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
cryste And neuertheles afterwarde he sayd thus Predicamus vobis xp̄m dei vircutem et dei sapienciā As who sayth Fyrst I preched of the manhede the passyon of cryst Now I preche to you of y e godhede As thus That cryst is the myght of god and the endles wysdome of god ¶ That the medytacyon of the passyon of cryst is with drawen fro hem that it is yeuen to oft sythes for dyues causes Caplm xxxvi THis maner of medytacyon a man hathe not alway whan he wolde but whan our lorde wyll yeue it Unto some men and wymmen he yeuyth it all theyr lyfe tyme by sythes whan he vysyteth hem As so me men arne so tender in her affeccyon that whan they here men speke or elles that they thynken of his precyous passyon her hertes melten in deuocyon And arne fedde and comforted ayenst all maner temptacyons of the enmye And y ◠is a grete yeft of god To some mē he yeueth it fyrst plēteuously afterwarde he withdraweth it for dyuers causes Other yf a man wexe prowde of it in his owne syghte or for some other synne by the whiche he makyth hymself vnable for to receyue y ◠grace Or elles our lorde withdrawith it al other deuocyons somtyme fro a man or a woman for he wyll suffre hym to be assayd by temptacyons of his enmye And so wyl he dyspose a man for to knowe and fele hymself more ghostly For he sayd soo hymself to hys dyscyples Expedit vobis vt ego vadam Si enim non abiero peraclitus non venit ad vos It is spedeful to you that I go fro you bodely for yf I goo not the holy ghost maye not come to you For as longe as he was with hem they loued hym moche but it was flesshly in his manhede And therfore it was spedeful to hem that he sholde withdrawe the bodely fourme fro her syght y t the holy ghost myght come to hem teche hem for to loue hym knowe hym more ghostly as he dyde on y e day of pentecost Ryght so it is spedful to some that our lorde withdrawe a lytyl the bodely the flesshly lyknes fro the eye of y e soule y t the herte myght be sette fyxed more besyly in ghostly desyre sekynge of his godhede ¶ Of dyuers temptacyons of the fende Caplm xxxvii NEuertheles it behouyth a man to suffre many temptacyons fyrst And thyse temptacyons fallen oftsythes to some men wymmen after whan comforte is withdrawen vpon dyuers maners by malyce of the enmye As thus whan the deuyl perceyuethe deuocyon moche withdrawen that the soule is lefte as it were nakyd for a tyme thenne sendeth he to some men temptacyons of lechery of glotenye so hote so bren̄ynge that hem shall thynke that they felyd neuer none soo greuous in al her lyfe tyme before whan they yaaf hem moost to synne In so moche that they shal thynke it impassyble for to stonde longe and suffre that they ne shal nedes falle but they haue helpe and therfore haue they thenne moche sorowe both for lackyng of comforte and deuocyon whiche they were wonte to haue And they haue moche drede of fallyng fro god by suche opē synnes And al this werketh the deuyl at the suffraunce of god for to doon hem forthynke her good purpoos tourne ayen to synne as they were wonte to do But who so wyl abide a whyle and suffer a lytyl payne and not tourne ayene to synne for noo thynge the honde of our lorde is full nere and helpyth ryght soone For he kepyth hym ful sykerly and the man wote not how as the prophete dauid sayth in the persone of our lorde Cum ip̄o sum in tribulacyone eripiam cū glorificabo eum I am with hym in his tribulacyon in temptacyon I shal delyuer hym and I shall make hym gloryous in my blysse Some men he tempteth by ghostly synnes malycyously as by mystro wynge of the fayth or of the sacrament of our lordes blessed body Also of despeyre or of blasphemye in our lorde or ony of hys sayntes or lothynge of her lyfe or bytternes or vnskylful heuynes or of to moche drede of hymself and of her body yf they put hē holy to goddis seruyse Some men he tompteth also and namly solytory men wymmen by dredes vglynes quakynges and shakynges eyther apperyng to hem ī bodely lyknes or elles in ymaginyng slepynge wakyng And taryeth hem so that vnneth may they haue ony rest And also on many other wyses he tempteth mo than I can or may saye ¶ Of dyuers remedyes ayenst temptacyons of the fende Caplm xxxviii REmedye to suche men wymmen y ◠arne thus traueyled or ony otherwyse may be this Fyrst that they wyl put al her trust in our lorde Ihū cryst and brynge to mynde often his passyon and y e paynes y ◠he suffred for vs and that they then̄e trowe stedfastly that al sorowes traueyle that they suffre in suche temptacyons whiche to an vncunnyng man semyth a forsakynge of god That it is no repreuynge ne no forsakynge but assayenge for her better Eyther for clensyng of her synnes before