thou art in, which is
solitude, is most able of all other to revelation of the Holy Ghost. For
when S. John was in the Isle of Patmos, then GOD shewed him His secrets.
The goodness of GOD it is that He comforts them wonderfully that have no
comfort of the world, if they give their heart entirely to Him, and
covet not nor seek but Him: then He gives Himself to them in sweetness
and delight, in burning of love, and in joy and melody and dwells aye
with them, in their soul, so that the comfort of Him departs never from
them. And if they any time begin to err, through ignorance or frailty;
soon He shews them the right way; and all that they have need of, He
teaches them. No man to such revelation and grace on the first day may
come; but through long travel and carefulness to love JESUS Christ, as
thou shall here-afterward. Nevertheless, then he suffers them to be
tempted in sore manners, both waking and sleeping. For aye the more
temptations and the grievouser they stand against and overcome, the more
they shall joy in His love when they are passed. Waking, they are
sometimes tempted with foul thoughts, vile lusts, wicked delights, with
pride, ire, envy, despair, presumption and other many. But their remedy
shall be: Prayer: Weeping: Fasting: Waking. These things, if they be
done with discretion, they put away sin and filth from the soul, and
make it clean to receive the love of JESUS Christ, Who may not be loved,
but in cleanness. Also, sometimes the fiend tempts men and women, who
are solitary, by their love in a quaint manner and a subtle: he
transfigures himself in the likeness of an angel of light, and appears
to them, and says he is one of GOD'S angels come to comfort them, and so
he deceives fools. But they that are wise and will not quickly trust to
all spirits, but ask counsel of knowing men, he can not beguile them.
Also, I find written of a recluse, that was a good woman, to whom the
ill-angel oft-times appeared in the form of a good angel, and said that
he was come to bring her to heaven. Wherefore, she was right glad and
joyful. But nevertheless, she told it to her Shrift-father, and he, as a
wise man and wary, gave her this counsel. When he comes, he said, bid
him that he shew thee our Lady, S. Mary. When he has done so, say _Ave
Maria_. She did so. The fiend said: "Thou hast no need to see her; my
presence suffices to thee." And she said by all means she would see her.
He saw that it behoved him either to do h