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
his herte Ca lxix By what tokens thou shal knowe yf thou louest thyn enmye And what ensample thou shal take of cryst for to loue hym Capitulum lxx How a man shal know how moche couetise is hidde in his hert Capitulum lxxi How a man shal knowe whan he synneth not in etynge dynkynge and whan he synneth venyall whan dedely Capitulum lxxii How the grouÌ„de of lechery sholde be destroyed with ghostly trauayle with bodely Capitulum lxxiii That a man sholde be besye to put away all styrynges of synne but more besye of ghostly synnes than of bodely Capitulum lxxiiii That huÌ„ger and other bodely paynes letteÌ„ moche ghostly werkynge Capitulum lxxv What remedye a man shal vse ayenst defawte made in â—â—ynge or drynkynge Capitulum lxxvi That thorough besye desyre trauayle for mekenes charyte a man cometh sooner to other vertues than by trauayle in hemselfe Capitulum lxxvii Of the derkenes of the ymage of synne and what comyth in by the wyndowes therof CaplmÌ„ lxxviii That the soule for defawte of knowynge of itself gooth out by y e .v. wyttes to seche outwarde lykyng Ca lxxix That a soule sholde not begge without forth but with in of IhuÌ„ that it nedeth Capitulum lxxx That the hole of the ymagynacioÌ„ nedeth to be stopped as wel as the wyndowes of the wyttes Cplm. lxxxi Whan the vse of the wyttes is dedely synne and whan venyal Capitulum lxxxii How a ghostly man or woman shal haue hem that come to hem Capitulum lxxxiii Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothynge therof Capitulum lxxxiiii Whiche ben the lymÌ„es of the ymage of synÌ„e ca. lxxxv Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passynge forth in thymage of synne capitulum lxxxvi How we shold crucyfye this ymage of synÌ„e quycken the ymage of IhuÌ„ capitulum lxxxvii What prosyte comyth of kepynge of the hert and how moche the soule is what it louyth caplmÌ„ lxxxviii How y e ymage of synÌ„e shal be broken downe ca. lxxxix How a man shall haue hym â—o the styrynge of â—ryde of al other vyces capitulum lxxxx What thynge helpyth moost a mannes knowynge geteth to hym that hym lackyth and moost destroyeth synne in hym capitulum lxxxxi How a man shal be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu and Ihesu shapen in hym caplmÌ„ lxxxxii The cause why this boke was made And how she sholde haue her in redynge therof that was made to Capitulum lxxxxiii ¶ Here endeth the chapytours of the fyrst book And after foloweth the fyrst part of this present volume ¶ That the Inner hauynge of mannes soule sholde be lyke the vtter Capitulum primuÌ„ GHostly suster in Ihesu cryst I pray the y t in y e callynge whiche our lorde hath callyd y t to his seruyce thou holde the payd stondested fastly therin trauaylynge besely wyth al y e myghtes of thy soule by y e grace of IhuÌ„ cryst for to fulfyl in sothfastnes of good lyuynge y e state whyche thou haste take in lyknes in semyng And as thou hast forsake the worlde as it were a dede man turned to our lorde bodely in syght of men Ryght so y t in thyn hert myght be as it were dede to al erthly loues dredes turned holy to our lorde IhuÌ„ cryst For wyte thou wel a bodely tournynge to god without the hert folowynge is but a fygure a lyknes of vertues noo sothfastnes Wherfore a wretched man or woman is he or she that leuyth the Inwardly kepynge of hymself shapeth hyÌ„ wythout forth oonly a forme and liknes of holynes in habyte or clothynge in speche in bodely werkes beholdynge other mennes dedes and demynge her defawces wenynge hymself to be ought whan he is right not and so begyleth hymself Do thou not so but turne thy hert with thy body pryncipally to god shape the with in to his lycknes by mekenes charyte other ghostly vertues and thenÌ„e art thou truly torned to hym I say not that thou soo lyghtly on the fyrst day maye be tournyd in thy soule by fulhede of vertues as thou myghte with thy body be closyd in a hous but that thou sholde knowe that the cause of thy bodely closynge is y t thou myght the beter come to ghostly closynge And as thy body is closyd fro bodely conuersacoÌ„n of men ryght so that thyn hert myght be enclosed fro the flesshly loues dredes of al ecthly thynges And that thou myghte y e beter come therto I shal tel the in