whiche may be called a made trinyte was fulfylled in mynde syght loue of y e vnmade most blessyd trynyte whiche is our lorde This is the dignyte the state the worshyp of a mannes soule by kynde of the fyrst makyng This state thou had in adam before the fyrst synne of man But whan adam synned chesynge loue delyte in hymself in creatures he lost al his worship his dignyte and thou also in hym fel fro y e blessyd trinyte in to a fowle derke wretchyd trinyte that is iÌ„ to the foryetynge of god and vnknowynge of hym and in to a bestly lykynge of hymself And y e skylfully For as dauid layth in the sawter Homo cuÌ„ in honore esset non intellexit coÌ„peratus est iumentis insipientibê et silis factus est illis A maÌ„ whan he was in worshyp he knewe it not And therfore he lost it and was made lyke a best See now then the wretchydnes of thy soule For as the mynde was somtyme stablyd in god ryght so now it hath forgoten hym and sekith his rest in creatures now from one to an nother and neuer may fynde ful reste For he hath loste hym in whom is ful reste And ryght soo it is of reason and the loue also whiche was clene in ghostly sauour swetnes now it is tournyd into a fowle bestly lust lykynge in it self in creatures in flesshly sauours both in the wyttes as in gloteny lechery and in ymagynyng as iÌ„ pryde vaynglory couetise In somoche that thou mayst vnnethes do ony good dede but yf thou be defoyled with vaynglory Ne thou maye not wel vse none of thy .v. wyttes clenly in no creature delectable but yf thy herte be taken eâ—gleymed with a veyne lust lykynge of it whiche putteth out the loue of god fro the hert as in felynge and the ghostly sauour that it may not come therin Euery maÌ„ that lyueth in spyryte knowith wel al this This is the wretchydnes of the soule and the myscheyf for the fyrst synne of man without al other wretchydnes synnes whiche thou hast wylfully put therto And wyte thou well though thou had neuer done synne with thy body dedely ne venyal but oonly this that is called orygynal for it is fyrst synne and that is not elles but lesynge of thy ryghtfulnes whiche thou was made iÌ„ sholde thou neuer haue ben saued yf our lorde IhuÌ„ cryste by his precyous passyon had not delyuerde the restored y e ayen ¶ How euery man may be saued by y e passyon of cryst be he neuer so wretched CaplmÌ„ xliiii ANd therfore yf thou thynke that I haue here before spoken to hye to the. for thou mayst not take it ne fulfylle it as I haue sayd or shal say I wyl now fal downe to the as lowe as thou wyl for my profyte as wel as for thyn Thenne say I thus though thou be neuer somoche a wretche haue thou doo neuer somoche synne forsake thyself all thy werkes good bad crye mercy aske onÌ„â—â— saluacyoÌ„ by vertue of this precyous passyoÌ„ mekely trustly without dout thou shal haue it And for this oryginal syn al other thou shalt he saaf ye thou shal be saaf as an anker incluse not oonly thou but al crysteÌ„ soules whiche trusteÌ„ vpoÌ„ his passioÌ„ meken heÌ„self knowlegyng her wretchydnes askyng mercy foryeuenes y e fruyt of this precyous passyoÌ„ only lowyng heÌ„self to the sacramentes of holy chyrche though it beso y t they haue ben encoÌ„bred with synne al her lyftyme neâ—er had felynge of ghostly â—auour or swetnes or ghostly knowyng of god they shallen iÌ„ this fayth iÌ„ her good wyl by vertue of this precious passion of our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst be saaf come to y e blysse of heueÌ„ Al this knowest thou wel but yet it lyketh me for to say it Se here y â— endles mercy of our lord how low he falleth to y â— to me to al synful caytyfs TheÌ„ aske mercy haue it Thus sayd y â— prophete in y e persone of our lorde OiÌ„s enim quicuÌ„que inuocauerit nomeÌ„ duÌ„i saluê° erit Euery maÌ„ what y t he be y t calleth y e name of god y t is to say askith saluacyoÌ„ by IhuÌ„ his passyoÌ„ he shal be saaf This certesye of our lorde some meÌ„ takeÌ„ wel beÌ„ saued therby some men iÌ„ truste of this mercy this curtesie lyen styl in her syn wene for to haue it whan heÌ„ lust then mow they not for they are taken or they were so they dampne heÌ„self But then sayest thoâ— yf this be soth then wonder I gretly for y t I fynde in some holy mennes bokes Some sayeÌ„ as I vnderstonde y t he y t can not loue this blessyd name IhuÌ„ ne fynde ne fele in it ghostly Ioye delectable with ghostly swetnes in the blysse of heueÌ„ he shal be alyene neuer shal he com therto Sothly thyse wordes whan Ihem red stonyed me made me gretly aferde for I hope as thou sayst y t by y e mercy of our lord shal be saaf by kepyÌ„g of y e coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes by very repeÌ„tauÌ„ce for her euyl lyuing before done whiche felt neuer gostli swetnes ne inly sauour iÌ„ y e name of ihuÌ„ therfore I merueyl me y e more y t they say contrari herto as it semyth And vnto this I maye saye as me thynketh that her sayenge yf it be well vnderstonde is soth and is not coÌ„trary to that y â— I haue sayd For this name Ihesu is nought elles for to saye vpon englysshe but heler or he le Now euery man y t lyueth in this wretchyd lyfe is ghostly seke For there is no man that lyueth withoute synne whiche is ghostly syknes as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth of hymselfe and of other perfyte men thus Si dixerimus qr pccmÌ„ non habemus ipÌ„i nos ceduci mus eâ— veritas in nobis non est If we saye that we haue no synne we begyle ourself and there is no sothfastnes in vs. And therfore he maye neuer come to the Ioy of heuen vnto he be fyrst made hole of this ghostly sykenes But this ghostly hele may no man haue that hath vse of reason but yf he desyre it loue it and haue delyte therin iÌ„ as moche as he hopyth for to gete it Now y e name of IhuÌ„ is nothynge elles but this ghostly he le Wherfore it is soth y t they say that there may no man be saaf but yf he loue and lyke in the name of Ihesu For there may no man be ghostly hole but yf he loue desyre ghostly helth For ryght as yf a man were bodely seke there were no erthly thynge so dere ne so nedful to hym ne so moche sholde be desyred of hym as bodely helth for though thou woldest yeue hym al the rychesse
bothe he sholde well tel whyche were good whyche were euyll But he that neuer felyd neyther or els but y â— one maye lyghtly be deceyued They are lyke in y e maner of felynge outward but they are ful dyuers within And therfore they are not for to desyre greatly ne for to receyue lyghtly but yf a soule myght by the spyryte of dyscrecoÌ„n knowe the good fro the euyl y t he were not begyled as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Nolite credere omÌ„ispÌ„ui sed ê“ba re siex deo sit Saynt IohnÌ„ beddeth vs that we sholde not trust to euery spyryte but we shal assaye fyrst whether he be of god or no wherfore by one allay I shal tel the as me thynketh how thou shalt knowe the good fro euyl ¶ How thou shalt know whaÌ„ the shewynge to the bodely wyttis felynge of hem beÌ„ good or euyl Ca xi IF it so be y t thou see ony maner of lyght or bryghtnes with the bodely eye or in ymaginynge other than euery man see or yf thou here ony mery woÌ„derful sownynge with bodely ere or in thy mouth ony swete soden sauour other thaÌ„ of kynde or ony hete iÌ„ thy brest as it were fyre or ony maner delyte in ony part of thy body or yf a spyryte bodely aperyth vnto y e as it were an aungel for to coÌ„fort the. teche y e or ony suche felynge whiche thou knowest wel y e it comith not of thyself ne of no bodely creatnre beware in y e tyme or sone after wysely beholde y e styrynge of thy hert If thou be styrred by cause of y e lykynge y t thou felyst to draw out thy hert fro y e mynde beholdyng of Ihesu cryst fro ghostly ocupacyon As fro prayer thynkynge on thy selfe thy defawtes fro thiÌ„warde desyre of vertues of ghostly knowynge felyng of god For to set y e syght of thi hert thy affeccoÌ„n thy delyte and thy rest pryncypally therin wenyng y t it shold be a part of heueÌ„ly ioy of auÌ„gels blys for thy y â— thiÌ„kith y t thou sholdest nother pray ne thinke not els but al holy tente therto for to kepe it delyte therin This felynge is suspect of theÌ„mye therfore though it be neuer so lykynge wonderful refuse it assent not therto for this is the sleyght of theÌ„mye whan he seeth a soule that wold inteerly yeue it to ghostly ocupacyoÌ„ he is woÌ„derly wroth For he hateth no thynge more then for to see a soule in a body of synÌ„e to fele verely the sauour of ghostly knowynge the loue of god y e whiche he without body of synne lost wylfully And therfore yf he may not lette hym by open syÌ„nes he wolde hynder hym begile hym hy suche vanyte of bodely â—auours or swetnes in y e wyttes for to bryÌ„ge a soule in to ghostly pryde in to a fals sykernes of hymself wenynge y t he had therby a felynge of heueÌ„ly Ioye that he were halfe in paradyse for delite that he felyth about hym whan he is nere at helle yates And so by pryde by presuÌ„pcyon he myght falle in errours or heresyes or faresyes or iÌ„ other bodely or ghostly myschenes Neuertheles if it be so that this maner of felynge lette not thy hert fro grostly ocupacyon but it makyth the more deuout more feruent for to pray it makyth the more wyse for to thynke ghostly thoughtes And though it be so that it astonye the in y e begynÌ„ynge neuertheles afterwarde it turneth quyckeneth thyn hert to more desyre of vertues and encrenseth thy loue more to god to thyn euen crysten Also it makyth y e more meke in thyn owne syght By thyse tokens may thou knowe that it is of god made by the presence the touchynge of a good auÌ„gel that is of the goodnes of god eyther in comforte of symple deuoute soules for to encrease her trust her desyre to god for to seke therby the knowynge y e loue of god more perfytly for suche a coÌ„fort or els if they ben perfyte that felen suche delyte it semith then that it is an ernest as it were a shadowe of the gloryfyenge of the body whiche it shall haue in y e blysse of heuen I wote not whether there be ony suche man lyuynge in erth This preuylege had mary mawdeleyne as it semyth to my syght iÌ„ y e tyme whaÌ„ she was alone in the caue .xxx. wynter euery day was borne vp with auÌ„gels was fed both body soule by the presence of hem thus we rede in y â— story of her Of this maner assayenge of werkynge of spyrytes speketh saynt IohnÌ„ in his pistle thus techeth thus O iÌ„sspÌ„s qui sol uit thmÌ„ hic non eÌ„ ex deo Euery speryte y â— losyth or vnknyttith IhuÌ„ he is not of god thise wordes may be vnderstonde in many maners Neuertheles after one maner I may vnderstonde hem to this purpose that I haue sayd ¶ What knytteth Ihesu to mannes soule what loseth hym therfro Caplm xii THe knyttynge y e fastynge of IhuÌ„ to a maÌ„nes soule is by good wyl grete desyre to hym onÌ„ly for to haue hym see hym iÌ„ his blysse ghostly The more y e this desyre is the faster is IhuÌ„ knytte to the soule The lesse that this desyre is the loslyer is he knytte TheÌ„ what spyryte or what felynge y t it be y t whiche lesseth this desyre wolde drawe it downe fro the stedfast mynde of IhuÌ„ cryst fro y e kyndly styenge vp to IhuÌ„ this spyryte wyll vnknytte ihuÌ„ fro y e soule therfore it is not of god but it is the werkynge of theÌ„mye Neuertheles yf a spyryte or a felynge or a reuelacioÌ„ make this desyre more knytte y e knottes of loue deuocyoÌ„ to ihuÌ„ faster open the eye of y e soule in to ghostly knowynge more clerly maketh it more meke in it self this spyryte is of god Here may thou see soÌ„what y t thou shalt not suffre thy here wylfully for to rest ne for to delite holy in no bodely felynge of suche maner coÌ„fortes or swetnes thouÈ they were good but thou shalt holde hem iÌ„ thy syght nouÈt or lytyl in rewarde of ghostly desyre on stedfast thynkynge on IhuÌ„ ne fest the thought of thy herte ouermoche on heÌ„ ¶ How in what thynges sholde a conteÌ„platyf man be ocupyed Calm xiii BUt thou shalt euer seke by grete besynes in prayers that thou myght come to the ghostly felyng of god And y â— is y â— thou myght knowe the wysdome of god the endles myght of hym the grete goodnes of hyÌ„ in hymself in his creatures For this is conteÌ„placyoÌ„ that other is none thus sayth saynt poul In carâ—â—ate radicati fuÌ„dati vt possitis coÌ„preheÌ„dere cuÌ„ oiÌ„bus sciÌ„s que sic longitudo laâ—itudo suolimitas
