HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND FORTIETH CHAPTER
A good teaching how a man shall flee these deceits, and work more with a
listiness of spirit, than with any boisterousness of body
AND therefore for God's love be wary in this work, and strain not thine heart in
thy breast over-rudely nor out of measure; but work more with a list than with
any worthless strength. For ever the more Mistily, the more meekly and ghostly:
and ever the more rudely, the more bodily and beastly. And therefore be wary,
for surely what beastly heart that presumeth for to touch the high mount of this
work, it shall be beaten away with stones. Stones be hard and dry in their kind,
and they hurt full sore where they hit. And surely such rude
strainings be full hard fastened in fleshliness of bodily feeling, and full dry
from any witting of grace; and they hurt full sore the silly soul, and make it
fester in fantasy feigned of fiends. And therefore be wary with this beastly
rudeness, and learn thee to love listily, with a soft and a demure behaviour as
well in body as in soul; and abide courteously and meekly the will of our Lord,
and snatch not overhastily, as it were a greedy greyhound, hunger thee never so
sore. And, gamingly be it said, I counsel that thou do that in thee is,
refraining the rude and the great stirring of thy spirit, right as thou on
nowise wouldest let Him wit how fain thou wouldest see Him, and have Him or feel
Him.
This is childishly and playingly spoken, thee think peradventure. But I trow
whoso had grace to do and feel as I say, he should feel good gamesome play with
Him, as the father doth with the child, kissing and clipping, that well were him
so.
our kind sponsors.
