X.

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Now I go my way to Him that sent me, &c. John xvi.

This gospel of John telleth of things that are to come before the day of doom. And for that Christ's ascension was nigh, therefore Christ told a word of his ascension, that his apostles should believe. Christ, to whom all things that shall be are present, said upon the Thursday that he should die on the morrow, I go to Him that hath sent me to the earth. And that for a great office, to buy the church of men. And although my going is as open as it was hid before times, none of you asketh me whither I go. But yet, for that I have spoken these things unto you, ye believe not but lightly that they are truth; and so a hidden sorrow hath filled your hearts. For I have told you I shall suffer, how I shall be reproved, and how I shall die, and how I shall after be ascended from you; and how I shall dwell in heaven, till I come at the last day to judge the world to joy or to pain. And these words shall make friends to mourn among themselves. But I say truth to you, it profiteth to you that I go; for if I go not, the Holy Ghost shall not come to you: and if I shall go, I shall send him to you. And when he shall come, he shall reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, also of judgment.

But this shall be understood thus; God shall reprove this world of sin, of untruth, for they believed not in me. And this is the first sin and the most unkind that they might do to God. For since Christ came to this world, and became our brother, to buy us, and always to profit mankind; and he is so openly truth, showed thus unto man; it is a great sin to believe not here to Christ, for by sinning as to this faith, unkind men believe not to this Father, and to Christ, and also to the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Trinity witnesseth this. And as belief is the first virtue and ground of all other, so unbelief is the first sin of all other. And therefore, this sin, taken by itself, is taken for the most noted. Of this sin shall the Holy Ghost reprove men of this world.

Secondly, the Holy Ghost shall reprove men of righteousness, that they should have to Christ, and yet they unkindly want it. For such a messenger should be worshipped of all men, and praised for such a message, since it was so profitable. And so the world shall be condemned for

wanting of this righteousness; and especially that such a Person goeth again to his Father. And it shows that Christ is the second Person in the Trinity, and so by his Godhead equal with his Father; and by his manhood, less, but equal in nature with his brethren. And thus right would require that this Person were worshipped.

The third time, this Holy Ghost shall reprove men of this world, for that they judged foolishly, that Christ was led with a fiend; and yet the most high fiend, the prince of this world, is now judged to hell. For he tempted Christ, and did him worship.

Christ farther saith, I have many things to say to you, but ye may not bear them now. But the Spirit of truth shall come to you, and he shall teach you all truth, and make you strong to bear truth, even to the suffering of death therefor. This good Master shall here begin to teach the book of life, and he shall never end to teach till that his disciples come to heaven; and thus they shall clearly know each truth that man can tell. He shall not speak of himself without cause: but all things that he shall hear of the Father and of the Son shall he speak and tell you, and ye shall after teach his church. And things that thereafter are to come, shall this Holy Ghost tell you. For the apostles here know all that now there is need to know; for in this measure God led them, and moved them to do his deeds. For he charged them not with idle knowledge that they should be proud; but all they needed to know, they knew readily.

This Holy Ghost shall enlighten me; for he shall take of mine, and show you the truth that I am, and that I have. And so in knowing of this truth, the apostles shall well know Christ how by his Godhead he is equal with the Father; and concerning his manhood, he is one in nature with his brethren. But in grace he passeth all men that may be; since no man may be God but he; and the well or source of grace as he is. And here Christ declareth himself, and saith that all that are his Father's are his; and therefore he said the Holy Ghost shall take of his and show to his disciples, as apostles and others after them. And in these high words of knowledge, Christ teacheth how he is with his Father, the same God in kind, and bringeth forth the Holy Ghost. For else the Father had his Spirit, and the Son had not the same Spirit: and so not all that the Father hath, had Christ as very God. But since this word of Christ is truth, it showeth openly that Christ is God.

And of him, with his Father, cometh forth the Holy Ghost. This Holy Ghost may not be made, but ever cometh forth of these two; as of the shining of the sun ever cometh forth light and brightness. But for that this sentence is much hid from knowledge of the common people, therefore should priests shape of this gospel what might profit to his people for understanding of them. And we should mark these words of Christ, when he saith to his disciples, if he go not from them to heaven, he shall not send them the Holy Ghost. And many muse of these words, since Christ was everywhere almighty, and so he might as well on earth as in heaven send them the Holy Ghost. Then what needed Christ to ascend to heaven, and speak by mouth with his Spirit? Such words show men are full rude (ignorant) to conceive this matter. And therefore it were

needful for them to know the intent of these words.