doon or for grete encreasynge of her mede disposyng to moche grace yf they wyl suffre a whyle and stonde fast that they torne not ayene wylfully to synne Another remedye is that they drede not ne charge not as for a synne ne sette not at hert suche malycyous styrynges of dyspeyre or of blasphemye or of the sacrament or ony suche other that were vgly for to here For the felynge of thyse temptacyons fyleth the soule no more than yf they herde an hounde berke or a I lee byte They taryen the soule but they apeyre not the soule yf a man wyldyspyse hem and set hem at nought For it is not good for to stryue with hem for to put hem out by maystry For y e more that they stryue with suche thoughtes the more they cleue to hem And therfore they shallen as moche as they maye drawe out the thoughte fro hem and sette it to some other ocupacyō And yet yf they wyl euer hange vpon hem then it is gode to hem that they be not angri ne heuy to fele hem but wih a gode trust in god bere hem as it were a bodely payne a scourge of our lorde for clensynge of her synnes as longe as he wyl for his loue as he was scourged bare the crosse for her loue And ouer this it is gode to hem for to shew her hertes to some wyse man in the beginnyng before they ben roted in the here that they leue her owne wytte and folowe the counseyle of hym And that they shewe hem not lyghtly to none vncunnyng or worldly man whiche neuer felt suche tēptacyons For they myght lyghtly brynge a symple soule in to dispeyre by vncūnynge of hemself Of thyse maner of temptacyons by
good men whiche haue it of y â— yefte of god and not of her traueyle as saynt poule sayth Caritas dei deffusa est in cordibus vestris per spÌ„m sccmÌ„ quidatus est vobis Loue and charyte is shed spred in your hertes by the holy ghost whiche is yeuen to you And therfore it is more precyous y e more daynte for to come by All other good dedes withouten this make not a man good ne worthy y e blysse of heuen but this alone oonly this maketh a man good and al his good dedes medeful Al other yeftes of god werkes of man are comyn to good badde to chosen to reproued But this yeft of charyte is oonly of god and of chosen soules ¶ That for y e same dedes dyuers men shal haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi A Good man for the loue of god fasteth waketh gooth on pylgrymage forsakyth al the lykynges y e worlde sothfastly in his herte withouten feynyng he shal haue his mede in the blysse of heuen And an ypocryte for vaynglory of hymself dooth the same dedes receyueth his mede here Alâ—o a very precher of goddes worde fulfylled of charyte and of mekenes sent of god of holy chyrche receyued if he preche teche goddes worde he shal haue a specyall mede of god y t is the aureole for his prechyng An ypocryte or an heretyke y t hath no mekenes ne charyte ne arne sende of god nor yet of holy chyrche yf they preche they haue her mede here Also a good man in worldly state for loue of god makyth many chyrchis chapelles abbeys hospytals dooth many other good dedes of mercy he shal haue his mede in y e blysse of heuen not for y e dede in it self but for y e good wyl the charyte y t he hath of y e yeft of god for to do tho good dedes An other man for vanytee of hymself worshyp plesynge of the worlde for his owne name dooth the same good dedes hath his mede here The cause is in al thyse that the tone hath charyte y â— tother none whiche is one whiche is other our lorde knoweth none but he ¶ That al mennes good dedes shal be aproued that hathe lyknes of good saaf the opyn heretyke the cursyd man Caplm lxvii ANd therfore we sholde loue and worshyp al meÌ„ in our hertes aproue examyn receyue all her dedes y t haue the lyknesse of goodnes though the doers in goddes syght ben bad saue of the opyn heretyke of the opyn â—ursyd man Of thyse two specyally we shall flee escâ—ewe the presence the coÌ„myng with heÌ„ And we shal reproue and refuse her dedes seme they neuer so good as longe as they arne rebel to god holy chyrche As yf a worldly cursed maÌ„ make a chyrche or fede poor men thou may sykerly holde it nought and deme it as it is Also yf an opin heretyke whiche is rebel to holy chyrche preche teche though he conuerte a hundred thousaÌ„de sonles holde the dede as to hymself ryght nought For thyse men are openly out of charyte without whiche is al nought that a man dooth ¶ That no good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte And that charyte fele they oonly y â— ben meke Capitulum lxviii ANd therfore it is a grete maystry a man to cun loue his euen crysten in charyte Al this sayeng may be openly proued by saynt poules wordes thus Si linguis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil