HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER
How that a man's affection is marvelously changed in ghostly
feeling of this nought, when it is nowhere
wrought.
WONDERFULLY is a man's affection varied in ghostly feeling of this nought when
it is nowhere wrought. For at the first time that a soul looketh thereupon, it
shall find all the special deeds of sin that ever he did since he was born,
bodily or ghostly, privily or darkly painted thereupon. And howsoever that he
turneth it about, evermore they will appear before his eyes; until the time be,
that with much hard travail, many sore sighings, and many bitter weepings, he
have in great part washed them away. Sometime in this travail him think that it
is to look thereupon as on hell; for him think that he despaireth to
win to perfection of ghostly rest out of that pairs Thus far inwards come many,
but for greatness of pain that they feel and for lacking of comfort, they go
back in beholding of bodily things: seeking fleshly comforts without, for
lacking of ghostly they have not yet deserved, as they should if they had
abided.
For he that abideth feeleth sometime some
comfort, and hath some hope of perfection; for he feeleth and seeth that many
of his fordone special sins be in great part by help of grace rubbed away.
Nevertheless yet ever among he feeleth pain, but he thinketh that it shall have
an end, for it waxeth ever less and less. And therefore he calleth it nought
else but purgatory. Sometime he can find no special sin written thereupon, but
yet him think that sin is a lump, he wot never what, none other thing than
himself; and then it may be called the base and the pain of the
original sin. Sometime him think that it is paradise or heaven, for diverse
wonderful sweetness and comforts, joys and blessed virtues that he findeth
therein. Sometime him think it God, for peace and rest that he findeth
therein.
Yea! think what he think will; for evermore he
shall find it a cloud of unknowing, that is betwixt him and his God.