that [which] he should have had if he had not fallen. And that this is sooth, God sheweth in earth with plenteous miracles doing about his body continually.
And all this was to make us glad and merry in love.
CHAPTER XXXIX
"Sin is the sharpest scourge. . . . By contrition we are made clean, by compassion we are made ready, and by true longing towards God we are made worthy"
SIN is the sharpest scourge that any chosen soul may be smitten with: which scourge thoroughly beateth[1] man and woman, and maketh him hateful in his own sight, so far forth that afterwhile[2] he thinketh himself he is not worthy but as to sink in hell,—till [that time] when contrition taketh him by touching of the Holy Ghost, and turneth the bitterness into hopes of God's mercy. And then He beginneth his wounds to heal, and the soul to quicken [as it is] turned unto the life of Holy Church. The Holy Ghost leadeth him to confession, with all his will to shew his sins nakedly and truly, with great sorrow and great shame that he hath defouled the fair image of God. Then receiveth he penance for every sin [as] enjoined by his doomsman[3] that is grounded in Holy Church by the teaching of the Holy Ghost. And this is one meekness that greatly pleaseth God; and also bodily sickness of God's sending, and also sorrow and shame from without, and
- ↑ "al forbetyth." S. de Cressy: "all to beateth," Judges ix. 53.
- ↑ "otherwhile."
- ↑ S. de C.: "Dome's-man, i.e. Confessarius."