Ihesu whiche is coÌ„fortable deleccable to hem that by the mynde of it they felen hem fedde in her affeccoÌ„n And not onely of y e name but al other maner prayers as the Pater noster the Auee or ympnes or psalmes other deuoute sayenges of holy churche are turned as it were in to a ghostly mirthe swete songe by y e whiche they are coÌ„forted streÌ„gthed ayeÌ„st alsynnes moche releued of bodely desese Of this degree spekith saynt poul thus Nolite inebriari vico sed iÌ„pleamini spÌ„u scoÌ„ loquentes vobis metipÌ„is in ympnis canticis psalmis spuÌ„alibê° cantantes psalleÌ„tes in cordibê° vrÌ„is dnÌ„o Be ye not dronken with wyne but be ye fulfylled of y e holy gost sayenge to yourself in ympnes psalmes gostly soÌ„ges syngynge psalmynge in your hertes to our lord Who so hath this grace kepe he hymself in lownes that he be euer desyrynge for to come to more knowyng felyng of god in the thyrde part of coÌ„templacoÌ„n ¶ Of the thyrde part of contemplacyon Caplm viii THe thyrde part of conteÌ„placion the wiche is perfyte as it may here lyeth both in cognycoÌ„n in affeccoÌ„n That is to say in knowynge in perfyte louynge of god And that is whan a maÌ„nys soule fyrst is reformed by fulhede of vertues to the ymage of IhuÌ„ And afterwarde whaÌ„ he is vysyted he is taken in fro al erthly flesshly affeccoÌ„ns fro vayne thoughtes ymagyninges of al bodely creatures as it were moche rauysshed out of the bodely wyttes And then by y e grace of the holy ghost is illumined for to see by vnderstoÌ„dynge soth fastnes whiche is good ghostly thynges wyth a soft swete breÌ„nynge loue in hym so perfytly that he be rauysshed of his loue so the soule is onyd for the tyme coÌ„formyd to the ymage of the trynyte The begynÌ„ynge of this conteÌ„placoÌ„n may be felyd in this lyf but the fulhede of it is kept into y e blysse of heueÌ„ Of this onynge conformynge to our lord spekyth saynt poul thus Qui adhe â—t deo vnê° spÌ„s eÌ„ cuÌ„ illo that is to say Who so by rauysshynge of loue is fastened to god then god his soule are not two but both one And sothly in thys onynge is y e maryage made betwyxt god and the soule the whiche shal neuer be broken ¶ Of the twynÌ„ynge of the iii part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n fro the ii part of the praysynge therof CaplmÌ„ ix THe other part may be callyd brennynge loue in deuocyon this breÌ„nynge loue in conteÌ„placyon y â— is lower this is y e hyer that is swetter to the bodely felynge this inwardly felynge better to the ghostly felynge For it is more iÌ„warde more worthy more ghostly more wondful for this is verely a tastyng so lytyl as is a ernest of the syght of heuenly ioy not clerly but half in derkenes the whyche shal be fulfylled openly clered in the blysse of heuen as saynt poulsayth Uide mê° nuÌ„c ê‘ spclm iÌ„ enigmate tuÌ„c auteÌ„ videbimê° facie ad facieÌ„ We see now god by a myrrour as it were in a derknes but in heuen shal we see opeÌ„ly face to face This is the illuminacoÌ„n of vnderstondynge in delytes of louynge as dauid sayth in the sawter Et nox illuÌ„inacio mea in delicus meis My nyght is my lyght in my delytys The other part is mylke for chyldren this is hole mete for perfyte men the whiche haue wittes assayde to knowe good fro euyl as saynt poul sayth ê‘fectorumeÌ„ solidê° cibus qui heÌ„nt seÌ„sus exercitatos ad discrecoÌ„em boni mali The werkynge of the ful vse of this yefte may no maÌ„ haue but he be fyrst refourmed to y â— lyknes of IhuÌ„ by fulhede of vertues Ne there maye no man lyuynge in dedely flesshe haue it contynuelly in his fulhede and in the ouerpassynge but by tymes whan he is vysyted And as I conceyue by the wrytynge of holy men it is a fulshort tyme for soone after he falleth in sobyrte of â—odely felynge and all this werke makyth charyte Thus as I vnderstonde sayth saynt poul of hymselfe Siue excedimus deo siue sobrâ— sumus vobis caritas xpÌ„i vrgit nos Whether we ouer passe oure bodely wyttes to god in conteÌ„placoÌ„n or we are more sobyr to you in bodely felynge the charyte of cryst streyneth vs. Of this part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n of reformynge to god spekyth saynt poule opeÌ„ly thus Nos auteÌ„ reuelata facie glaz dnÌ„ispeclamÌ„ transformati in candeÌ„ ymagineÌ„ a claritate iÌ„ claritateÌ„ taÌ„quamm a dnÌ„ispÌ„u And this is thus moche for to say Saynt poule in y e persone of hymself of perfyte men sayth thê° We fyrst reformed by vertues the face of our soule vnheled bi openynge of the ghostly eye beholden as in a myrrour heueÌ„ly ioye ful shapyd onyd to the ymage of our lorde fro clerete of fayth into clerete of vnderstoÌ„dynge or els fro clerete of desyre in to clerete of blessed loue al thys is wrought of the spyryte of oure lorde in a mannys soule as saynt poule sayth Thys part of conteÌ„placoÌ„n god ye uith where y t he wyl to leryd to lewde to men to wyÌ„ men ocupyed iÌ„ prelacye to solytary also But it is specyal not comyn and also though a maÌ„ whyche al his lyf is actyf haue the yeft of it by a specyal grace neuertheles the fulnes of it may no man haue but he be solytary in lyfe conteÌ„platyf ¶ How y e shewynge to the bodely wyttes and the felynge of hem may be bothe good and euyl Ca. x. BY this y â— I haue sayd may thou soÌ„what vndstonde that vysyoÌ„s or reuelacyons of ony maner of spyryte in bodely aperynge or in ymaginynge slepynge or wagynge or els ony other felynge in the bodely wyttys made as it were ghostly other in sownynge of ere or sauerynge in the mouth or smellynge at y e nose or els ony seÌ„syble hete as it were fyre glowynge warmynge y e breste or ony other parte of the body or ony other thynge y t may be felyd by bodely wytte thoughe it be neuer so confortable lykynge they ben not very coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n ne they beÌ„ but syÌ„ple secuÌ„dary though they ben good in rewarde of ghostly vertues of this ghostly knowyng louyng of god But al suche maner of felyng may be good wrought by a good auÌ„gel and they may be deceyuable wrought by a wycked auÌ„gel WhaÌ„ he traÌ„sfyguryth hym in to an auÌ„gel of lyght Wherfore syth they may be both good and euyl it semeth wel they are not y e best For wite thou wel y t the deuyl may whaÌ„ he hath leue feyne of bodely felynge the lykenes of y e same thynges the whiche a good auÌ„gel may werke For ryght as a good auÌ„gel comyth with lyght so can the deuyl And so of y â— other wyttê who so had felid
ê“fuÌ„duÌ„ Be ye roted grounded in charite that ye myght knowe he saith neyther souÌ„de of the ere ne swete fauour in y e mouth ne none suche bodely thynge but that ye myght knowe fele with al halowes whiche is the length of y e endles beynge of god the brede of the wonderful charyte the goodnes of god the heyth of the almyghty mageste of hym the groundles depnes oâ— the wysdom of god In knowyng ghostly felynge of thyse sholde be the occupacyon of the contemplatyf man For in thyse may be vnderstonde the ful knowyng of al ghostly thynges This ocupacyon is that one thynge the whiche saynt poul coueyted sayeÌ„ge thus UnuÌ„ que retro suÌ„t obliuisceÌ„s in anteriora me extendaÌ„ sequorsi quo modo compÌ„hendaÌ„ supernuÌ„ braniuÌ„ Thus moche is to saye â—o thynge as hoo sayth is best to me for to coueyte and y t is y t I myght forgete al thynges y t whiche ben behyndwarde or backewarde and I shal stretche out myn hert forwarde for to fele and to grype the souereyne mede of the endles blysse Hynwarde are al bodely thynges Forwarde are ghostly thinges And for saynt poul wolde forgete al bodely thynges his owne body also with that y u he myght see ghostly thynges ¶ How in reason wyll vertue begynneth in loue in lykyng it is made perfyte Caplm xiiii NOw I haue tolde you a lytyl of contemplacoÌ„n what it sholde be For this entent that thou myght knowe it and set it as a marke before y e syght of thy soule for to desyre al thy lyftyme to come to ony part of it by grace of our lorde Ihesu cryst This is the conformynge of a soule to god the whiche may not be had but yf it be fyrste reformyd by fulhede of vertues turned in to affeccion and that is whan a man loueth vertues for they ben good in heÌ„self There is many a maÌ„ that loueth vertue of lownes pacyence and charyte to his euencrysten and suche other onely in hys reason wyl and hath noÌ„ ghostly delytene loue in hem For of tymes he felith grutchynge heuynes and bytternes for to doo hem And neuertheles yet he dothe hem onely by styrynge of reason for drede of god thys man hathe vertues in reason and in wyll but not loue of hem in his affeccyon ¶ But whan by grace of Ihesu and by ghostly and bodely exercyse reason is tourned in to lyght And wyll into loue Thenne hathe he vertues in affeccyon For he hathe soo well gnawen on the bytter barke of the notte that he hathe broken it And fedeth hym with the kyrnell That is to saye The vertues whiche were fyrste heuy for to doo are nowe turned into a very delyte and sauour as whanne a man lyketh â—n mekenes in pacyens in clennes in sobyrte And in charyte as in ony delytes Sothlytyll thyse vertues ben turned thus in to affecâ—ion he maye well haue the ii parte of contemplacyon But the thre soth fastly shal he not take ¶ Of the meanes that bryngethe a soule to contemplation Capitulum xv NOwe sythen vertues are dysposinge to contemplatyon thenne it behouyth the vse certen meanes for to come to vertues \ Thre meanes there ben whyche men moost comynly vsen that yeuen hem to contemplacyon As redynge of holy wrytte and of holy techynge ghostely meditacyon and besye prayer with deuocyoÌ„ By medytacyoÌ„ shal thou see as I sayd ehy wretchydnes thy synnes and thy wyckydnes As pryde couetyse gloteny slothe and lecherye and wycked styrynge of enuye yre hatred malencolye angrynes yt byttenes vnskilful heuynes Thou shalt also se thy herte ful-of vayne shames dredes of thy flesshe and of the worlde Alle thyse styrynges wyllen alwaye boylle out of thy hert a water wyll renne out of the of the sprynge of a stynkynge well And lette the syghte of thy soule that thou mayste neuer see ne fele derely the loue of Ihesu cryst For wyâ—e thou well tyll thy hert be moche clensyd thrugh stable trouth besye beholdynge of crystes manhede fro suche synÌ„es thou may not haue ghostly knowynge of god perfytly wytnessynge hymself in the gospel thus BtiÌ„ muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipÌ„i deuÌ„ videbâ—t Blessyd be clene of hert for they shal se god Also in medytacyoÌ„ thou shal see vertues whiche be nedful to the for to haue as mekenes myldnes pacyence ryghtwysnes ghogly strength temperaunce clennes â–ª pees sobernes fayth hope charyte â–ª Thyse vertues thou shall see in meditacyon how good how fayre how profytable they ben by prayer thou shal desyre hem gete hem without whiche thou may not be contemplatyf For Iob sayth thus InhabundaÌ„cia iÌ„gredieris sepulcruÌ„ That is to say â–ª thou shalt in plente of gode bodely werkys and gostly vertues entre thy graue that is y e rest in contemplacyon ¶ What a man sholde vse and refuse by the vertue of mekenes Cplm xvi NOw yf thou sholdest vse wysely gostly werkes sykerly trauayle in heÌ„ the behouith to begynne ryght lowe Thre thynges y t nedeth to haue fyrst vpon the whiche as on a siker grouÌ„de thou shal set al thy werke thise iii. are mekenes siker fayth hole enteÌ„t to god Fyrst y e behouyth to haue meknes in this maner thou shalt holde thyselfe in thy wyll in thy felynge yf thou may vnable to dwelle amonge men vnworthy to serue god in couersacyon with his seruauntys vnprofytable to thy euencrysten wantynge both cunnynge myght to fulfyl good werkes of actyflyf in helpe of thy eueÌ„crysten as other men wymÌ„en done And therfore as a wretche outcaste refuse of al men wymmen are sperred in a hous alone y t thou sholdest dere ne greue no man or woman by enyl ensampse sithe thou canst not profyte heÌ„ by good werkyng Ouer this the behoueth to loke ferder y t syth thou art so vnable to serue our lord by bodely werkes outwarde how moche more behoueth the to holde y e vnable vnworthy to serue hym ghostly by inwarde ocupacyon For our lorde is a spyryte as the prophete layth SpÌ„s ante faciemntam xpÌ„s dnÌ„s Before our face a ghost is our lorde cryst the kyndly seruyse to hym is ghostly as he sayth hyÌ„self Ueri adorantes adorabuÌ„t preÌ„m inâ—pÌ„u veritate Sothfast seruauntes shal worshyp hym in spyryte sothfastnesse Thenne thou that art so boystous so lewde so flesshly soo blynde in ghostly thynges namly of thyn owne soule whiche the behouyth fyrst to knowe yf thou sholdest come to the knowynge of god Howe sholdest thou thenÌ„e fele thyself able or worthy for to haue state or lyknes of contemplatyf lyf the whiche lyf as I haue sayd lyeth pryncypally in ghostly knowyng felyng of god This I say to the not y t thou sholdest for thynke thy purpose be myspayde with thy clothinge but y t thou sholdest fele this lownes fothfastly in thy
ghostly fyre as is y t loue of god brenneth wasteth al flesshly loues lykynges in a mannes soule And this fyre is stokyn in my bones as the ê“phete sayth of hymselfe That is for to say This loue fulfyllyth y e myghtes of my soule as mynde reason and wyl of grace ghostly swetnes as marow fyllyth ful y e bone y t within and not wihout in the wyttes Neuertheles it is so myghty within y t it smyteth out in to the body makyth all the body quake tremyse It is so fer fro the bodely kynde so vnkouth y t he can no skyll on it may not bere it but falleth falleth downe as the prophete sayth And therfore our lorde temperith it withdraweth the feruour suffreth the hert to falle in to a sobyrte of more softnes who can pray thus oft he spedeth soone in his traueyle He shal gete more of vertues iÌ„ a lytyl tyme thaÌ„ some man without this or a nother as gode shal gete in long tyme. for al the bodely penaunce y t he myght doo \ And who hath this it nedeth not for to charge y e bodely kinde with more penauÌ„ce thaÌ„ it berith yf he haue it oft ¶ Of the thyrde maner of prayer that is onÌ„ly iÌ„ y e herte without speche outwarde Caplm xxxii THe iii. maner of prayer is onÌ„ly in the hert without speche by grece reste softnes of y e bodi of the soule A clene hert hym behoueth to haue that shall pray wel thus For it is of suche men wymÌ„en that by longe traueylle bodely ghostly or elles by suche sharpe smytynges of loue as I haue before sayd comen into rest of speryte so that her affeccyoÌ„ is tourned in to ghostly sauour that they mowenygh contynuelly praye in her hert and loue prayse god withouut grete lettyng of temptacyons or of vanytees as I haue before sayd in the seconde part of contemplacyon Of this maner of prayer sayth saynt poule thus Nam si orem lingua spiritus meus orat mens autem mesine fructu est Quidergo Orabo et spritu orabo mente psallam spiritu psallam mente That is to say yf I pray with my tonge by the wyl of spyryte by traueyle the prayer is medeful but my soule is not fedde For it felyth not the fruit of ghostly swetnesse by vnderstondyng What shal I then do sayd saynt poul And he answeryth sayth I shal praye by traueyle desyre of the spyryte And I shal praye also more inwardly in my spyryte without trauayle in ghostly sauour swetnes of the loue y e syght of god by the whiche syght felyng of loue my soule is fedde Thus as I vnderstonde saynt poul cowde praye Of this maner of prayer speketh our lorde in holy wrytte by fygure thus ¶ Ignis in altari meo semê‘ ardebit cotidie sacerdos surgens mane subiciet ligna vt ignis noÌ„ extinguatur This is for to saye The tyre of loue shall euer be lyght in the soule of a deuoute clene man or woman the whiche is the awter of our lorde And they prest shal euery day at morne laye to styckes norysshe the fyre That is to say This maÌ„ shal by holy psalmes clene thoughtes feruent desyre norysshe the fyre of loue in his hert that it goo no tout in ony tyme This test our lorde yeuyth to