¶ The .xi. Chaptre of the desire to profite spiri∣tually & pease to be purchased.

IT is one speciall meane to acquire pease nat to intermytt vs of the wordes and werkes of those that atteyne nat to vs. Howe maye that per∣sone be in gostely quyetnesse that moche intermyt∣teth hym selfe of those thynges that he hath no cure of: Or syketh occasyons outwarde and hath but li∣tell recourse to inlye habytacyon of hys conscyence Blessede be the true symple fowles wythoute any dysceyueable mynde that in all theyr lyfe and labo∣ures truely entendeth for they shall come to the rest of mynde / and conscyence. ¶ The holy seyntes by mortyfiynge / and subduynge theyre sensualyte to reason all erthely thynges sette a parte they wythe all theyr inly delectable desyresfrely haue had their hole meditacyon in oure lorde. But we be besy mo∣che in thynges transetorye / and folowe oure passy∣ons that we maye nat ouercome in maner perfytly one vyce. ¶ And therfore we be nat accended in the dayly profite & deuocion & therfore we remayne re∣mysse and voyde of deuocion. The most pryncipal cause why we haue no inly delectacyon or desire of heuenly contemplacyon ys: for we be nat fre or de∣lyuered Page  [unnumbered] from our senssuall passyons & cōcupiscēsis ne inforce nat oure selfe into the holy waye that the blyssed faders haue gone afore vs. whan a litell ad∣uersite cometh to vs we besone ouercome & redy to returne to the consolacyons of man. Where yf we wolde mightily stande in bataile for the loue of our lorde we shulde se the goodnes of his gracius helpe sent towarde vs. Hys grace is euer redy to gyde / & helpe those that in spirituall batayle haue full con∣fidence in hym. And he procurith occasions of batel to the ende that we shulde increase the crowne of {per}∣petuall ioye by the meane of victory. Than lette vs cutte awaye oure inordinate affeccions / & passions that be the rotes of all iniquyetnes & than we maye possesse a peasable mynde in god. If we wolde eue∣ry yere indeuoure oure selfe to ouercome perfectly one vice: we shulde in shorte space come to greate perfeccyon. But I fere it be contrary bothe in riligi¦on and worldly people that after longe cōtynuaūce in lyuynge they {per}ceyue that the state goynge afore hath be more vertuous & pure than the present state that they be in. The more we encrease in age / and drawe to our dethe the more dilygently nor shulde labour for the perpetuall reward▪ that be ordeined for those that order theyr lyues / and labours therto The v{er}tuous lyfe peynfull in the beginige by custo∣me returneth to greate perfite pleasure It is harde to leue customes in pleasure. But it ys more peyne without mesure to leue the eternall peasure that for dāpnable custome shalbe loste. Eeuer striue might∣••ly Page  [unnumbered] agaynst the fyrste mocions that incyteth vs to ••nne & resist the euyll customs for the lenger they {con}∣tynue the more harde it shalbe to resist thē. If thou woldest cōsider howe great inly peas thou shuldest cause in thy selfe & in other ineshewynge outwarde pleasurs & i subduynge inordynat affeccions & de∣sires contrarye to reason. I suppose thou woldeste be moche more diligent to come to spirituall encrea¦se of lyfe.