And yet he wyll also that they haue in the chirche theyr hedes couerd / soo that no man be styred by theym to euyll / ne synne not in beholdynge of theym / but they ought to be arayed as deuoute and good women / whiche shewe the bounte of theyr herte by good werkys / and therfore sayth saynt Ambrose / who wyll be herde in prayer / he ought to take awaye fro hym al sygne of pryde / and ought to enclyne hym to god with his herte by veray confessyon / and by penaūce in profounde humylyte / for to moeue god to doo hym mercy For as he sayth proude habyte geteth no thynge of god / but it gyueth cause to Iuge euyll of hym the weereth it ¶ Now I haue shewed to the thre thynges that ought to be in prayer / fayth / hope and deuocyon But to that / that prayer may be perfyghtly agreable and playsaunte to god and worthy to be enhaunced and herde / it behoueth foure thynges That is that it haue .ii. wynges whiche bere it tofore god These two wynges ben almesses and fastynges / or other penaunces / wherof the aungell sayd to Thobye Prayer is good whan it hath in hym self fastynge and almesse / without these two wynges the prayer may not flee to god For as sayth saynt Ambrose / good lyf maketh the prayer to flee to god But synne letteth it and with draweth it ageyn / wherof thou oughtest to wete that in two maners is prayer lette / lyke as sayth saynt Ysodore One is by cause a mā kepeth hym not fro synne and fro doynge euyll And for that a persone wyll not forgyue the euyll wylle that he hath to another persone For in lyke wyse as the oynemētes wyll not hele the wounde / as longe as the yron is wythī Ryght so auaylleth not ne prouffyteth noo thynge the prayer to hym that sayth it as he hath euyl wylle to another And therfore sayth the prophete / lete vs lyfte vp our hertes our handes to god He lyfteth vp his hert his hādes to god that lyfteth vp his prayers by good werkes And thappostle sayth that he that lyfteth vp his pure handes to god in prayer lyfteth vp in pure clene conscyence without synne For god enhaūceth not the prayer that cometh of a conscyence full of ordure and of synne wherof he sayth by the prophete whan ye shal multeplye your prayers I shal not here them / for your handes be all blody ful of synne who ben they that haue theyr hādes blody but they that dystresse the pour peple which ben vnder them take awaye fro them their good by force they haue the handes ful of blood of the blood of pour peple for they take a way fro them their lyf / their sustenaūce by couetyse by theyr rauyne do grete oultrages etē the morsellys ful of synne wherfore they shal paye the scotte in that other worlde For the scripture sayth that god requyreth the blood of the pour peple For they must gyue a rekenyng or sytte therfore and therfore who wyl be enhaūced herde of god in his prayers late hym not come tofore God the swerde drawen Ne the hādes blody ne wyth voyde handes That is to say in wyll to synne ne spotted of vntrouthe ne voyde of good werkes For thus sayth our lord in the gospel Thou shalt not come tofore me with voyde handes / he cometh with empty handes tofore god that cometh to praye and requyre hym withoute makyng present of good werkes / for to hym he shytteth and closeth his yate that requyreth hym and bryngeth no thynge / herof haue we example in the gospell / whiche sayth that the yate was shytte to the folysshe vyrgyns that had none oyle in theyr lampes / god sayd to them I knowe you not For god knoweth none but them that haue theyr lampes ful of oylle that is to saye them that haue the herte full of pyte and of grace purged and clene of all synnes and shewe it by good werkes Suche people hereth god gladly and openeth to them his yate / and receyueth gladly theyr prayers Now saye I thenne that prayer lyke as it rested on four pylers as it is sayd tofore / and is moche playsaunt to god For it geteth lyghtly of god all that it hath nede be it in body or in soule as sayth the scrypture / wherof saynt Iames sayth that moche auaylleth the besy prayere of a ryghtwyse man For it auaylleth to hele al maladyes of body of soule / and sayth yet that prayer that cometh of fayth heleth the seke persone / yf he be in synne it shall be perdonned The holy scrypture sayth that Moyses the prophete vaynquysshed Amalech and his hoost / not by bataylle / but by holy prayers For as it is sayd of an holy man Moche more auaylleth the prayer of a saynte than the fyghtynge of many thousand synnars The prayer of a good man perceth heuen Thenne shall he ouercome his enemyes in erthe A good olde and deuoute woman geteth more soone a good requeste of god in glorye in prayenge hym deuoutely / than a thousande knyghtes may gete of londe in longe tyme by force of armes / and therfore it is good to praye and requyre god with the orysons of good folke / and specyally of couentes of relygyous people / whiche ben assēbled for to serue god for to praye nyght daye deuoutely for al theyr benefactours For the prayer is moche worthe towarde our lorde For lyke as sayth the scrypture More auayleth more may doo towarde god the prayer of many good persones than ony can expresse or say For as it is sayd of an holy man It may not be but the prayers of many good persones togyder be herde of god and graunted The prayes and requestes of all the hole couent togyder / is sooner passed and herde of thabbot / than the request and prayer of one monke alone In lyke wyse hereth god more soone the request of theym that ben assembled for to serue hym And therfore sayth god in the gospell / yf twayne of you accorde togyder to aske and requyre me All that they requyre my fader of heuē I shall do it ¶ Now haue I spoken of seuen degrees of the tree of the vertue of chastyte / by whiche this vertue groweth mounteth / prouffyteth Now behoueth to saye of the braunches of this tree whiche ben seuen / after the .vii. estates of the people the ben in this worlde ¶ Of the fyrst estate of them that ben entyer and chaste of body Ca. C.xlviii THe fyrst estate of the worlde is of them that ben hole chast of body / haue kept theyr maydenhede / but neuertheles they be not bounden to this / but that they may be maryed In suche estate ought a persone to kepe chastyte that is clennes purete of hert of body / wherfore the
