thynge that loue hath moost trauayle for / by moost payne is goten / ought to be moost loued / moost dere worthely kept / and this sapyence is moche necessary and prouffytable to all them that wyll go with god / For thus as sayth holy scrypture / by many trybulacyoÌ„s behoueth vs to entre in to the realme of heuen And this manyfesteth and sheweth to vs the lyues of sayntes / the whiche for to come to god haue so moche suffred and endured After it is to wete / that to thaccomplysshement of the sayd commaundement .iiii. thynges admonesteth the creature ¶ The fyrst is to haue in mynde contynually the goodes that the creature hathe receyued of god as sayd is tofore For whan the creature consydereth that he hath receyued of god body soule / all other godes that he hath / spyrytuall and temporall / the perylles also whiche he hath escaped The glory of heuen whiche he hath apparayled to vs. The creature humayne shall Iuge that he oweth to loue god with all his herte The .ii. reason is to haue in consyderacion the grete puyssaunce / excellence / nobles of god And with that the grete mysery pouerte of our self / by the whiche consyderacyon the creature shall Iuge / the whan he shall loue god with all his herte / he shall serue hym with all his myght / whiche yet he doth full lytel vnto the regarde of his grete excellence noblenesse and puyssaunce ¶ And therfore the creature humayne sholde alway the more for to enforce hym to loue / to serue / for to honour god ¶ The thyrde reason is to take away the loue and affeccyon of worldly thynges as sayd is to fore For where all the herte suffyseth not for to loue almyghty god suffycyently / consydered his grete excellence noblenes and puyssaunte magnyfycence as is tofore sayd / thenne he that putteth in his herte the loue of thyÌ„ges temporell / the whiche ben but stynkynge fylthe and ordure to the regarde of god / semeth well that he dooth to god grete velony / and in this case he loueth not god with all his herte after the sayd commauÌ„dement / for of so moch as the herte of the creature is set to loue other thynge than god of so moche it is lesse in god The fourth reason is to kepe hym selfe and to put from hym all synnes and in especyall deedly synne / for no creature beynge in deedly synne may loue god For by deedly synne the creature offendeth god and is pryued and out of grace / whiche thynge is contrary to his loue ¶ Of the fyrst commaundement of the law Ca. iii. WE ought thenne accordynge to the sayd fyrst commaundement to loue with all our herte The whiche thynge the creature dothe / whaÌ„ in all his werkes his entencyon is ryghtfull and after goddes wyll For the entencyon of the creature is suche vertu that he rendre his werkes operacyon after god good or euyll / and therfore what so euer werke that the creature do yf his entencion be euyl the operacyon and al the werke is without meryte / and conuerted fro it / in to do euyll / herof it is sayd in the gospell by our sauyour Ihesu cryst / yf thyn eye be euyll all thy body is derke That is to saye yf thyn entencyon be euyll / all thy werkes ben derke and in synne and wtout meryte And therfore it behoueth to rendre the werke of the creature good and merytorye and that his entencyon be ryghtfull accordynge to goddes wyll But bycause that for to rendre the werke of the creature good and merytoryous accordynge vnto god / suffyseth not onely good entencyon But it behoueth also to haue the ryghtfull entencion and good wylle lyke as it may appyere in hym / that wyll stele and take other mennys goodes for to nourysshe and fede the poure peple / For thentencyon of the wylle to gyue for goddes sake to the pore peple is good But the wylle to stele or take awaye other mennes goodes is euyll for to so do And therfore that dede shal be euyll / and may not be excused For by cause that an euyll werke for ony good entencyon may not be excused It is sayd after in the commaundement / that the creature ought to loue god with all his soule That is to saye that his wyll accorde in all his werkes to the wyll of god / this demaunde we of god whan we say our pater noster whan we praye god that his wyll be done in vs. ¶ Also by cause that yet for to accomplisshe the sayd commaundement / suffyse not onelye good entencyon and good wyl it is after sayd in the same commaundement / that the creature ought to loue his god