some of his seruantes as it were a reward of her trauayle and a shadowe of the loue whiche they shal haue in y e blysse of heuen ¶ How men sholde do that beÌ„ traueyled with vayne thoughtes iÌ„ her prayers Ca. xxxiii BUt now seest thou that I speke ouer hye to the in this maner of prayer for it is no maystry to me for to saye it for it is no mastry to me sayest that thou canst not praye thus deuoutly ne so holy in hert as I speke of For whan thou woldest haue y e mynde of thyn hert vpwarde to god in thy prayer thou felyst so many thoughtes in vayne of thyn owne dedes before doon or what thou shalt do of other meneÌ„s dedes and suche many other lettyng taryengne so y â— thou mayst nother fele sauour ne rest ne deuocyoÌ„ in thy sayeng and oft sythes the more thou trauaylest to kepe thyn hert the ferder it is fro the the harder somtyme fro the begynnyng to the laste ende that the thynke it is but lost al that thou doost And vnto this that thou sayest that I speke to hye to the of prayer I graunt wel that I speke otherwyse than I can or may do Neuertheles I say it for this entent that thou sholdeest knowe how we ought to pray yf we dyde well And sythen we may not do so that we knowe thenÌ„e our feblenes mekely and crye god mercy Our lorde bad thus hymself whan he sayd â—Diliges dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ ex toto corde tuo ex tota aiÌ„a tua exoriÌ„bê° viribus â—uis Thou shalt loue god of al thyn hert al thy soule all thy myght It is Impossible to ony man for to fulfylle thys byddyng so fully as it is sayde lyuynge in erche And yet neuerthekes our lorde bad vs for to loue so for this entenct as sainte bernarde sayth that we sholde knowe therby our feblenes and thenne mekely crye after mercy and we â—hal haue it Neuertheles I shal telle the as me thynketh in this askynge what thou shalt praye make thyn entent thy wylle in the begynnyng as hole and as clene to god as thou mayst shortly in thy mynde thenÌ„e begynÌ„e do as thou mayst And though thou be neuer somoche letted ayents thy fyrst wyl be not adrad ne to angry wyth thyself ne inpacyent ayents god that he yeueth the not the sauour of ghostly swetnes with deuocyon as y e thynketh that he yeueth to other creatures But see therby thyn owne feblenes bere it easely holdyng in thyn owne syght thyn owne prayer feble as it is with mekeness of herte trustyng also sykerly in the mercy of our lorde that he shal make it good profytable the more than thou knowest or felest For wyte thou wel that thou arte excused of thy dette thou shalt haue mede for it as for an other good dede y t thou doost in charyte though thyn hert were not therupon in the doynge Therfore do that longeth to ye. and suffre our lorde to yeue what he wyl and teche hym not And though thou thinke thyself recheles necligent as thou were in grete defawte for suche thynges Neuertheles yet shalt thou for this defawte al other venyals whiche maye not be eschewed in this wretthyd lyf lyft vp thyn hert to god knowlegyng thy wretchydnes cry mercy with a good trust of foryeuenes stryue no more therwith ne hange no longer therupon as thou woldest by mastry not fele suche wretchydnes Leue
worse as slee y t nede as many foles done whiche sholden slee y â— theyf spare the true man That is to say They sholden slee vnskylful luste y t wylful lykyng spare kepe y e bodely kynde they do not soo But ayenst al other synnes thou shalt aryse for to destroye not oonly dedely synnes y e grete venyals but also ayenst y e gounde of heÌ„ as moche as thou mayst See by this skylle Thou maye not lyue without mete driÌ„ke but thou may lyue without lecherye yf thou wy neuer but y e better And therfore thou shalt not flee only y e dede of it whiche is dedely syn but also wylful lykyng of it in thyn herte withouten dede whiche is venyal syn soÌ„tyme it is dedely but also thou shalt traueyle ayenst y e grouÌ„de of it for to destroye y e felyng the rysyng of flesshly strynge ¶ How the grouÌ„de of lecherye sholde be destroyed with ghostly traueyle with bodely Caplm lxxiii BUt this trauayle ayenst the grounde of lecherye shal be ghostly as by prayers ghostly vertues not by bodely penaunce For wyte thou wel y t yf thou fast wake scourge thyselfe doo al y t thou can thou shalt neuer haue y e clennes y e chastyte without y e yefte of god the grace of mekenes Thou sholdest soner slee thy self than thou sholdest slee flesshly styrynges felynges of lust lecherye eyther in thyn hert or in thy flesshe by ony bodely penaunce But by the grace of IhuÌ„ in a meke soule y e grouÌ„de may be moche stopped destroyed the spryng may be moche dryed And y t is very chastyte in body in soule On the same manere may be sayd of pride of couetyse of suche other for thou myÈt liue yf thou were not prowde ne couetous therfore thou shalt destroy al y e felynges of heÌ„ asmoche as thou maye But in glotenye thou shalt ryse smyte away y e vnskylful styrynges saue y e grounde hole ¶ That a maÌ„ sholde be besye to put away al styrynges of syn but more besy of ghogly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii ANd therfore he that ryseth ayenst the felynge of flesshly lykyng in mete drinke more fully and more sharply than of pryde or couetise whiche for they semen fayraren not lyghtly reproued Or of Enuye or of Lecherye I saye that he is halfe blynde For he seeth not yet ghostly vnclennes As of pryde and enuye how fowle it is in goddys syght I hope If a man myght see with his eye ghostly how foule pryde couetyse arne in the syght of god how contrary to hym He sholde more loth a styryng of pryde the vayne lykyng of it And also he sholde the more agryse ryse ayenst y e euyl wyl of enuye or yre to his euen crysten than many a styrynge or lykynge eyther of glotenye or of lecherye Neuertheles al men wenen not so For comynly men arn more eschewe for to fele a styring of flesshly synne haue for it more sorowe heuynesse than for the grete lykynges in vaynglory or in other ghostly synÌ„es But they arn not wyse For yf they wyl vnderstoÌ„de holy wrytte doctours sawes therof they sholden finde as I say whiche I ne maye ne wyll reherse now I wyl not excuse hem y e fall in lykynges of glotenye lecherye y t they synne not For I wote wel y t al the spyces of hem arn synÌ„e more or lesse after the mesure of the luste of the synne other lykynges with wylfull cyrcumstaunces But I wolde y t thou knewe charged al ylke a synne as it is more the more as arn ghostly synÌ„es lesse the lesse arn as flesshly synÌ„es And yet shal thou neuertheles hate flee al both bodely ghostly vpon thy myght For wyte thou wel y e flesshly desyres vnskylful lykynges in mete drynke Or ony lykynges y e longen to y e body passyng resonable nede though they ben not alwaye grete synnes to hym y t is in charite neuertheles to a soule y e desyreâ—h clennes ghostly felynge of god they arn ful heuy paynful bytter moche for to eschewe For the spyryte may not fele his kyndly sauour within tyll the flesshe haue loste hys bestly sauour withouten ¶ That huÌ„ger other bodely paynes letteth moche ghostly werching ca. lxxv ANd therfore yf thou wolt come to clenÌ„es of herte the behouith ayenstoÌ„de vnskylful styryng of flesshly desyres But ayenst the grouÌ„de thou shalt not ryse as I haue sayd before For the grounde of it is nede as kyndely hunger whiche thou shal nedelynges fele and tent therto in tyme and helpe thyself ayenst it by medycyne of mete as thou woldest helpe thyselfe resonable ayenst a bodely syknes y t thou myght more freely serue god bothe bodely and ghostly For wyte thou wel what man or woman that shall be occupyed ghostly in thoughtes vnskylful payne or hunger wylfully taken or bodely syknes in the stomake or in y e hede or in other partye of the body for y e defawte of good rulyng of hym self by tomoche fastyng or by ony other wyse shal moche lette the spyryte and moche hynder hym fro y e knowynge beholdynge of ghostly thynges but yf he haue the more grace For though it be so that bodely payne eyther of penaunce or of syknesse or elles bodely occupacyon somtyme letteth not the feruour of loue to god in deuocyon but ofte encreasyth it Neuertheles I hope that it lettyth the faruour of loue in contemplacyon the whiche maye not be hadde ne felyd sadly but in reste of body and of soule ¶ What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng CaplmÌ„ lxxvi FOr thy do thou skylfully y e longeth to the kepe thy bodely kynde vpon reyson and suffre god then sende what he wyl hele or syknesse take it gladly and grutche not ayenst god wylfully Do thou as I say take thy mete as it commyth And ordeyne for it yf nede be vpon reason And take it gladly as for nede But be wel waar of lust that commyth with nede Eschewe to moche as wel as to lytyl And so whan thou haste done and thenne it commyth to thy mynde y e bytyng of conscyence that thou haste eten to moche And soo thenne begynnest for to tary the drawe to ouermoche bytternes Lyfte vp y e desyre of thyn hert thy good lorde IhuÌ„ and know thyself for a wretche a beest aske hym for gyuenesse and saye that thou wylte amende it truste of forgyuenesse Leue of then and tarye no lenger with all ne stryue not moche as thou woldest destroye it vtterly for it is not worthe for to do so Thou shalt neuer brynge it soo abowte \ but redely ordeyne the rede to some other occupacyoÌ„ bodely or ghostly after thou felyst the dysposed that
lykynges of it Slee then breke downe pryde set vp mekenesse Also breke downe yre and enuye reyse vp loue charyte to thyn euen crysteÌ„ Also in stede of couetyse pouerte in spyryte In stede of accydye feruour in deuocyon with glad redynes to al gode dedes And in the stede of glotenye lecherye sobyrte chastyte in body in soule This consydered saynt poul whaÌ„ he sayd thus Deponentes veterem homineÌ„ cuÌ„ suis actibus qui corruÌ„pitur scdm desideria erroris et induite nouuÌ„ homineÌ„ qui sedm deum treatus est in sanctitate iusticia ye shal put down the olde man that is y e ymage of synne of the olde adam with all hys membres for he is rotyn in desyres of errour and ye shal shape you clothe you in a new man whiche is y e ymage of god by holynes ryghtwysnes and full hede of vertues who shal helpe the breke downe this ymage Sothly thy lorde Ihesu In the vertue in the name of hym shal thou breke downe this mawmente of synne Praye hym besyly desyre he shal helpe the ¶ What profyte comyth of kepyng of y â— hert And how moche the soule is what it louyth CaplmÌ„ lxxxviii GAder then thyn herte togyder do after the couÌ„seyle of y e wyse man whan he sayth thus OmÌ„i custodia serua cor tuum qmÌ„ exipÌ„o vita procedit With al thy besynes kepe thyn herte for out of it comyth lyfe And that is sothe whan it is wel kepte For thenÌ„e wyse thoughtes clene affeccyons and brennynge desyres of vertues of charyte of y e blisse of heuen comynour of it and makyth the soule to lyue a blessyd lyf Also on y e contrary wyse yf it be not kepte then as our lorde sayth in the gospel De corde exiuit togitationes male que coinquinant hominem Euyl thoughtes vnclene affeccyons comen out of the herte the whiche defoulen man as our lorde sayth They eyther benymme the lyfe of y e soule by dedely synne Or elles they feble the soule maken it syke yf they ben venyall For what is a man but his thoughtes and his loues Thyse maken a man oonly gode or badde As moche as thou louest god and thyn euen erysten knowest hym so moche is thy soule And yf thou lytyl loue hym lytyl is thy soule yf thou nought loue hym nought is thy soule It is noughte as for good but it is moche as for synÌ„e and yf thou wylt wyte what thou louest loke where vpoÌ„ thou thynkest For where the loue is there is the eye and where the lykynge is there is moostyÌ„ herte thynkyng If thou loue moche god y e lyketh for to thyÌ„ke vpoÌ„ hyÌ„ moche yf thou loue lytyl thenÌ„e lytyl thou thynkest vpoÌ„ hym Rule wel thy thoughtes thin affeccyon then arte thou vertuous ¶ How the ymage of synne shal be â—roken downe Capitulum lxxxix BEginne then on breke this ymage whan thou hast Inwardely bethought the of thyselfe and of thy wrecchydnesse as I haue sayd howe prowde howe vayne and how enuyous how malencolyous how couetous how flesshly how ful of corrupcioÌ„ Also how lytyl knowyng felyng or sauour thou haast of god and of ghostly thynges How wyse how quycke how moche sauour thou hast iÌ„ erthly thynges And shortly that the thynketh the also ful of syn as y e hyde is ful of flesshe Be thou not to moche adradde though thou thynke soo of thyself And whan thou haste doon thus lyft vp then the desyre of thy herte to thy lorde Ihesu praye hym of helpe Crye to hym by grete desyres syghinges that he wyl helpe the to bere this grete bourden of this ymage or elles that he wyl breke it Thynke also suche a shame it is for the to be fedde with swynes mete of flesshly sauours that sholde fele a ghostly sauonr of heueÌ„ly Ioy If thou do thus then begynnest thou for to aryse ayenste the hole grounde of synne in the as I haue sayd And it maye so be that thou shalt fele payne and sorowe for thou shalt vnderstonde that there maye noo soule lyue without grete payne but yf he haue reste or delyte eyther in his creatour or in a creatour Thenne whan thou rysest ayenst thyself by a feruent desyre for to fele of thy lorde Ihesu for to drawe out thy loue fro al bodely thynges and fro reste in thy bodely felyng in so moche that thou arte encombred of thyselfe And the thynketh that al creatures rysen ayenst the al thynges whiche thou haddest delyte in before tourneth y e to payne And whaÌ„ thou forsakest thus thyself and thou maye not lyghtly fynde comforte in god nedelynges thy soule shal suffre payne Neuerthelesse I hope who soo wolde suffre this payne a whyle stedfastly cleuyng vpon y e desyre and naked mynde of Ihesu cryste and vpon desyre y t he wolde not haue but his lorde falle not lyghtly therfro ne seche no comforte outwarde for a tyme for it lastyth not longe Our lorde is nyghe and sone shal ease the herte For he wyl helpe to bere thi body ful of corrupcoÌ„n And he wol with his mercyful myght of gracyous presence breke downe this false ymage of loue in thyselfe Not al atones but lytyl and lytyl tyl thou be somdele refourmed to his lyckenesse ¶ How a man shall haue hyÌ„ to y e styryng of pryde al other vices Caplm lxxxx AFter suche an hole rysyng ayenst thyself whan it is passyd thou shalt more sobyrly more easely rule thiself And y e more sadly for to kepe thy thouÈtes thyne affeccyons for to knowe hem whether they ben good or bad And then yf that thou fele a styryng of pryâ—de in ony maner of speche of it Besoone wel waar yf y t thou maye and suffre not it scape lyghtly awaye But take it in mynde and rente it breke it and dyspise it do al the shame that thou maye therto Loke thou spare it not ne trowe it not speke he neuer so fayre for it is fals though it seme soth as the prophete sayth Popule meê° qui te beatuÌ„ dicunt ipsi te desipiunt et in erroreÌ„ mittuÌ„t That is to saye thus Thou man of my peple they that sayen thou arte blessyd and holy they begyle and bryngen the into errour And yf thou doo thus often besyly thou shalt by the grace of IhuÌ„ within shorte tyme stoppe moche of the sprynge of pryde moche abate y â— vayne delyte therof y t thou shalt vnethes fele it And whan thou felyst it it shal be so weyke and as it were halfe dede that it shal not moche greue the And thenne shall thou mow haue a ghostly syght of mekenesse how good and how fayre it is thou shalt desyre it loue it for y e goodnes of itselfe that the shall lyken for to beholdeÌ„ as thou arte