Now thyÌ„ke ryght well dylygently in thyn herte how oft tymes thou hast mysprysed here in whiche thou haste in thyn herte / thyn owne self and other falsely praysed And the better dyspraysed dyspyted and the wors praysed / and how ofte thou haste dyspysed in thyn herte them that ben of more value than thou arte And how thou haste dyspysed them for some forayne grace that god hath gyuen to the Or for noblesse / or for beaute / or for prowesse / or for streÌ„gthe of body / or for lyghtnes Or for what soÌ„euer other good that it be / by the whiche thou haste praysed more thy selfe than thou oughtest to do / and the other thou haste lasse praysed than thou oughtest After thynke how many tymes thou hast borne lytell honoure and reuerence to theym that thou oughtest Fyrst to god to his swete moder and to all the aungelles sayntes of heuen For there is none but thou hast trespaced to by dyspyte or by Irreuerence In that thou hast oft tymes euyll kepte the feestes and holy dayes After thynke how many tymes thou hast serued euyll our lorde Ihesu cryst Or in that / that thou hast not not gladly herde his seruyce / ne sayd his houres / ne herde his sermons And whan thou wenest to here the masse in the chirche or the holy sermons thou Ianglest and bourdest tofore god and lettest other to do well / after thynke how thou haste many tymes done lytell honoure to the body of Ihesu cryst whan thou seest hym / or whan thou receyuest hym In this thou art not worthely apparaylled ne made redy by confessyon by repentaunce Or by aduenture that wers is thou hast receyued hym in deedly synne thy selfe wetynge The whiche thynge is a grete dyspyte vnto god as to crucyfy hyÌ„ After thynke how vnto thy swete felawe / to thy good keper thyn auÌ„gell whiche all way is with the / all way kepeth the / how many velanyes thou hast done to hym in so moche as thou hast commysed synne tofore hym / after thynke how oftyme thou hast be inobedyent to thy fader to thy moder and to theym to whome thou oughtest obbeye and bere honour Yf thou wylt in this maner recorde thy lyf thou shalte see that thou hast ofter synned in this maner of pryde whiche is called despyte / thaÌ„ thou canst recounte or telle / ¶ Of the .iii. braunche of pryde / that is arrogance Ca. xix THe thyrde braunche of pryde is arrogance whiche is callyd surquydrye or presumpcyon / that is to wete whan a man weneth more of hym self than he ought That is to saye that he weneth to be of more valure than he is worthe / or to knowe more / or to mow more than other Thys synne is the fortresse of the deuyll For he kepeth and nouryssheth all the grete synnes This synne sheweth hym in many maners by werke and by worde But namely he sheweth hyÌ„ in vi maners That is to wyte in syngularyte For the proude surquidrous that weneth to be more of valewe and power / and to knowe more than the other / daygneth not to do as thother doo whiche ben of more value than he is Also he wyll be synguler in his werkys This is the fyrst synne for whiche surquydrye sheweth hym in werke or by dede The seconde folye is enterpryse of grete dyspences of his owne or of other for to be preysed and renoumed And that he be holden the more large and the more curteyse The thyrde euyll that groweth of surquydrye is folysshe empryse of leude stryffe For thus sayth Salamon / emonge the proude men ben alwaye stryues and plees The .iiii. boughe of thys braunche by whiche the proude man sheweth the pryde of his herte is auauntynge / whiche is a moche foule synne to god and to the worlde / he that auauÌ„teth hym is lyke vnto the cuckow that can synge no thynge but of hym self / this synne is foule in hym / that by his owne mouthe auanteth hym / of his wytte or of parage / or of his werkys or of his prowessys But this synne double in theym that folowe and flatre these vauntours / and losengers / and suffre theym for to preyse theym and for to saye of theym that they durst not saye and for to lye and for to crye theyr oublyes The fyfthe tacke of this braunche is derysyon For that is the custom of the proude surquydrous / for it suffyseth not ynough to despyse the other in his herte / that hath not the grace that he weneth to haue / but he maketh his mockeryes / and derysyons And yet that werse is he scorneth and mocketh the good wyse men / and theym that he seeth be good and honeste / whiche is a moche grete synne and perylous For by theyr euyll tongues they lette moche peple to do well The .vi. boughe of this brauÌ„che is rebellyon That is whan a man is rebell to all theym that wolde hym good For yf one repreue the proude surquydrous he deffendeth hym / yf one chastyse hym anone he is angry / yf one couÌ„ceyll hym he byleueth it not but his owne wytte This is a peryllous maladye that may not suffre that he be touched to whome euery medycyne torneth to venym It is an euyll thynge to murmure / but moche werse is rebellyon / rebellyon is a vyce of the herte whiche is harde froward and dyuers / that wyll alwaye that his wyll be done and his sentence holden / and kepte wyll that all other bowe and enclyne to hym / and he shall not bowe ne humble hymself vnto noo maner persone ¶ This is the harde herte of the worde of salamon whiche may not fayle to come to an euyll ende / and lyke as murmure is ayenst god and ayeÌ„st man ryght so is suche an herte that is rebell ayenst god and ayenst men This synne and thys vyce whiche is called rebellyon departeth and deuydeth hym in to foure braunches Suche an herte is repugnante and rebell to byleue counceyle and to suffre chastysynge / and to receyue doctryne yf ony of theyr frendes wolde counceyle and shewe theyr prouffyte / or theyr defautes / he dayneth not to take hede there to ne here it But bycause that they haue spoken he wyll the more gladlyer do all the contrary And on the other partye they be moche rebell to the counceyles of our lorde / as to the counceyle of the holy gospelles / of the other holy scryptures / and sermons To whiche they be bounden to doo and to accomplysshe the wyll of god for to haue glory ê‘durable And the deuyll lyeth tofore them eyther Impotence / or youth or aege / or other euyll reasons / so that at the laste they may nothynge do After whan men repreue and chastyse theym / they defende theym as a bore so that they wyll not knowe theyr folyes / and so moche more as they excuse them / so moche more
worlde but they were not parfytely purged Now make they the remenaūte of theyr penaunce vnto they be clere and nette / lyke as they were at the tyme houre whan they were baptised / but this penaunce is moche horryble and harde / for all the payne that women euer suffred in trauayllynge delyuerynge of theyr thyldren / and also saynt bartylmewe suffryd to beflayne all quycke saynt stephen to be stoned with stones / saynt laurente saynt vyncent to be brente rosted vpon brennynge cooles All these martyrdoms and tormentes ne ben not but as a bayne in colde water after the wytnesse of scrypture to the regarde of tormentes of purgatorye where as the sowles brenne vntyll they be purged of all theyr synnes / lyke as golde syluer be purged fyned in the fyre / tyll no more be founde to be purged For this fyre of purgatorye is of suche nature / that all that they fynde in the soule is it of dede of worde and of thought that hath torned to ony synne lytell or grete / all is there brente and purged And also there ben punysshed and purged al the synnes venyal / whiche we calle lytel synnes whiche we ofte do Lyke as foule thoughtes / ydle wordes Iapes trufes lyes and all other vanytees so longe tyll the soule haue no more to be purged of / and that she be so clene so pure so nette and so worthy that she be sayntefyed for to entre in to heuen / where as none may entre but yf he be ryght fyne ryght clene ryght cleer This fyre dreden all they that to theyr power kepe theym fro deedly sȳne / and the kepe holyly theyr body theyrmouth