bounde he wyll gyue vs Ioye and blysse without ende where no thynge lacketh but all thynge is plenteuous and euerlastȳge Se now how thou shalt knowe whā god putteth grace in the for to knowe loue Whan the trauayle whiche thou hast for the loue of god is lyght lykynge to the than thou begynnest to haue sauour in the loue of god For ther is no maner trauayle greuous ne trauaylous to hym the loueth god feruently trauayleth wylfully for the loue of god ¶ Also stedfast loue feleth no bytternesse but all swetenesse for ryght as bytternesse is syster to the vyce of hatred right so swetnesse is syster to the vertue of loue so that in loue is all swetnesse ¶ Also the trauayle of louers may be in no maner trauaylous negreuous For ryght as hawkers hunters whateuer trauayle they haue it greueth them not for the loue lykynge that they haue in theyr game ryghth so what thynge it be that a man loueth taketh vpon hym a trauayle for that thynge that he loueth or elles it is no trauayle and yf it be trauaylous it lyketh hym to haue trauayle for that thynge whiche he loueth Take than good hede of these wordes for yf thou loue god thou wylt gladly trauayle suffre for the loue of god yf thy trauayle semeth than lyght to the or ellys yf thou louest or desyrest gladly to haue trauayle for the loue of god thou mayst wel knowe that god of his grace hath put in the a begynnynge to come to loue Whan thou hast suche a gracyous begynnynge withdrawe not the loue from hym for no maner dysease that may fall to the. For many men women there be that whyle they be in prosperyte that is to say whyle they be in welth in rest gladly they wyll shewe loue to god suche as they can But yf god sendeth hym ony dysease or ony maner of chastysynge anone her loue swageth that is no sadde loue For who so loueth trustyngly sadly he loueth as well in his aduersyte as in prosperyte for what god sendeth to vs it is for our proufyte therfore be it helth be it wo that he sendeth we sholde hertely thanke hym not withdrawe our loue from hym for no nede that he hath to our loue but for grete profyte that we sholde haue to loue hym for his grete goodnes that he wyll chastyse vs here all for our better Thus than haue I shewed in fewe wordes what is charyte loue to thy god howe thou shalt loue hym why thou shalt loue hym and how thou shalt knowe whan thou hast grace to conne loue hym Lerne than thus to loue se now ferther more what proufyte and grace cometh of loue ¶ In the loue of god ben fyue gracyous thynges Fyre lyght hony wyne sonne 1. ¶ The fyrst is fyre clensynge the soule of all maner vyces thrugh holy medytacyons .ii. ¶ The seconde is lyght shynynge in the soule with clerenes of vertues thorugh holy prayers .iii. ¶ The thyrde is hony makynge swete the soule whan he hath in mynde the benefaytes the grete gyftes of god almyghty yeldynge to hym thankynges .iiii. ¶ The fourth is wyne fulfyllynge the soule with a grete gladnes thorough a swete contemplacyon .v. ¶ The fyfth is a sonne makynge the soule clere with a shynynge lyght in myrthe withouten ende gladynge the soule with an easy herte in Ioye blysse euermore lastȳge Thus thou mayst see what proufyte he shall haue that can well loue God than of his grete grace graunte vs hȳ so to loue as it is moost to hym pleasynge Amen ¶ Now ferthermore I wyll shewe to the as I sayd before foure degrees of loue whiche thou mayst kepe easely come to one after an other yf thou haue good wyll HOure degrees of loue there be the fyrst is called an ordeyned loue or els ordynat loue that is to saye a loue ordeyned to be knowē and kept of all maner men women of euery degree in the worlde To this degree of loue longen .v. poyntes to be kepte The fyrst is thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned The .ii. is that thou loue the worlde to no superfluyte The .iii. is that thou loue thy neyghbour for god The .iiii. is that thou loue thy frende for his good lyuynge The .v. is to loue thyn enemye for the more mede of god E ¶ The fyrst is that thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned THe fyrste poynte is as I sayd thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned as thus Thou shalt take mete drynke clothȳge and al other thynge that is nedefull to thy body in resonable maner to kepe thy body in his estate in comforte of thy soule to trauayle contynue in the seruyce of god not for to nourysshe thy flesshe in lust lykynge with dyuerse delycate metes drynkes for ther of cometh foule stynkynge synne many bodyly sykenes namely whan ther is to moche excesse This wytnesseth an holy clerke sayth they that delyted them in lustes of the flesshe they haue ful often many dyseases in theyr flesshe ¶ Also as I rede a soule that is wonte to delytes of the flesshe gadreth togyder many fylthes and