sum Et si habuero omneÌ„ fidem ita vt moÌ„tes transferaÌ„ caritatem auteÌ„ noÌ„ habeam nichil suÌ„ Et si nouerim misteria oiÌ„a et si destribuero omÌ„es facultates meas in cibos pauperuÌ„ et tradidero corpê° me um igni vt ardeam caritatem autem non habuero nichil michi prodest Saynt poul in praysyng of charyte sayth thus If I speke y e langage of all men of auÌ„gels also yf I haue no charyte I am ryght noughte And yf I haue so grete fayth that I maye tourne hylles bere hem awaye and I haue no charyte I am ryght nought And also though I had al maner of knowynge of al pryuytees without charyte I am ryght nought And yf I yeue al y â— I haue to poor men and my body to the fire to be brent I haue no charyte it profyteth me ryght nought Here it semyth by saynt poules wordes that a man maye do al good dedes bodely withouten charyte And that charyte is nought elles but for to loue god and his euen crysteÌ„ as hymself How sholde then ony wretched caytyf lyuynge in erth what y t he be haue delyte or trust or sykernes in hymself for ought that he can or may do with al his bodely myghtes or his kyndely reason syth all this is nought worthe withouten loue charyte to his euen crysten And this charyte maye not be goten with werkynge of hymselfe for it is a free yefte of god sente in to a meke soule as saynt poul sayth who then dare hardely saye that I haue charyte or I am in charyte Sothly noo man maye saye it sykerly but he that is perfytly and sothfastly meke Other men may trowe of hemselfe hope that they ben in charyte by tokens But he that is perfytly meke felytth it therfore myghte he sykerly saye it Thus meke was saynt poul and for thy sayd he thus hymselfe Quis seperabit nos a caritate dei TribulacoÌ„ an angustia c who shall depart me fro y e charite of god TribulacioÌ„ or aÌ„guyssh c And he answereth hymself and sayth There shall noo creature put me fro the charyte of god whiche I haue iÌ„ cryste Ihesu Many men done dedes of charyte and haue noo charyte as I haue sayd For to reproue a synner for his synne to his amendynge in couenable tyme it is a dede of charyte â–ª but to hate the synner in stede of the synne it is ayenst charite he that is verely meke can depart that one fro that other and noo man but he For though a man had al moral vertues of al phylosophers he cowde not do this He sholde cuÌ„ne hate the synne in al other men for he hateth it in hymselfe But he cowde not loue y e man in charyte for al his phylosophye Also yf a man had knowyng of al clergye of dyuinite be not sothfastly meke he shal lyghtly erre stomble take the one for that other But mekenes is worthy to receyue a yefte of god the whiche maye not be lerned by cunnynge of man And therfore he that is meke can hate y e synne and truely loue the man But now parauenture thou begynnest to drede for that I haue sayd that charite maye not be goten by no werke that thou maye doo How shalt thou then do As
he begyleth hymselfe The nerer that he weneth he be y e feder he is For cryste sayd to hem that wolde be his dyscyples thus Hoc est preceptuÌ„ meuÌ„ vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos This is my byddynge that ye sholde loue togyder as I haue loued you For yf ye loue as I haue loued theÌ„ are ye my dyscyples But now sayste thou how shalte thou loue hym that is badde aswel as hym that is good As vnto this I say thus that thou shalt loue both good badde in charyte but not for the same cause as I shall telle how Thou shalte loue thyn euen crysten as thyselfe Now thou shalt loue thyselfe onÌ„ly in god or elles for god In god thou louest thyselfe whan thou arte ryghtful by grace vertuous and louest not thyself but oonly for y t ryghtwysnesse vertues y t god yeueth y t then louest thou thyselfe in god for thou louest not thyselfe but god Also for god thou louest thyself as yf thou were indedely synne and woldest be made ryghtful vertuous then louest thou thyselfe not as thou arte for thou arte vnryghtful but as thou woldest be Ryght so shal thou loue thyn euen crysteÌ„ If they beÌ„ good ryghtful thou shalt loue hem by charyte in god oonly for they beÌ„ good ryghtful for then louest thou god in hem as goodnes ryghtwysnes more than yf they ben badde indedely synne as thyn enmyes that haten the or other of y t whiche thou hast full heuydence y t they are not in grace yet shalt thou loue hem not as they arne ne as good men ryghtfull men for they arne bad and vnryghtfull but thou shalt loue hem for god that they myghte be good ryghtfull And so shalt thou no thynge hate in heÌ„ but y e thyng y t is contrary to ryghtwysnes y t is synÌ„e This is as I vnderstonde y e techyng of saynt Austyn for to departe y e loue of the man fro the hate of the synÌ„e y