theyr eerys theyr eyen / and all theyr fyue naturell wyttes fro all synnes And also lyuenas they sholde euery daye dye and come tofore the Iugement And by cause that none may lyue all withoute synne / lyke as sayth Salamon For seuen tymes in the daye falleth the ryght wysman And therfore by holy confessyon / by teerys by orysons by almesses other good dedes ought euery man to be relyeued / and putte a way fro synne and a mende his lyfe And to Iuge hym selfe of his sȳnes to the ende that he a byde more suerly the last Iugemente ¶ Also to lerne to knowe euyll / and to fle it and all synne grete and lytell And that he be thenne in the grete drede of god whiche is the begynnynge of all good and of good lyfe ¶ How we ought to lyue holyly lerne to do wel ca lxii NOw it suffyseth not to leue al sinnes and all euylles But that it be lerned too do good / and yf we lerne to gete the vertues / by the whiche we may cast and put a waye the vyces and all sȳnes with out whiche vertues no man may lyue well ne ryghtfully Then yf thou wylte lerne to lyue well after vertu lerne also to dye as I haue a fore sayd to the / deseuer thy spyryte fro thy body by thought and by desyere And go out of this worlde deynge / and go into the londe of lyuȳge where none shal dye ne wexe olde that is in heuen There is lerned to lyue well / and al wysedome and all curtesye For there may entre no vylayne There is the gloryous companye of god and of the gloryous virgyne his moder saynt marye of Angelles and of sayntes There surhabounde all goodes beautees Rychesses honoures strengthe lyghtnes scyence fraunchyse vertues wytte glorye and ioye perdurable There is no poynte of ypocresye ne of trycherye / ne of losengerye / ne of dyscorde / ne of enuye ne hungre ne thryst ne hete ne colde ne euyll ne sorowe ne drede of enemyes But alwaye feestes and ryall espousaylles songe and ioye withoute ende This ioye is so grete / that who that shall haue tasted one onely drop of the moost leste ioye that is there / he sholde be fyred soo entalented in the loue of god that all the ioye of this worlde sholde be vnto hym stenche and tormentes and rychesses dunge / honoures but fylthe vyletees And the desyre for too come thyder shall make hym an hondred thousand tyme more ardauntly to hate synne / and to loue vertues and to do well For loue is more stronge than drede / and then is the lyf fayre and honeste / whan a persone fleeth all euyls synnes And enforceth hym to do al the good that he may / not onely for fere to be dampned but for the desyre of the glorye perdurable and for the loue of god And for the grete clennesse that vertues haue and good lyf / and theym whome the loue of god ledeth / moche hastelyer soner and more ardauntly comen therto / and lasse costeth / than they that serue god for drede The hare renneth and soo doth the greyhounde That one for drede that other by desyre That one fleeth the other chaceth The holy man renneth to god lyke a greyhounde For he hath alwaye his eyen and his desyre too heuen where he seeth the pray that he chaceth / for that he forgeteth the goddes of this worlde / lyke as the gentyll hounde whā he seeth his pray This is the way and the lyfe to the fyue good and true louers of god / to gentyll hertes that so moche loueth vertues and hateth sȳnes / that yf they were certayne / that they ne sholde ne myght knowe the sȳnes / ne that god sholde not auenge them / yet they wolde not deygne to do ne to consent to synne / but al theyr thought and payne of theyr herte is to kepe theym clene from all synnes And to apparayle them that be worthy to se and haue pardurably the glory of heuen / where as herte velanous entached with synne shall neuer entre / ne foole ne felonous ne proude man ¶ Of .iii. maner of spyrytuell goodes Ca. lxiii NOw haue I well shewed to that how one shol lerne to dye lede and vse good and holy lyfe / for to gete vertues so that a man knowe well euedently clennes / and what is synnes / what is almesse what is vertue Also that one knowe well and certaynely / and to Iuge what is euyl / and what is good / what is synne / and to can deuyse the veray good the grete good fro the lytell For a thynge not knowen is neyther hated ne desyred / therfore oughtest thou to knowe that the scryptures sayth that there ben some small thynges that be called the lytell good / and some the myddle good And some the grete good / and some veray good that is ryghtful to al the worlde is somtyme deceyued For they gyue the grete godes for the lytel / or the grete for the myddle For this worlde is as a fayre / where as be many folysshe marchaūtes / and fooles / that bye glasse for saphyres / and brasse for golde / bladders for lanternes
gyuer gyueth ony gyft for his ê“ffyte / that is no gyft / but it is marchaundyse whan he beholdeth bounte receyued or seruyce / that is not a gyft / but it is bounte and curteysy / receyued to be rendred and yelded agayne But whan the gyftes is gyuen frely and lyberally without entencoÌ„n to haue prouffyte without drede without ony doute Thenne it is by ryght called gyfte / herof sayth the phylosophre that a gyft is a gyft gyuynge / agayne / or without to awayte ony rewarde but onely for to gete loue In this maner god gyueth to vs these gyftes purely for the loue that he hathe to vs / and for to gete our hertes and all our loue vnto hym Why they be called the giftes of the holy goost Ca. lxxxviii NOw for what cause ben they called gyftes of the holy goost and / not the gyftes of the fader and of the sonne / for all theyr werkes and theyr gyftes ben comyne To this purpos ben two reasons That one lyke as the werkes of puyssaunce and myght ben appropred to god the fader / and the werkes of sapyence to god the sone / ryght so ben the werkes of grace and of bounte appropred to the holy ghoost For bountes ben lyke as sayth saynt Denys / to spende and to gyue hym self For yf a man yeue that whiche coste hym nought / that is not grete bounte But by cause that the holy ghoost by these seuen gyftes expendeth gyueth hym self in our hertes lyke as sayth saynt Poule / lyke as it were by seuen stremes / and therfore ben they called proprely the gyftes of the holy ghoost For he is the fountayne and they ben the stremes ¶ That other is by cause that the holy ghoost is proprely the loue that is bytwene the fader and the sone and by cause that loue is the propre / the fyrst / and the pryncypall gyfte / that a man may yeue / Thenne with ryght in this gyftes ben gyuen all the other and with / out this gyftes none other is not called gyftes truly ne ryghtfully Therfore is the holy ghoost a gyfte / and gyuer For he gyueth hym self and is gyuen in eueryche of these .vii. gyftes / that he gyueth for to conferme our loue vnto his / so that it be feruent / fyne veray and clene ¶ Why there be .vii. gyftes no mo ne lasse Ca. lxxxix FOr ii thynges a man is saued for to fle the euyl / to do good / for to hate to fle the euyl causeth vs the gyfte of drede / the other .vi. gyftes cause vs to do good / the gyfte of drede is the vssher at the grete masse / that is to saye at