HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER
That men should have great wariness so that they understand
not bodily a thing that is meant ghostly; and specially it is good to be wary
in understanding of this word "in," and of this word
"up."
AND therefore lean meekly to this blind stirring of love in thine heart. I mean
not in thy bodily heart, but in thy ghostly heart, the which is thy will. And
be well wary that thou conceive not bodily that that is said ghostly. For truly
I tell thee, that bodily and fleshly conceits of them that have curious and
imaginative wits be cause of much error.
Ensample of this mayest thou see, by that
that I bid thee hide thy desire from God in that that in thee is. For
peradventure an I had bidden thee shew thy desire unto God, thou
shouldest have conceived it more bodily than thou dost now, when I bid thee
hide it. For thou wottest well, that all that thing that is wilfully hidden, it
is cast into the deepness of spirit. And thus me thinketh that it needeth
greatly to have much wariness in understanding of words that be spoken to
ghostly intent, so that thou conceive them not bodily but ghostly, as they be
meant: and specially it is good to be wary with this word in, and this
word up. For in misconceiving of these two words hangeth much error, and
much deceit in them that purpose them to be ghostly workers, as me thinketh.
Somewhat wot I by the proof, and somewhat by hearsay; and of these deceits list
me tell thee a little as me thinketh.
A young disciple in God's school new turned from
the world, the same weeneth that for a little time that he hath given him to
penance and to prayer, taken by counsel in confession, that he be
therefore able to take upon him ghostly working of the which he heareth men
speak or read about him, or peradventure readeth himself. And therefore when
they read or hear spoken of ghostly working--and specially of this word, "how a
man shall draw all his wit within himself," or "how he shall climb above
himself"--as fast for blindness in soul, and for fleshliness and curiosity of
natural wit, they misunderstand these words, and ween, because they find in
them a natural covetyse to hid things, that they be therefore called to that
work by grace. Insomuch, that if counsel will not accord that they shall work
in this work, as soon they feel a manner of grumbling against their counsel,
and think--yea and peradventure say to such other as they be--that they can
find no man that can wit what they mean fully. And therefore as fast, for
boldness and presumption of their curious wit, they leave meek prayer and
penance over soon; and set them, they ween, to a full ghostly work
within in their soul. The which work, an it be truly conceived, is neither
bodily working nor ghostly working; and shortly to say, it is a working against
nature, and the devil is the chief worker thereof. And it is the readiest way
to death of body and of soul, for it is madness and no wisdom, and leadeth a
man even to madness. And yet they ween not thus: for they purpose them in this
work to think on nought but on God.