Scala perfectionis

¶The cause why so fewe soules in rewarde of y^t multy¦tude of other comen to this refourmg in fayth & in felyn¦ge. Caplm̄ xviii

BUt now sayst thou / Syth our lorde is so curteys of his goodnes. & of his gracyous yeftes so free / wonder it is then that so fewe sowles as it semyth in re∣warde of the multytude of other maye come to this re∣fourmynge in felynge / It semyth y^t he were dangerous & that is not sothe / or that he toke no rewarde of his crea¦tures. the whiche by takyng of fayth are become his ser¦uauntes / Unto this I may answere & saye as me thyn∣keth. that one enchesen is this / Many that are refour∣med in fayth setten not her hertes for to profyte in gra∣ce. ne for to seke none hyer estate of good lyuynge thoru¦gh besye traueyle in prayeng a thynkyng. and other bo¦dely & ghostly werkynge / but hem thynke it ynough to hem to kepe hemselfe out of dedely synne. & for to stonde stylle in that plyght as they are in / For they saye that it is ynough to hem for to be saaf and haue the leest degre in heuen / They wol coueyte no more / Thus perchaun¦ce dooth some of the chosen soules that leden in the worl¦de actyflyfe / and that is lytyl wonder of hem / For they are so occupyed with worldly besynesse that nedeth for to be done that they maye not fully sette her hertes for to profyte in ghostly we tkynge / And neuertheles it is pe∣ryllous to hem. for they falle out al daye / and are nowe vp. & now downe. & maye not come to the stablenes of gode lyuyng. Neuertheles they are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge / But other men & wymmen y^t are free fro worldly besynesse yf they woll & maye haue her nedeful sustynaunce without grete bodely besynes specyally as relygyous men & wymmen may that byn∣den

hemselfe to the state of perfeccyon by takynge of re¦lygion. and other men also in seculer state that haue mo¦che reason in grete kyndly wytte. & myght yf they wolde dyspose hem there to come to moche grace / Thyse men are more to blame. for they stōde stylle as they were ydle & wol not prouffyte in grace. ne in no ferder sekynge for to come to the loue and the knowyng of god / For sothly it is peryllous to a soule that is refourmed oonly in say∣th and wol no more seke profyte. ne yeue hym besyly to ghostly traueyle / for he maye so lyghtly lese that he hath and falle ayen to dedely synne. For a soule may not ston¦de styl alwaye in one state whyle that it is in the flesshe / For it is eyther profytynge in grace or peyrynge in syn̄e For it fareth by hym as it dooth by a man that were dra¦we out of a pytte. & whan he were vp he wolde no ferder go than y^e pyttes brynke / Sothly he were a moche foole for a lytyl puffe of wynde or an vnwarly styryng of hȳ selfe sholde soone caste hym downe ayen wors than he was byfore / Neuertheles yf he fle fro y^e brynke as ferre as he maye & go forth on the erthe. then though there co¦me a grete storme he is the more syker. for he falleth not in the pytte / Ryght so ghostly. he that is drawen out of y^e pytte of synne thoroughe refourmynge of faythe / and whan he is our of dedely synne he thynketh hymselfe syke•• ynoughe / And therfore he wol not profyte but holde hym stylle as he is by the pyttys brynke as nere as he maye sothely he is not wyse / For atte the leest temptacyon of hys enmye or of hys flesshe he falleth in to synne ayen / But neuerthelesse yf he flee fro the pytte. that is yf he sete his herte fully for to com̄ to mo∣re grace. and for to traueyle besyly howe he maye come therto. & yeue hym hertly to prayeng. thynkyng & other

good werkes doyng / though grete tēptacōns ryse ayen¦ste hym he fallyth not lyghtly to dedely synne ayen / And sothly it is wōder to me y^t sythē grace is so good & so pro¦fytable why a mā whā he hath but a lytyl therof ye so ly¦tyl y^t he myʒt no lesse haue y^t he wol say ho / I wol no mo¦re of this / for I haue ynough / Whan I se a worldly mā though he haue of worldly good moche more than hym nedeth / yet he wol neuer saye hoo / I haue ynough I wol no more of this / But he wol coueyte more & more: & tra¦ueyle all his wyttes and his myghtes / And neuer woll stynte of his coueytyse tyl he maye haue no more / Mo∣che more thenne sholde a chosen soule coueyte ghostely good y^t is euerlastyng & makyth a soule blessyd / And he neuer sholde cease of his coueytyng yf he dyde wel▪ gete what he gete myght / For he y^e most coueyteth most shal haue / And sothly yf he dyde th{us} he sholde profyte & wexe in grace gretly /