We shall believe that Christ's disciples loved him here too worldly; and they must be cleansed here of this love, by the Holy Ghost. And these things might best be done when the manhood of Christ was gone from them. And thus for the rudeness of the apostles, Christ saith that it speedeth that he go from them. But he dwelleth by his Godhead, and by his virtue, ever with them. And therefore he saith another time, that he is all days with them, unto the end of the world, by his Godhead, and the virtue of his manhood. And thus, when Christ was gone to heaven, his apostles were clean in love, and left the love of earthly things, and thought wholly on heavenly things.

And of this, men take knowledge somewhat, that it falleth not to Christ's vicar, nor to priests of holy church, to have rents in earth; but Jesus should be their rent, as he saith oft in the old law. And their bodily sustenance they should have of God's part, as of tythes and offerings, and other alms taken in measure, the which by their holy life they should enable them to take thus. Since the body of Christ being present, indisposed the apostles to take this Holy Ghost, much more should worldly lordship make men unable now to take this Holy Ghost. And since they have now a spirit, it is likely by their deeds that they have a wicked spirit that leads them an evil way. And in this world we may see how the religious that are to-day are more drawn to their habits and to their ordinances, than Christ would that his apostles should charge as to the presence of his body. And therefore Christ sent his apostles alone, scattering into the world. And certainly they

were more able now, than when he sent them two and two; for now they were more ripe by the Holy Ghost, and more confirmed than they were before. But our friars that are sick, and closed now in cloisters, gather more than Christ's twelve apostles. And this seemeth by the fiend's contrivance, that if one black not his brother, another should defile them worse. And therefore some friars have sense to hold themselves far from such a lump, and go forth into the world, and then should they have a good spirit. For thus did Christ with his disciples, and him they should follow in life.

XI.

LOVE TO CHRIST.

If a man love me he will keep my words, &c. John xiv.

In this gospel Christ moveth his children to love. For charity is the best robe that any man may have. And therefore saith God's law, that love is strong as death. For love moveth men to suffer death gladly in God's cause. As where death is that which man dreadeth most, this love passeth nature, and makes men to covet such death. And this will is not harmful, but glorious to men; since by such love men are inflamed and become as angels of heaven. First, Christ saith thus, if any man love him, he shall keep his word; for that is the same truth; and since God is kind to men that love him thus, Christ saith that his Father shall love him again. And if his Father love a man, the two other persons of the blessed Trinity love him, and all such love of God must needs be evermore. And the manhood of Christ worketh thus by this love. It shall bring with Christ such members of him to heaven, and so to clear sight of the Holy Trinity. And so Christ with his members shall make their dwelling without end, by love of the Holy Ghost; for saints in heaven may not pass this end; for then they were fools choosing a worse end. For Christ will show himself united to those that love him and keep his words; therefore he saith, He that loveth him not, he keepeth not his words. And therefore Christ, in describing a man that loveth him, saith thus afterwards in the same gospel, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them in his life, he it is that loveth me well. Here we may know when a man loves God; for if he love God, he loveth

his law, and words of the gospel, for they all come to one; and if he loveth not God's law, he loveth not his God. And therefore each man who loveth not thus God's word, that he would die to defend it, he loveth not his God as he should love him. For it is all one to love God and love his word; and as much as thou lovest God, shouldest thou love his word, but for love of thy God thou shouldest lose thy life, for defence of Christ's law. And in cowardice of this love* be many men smitten. But knights by order† should be ready in this love.

But that Christ saith that men should keep his words, many men might muse what these words mean. But Christ saith that all these words are truths; as ten truths of the commandments, and all without end. And so he that keepeth not the words of Christ, he keepeth not his one word, the which they have heard. And this one word which they have heard, is not Christ's, but his own Father's. For it is Christ's person, and Christ is not Christ's son, but the Son of the Father. And thus we may see the worth of God's word. The words of God are many by diversity of reason; but they all run together to one middle point, and so they all are God's word, that is himself. And as these words are dark to the people, therefore Christ giveth them a comfort in this matter; and saith, that he had spoken these things unto them, while dwelling with them, and they were yet misty: but the Comforter, that is, the Holy Ghost, which the Father shall send in the name of Christ, shall teach them all things that now were hid to

men.

And thus it befalls unto men to know rudely first, and generally, as philosophers speak, and after should they know more fully the same thing. And thus Christ in his manhood told first by misty words. And God since by his power showed more fully of him: and as the Holy Ghost shall have order of this lore, so first he shall move men's ears and sensible voices; and after he shall be slidden in, and have taught men's thoughts in all that Christ hath spoken before in general words, they shall not cease to learn more fully. But ever in this life they wax more ripe till they come to heaven, and there know all fully. And since peace of man's soul disposeth him to learn, therefore Christ promiseth his children this peace, and saith thus, From fear to profess the love of Christ.

+ The soldiers of Christ by their profession.

+ Parables.