conscyence syker trust of saluacyoÌ„ dare desyre partyng fro our body by bodely deth by present to our lorde neuertheles for we maye not yet therfore we stryuen whether we be absent or present for to plese hym y â— is we stryue ayens synnes of y e worlde lykyng of y e flessh by desyre to hym for to bren in the fyre of desyre all thynge y t lettyth vs fro hym But yet askest thou me may a man haue thys desyre in his herte coÌ„tynuelly y â— thynketh nay as vnto this I may saye as me thynketh y t this desyre maye be had as for vertu profyt of it iÌ„ hert coÌ„tynuelly but not in werkyng ne vsyng as by this ensaÌ„ple yf thou were seke thou sholdest haue as eche maÌ„ hath a kyndely desyre of bodely hele contynuelly iÌ„ thyn hert what y t thou dedyst whether thou slepe or wake but not aye ylyke for yf thou slepe or wake thynkest on somÌ„ worldly thynges than thou hast thy desyre in hert only not in werkyng but whaÌ„ thou thynkest on thy bodyly syknes on thyn hele thaÌ„ thou hast it iÌ„ vsyng ryght so it is gostly of desyre to god he y t hath this desyre of y e yeft of god yf he slepe or elles thynke not on god but on worldly thynges yet he hath this desyre iÌ„ hert iÌ„ his soule tyl y t he syn dedly but anone as he thynketh on god or on cleÌ„nes of liuyng or of ioyes of heuen thaÌ„ werketh his desyre to god as loÌ„ge as he kepeth his thought his entent to plese god eyther iÌ„ prayers or in medytacion or in ony other gode dede y t al his besynes be for to stere his desyre vse it by dyscrecoÌ„n now in oo dede now in an other after he is dysposed hathe grace therto this desyre is roote of al thy weâ—kynge yf it be medeful for wyte thou wel what good dede y t thou doost for god bodely or ghostly it is an vsynge of this desyre whan thou prayest or thynkest doute not than yf thou desyre god therfore whan thou doost a good dede or thynkest on god dout not thynkyng iÌ„ thyn herte whether thou desyrest or not for thy dede sheweth thi desyre Some are vncunnyng wene y t they desyre not god but yf they euer be cryenge on god with wordes of her mouthe the hele lykyng ay lastyng wysdom loue pees worshyp sykernes rest ioye blysse ynought euer withouten ende the more feruently shalt thou desyre the ioye y e rest of y t blyssed lyf Many men are couetous of worldly catel worshyppes erthly ryches thynke now dremyng now wakynge how by what meanes they myght come therto therfore they foryeten the mynde of heÌ„self the peynes of helle the ioyes of heuen sothly they are not wys they are lyke to chyldren y t renneÌ„ after butterflyes for they loke not to theyr feete they fal somtyme sone downe breken her leggis What is al the poupe the worshyp of this worlde in ryches or in iolyte but a butterflye sothly no thyng ellis yet mekyl lesse therfore I pray y e be thou coueytous of y e Ioyes of heuen thou shalt haue worshyp ryches y t euer shal laste For at the laste ende whan worldly coueytous men bryng no good in her hondis for al her worshyppes al her rychessys are turned into nought saâ— sorowe peyne thaÌ„ shal worldly men y t forsake trewly al vayn worshyppes rychessys of this worlde or elles yf they haue ryches worshyppes they setten nought by hem ne they setten not her loue ne lykyng in hem but lyue euer in drede in mekenes in hope soÌ„tyme in sorowe abyden y e mercy of god pacyently they shal than haue fully y â— they heâ—e coueyted for they shal be crowned as kynges stye vp with our lorde IhuÌ„ in to the blysse of heuen Also there ben many other medytacyons mo than I can saye whiche y â— god putteth in to a manÌ„es mynde for to styre the affeccyon y e reson of mannes soule to lothe vanytees of this worlde for to desyre the Ioyes of heuen Thyse wordes I saye not to the as I hadde fully shewed the y â— maner of medytacyons as they are wrought in a mannes soule but I touche heÌ„ to the a lytyll y â— thou myghtest by this haue more vnderstondynge ¶ How a man shal do whan he felyth no sauour ne comfort in his medytacyons Caplm xv NEuertheles me thynketh it is good to the y e whaÌ„ thou dysposyst