Scala perfecc[i]onis
- Title
- Scala perfecc[i]onis
- Author
- Hilton, Walter, d. 1396.
- Publication
- [Westminster :: Printed by Wynkyn de Worde,
- 1494]
- Rights/Permissions
-
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- Subject terms
- Spiritual life -- Middle Ages, 600-1500.
- Link to this Item
-
https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03935.0001.001
- Cite this Item
-
"Scala perfecc[i]onis." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03935.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 18, 2025.
Contents
- illustration
- Capla prime partis /
- That the Inner hauynge of mannes soule sholde be lyke the vtter Caplm primū
- ¶Of actyf lyf. & the werkes therof / Caplm ii
- ¶Of contēplatiff lyf & the werkes therof / Caplm iii.
- ¶Of the fyrst part of contēplacōn / Caplm iiii·
- ¶Of the ii. part of contemplacōn / Caplm v.
- ¶Of the lower degree of the ii· part of contēplacōn / ca vi:
- ¶Of the hyer degree of the ii. part of cōtem∣placōn / Caplm vii.
- ¶Of the thyrde part of contemplacion / Caplm viii.
- ¶Of the twyn̄ing of the iii. part of contēplacōn. fro the ii. part of the praysing therof / Caplm ix
- ¶How the shewynge to the bodely wyittes & the felynge of hem may be both good & euyll / Caplm .x.
-
¶How y
u shalt know whā the shewing to the bodely wyytt{is} & felyng of hem ben good or euyll / Caplm xi. - ¶what knytteth Ihū to mānes soule: & what loseth him therfro / Ca xii.
- ¶How & in what thynges shold a contēplatyf man be ocu¦pied / Caplm xiii.
- ¶How in reason & wylle vertue begynneth. & in loue & in likyng it is made perfyte / Caplm xiiii.
- ¶Of the meanes that bryngeth a soule to contēplaciō. Caplm xv:
-
¶What a mā shold vse & refuse bi y
e vertue of mekenes / Caplm xvi▪ - ¶who sholde blame men̄es defawtes & deme hem. and who not / Caplm xvii.
- ¶Why men shold worship other and low hēself in her ow¦ne herte vnd al other / Caplm xviii.
- ¶How men sholde doo that wanten the felyng of mekenes in affeccōn not dredyng tomoche therfore / Caplm xix.
- ¶How ypocrites & heretykes for lackyng of meke∣nes hyen hemself in her hert aboue al other / Caplm xx.
- ¶What thynges mē owe to bileue by a siker faith / ca xxi
- ¶How a stable entēt is nedefull to thise that shold plese god / and descrecōn in bodily werkes / Ca xxii.
- ¶Of a lityl rehersyng of thī¦ges said before / & of makyng of offryng that shold be offryd to god / Caplm xxiii.
- ¶Of prayer that is spedeful to gete clennes of herte and vertues / Caplm xxiiii.
- ¶How men shold pray / and wheron the poynt of her tho¦ught shall be sette in prayer / Caplm xxv.
- ¶Of the fyre of loue / Caplm xxvi.
- ¶That the certen prayer in speche ordened of god & of holy chyrche is best to hem that ben new tourned to god & to deuo¦cōn / Caplm xxvii.
-
¶What peryll is to men y
t in the begyn̄yng of her tornyng to god leueth the comyn prayer of thordynaūce of holy chyr∣che / and yeuen hem to medytacōn▪ Caplm xxviii. - ¶Of the ii. maner of prayer that is in speche not certayn. but folowith the stiryng of deuocōn / Caplm xxix
- ¶That the ii. maner of prayer pleseth moche god. & makith a man to haue him in body as he were drōke / & makith him in soule to be won̄ded wyth the swerde of loue / Cplm xxx
- ¶How the fyre of loue wasteth al flesshly lustes / as other fyre wastyth bodely thynges / Caplm xxxi.
