihesu ledde me in That is to saye Fyrste in to my selfe for to beholde and knowe myselfe And after he ledde me in to his celer y t is to saye abouen myself by ouerpassynge oonly in tyll hym and gaaf me assaye of his wyne y t is for to taast a syknes of ghostly swetnes heuenly Ioye Thise arn not wordes of me a wretchyd caytyf lyuynge in synue but they arne wordes of the spowse of our lorde in holy wrytte thyse wordes I saye to the that thou myghte drawe in thy soule fro withouten and folowe after as thou maye ¶ That y e hole of ymagynacoÌ„n nedeth to be stopped as wel as y e wyndowes of y e wyttes CaplmÌ„ lxxxi BUt now sayest thou that thou doost so thou seest no worldly thynges ne herest none ne hast uone vse of thy bodely wyttes more than nede asketh for thy tho uart enclosed As to this I saye If thou do thus as I hope thou doost then hast thou stopped a grete wyÌ„dow of this ymage but yet arte thou not siker for thou hast not stopped the pryue holes of the ymagynynge in thyn herte For yf thou see me not with thy bodely eye thou may see me in thy soule by ymagynacyon and so mayst thou do of all bodely thynges Then yf thy soule be fedde wylfully by ymaginacions of vanytees of the worlde and desyryng of worldly thynges for
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
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
lowely wyth reuerence for his order And yf his speche comforte the aske of hym make the not for to teche hym It talleth not to y e for to teche a preste but in nede If his speche coÌ„forte the not answere lytyll and he wyl sone take his leue If it be a nother man y t cometh to yeue y t his almesse or elles for to here the speke or for to be taughte of ye. speke godely mekely to hem all repreue no man of his defawtes it falleth not to the but yf he be the more homely with the that thou wotest wel that he wyl take it of y e And shortly to saye as thou conceyuest that sholde profyte thyn euen crysten namly ghostly maye thou saye yf thou can and he wyl take it And of al other thynges kepe scilence asmoche as thou mayst thou shalt in short tyme haue but lytyl prees that shall lette the Thus me thynketh doo better yf thou can ¶ Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothyng ther of Caplm lxxxiiii BI this that I haue sayd may thou see a lytyl the derknes of this ymage of synne not for I haue dyscryued it fully to the as it is for I can not Neuertheles by this lytyl thou maye see more yf thou loke wel But now sayst thou wherby wotest thou that I bere suche an ymage aboute with me as thou spekest of As on this I can answere I maye take vpon me a worde sayde by the prophete and it is this Inuent idolum michi That is to saye I haue founde a fals ymage that men callen a mawmente in myselfe wel fowle dysfygured for shapen with wretchydnes of al thyse synnes whiche I haue shoken of by the whiche I am casten downe in many flesshly lykynges and worldly vanytees fro clennes of herte and felynge of ghostly vertues more than I can or maye saye and that me repenteth and I crye god mercy By this wretchydnes that I fele in myselfe more than I haue sayd maye I y â— better telle the of thyn ymage For al come we of adam and of eue clothed with clothes of a bestes hyde as holy wrytte sayth of oure lorde thus Facit deus ade vxori eius tunicas pelliceas Our lorde made to adam to his wyfe clothes of a bestes hyde In token that for his synne he was forshapen lyke to a beste with whiche bestly clothes we al ben borne and vmbylapped dysfygured fro oure kyndely shappe ¶ Whiche ben the lymmes of the ymage of synne Caplm lxxxv THenne is this a vgly ymage for to loke vpon The hede is pryde For pryde is the fyrste and pryncypal synne as y e wyse man sayth IniciuÌ„ oiÌ„s pctiÌ„ superbia The begynnyng of al maner of synne is pryde The backe the hynder partye of it is couetyse as saynt poul sayth Que retro sunt obliuiscens in anteri ora me extendo I shal for yete al worldly thynges whiche arne backewarde and I shal stretche me forwarde endles thynges The brest in the whiche is the herte is enuye for it is no flesshly synne but it is a deuels synne as the wyse man sayth Inuidia diaboli mors intrauit in orbeÌ„terrarum Imitantur illum oeÌ„s qui ex parte eius sunt By enuye of y â— deuyl dethe comyth in to al y e worlde For thy al tho that are of his partye folow hym ther in The armes of it are wrathe in asmoche as a maÌ„ wreketh hym of his wrathe by his armes ayenst cristis byddynge in the gospel Si quis te percusserit super vnam maxillam prebe sibi alteram