HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER
That whoso knoweth not the powers of a soul and the manner of
her working, may lightly be deceived in understanding of ghostly words and of
ghostly working; and how a soul is made a God in
grace.
LO, ghostly friend! to such wretchedness as thou here mayest see be we fallen
for sin: and therefore what wonder is it, though we be blindly and lightly
deceived in understanding of ghostly words and of ghostly working, and
specially those the which know not yet the powers of their souls and the
manners of their working?
For ever when the Memory is occupied with any
bodily thing be it taken to never so good an end, yet thou art beneath thyself
in this working, and without any soul. And ever when thou feelest
thy Memory occupied with the subtle conditions of the powers of thy soul and
their workings in ghostly things, as be vices or virtues, of thyself, or of any
creature that is ghostly and even with thee in nature, to that end that thou
mightest by this work learn to know thyself in furthering of perfection: then
thou art within thyself, and even with thyself. But ever when thou feelest thy
Memory occupied with no manner of thing that is bodily or ghostly, but only
with the self substance of God, as it is and may be, in the proof of the work
of this book: then thou art above thyself and beneath thy God.
Above thyself thou art: for why, thou attainest
to come thither by grace, whither thou mayest not come by nature. That is to
say, to be oned to God, in spirit, and in love, and in accordance of will.
Beneath thy God thou art: for why, although it may be said in manner, that in
this time God and thou be not two but one in spirit--insomuch that
thou or another, for such onehead that feeleth the perfection of this work, may
soothfastly by witness of Scripture be called a God--nevertheless yet thou art
beneath Him. For why, He is God by nature without beginning; and thou, that
sometime wert nought in substance, and thereto after when thou wert by His
might and His love made ought, wilfully with sin madest thyself worse than
nought, only by His mercy without thy desert are made a God in grace, oned with
Him in spirit without departing, both here and in bliss of heaven without any
end. So that, although thou be all one with Him in grace, yet thou art full far
beneath Him in nature.
Lo, ghostly friend! hereby mayest thou see
somewhat in part, that whoso knoweth not the powers of their own soul, and the
manner of their working, may full lightly be deceived in understanding of words
that be written to ghostly intent. And therefore mayest thou see
somewhat the cause why that I durst not plainly bid thee shew thy desire unto
God, but I bade thee childishly do that in thee is to hide it and cover it. And
this I do for fear lest thou shouldest conceive bodily that that is meant
ghostly.