- ¶Of the thyrde maner of prayer that is on̄ly in the herte wythout speche outwarde / Caplm xxxii
- ¶How men shold doo that ben traueyled with vayne thou¦ghtes in her prayers / Caplm xxxiii·
- ¶Of meditacōn of synful men after that they ben hooli tourned to god / Caplm xxxiiii.
- ¶That the meditacōn of the manhede of cryst or of hys passyon is yeuen freely of the holy ghost / And how it shall be knowen whan it is yeuen / Caplm xxxv.
- ¶That the meditacyon of the passion of cryst is wyth∣drawen fro hem that it is yeuen to oft sythes for dyuers cau¦ses / Caplm xxxvi.
- ¶Of dyuers temptacōns of the fende / Caplm xxxvii.
- ¶Of dyuers remedyes ayenst temptacōns of the fende Caplm xxxviii.
- ¶How that god hem that he cheseth he suffreth to be taryed & tempted. and afterwarde comforteth hem. and stableth hem in grace / Caplm xxxix.
-
¶That a man shold not yeue him to ydlenes ne lightly leue the grace y
t is yeuen hym of god / Caplm xl - ¶That a man shold knowe the mesure of his gyft that he maye desyre and take a better whan god wyll gyue it / Caplm xli.
- ¶That a man shold traueyle to knowe his owoe soule and the myghtes therof / and breke down the grounde of syn¦ne therin / Caplm xlii.
- ¶How a man shall knowe the worthines and the wor¦shyp of his soule that it had fyrst of / And what wretchydnes & myscheif it is falle in for synne / Caplm xliii.
- ¶How euery man may be saued by the passion of cryst be he neuer soo wretched / Caplm xliiii.
- ¶That a man sholde be besye to reken ayen his worthy∣nes / and refourme ayen in hym the ymage of the Trinyte / Caplm xlv.
- ¶How Ihesu shall be soughte. desyred: & foūde / ca xlvi
- ¶What profyte it is to haue the desyre of Ihesu / Caplm xlvii.
- ¶Where and wyth what thyng Ihesu shall be soughte & founde / Caplm xliii.
- ¶Where Ihesu is loste and founden ayen thorugh his mercy / Caplm xlix
- ¶What letteth a man to here and see Ihesu wythin him selfe / Caplm L.
- ¶That mekenes and charyte ben the specyall lyuerey of Ihesu / thrugh the whyche mannes soule is refourmed to the lyknes of hym / Caplm li.
- ¶Who soo wyll fynde Ihesu him behouith abidyngly to traueyle in ghostly derkenes ayenst the ymage of synne / Caplm liiii·
- ¶What is propirly the ymage of synne / & what comyth oute therof / Caplm lv
- ¶What pryde is / And whan it is synne Caplm lvi▪
- ¶Whan pryde is dedely synne. And how it is in flesshely liuyng men dedely synne / Caplm lvii·
- ¶How pryde in heretykes is dedely syn̄e / Caplm lviii
- ¶How pryde in ypocrytes is dedely synne / Caplm lix.
- ¶How stirynges of pryde and vainglory in good men bē but veniall synnes / Caplm lx
- ¶How dyuers states in holy chyrche shall haue dyuers me¦des in heuen / And of two specyall medes in heuen / Caplm lxi.
- ¶A shorte stirynge to mekenes and to charytee / Caplm lxii.
- ¶How a man shal knowe how moche pryde is in hym / Caplm lxiii.
- ¶Of Enuye and yre and of her braunches / And how in stede of synne man̄is persone is ofte hated / Caplm lxiiii
- ¶That it is maystry to loue mennes persones and wyse¦ly hate her synnes / Caplm lxv
- ¶That for the same dedes dyuers men shall haue dyuers medes Caplm lxvi.
- ¶That all mennes good dedes shall be aproued that ha∣the liknes of good. saaf the opyn heretike and the cursyd mā. Caplm lxvii.
