Scala perfecc[i]onis

¶The cause why soo fewe soules in rewar̄de of the multy∣tude of other comen to this refourmynge in faythe and in fe¦lynge / Caplm xviii. (Book 18)

BVt now sayst thou. Syth our lorde is soo curteys of his goodnes. & of his gracyous yeftes soo free / wonder it is then̄e that soo fewe soules as it semyth in rewarde of y^e mul¦tytude of other maye come to this refourmyng in felynge / It semyth that he were dangerous & that is not sothe / or that he toke noo rewarde of his creatures. the whiche by takynge of fayth are become his seruauntes / Vnto this I may answe∣re & say as me thynketh. that one enchesen is this / Many that are refourmed in faythe sentten not her hertes for to profyte in grace. ne for to seke none hyer estate of good liuynge thruh̄ besye traueylle in prayenge & thynkyng. and other bodily & go¦ostly werkyng / but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe hē∣selfe out of dedely syn̄e. and for to stonde stylle in that plyghte as they are in / For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degree in heuen / They wol coueyte noo more / Thus perchaūce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worlde actyf lyfe / and that is lityll wonder of hem / For they are soo occupyed wyth worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly werkynge / And neuertheles it is pe∣ryllous to hem. for they falle oute all daye / and are now vp & now downe. & maye not come to the stablynes of gode liuyng Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of ly∣uynge / But other men & wym̄en that are free fro worldly be¦synesse yf they woll & maye haue her nedfull sustynaūce with oute grete bodily besynes. specyally as religyous men & wym¦men may that bynden hemself to the state of perfeccōn by ta¦kynge of relygion. and other men also in seculer state that ha¦ue moche reason in grete kyndly wytte. & mighte yf they wol¦de dyspose hem there to come to moche grace / Thise mē are more to blame. for they stonde stylle as they were ydle & woll not prouffyte in grace. ne in noo ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god ••For sothly it is peryllo∣us

to a soule that is refourmed oonly in fayth and woll noo more seke profyte. ne yeue hym besily to ghostly traueyle / for he maye soo lyghtly lese that he hath. and falle ayen to dedely syn̄e. For a soule may not stonde styll alway in one state whi¦le that it is in the flesshe / For it is eyther profitynge in grace or peyrynge in syn̄e / For it fareth by hym as it dooth by a mā that were drawe out of a pytte. & whan he were vp he wolde noo ferd goo than the pyttes brynke / Sothly he were a mo∣che foole. for a lityll puff of wynde or an vnwarly stiryng of hymself sholde soone cast hym downe ayen wors thā he was byfore / Neuertheles yf he flee fro y^e brynke as ferre as he may & goo forthe on the erthe. then̄e though there come a grete stor¦me he is the more syker. for he fallyth not in the pytte / Right soo ghostly. he that is drawen out of the pytte of syn̄e thrugh refourmyng of fayth / & whan he is out of dedely syn̄e he thy••••kyth hymself syker ynough / And therfore he woll not profy∣te but holde hym styll as he is by the pyttis brynke as nere as he maye sothly he is not wise / for at the leest tēptacōn of his enmye or of his flesshe he falleth in to syn̄e ayen / But neuer theles yf he flee fro the pytte. that is yf he sette his herte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for to com̄ to more grace. & for to traueyle besily how he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come therto. & yeue him hertly to prayeng: thinkyng & other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 werkes doyng / though grete tēptacōns ryse ayenst hym 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fallyth not lyghtly to dedely syn̄e ayen / And sothly it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to me y^e sythen grace is soo good & so profytable why a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whan he hath but a lytyll therof / ye soo lytyll that he myghte noo lesse haue that he wolle saye hoo / I wolle noo more of this / for I haue ynough / Whan I see a worldly man though he haue of worldly good moche more than hym nedeth / yet he woll neuer saye hoo / I haue ynough I woll noo more of this / But he woll coueyte more and more: and traueyle all his wyttes and his myghtes / And neuer woll stynte of his coueytise tyll he maye haue noo more / Moche more thenne