the to thynke on god as I haue before sayd or on otherwise perauenture thou felyst no sauour ne deuocyon in thy thynkynge but oonly a naked mynde a weyke wyl y t thou woldest fayne thynke on god but thou canst not than I hope it is good to the y t thou stryue not to mekyl with thyself for thou myghtest so lyghtly falle it too more derknes but yf thou were more sly in thy werkyng therfore I holde it most syker vnto y â— for to saye thy pater noster thyn Aue. or ellis thy matynes or ellys for to rede vpon thy sauter for y â— seuermore a syker standarde y t wyl not fayle who so maye cleue therto he shal not erre yf thou mayst by thy prayer gete deuocyon loke than this deuocyon be only in affeccyon y t is to saye in grete desyre to god with ghostly delyte holde forth thaÌ„ thy sayeng breke not lyghtly of for often it fallyth y t prayeng with y e mouth getyth kepeth deuocyon yf a maÌ„ cese of sayeng deuocyon vanyssheth awaye Neuertheles yf deuocyon of prayers bryng in to thyn hert a deuout thought of the manhed of our lorde or of ony of the other before sayd this thought sholde be letted by thy sayeng thaÌ„ mayst thoncese of thy sayenge and occupye the with medytacyon tyll it passe awaye Where of a man nedeth â—o be ware iÌ„ medytacon Caplm xvi BUt of certeyn thynges the behoneth to beware in thy medytacyons some shal I tel ye. One is whan thou hast had a gostly thought or ymagynacyon of the manhed of our lorde or of suche bodyly thynges thy soule hath ben coÌ„forted fed ther with it passyth awaye by theself be not to besy to holde it styl with maystry for it is than turned to peyne to bytternes also yf it passe not away but dwelle styl in thy mynde withouten ony traueyle of thyself thou for comfort of it wyl not leue it therfore it reueth the of thy slepe in nyghtes or ellis iÌ„ dayes fro other good dedes or elles for grete feruour of thy body thy body or thyn hed fallyth into gret febylnes than shalt thou wylfully breke of whaÌ„ tyme cometh soÌ„tyme whan thou hast most deuocion were lothest for to leuen it as whan it passyth
â— leuyth y e souereyn good euerstyng lyfe y t is god vnsought vnloued vnknowen vnworshypped and chesyth his reste his blysse in a passynge delyte of an erthely thyng Neuerthelesse thus done al y e louers of this worlde that haue her Ioye her blysse in this wretchyd lyfe Some haue it in pryde vaynglory of hemself y e whan they haue loste the drede of god they traueyle studye nyght day how they mow come to worshyp praysynge of the worlde maken noo force how it be soo that they myght come therto ouerpasse al men eyther in clergy or in crafte in name or fame In ryches or in reuerence in souerente maystershyp in hye state lordshyp Some meÌ„ haue her reste in ryches in outragious hauour of erthly good setten her hertes so fully for to gete it y â— they seke not elles but how they myght come therto Some haue her lykynge in flesshly lustes of glotenye lecherye in other bodely vnclennes And some in oo thynge some in a nother And thus wretchydly thyse y â— done thus forshapen hemself fro the worthynes of maÌ„ torne hem in to dyuers bestes lyckenes The prowde man is torned into a lyon for pryde for he wolde be drade worshypped of all men that no man ayenstonde y e fulfyllynge of his flesshly wyl nother in worde ne in dede And yf ony man wolde lette his mysproude wyl he weryth felle wrothe woll be wroken of hym as a lyon wrekith hym on a lytyl beest This maÌ„ that dooth thus is no man for he dooth vnresonably ayenst y â— kynde of a man so he is tourned transfourmed in to a lyon Enuyous angry men arne torned in to houÌ„des thoroughe wrathe an enuye y e brekyth ayen her euen cristeÌ„ bytyth heÌ„ by wycked malycyous wordes greuyth hem y t haue not trespassed with wrongfull dedes harmyng hem in body in soule ayenst goddis byddynge Some men arne forshapen in to asses y e arne slowe to y e seruyce of god and euyl wylled for do ony good dede to her euen crysten They arne redy ynough for to renÌ„e for worldly profyte for erthly worshyp or for pleysauÌ„ce of