the grete menace of the sentence of god / and of the paynes of hell / whiche is alway redy and apparaylled ageynst the synners / this is the watche of the castell that neuer slepeth This is the weder of the gardyn that wedeth and plucketh vp all euyll herbes This is the treasorer that kepeth the herte and all the goodes that be therin These be the other syxe gyftes that make vs to do all good dedes Now oughtest thou to knowe that lyke the clerenes of the sonne / whiche thou seest with thyn eyen / gyueth clerenes to the worlde / and vertue enuygoure and strength all the thynges that growe and come in to the worlde Ryght so dooth the holy gooost whiche enlumyneth in heuen and also in erthe all theym that ben in grace / men women and aungelles / and in lyke wyse as there be in heuen thre estates of aungelles as saynt Denys sayeth / of whome one is moost hye / that other meane or myddle / and the thyrde more lowe The moost hye ben lyke theym that ben of the kynges counceyle They be alway with god more nere to hym than the other and se hym and here hym in his secretes The meane or myddle ben as barons and bayllyes that gouerne loue and kepe all the reame and go and come / and lerne of theym of the counceyll that whiche they commaunde / and make it to done to other / the lowest ben lyke as seruauntes and offycers whiche haue theyr craftes / and dothe theyr offyces and messages as it is sayd to them By this maner and ensamble there ben thre estates of the chyldren of god in erth that the holy ghoost conduyteth as sayth saynt Poule The one estate is of them that be in the worlde lyue after the coÌ„maundementes of god of holy chyrche after that they here and beleue of theyr prelates The other estate is of theym that ben parfyte / that all haue theyr herte out of the worlde and of this mortall lyf / and haue theyr conuersacyon in heuen and theyr body in erthe and theyr herte with god The thyrde ben in the myddle estate whiche gouerne theym self well and other / and lyuen after the counceyll of the gospell / and not onelye after the commaundementes These thre maner of people techeth the holy ghoost / and ledeth gouerneth by these .vii. gyftes / departeth to them his graces / to eueryche after his benygne volente and wyll as sayth thappostle The two fyrst of these .vi. gyftes apperteyne to theÌ„ that ben of the fyrst estate The gyftes of scyence techeth theym / and the gyftes of pyte maketh them to werke The .ii. myddle apperteyne to them of the moyen estate The gyftes of counceyll gouerneth theym / and the gyftes of strengthe accomplyssheth the werkes The .ii. last apperteyne to them of the moost hye estate The gyftes of vnderstondynge enlumyneth them / and the gyftes of sapyence confermeth them and Ioyneth theym with god Another reason there is wherfore there ben .vii. gyftes / for the holy ghoost by his seuen gyftes wedeth / plucketh and taketh awaye the .vii. synnes and vyces fro the hertes of persones / and planteth there and nouryssheth vii vertues contrarye whiche make perfytely a man to be honoured These ben the goodes that the holy ghoost maketh in the hertes where as he descendeth by these seuen gyftes But tofore that I descende vnto the vertues whiche ben contrarye to the seuen deedly synnes I wyl shortly speke of seuen other vertues / of whiche thre ben called dyuyne / and the other foure ben called the foure cardynall vertues ¶ Of seuen vertues of whome there ben thre dyuyne / and foure cardynall Ca. lxxxx THe thre fyrst vertues dyuyne Saynt Poule the thappostle calleth them Fayth / hope / and charyte And they be called dyuyne by cause they be godly and ordeyne the herte to god / fayth lyke as saynt Austyn sayeth setteth vs vnder god / and maketh vs to knowe hym / and knowleche hym a lorde of whome we holde all that whiche we haue of good Hope sayth he enhaunceth vs to god / and maketh vs stronge and hardy and to enterpryse for the loue of god that / whiche passeth the vertue and
doth / and sayth that the vertue prudence is the loue of herte / whiche veryly and wysely refuseth al that whiche may greue and ennoye hym / and cheseth al that whiche may ayde to haue that whiche he loueth / that is god / the vertue of attemperaunce is the loue of herte by whiche he gyueth hym self entyerly and without corruptyon to that whiche he loueth / that is god The vertue of strength is the loue of the herte / by whiche a man serueth onely that whiche he loueth / that is god / and for hym setteth a man all other thynges vnder his fote / despyseth them Thenne the vertue of Iustyce setteth a man in his ryght estate / that is aboue all thynges / and vnder god / without these .iiii. vertues / there is none that may mounte in to the moūtayne of perfectyon / for who that wyl moūte soo hye / hym byhoueth / that alther fyrste he haue prudence whiche maketh a man to despyse the worlde / and that he haue with it the vertue of strengthe / the whiche gyueth to hym grete herte stronge and stable courage to enpryse to pursue grete thynges / on the other partye that he haue the vertue of attempraunce / by cause that he be not ouer charged ne euyll caryed / and that he haue with hym the vertue of Iustyce that may lede hym by the ryght path / and by a good Iust way that he be without synne / and that he shewe to hym how by holy werkes he oweth to conquere the reame of heuen / lyke as god dyde to Iacob / as sayth the boke of sapyence / who that thus may haue these .iiii. vertues he shall be well parfyte and blyssed in this worlde and more in that other / for he shal be in peas of herte and in Ioy spyrytuell / and nothynge shall fayle hym / but he shall habounde in the grace of god that he shall haue with hym / in whome he shall delyte ¶ Here after foloweth how a man may take awaye put from hym the seuen deedly synnes and gete the vertues Ca. lxxxxvi NOw lete vs come ageyne to our mater / and pray we with all our herte to the holy goost / that he wyll enspyre and ensygne our hertes / that he be our aduocate / and teche vs to shewe how he by the seuen gyftes of the holy goost he plucke out and take away the seuen deedly sȳnes fro our hertes / and that he therin wyll vouchesauf to plant the seuen vertues ¶ Of the gyfte of holy drede the whiche maketh a man Iust Ca. lxxxxvii THe gyftes of drede is the fyrst of the gyftes / for he casteth out of the herte all the synnes lyke as we haue sayd tofore But proprely this gyfte of drede plucketh oute / taketh awaye and destroyeth the rote of pryde / and planteth there in his place the plante of humylyte Now beholde and vnderstonde well how the synner that holdeth hym and slepeth in his synne / is lyke to a rybaulde that slepeth and is dronke / and hath all lost at tauerne / and is all naked and so poore that he hath no thynge but he feleth no thynge ne complayneth not / but weneth that he be a moche grete lorde But whan he hath slepte and cometh ageyne to him self / and that he is out of his dronkennesse Thenne feleth he his harme and knoweth his folye Now complayneth he his losse and his domage This is the fyrst good that the holy ghoost