-
¶That noo good dede maye make men saaf wythoute charyte / And that charyte fele they on̄ly y
t bē meke / ca lxviii - ¶How a mā shal wyte how moche wrath & enuye is hyd in the grounde of his herte / Caplm lxix.
- ¶By what tokens thou shalt know yf thou louest thyn enmye / And what ensample thou shalt take of cryst for to lo¦ue hym / Caplm lxx
- ¶How a man shall knowe how moche couetyse is hidde in his herte / Caplm lxxi·
- ¶How a man shall knowe whan he synneth not in etyn¦ge & drynkyng / and whan he synneth venyally / and whan de∣dely / Caplm lxxii.
- ¶How the groūde of lecherie shold be destroyed with ghostli traueyle & wyth bodily / Caplm lxxiii.
- ¶That a man sholde be besye to put awaye all stirynges of synne / but more besye of ghostly synnes than of bodily Caplm lxxiiii
- ¶That hūger and other bodily paynes letteth moche go∣ostly werchynge / Caplm lxxv·
- ¶What Remedye a man shall vse ayenst defawte made in etynge or drynkyng / Caplm lxxvi.
- ¶That thorough by desyre and traueyle for mekenesse & charytee a man comyth sooner to other vertues than by tra∣ueyle in hemself / Caplm lxxvii.
- ¶Of the derknes of the ymage of synne. And what comyth in by the wyndowes therof / Caplm lxxviii.
- ¶That the soule for defawte of knowynge of it self go¦oth onte by fyue wyndowes to seche outwarde likynge. Caplm lxxix.
- ¶That a soule shold not begge without forth but with in of Ihesu that it nedeth / Caplm lxxx.
- ¶That the hole of ymaginacōn nedyth to be stopped as well as the wyndowes of the wyttes / Caplm lxxxi
- ¶Whan the vse of the wyttes ben dedely syn̄e. and whan venyall / Caplm lxxxii.
- ¶How a ghostly man or woman shall haue hem to hem that come to hem / Caplm lxxxiii.
-
¶Of the derke ymage of synne / and of the clothyng ther
of / Caplm lxxxiiii. - ¶Whiche bē the lym̄es of the ymage of syn̄e / Caplm lxxxv.
- ¶Wherof the ymage of Ihesu is made. and wherof the ymage of synne / and how we ben passyng forthe in the yma¦ge of synne / Caplm lxxxvi.
- ¶How we sholde crucifye this ymage of synne. and quyc¦ken the ymage of Ihesu / Caplm lxxxvii.
- ¶What profyte comyth of kepyng of the herte / And how moche the soule is. & what it louyth / Caplm lxxxviii:
- ¶How the ymage of synne shall be broken downe / Caplm lxxxix.
- ¶How a man shall haue hym to the stiryng of pryde and of all other vyces / Caplm lxxxx.
- ¶What thyng helpith moost a man̄is knowyng & getith to hym that he lackith and moost destroyeth synne in hym / Caplm lxxxxi.
- ¶How a man shal be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu / and Ihesu shapen in hym / Caplm lxxxxii.
- ¶How a man shal be shapen to the ymage of Ihesu and Ihesu shapen in hym / Caplm lxxxxii.
- ¶The cause why this boke was made. And how she sho¦lde haue her in redynge therof that it was made to / Caplm lxxxxiii.
- ¶Here begynnen the chapytours of the ii. boke /
- ¶That a man is the ymage of god after the soule and not after the body / Caplm primum
- ¶How it neded to mankynde that oonly thorugh the pas∣syon of cryste it sholde be restored and refourmed that was forshape by the fyrste synne / Caplm ii.
- ¶That Iewes and paynems and also false crysten men ben not refourmed effectuelly thorugh the vertue of the pas∣syon for her owe defawte / Caplm iii.
- ¶Of two maner of refourmynges of this ymage / one in fulnesse. a nother in fayth / Caplm iiii.
