ition. I consider thee never of the less merit if thou beest not
in so great abstinence; but if thou set all thy thought how thou mayest
love thy Spouse JESUS Christ more than thou hast done, then dare I say
that thy reward is waxing not waning.

CHAPTER VI.

Wherefore, that thou may'st be rightly disposed both for thy soul and
thy body, thou shalt understand four things. The first thing is: _what
thing defiles a man_. The second thing: _what makes him clean_. The
third: _what holds him in cleanness_. The fourth: _what thing draws him
for to ordain his will entirely at GOD'S will_. For the first, wit thou
that we sin in three things that make us foul: that is with _heart_ and
_mouth_ and _deed_. The sins of the heart are these: Ill-thought: ill
delight: assent to sin: desire of ill; wicked will: ill suspicion:
undevotion: if thou lettest thine heart any time be idle, without
occupation of the love, of the praising of GOD: ill dread: ill love:
error: fleshly affection to thy friends or to other that thou lovest:
joy in any man's ill-faring, whether they be enemy or none: contempt of
poor or sinful men: to honour rich men for their riches: unsuitable joy
in any world's vanity: sorrow of the world: impatience: perplexity, that
is doubt what to do and what not, for every man ought to be secure
(about) what he shall do and what he shall leave: obstinacy in ill:
annoyance (at having) to do good: sorrow that he did no more ill, or
that he did not have that pleasure or that will of his flesh which he
might have done: unstableness of thought: pain at penance: hypocrisy:
love to please men: dread to displease them: shame of good deed: joy of
ill deed: singular wit: desire for honour or dignity, or to be holden
better than another, or richer, or fairer, or more to be dreaded: vain
glory of any good of nature, of happening, or of grace: shame of poor
friends: pride of rich or of gentle kin, for all we alike are free
before GOD'S face, unless our deeds make any better or worse than
another, in spite of good counsel and of good teaching. _The sins of the
mouth_ are these: to swear oftentimes: forswearing: slander of Christ or
of any of His Saints; to name His name without reverence; gainsaying and
strife against truthfulness; murmuring against GOD for any anguish or
trouble or tribulation that may befall on earth: to say GOD'S Service
undevoutly and without reverence: backbiting; flattering: lying:
abusing: cursing: defaming