doth to a synner whan he vysyteth hym For he gyueth to hym agayn his wytte and his mynde / and bryngeth hym ageyne to knowe hym self So that he aduertyseth and seeth what goodes he hath loste / and in what pouerte and in what perylle he hath be for his synne / lyke as dyd the sone of the good man / whiche wasted and dyspended his herytage in dyssolucyon and rybauldrye In suche confusyon and myserye he became that hym byhoued to kepe the swyne and fede them / and to lyue of theyr releef and mete / lyke as our Lorde Ihesu Cryst sheweth vs by example in the gospell Yet also the synner as sayth Salamon is lyke to hym that slepeth in the myddle of the see / and is in grete peryll tormente / he feleth no thynge ne hath no fere therof But whan the holy ghoost awaketh hym he felyth seeth his perylle / begynneth to haue drede of hym self ¶ Yet also the synner is lyke to hym that is in pryson feterydin yrons / is in boltes and hath many kepars / lyke as saynt Peter was in the prysone of kynge Herode And the caytyf synner thynketh no thynge on the prouoste / ne on the Iustyce / ne on the galowes that tarye for hym / but he slepeth and dremeth that he goeth to a weddynge and to a feste But the grace of the holy ghoost is lyke to the aungell that awoke saynt Peter / delyured hym fro the hande of kynge Herode For the grace of the holy ghoost awaketh the synner and delyuerth hym from the hande and fro the puyssaunce of the deuyl of helle / yet also the synner is lyke to hym that weneth to be stronge and hole / and he hath the dethe vnder his teeth For he hath the humours euyl and corrupte within the body / thenne dyeth he within a moneth / that wende to haue lyued .xl. yere Lyke as sayth Elyuans in the verses whiche speken of the deth and sayen thus Go ye awaye ye whystelers and gapars / for suche be couerde vnder theyr clothes / that wene to be hole and fatte that shall not lyue vnto marche ¶ But the holy ghost is lyke vnto a good physycyen that sheweth to hym his maladye and sekenesse / and moeueth fro hym his humours and gyueth vnto hym a bytter drynke whiche heleth hȳ a rendreth to hym his lyfe / ryght so troubleth our lorde the synner by bytter contrycyon whan he helyth him fro his synnes by the bytter drynke lyke as sayth the prophete in his psaulter / and fereth hym / bryngeth hym ageyne to knowe hym self / lyke as dyd Adam our fyrst fader / whan he hydde hym emonge the trees of paradys terrestre And thenne sayd god to hym Adam where art thou Thre other demaundes made god by his aungell to the chamberyer of holy Abraham whiche was named agar whan she fledde fro her lady The aungell sayd Agar from whens comest thou / whyder goest thou / what doost thou These thre questyons or demaūdes maketh the holy ghoost vnto the myserable synner / whan he awaketh hym out of his synnes / where as he was aslepe / and he reyseth hym / and openeth vnto him the eyen and the syght of his herte / gyueth to hym agayne his wyt and his vnderstondynge / the whiche was loste in the slogardye of synne Where arte thou sayth he / that is to say Beholde thou poore and myserable caytyf
ysopus a tale or a fable / of a lytell hounde and of an asse / whiche asse sawe the hounde that as oftymes as his lorde came home / he ranne ageynst hym and lepe vpon his necke / and the lorde played with hym and made hym grete feste / and the asse thought sayenge More ought my lorde to make to me feste whiche serue hym all daye / than to his dogge whiche serueth of no thynge It was not longe after that this asse sawe his lorde come to his hous And he ranne ageynst hym / and caste his .ii. fore feet aboute his necke / and began strongly to lycke and fawne hym The seruauntes of the lorde whiche sawe this / ranne with grete staues and beten ryght well the asse And of that / of whiche the asse had supposed to haue had grace / honour / and prouffyte / he had shame and domage ¶ By suche fables the wyse men were wonte tenseygne teche them self by suche ensaumple And by this ensaumple he sheweth / that no man sholde desyre suche graces as he may not attayne ne come to / and the same techeth Salamon sayenge Sone caste not thyn eyen to rychesses That is to the graces that thou mayst not atteyne Therfore he hath grete nede of dyscrescyon that he see of whome he taketh ensaumple ¶ Also it is necessyte that a man see clerely on his lyft syde / and that is the fyfthe degre For one ought to beholde the fooles and the shrewes whiche ben as on the lyft syde / for they be on the werse syde To them ought one to take hede / fyrste by cause that a man sholde haue pyte and compassyon Also that one sholde not ensyewe theyr foly ne theyr predycyon / soo as the wyse Salamon sayth I passed sayd he by the vyneyarde of the slouthfull foole / and sawe that it was full of thornes and nettles / and by this ensaumple I haue lerned wytte and prouydence Also that one loue moost god by whome he is quyte of suche synnes and of suche perylles But hym behoueth on this syde to kepe dyscrecyon and equyte For whan I se a foole and a synner I ought to haue pyte and compassyon / and not to make of hym mockerye ne derysyon I ought alway to hate the synne / and loue the persone / moche I ought to kepe me that I wyll no grefe ne harme in my herte to no persone / ne to condempne hym Ne compare my selfe to an other that is soo euyll For he is this day euyl that shall be to morowe good / and suche is this day good / that to morowe shall be euyll Also I ought as moche as I may without mysdoynge vnto other enploye my selfe / humble and condescende in werkes and in wordes for to wynne hym to god / and to withdrawe hym fro synne For lyke as sayth Seneke saynt Gregory We may not better releue them that ben fallen / than by that whiche is aforefayd / and lete vs not wyll our self how that it be enclyne towarde them ¶ The .vi. degree of the vertue of equyte Ca. Ca. xiiii THe .vi. degree of the vertue of equyte is that .vi. eye that the wyse man hath That is that he se clerely behynde the nette and the engyns of the deuyll / whiche ben to vs as behynde vs. For the fende seeth vs / and we may not se hym ¶ The fende our ennemye that is the deuyll / whiche is moche stronge / wyse / subtyll and besy for to deceyue vs. For he ceaseth neuer day ne night / but alway is in a wayte for to deceyue vs by his false crafte / and by his engynnes that he vseth in moo than a thousande maners And lyke as sayth saynt Austyn The deuylles see moche subtylly the state of a man and his manere / and his complexyon and to what synne / to what vyce he is moost enclyned / by nature or by custome / and to that parte wherto a man enclyneth hym self Therto the deuyll assaylleth moost strongely The coleryke man to wrath and yre The sanguyn man to Iolyte and to lecherye The fleumatyke to glotonnye and to slouthe / and the malencolyke to enuye and heuynesse And therfore euery man ought to deffende and kepe hym fro that parte where he seeth that his hous is moost feble And ayenst this vyce and this synne ought one to fyght and resyste moost / of whiche he is moost assaylled And how moche