wit_, when he makes them suppose that the thing that they say or do is
best; and therefore they will have no counsel of another who is better
and abler than they; and this is a foul stinking pride; for such man
would set his wit before all other. Some, the devil deceives through
_Vain-glory_, that is idle joy; when any have pride and delight in
themselves, of the penance that they suffer, of good deeds that they
do, of any virtue that they have; are glad when men praise them, sorry
when men blame them, have envy of them who are spoken better of than
they. They consider themselves so glorious, and so far surpassing the
life that other men lead, that they think that none should reprehend
them in anything that they do or say; and despise sinful men, and others
who will not do as they bid them. How mayst thou find a sinfuller wretch
than such a one? And so much the worse is he because he knows not that
he is evil, and is considered and honoured of men as wise and holy. Some
are deceived by _over-great lust and liking in meat and drink_, when
they pass measure and come into excess, and have delight therein; and
they know not that they sin, and therefore they amend them not, and so
they destroy virtues of soul. Some are destroyed with _over-great
abstinence_ of meat and drink and sleep. That is often temptation of
the devil, for to make them fall in the midst of their work, so that
they bring it to no ending as they should have done, had they known
reason and had discretion; and so they lose their merit for their
frowardness. This snare our enemy lays to take us with when we begin to
hate wickedness, and turn us to GOD. Then many begin a thing that they
can never more bring to an end: then they suppose that they can do
whatsoever their heart is set on. But oftentimes they fall or ever they
come midway; and that thing which they supposed was for them is
hindering to them. For we have a long way to heaven, and as many good
deeds as we do, as many prayers as we make, and as many good thoughts as
we think in truth and hope and charity, so many paces go we heavenwards.
Then, if we make us so weak and so feeble that we can neither work nor
pray as we should do, nor think, are we not greatly to blame that fail
when we had most need to be stalwart? And well I wot that it is not
GOD'S will that we so do. For the prophet says: "Lord, I shall keep my
strength to Thee," so that he might sustain GOD'S service till his
death-day, and not in