The Cell of Self-Knowledge : seven early English mystical treatises printed by Henry Pepwell in 1521 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 118 pages of information about The Cell of Self-Knowledge .

The Cell of Self-Knowledge : seven early English mystical treatises printed by Henry Pepwell in 1521 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 118 pages of information about The Cell of Self-Knowledge .

The first doctrine of this glorious virgin is this: 

“A soul which is verily mete[124] to God, as much as it hath of the love of God, so much it hath of the hate of her own sensuality.  For of the love of God naturally cometh hate of sin, the which is done against God.  The soul, therefore, considering that the root and beginning of sin reigneth in the sensuality, and there principally is rooted, she is moved and stirred highly and holily with all her mights against her own sensuality; not utterly to destroy the root, for that may not be, as long as the soul dwelleth in the body living in this life, but ever there shall be left a root, namely of small venial sins.  And because she may not utterly destroy the root of sin thus in her sensuality, she conceiveth a great displeasaunce against her sensuality, of the which displeasaunce springeth an holy hate and a despising of the sensuality, by the which the soul is ever well kept from her ghostly enemies.  There is nothing that keepeth the soul so strong and so sure as doth such an holy hate.  And that felt well the Apostle, when he said:  Cum infirmor, tonc fortior sum et potens;[125] that is:  When I am sick and feeble in my sensuality by hate of sin, then am I stronger and mightier in my soul.  Lo, of such hate cometh virtue, of such feebleness cometh strength, and of such displeasaunce cometh pleasaunce.  This holy hate maketh a man meek, and to feel meek things of himself.  It maketh him patient in adversity, temperate in prosperity, and setteth him in all honesty of virtue, and maketh him to be loved both of God and man.  And where this holy hate is not, there is inordinate love, which is the stinking canal of all sin, and root[126] of all evil concupiscence.  Do therefore,” she saith, “your business to put away such inordinate love of your own self, out of your hearts, and plant therein holy hate of sin.  For certain that is the right way to perfection, and amendment of all sin.”

Here is a common answer which she used to say to the fiends: 

“I trust in my Lord Jesu Christ, and not in myself.”

Here is a rule how we shall behave us in time of temptation: 

“When temptation,” she saith, “ariseth in us, we should never dispute nor make questions; for that is,” she saith, “that the fiend most seeketh of us for to fall in questions with him.  He trusteth so highly in the great subtlety of his malice, that he should overcome us with his sophistical reasons.  Therefore a soul should never make questions, nor answer to the questions of the fiend, but rather turn her to devout prayer, and commend her to our Lord that she consent not to his subtle demands; for by virtue of devout prayer, and steadfast faith, we may overcome all the subtle temptations of the fiend.”

Here is a good conceit of this holy maid to eschew the temptations of the fiend: 

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The Cell of Self-Knowledge : seven early English mystical treatises printed by Henry Pepwell in 1521 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.