e loue of thyn euen crysteÌ„ He y t is meke or wolde sothfastly be me can loue thus his euen crysten none but he ¶ How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hyd in his herte CaplmÌ„ lxxi LIfte wel vp this ymage loke wel aboute and thou shalt mowe see couetyse and loue of erthly thynges occupye a grete partye of this ymage though it seme lytyl Thou hast forsaken rychesse and moche honour of this worlde and arte spered in a dongeon but hast thou forsaken clenly the loue of al this I hope not yet It is lesse maystry for to forsake worldly good than to forsake the loue of it Parauenture thou hast not for saken thy couetyse but thou hast chaunged it fro grete thynges in to smale as fro a pownde vnto a peny and fro a syluer pece vnto a dysshe of an halfpeny This is a symple chaunge thou art no good marchaunt Thyse ensamples arne chyldysshe neuertheles they betoken more If thou trowe not me assay thyself If thou haue loue delyte in the hauyng holdynge of ony thynge y t thou hast suche as it is with y e whiche loue thou fedest thyn herte for a tyme. Or yf thou haue desyre yerniÌ„g for to haue somÌ„ thyng y t thou hast not with whiche desyrethyn herte is traueyled stroubleâ— by vâ—skylful besynesse that the clene desyre of vertu of god may not rest therin this is a token y t there is couetyse in this ymage And yf thou wolte assay better loke yf ony thynge that thou hast be taken awaye fro the by maystry or by borowyng or by ony other wyse thou may not gete it ayeÌ„ for thy thou arte disesed angred trowbled in thyne hert bothe for thou waÌ„test y t thyng y t thou woldest haue may not haue it also ayenst hym y t hath it thou arte styred for to stryue chyde with hym for he myght restore y e ayen wyl not this is a token y t thou louest worldly goodes For thus done worldly men whan her good her rychesse is taken fro heÌ„ they arn heuy sory angry chyding stryusg ayeÌ„st heÌ„ y t haue it opeÌ„ly by worde by dede but thou doost al this in thyn hert pryuely where god seeth yet thou art in more defawte than a worldly man For thou hast forsaken in lyknes y e loue of worldly thinges But a worldly maÌ„ hath not do so therfore he is excused thoughe he stryue pursue for his goodes by lawful wayes for to haue hem ayeÌ„ But now sayest thou y t the behoueth for to haue thy necessaryes of suche thynges as loÌ„gen to y t as wel as a worldly maÌ„ I grauÌ„t wel therto but thou sholde not loue it for it self ne lykinge haue in the holdyng ne in y e kepyng ne sorowe ne heuynesse fele in y e lesyng or in y e withdrawynge of it For as saynt gregory sayth Asmoche sorow as thou hast in lesyng of a thyng so moche loue haddest thou iÌ„ y e kepynge And therfore yf thyn herte were made hoole thou haddest sothfastly felt desyre of ghostly thynges had there with al a syght of the leest ghostly thyng y t is all y e loue the lykyng of ony â–ª erthly thyng thou sholdest sette it at nought it sholde not cleue vpon the For to loue for to haue more than y e nedeth skylfully oonly for luste lykyng it is a defawte Also for to fetchen thy loue vpon y t thynge that the nedeth for it selfe it is defawte but not so grete But for to haue vsen that thyng y t the nedeth withouten loue of it more than kynde or nede asketh withouteÌ„ whiche the thyng may not be vsed it is no defawte Sothly in this poynt as I trowe many y t I haue y e state y e lyknesse of pouerte arn moche letted hyndred fro y e loue of god I ne accuse no maÌ„ ne no state reproue for in eche astate some arn good some arne other But one thyng I saye to euery man or woman that hath taken the state of wilful pouerte whither he be relygious or seculer or what degree he be in as long as his loue his affeccyon is bounden fastened and as it were glewed with the loue of ony erthly thynge that he hath or wolde haue he may not haue ne fele sothfastli y t clene loue the clere syght of ghostly thynges For saynt Austyn sayd to our lorde thus Lorde he loueth y e but lytyl that louyth ony thynge with the that he loueth not for the For the more loue couetyse of ony erthly thyng is with the the lesse is the loue of god in thyn herte For though it be so that this loue of erthly thyng putteth heÌ„ not out of charite but yf it be so moche that it strangle y e loue of god
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
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