soule whan it is refourmed to y e ymage of god By the lawe of the flesshe I vnderstonde y e sensualytees whiche I calle y â— ymage of synne In thyse two lawes a soule refourmed ledeth his lyfe as saynt poul sayth MeÌ„te enim seruio legi dei carne enim legi peccati In my soule that is in my wyl and in my reason I serue to the lawe of god but in my flessh y t is iÌ„ my flesshly appetyte I serue to the lawe of synne Neuertheles y t a soule refourmed shal not dispeyre thoughe he serue to the lawe of synne by felynge of the vycyous sensualyte ayenste the wyl of the spyryte by cause of corrupcyon of the bodely kynde Saynt poul excusyth it sayeng thus of his owne persone Non eniÌ„ quod volo bonuÌ„ hoc ago sed malum quod odi hoc facio Si auteÌ„ maluÌ„ quod odi hoc facio noÌ„ ego operor illud sed quod habitat iÌ„ me peccatuÌ„ I do not that good y t I wolde do That is I wolde fele no flesshly styryng that do I not But I doo that euyl y t I hate That is The synful styryng of my flesshe I hate and yet I fele hem Neuertheles syth it is so y t I haue y e wycked styrynges of my flesshe yet I fele hem and ofte delyte in hem ayenst my wyl they shal not be reherced ayenste me fro dampnacyon as yf I hadde done hem And why For the corrupcyon of this ymage of synne doth hem not I. Loo saynt poul in his persone god And yf he deye in y t plyght he shall not be saaf His trouth shal not saue hym for his trouth is dede lackyth loue therfore it seruyth hym not But they that haue trouth quyckened with loue and charyte arn refourmed to the lyckenesse of god though it be but the leest degre of charyte as arn symple soules y e whiche felen not y e yeft of specyal deuocyon ne ghostly knowyng of god as some ghostly men done but trowen generally as holy chyrche trowyth and knowyth not fully what y t is for it nedeth not to hem And in that trowyth they kepe hem in loue and charytee to her euen crysten as they maye and fleen al dedely synne after her cuÌ„nynge and dooen y e dedes of mercy to her euen crysten Al thyse longen to the blysse of heuen For it is wrytten in the apoc thus Qui timetis deum pusilli et magni lauâ—ate eum This is ye that dreden god bothe smale grete thanke hym By grete arn vnderstode soules y t arne profytyng in grace or elles perfyte in y e loue of god the whiche arn refourmyd in ghostly felynge By â—male arn vnderstoÌ„de soules vnperfyte of worldly men wymmen other that haue but a chyldys knowynge of god ful lytyl felynge of hym but arn brought forth in the bosom of holy chyrche nourysshed with the sacrament as chylderne arn fedde with mylke Al thyse sholde loue god thanke hym for saluacyon of her soules by his endles mercy goodnesse For holy chyrche that is moder of al thyse hath tender loue to al her chylderne ghostly prayeth asketh for hem al tenderly of her spowse that is Ihesu geteth hem hele of soule thorough vertue of his passyon And namly for hem that can not speke for hemselfe by ghostly prayer for her nede Thus I fynde in the gospel That y â— woman of Chanee asked of our lorde he le to her doughter that was traueyled with a fende our lorde made fyrst daungeour by cause she was an alyene Neuertheles she ceased not for to cry tyl our lorde had grauÌ„ted her askyng and sayd to her thus Aa woman moche is thy trouth be it to y e ryght as thou wolt In the same hour was her doughter hole This woman betokenith holy chyrche y â— asketh helpe of our lorde for symple vncuÌ„nynge soules that are traueyled with teÌ„ptacyon of y e worlde and can not speke perfytly to god by feruour of deuocoÌ„n ne brennyng loue in conteÌ„placyon And though it seme that our lorde make dauÌ„geour fyrste by cause that they arn as it were alyened fro hym neuerthelesse for the grete trouthe dyserte of holy chyrche he graunteth to her al y t she wyll And so arn thyse symple soules y t trowen stedfastly as holy chyrche trowyth putten hem fully in y e mercy of god maken hem vnder the sacrament and lawes of holy chyrche made saaf thorugh prayer trouth of her moder holy chyrche ¶ That soules refourmed neden euer to fyght to stryue ayenste the styrynges of synne whyle they lyuen here And how a soule maye knowe whan it assentyth to y e styrynge whan not CaplmÌ„ xi THis refourmyng in fayth is lyghtly goten but it maye not so lyghtly beholde therfore what maÌ„ or woman y t is refourmed to the lyekenesse of god in trouth moche traueyle besynesse must they haue yf they wyl kepe this ymage hole clene y t it falle not downe ayen thorugh wekenesse of wyl to the ymage of synÌ„e He maye not be ydle ne reklees for y e ymage of synne is so nere festnyd to hym so contynually pressyth vpon hym by dyuerse styrynges of syn that but yf he be right wel waar he shal ful lyghtly thorugh assent fal ayeÌ„ ther comforteth al soules that thorough grace arne refourmed in fayth y â— they sholden not tomoche drede y e bourden of this ymage with the vnskylful styrynges therof yf it so be they sente not wylfully therto Neuertheles in this poynte many soules y â— arne refourmed in trouthe arne oft tymes moche tormented trowbled in vayne as thus Whan they haue felte flesshly styrynges of pryde or enuye of couetyse or lechery or of ony other he desynÌ„e they wote not somtyme whether they sent therto or no. that is no grete woÌ„der For in tyme of temptacyon a freel mannes thought is so trowbled so ouer layed y t he hath no clere syght ne fredom of hymself but is taken oft with lykyng vnwarly gooth forth a grete whyle or then he perceyue it And therfore fallen some in dowte dwere wheder they synÌ„ed in tyme of teÌ„ptacyon or no As ayenst this poynt I saye as me thynke y t a soule maye haue assayeng in this manere whed y t he assente or no If it be so y t a man is styred to ony maner of synne the lykynge is soo grete in his flesshly felynge y t it trowblyth his reason as it were with maystry ocupyeth the affeccoÌ„n of y e soule neuertheles he kepyth hym y t he foloweth not in dede ne he wolde not yf he myght but is rather paynful to hym for to fele the lykyng of y e synne fayne he wolde put it awaye yf he myght And then whan y e styryng is ouerpassed he is
the soule felyth in this meke derkenes shall teche the soule sothtastnes and shewe to hym that all suche profetynges are oâ— the enmyes ¶ How grete profyte is it to a soule to be brought thorugh grace into lyghtsom derknes And how a man shall dyspose hym yf he wol come therto CaplmÌ„ xxvii THere are many deuout soules that thorugh grace come in to this derkenes felen the knowynge of hemself and yet wote they not fully what it is y e vnknowynge in partye hyndred hem They fele wel often her thought and her affâ—ccyon drawen out and departed fro the mynde of erthly thynges and brought in to grete rest of a delectable softnes without pinful trowblyng of vayne thoughtes or of her bodely wyttes and they fele y e tyme so grete freedom of spyryte y t they maye thynke on Jhesu peasyble and offre her psalmes prayers myghtyly sauourly swetly to hym aslonge as freelte of bodely kynde maye suffre it They wote wel y t this felynge is good but they noot what it is Therfore vnto all suche soules I saye as me thynketh y t this maner of felynge though it be but shorte but syldom it is soth fastly this derkenes that I speke of For it is a felyng of hymselfe fyrst and a rysynge aboue hemselfe thorughe breunynge dysyre to the syght of IhuÌ„ Or elles yf I shal saye more sothly this gracyous felynge is a ghostly syght of Ihesu And yf they maye kepe hem in that rest or brynge it thorughe grace in to a custome so y t they myÈt lghtly freely haue it whan hem lyst holde hem in it they sholde neuer be ouercome by teÌ„ptycyon of the fende ne of the flesshe ne by errours ne heresyes for they are sette in the gate of contemplacyon able redy for to receyue y t perfyte loue of IhuÌ„ Therfore he that hath it it is good y t he knowe it mekely kepe it tenderly pursew it feruently y t no creature lette hym vtterly from it y t he ne folowe it whan he maye And y t he forgete sette at nought al thynge y t sholde put hym fro this yf he be free of hymself may do what he wol without sclaunder or dysease of his euencrysteÌ„ For me thynkyth that he may not come to this rest lyghtly but if he haue grete pleÌ„te of grace sette hym for to folowe after y e styryng of grace And y t oweth he for to do For grace wol euer be free namely fro synne worldly besenes from al other thynges y t letten the worthyng of it though they are no synne Neuertheles a nother soule y t hath not yet receyued this fulnes of grace yf he desyre for to comÌ„ to thê ghostly knowyng of IhuÌ„ as moche as in hym is he must able hym self to it put away al lettynges y t stoppen grace as moche as he maye He muste lerne for to deye to y e worlde forsake y e loue of it truely Fyrst pryde bodely ghostly y t he desyre no worthyp worldly cunnynge ne worldly cratt benefyces ne rychesse precyous clothiÌ„g ne worldely araye ne no thynge where thrugh he sholde be worshypes aboue other meÌ„ He shal coueyte none of a thise But yf they ben put vpon hym take hem with drede so y t he be poore both outwarde In warde or elles fully Inwarde in herte And y t he coueyte for to be forgeteÌ„ of y e worlde y e men rewarde hym no more be he neuer so ryche ne so cunnynge than y e poorest man that lyueth Also that he suffreth not his herte reste in beholding of his owne dedes or in his vertues wenynge that he dooth better than a nother for he forsakyth the worlde and other done not so and therfore setteth wel by hym selfe Also he muste leue all rysynge of herte and euyll wyll of yre and enuye ayenst his euencristen And that he dysease noo man ne anger hym vnskyfully in worde ne in dede ne yeue ony man matere where thorugh he myghte skylfully be angred or styred soo that he mygh to be free fro euery man And also that he forsake couetyse that he coueyte ryght noughte of erthly gooâ— but oonly aske his bodely sustenaunce that hym nedeth and holde hym payd whan god styreth other men for to yeue hym And y t he put no manere of truste in hauour of ony worldly good ne in helpe or fauour of ony worldly frende but pryncypally fully in god For yf he doo otherwyse he byndeth hymselfe to the worlde And he maye not therfore be free for to thynke on Ihesu And also glotenye and lecherye and al other flesshly vnclennes vtterly he muste leue that the affeccyon be bounde to no woman by flesshly homlynesse For it is no dowte that suche blynde loue that is somtyme atwyxe a maÌ„ and a woman and semyth good and honest for as moche as they wolde notsynne in dede in the syght of god is ful vnclene wel grete synne For it is a grete synne that a man shal suffre his affeccyon that sholde be festened to Ihesu and to al vertues and to al ghostly clenÌ„es for to be bounde with ony flesshly loue of ony creature wylfully namly yf it be so moche that it bereth downe the thoughte and makyth it vnrestfull that he maye no sauour haue in god Thus I holde it wylfully that a man dooth it and sayth it is synne or elles is so blynded with it that he woll not see it And also that a man coueyte not delyces of metes and drynkes oonly for luste of his flesshe but holde hym payd with suche mete as he may easely haue without grete besynes namly yf he be hole what mete it be that wol do awaye hungre and kepe y e body in comyn strengthe vnto y e seruyse of god And that he grutche not ne striue not ne angre hym not for his mete though he be somtyme not serued as y e flesshe wolde Althyse synnes and al other must be forsake vtterly in his wyl in dede whan he maye And other thynges that letteth hym so that he maye dyspose hym for to thynke freely on Ihesu ¶ For as longe as thyse lettynges and suche other hange vpoÌ„ hym he maye not deye to the worlde ne come in to this derkenesse of knowynge of hymself And therfore that he myght come therto he muste do all thyse as saiÌ„t poul dide sayeÌ„g thê° Michi mundus crucifixus est et ego muÌ„do This worlde is slayne crucyfied to me I to the worlde That is He y t hath forsake the loue of the worlde in worshippes and riches in all other worldly thynges before sayd for the loue of god and loueth not it ne pursewyth not it but is well payd that he hathe right nought of it ne wolde haue though be myghte sothly to hym the worlde is dede for he hath noo sauour ne delyte theryn Also yf the
