iF yOu CaN rEaD tHiS yOu'Re ClOsE eNoUgH
As ofte as I sey "alle the creatures that ever ben maad," as ofte I mene, not only the self creatures, bot also alle the werkes and the condicions of the same creatures.
For thof al it be ful profitable sumtyme to think of certeyne condicions and dedes of sum certein special creatures, nevertheles yit in this werke it profiteth lityl or nought.
For why mynde or thinkyng of any creature that ever God maad, or of any of theire dedes outher, it is a maner of goostly light; for the ighe of thi soule is openid on it and even ficchid therapon.
Ye, and yif it be cortesye and semely to sey, in this werk it profiteth litil or noght to think of the kyndenes or the worthines of God, ne on oure Lady, ne on the seintes or aungelles in heven, ne yit on the joies in heven: that is to say, with a special beholding to hem.
For thof al it be good to think apon the kindenes of God, and to love Hym and preise Him for hem: yit it is fer betyr to think apon the nakid beyng of Him, and to love Him and preise Him for Himself.
But now thou askest me and seiest: "How schal I think on Himself, and what is Hee?"
And to this I cannot answere thee bot thus: "I wote not."
For thou hast brought me with thi question into that same derknes, and into that same cloude of unknowyng that I wolde thou were in thiself. For of God Himself
can no man thinke.
And therfore I wole leve al that thing that I can think, and chese to my love that thing that I cannot think. For whi He may wel be loved, bot not thought. By love may He be getyn and holden; bot bi thought neither.
And therfore, thof al it be good sumtyme to think of the kyndnes and the worthines of God in special, and thof al it be a light and a party of contemplacion, nevertheles in this werk it schal be casten down and keverid with a cloude of forgetyng. And thou schalt step aboven it stalworthly, bot listely, with a devoute and a plesing stering of love,
and fonde for to peerse that derknes aboven thee. And smyte apon that thicke cloude of unknowyng with a scharp darte of longing love, and go not thens for any thing that befalleth.