more he shall resyste strongely ayenste all synnes Soo moche more meryte shall he haue in paradyse or in heuen / and vnderstonde well that the enemye of helle spareth no persone For he is hardy and aygre / as he that assaylleth our lorde Ihesu Cryst in temptynge hym Knowest thou sayth our lorde to Iob / in how many guyses the fende desguyseth hym / and in how many maners Lyke as he sholde saye No man knoweth but I onely For lyke as sayth saynt Denys All the aungelys the good and the euyll / and all the spyrytes of men ben lyke as a myrrour spyrytuell Then lyke as a myrrour receyueth all the fourmes and then pryntes that comen tofore hym Rygh soo doth a spyryte of a man / be it in slepynge be it in wakynge Now then take a myrrour set it ayenst another Anone al the formes that ben in that one / thou shalt see in that other ¶ In suche it is sayd that the deuyll sheweth to a man suche fygures suche fourmes as he wyll that god suffreth hym And the soule receyueth maulgre hym self somtyme in thought and in ymagynacyon / lyke ayenste my wyll / me byhoueth to loke / se and receyue in the syghte of myn eye the fourme that cometh before me Now it is a ryght grete grace of god and a ryght grete gyfte of the holy goost to vnderstande well all the languages of the deuyll / and to knowe al his temptacyons / and all his engynes For lyke as sayth the holy saynt Bernarde It is ouer subtyll a thynge for to knowe and dyscusse bytwene the thoughtes that the herte cōceyueth and bryngeth forthe / and them that the deuyll planteth And the fende sheweth to a man how the synnes ben pleasaunt and delectable / lyghtly may a dyscrete man and reasonable knowe this But whan the fende cometh to tempte one in guyse of an aungell sheweth to hym good for to drawe hym to euyll Thenne is the tēptacyon moste stronge And therfore sayth saynt Iohan that one ought not to beleue al spyrytes / but they ought to preue and well examyn theym tofore that one beleue them / to consyder yf they be of the parte of god Ryght so dooth they that haue theyr confessoures good and holy men / wyse and well approued in theyr fayte To whiche confessoures they that confesse them / sheweth often theyr thoughtes whiche come vnto theyr herte / bothe the good and euyll For lyke as Salamon sayth Blyssed be they that
to saye that he that may sholde gyue to theym clothynge hosen and shoon Thus taught Thobye his sones whan he sayd Couer the naked whith thy gowne and Ysaye the prophete sayth / whan thou shalt see the poore naked couere hele hym For suche werke saynt Peter reysed that good woman named Dorcas For she clothed the poore people as the scrypture sayth Herof hast thou a fayre example of saynt Martyn as I haue sayd tofore The gowne or vesture or what someuer almesse one gyueth to the poore / is a memoryall to them that praye for hym that hath gyuen it And is represented to god of his aungellys ¶ The thyrde braunche of mercy Ca. Cxxxiiii THe thyrde braunche of mercy is to lene to the poore people at theyr nede / and to forgyue vnto theym the dette that they owe whan they may not paye ne rendre For it is not onely almesse to gyue / but it is grete almesse to lene without vsure / and ony prouffyte and without euyll entencyon / but purely for goddes loue In lyke wyse ought a man to pardone and quyte his dette / whan the dettour is poore and may not paye it / this is that whiche god commaundeth in the olde lawe / where he sayth / yf one of thy bredren fall in pouerte thou shalte not enhard thy herte / ne withdrawe not thy hande fro hȳ But thou shalt open it to the poore / and shalte lene to hym that wher of he hath nede And our lorde sayth in the gospell / lene sayth he to hym that hath nede / and that requyreth the without hope of wynnynge ony temporall thynge / and god shall rendre to the an hondred folde double in glory This mater is ageynst the vsurers that wyll alway haue more than they lene / in money or in seruyces / or in other thynges But god commaundeth to lene to the poore nedy purely for his loue / and he shall rendre to the an C double / and to the poore man to whome man to whome thou hast lent / or that oweth to the / or that may not pay to the / thou oughtest to forgyue and pardon hym For so commaundeth to the god in the gospell / sayth thus / yf ye forgyue not eche other / god shal not forgyue you and herof sheweth god an ensample of an euyll seruaunt to whom his lorde had pardoned his dette / and bycause he wolde not pardone hym that ought to hym / the lorde repeled the curteysy and bounte that he had done to hym / and dyde do dystrayne and helde hym tyll he had rēdred all that he ought Ryght so shall our lorde doo / yf we forgyue not eche other ¶ The fourth braunche of mercy Capitulo C.xxxv. THe .iiii. braunche of mercy is to vesyte / cōforte / to ayde the seke people / that is a werke that moche pleseth to god / and more thenne trauaylle / or fastynge / or other bodely penaunce / wherof we fynde in vitas patrum / that an hermyte demmaunded of one of the auncyent faders / the whiche was of moost grettest meryte / of hym that fasted .vi. dayes in the weke and trauaylled and laboured with his handes / or of hym that serued the seke malades The good fader answered that he that fasted and trauaylled thoughe he henge by the nosethrylles myght not compare to hym that serued the seke people This werke auaylleth moche to eschewe synne / and is a grete remedye ageynst synne And therfore sayth Iob vysyte thy semblable / that ben the seke men that ben semblable to the in nature For they be men as thou arte / and yf thou so do / god shall kepe the fro synne for to do suche a good werke And holy saynt Iawes sayth that it is a relygyon holy and clene tofore god to vysyte the orphanes / the seke and poore men / the wydowes and theym that ben in trybulacyon / wherof is counted of a moche grete synnar whiche wente euer the see vnto the yle of roodes / and put hym self in an hospytal for to awayte serue the seke people / it haped on a tyme that he had grete abhomynacyon of a seke man of whome he wesshe the feet Anone all ageyn his herte he dranke of that water his full draught And whan he had dronken / he felt a ryght swete and good smellynge odour / and this was a grete token and sygne that his synnes were pardonned by this good werke Also by this werke is goten grete perfecyon of holy lyf / wherof the wyse man sayth in holy scrypture / be thou not ennoyed to vysyte the seke people For by that thou shalt be confermed in the loue of god Also therby is goten grete rewarde as is sayd in the gospell wherof is tolde the a lady named Marye whiche was a moche holy woman conuerted her husbonde so moche / that they left all that they hadde / and went to the mesel hous for to serue the seke creatures / by whiche they came too grete perfeccyon After it was shewed to the same Mary / that her husbonde that had ben her felawe in humylyte for to serue the seke men and women / sholde be her felawe in the glory of heuen Of the same our lorde gyueth vs ensample in the gospell that he touched the seke people and heled them