an erthly man But for ghostly mede for helpe of her owne soules or for y e worshyp of god they are soone yrke they wol not therof And yf they ought done they goon but a pase with frowarde wyl Some are torned in to swyne for they are so blynde in wytte so bestly in maners that they haue no drede of god but folowen onÌ„ly the lustes and lykynges of her flesshe and haue no rewarde to the honeste of man ne for to rule hem after the byddynge of reason ne for to restrayne the vnskylfull styrynges of the flesshly kynde but assone as a flesshly styrynge comyth of synne they are redy for to falle ther to and folowe as swyne done Some men are torned in to wulfes that lyuen raueyn as fals couetous men done that thorough maystry ouerledyng robben her eueÌ„ crysten of her worldly goodes Some men are torned in to foxes as fals men deceyuable men that lyuen in trecherye gyle Al thyse many other moo y t lyuen not in drede of god but breken his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes forshapen hemself fro the lyknes of god maken hem lyke to bestes ye worse than bestes for they are lyke to the fende of helle And therfore sothly thyse men y t lyuen thus yf they ben not refourmed whan the hour of deth cometh the soules of hem are departed fro y e bodyes then shal her eye be opened y t is nowe stopped with synne thenne shal they fele fynde the payne of her wretchydnes that they lyued in here And for asmoche as y e ymage of god was not refourmed thorugh the sacrament of penaunce in hem neyther in fayth ne in felynge here in this lyfe they shal be as cursed caste out fro y e blessyd face of our creatour and they shal be dampned with y â— deuyl in to the depnes of helle there for to be without ende Thus sayth saynt IohnÌ„ in thapocalipse Tumidis et incredulis execratis homicidis fornicatoribus venificis ydolatris omÌ„ibê mendacibê pars illorum erit in stagno ardenti igne sulphure That is To prowde men mystrowyng men to cursed to men sleers to lecherous couetous to poyseners and worshyppers of mawmentes to al fals lyers her dele shal be with y e deuyl in the pytte of helle brennyng with fyre brymston If y e louers of this worlde wolde oft thynke on this how al this worlde shal passe and drawe to an ende and how al wycked loue shal be harde punysshed they sholde within shorte tyme loth al worldly lustes y t they now most lyke they sholde lyfte vp her herte for to loue god and they wolde besyly seke traueyle how they myght be refourmed to his lyckenes or they passe hens ¶ How louers of this worlde vnable hem in dyuers maners to the refourmynge of her owne soule Capitulum xv BUt now sayth some of hem thus I wolde fayne loue god be a good man forsake y e loue of the worlde yf that I myght but I haue no grace therto If I had the same grace that a good man hath I sholde do as he dooth But for I haue it not therfore I maye not so it is not to me to wyte but I am excused vnto thyse meÌ„ say Iâ—hê° Soâ—h it is as they saye y t they haue no grace and therfore they lyen styl in her synne maye not ryse out But that auayleth hem not ayenst god for it is her owne defawte They vnable hem by dyuers wayes so moche that the lyght of grace maye not shyne to hem nerest in her hertes For some are so fro warde y t they wol no grace haue ne they wol no gode men be For they wote well that yf they sholde be good men they must nedes forbere the grete lykynge the luste of this worlde that they haue in erthly thynges y t wol they not For heÌ„ thken it is so swete y t they wol not forgo it And also they must nedes take werkes of penauÌ„ce As in fastyng wakyng prayeng many other good dedes doyng In chastisynge of theyr flessh iÌ„ withdrawyng of theyr flesshly wyll y t maye they not do For it is made so sharpe and so dredful to her thynkyng that they vggen lothen for to thynke vpon it and so cowardly wretchydly dwel they stelle in her synne Some wolde haue grace as it semyth and begynnen to able hem therto but her wyll is wonder weeke For assone as ony styrynge of synne comyth though it be contrary to the byddyng of god they falle anone therto for they are so bounde thorugh custome by oft fallynge
