HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER
How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this
other word "up"; and of the deceits that follow
thereon.
NO more of these at this time now: but forth of our matter, how that these
young presumptuous ghostly disciples misunderstand this other word up.
For if it so be, that they either read, or
hear read or spoken, how that men should lift up their hearts unto God, as fast
they stare in the stars as if they would be above the moon, and hearken when
they shall hear any angel sing out of heaven. These men will sometime with the
curiosity of their imagination pierce the planets, and make an hole in the
firmament to look in thereat. These men will make a God as them
list, and clothe Him full richly in clothes, and set Him in a throne far more
curiously than ever was He depicted in this earth. These men will make angels
in bodily likeness, and set them about each one with diverse minstrelsy, far
more curious than ever was any seen or heard in this life. Some of these men
the devil will deceive full wonderfully. For he will send a manner of dew,
angels' food they ween it be, as it were coming out of the air, and softly and
sweetly falling in their mouths; and therefore they have it in custom to sit
gaping as they would catch flies. Now truly all this is but deceit, seem it
never so holy; for they have in this time full empty souls of any true
devotion. Much vanity and falsehood is in their hearts, caused of their curious
working. Insomuch, that ofttimes the devil feigneth quaint sounds in their
ears, quaint lights and shining in their eyes, and wonderful smells in their
noses: and all is but falsehood. And yet ween they not so, for them
think that they have ensample of Saint Martin of this upward looking and
working, that saw by revelation God clad in his mantle amongst His angels, and
of Saint Stephen that saw our Lord stand in heaven, and of many other; and of
Christ, that ascended bodily to heaven, seen of His disciples. And therefore
they say that we should have our eyes up thither. I grant well that in our
bodily observance we should lift up our eyes and our hands if we be stirred in
spirit. But I say that the work of our spirit shall not be direct neither
upwards nor downwards, nor on one side nor on other, nor forward nor backward,
as it is of a bodily thing. For why, our work should be ghostly not bodily, nor
on a bodily manner wrought.