wyckednes Thou mayst also do no exces for yf thou vse the to excesse thou fallest in to the vyce of glotonye whiche thou knowest well is dedely synne Of the synne I rede thus where the vyce of glotony reygneth in ony man he leseth the ghoostly strength yf he had ony before And but yf the wombe of glotonye be swaged all his vtues ben cast downe therfore loue thy flesshe to sustentacyon not to delytes to excesse for here thou mayst well knowe se that it is good nedefull to flee delycacyes But thou shalt vnderstande here that I counseylle the not to forbere ony mete or drynke in specyall for the vyce of delycacye is not in the mete but in the lust that thou hast in mete therfore sayth an holy clerke Often we take deynte metes without blame somtyme other metes and comyn to euery man not without gylte of cōscyence So thus it semeth wel whan we take ony mete for delyte more than for sustenaūce we offende god therfore flee delytes lustes of mete drynke and loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned than thou hast the fyrst poynte of this degree of loue F ¶ The seconde is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte THe seconde poynte is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte As thus yf thou loue god thou shalt not desyre ne loue vanytees of the worlde ne worldely goodes more than the nedeth Yf god hath ordeyned the to an hyghe degree in the worlde as for to be a lorde or a lady or for to haue ony soueraynte ghoostly or worldely by reason reuerence must be done to the more than to an other man or woman For
temptacyons and he be withstande than be his paynes moche the more encreased in hell withstande than his temptacyons with the vertue of pacyence so thou shalt ouercome hym ¶ As for the thyrde way of pacyeÌ„ce I sayd that we sholde kepe vs sadly in charyte whaÌ„ we suffre wronges or despytes of other neyghbours suche wronges it is nedefull to suffre for the loue of god For as saynt Austyn sayth he that is so pacyent that gladly wyll suffre wronges shall be ordeyned grete and myghty in heuen If than thy goodes be taken from the wrongfully suffre esely and thynke in thy herte that thou came naked in to this worlde no better than naked shalt thou go away out of the worlde Also thynke vpon the wordes of the apostle where he sayth Nought we brought in to this worlde and no thynge we may bere with vs thynke vpon these wordes I trowe they shall styre the moche to pacyence ¶ If thou be dyspleased or defamed wrongfully thynke vpon the wordes of cryst whan he sayd thus to his dyscyples Ye be blessyd whan wycked men curse you or despyse you wrongfully whaÌ„ they pursyewe you or saye ony euyll makynge lesynges ayenst you wrongfully Ioyeth than be glad for your mede is plenteuous in heuen These wordes me thynketh sholde make the to suffre gladly despytes euyll wordes It falleth somtyme that some mennes hertes be full grete stoute by pryde Inpacyence But goddes seruauntes whan they se suche men so dyseased and trauayled in theyr soules haue grete conpassyon of them knowynge wel that it cometh of vnstablenes of herte and of wycked sterynge of the flesshe therfore they suffre wycked angry wordes for the tyme hopynge that after so grete noyse shall come some maner ease lownes of herte they suffre also for the tyme for they knowe well it is full harde a man to euercome hymselfe for thyse causes euery good man sholde gladly suffre angry wordes Also some men and women there be that wyll not suffre but for one wycked worde they saye an other and take noo hede to the rewarde that they sholde haue of god yf they wolde suffre suche men al daye fall in temptacyons for angre of herte and for inpacyence therfore what euer thou be that art despysed of thy neyghbour suffre gladly feyne the as thou herdest hym not vnto the tyme that his herte be eased and than yf it be suche mater that chargeth thou mayst speke to hym in easy maner and yf it is no chargynge than it is no force though thou holde thy peas and answere ryght nought Thus I haue shewed the examples for to styre the to pacyence Fyrst how thou shalt gladly suffre the chastysynge of almyghty god as sykenes of body or ellys losse of goodes The seconde how thou shalt gladly suffre the temptacyons of the fende And the thyrde how thou shalt gladly suffre wronges and despysynges of thy neyghbour ¶ But now ouer all the ensamples I counseyll the for to haue one thynge specyall in thy herte the whiche shal be a generall ensample of pacyence to suffre gladly all maner trybulacyons for the loue of god This ensample is for to haue euermore in thy mynde in eche dysease the grete pouerte trybulacyon and the bytter passyon of Ihesu cryst goddes sone whiche he suffred gladly wylfully for the loue of all mankynde ¶ Of this good lorde speketh sayÌ„t Bernarde