deuocyon that the soule feleth by ymaginÌ„acyon oonly of the man hede shewe it neuer somoche outwarde For in rewarde of that this is but manly for our lorde sheweth hym not in ymaginacion as he is ne that he is for the soule myght not that tyme for freelte of the flesshhede suffre it soo Neuerthels vnto suche soules that can not thynke of the godhede ghostly that they sholde not erre in her deuocyon but that they sholde be comforted strengthed thrugh some maner Inwarde beholdynge of IhuÌ„ for to forsake synne and the loue of the worlde therfore oure lorde Ihesu tempreth his vnseable lighte of his godhede and clotheth it vnder bodile lykenes of his manhede and she wyth it vnto the Inner eye of a soule and fedeth it wyth the loue of his precyous flesshe ghostly The whiche loue is of soo grete myghte that it sleeth all wycked loue in the soule and strengthe it for to suffre bodyly penaunce and other bodyly dysease in tyme of nede for loue of Ihesu And this is the shadowyng of our lorde Ihesu ouer a chosen soule in the whiche shadowyng the soule is kepte fro brennyng of worldly loue For ryght as a shadowe is made of a lyght of a bodi ryght so this ghostly shadow is made of y e blessed vnseable lyght of the godhede of the manhede ooned therto shewed to a deuout soule of the whiche shadowe the prophete sayth thus SpÌ„s ante facieÌ„ nostram xpÌ„s dnÌ„s sub vmbra eiê° viuemus inter gentes Our lorde cryst before our face as a spyrite vnder his shadowe we shal lyue amonge folke That is our lorde Ihesu in his godhede is a spyryte that maye not be seen of vs lyuyng in flesshe as he is in his blessed lyght therfore we shal lyue vnder y e shadow of his manhede as long as we are here But though this besooth y t this loue in ymaginacyon be good Neuertheles a soule sholde desyre for to haue ghostly loue in vnderstoÌ„dyng of the godhede for that is the ende y e ful blysse of the soule and al bodely beholdynges are but meanes ledynge a soule to it I say not that we sholde refuse the manhede of Ihesu and departe god fro man but thou shalt in Ihesu man beholde drede wonder loue ghostly the godhede And so shalt thou without departyng loue god in man and both god man ghostly not flesshly Thus taught our lorde mary mawdeleyne that sholde be contemplatyfe whan he sayd thus Noli me tangere non duÌ„eneÌ„ ascendi ad patreÌ„ meuÌ„ Touche me not I am not yet styed vp to my fader That is to saye Mary magdalene loued wel our lorde Ihesu before the tyme of his passyon but her loue was moche bodely lytyl ghostly She trowed wel y t he was god but she loued hym a lytyl as god for she kouth not thenÌ„e and therfore she suffreth al her affeccyon and al her thought falle in hym as he was in fourme of man And our lorde blamed her not thenne but praysed it moche But after whan he was rysen fro dethe and appered to her she wolde haue worshypped hym with suche manere loue as she dyde before and thenne our lorde forbode her and sayd thus Towche me not That is Sette not thy reste ne the loue of thyn herte in that fourme of man y â— thon seest with thy flesshly eye only for to reste therin For in that four me I am not styed vp to my fader That is I am not eueÌ„ to the fader for in that fourme of man I am lesse than he Towche me not so but let thy thought and thy loue in y e fourme in whiche I am euen to the fader that is y e fourme of the godhede and loue me knowe me worshyp me as god man godly not as a man manly So shalt thou touche me For sythen I am both god man and al the cause why I shal be loued worshipped is for I am god and for I toke the kynde of man And therfore make me god in thyne herte and in thyne loue And worshyppe me in thyne vnderstondynge as Ihesu god and man souereyne sothfastnes and souereyne goodnes and blessed lyfe for that I am And thus taughte our loâ—de her as I vnderstonde and also al other soules that arne dysposed to contemplacyon and able therto that they sholde doo soo Neuertheles other soules that arne not sybtyll in kynde ne are not yet made ghostly thoroughe grace it is good to hem that they kepe for the her owne worchynge in ymagynacyon with manly affeccyon vnto more grace come freely to hem It is not syker to a man to lene one good thynge vtterly tyll he see and fele a better Upon the selfe wyse it maye be sayd of other maner felinges that are like to bodyly as herynge of delectable songe or felynge of comfortable hete in the body seenge of lighte or swetnes of bodili sauour Thyse are not ghostly felynges for ghostly clyn are felte in the myghtes of the soule pryncipally in vnderstondynge loue and lytyl in ymagynacyon But thise felynges are felte in the myghtes of the body in ymagynacyon and therfore they are not ghostly felynges But whaÌ„ they are best moost true yet are they but outwarde tokens of the Inly grace that is felte in y e myghtes of the soule This may be openly preued by holy wryt sayeng thus ApparueruÌ„t appostolis dispertitelingue taÌ„qmÌ„ ignis sed itque supra singulos eorum spiritus scuÌ„s The holy ghost appered to the apostles in the daye of penthecost in the lickenes of brennynge tonges enflammed her hertes â—et vpon eche of hem Now soth it is the holy ghost that is god in hymselfe vnseable was not that fyre ne the tonges that were seen ne that brennyng that was felt bodily but he was vnseabli felt in the myghtes of her soules for he lyghtned her reason and kyndeled her affeccion thrugh his blessed precense so clerely and so brennyngly that they had sodeynly the ghostly knowyng of sothfastnes y e perfeccyon of loue as our lorde behyght hem sayenge thus Spiritus sanctus docebit vos omnem veritatem That is the holy ghost shal teche you al sothfastnes then was that fyre and that brennyng nought elles but a bodily token outwarde shewed in wyâ—nessynge of that grace that was Inwardly felte And as it was in hem soo is it in other soules that are vysyted and lyghtned within of the holy ghost and hath with that suche outwarde felynge in coÌ„forte and wytnessyng of the grace inwarde But that grace is not as I hope in all soules that are perfyte but there our lorde wol Other Inperfyte soules that haue suche felynges outwarde and haue not yet receyued Inwarde grace it is not good to hem to reste in suche felynges outwarde but in as moche as they helpe the soule to more loue and to more stablynesse of thoughte in
This loue bryngeth in to the soule the full hede of all vertues and makyth al clene and true soft and easy and torneth him al in to loue and in to likynge And on what maner wyse he dooth that I shall telle the a lytyll after warde This loue drawyth the soule fro vayne beholdynge of worldly thynges in to contemplacyon of ghostly creatures and of goddis pryuites fro flesshlihede in to ghostlynes fro erthly felynge in to heuenly sauour ¶ How that some soule loueth IhuÌ„ by bodily feruours by her owne manly affeccions that ben styred by grace and by reason And how some louen Ihesu more rest fully by ghostly affeccyons oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyally grace of the holy ghost Capitulum xxxv THeÌ„ne maye I saye that he that most haâ—h of this loue here in this lyfe most pleseth god and most clere sighte shal haue of hym and moost fully loue hym in the blysse of heuen for he hath the most yeft of loue here in erth This loue may not be had by a maÌ„nes owne traueyle as some wene It is freely had of the gracyous yefte of Ihesu after moche bodyly and ghostly traueyle goyng before For there are some louers of god y t maken hymself to loue god as it were by her owne myght for they streyne hemself thrugh grete vyolence and panten so strongly that they brast in to bodily feruours as they wolde drawe downe god fro heuen to hem And they sayen in her hertes and wyth her mouthe A lorde I loue the and I wolde loue the I wolde for thy loue suffre deth And in this maner of worchynge they fele grete feruour moche grace And soth it is me thynketh this worchynge is gode and medfully yf it be well tempred wyth mekenes with dyscrecion But neuertheles thyse meÌ„ loue not ne haue not the yefte of loue on that maner as I speke of ne they aske it not soo For a soule that hath the yeft of loue thrugh gracyous beholding of IhuÌ„ as I meane or elles yf be haue it not yet but wolde haue it he is not besy for to strayne hymself ouer his myghte as it were by bodyly strength for to haue it by bodyly feruours and soo for to fele the loue of god but hym thynketh that he is ryght nought and that he can doo ryght noughte of hymselfe but as it were a dede thyng oonly hangyng borne vp by the mercy of god He seeth well that IhuÌ„ is al and dooth all and therfore asketh he noughte elles but the yefte of loue Horly theÌ„ that the soule seth that his owne loue is noughte therfore it wolde haue his loue for that is ynough Therfore praieth he and that desireth he that the loue of god wolde towche hym with his blessed lyghte that he myghte see a lytyll of hym by his gracyous presence for then sholde he loue hym And soo by this waye comyth the yefte of loue that is god in to a soule The more that a soule nough yth itself thorugh grace by syght of his sothfastnes some tyme wythoute ony feruour outwarde shewed and the lesse y t it thynkith that it loueth or seeth god the nerer it nygheth for to precyuâ—e the yefte of the blessed loue For then is loue mayster worcheth in the sowle and maketh it forgete itselfe and for to se beholde onÌ„ly how loue doth And then is y e soule more suffrynge than doyng and that is clene loue Thus saynt poul meaned whan he sayd thus QuicuÌ„que spÌ„u dei agunt hii filii dei sunt All thise that are wrought wyth the spyryte of god are goddes soÌ„nes y t is soules y t are made so meke so buxomÌ„ to god that thei werke not of hemself but suffre y e holy ghost styre hem worche hem in the felynges of loue wyth a swete corde to his styrynges Thyse arn specyally godd is soÌ„nes most lyke vnto hym Other soules that can not loue thus buttraueylen heÌ„self by her owne afflyccyoÌ„s styre hyÌ„self thrugh her owne thinkynge of god bodyly exercyse for to drawe out of heÌ„self by mastry y e feliÌ„g of loue by feruours other bodily sygnes loue not ghostly they done wel medful yf so y t they wol know â—â—ekly y t her werching is not y e kyndly gracyous felyng of loue but it is manly doyng by a soule at y e byddyng of reason neuertheles thrugh y e godenes of god by cause y t the soule doth y â— in it is thyse maÌ„ly offeccoÌ„ns of y e soule styred in to god by mannes werchyng are â—orned in to ghostly affeccyons and are medeâ—ulas yf they had he done ghostly in the fyrste begynnynge And this is a grete curtesye of oure lorde shewed to meke soules that torneth all thyse manly affeccyons of kyndely loue in to the affeccyon and in to the mede of his owne loue As yf he hadde wroughte hym all fully by hymselfe And soo thyse manly affeccyons soo tourned maye be called affeccyons of ghostely loue thoroughe purchase not thoroughe kyndely bryngynge fourthe of the holy ghoste I saye not that a soule maye worche suche manly affeccyons oonly of itselfe without grace for I wot wel that saynt paul sayth that we maye ryght noughte done thynke that gode is of ourself without grace Non enÌ„iqd sumê° sufficientes cogitare aliquid ex nobis qua si ex nobis sed sufficiencia nâ—a ex deo est That is â–ª we y e loue god wene not y t we suffyse for to loue or for to thynke good of ourselfe oonly but our suffysynge is of god For god worcheth in al both good werke and good wyl as saynt poul sayth Deus est qui eperatur in nobis et velle perficere probona voluntate That is It is god that worcheth in vs good wyl and fulfyllynge of good wyl But I saye that suche affeccyon are good made by the wyll meane of a soule after the general grace that â—e yeueth to al chosen soules not of specyal grace made ghostly by towchynge of his gracyous presence as he worcheth in his perfyte louers as I sayd before for â—n vnperfyte louers loue worcheth ferly by the affeccyons of man but inperfyte louers loue worchyth nerely by her owne ghostly affeccyons sleeth in a soule for y e tyme al other affeccyons bothe flesshly kyndly manly y t is propeely the werchynge of loue by hymselfe Thus loue maye be had in a lytyl in partye here in a clene soule thrugh y e ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ but in y e blysse of heueÌ„ it is fulfylled by clere syghte of his godhede For there shall none affeccyon be feled in a soule but godly and ghostly ¶ That the yefte of loue amonge al other yeftes of IhuÌ„ is worthyest moost profytable And how IhuÌ„ doth al that is weldone in his louers onÌ„ly for loue And how loue makyth the vsynge of al vertues all good dedes lyght and