If a man smyte the vpon the tone cheke with his hoÌ„de thou shalt not smyte hym ayen but offre hym y t other cheke The bely of this ymage is glotenye as saynt poul sayth Esca ventri et venter escis deus hunc has destruet Mete serueth to the bely and the bely serueth to gete mete but god shall destroye bothe bely and mete That shal be at the last ende in the ful reformynge of his chosen and in demynge of reproued The membres of it are lecherye of the whiche saynt poule sayth thus NoÌ„ exibiatis meÌ„bra vestra arma iniquitatis ad peccatum ye shall not yeue your membres specyally your pryue membres for to be armes of synne The fete of thys ymage are accydye Therfore the wyse man saythe to the slowe for to styre hym to good werkes Discurre festina suscita amicum tuum That is to saye Renne quyckely aboute vnto good werkes haast the soone for the tyme passyth reyse vp thy frende whiche is Ihesu by deuoute prayer medytacyon Here hast thou herde the membres of this ymage ¶ Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passing for the in y e ymage of synne CaplmÌ„ lxxxvi THis is not y e ymage of Ihesu it is lyker an ymage of the deuyl For the ymage of Ihesu is made of vertues with mekenes and perfyte loue and charyte but this is of false flesshly loue to thyselfe with al thyse membres festnyd therto This ymage berest thou enery man what that he be vntyl by grace of Ihesu it be soÌ„ dele destroyed broken downe Thus it semith that dauyd sayth in y e sawter boke UeruÌ„ptamen in ymagine pertransit homo sed in frustra coÌ„turbatur This is for to saye Though it be so that a man were made in y e begynnynge to the ymage of god stable stedfast neuertheles by cause of syn he forpassyth lyuyng in this worlde in this ymage of synne by the whiche he is vnstable and trowbled in vayne Also saynt poul spekith of this ymage thus Sicut portauimus ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis sic portemus ymaginem celestis That is to say If we wol come to the loue of god as we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man fyrst adam that is the ymage of synne Ryght soo nowe lete vs bere the ymage of the heuenly man Ihesu whiche is the ymage of vertues ¶ How we sholde crucyfye this ymage of syn quyckeÌ„ the ymag of Ihesu Caplm lxxxvii WHat shal thou then do with this ymage I answere the by a worde that the Iewes sayd to pylat of cryste Crucifige eum Take thou this body of synne do hym on the crosse That is for to say Breke downe this ymage slee the false loue of synÌ„e in thyself as cristis body was slayne for our synne our trespaas Ryght so the behouith yf thou wolte be lyke to cryst â—lee thy bodely lykynge and flesshly lustes in thyself Thus sayd saynt poul Qui autem cristi sunt carnem suam crucyfixerunt cum viciis concupiscenciis Thyse y t arne crystys folowers hath crueyfyed and slayne her flesshe that is the ymage of synne with al the lustes the vnskylful
and lyghte and he is euerlastyngr as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Qui diligit deum manet in lumine That is He that loueth god dwellyth in the lyght Than what man perceyueth and seeth the lone of this worlde fals and faylynge and for that he woll forsake it and seke the loue of Ihesu He maye not assone fele the loue of hym But he muste abyde a whyle in the nyghte For he maye not sodeynly come fro that one lyghte to that other that is from the loue of the worlde to perfyte loue of god This nyghte is noughte elles but a forberynge and a withdrawynge of the thoughte and of the soule fro erthly thynges by grete desyre and yernynge for to loue and see and fele Ihesu gholy thynges This is the nyght For ryght as the nyght is derke and euer hydyng from al bodely creature and a restynges of all bodely dedes Ryght soo a man that settyth hym fully for to thynke on Ihesu for to desyre only y e loue of hym is besye for to hyde his thought fro vayne beholdynge and perceyuynge and his affeccyon fro flesshly lykyng and louynge of al bodely creatures So that his thonght maye be made free not subget ne his affeccyon bounde ne pyned ne troubled in no thynge lower ne woors than him selfe And yf he maye do so then it is nyghte with hym for then he is in derknesse But this is a good nyght a lyght derknesse for it is a stoppyng out of the fals loue of this worlde and it is a nyghynge of the true daye And sothly y e derker y t this nyÈt is y e nerer is y e true daye of the loue of IhuÌ„ For the more that y e soule maye thorugh longyng to god be hydde fro noyse dynÌ„e of flesshly affeccyons vnclene