- ¶That refourmyng in partye is in two maners. one in fayth a nother in felynge / Caplm v.
- ¶That thorugh the sacrament of baptym that is groun¦ded in the passion of Cryste this is refourmed fro origynall synne / Caplm vi.
-
¶That thorugh the sacrament of penaūce that stond
h in contricyon confession and satisfaccion this ymage is refo¦urmed fro actuall synne / Caplm vii. - ¶How in the sacrament of baptym & of penaūce thorugh a pryue vnperceyuable worchyng of the holy ghost this yma∣ge is refourmed though it be not seen ne felt / Caplm viii.
- ¶That we sholde byleue stedfastly refourmynge of this ymage. yf our conscyence wytnesse to vs a full forsakyng of synne. & a true torning of our wyll to good liuyng / Ca· ix.
-
¶That all the soules that lyuen mekely in the faythe of holy chyrche / and haue her faythe quyckened in loue and cha
¦ryte ben refourmed by this sacramente / though it be soo that they maye not fele the specyall yefte of deuocyon or of ghost¦ly felynge / Caplm x· - ¶That soules refourmed neden euer to fyghte and stry∣ue ayenste the stirynge of synne whyle they lyuen here / And how a soule maye wyte whan it assentyth to the stiryng. and whan not / Caplm xi.
- ¶That this ymage is bothe fayr & fowle whyles it is in this lyfe here though it be refourmed / And of dyuersyte of fe¦lynges pryuely had betwene thise soules that ben refourmed and other that ben not / Caplm xii.
- ¶Of thre manere of men of the whiche some ben not re¦fourmed / and some ben refourmed oonly in fayth / and some in fayth and in felynge / Caplm xiii.
- ¶How men that ben in synne forshapen hemselfe in to dyuerse bestes lyckenesse / And they bē called the louers of the worlde / Caplm xiiii.
- ¶How louers of this worlde vnable hem in dyuers maners to the refourmyng of her owne soule / Caplm xv
- ¶A lityll counseyle how louers of this worlde sholde doo yf they woll be refourmed in her soule byfore her partyng hens Caplm xvi.
- ¶That refourmyng in fayth & in felynge maye not sodenly be goten by grace & moche bodily and ghostly traueyle in leng¦the of tyme / Caplm xvii.
- ¶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.
- ¶How that without moche bodily and ghostly besines and wythout moche grace and mekenesse soules may not be refo¦urmed in felynge / ne kepe therin after they come therto / Caplm xx.
- ¶An entree how a soule shall haue her in menynge & wor∣chinge that woll come to this refourmyng by ensample of a pilgryme goynge to Iherlm. And of two maner of mekenes Caplm xxi.
- ¶Of tarienges & temptacōns that soules fele bi her ghostly enmyes in her ghostly knowinge and gooyng to Ihrlm. and of remedyes ayenste hem / Caplm xxii.
-
¶Of a generall remedye ayenst wycked stirynges &
taryenges that fallen to her hertes of the flesshe & of the and of the fende / Caplm xxii . -
¶Of an euyll daye & a gode nyghte what it meaneth
the loue of the worlde is lykened to an euyll day▪ and of god to a good nyghte / Caplm xxi ▪ - ¶How that the desyre of Ihesu felt in this lyghtsom derknes sleeth al stirynges of syn̄e. & ableth the soule to perceyue ghost∣ly lyghtnynges fro the heuenly Iherusalem that is Ihesu / Caplm xxv.
-
¶How a man shall knowe fals Illumynacōns feyned by y
e fende fro the true lyght of knowyng that comyth out of Ihū and by what tokens / Caplm xxvi. - ¶How grete profite is it to the soule to be broughte thrugh grace in to lyhtsome derkenes / And how a man shall dispose hym yf he woll come therto / Caplm xxvii.
