doings. And by this staff thou mayst sikerly climb in to
the high mount of perfection, that is to say, to the perfect love of
God; though all this beginning be imperfect, as thou shalt hear
after. For, what for the general sight that thou hast of the mercy
and of the goodness of God, and this special experience that thou
feelest of His mercy and His goodness in this acceptation of this
little short service for so long recklessness, as it were in a full
aseeth of so much recklessness (as it is said before), it may not be
but that thou shalt feel a great stirring of love unto Him that is
so good and so merciful unto thee--as the steps of thy staff, hope,
plainly sheweth unto thee in the time of thy prayer, if thou do it
duly as I have told thee before.[198] The ghostly experience of the
proof of this working standeth all in a reverent affection that a
man hath to God in the time of his prayer, caused of this dread in
the ground of this work, and of this stirring of love, the which is
brought in by the ghostly steps of this staff hope, touched before.
For why, reverence is nought else but dread and love medled together
with a staff of certain hope,

Me thinketh that the proof of this working is devotion; for devotion
is nought else, as saint Thomas the doctor saith, but a readiness of
man's will to do those things that longeth to the service of
God.[199] Each man prove in himself, for he that doth God's service
in this manner, he feeleth how ready that his will is thereto. Me
thinketh that saint Bernard accordeth to this working, where he
saith that all things should be done swiftly and gladly. And see
why: swiftly for dread, and gladly for hope, and lovely trust in His
mercy. [And what more? Sikerly, I had lever have his meed that
lasteth in such doing, though all he never did bodily penance in
this life, but only that that is enjoined to him of holy Church,
than of all the penance-doers that have been in this life from the
beginning of the world unto this day without this manner of doing. I
say not that the naked thinking of these two thoughts is so meedful;
but that reverent affection, to the which bringing in these two
thoughts are sovereign means on man's party, that is it that is so
meedful as I say.[200]] And this is only it by itself, without any
other manner of doing (as is fasting, waking, sharp wearing, and all
these other), the which only by itself pleaseth almighty God, and
deserveth to have meed of Him. And