towche the. thenÌ„e art thou entred soÌ„ what in to this derknes for though thou fele perceyue gleÌ„tynges proferynges of vayne thouÈtes presing in of flesshly affeccyons neuertheles thou art in this profitable derknes if it be so y t thy thought be not fyxed in heÌ„ For suche vayne ymagynacoÌ„ns y t fal in y e herte vnauysedly trowbleÌ„ this derknes pyneth y e soule soÌ„ what by cause y t it wolde be hyd fro hem may not but they do not awaye y e profyte of this derknes for the soule shal by y e way come to restful myrknes And then is this derknes restful whan y e soule is hyd for a tyme fro y e paynful felynge of al suche vayn thouÈteâ— only is rested in desyre loÌ„ginge to IhuÌ„ with a ghostly beholdyng of hym as it shal be sayd afterwarde But y e lasteth but a whyle hole Neuertheles though it be but a shorte tyme it is ful profytable ¶ How y t the desyre of Ihesu fele in this lyghtsom derknes sleeth al styrynges of synne ableth the soule to perceyue ghostly lyghtynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem y t is Ihesu CaplmÌ„ xxv THen sithen this derknes this nyght is so good so restfull though it be shorte that stondeth only in desyre longyng to the loue of Ihesu wyth a blynde thynkynge on hym how good thenne how blessyd is it for to fele his loue and for to be illumided wyth his blessyd vnseable present lyght for to see sothfastnes the whiche lyght a soule receyueth whaÌ„ the nyghte passith the daye spryngeth This I hope was the nyght y t the prophete meaned whan he sayd My soule hath desyred y t in y e nyÈt as I haue before sayd it is moche better to be hyd iÌ„ this derke nyght fro beholdyng of y â— worlde though it were paynfull than for to be out in fals lykyng of this worlde y t semyth so shinyng so coÌ„fortable to hem y t are blynde in knowyng of ghostly lyght For whaÌ„ thou art in this derknes thou art mekyl nerer IhrÌ„lm than whan thou art in the myddes of the fals lyght therfore applye thyn herte fully to the steryng of grace vse for to dwellen in this derknes be often assayenge to beÌ„ homely theâ—in it shal sone be made restful to the. y e true lyght of ghostly knowyng shal sprynge to the. not all at onys but preuyly by lytyl by lytyl as y e prophete sayth HiÌ„tantibus in regione vmbre martis lux orta est eis That is To the dwellyng in the countre of shadowe of deth lyght was sprongen y t is lyght of grace spronge shal spryng to al hem y t can dwelle in the shadowe of deth y t is in this derknes y t is lyke to deth for as deth sleeth a lyuyng body al flesshly felynges of it ryght so desyre to loue IhuÌ„ felyd in this derkenes sleeth al synnes al flesshly affeccyons al vnclene thoughtes for y e tyme. than nyghest thou fast to IhrÌ„lm thou art not yet at it but be smale sodeyne lyghtynges that glydern outthorughe smale cauys fro that cyte shalt thou mow seen is fro ferre or that thou come therto For wete thou well though that thy soule be in this restful derknes withouten troublyng of worldly vanytees it is not yet there it sholde be it is not yet clothyd al in lyght ne turned al in to fyre of loue but it felyth wel that there is som what aboue itself y t it knowith not ne hath not yet but wolde haue it breunyngly desyreth it that is not elles but the lyght of IhrÌ„lm without forth the whiche is lyke to a cyte that the prophete ezechyel sawe in his vysyons He sayth that he sawe a cyte sette vpon an hylle heldynge to y e south y t to his syght whan it was meten was no more of length of brede than a rodde y t was syxe cubytes a palme of lengthe but as sone as he was brought in to the cyte loked aboute hym than thought hym y t it was woâ—der mekyl for he sawe many halles chaumbrys both open and preuy he sawe gates and porches vtterwarde innerwarde mekyl more byggyng than I saye now on length on brede many huÌ„dred cubytes thanne was this wonder to hym how this cyte within was so longe so large y t was so lytyl to his syght whan he was