sayth thus Cryst goddes sone of heuen frome the tyme that he came out of the gloryous maydens wombe Marye had neuer but pouerte trybulacyon tyll he went to suffre deth whiche maner of deth it nedeth not at this tyme for to shewe it to the. For thou hast it openly by the techynge of all holy chyrche Haue than sadly in thy mynde as moche as god wyll gyue the grace how gladly howe lowely what he suffred for the that thought I trowe shall make the to wynne the vertue of pacyence to encreace in other vertues so forth within a whyle to come to the loue of god And now ferthermore for as moche as all the vertues be moost pleasynge acceptable to god whiche be coÌ„tynued brought to good ende therfore to strength the in these vertues I wyll shewe the now some wordes of the vertue of perseuerauÌ„ce Z ¶ How perseuerauÌ„ce is nedefull how thou mayst be perseueraunt PErseueraunce is fulfyllynge ende of all vertues keper of all goodnes without whiche ê‘seuerauÌ„ce no man may se god But thou be perseueraunt thou mayst haue noo mede thanke ne worshyp for thy seruyce Yf thou be perseueraunt thou shalt haue mede for thy true seruyce a grete rewarde for thy ghoostly trauayle a worshypful crowne of vyctorye for thy stronge batayle Of this mater thou hast before in the fyfth poynt of the thyrde degree of loue therfore at this tyme it nedeth not to speke but lytell more as of this purpose But I couÌ„seyll the in fewe wordes yf thou wylt be ê‘seueraunt in goodnes that thou trauaylest to wynne the vertue of pacyence wherof I haue touched somwhat in the last chapytre before For many men begynne full well and ende theyr lyfe full peryllously the cause is for the more partye Inpacyence for they wyll not suffre gladly temptacyons other trybulacyons For whan they fele neuer so lytel dysease ghoostly or bodely anone they fall awaye from vertues torne agayne to synne And often it falleth that some men fall so sore that they deye by that fall that is to saye that they fall in to grete sykenes peryll of soule that to our syght they deye in grete synne errours without ony amendement ¶ Of suche men speketh god almyghty sayth No maÌ„ that putteth his honde to the plowe loketh behynde hym is dysposed to come to the kyngdom of heuen ¶ Here perauenture thou woldest aske what is he that holdeth the plowe loketh behynde hym He putteth his honde to the plowe that amendeth his synnes with contrycyon confessyon to brynge forth fruyte of penauÌ„ce to encreace in vertues He loketh behynde hym that torneth agayne to synne whiche were forsaken after tyme he had begonne good werkes Therfore what euer thou be that hast begonne to leue vyces torne not agayne to them for a lytell dysease yf thou wylt haue the grete mede that longeth to perseuerauÌ„ce ¶ Also yf thou wylt be perseueraunt thou must be stable in herte yf thou wylt be stable in herte thou must beware of the lykynge pleasynge of the worlde flee from wycked coÌ„pany thou must take no hede to praysynges ne to blamyÌ„ges for of all these cometh vnstablenes And yf thou haue ony lykynge in ghoostly werkes that vnstablenes wyll put it awaye therfore be ware flee suche maner of occasyons yf thou wylt be stable ¶ I saye not that thou shalt flee bodely from the world or fro worldely goodes for they be pryncypall occasyons but
that hate you praye for them that pursye we you to dysease for them the despyse you that we may be the chyldren of the fader in heuē Loue than thyn enemye for the more mede yf thou wylt kepe the fyfth poynt of this fyrst degree of loue ¶ Shortly thus ben declared to the the fyue poyntes of the fyrst degree of loue In the fyrste yf thou take good hede thou art warned and counseyled for the loue of god and as thou art bounde by all crysten lawes to withstande the synne of glotonye al other flesshely lustes In the seconde poynte to withstande the foule vyce of couetyse pryde all other vanytees of the worlde In the thre last poyntes to loue thy neyghbour thy frende all other men for the loue of god and for the more mede Loue than god in this fyrst maner of loue and thou shalt thrugh his grete grace yf thou wylt come to the seconde degree of loue THe seconde degree of loue is called a clene loue yf thou wylt come to this seconde degre of loue thou must kepe thre poyntes The fyrste is that thou loue no vyce with vertue The seconde is that thou despyse all euyll custome The thyrde is that thou sette not lytell by synne whether it be lytell or grete K ¶ The fyrste poynte is thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue THe fyrst poynte is thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue As thus what euer thou be in mannes syght beware that thou be not vycyous Inwarde in thy soule vnder colour of vertues whiche that she west openly Our ghoostly ennemye that fende