sheelde of sothfastnes the whyche he holdeth kepeth hym so wel that he shal not be hurte thorughe noo styrynge of pryde as longe as he holdeth hym within the sheelde as the prophete sayth Scuto circundabit te verytas eius noÌ„ câ—â—ebis a timore nocâ—uruo Soch fastnes shal vmbyclyppe the with a sheelde that is yf thou al other thynges left oonly beholde hym For theu shalâ— thou not drede for the nyghtes drede That is thon shalt not drede the spyryte of pryde whether he come by nyghte or by daye as the nexte verse sayth after thus A sagitta volante in die Pryde comyth by nyght for to assayle a soule whan it is dispysed and repreued of other men that it sholde by that fall in heuynes in to sorowe It comyth also as an arowe fleinge on the day whan a man is worshypped praysed of al men whether it be for worldly dooynge or for ghostly that he sholde haue vayne Ioye in hymselfe restyngly and fals gladnesse in a passinge thynge This is a sharpe arowe and a paryllous It fleeth swyftly it stryketh softly but it wouÌ„deth dedely But the louer of IhuÌ„ that stabli beholdeth bi deuoute prayers besy thynkynge on hym is so vmbylapped wyth the syker sheelde of sothfastnes that he dredeth not for this arrowe maye not entre in to the soule Ne though it come it hurteth not but glenteth a waye passeth forthe And thus is the soule made meke as I vnderstonde by the worchynge of the holy ghost that is y e gyfte of loue For he openeth the eye of the soule for to see and loue Ihesu And he kepyth the soule in that syght restfully sykerly And helleeth al the styrynges of pryde woÌ„derfully and pryuely and softly and the soule wote neuer how And also he bryngeth in by that waye sothfastly and onely the vertue of mekenesse All this dooth loue but not in al his louers ylyke ful For some hath this grace but shortly and lytyl as it were in the begynnynge of it a lytyl assayenge towarde for the conscyence is not yet cleÌ„sed fully thrugh grace somÌ„ haue it more fully for they haue clerer syght of Ihesu they fele more of his loue And some hath it moost fully for they haue the ful yefte of contemplocyon Neuertheles he that leest hath on this maner I haue sayd I hope so thly he hath the yeft of perfyte mekenes for he hath the yeft of perfyte loue ¶ How loue sleeth al styrynges of wrathe enuye softly refourmeth in the soule the vertues of pees pacâ—ce of perfyte charyte to his euen crysten as he dyde specyally in the appostles CaplmÌ„ xxxviii LOue worcheth wysely softly in a soule there he wol for he sleeth myghtyly yre enuye and al passyons of angrynes malencoly in it and bryngeth in to the soule vertues of pacyence myldenes peasybilyte and louered to his euencrysten It is ful harde a grete maystry to a man that stondeth oonly in worchynge of his owne reason for to kepe pacyence holy reest softnes in herte charyte to his euen crysten if they dysease hym vnskylfully and done hym wrong that he ne shal somwhat do ayen to hem thorugh styrynge of yre or of malencolye eyther in spekynge or in worchyng or bothe And neuertheles though a man be styred trowbled â—u hymself and made vnrestful be so that it be not to mochâ— passynge ouer the bondes of reason and that he kepe his honde his tonge and be redy for to foryeue the trespase whan mercy is asked yet this man hath y e vertue of pacyence though it be but weyke nakydly for as moche as he wolde haue it and traueyleth besyly in refreynynge of his vnskylful passyons that he myÈt hane it and also is sory that he hath it not as he sholde But to a true louer of Ihesu it is noo grete maystry for to suffre al â—his For why loue fyghteth for hym sleeth wonder softly suche styrynges of wrathe of malencoly and makyth his soule so easely and so peasyble so sufferynge and so goodly thorugh the ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ wyth the felyng of his blessed loue y e though he be dyspysed repreued of other men or take wrong or harme shame or vylany he chargeth it he is not moche styred ayenste hym He wol not be angred ne styred ayenst hym for yf he were moche styred he sholde forbere the comforte y t he felythe within his soule but y e wol he not He maye lyghtlyer forgete al the wronge that is done to hym than a nother man maye foryeue it though mercy were axed And soo he had wel leuer forgete it for hym thynkyth it moost easy to hym And loue doth al this for loue openyth the eye of the soule to the syght of Ihesu and stablyth it with the lykynge of loue that it feleth by that syght comforteth it so myghtely that it taketh noo kepe what so men Iangle or done eyenst hym It hangeth no thynge vpon hym The most harme that he myght haue were a forberynge of y e ghostly syght of IhuÌ„ And therfore it is leuer to hym for to suffre al harmes than that alone Al this may the soule doo wel and easely wythout grete trowblynge of the ghostly syght whan dysease falleth al wythout forthe and towcheth not the body as is bacbytyng or scornynge or spoylynge of suche as he hathe Al thise greueth noughte But it gooth soÌ„what nerer whaÌ„ the flesshe is towched he feleth smerte then it is harder Neuertheles though it be harde and Impossyble to the freyle kynde of man to suffre bodyly penaunce gladly pacyently wythout bytter stirynges of yre anger maleÌ„coly it is not Impossyble to loue y t is y e holy ghost for to worche this in a soule there he towcheth wyth y e blessed yefte of loue But he yeueth a soule y t is in y e plyghte myghtily felinges of loue and wonderfully fastneth it to IhuÌ„ departeth it wonder ferre from the sensualyte thrugh his preuy myghte and comforteth it soo swetly by his blessed presence that the soule felith lytyl payne or elles none of the sensualyte and this is specyal grace yeueÌ„ to the holy marters This grace had the apostles as holy wryt sayth of hym thus Ibant apostoli gaudeÌ„tes a conspectu consilii qmÌ„ digni habiti suÌ„t pro nomine xpÌ„i coÌ„tumeliaÌ„ pati That is The appostles yede Ioyenge fro the counseyle of y e Iewes wha they were beten with scourges they were gladde that they were worthy for to suffre ony bodily dysease for the loue of Ihesu They were not styred to yre ne to felnes to be auenged on the Iewes that beten heÌ„ as a worldly man wolde be whan he suffred a lytyl harme be it neuer soo lytyl of his euencrysten Ne they were not styred to noo pryde ne to hynes of heÌ„self to dysdeyne
he hath no rewarde for to gete hym grete mede for the payne of fastynge be put ther by fro softnes in herte but al his besynes is for to kepe his hert as stably as he maye in the syght of IhuÌ„ in the felynge oâ— his loue And sothly as I trowe he might with lesse lykynge vse y e beste mete y t is gode in the owne kynde than a nother man y t worcheth al in reason without the specyal yeft of loue sholde mowse y e worst out take mete that thrugh crafte of cury osyte is onÌ„ly made for luste That maner of mete may he not wel acorde with al And also on that other syde yf lytyl mete as onÌ„ly brede ale most helpeth easeth his herte and kepyth it moost in pees it is most leyf than to hym for to vse it so namly yf he fele bodyly strengthe only of the yefte of loue withal And yet doth loue more for it sleeth accidye flesshly ydlenes and makyth the soule to be occupyed in goodnes namly Inwarde in beholdyng of hym by the vertue of whiche the soule hath sauour ghostly delyte in prayenge in thynkynge in al other maner of doyng that nedeth for to be done after the state that he is in withoute heuynes or paynful bytternes whether he be relygious or seculer Also it sleeth the vayne lykyng of the v. bodyly wyttes For the syght yf the eye that the soule hath no lykyng in the syghte of ony worldly thing but it feleth rather peyne and dysease in beholdynge of it be it neuer soo fayre neuer soo precyous neuer soo wonderful And therfore as worldely louers renne oute some tyme for to se newe thynges for to wonder on hem And soo for to fede her hertis wyth the vayne syghte of hem Ryghte so a louer of Ihesu is besye for to renne awaye withdrawe hym fro the syghte of suche maner thynges that the Inner syghte be not letted For he seeth ghostly a nother maner thynge that is fayrer and more woÌ„derful and that wolde he not forbere Ryght on the selfe wyse is it of spekynge heryng It is a peyne to y e soule of a louer of IhuÌ„ for to speke or here ony thing y t myght let the fredoÌ„ of his harte for to thynke on IhuÌ„ what soÌ„ge or melody or mynst ralsye outwarde y t yt be yf it let the thought y t it may not freely And rest fully pray or thynke on hym It lykyth hym ryght nought the more delectable y t it is to other men the more vnsauery it is to hym And also for to here ony maner of spekyng of other men but it be soÌ„what towchynge the worchyng of his soule in the loue of IhuÌ„ it lykyth hym ryght nought he is elles ryght sone wery therof He had wel leuer be in pees here ryght nonght ne speke ryght nought than for to here the spekynge y e techynge of the grettest clerke of erthe with al y e reasons that he can saye to hym thorugh mannes wyttes but yf he can speke felyngly styryngly of the loue of Ihesu for y t is his crafte pryncypally And therfore wolde he not elles speke here ne see but that myghte helpe hym ferder hym in to more knowynge better felynge of hym ¶ Of worldly speche it is no dowte y t he hath no sauour spekynge ne in herynge of it ne in worldly tales ne in tydynges â–ª ne no suche vayne Iangelyng that longeth not to hym And so it is in smellynge saueryng The more y t the thoughte sholde be dystracte and broken fro ghostly reste by y e vse eyther of smellynge or sauerynge â–ª or of ony of the bodyly wyttes the more he sleeth it The lesse y t he feleth of hem the leuer is hym And yf he myght lyue in the dody without y e felyng of ony of hem he wolde neuer fele hem For they trouble the herte ofte tymes and putteth it fro reste and they maye not fully be eschewed Neuertheles the loue of IhuÌ„ is somtyme so myghty in a soule y t it ouercomyth sleeth all y t is contrary therto for a tyme ¶ What vertues graces a soule receyueth thrugh openyng of y t InÌ„er eye in to y e gracyous beholdyng of IhuÌ„ how it maye not begete onÌ„ly thrugh mannes traueyle but thrugh specyal grace traueyle also CaplmÌ„ xl THus worcheth loue in a soule openynge y e ghostly eye in to beholdynge of IhuÌ„ by inspyracoÌ„n of specyal grace makyth it clene subtyl able to y e werke of conteÌ„placioÌ„ what this openyng of y e ghostly eye is y e grettest clerke iÌ„ erth caÌ„ not ymagyn by his wyt ne shew fulli by his toÌ„ge for it may not be gete by study ne thruÈ maÌ„nes traueyle onÌ„ly but priÌ„cypally by grace of y e holy ghost with traueyle of maÌ„ I drede moche to speke ouÈt of it for me thynketh I caÌ„ not I passeth myn assay my lyppes are vnclene Neuertherles for I hope loue axeth loue byddyth therfore I shall saye a lytyl more of it as I hope loue â—echeth This openynge of y e ghostly eye is y e lyghty derkenes ryche noughte y t I spake of before it maye be called puryte of spyryte and ghostly reste In warde stylnes and pees of conscyence hyghnes of thought onÌ„lynes of soule a lyftly felynge of grace pryuyte of herte y e waker slepe of the spouse and taastynge of heuenly sauour brennyng in loue shynynge in lyght entre of conteÌ„placoÌ„n refourmyng in felyng Al thyse reasons are sayde in holy wrytynge by dyuersmen for euery of hem spake of it after his felynge in grace And though al thise beÌ„ dyuers in shewyng of wordes neuertheles they are al in one senteÌ„ce of sothfastnes For a soule that thrugh vysitynge of grace hath one hath all For why a syghynge soule to see the face of IhuÌ„ whan it towched thrugh specially grace of the holy ghost it is sodeynly chaunged torned fro the plyte y t it was in to a nother maner of felynge It is wonderfully departed drawen fyrste in to itselfe fro the loue the lykynge of al erthly thinge somoche that it hath lost the sauour of the bodyly lyfe of al thynge y t is saaf onÌ„ly IhuÌ„ And then it is clene fro al the fylth of synne so ferforth that y e minde of it al vnordeyned affeccyon of ony creature is sodeynly wasshen wyped awaye y t there is no mene lettynge betwyxe IhuÌ„ and the soule but oonly the bobyly yfe then it is in ghostly rest For why al paynful dowtes dredes all other temptacyons of ghostly enuyes are dryuen out of the herte y t they trowble not ne synke not therin for the tyme It is in rest fro the noye of worlly besynes paynfull taryenges of wycked styrynges but it is full besye in the fre ghostly
worchynge of loue And the more it traueyleth so the more reste he feleth This restful traueylle is full ferre fro flesshly ydlenes blynde sykernes It is ful of ghostly werke but it is callyd reste For grace looseth the heuy yocke of flesshly loue fro the soule makyth it myghty free thorugh the yeft of ghostly loue for to worche gladly softly and delectably in al thynge that grace styreth it for to worche in And therfore it is called an holy ydlenes and a rest most besy and so it is in inrewarde stylnes fro the grete cryeÌ„ge of the bestly noyse of flesshly desyres vnclene thoughtes This stylnes makyth Inspyracyon of the holy ghost in beholynge of IhuÌ„ For why His voyse is soo swete so myghty that it putteth sylenee in a sowle to IaÌ„glynge of al other spekers for it is a voys of vertue softly sowned in a clene soule of the whiche the prophete sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i iÌ„ virtute That is The voys of our lorde Ihesu is in vertue This voys is a lyfely worde a spedy as the apostle sayth Uiuê° est sermo dei et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio That is quycke is y e worde of IuÌ„ spedy more perysshynge than ony swerde is Thrugh spekynge of this worde is flesshly loue slayne the soule kepte in scyleÌ„ce fro al wycked styrynges Of this scilence it is sayd in the apocalips thus FactuÌ„ est scilenciuÌ„ in celo quasi dimidia hora Scylence was made iÌ„ heueÌ„ as it were an halfe houre Heuen is a clene soule thrugh grace lyfte vp fro erthly loue to heuenly coÌ„uersacoÌ„n so it is in sylence But for as moche as that scylence maye not laste hoole contynually for corrupcyon of the bodily kynde Therfore it is lyckened to the tyme of halfe an houre A full shorte tyme y e soule thinketh y t it is be it neuer soo longe And therfore it is but an halfe houre And thenne hath it pees in conscience For why Grace puttyth out gnawynge prickynge stryuynge flyghtynge of synnes And bryngeth in pees and accorde makyth Ihesu a soule bothe one in ful accordaunce of wyll ¶ There is none vpbardynge of synnes ne sharpe repreuyng of defawtes made y e tyme in a soule For they haue kyssed and made frendes and al is forgiuen y t was mysse done Thus felyth the soule then with ful meke sikernesse and grete ghostly gladnesse And coÌ„ceyueth a ful grete boldnes of saluacyon by this accorde makynge For it heryth a preuy wytnessynge in consciency of the holy ghost that he is a chosen sone to heueÌ„ly heritage Thus saynt poul sayth Ipse spiritus testimonium peâ—hibet spiritui nostro quontam filii dei sumus That is The holy ghost berith wytnes to our spyryte y t we are goddis sones This wytnessynge of conscience sothfastly felt thrugh grace is y e very Ioye of y e soule as y e apostle sayth Gloria mea est testimoniuÌ„ conscientie mee That is my Ioye is y e wytnesse of my conscyeÌ„ce y t is whan it wytnessyth pees acorde true loue freÌ„dshyp betwyxe IhuÌ„ a soule And whan it is in this pees thenne is it in hyghnes of thoughte Whan y â— soule is bounden with loue of y e worlde then is it byneâ—h al creatures For euery thynge ouergooth it beryth it downe by maystry y t it maye not see Ihesu ne loue hym For ryght as y e loue of the worlde is vayne flesshly Rygh so the beholdynge and thynkynge and vsynge of all creatures is flesshly