this lytyl wrytynge as me thynkyth ¶ Of actyflyf the werkes therof Caplm ii THou shate vnderstoÌ„de that there is in holy chyrche two maner of lyues as saynt gregory fayth in y â— whiche cristen they sholde be sauf That one is called actyf the other conteÌ„plat yf without one of thyse ii noo man may be sauyd Actyflyflyeth in loue charite shewed outwarde by good bodely werkes iÌ„ fulfyllynge of goddes coÌ„maundementes of the .vii. werkes of mercy bodely ghostly to a manÌ„es euyn crysten This lyf longeth to all worldly men whiche haue rychesse pleÌ„ty of worldly goodes for to spende And so to al other the whiche haue state offyce or cure of other men And haue goodes for to spende lerid lewde temporel or spirytuel And generally al wordly men are bounde to fulfylle it after her myght cuÌ„nynge as reson discrecoÌ„n asketh If he moche good haue moche good for to doo If he lytyl haue lesse may he doo And yf he nought haue theÌ„ne must he haue a good wyl Thyse ben werkes of actyflyf other bodely or ghostly Also a grete part of actyflyflyeth in grete bodely dedes the whiche a man doth to hymself as grete fastynge moche wakynge other sharpe penauÌ„ce doynge for to chastyse the flesshe wyth dyscrecoÌ„n for trespace before done And by suche penaunce for to refrayne lustes lykynges of it and to make hym buxuÌ„ redy to the wyl of the spyryte Thyse werkes though they beÌ„ actyf they helpe ryght moche ordeneth a man in the begynnynge to come to coÌ„templatyflyf yf they beÌ„ vsed with dyscrecyon ¶ Of conteÌ„platyflyf the werkes therof Caplm iii. COnteÌ„platyflyflyeth in perfyte loue charyte felyd iÌ„wardly by ghostli vertues by fothfast knowynge syght of god ghostly thynges This lyflongeth to hem specyally the whiche for the loue of god forsaketh al wordly rychesse worshyppes outwarde besynes hooly yeuen hem body soule after her myght cunnynge to the seruyse of god by ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Now thenne syth it is soo that thy state asketh for to be conteÌ„platyf for that is th eÌ„tent of thy enclosynge that thou myght more frely and enteerly yeue the to ghostly ocupacoÌ„n Thenne behouyth the for to be ryght besye both nyght daye with traueyle of body of spyrite for to come to that lyf as nygh as thou mayst by suche meanes as thou hopest were
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
lowely wyth reuerence for his order And yf his speche comforte the aske of hym make the not for to teche hym It talleth not to y e for to teche a preste but in nede If his speche coÌ„forte the not answere lytyll and he wyl sone take his leue If it be a nother man y t cometh to yeue y t his almesse or elles for to here the speke or for to be taughte of ye. speke godely mekely to hem all repreue no man of his defawtes it falleth not to the but yf he be the more homely with the that thou wotest wel that he wyl take it of y e And shortly to saye as thou conceyuest that sholde profyte thyn euen crysten namly ghostly maye thou saye yf thou can and he wyl take it And of al other thynges kepe scilence asmoche as thou mayst thou shalt in short tyme haue but lytyl prees that shall lette the Thus me thynketh doo better yf thou can ¶ Of the derke ymage of synne of the clothyng ther of Caplm lxxxiiii BI this that I haue sayd may thou see a lytyl the derknes of this ymage of synne not for I haue dyscryued it fully to the as it is for I can not Neuertheles by this lytyl thou maye see more yf thou loke wel But now sayst thou wherby wotest thou that I bere suche an ymage aboute with me as thou spekest of As on this I can answere I maye take vpon me a worde sayde by the prophete and it is this Inuent idolum michi That is to saye I haue founde a fals ymage that men callen a mawmente in myselfe wel fowle dysfygured for shapen with wretchydnes of al thyse synnes whiche I haue shoken of by the whiche I am casten downe in many flesshly lykynges and worldly vanytees fro clennes of herte and felynge of ghostly vertues more than I can or maye saye and that me repenteth and I crye god mercy By this wretchydnes that I fele in myselfe more than I haue sayd maye I y â— better telle the of thyn ymage For al come we of adam and of eue clothed with clothes of a bestes hyde as holy wrytte sayth of oure lorde thus Facit deus