hath many subtyltees to dysceyue mankynde But amonge all this it is a grete dysceyte whā that he maketh a vyce lyke to vertue vertue lyke to vyce This thou mayst see by ensample For all be it that mercy is a grete vertue where that it is kepte in the worshyp in the name of god yet it is vycyous where it is do in worshyp of man not of god Also where vertue of ryght wysnes is tourned in to vyces whan it is do for worldely couetyse or els for anger or inpacyence The vyce also of pryde is hyd somtyme vnder mekenesse As whan a man loweth meketh hymself in speche and in berynge to be holde meke lowely Pacyence also semeth in many a man whan there is none As whan a man wolde take vengeaunce yf he myght for the wronge that is do to hym but for he may not or els he hath no tyme to wreke hym on his enemye for that cause he suffreth not for the loue of god By these ensamples many other thou mayst well knowe that vyces somtyme be lyke to vertues To this accordeth saynt Iherom sayth thus A grete an hyghe connynge it is to knowe vyces vertues for all be it that vyces vertues be cōtraryous yet they be so lyke that vnnethe the vertue may be knowe from the vyce ne the vyce fro the vertue Beware therfore loue so sadly vertues without ony faynynge that thou hate all maner vyces and so thou mayst kepe the fyrst poynte of this degree of loue L ¶ The seconde is thou shalt hate all euyll customes THe seconde poynt is thou shalt despyse all euyl customes A grete peryll it is to haue an euyll dede in custome For as I rede synnes be they neuer so grete ne so horryble whan they be drawe in to custome they seme but lytell to theym that vse suche synne in custome in so moche that it is to them a grete lykȳge to tell and shewe theyr wyckednes to al other men without ony shame Of this suche vsage speketh an other holy clerke sayth Whan synne cometh so in vse that the herte hath a lust a lykynge ther in that synne shall ful fayntly be withstande For whan a synne is brought in to custome it byndeth sore the herte maketh the soule bowe to hym that it may not ryse agayne come in to the ryght waye of clene lyfe For whan he is in wyll to ryse anone he slydeth falleth agayne For this sayth the same clerke in an other place Many there be the desyren to come out of synne but for as moche as they ben closed in the pryson of euyll custome they may not come out from theyr wycked lyuynge ¶ Also to this purpose I rede that he that vseth hȳ not to vertue in his yonge age he shal not conne with stande vyces in his olde age Thus thou mayst well se that yf thou be vsed in ony synne it wyll be full harde to with stande it And but thou leue all maner synne to thy power thou hast none clene loue to thy god therfore with stande all maner synne take none in custome thā thou shalt kepe the seconde poynt of this degree of loue M ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt not sette lyght by synne be it neuer so lytell ¶ In the thyrde degree of loue be fyue poyntes ¶ Stedfast loue THe thyrde poynte is thou shalt not sette lyght by synne as thus What euer synne it be lytel or grete drede it ryght dyscretly in thy cōscyence and set not lytell there by For as I rede what man that passeth mesure in takynge of his lyuelode as often more than hym nedeth that mā offendeth god this semeth to many men full lytell trespas But this holy man saynt Austyn sayth It is no lytell synne for as moche as we trespas euery daye there in for the more partye In as moche as we synne therin euery day we synne therin often by that we multeplye our syn̄es that is full peryllous therfore it is full nedeful to drede al suche venyall synnes sette not lytell by theym Also venyall synnes be they neuer so lytell they be moche to be dradde As the same clerke sheweth by ensample of lytell bestes where they be many to gyder be they neuer so lytell yet they slee do moche harme Also the granes of sande be full lytell but yet where a shyp is ouer charged with sande it must nedes synke or drenche Ryght so it fareth by the synnes be they neuer so lytell they be full peryllous For but yf a mā be rather ware put theym awaye they shall make hym for to synne deedly Therfore yf thou wylt haue a clene loue to god charge in thy conscyence euery synne lytell grete withstand in the begynnynge put it out as soone as god wyll gyue to the grace with contrycyon confessyon som almesdedes And than thou shalt kepe the thyrde poynte of this degree of loue Here is reherced the mater of these poyntes ¶ Thus ben declared the thre poyntes of the seconde degre of loue In the fyrste thou art counseyled to loue all vertues and hate all vyces In the seconde poynte that thou haue no synne in vsage but that thou voyde it soone that thou hate all other euyll
