HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND FORTIETH CHAPTER
That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all other things; and
surely else never
BUT peradventure thou askest me, how thou shalt govern thee discreetly in meat
and in sleep, and in all these other. And hereto I think to answer thee right
shortly: "Get that thou get mayest." Do this work evermore without ceasing and
without discretion, and thou shalt well ken begin and cease in all other works
with a great discretion. For I may not trow that a soul continuing in this work
night and day without discretion, should err in any of these outward doings; and
else, me think that he should always err.
And therefore, an I might get a waking and a busy beholding to this ghostly work
within in my soul, I would then have a heedlessness in eating and in drinking,
in sleeping and in speaking, and in all mine outward doings. For surely I trow I
should rather come to discretion in them by such a heedlessness, than by any
busy beholding to the same things, as I would by that beholding set a mark and a
measure by them. Truly I should never bring it so about, for ought that I could
do or say. Say what men say will, and let the proof witness. And therefore lift
up thine heart with a blind stirring of love; and mean now sin, and now God. God
wouldest thou have, and sin wouldest thou lack. God wanteth thee; and sin art
thou sure of. Now good God help thee, for now hast thou need!
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