noweth himself,
thereafter he profiteth in the knowing of God, of whom he is the
image and the likeness. And therefore it is that after Joseph is
Benjamin born. For as by Joseph discretion, so by Benjamin we
understand contemplation. And both are they born of one mother, and
gotten of one father. For through the grace of God lightening our
reason, come we to the perfect knowing of ourself and of God, that
is to say, after that it may be in this life. But long after Joseph
is Benjamin born. For why, truly but if it so be that we use us
busily and long in ghostly travails, with the which we are learned
to know ourself, we may not be raised in to the knowing and
contemplation of God. He doth for nought that lifteth up his eye to
the sight of God, that is not yet able to see himself. For first I
would that a man learned him to know the unseeable[105] things of
his own spirit, ere he presume to know the unseeable things of the
spirit of God; and he that knoweth not yet himself and weeneth that
he hath gotten somedeal knowing of the unseeable things of God, I
doubt it not but that he is deceived; and therefore I rede that a
man seek first busily for to know himself, the which is made to the
image and the likeness of God as in soul. And wete thou well that he
that desireth for to see God, him behoveth to cleanse his soul, the
which is as a mirror in the which all things are clearly seen, when
it is clean; and when the mirror is foul, then mayst thou see
nothing clearly therein; and right so it is of thy soul, when it is
foul, neither thou knowest thyself nor God. As when the candle
brenneth, thou mayst then see the self candle[106] by the light
thereof, and other things also; right so, when thy soul brenneth in
the love of God, that is, when thou feelest continually thine heart
desire after the love of God, then, by the light of His grace that
He sendeth in thy reason, thou mayst see both thine own unworthiness
and His great goodness. And therefore cleanse thy mirror and proffer
thy candle to the fire; and then, when thy mirror is cleansed and
thy candle brenning, and it so be that thou wittily behold thereto,
then beginneth there a manner of clarity of the light of God for to
shine in thy soul, and a manner of sunbeam that is ghostly to appear
before thy ghostly sight, through the which the eye of thy soul is
opened to behold God and godly things, heaven and heavenly things,
and all manner of ghostly things. But this sight is