Walter Hilton or Hylton[278], a canon of Thurgarton, was the author of a mystical treatise, called The Scale (or Ladder) of Perfection.  The following extracts, which are given as far as possible in his own words, will show in what manner he used the traditional mystical theology.

There are two lives, the active and the contemplative, but in the latter there are many stages.  The highest state of contemplation a man cannot enjoy always, “but only by times, when he is visited”; “and, as I gather from the writings of holy men, the time of it is very short.”  “This part of contemplation God giveth where He will.”  Visions and revelations, of whatever kind, “are not true contemplation, but merely secondary.  The devil may counterfeit them”; and the only safeguard against these impostures is to consider whether the visions have helped or hindered us in devotion to God, humility, and other virtues.

“In the third stage of contemplation,” he says finely, “reason is turned into light, and will into love.”

“Spiritual prayer,” by which he means vocal prayer not in set words, belongs to the second part of contemplation.  “It is very wasting to the body of him who uses it much, wounding the soul with the blessed sword of love.”  “The most vicious or carnal man on earth, were he once strongly touched with this sharp sword, would be right sober and grave for a great while after.”  The highest kind of prayer of all is the prayer of quiet, of which St. Paul speaks, “I will pray with the understanding also[279].”  But this is not for all; “a pure heart, indeed, it behoveth him to have who would pray in this manner.”

We must fix our affections first on the humanity of Christ.  Since our eyes cannot bear the unclouded light of the Godhead, “we must live under the shadow of His manhood as long as we are here below.”  St. Paul tells his converts that he first preached to them of the humanity and passion of Christ, but afterwards of the Godhead, how that Christ is the power and wisdom of God[280].

“Christ is lost, like the piece of money in the parable; but where?  In thy house, that is, in thy soul.  Thou needest not run to Rome or Jerusalem to seek Him.  He sleepeth in thy heart, as He did in the ship; awaken Him with the loud cry of thy desire.  Howbeit, I believe that thou sleepest oftener to Him than He to thee.”  Put away “distracting noises,” and thou wilt hear Him.  First, however, find the image of sin, which thou bearest about with thee.  It is no bodily thing, no real thing—­only a lack of light and love.  It is a false, inordinate love of thyself, from whence flow all the deadly sins.

“Fair and foul is a man’s soul—­foul without like a beast, fair within like an angel.”  “But the sensual man doth not bear about the image of sin, but is borne by it.”