The seruaunt ought not to haue dysdayne ne shame to vesyte the seke people ne to serue theym / whan the lorde of heuen came in to this worlde for to serue vesyte them Of whome he toke the fourme and semblaunce of his seruaunt This sayth saynt Poule for to serue vs that were seke by synne ¶ The .v. braunce of mercy Ca. C.xxxvi THe fyfth braunche of mercy is to her borowe the way farȳge man / the poore people / the pylgrymes that haue noo lodgynge This is one of the werkes of mercy that pleaseth moche god / as it appereth by ensamples of holy scrypture Fyrst Abraham receyued oft tymes the aungelles of heuen in semblaunce of poore pylgrymes / and they promysed to hym that his wyfe Sara whiche was olde and barayne sholde conceyue a sone And Loth by cause that he receyued the poore and seke men and kepte hospytalyte / he receyued the aungelles the whiche kepte and delyuered hym from the peryll of Sodome and gomor And therfore sayth the appostle saynt Poule Lete vs not leue hospytalyte / for therby many good mē haue ben moche playsaunt to god and in his loue and in his grace / for they receyued aungellys in stede of the poore It is not meruaylle yf suche people receyue aungellys For they receyue our lorde lyke as he sayth in the gospel For who receyueth theym receyuen hym as he sayth / that whiche is done to the poore is done to hym / wherof saynt Gregory recounteth of a good man whiche was moche pyteous gladly receyued the poore people into his hous / he receyued on
tofore other vertues whan it is without spotte and without ordure of synne for who that is hool chaste of body is corrupte of hert of thought he or she is lyke a sepulcre which is whyt fayr withoutforth within is ful of careyn of dede bodyes stynkyÌ„g rotyÌ„ vyrgynyte is lyke to a whyt robe wherin the spottes be more foule more apparauÌ„t / than in a robe of another colour Thys robe ouÈt to be wel kept fro .iii. spottes that is of fylthe / of blode and of fyre / thyse .iii. spottes defoule more thys whyt robe than other The spotte of fylthe / is the couetyse of the worlde / which ought not to be in the hert that wyl plese god the world his enemye / as sayth sayÌ„t gregoire / he sheweth that there is no frende of god that wyl plese the world whyche is enemye of god wherof sayÌ„t IohaÌ„ sayth / who that wyl be freÌ„de of the world shal be enemy to god saint poul saith yf I wold plese the peple of the world I shold not be the true seruauÌ„t of Iesu cryst It is a sygne that he wyl not plese the world that his hert is al set to god he that hath ouer grete araye curyous aboute hys body is not so for no ê‘soÌ„e secheth neuer beaulte ne couryosyte of roobes ne of paremeÌ„tes yf he supposed not to be seen of the peple who that secheth moost of suche beaute leseth most the beaute of his soule of his coÌ„scieÌ„ce wythinforth by which they shold plese god wherof sayÌ„t Bernard sayth to theÌ„ that secheÌ„ these fayre precyous robes the fayr paremeÌ„tes for to please the worlde to shewe theÌ„ The doughters of babylone beÌ„ of coÌ„fusyon for theyr glorye shall torne to perdurable dampnacyon yf they be not ware kepe them well They clothe them sayth he with purple and of fayre precyous robes / and vnder those fayre robes is ofte the conscyence poore and foule / naked of good dedes and of vertues / ful of synnes They shyne withoutforth of precyous stones / of ouches of glode syluer / but they be foule byfore god and abhomynable / and saynt Bernard sayth that they that so araye them in euyll entencyon / and done more than theyr estate requyreth / synnen greuously / but al the glorye of the doughter of the kynge of glorye / as Dauyd the prophete sayth is withinforth / that is in holy conscyence and in good vertues / where as is no poynte of couetyse but for to playse to god / and in this wyse the spot of fylthe defoylleth not Also a persone ought to kepe hym fro the spotte of blood That is of thoughtes and of flesshly desyres / wherof saynt Ierome sayth that suche vygynyte is sacrefyce offrynge to Ihesu cryste / whiche is not entatched in the herte of ony euyl thought or consentynge for lyke as hym self sayth No thynge auayleth vyrgynyte of body where as is corrupcyon of herte or of thought or of consentynge Also the fruyt is not good how well that it be fayre withoutforth / whan it is full of wormes and of retynnesse withinforth ¶ Also he ought to kepe hym fro the spote that cometh of the fyre / the fyre brenneth and bruleth the whyte robe of chastyte of vyrgynyte / that is whaÌ„ gladly they here or herkene foule wordes that may moeue them to synne For thus as sayth saynt Poule / also other tymes we haue sayd it tofore The euyll wordes / corrupten the good maners And therfore sayth Seneke / kepe the fro euyl wordes dyshonest For who that is so accustomed / he dredeth not ne ferreth no shame / falleth the more lyghtly in to synne / therfore who that wyll clenly kepe the whyte robe of vyrgynyte hym behoueth to kepe hym well fro saynge herynge suche wordes as therby he myght brenne The catte brenneth oft her skynne / so dooth not the wylde catte Vyrgynyte amonge all other vertues is compared and lykened to the floure de lys / whiche is a moche fayre floure / and moche whyte Wherof our lorde sayth in scrypture by the mouth of Salamon My frende / that is the holy soule of a vyrgyn / is as the lely amonge the thornes The specyall frende of our lorde is the soule of them that kepe vyrgynyte of herte of body For that is a vertue by whiche the soule geteth moost specyally the loue and the famylyaryte of our lorde / wherof saynt Iohan theuaÌ„ge lyst was a clene vyrgyn / and was amonge all thappostles moost famylyer whith our lorde moost pryue / as it appereth in the gospell / neuertheles he loued well thother / but he loued saynt Iohan moost for his virgynyte this floure de lys or lylye that kepeth his beaute amonge the thornes of temptacyons of the flesshe / for the flesshe that is our body humayne is but a smoke / that hath noo charge as of hym selfe but as thornes and nettles / that is the euyll menynges / whiche oft prycketh the soule / but the floure of vyrgynyte taketh noo hede of the thornes / whan it is well rooted in the loue of god whiche defendeth it fro thornes of temptacion / this floure ought to haue .vi. leues / thre graynes of golde tofore The fyrst leef is the holenes of thy body / that is to say that the body de entyer and hole wtout corrupcyon of lecherye For yf a vyrgyn were corrupte and all ageynst her wyll / she sholde not lese therfore the rewarde of vyrginyte Wherof saynt Lucye vyrgyn martyr sayd to the tyraunt yf thou corrupte me ayenst my wylle / my chastyte shal be doubled as touchyng the meryte of the crowne of glory The second leef of vyrgynyte is clennesse of hert For lyke as saynt Iherome sayth nought auaylleth to haue vyrgynyte of the body / that hath wylle for to marye hyÌ„ or hyr he speketh of them that hath auowed chastyte For who that hath auowed to kepe vyrgynyte or chastyte / he ought to kepe his hert clene and chaste The thyrd leef of vyrgynyte is humylyte For vyrgynyte wyth pryde pleaseth not god And therfore sayth saynt bernard that it is a moche fayre thyÌ„ge of humylyte wyth vyrgynyte And that soule moche pleaseth to god that iÌ„ humylyte gyueth preysyng of vyrgynyte vyrgynyte embelyssheth humilyte I dare wel say sayth he that wythoute humylyte the vyrgynyte of our lady saynt marye had neuer pleased our lord The fourth leef of the lylye of vyrgynyte is drede of god For they that ben veray vyrgynes ben woned to be tymerous ferful shamefast / that is no meruayle For they bere a moche precyous tresour in a moche feble vessel TheÌ„ne our blessyd lady the vyrgyn marie was alwaye hyd and had drede whan the aungell appyered to her But the drede of god is the tresorer whiche kepeth the tresour of vyrgynyte / which