And that is a thraldome of the sowle ¶ But then thrugh openyng of y e ghostly eye in to IhuÌ„ y e loue is torned And y e sowle is receysed vp after hys owne kynde a boue all bodily creatures And then the beholdynge thynkyng and the vsynge of heÌ„ is ghogly For the loue is ghostly The sowle hath then ful grete dysdeyne for to be buxom to loue of worldly thynges for it is hyghe sette aboue hem thorugh grace It setteth noughte by al the worlde for why al shall passe perysshe vnto this hynes of herte whyle the soule is kepte therin comyth none errour ne deceyte of the fende for Ihesu is fothfastly in syght of the soule that tyme al thyng byneth hym Of this y e prophete speketh thus Accedat hoÌ„ ad cor altuÌ„ et exaltabitur deus Come man to hyghe herte god shal be highed That is a man y â— thrugh grace comyth to the hyghnes of thoughte shal see that IhuÌ„ is oonly hyghed aboue all creatures he in hym And then is y e soule aboue moche strauÌ„ged fro felyshyp of worldly louers Though her body be in middes amoÌ„ge hem ful ferre ben they departed fro flesshly affeccions of creatures I chargeth not though it neuer se man ne speke with hym ne haue comforte of hym yf it mighte euer be soo in that ghostly felynge It felyth so grete homlynes of the blessed presence of oure lorde Ihesu and somoche sauour of hym that it may lightly for his loue foryete y t flesshly affecccoÌ„n the flesshly minde of al creatures I saye not that it shal not loue ne thynke of other creatures but I saye that it shal thynke on hem in time and see hem and loue hem ghostly freely not flesshly and paynfully as it dyde before Of this oonlynes speketh the prophete thus Ducam eam in solitudine et loquar ad cor eius I shal lede her in to onÌ„ly stede and I shal speke to her herte That is Grace of IhuÌ„ ledeth a soule fronoyous coÌ„pany of flesshly desyres in to oonlynes of thought and makyth it foryete the lykynge of the worlde and sowneth by swetnes of hys Inspyracyon wordes of loue in eeres of the herte Oonly is a soule whan it loueth Ihesu and tentyth fully to him and hath loste the sauour and the conforte of the worlde And that it myghte better kepe this oonlynes it fleeth y e companye of all men yf it maye And sechyth oonlynes of body for that moche helpeth to oonlynes of the soule and to the free worchynge of loue The lesse lettynge y t it hath wythout of vayne Ianglyng or wythin of vayn thynkynge the more free it is in ghostly beholdynge so it is in pryuyte of herte Al wythout is a soule whiles it is ouerlayed and blynded with worldly loue It is as comen as the hye waye for euery stirynge that cometh of the flesshe or of y e fende synketh in and gooth thorugh it But thenne thrugh grace it is drawen in to the preuy chambre in to the syghte of oure lorde Ihesu and hereth his preuy counseyle And is wonderfully comforted in the herynge Of this spekith the prophete thus Secretum meum michi secretum meum michi My preuytee to me my preuyte to me That is The louer of IhuÌ„ thrugh Inspyracyon of grace taken vp fro outwarde
herte he yaue to me no feble answerynge And then I cryed with al my soule Reuertere dilecte mi Torne ayen thou my loued And yet it semyd as he herde me not The paynful felynge of myself the assaylynge of flesshly loues dredes in this tyme y e wantyng of my ghostly strength is a contynuel cryenge of my soule to Ihesu And neuertheles our lorde makyth straunge comyth not crye I neuer so fast For he is syker ynough of his louer y t he wol not torne ayen to worldly loue fully he may no sauour haue therin therfore abydeth he the lenger But at the last whan he wol he comyth ayen ful of grace of sothfastnes vysyteth the soule y e languyssheth in desyre by syghynges of loue to his presence to wchyth it anoynteth it ful softly with the oyle of gladnes makyth it sodeynly hole fro al pyne and then cryeth the soule to Ihesu in ghostly voys with a glad herte thus Oleum effusum nomen tuum Oyle yshedde is thy name Thy name is Ihesu that is he le Then aslonge as I fele my soule sore syke for synne pyned with y e heuy burden of my body sory and dredynge for perylles and wretchydnes of this lyfe so longe lorde IhuÌ„ thy name is oyle speryd not oyleshed to me But whaÌ„ I fele my souâ—e sodeynly towched with the lyght of thy grace heled softed fro all the fylthe of synne comforted in loue in lyght with ghostly strength gladnes vnspekable then maye I saye with lusty louynge ghostly myghte to the Oyle yshed is thy name IhuÌ„ to me For by the affecte of thy grayous vysytynge I fele wel of thy name the true expownynge y â— thou art IhuÌ„ heele For oonly thy gracyous presence helyth me fro sorowe fro synÌ„e Blessed is y â— soule that is euer fedde in felyng of loue in his preseÌ„ce or is borne vp by desyre to hym in his absence A wyse loâ—er is he wel taught y â— sadly reuereutly hath hym in his presence louely beholdeth hym wythout dyssolute lyghtnes and pacyently easely beryth hym in his absence without venemous dispeyre ouer pynful bytternesse This chaungabilyte of absence presence of IhuÌ„ that a soule felyth is not perfeccyon of the soule ne it is not ayenst the grace of perfeccyon or of contemplacyon but in so moche perfeccyon is the lesse ¶ For the more lettynge y â— a soule hath of itself fro contynuel felynge of grace the lesse is the grace and yet neuertheles is y e grace in itself grace of conteÌ„placyon This chaungabylyte of absence presence falleth as wel in the state of perfeccyon as in state of begynnynge but in a nother maner for ryght as there is dyuersyte of felynge in the presence of grace bytwex thyse two states ryght so is there in the absence of grace And therfore he that knoweth not the absence of grace is redy to be dysceyued And he that kepith not the presence of grace is vnkynde to y e vysytyng whether he be in state of begynners or perfyte Neuertheles the more stablenes that there is in grace vnhurâ—e vnbroken the louelyer is the soule and more lyke vnto hym in whom is no chaungabylyte as y e apostles sayth And it is ful â—emely that the spouse be lyke to IhuÌ„ spouse in maners in vertues ful acordynge to hym in stablynes of peâ—fyre loue But y â— falleth seeldom now here but in the specyal spouse For he that perceyueth no chauÌ„gabylyte in felyng of his grace but ylyke hole stable vnbroken vnhurt as hym thynketh he is eytherful perfyte or ful blynde He is perfyte that is sequestyrde fro al flesshly affeccyons comonynge of al creatures and al meanes are broken awaye of corrupcyon of synÌ„e betwyx IhuÌ„ his soule fully ooned to hym with softnes of loue But this is onÌ„ly grace aboue mannys kynde He is ful blynde y t feyneth hym in grace without ghostly felynge of goddys Inspyracyon setteth hymself in a maner of stablynes as he were euer in felyng in worchynge of specyal grace demyng that al is grace that he dooth felyth without within thynkynge that what so euer he do or speke is grace holdyng hymself vnchauÌ„gable in specyallyte of grace If there be ony suche as I hope there be none he is ful blynde in felynge of grace Buâ— then myght thou saye thus that we sholde loue onÌ„ly in trouthe not coueyte ghostly felynges ne rewarde hem yf they come For the apostle sayth Iustê° ex fide viuit That is The ryghtwysman lyueth in trouthe Unto this I say y â— bodyly felynges ben they neuer so comfortable we shal not coueyte ne rewarde moche yf they come But ghostly felynges suche as I spake of yf they come in the maner as I haue sayd before we sholde euer desyre y t are sleenge of al worldly loue openyng of y â— ghostly eye puryte of spiâ—ite pees of coÌ„science al other before sayd We sholde coueyte to fele euer the lyfly Inspyracyon of grace made by y e ghostly presence of IhuÌ„ in our soule yf y t we myght for to haue hym in our syght with reuereÌ„ce and euer fele y e swetnes of his loue by a woÌ„derful homlynes of his presence This sholde be our lyfe our feling in grace after y e mesure of his yefte in whom al grace is to some more to some lesse For his presence is feled in dyuers manere wyse as he wouchith saaf And in this we sholde lyue worche that longeth to vs to worche for wythout this we shold not cunne lyue For ryghte as the soule is the lyfe of the body ryghte soo is Ihesu the lyfe of the soule by his gracyous presence And neuertheles this maner felynge be it neuer soo moche it is yet but trouth as in rewarde of that y â— shal be of these Ilâ—hesu in the blysse of heuen Lo this felynge sholde we desyre for eueryche a soule resonable o wyth for to coueyte with al the myghtes of it nyghyng to IhuÌ„ oonynge to hym thorugh felynge of his gracyous vnseable presence How y â— presence is feled it may better be knowen by experyence than by ony wrytynge for it is the lyfe the loue the myght the lyght the Ioye the reste of a chosen soule And therfore he that hath ones sothfastly feled it maye not forbere it without payne he maye not vndesyre it it is so good in itselfe and soo comfortable what is more comfortable to a soule here than for to be drawe out thrugh grace fro the vyle noye of worldly belynesse fylthe of desyres and fro vayne affeccyon of al creatures in to rest softnes of ghostly loue pryuely perceyuynge y e gracyous presence of Ihesu felably fed wyth sauour of his vnseable blessed face Sothly ne thynge me thynketh No
and styreth the sowle to see and to fele Ihesu in a nother maner And that maner is fyrste to see IhuÌ„ in holy wrytt For IhuÌ„ that is al sothfastnes is hidde and heled therin woundeÌ„ in a â—ofte sendyle vnder fayr wordes that he may not be know ne felte but of a clene hâ—rte For why sothfastnes woll not shewe itselfe to enmyes but to frendes that loue desyre it wyth a meke herte for sothfastnes and mekenes arne ful true systers fastned togyder in loue and charite and therfore is there noo lenynge of counseylle betwyxe hem two Mekenes presumyth of sothfastnes and noo thynge of itselfe And sothfastnes tro wyth well on mekenes and soo they accorden wonder well Thenne for as moche as a sowle of a louer is made meke thrugh inspyracyon of grace by openynge of the ghostly eye and seeth that it is noughte of itselfe But oonly haÌ„geth in y e mercy anâ— the godenes of IhuÌ„ lastyngly is borne vp by fauour helpe of hym onÌ„ly truly desyrynge y e preseÌ„ce of hym therfore seeth it IhuÌ„ For it seeth sothfastnes of holy wrytte wonderly shewed and opened aboue studye and traueyle reason of mannes kyndly wyt And that maye wel be called the felynge and the perceyuynge of Ihesu For Ihesu is welle of wysdome and by a lytyl heeldynge of his wysdom in to a clene soule he maketh the soule wyse ynough for to vnderstonde al holy wrytte not al at ones in specyal beholdynge but thorugh that grace the soule receyueth a newe ablynes and a gracyous habyte for to vnderstonde it specyally whan it comyth to mynde This openynge and this clernesse of wytte is made by the ghostly presence of Ihesu For ryghte as the ghospel sayth of ii dyscyples goynge to the castel of Emaus brennynge in desyre and spekynge of our lorde Ihesu our lorde appered to hem presently as a pylgryme and taught hem y e prophecyes of hymself And as the gospel sayth Apperuit illis sensum vt intelligerent scripturas He opened to hem clernesse of wytte y t they myght vnderstonde holy wrytynge Ryght so the ghostly presence of Ihesu openyth the wytte of his louer that it brenneth in desyre to hym and bryngeth to his mynde by mynystracyon of angels the wordes and the sentences of holy wrytte vnsoughte and vnauysed one after a nother and expowneth hem redyly be they neuer so harde ne so preuy The harder that they ben and ferder fro mannes resonable vnderstondynge the more delectable is the treue shewynge of hem Whan Ihesu is mayster it is expowned and declared lytterally morally mystyly and heueÌ„ly yf the mater suffre it By letter that is lyghteste and moost playne is bodyly kynde comforted By moralte of holy wrytte the soule is infourmed of vyces and vertues wysely to cunne departe y e one fro that other By mystyhede it is illumined for to see the werkes of Ihesu in holy chirche redily for to applye the wordes of holy wrytte to cryst our hede and to holy chirche that is hys mysty body And the fourth y t is heuenly longeth oonly to the worchynge of loue And that is whaÌ„ alle sothfastnes in holy writte is applyed to loue And for that is mooste lyke to heuenly felynge therfore I calle it heuenly The louer of Ihesu is his frende not for he hath deserued it but for IhuÌ„ of his mercy ful goodnes makyth hym his freÌ„de by true accorde And therfore as to a true frende that pseyseth hym wyth loue not serueth him by drede as a thralle he shewyth his preuyte Thê° he saith hymselfe to his apostles I am vos dixi amicos qr quecunque audiui a patre meo nota feci vobis Now I saye that ye are frendes For I make knowen to you al thynges that I haue herde of my fader To a clene soule that hathe y e palet puryfyed from fylthe of flesshly loue holy wrytte is lyfely foode and sustenaunce delectable ¶ It sauoureth wonder swetely whaÌ„ it is wel chewed by ghostly vnderstondynge For why the spyryte of lyffe is hydde therin that quyckenyth al the myghtes of y e sowle and fylleth theym ful of swetnesse of heâ—enly sauoure and ghostly delyte But sothly hym nedeth to haue whyte teeth and sharpe wel pycked that sholde byte of this ghostly brede For flesshly louers and herytykes maye not towche y â— Inwarde floure of it Her teeth are blody and ful of fylthe therfore they ben fasting fro felynge of this brede By teeth are vnderstonde the Inly wyttes of the soule the whiche in flesshly louers and in heretykes ben blody full of synne and of worldly vanytees They wolde and they can not come by curyosite of her kyndly wytte to the sothfastnes in knowynge of holy wrytte for her wytte is corrupte by original sinne and actuell also And is not yet helyd thrugh grace And therfore they do but gnawe vpoÌ„ y e barke wythout speke they neuer soo moche therof The Inner sauour within they fele not of They ben not meke they ben not clene for to see it They ben not frendes to Ihesu therfore he sheweth hem not his couÌ„seyle The preuyte of holy wryt is closed vnder a keye seled with a sygnet of Ihesus fynger y t is the holy ghost And therfore withouten his loue his leue may no man come in He hath onÌ„ly y e keye of cuÌ„nynge in his kepynge as holy wryt sayth he is keye hymself And he letteth iÌ„ whom he wolby Inspyracyon of his grace breketh not the selle y t doth IhuÌ„ to his louers Not to alylyke but to hem y t are specyally Inspyred for to seke sothfastnes in holy wryt with grete deuocoÌ„n in prayenge with moche besynes in studyenge goynge before Thyse maye come to the fyndynge when our lorde IhuÌ„ wyl shewe it See now thenÌ„e how grace openeth the ghostly eye clereth y e wyt of the soule wonderly aboue the freelte of corrupte kynde It yeueth y e soule a newe ablenes whether it wol rede holy wryt or here or thynke it for to vnderstonde it truely sauourly y t sothfastnes of it in y e maner before sayd And for to torne redely al reasons wordes y t are bodyly sayd in to ghostly vnderstondyng y t is no grete merueyle For y e same spyryte expownyth it declareth it in a clene soule in comfort of it y t fyrst made it that is the holy ghost And this grace maye be is aswel in lewde as in lettred men as anenstes the substauÌ„ce the true felynge of soth fastnes the ghostly sauour of it in general though they see not so many reasons in specyal for that nedeth not And whan y e soule is thus abled lyghtned thrugh grace then it lyste for to be alone somtyme out of lettyng or comonynge of al creatures that he myght freely assaye his Instrument that I calle his reason in beholdynge of sothfastnes that is
