Scala perfecc[i]onis

¶Of a generall remedye ayenst wycked stirynges & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe & of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and of the fende / Caplm xxii••. (Book 23)

ANd after this whan thin enmyes see that thou a••te 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well wylled that thou arte not angry nor heuy ne w••••∣the ne moche stired ayenste noo creature for oughte that they may doo or speke ayēst the. but settest thy herte fully for to suf¦fre al that may falle. ease or vnease: praysyng or lackyng. and that thou wolt charge noo thyng wyth that y^t thou myght ke¦pe thy thoughte and thy desyre hoole to the loue of god. then̄e are they moche abasshed / But thenne woll they assaye the

wyth flaterynge and vayne plesynge / And that is whan they brynge to the syghte of thy soule all thy good dedes & vertues / & bere vpon the that all men praysen the & speken gode of thy holynes / and how al men loue the & worshyp the for thy holy liuynge / Thus done thin enmyes that thou sholde thynke her sayenge soth & haue delite in this vayne Ioye and reste the the¦re in / But yf thou doo well thou shalt holde all suche Iange∣lynge falsed & flateringe of thyn enmye that profereth the to drynke venym tempered wyth honye / And therfore refuse it & saye thou woll not therof. but thou wolde be at Ihrlm / Suche lettynges thou shalt fele or elles other lyke. what of thy flesshe what of the worlde. what of the fende moo than̄e I may reherce now / For a mā aslonge as he suffreth his tho∣ughte wylfully renne aboute the worlde in beholdynge of sō∣dry thynges he perceyueth fewe lettynges: But assoone as he drawyth all his thoughte & his yernynge to one thynge oonly for to haue that. for to knowe that: for to loue that / and that is on̄ly Ihū / then̄e shall he well fele many paynfull lettynges For euery thynge that he feleth & is not that y^t he coueyteth is lettynge to hym / Therfore I haue tolde the of some specyally as for example / And ouermore I say generally that what sty¦rynge that thou felyste of thy flesshe or of the fende pleysaūte or paynfull / bytter or swete: likynge or dredefull. gladsom or sorowfull that wolde drawe downe thy thoughte & thy desyre fro y^e loue of Ihū to worldly vanyte. and lette vtterly thy gos¦tly couetyse that thou haste to the loue of hym. & that thy herte sholde be occupyed with that stirynge restyngly. sette it at no∣ught / receyue it not wylfully. tarye not therwyth tolōge. But yf it be of worldly thynge y^t behoueth nedes to be done to thy∣selfe or to thyn euencrysten. spede the soone of it. and bryng it to an ende that it hāge not on thyn hert / If it be a nother thin¦ge y^t nedeth not or elles it towcheth not the. charge it not. Ian gill not therwith. ne angre the not. drede it not: like it not. but

smyte oute of thyn herte redely. and saye thus / I am noughte: I haue noughte. Nought I seke ne coueyte but the loue of Ie¦su / ••rnyghte thy thoughte to this desyre & strengthe it. and ma¦yntene it wyth prayer & with other ghostly werkes that thou forgete it not: and it shall lede the in thi right waye & saue the fro all perylles. that though thou fele hem thou shalte not pe¦ryssh̄ / And I hope that it shal brynge the to perfite loue of ou¦re lorde Ihū / Neuertheles on that other syde I saye also / what werke or what stirynge it be that maye helpe thy desyre stren¦gthe it & nouryssh̄ it. and make thy thoughte ferrest fro luste •• mynde of the worlde more hole & more bren̄ynge to the loue of god whether it be prayenge or thynkyng. stilnes or spekin¦ge: redynge or herynge / on̄lynes or comonynge: goynge or ••••••tynge kepe it for the tyme & werche therin aslonge as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lastyth / If it be so that thou take therwyth mete & drynke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as a pilgryme doth / and kepe discrecōn in thy worching 〈◊〉〈◊〉 counseyle & ordynaūce of the souereyne: For haue he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soo grete haste in his goynge / yet he woll ete & drynke & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Doo thou lyke wyse / For though it lett the one tyme 〈…〉〈…〉 forther the a nother tyme /