But thou art righteous, if contempt and praise,
poverty and riches, hunger and need or delights and dainties be all
alike to thee. If thou takest these with love of GOD, I hold thee
blessed and high before JESUS. Men who come to thee, they love thee
because they see thy great abstinence, and because they see thee
enclosed: but I may not love thee so lightly for anything I see thee do
without, but if thy will be conformed entirely to GOD'S will. And set
not by their praise and blame, and never give thou heed if they speak
less good of thee than they did; but that thou shouldest be more burning
in GOD'S love than thou wert. For one thing I warn thee: I hope that GOD
has no perfect servant in earth without enemies of some men--For only
wretchedness has no enemy. _For to draw us that we conform our will to
GOD'S will_: are three things. One is, example of holy men and women,
who were intent, night and day, to serve GOD, and dread Him and love
Him. If we follow them on earth, we must be with them in heaven. Another
is the goodness of our Lord, which despises none, but gladly receives
all that come to His mercy: and He is homelier to them than brother or
sister, or any friend that they most love, or most trust in. The third
is the wonderful joy of the kingdom of heaven, which is more than tongue
may tell, or heart may think, or eye may see, or ear may hear. It is so
great that, as in hell nothing might live for great pain but that the
might of GOD suffers them not to die; so the joy in the sight of JESUS
in His GOD-head is so great that they must die of joy, if it were not
for His goodness, who wills that His lovers should be living aye in
bliss: also His righteousness wills that all who loved Him not, be aye
living in fire, which is horrible to any man that thinks: look then what
it is to feel. But they who will not think of it and dread it now, they
shall suffer it evermore. Now hast thou heard how thou mayst dispose thy
life, and rule it to GOD'S will. But I wot well that thou desirest to
hear some special point of the love of JESUS Christ, and of
contemplative life, which thou hast taken to thee in all men's sight.
(According) As I have grace and knowledge, I will teach thee.

CHAPTER VII.

Amore langueo. These two words are written in the Book of Love, that is
called the Song of Love, or the Song of Songs. For he that loves
greatly, lists often to sing of his love, for joy that he or she has
when they think on t