his herte fully for to comÌ„ to more grace and for to traueyle besyly howe he maye come therto yeue hym hertly to prayeng thynkyng other good werkes doyng though grete teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns ryse ayenste hym he fallyth not lyghtly to dedely synne ayen And sothly it is woÌ„der to me y t sytheÌ„ grace is so good so profytable why a maÌ„ whaÌ„ he hath but a lytyl therof ye so lytyl y t he myÈt no lesse haue y t he wol say ho I wol no more of this for I haue ynough Whan I se a worldly maÌ„ though he haue of worldly good moche more than hym nedeth yet he wol neuer saye hoo I haue ynough I wol no more of this But he wol coueyte more more traueyle all his wyttes and his myghtes And neuer woll stynte of his coueytyse tyl he maye haue no more Moche more thenne sholde a chosen soule coueyte ghostely good y t is euerlastyng makyth a soule blessyd And he neuer sholde cease of his coueytyng yf he dyde wel â–ª gete what he gete myght For he y e most coueyteth most shal haue And sothly yf he dyde thê° he sholde profyte wexe in grace gretly ¶ A nother cause also of y e same And how wylful bodely customes indyscretly rewarded vsed somtyme hyndren soules fro felyng of more grace CaplmÌ„ xix ANother enchesen is this Some meÌ„ that are refourmed in fayth in the begynnynge of her tornyng to god setten hemself in a certayn maner of doyng whether it be bodely or ghostly thynken euer for to kepe that maner of worchyng forth not for to chaunge it for none other y e comith thorugh grace though it were better for they wene that y t doynge sholde be beste for heÌ„ alwaye for to holde therfore they resten hem therin thorough custome they bynde hem so therto that whan they haue fulfylled it they thynke hem wonderly eased For they wene that they haue done a grete thyng to god And perchaunce yf it falle that they be letted fro y e custome though it be for a skilful cause they ben heuy and angry and haue troublynge of conscyence â–ª as yf they had done a grete dedely synne Thyse men hyndren hemself somwhat fro felyng of more grace for they sette her perfeccyon in a bodely werke and so they make an ende in the myddes of the waye where none ende is For why bodely customes that men vse in her begynnyng are good but they are but meanes wayes ledynge a soule to perfeccyon And therfore he that sayth his perfeccyon iÌ„ a bodely werke or in a ghostly werke that he felych in y e begynnynge of his tornynge to god and he woll no feâ—der seke but euer rest therin he hyndreth hymselfe gretly For it is a symple crafte that a prentyse is euer in lyke wyse in and that can on the fyrste daye as moche of it as he can thyrty wynter after Or elles yf the craft be good and subtyl he is of a dulle wytte or elles of an euyl wyl that profyteth not therin But thenne it is soth y t of al craftes that are the seruyse of god is moost souereyne the moost subtyl the hyghest hardest for to come to the perfeccyon of it And also it moost profytable and moost of wynnyng to hym that maye soth fastly performe it And therfore it semyth that the prentises of it that are euer ylyke ferforth in lernynge eyther are they dulle wytted or elles euyll wylled I repreue not thyse customes that men vse in the state of begynnynge whether they ben bodely or ghostly for I say that they are ful good spedfull for hem for to vse But I wolde that they helde hem not but as a waye an entre towarde ghostly felynge and that they vsed hem as a couenable meane tyl a better come and that they in vsynge of hem coueyted after better And thenÌ„e yf better come that were more ghostly and more drawynge in the thought froÌ„ flesshlynes fro the sensualyte vayn ymagynacion yf that sholde be letted by cause of her customes y t they leue then her custome whan it maye be lefte without scaunder or dysease of other and folowe that they fele But yf neyther lette other then that they vse bothe yf they maye I meane not of customes nedeful thorugh bonde of lawe or of rule or of penaunce but of other wylfully taken Thus techeth vs the prophete in the sawter sayeng thê° EtemÌ„ benediccionem dabit legislator ibunt de virtute in virtutem videbitur deus deorum in syon That is Sothly the brynger of the lawe shal yeue blessyng they shal go fro vertue in to vertue and god of goddys shal be see in syon The brynger of the lawe that is our lorde Ihesu cryst shal yeue his blessynge That is He shal yeue hys grace to his chosen soules callynge hem fro synne and ryghtynge hem by good werkes to his lyckenesse thorugh whiche grace they shall proufyte and wexe fro vertue to vertue tyll they come to syon that is tyl they come to contemplacyon in the whiche they shal see god of goddys That is They shal see wel that there is not but one god ¶ How that without moche bodely ghostly besynes without moche grace mekenesse soules may not be refourmed in felynge ne kepe therin after they come therto CaplmÌ„ xx NOw sayest thou Syth it is so that refourmyng in faythe is so lowe and so peryllous for to rest in by cause of drede of fallynge agayne And