must coÌ„tynue that he hath begonne so folysly for shame of men or ellys vtterly leue all for feblenesse To this accordeth saynt Austyn and sayth Our wycked ennemye the deuyll hath not a more spedefull engyn to drawe the loue of god from mannes herte than to take vs by his fals suggestyon to loue vnwysely without reason that is to saye as I sayd before To styre vs for to take fastynges wakynges and other bodely penauÌ„ces ouer our myght Take therfore to the dyscrecyon rule the so dyscretly that thou fayle not for to feruent wyll and than thou mayst kepe the fourth poynte of this degre of loue R ¶ The fyfthe is thou shalt not leue thy good lyuyÌ„ge for feynte ne for temptacyon THe fyfthe poynte is thou shalt not fall fro thy good lyuynge for feynte herte ne for temptacyon To kepe well this poynt it is nedefull to haue a perseueraunt wyll a stable hert ayenst all temptacyons Some men there be whan ony heuynesse bodely or ghoostly or whan that ony grutchynge of the flessh cometh to theym anone they ben so heuy so full of vnlust that they leue theyr ghoostly trauayle fal fro theyr good lyuyge suche men haue no stable ne stedfast herte Therfore yf thou wylt loue god stedfastly suffre no heuynes ne dysease ne chaunge thy trauayle ne thy herte fro thy seruyce and loue of god but take hede of the wordes of almyghty god where he sayth He is blessyd that is perseuerauÌ„t vnto his lyues ende Here of thou hast ensamples of holy martyrs coÌ„fessours whiche neuer wolde be departed fro the loue of god for all the persecucyon that myght be do to them Also to suche men of feble herte vnlust speketh sayÌ„t Bernarde and sayth thus Whan thou art vnlusty or dyseased with heuynesse haue none vntrust therfore ne leue not thy trauayle but suffre mekely aske conforte of hym that is begynner ender of all goodnes And all be it that thou haue not suche deuocyon than as in other tymes thynke well how he that gafe the suche deuocyon hath withdrawen it for thy defautes as for a tyme happely to the more mede therfore wtstande all suche heuynes and stande strongely suffre lowely take gladly the chastysynge of god euermore aske helpe grace Ferthermore some for defaute of knowynge for vnstablenes haue fall thorough trauayle of temptacyons therfore whan thou art soo trauayled with ony temptacyons that shold be lettynge or els is dredefull to the chaunge not therfore thy wyll but stande stedfastly shewe thy dysease to thy ghoostly fader askynge of hym to gyue the suche couÌ„seyll that may be moost helpynge to thy soule Yf thou do thus mekely with a ful good wyll to please thy god to withstande the temptacyons of thyn enemye the grace of the holy ghoost wyll fully fulfyll bothe hym the hym for to teche the for to lerne take of hym suche counseyll that shall be moost strength conforte to the confusyon to the deuyl And so by the helpe of god thou shalt be conforted in suche maner that thou shalt not fall thorough trauayle of temptacyons but euer the lenger the more stable and the more stronge in the loue of god to thy lyues ende Thus than take hede that thou fall not from thy good lyuyÌ„ge for feynte herte ne by temptacyons and than thou mayst kepe the fyfth poynte of this degree of loue ¶ Here is shortly declared the mater of these fyue poyntes ¶ Thus be declared the fyue poyntes of the thyrde degree of loue In the fyrste thou art taught to loue god with full desyre In the seconde for to do all thynge in the worshyp of almyghty god and euer for to drede god in the begynnynge of all thy werkes In the thyrde fully to withstande all maner synne and no synne for to do vpoÌ„ trust of other good dedes In the fourth that thou fall not for defaute of dyscrecyon In the fyfth thou art taught counseylled for to haue a stable herte and for to withstande all temptacyons that thou fall not from thy good lyuynge Yf thou kepe thus these fyue poyntes than thou hast the thyrde degree of loue whiche is called a stedfast loue to god And yf thou loue god stedfastly thou mayst soone come to ê‘feccyon and so by the grace of god thorugh encreace of vertues thou shalt lyghtly come to the fourth degree of loue ¶ In the fourth degree of loue ben .viii. poyntes ¶ Parfyte loue S ¶ How by encreace of vertues thou mayste come to parfeccyon THe fourth degree of loue is called a parfyte loue An other loue there is all be it I make noo mencyon but of foure whiche is called moost parfyte loue Of that loue speketh saynt Austyn sayth Charyte is parfyte in some men inparfyte in some men But the charyte that is moost parfyte may not be had here whyle we lyue in this worlde Of the same moost parfyte loue speketh the same clerke thus In the fulfyllynge of the countre of charyte that is to saye in fulfyllynge of heuen where that all is loue and charyte This commaundement of god shall be fulfylled where he sayth thou shalt