fared with a clene soule He wolde fayn fle a way he maye not for y e myÈte of y e hiest holdeth hym styll y e greuyth hym more than al the fyre of helle wonder mekely fallith y e soule to IhuÌ„ thenne wyth hertly louinges that he somiÈtly saueth a simple soule fro al malice of so fel a enmye by his grete mercy ¶ How by the same lyghte of grace y e blessed angels kynde maye be seeÌ„ And how IhuÌ„ is god man aboue all creatures after y â— the soule mage see hym here CaplmÌ„ xlvi ANd then after this by the self lyght may the soule see ghostly y e fayrhede of angels y e worthines of hem in kynde the subtylte of hem in substa unce the coÌ„fermynge of hem in grace y e fulnesse of endles blise the souÌ„dryhede of orders the dystynccoÌ„ns of persones how they lyue all in lyght of sothfastnes endles how they breÌ„ne al in loue of the holy ghost after y e worthynes of orders how they see and loue prayse IhuÌ„ in blessyd rest without ceesynge There is no syght of body ne no figure in ymaginacyon in this maner worching but al ghostly of ghostly creatures Then begynneth y e soule to haue grete aqueyntauÌ„ce of y e blessed spirytes a gret felyshyp They are ful teÌ„der ful besy about suche a soule to helpe it They are maysters to teche it often thrugh her ghostly presence towchyng of her lyght dryuen out fantasyes fro y e soule they Illymyn y e soule gâ—acyously they coÌ„fort y e soule by swete wordes sodenly sowned iÌ„ a clene herte And yf ony dysease falle ghostly they seruen the soule mynystre to it al that it nedeth Thus saynt poul said of heÌ„ Nonne oeÌ„s sunt administratorii spÌ„us missi propter eos q hereditateÌ„ capiuÌ„t salutis wote ye not wel y t holy spyrites are minysters sente of IhuÌ„ for hem y t taken y e herytage of helth Thyse are chosen soules as who saith yes For wyte thou wel y t al this gostly worchyng of wordes of reasons brouÈt to y e mynde suche fair lykenes are made bi the mynistery of angels whaÌ„ y e lyght of grace abuÌ„dantly shineth in a clene â—oule It may not be tolde by â—oÌ„ge y e felynges y e lyght nynges y e graces the coÌ„fortes in specyal y e clene soules perceyue thrugh fauourable felyshyp of blessed angels The soule is wel at ease with hem to beholde how they done y t it wolde tende to no thyng elles But thenÌ„e wyth y e helpe of y e angel yet the soule seeth more for knowynge ryseth aboue al this in a clene sowle And y t is to beholde y e blessed kynde of IhuÌ„ Fyrst of his gracyous maÌ„hede how it is hyghed worthily aboue al angels kynde then after of his blessyd godhede For by knowyng of creatures is knowen the creatur then begynneth y e soule to preceyue a lytyl of the preuytees of the blessed trynyte â–ª It maye wel ynough for lyght of grace goth before therfore she shal not erre aslonge as she holdeth her with the lyghte Thenne is it opened sothfastly to y e eye of the soule the onÌ„ly hede in substaunce dystynccoÌ„n of persones in the blessyd trynite as it maye be seen here and moche other sothfastnes of y e blessid trinyte pertynent to this matere the whiche is openly declared shewed by writynge of holy doctours of holy chyrche And wyte thou well y e the same the self sothfastnes of y e blyssyd trinyte y t thise holy doctours Inspyred thrugh grace wryten in her bokes in streÌ„gthing of our trouth a clene soule maye see in knowyng thrugh y e self lyght of grace I wol not expresse tomoche of this mater here specyally for it nedeth not wond grete loue felith y e soule with heueÌ„ly delyte in felyng of this sothfastnes whaÌ„ it is made thrugh specyal grace for loue lyght goth bothe togyder iÌ„ a clene soule There is no loue y t riseth of knowyng and of specyal beholgyng y t maye towche soner oure lorde as this loue maye For why this knowyng is worchiest hyeste in itself onÌ„ly of IhuÌ„ god man yf it be specyally shewed by y e lyght of grace and therfore is y e fyre of loue flaming of this more brenÌ„yng than it is of knowyng of ony creature bodily or ghostly al thise gracyoê° knowynges felyd in a soule of y e vnyuersyte of al creatures in manere before sayd of our lorde IhuÌ„ maker keper of all this fayr vnyuersyte I calle heÌ„ fayr wordes swete spekynges of our lorde IhuÌ„ to a soule y t whiche he wol make his true spouse He shewith preuytees profereth ryche yeftes of his tresour arayeth the soule with heÌ„ ful honestly She nede not be ashamed with y e coÌ„pany of her felâ—wes to apere afterwarde to the face of IhuÌ„ her sponse Al this louely daliaunce of preuy speche bytwyxe Ihesu and a soule maye be called an hidde worde of y t whiche holy wrytte sayth thus Porto ad medcinÌ„i est verbum scondiâ—um et veâ—as susurru percepit auris mea Sothly to me is sayde an hydde worde and the veynes of hys rownynges myn eere hathe perceyued The inspyracyon of Ihesu is an hydde worde For it is preuyly hydde frome all louers of the worlde and shewed to his louers thrugh whiche a clene soule perceyueth redily y e veynes of his rownyng that are specyally shewenges of his sothfastnes for eueryche gracyous knowynge of sothfastnes felt with Inly saudur ghostly delyte is a preuy rownyng of Ihesu in y e ere of a clene soule Hym behoueth to haue moche cleÌ„nes mekenes al other vertues to be halfe deyf to noys of worldly Ianglyng that shold wysely perceyue thise swete ghostly rownynges y t is y e voys of IhuÌ„ Of y t whiche dauyd sayth thus Uox dnÌ„i preparantis ceruos et reuelabit coÌ„ deÌ„sa The voys of our lord ihuÌ„ arayeng hertes he shal shew thycke That is the Inpyracyon of IhuÌ„ makyth soules lyÈt as hertes y t sterten fro therâ—he ouer busshes breres of al worldly vanyte he sheweth to heÌ„ y e thicke y t are his prenites y t may not be perceyued but by sharpe eye Thise beholdinges sothfastly grouÌ„ded in grace iÌ„ meknes maketh a soule wyse breÌ„nyng iÌ„ desyre to y e face of IhuÌ„ Thise are y e ghostly thinges y t I spake of before they beÌ„ called new gracyoê° feliÌ„ges I do but touch heÌ„ a lytyll for wyssinge of y e soule For a soâ—le y t is clene stired by grace to vse of thê werkiÌ„g may se morÌ„ iÌ„ an hour of suche ghostly matere than myghte be wryten in a grete boke ¶ Thys finsshyith this present boke whiche expowneth many notable doctrynes in coÌ„teÌ„placoÌ„n whiche as me semyth
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
syde who so lyuyth in dedely synne wyl not leue it ne ameÌ„de hym therof ne receyue the sacrament of penaunce or elles yf he receyue it he takyth it not sothfastly for the loue of god that is for the loue of vertue clennesse but oonly for drede or shame of the worlde or for drede onÌ„ly of paynes of helle he is not refourmed to the lyknesse of ceyued a fals crysten maÌ„ y t hath ben encoÌ„bred with dedely syn al his lyfe tyme is refourmed iÌ„ his soule withiÌ„ vnperceyuably out takeÌ„ a tournyng of his wyl thorough a pryue myght a gracyous werchyng of y e holy ghost y t sodeÌ„ly werchyth in tyme of a monent or a twynkelynge of an eye ryghtyth a frowarde soule tourneth it fro ghostly fylth to fayrnes vnseable of a seruauÌ„t of y e fende makyth a son of Ioye of y e prysoner of helle makyth a perceyuer of heueÌ„ly herytage not ayeÌ„stoÌ„dyng al y e flesshly felyng of this synful ymage y t is y e bodely kynde For thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de y t y e sacrameÌ„t of baptym or of penauÌ„ce is not of y t vertu for to lete destroy vtterly al y e styrynges of flesshly lustes paynful passyons y t a maÌ„nes soule neuer fele no maner rysyng ne styrynges of heÌ„ no tyme For yf it were so then were a soule fully refourmed here to y e worshyp of y e fyrst makyng But y t may not be fully iÌ„ this lyf But it is of y e vertu y t it cleÌ„seth soule fro al the synÌ„es before done And yf it be departed fro y e body sauyth it fro daÌ„pnacyon And yf it dwelle in y e body it yeuyth y e soule grace to ayenstoÌ„de y e styrynges of syn it kepyth it in grace also y t no maner of lusty styrynges or of passyons y t it felyth in y e flesshe be it neuer so greuous shal dere it ne departe it fro god asloÌ„ge as it wylfully senteth not therto Thus saynt poul meaned whaÌ„ he sayd thê° Nichil daÌ„pnacoÌ„nis in htis qÌ„ noÌ„ scdm carneÌ„ ambulant That is Thyse soules y t arn refourmed to y e ymage of god in feyth thorugh the sacrament of baptym or of penauÌ„ce shal not be dampned for felynges of this ymage of synÌ„e yf it so be y t they go not after y e styryuges of y e flesshe by dede doyng ¶ That we sholde beleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage yf our coÌ„science wytnes to vs a ful forsakyng of synne a true tornyng of our wyl to good lyuyng Ca. ix OF this refourmynge in fayth spekyth saynt poul thus Iustus ex fide viuit The ryghtwysman lyueth in fayth That is He that is made ryghtful by baptym or by penaunce he lyueth in fayth whiche suffyseth vnto saluacyoÌ„ to heuenly pees as saynt poul sayth Iustificati ex fide paceÌ„ habemus ad deuÌ„ That is we y t arn ryghted refourmed thorugh faythe in cryst hathe pees accorde made betwyx god vs. nought ayenstondyng y t vycyous felynges of our body of syn For though this refourmyng be pryue maye not wel be felte here in this lyf neuertheles who so trowyth it stedfastly shapyth his werkes bysely for to accorde to his trouth y t he tourne not ayen to dedely synÌ„e Soothly whan y â— houre of deth comyth the soule is departed fro this bodyly lyf then shal he fynde it sooth y t I saye now Thus sayd saynt IohnÌ„ in coÌ„forte of chosen soules y t lyuen here iÌ„ fayth vnder y e felyng of this paynful ymage Karissimi nunc sumus filii dei sed non duÌ„ aparuit quod erimus Scimus auteÌ„ qmÌ„ cuÌ„ cristus apparuit tunt apparebimus cum eo similes et in gloria That is My dere frendes we arn now whyle we lyue here y e soÌ„nes of god for we arn refourmed by faythe in cryst to his lyckenes But it shewyth not yet what we arn but it is al pryue Neuertheles we knowe wel y t whaÌ„ our lorde shal shewe hym at the laste daye then shal we appere with hym lyke vnto hym in endles Ioye If thou wolte wyte thenÌ„e yf thy soule be refourmed to the ymage of god or no by y t I haue sayd thou maye haue entree Ransake thy conscyence loke what thy wyl is For there in stondeth al If it be tourned fro al maner of dedely synne that thou woldest for no thynge wyttyngly and wylfully breke y â— to And therfore hym nedeth euer be striuyng fightynge ayenst wycked styrynges of this ymage of synne y t he make none accorde therwith ne take noo frendshyp to it for to be buxum to his vnskylful biddynges For if he do he begyleth hymselfe But soothly yf he stryueth with hem hym nedeth not moche drede of assentynge For stryfe brekyth pees fals accorde It is good that a man haue pees with al thynge sauf with y e fende with this ymage of synne for ayenste hem hym nedeth euer fyght in his thoughte in his dede tyl he haue geten on hem the maystry y t shall neuer be fully in this lyfe as longe as he hereth felyth this ymage I saye not but y â— a soule maye thornghe grace haue the hyer honde ouer this ymage so ferforthe y t he shall not folowe ne sente to the vnskylful styrynges of it But for to be so clene delyuerde fro this ymage that he sholde fele no suggestyon ne Ianglyng of flesshly affeccyon ne of vayne thought no tyme maye no man haue in this lyfe I hope y t a soule that is refourmed in felynge by rauysshynge of loue in contemplacyon of god may be so ferre fro the sensualyte and fro vayne ymagynacyon and so ferre drawen out and departe fro the flesshly felynge for a tyme that it shall not fele but god but that lasteth not euer And therfore saye I that euery man behouyth stryffe ayenst this ymage of synne and namely he that is refourmed in fayth oonly that soo lyghtly maye be dysceyued therwith In y e person of whiche meÌ„ sayth saynt poul Caro concupiscit aduersê° spirituÌ„ spuÌ„s aduersê° carneÌ„ That is A soule refourmed to y e lyknes of god fyghtyth ayeÌ„st y t flesshly styrynges of this ymage of synne also this ymage of synne stryueth ayenst the wyll of the spyryte This manere of fyghtyng of this dowble ymage saynt poule knewe whaÌ„ he sayd thus Inueni legem in membris meis repugnanteÌ„ legi meÌ„tis mee capitiuum meducenteÌ„ in legem peccati That is I haue founde two lawes in myself One lawe in my soule within and another in my flesshly lymÌ„es without fyghtyng with it y t ofte ledeth me as a wretchyd prysoner to y e lawe of syn By thyse two lawes in a soule I vnderstonde this double ymage By the lawe of the spyryte I vnderstonde y â— reason of the