of body / lyke as we haue shewed afore And therfore sayth our lorde Ihesu cryste in the gospell / that blessed ben they that ben clene of herte For they shall see god This blessynge begynneth here / for they ben purged fro derknesses of errour / as to the vnderstondynge / and fro the spottes of synne / as to the wylle / and therfore they see god by fayth enlumyned of clerenes / whiche cometh of the gyfte of vnderstondynge by whiche a man knoweth his creatour / and all that apperteyneth to the helth of his soule / without slydinge / wtout doubtynge / and without wauerynge in the fayth of Ihesu Cryste where they be so Ioyned and fermly fouÌ„ded / that they may not departe theym for deth ne for to suffre ony tormente what someuer it be ¶ And therfore ben blessed they that be clene of hert in this mortall lyf For they haue the eyen of the herte / the vnderstondynge and the wyll soo clere and so clene that they see god and byleue hym by fayth ferme and certayne lyke as we haue sayd tofore ¶ wherof our Lorde sayd to saynt Thomas / by cause thou hast seen me / thou hast byleued me But they ben blessed that haue not seen me bodyly / and haue byleued me certeynly / but this blessynge shal be perfyght in the lyf perdurable / where he that is clene of hert whiche here seeth hym by fayth / that is alwaye derkly There in his glory shall se hym face to face all clerely as sayeth saynt Poule That is the blyssynge to aungelles and to sayntes whiche se hym in his precyous vysage / to knowe one god in thre persones / to beholde clerely in that myroure where all thynges shyneth / aungelles all the sayntes loketh therin / and meruayleth them / and taketh there theyr glory / and neuer may they be ful for to loke therin For there is all beaute / all bounte / all swetnes / fouÌ„tayne of lyfe pardurable / and all that whiche herte may wyll and desyre But yet I shall say a lytell For lyke as sayth the scrypture The eyen mortall may not beholde ne ere here ne herte of man thynke / what that god hath arayed and made redy to his frendes / that loueth / serueth / and kepe his commaundementes / and that kepe theÌ„ from synne Wherof saynt Ancelme sayth Soule sayth he lyft vp thyn entendement there aboue / and thynke as moche as thou mayst what we le / how grete and how moche delectable is that good whiche conteyneth in himselfe the Ioye and the delyte of all godes And not suche Ioy and suche delyte as is founden in creatures / but as moche more Ioye / as the creatoure and maker is more grete and more worthy / more excellent / than his creatures O sayth he thou faytour thou man that goest soo folyly for to seche dyuers goodes / to thy soule and to thy body Loue thou and seche one good / wherin ben all godes / and he shall suffysethe For the good that god hath graunted and gyuen to his frendes / that is hym selfe the whiche is the souerayne good of whom cometh and sourdeth all other goodes / as stremes / the whiche yssueth out of the quycke fountayne ¶ Certaynly right blyssed shal he be sayth saynt Austyn / the whiche without vylonye shall se the vysage dyscouered and the glory of god / and shal be transformed in to thymage of glory where as he shal see god as he is / the whyche syght is glorye crowne without ende / and all the rewarde and meryte of sayntes This shall be al the good of man This sayth mayster hughe of saynt vyctor The man that made all and formed For therfore wolde god by come man / whiche made in himself al men blessyd in body and in soule / by cause that the man sawe hym with the eyen with his body in humanite And that the soule sawe hym in his deyte so that he founde swetnes and delyte in his creatour maker / within and without within his deyte and with oute in his humanyte This shall be the Ioye of euery creature his Ioye his delyte lyfe perdurable of his blessyd vysyon That is the blessynge / that they attende whiche kepe clennes and chastyte of herte and of body ¶ Of the yefte of sapyence Ca. Cliiii THe last yeft the souerayne and the moost hye is the yeft of sapience or of wysedom whiche is a grace that the holy ghoost gyueth to the herte contemplatyf / by whiche he is esprysed of the loue of god that he desyereth ne secheth none other thynge but to see god / to haue hym / to delyte in hym / to loue hym / to honoure and serue hym / and dwelle with hym This is the somme of perfeccyon / and the ende of contemplacyon ¶ The gyfte of vnderstondynge of whiche we haue spoken tofore maketh god to be knowen and the thynges spyrytuell as by syght symple byholdynges But the gyfte of sapyence maketh to fele knowe god by taste / then sapyence is none other thynge but a sauery knowleche / whiche is with sauoure grete delyte of herte / for otherwyse knoweth not he the wyne that drynketh it in a fayre voyre or glasse / yf he drynke and taste it not sauour it Many phylosophres knewen god by scrypture and by the creatures / lyke as by a myrrour wherin they behelde by reason and by vnderstondynge his myght / his beaute / his wytte and his bouÌ„te / in that whiche they see the creatures that he hath made so grete so fayre and so well ordeyned Then they knewe hym / by symple byholdynge of vnderstondynge and natural reason But they neuer felte hym by taste of ryÈt loue ne by deuocyon Ryght soo ben there many crysten persones / clerkes and laye / whiche well knowe hym by fayth and by scrypture / but by cause they haue theyr taste dysordynate by synne / they may not fele hym nomore than the seke persone may fynde taste or souour in good mete ¶ The gyfte of sapyence whiche the holy ghoost putteth in a perfyght herte / purgeth and clenseth it fro all ordure of synne / lyfteth vp soo the spyryte of a man that he Ioyneth hym to god by ardaunt desyre of loue / soo that he is al with god / there he fyndeth hym / there he nouryssheth hym / there he fatteth hym / there he delyteth and resteth hyÌ„ / and there he slepeth There he forgeteth all his trauaylles / all his flesshely desyres and erthely / hym self / so that he remembreth no thynge but god whome he loueth aboue all thynges This is the laste degree of the laddre of perfeccyon that Iacob sawe in his slepe whiche touched heuen / by whiche auÌ„gellys mouÌ„ted descended / the degrees of this laddre ben the .vii. gyftes of the holy ghoost / of whiche we haue spoken tofore / by these .vii. degrees