ful hool persoon of the other of hem and forto be streiȝt thoruȝ out the bodi or persoon of the other of hem, than were had a greet entent and purpos into which her loue enclyneth; euen riȝt as hate bitwixe twey persoones bi his nature labourith and moueth into departing and disseuering and into rombe dis|taunt being of euereither of hem from the other of hem atwyn.
And so, therfore, the leest degree of ooning or ioynyng of a man to Goddis persoon or to a Seintis persoon is a meene forto gendre loue anentis God or the Seint, and forto continue and encrece the loue bifore gendrid; and that more or lasse aftir that thilk ioynyng or coupling to Goddis persoon or to the Seintis persoon is more or lasse nyȝer or romber. Seen we not that, if a man loue a child, he wole sette his cheke to the cheke of the child, his iȝe to the childis iȝe, his forhede to the childis forhede, his nose to the childis nose, and therbi the more loue is gendrid anentis the child? Whi not in lijk maner the more loue and good affeccioun mai be gendrid anentis God or a Seint bi such touche to be maad bi the bifore sett ymaginacioun to God or the Seint? Whethir not oon man schal loue bi so miche the more a lord, if he mai be admyttid for to come so nyȝ that he lie with the lord in oon bed? And if he mai not be admyttid into so greet nyȝnes, ȝit if he mai be ad|mittid for to ligge in the same chambir with the lord, certis therbi schal good loue and affeccioun be gen|drid. And therfore such good symple bisynessis bifore spokun, whiche lay persoones doon aboute ymagis, ouȝten not be scorned neither be rebukid, but if the scorners or rebukers ther yn schewe that thei knowen [knowe, MS. (first hand).] not al what mai iustifie tho symple persoones deedis.