without This cyte betokeneth y t pertyte loue of god sette in the hylle of coteÌ„placyon y t whiche â–ª vnto y e syght of a soule y t without the felynge of it traueyleth in the desyre towarde semyth somwhat but it semyth but a lytyl thynge no more than a reede that is vi cubites a palme of length By vi cubytes are vnderstoÌ„de y e perfeccyon on manÌ„es werke And by y â— palme a lytyl towchynge of conteÌ„placyon He seeth well y t there is suche a thynge y t passeth y e deserte of al y e worchyng of man a lytyl as the palme passeth the vi cubites but he seeth not within what it is neuertheles yf he maye come within the cyte of contemplocyon thenne seeth he moche more than he sawe fyrste ¶ How a man shal knowe fals Illumynacyons feyned by the fende fro y e true lyght of knowynge y e comyth out of IhuÌ„ by what tokens CaplmÌ„ xxvi BUt now bewaar of the myddaye fende y â— feyneth lyght as it came out of IhrÌ„lm is not so For the tenâ—e seeth y t our lorde IhuÌ„ shewyth lyght to his louers of sothfastnesse therfore in the â—eceyuing of heÌ„ y t are vnwyse he shewyth a lyght y t is not true vnder colour of a true lyght deceyueth heÌ„ Neuertheles how a soule may knowe the lyght of sothfastnes whan it shyneth froÌ„ god whan it is feyned thorugh y e enmye shal I saye as me thynketh by an ensample of the fyrmament SomtymÌ„ the fyrmament shewyth a lyght fro the sonne semyth y e sonne is not And soÌ„tyme shewyth y e true sonne truely A knowing of y e one from y e other is this The feyned sonne she wyth hym not but bitwixe two blacke reyny clowdes ThenÌ„e by cause y e sonne is nere there shyneth out fro the clowles a lyghte as it were aloÌ„ne is none But the true sonne she with him whan the frymament is clere or moche clered fro the blacke clowdes Now to our purpose Some meÌ„ as it semich forsakith the loue of the worlde wold come to the loue of god to y e lyghte of vnderstondynge of hym But they woll not come thrugh this derknes that I haue spokeÌ„ of before They woll knowe hemfelfe truely ne mekely what they haue beÌ„ before ne what they are yet thrugh synÌ„e ne how nought they are in her owne kynde ayeÌ„st god They are not besy for to entree in to
meo seÌ„per ardebit et sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extynguatur Fyre shal euer bren in myn auter the prest rysyng at morowe shal put vnder styckes y t it be not quenched this fyre is loue desyre to god in a soule y e whiche loueth for to be norysshed kept by layeÌ„g to y e stickes y t it go not out thyse styckes are so douers maters some are of o tre somÌ„ are of an other a man that is lettered hath vnderstoÌ„dyng of holy wryt yf he haue this fyre of deuocyon in his hert it is good to hym to gete hym styckes of holy ensaÌ„ples deuoute prayers norysshe y e fyre with heÌ„ An other man vnlettered may not so redely haue at his honde holy wrytte ne doctours sayenge and therfore it nedeth to hym for to do many good dedes outwarde to his euen crysten kyndel the fyre of loue with hem And soo it is good that eche man in his degre after that he is dysposed that he gete hym styckes of o thynge or of other eyther prayers or medytacions or redyng in holy wryt or gode bodyly werkis for to norysshe y e fyre of loue in his soule that it be not quenched for the affeccyon of loue is tendre lyghtly wyl vanysshe awaye but yf it be wel kept by good dedes bodyly and ghostly contynuelly norysshed Now chanue sythen our lorde hath sent in to thyn herte a lytyl sparke of this blyssed fyre that is hym selfe as holy wrytte saythe ¶ Dominus noster ignis consumens est ¶ Oure lorde god is fyer wastynge for as bodely fyer wasteth al bodyly thyng y t may be wasted ryght soo ghostly fyre y t is god wastith al maner of synÌ„e therfore our lorde is lykned to fyer wastyng I pray y e norysshe this fyer this fyer is not elles but loue charyte this hath he sent in to y e erthe as he sayth iÌ„ y e gospel IgneÌ„ veni mittere iÌ„ terraÌ„ ad quid nisi vt ardeat I am comeÌ„ to seÌ„de fyre iÌ„to y e erth wherto but y t it sholde breÌ„ y t is god