Scala perfecc[i]onis

¶How by the same lyghte of grace the blessed angels kynde maye be seen / And how Ihū is god & mā aboue all creatures after that the soule maye see hym here / Caplm xlvi. (Book 46)

ANd then̄e after this by the self lyght maye the soule see ghostly the fa••rhede of angels the worthines of hem in kynde. the subtylte of hem in substaūce: the cōfermynge of hē in grace. & the fulnesse of endles blysse▪ y^• soūdryhede of orders the distynccōns of persones how they lyue all in lyght of soth¦fastnes endles. and how they bren̄e all in loue of the holy go¦ost after the worthynes of orders. how they see & loue & pray∣se Ihū in blessyd reste wythout ceesinge / There is noo syght of body: ne no figure in ymaginacōn in this maner worchin¦ge but all ghostly &. of ghostly creatures / Then̄e begyn̄eth the soule to haue grete aqueyntaūce of the blessed spirytes & a gre¦te felishyp / They are full tend & full besye aboute suche a sou¦le to helpe it / They are maysters to teche it. & often thrugh her ghostly presence & towchynge of her lyghte dryuen out fanta¦syes fro the soule: & they Illumyn the soule graciously. thei cō∣forte the soule by swete wordes sodenly sowned in a clene her¦te / And yf ony dysease falle ghostly they seruen the soule and mynystre to it all that it nedeth / Thus saynt poul said of hē / Nōne oēs sūt administratorii sp̄us missi {pro}pt{er} eos qui heredi∣tatē capiūt salutis / * 1.1 wote ye not wel that holy spirytes are mi¦nysters sente of Ihū for hem that taken the herytage of helth Thyse are chosen soules: as who sayth yes / For wyte y^u well that all this ghostly worchyng of wordes & of reasons broug¦hte to the minde· & suche fair liknes are made bi the mynistery of angels whan the lyght of grace abūdantly shinyth in a cle¦ne soule / It maye not be tolde by tonge the felynges the lyght¦nynges the graces & the cōfortes in specyall that clene sowles perceyue thrugh fauourable selyshyp of blessed angels / The soule is well at eace with hem to beholde how they done that it wolde tende to noo thynge elles / But then̄e wyth the helpe

of the angell yet the soule seeth more for knowinge ryseth a¦boue all this in a clene sowle / And y^t is to beholde the blessyd kynde of Ihū / Fyrst of his gloryo{us} manhede how it is hygh•••• worthily aboue all angels kynde. & thenne after of his bless•••• godhede / For by knowyng of creatures is knowen the creat••¦ur. & then̄e begyn̄eth the soule to perceyue a lytyll of the pr••••••¦tees of the blessid trinyte / It may wel ynough· for lyght of g••¦ace gooth before. & therfore she shal not erre aslōge as she ••••••¦deth her wyth the lighte / Then̄e is it opened sothfastly to the eye of y^e soule the on̄lihede in subūan̄ce & distynccōn of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the blessyd tyrnite. as it maye be seē here. & moche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sothfastnes of the blessid trinyte pertynent to this 〈…〉〈…〉 whiche is openly declared & shewed by writyng of holy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of holy chyrche / And wyte y^u well that y^e same & the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••thfastnes of the blessyd trinyte y^• thise holy doctours 〈…〉〈…〉 thrugh grace writen in her bokes in strēgthing of ou•• 〈…〉〈…〉 a clene soule may see in knowyng thrugh y^• self lygh•• 〈…〉〈…〉 / I woll not expresse tomoche of this mater̄ here 〈…〉〈…〉 for it nedeth not / Wond grete loue felith the soule 〈…〉〈…〉 delyte in felyng of this sothfastnes whā it is 〈…〉〈…〉 specyall grace. for loue & light goth bothe togyd in 〈…〉〈…〉 / There is noo loue y^t riseth of knowyng & of 〈…〉〈…〉 dyng y^t may towche sooner our lorde as this loue 〈…〉〈…〉 why: this knowyng is worthiest & hyeste in itself 〈…〉〈…〉 god & man yf it be specyally shewed bi the lyght of 〈…〉〈…〉 therfor̄ is the fyre of loue flam̄ynge of this more 〈…〉〈…〉 than it is of knowyng of ony creature bodily or ghostly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thise gracyo{us} knowynges felid in a soule of y^e vnyuersitee of al creatures in maner̄ before said. & of our lorde Ihū mak•••••• keper of al this fayr vnyuersitee. I calle hē fayr wordes & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 spekynges of our lorde Ihū to a soule y^• whiche he wol ma¦ke his true spouse / He shewith preuytees & profereth riche ••••••¦tes of his tresour: & arayeth y^e soule with hē ful honestly / She nede not be ashamed wyth the cōpanye of her felawes to ape¦re

afterwarde to the face of Ihesu her spouse / All this louely dalyaūce of preuy speche bitixe thū & a soule may be called an hidde worde.* 1.2 of the whiche holy wrytt sayth th{us} / Porro ad me dcm̄ est vbū absconditū et venas susurrii {per}cepit auris mea / Sothli to me is said an hidde worde & the veynes of his row¦uynges myn eere hath perceyued / The Inspyracōn of Ihū is an hidde worde. for it is preuily hidde fro al louers of the wor¦lde & shewed to his louers▪ thrugh whiche a clene sowle percey¦ueth redily the veynes of his rownyng y^t are specyally shew¦enges of his sothfastnes / For eueryche gracyo{us} knowynge of sothfastnes felt wyth Inly sauour & ghostly delyte is a preuy ••ownyng of Ihū in the ere of a clene soule / Him behoueth to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 moche clen̄es & mekenes & all other vertues: & to be halfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to noys of wordly Ianglyng y^t shold wysely perceyue 〈…〉〈…〉 ghostly rownynges y^t is the voys of Ihū / Of y^• why 〈…〉〈…〉 sayth th{us} / Vox dn̄i p̄parantis ceruos & reuelabit 〈…〉〈…〉 The voys of our lord ••hū arayeng hertes & he shal shew 〈◊〉〈◊〉 That is▪ the Inspiracōn of Ihū makyth soules lyghte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 y^t sterten fro therthe ouer busshes & breres of al 〈…〉〈…〉. & he sheweth to hem the thicke. y^t are his preuitees 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not be perceyued but bi sharpe eye. Thise beholdinges 〈◊〉〈◊〉 groūded in grace & in mekenes maketh a soule 〈…〉〈…〉 in desyre to y^• face of Ihū / Thise are y^e ghostly 〈…〉〈…〉 I spake of befor̄: & they bē called newe gracio{us} felinges 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••oo but touche hē a litill for wyssing of y^e soule / For a sou¦••e that is clene stired by grace to vse of this werkyng may see more in an hour of suche ghostly matere thā myʒte be wrytē in a grete boke /

¶Thus finysshith this present boke whiche expowneth many notable doctrynes in contemplacyon / whiche as me se¦myth right exspedyēt to those that setten theyr felicyte in ocu∣pyenge theimself specyally for theyr soule helthe /

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb•• ••.
• * 1.2

  Iob. iiii.