ade vxori eius tunicas pelliceas Our lorde made to adam to his wyfe clothes of a bestes hyde In token that for his synne he was forshapen lyke to a beste with whiche bestly clothes we al ben borne and vmbylapped dysfygured fro oure kyndely shappe ¶ Whiche ben the lymmes of the ymage of synne Caplm lxxxv THenne is this a vgly ymage for to loke vpon The hede is pryde For pryde is the fyrste and pryncypal synne as y e wyse man sayth IniciuÌ„ oiÌ„s pctiÌ„ superbia The begynnyng of al maner of synne is pryde The backe the hynder partye of it is couetyse as saynt poul sayth Que retro sunt obliuiscens in anteri ora me extendo I shal for yete al worldly thynges whiche arne backewarde and I shal stretche me forwarde endles thynges The brest in the whiche is the herte is enuye for it is no flesshly synne but it is a deuels synne as the wyse man sayth Inuidia diaboli mors intrauit in orbeÌ„terrarum Imitantur illum oeÌ„s qui ex parte eius sunt By enuye of y â— deuyl dethe comyth in to al y e worlde For thy al tho that are of his partye folow hym ther in The armes of it are wrathe in asmoche as a maÌ„ wreketh hym of his wrathe by his armes ayenst cristis byddynge in the gospel Si quis te percusserit super vnam maxillam prebe sibi alteram If a man smyte the vpon the tone cheke with his hoÌ„de thou shalt not smyte hym ayen but offre hym y t other cheke The bely of this ymage is glotenye as saynt poul sayth Esca ventri et venter escis deus hunc has destruet Mete serueth to the bely and the bely serueth to gete mete but god shall destroye bothe bely and mete That shal be at the last ende in the ful reformynge of his chosen and in demynge of reproued The membres of it are lecherye of the whiche saynt poule sayth thus NoÌ„ exibiatis meÌ„bra vestra arma iniquitatis ad peccatum ye shall not yeue your membres specyally your pryue membres for to be armes of synne The fete of thys ymage are accydye Therfore the wyse man saythe to the slowe for to styre hym to good werkes Discurre festina suscita amicum tuum That is to saye Renne quyckely aboute vnto good werkes haast the soone for the tyme passyth reyse vp thy frende whiche is Ihesu by deuoute prayer medytacyon Here hast thou herde the membres of this ymage ¶ Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made wherof the ymage of synne how we ben passing for the in y e ymage of synne CaplmÌ„ lxxxvi THis is not y e ymage of Ihesu it is lyker an ymage of the deuyl For the ymage of Ihesu is made of vertues with mekenes and perfyte loue and charyte but this is of false flesshly loue to thyselfe with al thyse membres festnyd therto This ymage berest thou enery man what that he be vntyl by grace of Ihesu it be soÌ„ dele destroyed broken downe Thus it semith that dauyd sayth in y e sawter boke UeruÌ„ptamen in ymagine pertransit homo sed in frustra coÌ„turbatur This is for to saye Though it be so that a man were made in y e begynnynge to the ymage of god stable stedfast neuertheles by cause of syn he forpassyth lyuyng in this worlde in this ymage of synne by the whiche he is vnstable and trowbled in vayne Also saynt poul spekith of this ymage thus Sicut portauimus ymagineÌ„ terreni hominis sic portemus ymaginem celestis That is to say If we wol come to the loue of god as we haue here before borne the ymage of the erthly man fyrst adam that is the ymage of synne Ryght soo nowe lete vs bere the ymage of the heuenly man Ihesu whiche is the ymage of vertues ¶ How we sholde crucyfye this ymage of syn quyckeÌ„ the ymag of Ihesu Caplm lxxxvii WHat shal thou then do with this ymage I answere the by a worde that the Iewes sayd to pylat of cryste Crucifige eum Take thou this body of synne do hym on the crosse That is for to say Breke downe this ymage slee the false loue of synÌ„e in thyself as cristis body was slayne for our synne our trespaas Ryght so the behouith yf thou wolte be lyke to cryst â—lee thy bodely lykynge and flesshly lustes in thyself Thus sayd saynt poul Qui autem cristi sunt carnem suam crucyfixerunt cum viciis concupiscenciis Thyse y t arne crystys folowers hath crueyfyed and slayne her flesshe that is the ymage of synne with al the lustes the vnskylful
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
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