And you may say
that you yourself somewhat fear his peril, and have made of
charity this voyage for his sake, to ask this good father's counsel.
And in the communication, upon these words of St. John, "Give not
credence to every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be
of God," and these words of St. Paul, "The angel of Satan
transfigureth himself into the angel of light," you shall take
occasion (the better if they hap to come in on his side), but yet
not lack occasion neither if those texts, for lack of his offer,
come in upon your own--occasion, I say, you shall not lack to
enquire by what sure and undeceivable tokens a man may discern the
true revelations from the false illusions. A man shall find many
such tokens both here and there in divers other authors and all
together in divers goodly treatises of that good godly doctor,
Master John Gerson, entitled _De probatione spirituum._ As,
whether the party be natural in manner or seem anything
fantastical. Or, whether the party be poor-spirited or proud. The
pride will somewhat appear by his delight in his own praise; or
if, of wiliness, or of another pride for to be praised of
humility, he refused to hear of that, yet any little fault found
in himself, or diffidence declared and mistrust of his own
revelations and doubtful tokens told, wherefore he himself should
fear lest they be the devil's illusion--such things, as Master
Gerson saith, will make him spit out somewhat of his spirit, if
the devil lie in his breast.
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