refourmynge in felynge is so hyghe and so syker who so myght come therto Thenne coueytest thou for to wyte what manere traueyle were moost spedful for to vse by the whiche a man myghte prouffyte in and come therto Or yf there were ony certayne traueyle or specyal dede by the whiche a man myght come to that grace and that refourmynge in felynge As vnto this I saye thus Thou wotest wel that what man or woman wol dyspose hym for to come to clennesse of herte and to felynge of grace hym behoueth haue moche traueylle and grete fyghtynge in wyl and in werke lastyngly agaynste wycked styrynges of al the hede synnes Not oonly ayenste pryde or Enuye but ayenst al other with al the spyces that comen oute of theym as I haue sayde before in the fyrste wrytyng For why Passyons and flesshly desyres lette the clennesse of the herte and pees in conscyence And hym behoueth also for to traueyle for to gete al vertues Not oonly chastyte and abstynence but also pacyence and myldenesse charite and mekenesse and al the other And this maye not be doon by one maner of werke but by dyuerse werkes and many after sundry dysposycyons of men As nowe prayenge nowe thynkynge now worchynge some good werkes nowe assayenge theym selfe in dyuers wyse In hunger in thruste in colde in sufferyng of shame and dyspyte yf nede be And in other bodely dysease for
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
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
shalt vnderstonde that there is two maner of mekenes One is had by worchyng of reason Another is felte of the specyal yeft of loue Bothe are of loue but that one loue worcheth by reason of the soule but that other he worcheth by hymself The fyrst is vnperfyte y e other is perfyte The fyrste mekenes that a man feleth of beholdyng of his owne synnes and of his owne wretchidnes thrugh the whiche beholdyng he thynketh hym selfe vnworthy for to haue ony yefte of grace or ony mede of god But hym thynketh it ynoughe that he wolde of his grete mercy graunt hym foryeuenesse of his synnes And also he thynketh hym by cause of his owne sinnes that he is worse than the moste synner that lyueth and that euery man doth better than he and so by suche beholdynge thresteth he hymselfe downe in his thoughte vnder al men And he is besy for to ayenstonde the styrynge of pryde asmoche as he maye bothe bodyly pryde ghostly and dyspiseth hymself so that he assenteth not to the felynges of pryde And yf his herte be taken somtyme with it that it be deâ—oyled with vayne Ioye of worshyp or of cunnyng or of praysyng or of ony other thynge as sone as he maye perceyue it he is euyl payd wyth hymself hath sorowe for it in hert asketh foryeuenes of it of god she wyth hym to his confessour accuseth hymself mekely receyueth his penauÌ„ce This is good meknes but it is not yet perfyte mekenes for it is of soules y â— are begynnynge profytyng in grace caused of beholdynge of synnes Loue worchyth this meknes by reason of the soule Perfyte mekenes a soule feleth of y e syghte the ghostly knowyng of IhuÌ„ For whan the holy ghost lyghtneth the reason in to the syght of soth fastnes how IhuÌ„ is al that he doth al the soule hath so grete loue so grete Ioye in that ghostly syght for it is so soth faste that it foryeteth itself fully leneth to IhuÌ„ with all y e loue that it hath for to beholde hym It takith no kepe of no vnworthynes of itselfe ne of synnes afore done but setteth at nought itself with al the synnes al y e gode dedes that euer it dyde as yf there were no thyng but IhuÌ„ Thus meke dauyd was whan he sayd thus Et sebstaÌ„cia mea tanqmÌ„ nichiluÌ„ anÌ„ te That is Lorde Ihesu the syght of thy blessed vnmade substance thyn endles beynge sheweth wel vnto me that my substaunce beyng of my soule is as nought anence y â— Also anence his eueÌ„ crysten he hath no rewarde to hem ne demynge of hem whether they ben better or worse than hymselfe is For he holde hymself al other men as it were euen ylike nought of heÌ„self anence god that is soth For al the goodnes y â— is done in hamselef or in heÌ„ is onÌ„ly of god whoÌ„ he beholdeth as al And therfore setteth he al other creatures at nought as he doth hymself Thus meke was the prophete whan he sayd thus OmÌ„es gentes quasi non sintsic sunt coram eo et quasi nichiluÌ„ mane reputate sunt eâ— Al men are before our lorde as nought as vunotefull and noughte they are a counted to hym That is anentes the endeles beynge aud the vnchaungable kynde of god mankynde is as noughte For of noughte â—â—â—â—â—ade and to noughte sholde it torne but yf he kepâ—e it in the beynge that made it of noughte Thys is sothfastnesse and this sholde make a soule meke yf it myght see thorughe grace this sothfastnesse