loue thy lorde god with al thy herte with all thy mynde and with all thy soule For whyle ony flesshely desyre is in man god may not be loued with all the herte and fnll mynde And by this thou mayst knowe that there is a passynge loue whiche may not be fulfylled in this worlde and that may well be called moost parfyte loue But here perauenture some man wyll aske why it is commaundeth but it myght be performed in this worlde To that the same clerke answereth and sayth that it is skylfull that suche a perfeccyon sholde be commaunded and this he sheweth by ensample in this wyse Ryght as no man may renne euen and sykerly but he knowe whether he shall renne In the same maner noo man sholde knowe his moost parfyte loue but it hadde be shewed in the commaundementes of god Yf noo man hadde knowen it no man wolde haue laboured hym to come therto ¶ Now sythen it is so we knowe it well that it is moost parfyte loue we must nedeful loue it and sette vs in a redy waye whyle we be here that wyll brynge vs euen to that moost parfyte loue A more syker waye is there none in this worlde than the waye of parfyte loue Wherfore I counsell the to haue this fourth degree of loue whiche is called a parfyte loue that we may come the more sykerly to parfyte loue ¶ Of parfyte loue speketh Saynt Austyn and sayth He that is redy to deye gladly for his brother in hym is parfyte loue To this acordeth the wordes of Cryste where he sayth No man hath more charyte in this worlde than he that putteth his soule for his frendes that is to saye than he that gyueth gladly his lyfe for the loue of god
ordynaunce To this acordeth saynt Bernarde and sayth No man sholde set lyght by his prayer for he to whom we praye after tyme the prayer is passed from our month or from our herte he wryteth it in his booke and trustyngly we may hope that he wyll graunte that we aske or ellys that is more proufytable to vs. Thus than what euer thou prayest put all thy wyll in to goddes wyll Also whan that thou prayest thou shalt praye generally that is to saye as thou prayest for thy selfe so thou shalt praye for other ¶ Thus thou must do for thre causes Fyrst for loue and charyte wyll that thou do so And therfore sayth the apostle Prayeth eche of you for other that ye may be saued The seconde cause is for the lawe of god wyll that euery man helpe other in nede This thou hast by the techynÌ„ge of saynt poule where as he sayth thus Eche of you bere others burthen that is for to say that eche of you praye for other or helpe other in nede so ye shall fulfyll the lawe of cryste The thyrde cause is for whoso prayeth for al other as for hym selfe the goodnes of god wyll that he shall be partyner of all other mennes prayers ¶ To this acordeth sayÌ„t Ambrose sayth thus Yf thou pray onely for thy self and for none other than shall none other pray for the but thy selfe yf thou praye for all other thaÌ„ all other shall praye for the. Thus than whan thou prayest praye for all other Also whan thou shalt praye thou must praye with full herte put away fro the all vanytees of the worlde all ymagynacyons all ydel thoughtes ¶ To this acordeth an holy clerke sayth Whan we stande to praye we must with all our herte gyue our entent to that we praye that is to say we must voyde all flesshely all worldely thoughtes suffre not our herte otherwyse to be occupyed than about our prayer But to this perauenture thou sayst that though thou be neuer in so good wyll to praye thyn herte is awaye from thy prayer encombred with dyuerse thoughtes that thou mayst haue no whyle thyn herte sadly vpon thy prayer To this I grauÌ„te that what the fende whiche euer is besy to lette all goodnes what thrugh the vnstablynes of man thyn herte shalt not be stable vpon thy prayer I trowe scarsely the tyme of a Pat noster But whaÌ„ thou go to thy prayer take good hede what nede thou hast to praye what thou wylt praye how grete how myghty how ryghtfull mercyfull he is to whom thou wylt praye Yf thou set thyn herte thus in the begynnynge of thy prayer thou shalt not I trow gretly be letted though it be so that somtyme thou be letted with other thoughtes fyght ayenst them with all thy besynes anone tourne to thy prayer Yf thou wylt fyght wylfully in this maner god of his grete grace endeles pyte wyll alowe thy good wyll moche the rather for thy trauayle grauÌ„te that thou askest Thus than whan thou wylt praye thou must praye with full herte Also an other maner prayer there is that who soo hath grace to come therto his prayer shal soone be herde yf he praye resonably This maner of prayer is whan thou art vysyted by the grace of god with grete conpunccyon of herte and swetnes of deuocyon Conpunccyonis a grete loue of thy soule spryngynge out of thy herte with teeres of thyn eyen Whan thou bethynkest the vpon thy