-
¶That in refourmynge of a soule the worchynge of on
lorde Ihesu is departed in to foure tymes / that is. callynge rig¦htynge: magnyfyenge & gloryfyenge / Caplm xxviii. - ¶How it falleth somtyme that soules begyn̄ynge att profy¦tynge in grace seme to haue more loue as by outwarde tokēs than some haue that ben perfyte / and yet it is not soo in soth wythin / Caplm xxix:
- ¶On what maner a man shal haue knowynge of hys ow¦ne soule / and how a mā sholde sette his loue in Ihū god and man one persone / Caplm xxx.
- ¶How this maner of spekynge of refourmynge in felynge of a soule shal be take And on what wyse it is reformed and how it is foūde in saynt poules wordes / Caplm xxxi.
- ¶How god openeth the In̄er eye of the soule to see him not all at ones but by dyuerse tymes / And of thre maner of refo∣urmyng of a soule by ensample / Caplm xxxii.
- ¶How Ihū is heuen to the soule. and why he is called fyre / Caplm xxxiii.
- ¶Of two maner of loue refourmed & vnfourmed what it meanyth / And how we be beholde to loue Ihū moche for ou¦re makynge / but more for our ayen byenge / but all thermoos¦te for our sauyng thrugh the yeftes of his loue / caplm xxxiiii.
-
¶How that some soule loueth Ihū by bodily feruours & by her owne manly affeccōns that ben styred by grace & by
And how some louen Ihū more restfully bi ghostly affecc ōs oonly styred Inwarde thrugh specyall grace of the holy ghost▪ Caplm xxxv. - ¶That the yefte of loue amonge all other yeftes of Ihū is worthiest & moost profitable / And how Ihū dooth all that is well done in his louers on̄ly for loue / And how loue makyth the vsynge of all vertues and all gode dedes lyghte and easy / Caplm xxxvi.
-
¶How loue thrugh gracyous beholding of Ihū sleeth all
¦rynges of pryde: & maketh the sowle for to lese sauour & delyte in all erthly worshyp / Caplm xxxvii. - ¶How loue sleeth all stirynges of wrathe & enuye softly & re¦fourmeth in the soule the vertues of pees & paciēce & of perfy¦te charyte to his euencrysten as he dyde specyally in the appos¦les / Caplm xxxviii.
-
¶How loue sleeth couetyse lecherye & glotenye. and sleeth y
e flesshly sauour & delyte in all the v. bodily wyttes softly & ease¦ly thrugh a gracyous beholdyng of Ihū / Caplm xxxix. -
What vertues & graces a soule receyueth thrugh openynge of y
e In̄er eye in to ye gracyous beholdyng of Ihū. & how it maye not begete on̄ly thrugh mannes traueyle. but thrugh specyall grace & traueyle also / Caplm xl. - ¶How specyall grace in beholdynge of our lorde Ihū wyth∣drawyth sōtyme fro a soule / And how a soule shall haue her in the absence & presence of Ihū / And how a soule shall desy∣re that in it is alwaye the gracyous presence of Ihesu / Caplm xli.
-
¶A cōmendacōn of prayer offred to Ihū of a soule contem¦platyfe / And how stablynes in prayer is a syker werke to stō¦de in / And how euery felinge of grace in a chosen soule maye be sayd Ihū: but the more clenner the soule is y
e worthyer is the grace / Caplm xlii. - ¶How a soule thrugh the openynge of the ghostly eye recey∣ueth a gracyous loue able to vndstonde holy wrytt / And how Ihesu that is hydde in holy writt shewyth hymselfe to his lo∣uers / Caplm xliii
- ¶Of the preuy voys of Ihesu sownyng in a soule wherby it shall be knowen / And how al the gracyous Illumynacōns made in a soule ben called the spekynges of Ihū / c. xliiii.
- ¶How thrugh gracyous openynge of the ghostly eye a soule is made wyse mekely & sothfastly to see the dyuersyte of degre¦es in holy chirche as traueylynge / And for to see angels kynde and firste of reproued / Caplm xlv·
- ¶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.