Therfore whan loue openeth the Inner eye of the soule for to see this sothfastnesse wyth other cyrcumstaunces that comen wyth al thenne begynneth the soule for to be sothfastly meke For thenne by the syghte of god it felyth seeth itselfe as it is And thenne forsakyth the soule the beholdynge and the lenynge to itself and fully fallith to the beholdinge of Ihesu And whan it dooth soo thenne settyth the soule noughte by al the Ioye and the worshyp of the worlde For the Ioye of worldly worshyp is so lytyl and so nought in rewarde of that Ioye and that lone that it felith in the ghostly syghte of Ihesu and knowynge of sothfastnes that though it myghte haue it without ony synne he wolde noughte of it Ne though meÌ„ wolde worshyppe hym prayse hym and fauour hym or set hym att grette state it lykyth hym noughte Ne though he had cunnynge of al the vii artes of clergye and of all craftes vnder the sonne or had power for to werke al manere myracles he hathe no more deynte of al this ne more sauour of hem than to gnawe on a drye stycke He had wel leuer forgete al this and for to be al one out of the sight of the worlde than for to thynke on hem and be worshypped of al men For the herte of a true louer of Ihesu is made somoche and soo large thrugh a lytyl syght of hym and a lytyl felynge of his ghostly loue that al the lykynge and al the Ioye of al erth maye not suffyce for to fyll a corner of it And thenne semyth it well that tbyse wretched worldly louers that arne as it were rauysshed in loue of her owne worsyhppe And pourse we after it for to haue it wyth al the myghte and all the wytte they that haue they haue noo sauour in this mekâ—nes they are woÌ„der ferre therfro But the 〈◊〉 of Ihesu hath this mekenes lastyngly And that not wyth heuynes and striuynge for it but wyth likynge and gladnes The whiche gladnesse it hath not for it forsakyth the worshyp of the worlde for that were a prowde mekenes that longeth to an ypocryte but for he hath a syghte and a ghostly knowynge of sothfastnesse and worthynes of Ihesu thrugh the yefte of the holy ghoste That reuerente syght and that louely beholdyng of Ihesu comforteth the loue soo woÌ„derfully and bereth it vp so myghtyly and so softly sothly that it maye not lyke ne fully rest in none erthly Ioye ne it wol not He makith none force whether men lacke hym or prayse hym worshyp hym or dispyse him as for hymselfe He settyth it not at herte neyther for to be well payd yf men dyspyse hym as for more mekenes Ne for to be euell payd that men sholde worshyp hym or payse hym He hadde leuer for to foryete both that one and that other And oonly thynke on Ihesu and gete mekenes by that waye And that is moche the lykerer waye who myght come therto Thus dyde dauid whan he sayd O culâ— mei semper ad dnÌ„â— quoniam ipse euelleâ— de laqueo pedes meos That is Myn eyen are euer open to Ihesu our lorde for why he shal plucke my fete fro snares of sinnes For whan he dooth so thenne forsakyth he vtterly hymself vndercastyth hym holy to Ihesu then is he in a syker warde for the
right expedyent to those that setten theyr felycyte in ocupynge theimselfe specyally for theyr soule helthe This is a deuout boke coÌ„pyled by mayster Walter hylton to a deuout man in temperal estate how he sholde ruleÌ„ hym ¶ How a man y t wol be ghostly must fyrst vsen moche bodyly exercyse in penaunce and destroyenge of synne Capitulum Primum DEre brother in cryst two maner of states there are in holy chyrche by y t whiche crysten soules pleseâ— god geten hem the blysse of heuen that one is bodyly that other is ghostly Bodyly werkyng longeth pryncypally to worldly meÌ„ wymen the whiche lefully vsen worldly goodes wylfylly vsen worldly besynes Also it longeth to all yonge begynnynge men the whiche comen newe out of worldly synÌ„es to the seruyce of god for to make hem able to ghostly werkyng for to breke downe the vnbuxumnes or the body by dyscrecyon vsen bodyly werkynge y t it myght be suple redy not mekyl contraryous to the spyryte in ghostly werkynge for saynt poul sayth as woman was made for man not man for woman ryght so bodyly werkynge was made for ghostly not ghostly for bodyly Bodyly werkynge goth before ghostly comyth after as saynt poul sayth ¶ Non priê° quod spirituale scilicet ê™ priê° aiÌ„ale deiÌ„despÌ„uale And this is a cause why it behoueth to be so for we are borne in synne and corrupcyon of the felesshe by the whyehe we are soo blynded so ouerlayed y t we haue neyther the ghostly knowyng of god by lyghte of vnderstondynge ne ghostly felynge of hym by clene desyre of louynge therfore we may not sodeynly sterte out of this derke nyght of this flesshly corrupcyon in to y e ghostly lyght for we maye not suffre it