synnes vpon the dredefull dome of god Whan thou hast this conpunccyon these teeres than thou hast full deuocyon with suche deuocyon besely praye for all tho that haue nede for what thynge thou prayest in that tyme so it be worshyp to god thou art anone herde without ony taryenge For as I rede prayer peaseth almyghty god maketh hym torne to mercy but whan deuoute teeres come with prayer than of his grete pyte he may no lenger suffre but anone as he were ê¯strayned he grauÌ„teth what we aske Ferthermore yf thou be vsed to suche deuocoÌ„n thou shalt feruently desyre to conne loue god so by goddes grace thou shalt soone come to loue thus thaÌ„ loue prayer yf thou wylt come to the loue of god And for as moche as many men women be moche trauayled by dyuerse temptacyons or they come to loue therfore beware of theym sooner to wtstande them som what I wyl shewe of temptacyons as me thynketh is nedefull X ¶ How thou mayst beware knowe of temptacyons wakynge or slepynge how thou shalt wtstaÌ„de them BY the ordynauÌ„ce of almyghty god there be ordeyned good aungels to defende vs fro euyll to styre vs to vertues and to kepe vs in goodnes ¶ Also other badde aungels euyl spyrytes there be whiche trouble mankynde with dyuerse temptacoÌ„ns to preue mannes stablenes that to grete mede to mannes soule The power of this wycked spyryte that is to saye the fende is so grete that the more a man besyeth hym to please god the rather he is about to greue hym For as I rede oftymes it happeth that many men whan thy gyue them hole to contemplacyon or to other deuocyons than they be trauayled with stronge temptacyons by suffrauÌ„ce of god that they may knowe theyr owne feblenes to kepe theym meke lowe for they sholde not lese the grete mede of god for ony maner spyce of pryde whiche mede is ordeyned for theyr ghoostly trauayle Also in what euer maner of lower degree man or woman be that wyll withstande synne to his power lyue after the techynge of goddes lawe to al suche the wycked spyryte hath enuye euermore gyueth theym some maner of batayll grete or lytell slepynge or wakynge ¶ Other men women there be that he suffreth to be in reste peas tho ben suche as drede not god but nyght daye gyue them to all maner lustynges lykynges of theyr flesshe for they ben so redy to synne to do his wyll that hym nedeth not to styre them to euyll therfore he suffreth them in peas without ony trauayle of temptacyons Of suche men speketh saynt Austyn sayth thus Some men women profer theymselfe to synne wylfully abyde not the temptacyons of the fende but they go before the temptacyons be redyer to synne than the fende is to tempte them And sythen it is so that euery man whiche is besy to please god shal be trauayled and pryued with dyuerse temptacyons I wyl shewe the to my felynge and as I rede of other auctours the maner of begynnynge of euery temptacyou that thou mayst beware of them rather withstande the begynnynge so ouercome the hole temptacyon ¶ I rede that our enemye the fende whan he wyll make vs to folowe his wyll or ellys for enuye wyll trauayle and greue vs he begynneth with fals suggestyons that is to saye he putteth in
our myndes diuerse ymagynacyons as worldely flesshely thoughtes and somtyme other thoughtes whiche be full greuous peryllous eyther to make vs haue a grete lust lykynge in thē that be worldely or flesshely or ellys to brynge vs in grete heuynes or drede thrugh tho thoughtes whiche be greuous peryllous ¶ As to the worldely or flesshely thoughtes yf we suttre theym to abyde in oure herte so longe wylfully tyll we haue lykynge in them than hath the deuyll wonne a grete stronge warde of vs purfyeweth ferthermore with all his besynes to make vs assente to hym as in wyll to performe it in dede By that dede thou mayst vnderstande euery dedely synne after the suggestyon is in the begynnynge To some he begynneth with a fals suggestyon of pryde or ellys of couetyse to some with a suggestyon of glotonye or lecherye and so of all other synnes wherin he supposeth soonest to haue maystrye ouer man for euery man is enclyned more to one maner synne than to an other And where he hath maystrye that is to say where that synne is performed in dede he besyeth hȳ sore to brynge it in to custome so thorugh the custome to haue vs hole vnder his power Go fle withstāde all these perylles the prophete Dauyd sayth in the sawter Go away warde or bowe awaye from euyll do good that is to saye after the exposycyon of doctours Go from the euyll of suggestyon from the suggestyon of entysynge from the euyl of delytynge from the euyll of assentynge from the euyl of dede from the euyll of custome Withstande than all suche worldely or flesshely thoughtes as moche as god wyll gyue the grace that thou fal in none of these euylles whiche as I haue sayd be