Scala perfecc[i]onis

¶How ypocrites & heretykes for lackyng of meke∣nes hyen hemself in her hert aboue al other / Caplm xx. (Book 20)

YPocrites ne heretykes fele not this mekenes neyther in good wyll ne in affeccōn / but ful drye & ful colde arn her hertes & her reynes fro the soft felyng of this vertu / and in so moche the ferder they ben fro it. that thei wene that thei haue it / They gnawe on y^e drye barke wythout. but the swete ker∣nel of it & the inly sauour may they not come to / They shew outwarde mekenes in habite & holy speche: in lowly beryng / & as it semyth in many bodely & ghostly vertues / But neuerthe¦les in the wyll & in thaffeccōn of her hert where mekenes sho¦lde be: it is faynt / For they deme & despisen & setten at nought other men that wyll not doo as they done & teche / they holden hem eyther foles by vncūnyng: or blynded by flesshly lyuyng And therfore lyft they hemself vpō hye in her owne sight a∣boue al other. wenyng y^t they lyue better than other: & that thei haue on̄ly the sothfastnes of good lyuyng: & in ghostly felyng & synguler grace of god both in knowyng & in ghostly feling passyng other men / And in this sight of hēself ryseth a delyte in her hertes in the whiche they worshyp & prayse hemself. as

there were none but they. They praysen & thanken god with her lyppes. but in her hertes they stelen as theues the worship & the thākyng fro god. & settith it in hemself / and soo they ha¦ue nother mekenes in felyng ne in wyll / A wretchyd caytyff or a syn̄er whiche falleth al daye. & he is sory that he dooth so though he haue not mekenes in affeccōn / he hath it in a gode wyll / But an heretike or an ypocrite hath neyther / For they haue the cōdicōn of the pharyse / whiche came as our lord say the in the gospel wyth the publican into the tēple for to pray And whan he came he praied not ne asked ought of god. for him thought he had noo nede. but he began to thāke god & sa¦yd th{us} / Lord I thāke the that thou yeuest me grace more than to other that I am not as other men be / robbers lechours / or other suche syn̄ers / And he lokid beside hym & sawe the publy¦can whiche he knew for a wretche: knockyng on his brest on̄¦ly cryenge after mercy / then̄e he thanked god that he was not suche one as he was / for lord he sayd I fast twyes in the we∣ke / & I paye truly my tythes / And whā he had doo. our lord sa¦yd that he yede home ayen wythout grace as he came. & gate right nought / But now sayst y^u. wherin trespassid this phary¦se syth he thāked god & was soth that he said / As to this I an¦swere & say that this pharysee trespassid in asmoche as he de∣myd and repreuid in his hert the publicā whiche was iustifi¦ed of god / And also he trespassyd for he thankyd god oonly with his mouth / but he delyted preuely & wylfully by a preuy pryde in hymselfe of the yeftes of god: stelyng the worshyp & louyng fro god. & set it in hymself / This same condycyon of this pharysee sothely hath heretykes & ypocrytes / They wylle not gladly pray / and if they pray: they meke not hēself know¦legyng truly her wretchydnes / but they make hemself by a fe¦nyng for to thanke & loue god / and spekith of hym wyth her mouth / but her delyte is vayne & fals and not in god / And yet they wene not so / they can not loue god / For as the wise mā

sayth / Nō est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris / It is neyther fa∣yr * 1.1ne semely praysing of god in y^• mouth of a syn̄er / wherfo∣re it is {pro}fytable to the & to me & to suche other wretches forto leue the cōdicion of this pharisee & feined louyng of god. and folowe the plublican in lownes / askyng mercy & foryeuenes of syn̄es. & grace of ghostly vertues. that we myght afterward wyth a clene hert sothfastly thāke hym & loue hym / and yeue hym holy y^e worshyp wythout feynyng / For our lord askith this bi his prophete / Su{per} quē reqescet sp̄s me{us}.* 1.2 nisi su{per} hūilē contritū sp̄u & trementē sermones meos? Vpon whom shall my spiryte rest / & he answereth hymself & sayth. vpō none but vpon the meke poor & contrite in hert & dredyng my wordes? Then̄e yf thou wyll haue the spiryte of god rulyng in thi he¦rte: haue mekenes & drede hym /

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ecc xv••
• * 1.2

  Isay· 66