thoughtes the nerer it is for to fele the lyght of y e loue of hym for it is euen at it Thus semyth it the prophete meaned whan he sayd thus CuÌ„ in tenebris sedeo dnÌ„s lux mea est That is whan I sitte in derknes our lorde is my lyght That is whaÌ„ my soule is hydde fro all styrynges of synÌ„e as it were in slepe then is our lorde my lyght for thenÌ„e nygheth he of his grace for to shewe me of his lyght Neuertheles this nyght is somtyme paynfull fyrste whan a man is moche foule and is not thorugh grace vsed to be often in this derknes but wolde fayne haue it and therfore he setteth his thought his desyre to god warde asmoche as he maye he wolde not fele ne thynke but onÌ„ly of hym and by cause y t he may not lyghtly haue it therfore it is paynfull For the custome the homelynes that he hath had with synnes before of the worlde and of flesshly affeccyons and erthly thynges and his flesshly dedes prees so vpon hym and euer smite in by maystry and draw downe all the soule to heÌ„ that he may not wel be hidde fro heÌ„ assone as he wolde Therfore this derkenes is paynful to hym and namly whan grace to wchyth not habundantly Neuertheles yf it be so with the. be not to heuy ne stryue not moche as though thou woldest thrugh maystry put heÌ„ oute of thy thoughte for thou maye not doo soo but abyde grace suffre easely and breke not thy self tomoche And slyely yf thou maye drawe thy desyre and thy glostly beholdyng to IhuÌ„ as yf tho woldest not charge hem For wyte thou well whan thou woldest desire Ihesu and oonly thynke on him and thou may not frely for prechyng in of suche worldly thoughtes sothly thon art outwarde of the fals day and thou art entriÌ„g in to this derkenes But thy derkenes is not restfull by cause of disease vncuÌ„nyng and vnclennes of thyself And therfore vse it ofte it shal by processe thrugh felinge of grace be more easy more restful to the And that is whan thy soule thrugh grace is made soo free and soo myghty soo good and so gadred in to itself that it lyste not to thynke on right noughte ThenÌ„e is it in a good derknesse This nought I meane thê° that a soule may thorugh gracebe gadred into itself freely hooly not be driuen ayenst the wyll ne draweÌ„ downe by maystry for to thynke or lyke or loue wyth cleuiÌ„ge of affeccoÌ„n to ony synne ol vaynly ony erthly thynge theÌ„ne thynketh the soule nouÈt for theÌ„ thynkith it of none erthly thyng cleuyngly This is a ryche nought this nought this nyght is a grete ease for y e soule y t desyreth y e loue of Ihesu It is in ease as for thoughte of ony erthly thynge neuertheles it is full besy for to thiÌ„ke on hym What thynge then makyth this derkenes Sothly noughte elles but a gracyous desyre for to haue the loue of IhuÌ„ For y e desyre y e longyng that it hath that tyme to y e loue of god for to see hym haue hym dryueth oute of the herte al worldly vanytees flesshly affeccyons gadreth the soule in to itself occupyeth it oonly for to thynke how it myght come to y e loue of hym y e tyme maye it freely deuoutly beholde IhuÌ„ whed it wol pray or thinke so it bryngyth it to this ryght nouÈt sothly it is not al derke ne nouÈt whaÌ„ it thynkyth thê° For though it be derke fro fals lyÈt it is not al derke fro y e true lyÈt for IhuÌ„ y t is both loue lyÈt is in this derknes wheder it be paynful or restful If it be paynful thenÌ„e he is in y e soule as traueylyng in desyre loÌ„gyng to lyght but he is not yet aâ— restynge in loue ne as shewynge his lyght And therfore it is called nyghte derknesse in asmoche as the soule is hyd fro the fals lyghte of the worlde hathe not yet fully felynge of true lighte but is in abidyng of that blessid loue of god whiche it desyreth Thene yf thou wolte wyte whan thou atte in this syker derkenesse whan not thou may assay thê° and seke no ferder but thus Whan thou felyst thyn entente thy wyll fully sette for to desyre god thynke onÌ„ly on hym thou maye as it were fyrste aske thyself in thyn owne thought whether thou coueyte for to haue ony thyng of this lyfe for loue of itselfe or for to haue the vse of ony of thy bodily wyttes in ony creature theÌ„ne yf thyn eye aÌ„swere the thê° I wolde se right nought thy mouche I wolde sauour right nonght after thyn eere I wolde here ryght nought thy body I wolde fele right nouÈt after yf thine herte say I wold thynke right nought of erthly thynge ne of bodily dede ne I wolde haue affeccoÌ„n fastyned flesshly to no creature but oonly iÌ„ god to god warde yf y t I cowde whaÌ„ they answere al thê° to the that is done ful redily yf grace