hath sent fyre of loue a gode desyre a grete wyl for to plese hym in to maÌ„nes soule vnto this ende y â— maÌ„ shal know it kepe it noryssh it strength it therby be saued y e more desyre y t thou hast to hyÌ„ for hiÌ„ y e more is y e fyre of loue in ye. the lesse that this desyre is in the. the lesse is the fyre y e mesure of this desyre how mekyl it is neyther in thyself or ony other knowest thou not ne no man of himself but god only y â— yeueth it therfore dyspute not with thyselfe as though thou woldest know how mekyl thy desyre is be besy for to desyre as mekyl as thou mayst but not for to wyte y e mesure of desyre ¶ What is desyre to god for hymself how in clennes of conscyence is very coÌ„fort swetnes Ca viii SAynt austyn sayth y t the lyf of euery good crysten maÌ„ is a contynuel desyre to god that is of grete vertu â—or it is a grete cryeng in y e ere 's of god y e feruentlyer thou desyrest the hygher thou cryest y e better thou prayest y e wiselyer thou thynkest what is this desyre sothly no thynge butlo thyng of al this worldes blysse of al flesshly lykynge in thyn herte a wonderful louyng with a restful yernyng of endles blysse heueÌ„ly Ioy. this thyng may be called a desyre to god for hymself yf thou haue this desyre as I hope sikerly y t thou hast I praye y â— kepe it wel norysshe it wysly whan thou shalt pray or thynke make this desyre begynnyng endyng of al thy werke for to encrece it loke after none other feling iÌ„ thy bodyly wittes ne seke after none other bodyly swetnes neyther sownyng ne sauouryng ne wondfullyÈt ne auÌ„gels syght ne though our lorde hymself as vnto thy syght wolde apere to y e bodely charge it but a lytyl but that al thy besynes be y â— thou myÈtest fele sothfastly thy thouÈt a lothyng a ful forsakyng of al maner of synne of all maner of vnclennes with a ghostly syght of it howe foule how vgly how paynful it is that thou myghtest haue a myghty desyryng to vertues to meknes to charite to y e blysse of heuen this thinketh me were ghostly comfort ghostly swetnes in mannes soule as for to haue celennes iÌ„ conscyence fro wyckednes of al worldly vynyte with stable trouth meke hope ful desyre to god how so euer that it be of other comfortis swetnessis me thynketh that swetnes syker sothfast that is feled in cleÌ„nes of conscyence by myghty forsakyng lethyng of al synÌ„e with inwarde syght feruent desyre of ghostly thynges Al other comfortis and swetnessys of ony maner of felynge but yf they helpe lede to this ende that is to clennes of conscyence ghostly desyre of god are not syker to rest on But now askest thou whether this desyre be loue to god as vnto this I saye that this desyre is not properly loue but it is a begynnyng a tastyng of loue for loue properly is a ful cowpelynge of the louer they loued togyder as god a soule in to one this cowpelyng may not be fully had in this lyf but only in desyre longyng therto as by this ensample If a man loue an other maÌ„ whiche is absent he desyreth gretly his presence Ryght so ghostly as longe as we are in this lyf our lorde is absent fro vs y t we may neyther se hym ne here hym ne fele hym as he is therfore we maye not haue y e vse of thys ful loue here in ful lykyng but we may haue a desyre a grete yernyng for to be present to hym for to se hym in his blysse fully for to be oned to hym in loue this desyre may we haue of his yefte in this lyf by the whiche we shall be safe for it is loue vnto hym as it may be had here thus saynt poul sayth ¶ Scientes qmÌ„ duÌ„ sumus iÌ„ hoc corpore pegrinamur a dnÌ„o per fide menim ambulamus non pec spÌ„em audemus bonam voluntatem heÌ„mus magis peregrinari a corpore presences eÌ„e ad deuÌ„ ioÌ„ contendimus siue absentes siue presentes placere illi Saynt poul sayth that as long as we are in this body we are pylgrymes fro our lorde y t is we are absent fro heuen in this excile we goo by trouth not by syght y t is we lyue in trouthe not in bodely felynge we dare we â—â—â—ue a good wyl to be absent fro the body be present to god y â— is we for clennes in