full peryllous Ferthermore as to the greuous thoughtes peryllous perauenture thou wylt aske whiche be tho thoughtes that be so greuous peryllous All tho thoughtes that thou hast ayenst thy wyl whiche make the heuy or sory be greuous And for to shewe the more openly what man that ymagyeth vpon hyghe maters that be ghoostly whiche passe all erthely mennes wytte As vpon the fayth of holy chyrche or suche other that neden not to be specyfed at this tyme for that man hath greuous thoughtes peryllous yf we suffre suche ymagynacyous abyde take none hede in the begynnȳge to the fals suggestyon of the fende wtin short tyme or euer we be ware eyther he wyll make vs lese our kyndely wytte reason or ellys he wyl brynge vs to vnreasonable drede Of suche temptacyons it is nedefull to be ware put theym awaye yf thou may with dououte prayers other occupacyons yf thou may not voyde them suffre them than esely For thou shalt vnderstande that they be ryght nedeful medefull for thy soule for but it were so that suche thoughtes come somtyme in to thy mynde thou sholdest seme in thy selfe that thou were an aungell no man therfore it is nedefull that thou be tempted otherwyle with euyll thoughtes that thou mayst se knowe thyn owne feblenes vnstablenes whiche cometh of thy selfe and that thou mayst fele the strength whiche thou hast onely of god Also thou shalt suffre suche thoughtes esely but thou mayst voyde them for all suche thoughtes so that thou delyte the not in them they ben a grete purgȳge for thy soule a grete strength to kepe within the vertues all be it that they be sharpe bytter for the tyme thynke well that they shal make thy soule clene that was ryght foule make it hole that was ryght syke and brynge it in to euerlastynge lyfe helth without ende to the whiche lyfe helth may no man come withoute grete sharpenes bytternes ¶ Also whan thou art trauayled with thoughtes whiche thou mayst not put away thynke wel that it is a grete ryght wysnes of god that thou haue suche thoughtes For ryght as thou hast had full often thy wyl lykynge in worldely and flesshely thoughtes ayenst the wyll of god ryght so it is the wyl of god that thou haue other thoughtes ayenst thy wyl But yet it is good that thou beware of them that thou drede them dyscretly and truste stedfastly in god For whan the soule hath no delyte in suche thoughtes but hateth lotheth them thaā they be a clensynge a grete mede to the soule but yf it so be that there come somtyme onyly kynge of synne or of ony vanyte thorugh suche thoughtes than withstande thynke that it is a fals suggestyon of the deuyll therwith be dredful and sory that thou hast offended god in lykynge of suche fals ymagynacyons ¶ I rede that for suche thoughtes onely thou shalt not be dampned though they be come in to thy mynde for it is not in thy power to let them to come But yf it be so that thou assente or delyte in them than beware for there thou dyspleasest god Also it is good that thou drede god though thou assente not to euyll thoughtes that thou fall not for pryde For eche man that standeth in vertues standeth onely by the vertue grace of almyghty god Thus than beware of thoughtes for here thou mayst se that all temptacyons begynne with fals suggestyons of the wycked spyryte And yf thou haue grace to withstande suche thoughtes thou shalt ouercome all suche temptacōns And for the moost souerayn remedy ayenst all maner temptacōns it is good that thou shewe thy disease to thy ghoostly fader as oft as it nedeth els to some other good man of ghoostly lyuynge as I sayd before in the fyfth poynt of the thyrde degree of loue ¶ Ferthermore to speke of temptacyons I rede that whan the wycked fende may not ouercome a man wakynge than is his besynes to trauayle to taryenge hym slepynge And that is to dysceyue hym yf he may in thre maners One is to begyle hym thrugh glad confortable dremes The seconde is to greue to lette hȳ thrugh sorowfull dredefull dremes And the thyrde is to make hym the rather assente to synne wakynge thrugh foule syghtes or other dyuerse vanytees whiche he suffreth slepynge therfore it is good to beware of dremes for in some thou mayst wel byleue some it is good to sette at nought for somtyme god sheweth cōfort to wycked men slepynge that they sholde the rather leue theyr synne somtyme he comforted good men slepȳge to make them more feruent in his loue but for as moche as thou myghtest lyghtly be disceyued thrugh suche illusyons I coūseyll the to put them all out frō thy herte or els to shewe thē to thy ghostly frendes For oftymes he that hath moche lykynge in dremes is moost taryed and out of reste Also thou shalt not drede suche dremes what soeuer they be For as I rede yf thou be stable in the fayth of holy chyrche yf thou loue god with all thy herte yf thou be obedyent