olace in weal and woe. Thou hast now
heard a part how the fiend deceives, with his subtle craft, unknowing
men and women. And if thou wilt do by good counsel and follow holy
teaching, as I hope that thou wilt, thou shall destroy his traps, and
burn in love's fire all the bands that he would bind thee with; and all
his malice shall turn thee to joy, and him to more sorrow. GOD suffers
him to tempt good men for their profit, that they may be the higher
crowned, when they, through His help, have overcome so cruel an enemy,
that oftentimes, both in body and soul, confounds many men.

In three manners, the devil has power to be in a man. In one manner,
hurting the good they have by _nature_, as in dumb men, and in others,
staining their thoughts. In another manner, snatching away the good
that they have of _grace_: and so he is in sinful men whom he has
deceived through delight of the world and of their flesh, and leads them
with him to hell. In the third manner, he torments a man's body, as we
read that he has done (to) Job. But wit thee well, if he beguile thee
not within, thou needst not dread what he may do to thee without, for he
may do no more than GOD gives him leave to do.

CHAPTER II.

Because thou hast forsaken the solace and the joy of this world, and
taken thee to solitary life, for GOD'S sake to suffer tribulation and
anguish here, and afterwards to come to that bliss which never more
ceases, I trow truly that the comfort of JESUS Christ, and the sweetness
of His love, with the fire of the Holy Ghost, that purges all sin, shall
be in thee, and with thee, leading thee and teaching thee how thou shalt
think, how thou shalt pray, what thou shalt work, so that in a few years
thou shalt have more delight to be by thy lone, and to speak to thy Love
and thy Spouse JESUS Christ, Who is high in heaven, than if thou wert
lady here of a thousand worlds. Men suppose that we are in torture and
in penance great; but we have more joy and more very delight in a day
than they have in the world all their life. They see our body: but they
see not our heart where our solace is. If they saw that, many of them
would forsake all that they have, for to follow us. Therefore, be
comforted and stalwart, and dread no annoy or anguish: but fasten all
thine intent in JESUS, that thy life be good and convenient; and look
that there be nothing in thee that should be displeasing to Him that
thou dost not soon amend it. The state which