ne bere it for lyknes of ourself no more than we may with our bodyly eyen whaÌ„ they are sore beholde the lyght of the syn therfore we must abyde werke be pâ—ocesse of tyme. Fyrst by bodely werkes bestly tyl we be dyscharged of this heuy burden of synÌ„e whiche lettyth vs fro ghostly werkyng tyl our soule be soÌ„ what â—ensed fro grete outwarde synâ—â—s abled to ghostly werke By this bodily werkyng y t I speke of mayst thou vnderstâ—â—â— almaner of god werkis y â— thy soule doth by y â— wyttes y â— meÌ„ bris of thy body vnto thyself as iÌ„ fastyng wakiÌ„g iÌ„ restraynyng of flesshly lustes by penauÌ„ce doyng or to thyn euencrsteÌ„ be fulfyllyng of y e dedes of mercy bodyly or ghostly or vnto god be sufferynge of al bodely myscheues for y e loue of ryghtwysnes Al thyse werkes done in trouthe by charyte plesen god withouteÌ„ whiche they are nought Than who so desyreth for to be occupyed ghostly it is syker profitable to hym y â— he be fyrst wel asayed a longe tyme iÌ„ this bodely werkynge for thyse bodely dedes are a token a shewyng of moral vertues withouten whiche a soule is not able for to werke ghostly Breke down fyrst pryde iÌ„ bodely beryng also withiÌ„ thin hert thynkyng bostyng praysyng of thyself vayn lykyng in thyself of ony thyng y t god hath sent to the bodely or ghostly Breke downe also enuye yre ageynst thyn euencrysten whether they be riche or pore gode or bad that thou hate hym not ne haue dysdeyne of hym wylfully neyther in worde ne in dede Also breke downe couetyse of wordly good y â— thou for y e holdyng getyng or sauyng of it offende not thy conscyeÌ„ce ne breke not charyte to god to thyn euencrysten for loue of ony worldly good but y â— thou getyst to kepe it spende it without loue vayn lykyng of it as reson asketh in worshyp of god helpe of thyn euencrysten Breke downe also as mekil as thou mayst flesshly lykynges eyther of accydye or bodyly ese gloteny or lechery than whan thou hast ben wel traueyled wel asayed in al suche bodely werkis than mayst thou by grace ordeyne the to ghostly werkyng the grace y e goodnes of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst that he hathe shewed to y â— in with drawyng of thyn herte fro lust lykyng of worldly vanite vse of flesshly synnes in that turnyng of thy wyl enteerly to his seruyce his plesaunce bryngeth in to myn herte mekyl mater to loue hym in his mercy also it steryth me gretly to strength the in thy good purpose in thy werkyng that thou hast begunne for to brynge it to a good ende yf that I coude pryncypally for god sythen for tender affeccyon of loue that thou hast to me yf I be a wretche vnworthy I knowe wel the desyre of thyn herte that thou desyrest greâ—ly to serue oure lorde by occupacyon all holy withouten lettynge or troublynge of worldly besynes that thou myghtyst come by grace to more knowynge ghostly felynge of god of ghostly thynges This desyre is good as I hope of god for it is set vpon hym in charyte spyrytually neuertheles it is for to refreyne rulen by dyscrecyon as agaynst outwarde werkynge after the state that thou art in for charyte vnrewled turneth somtyme in to vice therfore it is sayd in holy wrytte ¶ Ordinauit in me carytatem that is to say our lorde yeuynge to me charyte set it in ordre in rewle that it sholde not be lost thrugh myn vndescrecyon Ryght so this charyte this desyre that our lorde hath yeuen of his mercy to the is for to rewle ordeyn how thou shalt pursue it after thy degre asketh after the lynynge that thou hast vsed befor tyme and after the grace of vertues that thou now hast thou shalt not vtterly folowen thy desyre for to leuen occupacyon besynes of the worlde the whiche are nedeful to vsen in rewlyng of thyself of al other that aren vnderthy kepynge yeue the holy to ghostly occupacoÌ„n of prayers holy medytacyons as it were a frere or a monke or an other man y t were not bounden to the worlde by chyldren seruauÌ„tis as thou art for it falleth not to the. if thou do soo thou kepest not the ordre of charyte Also yf thou woldest leuen vtterly ghostly occupocyon namly now after the grace that god hath yeuen to the set the holy to the besynes of the worlde in fulfyllynge of the werkes of actyfe lyfe as fully as an other man that neuer felyd deuocyon thou leuest the ordre of charyte For thy state asketh for to do bothe eche of hem in dyuers tymes thou shalte medle the werkes of actyfe lyfe with ghostely werkes of lyfe contemplatyfe And thanne dooste thou well For thou shalte one tyme be besye with martha for to rewlen and gouerned thyn housholde Thy chyldren Thy seruauntes thy neyghboures thy tenauntes If they done wel comforte hem therin and helpe hem If they done euyl for to techen hem a mende hem and