with all his entendemeÌ„t and vnderstondynge That is to saye that in thentendement of the creature be no deedly synnes delybered by consentynge ne concluded For alle consentynges concluded in thynge that sholde be as touchynge the dede of deedly synne / though soo be that the dede be not done outward as touchynge the werke that ony thynge ensie we therof / yet it is deedly synne And the creature beynge in deedly syÌ„ne may not loue god as aboue is sayd Also by cause that yet for taccomplysshe the sayd commaundement suffyse not onelye good entencyon good wyll as touchynge the werkes withoutforth / that in thentendement of the creature groweth deedly synne by consentynge / but it behoueth that the creature put and employe all the strengthe and puyssaunce that he hath in good werkes and dedes Iuste and vertuous / that they be to thonoure and worshyp of almyghty god and to the saluacion of hym self and his neyghboure It is sayd afin the foresayd commaundement that the creature ouÈt for to loue his god with all his myght and with all his strengthe And therfore all they that put and employe all theyr myght and strengthe in the werkys of synne / done ageynst the sayd commaundemenet synne deedly Thus it appyereth clerely that for taccomplysshe the sayd fyrst commaundement pryncypall The creature ought to gyue vnto god entencyon / wyll / entendement and all his strength and good wyll by the maner that is aforesayd ¶ The seconde commaundement of the lawe is how eche man ought to loue his neghboure Ca. .iiii. FOr to haue knowleche of the seconde commaundement pryncypall aforsayd touchynge the loue of his neyghboure whome the creature ought to loue as hym self It is to wete that to the loue of our neyghbour four thynges ought to moue vs. Fyrst for by cause that we all ben chyldren of god by creacyon And naturally brethern and systers loue that one that other And thus we ben all members of Ihesu Cryst / whiche is our heed and one membre loueth another naturally Secondly to this ought to brynge vs the loue obeyssaunce that we owe to god as aforesayd is / whiche commaundeth vs to loue our neyghboure Thyrdly to
not grace verue Then yf thou wylte knowe what is veray fraūchyse of a man of a woman by ryght Thou oughtest to vnderstonde that a man hath .iii. maner of fraunchyses One of nature / another of grace / and the thyrde of glorye The fyrst is free wyll by whiche a man may chese do frely good or euyll This fraunchyse holdeth euery man of god so frely that no man may do it wronge / ne all the deuylles of helle may not enforce a man ayenste his wyll to do a synne without his accorde and consentemente For yf a man dyd euyll ayenst his wyll / he sholde haue therof no synne / for as moche as he in no wyse myght eschewe it / lyke as sayth saynt austyn This fredom and fraūchyse hath euery man But this fredō is not in chyldren / ne in wood men / ne in fooles / by cause they haue not the vsage of reason by whiche they can chese the good from the euyll A man putteth awaye from hym this fraunchyse in grete partye whā he synneth deedly For he selleth hymself vnto the deuyll for the delyte of his synne And yeldeth hym self vnto hym and bycometh his seruaunt by synne so that he may not caste hym self out / ne put hym fro his wyll / for he hath deserued the deth of helle / yf the grace of god helpe hym not The seconde fraunchyse is suche that the wyse man hath in this worlde / whome god hath fraunchysed by grace and by vertues from the seruyce of the deuyll / and fro synne / that they bee not bonde to golde ne to syluer / ne to temporall godes of this worlde ne to theyr bodyes whiche is caroyn / ne to godes of fortune / whiche the deth may soone take awaye / but they haue theyr hertes lyft vp and gyuen to god / so that they preyse noo thynge the goodes of the worlde / ne the honours / ne the vanytes / ne kynge / ne duke / ne meschaunce ne pouerte / ne shame / ne deth For they ben now deed to the worlde / and haue the herte soo deceuered taken awaye fro the loue of the worlde / that they desyre the deth lyke as the werkman his payment of his Iourney or dayes labour / and the labourer his hyre / and also lyke as they that ben in the torment and in the fortune of the see / desyre to come to port salue And lyke as the prysonner desyreth good delyueraunce / and as the pylgrym desyreth to come ageyne in to his contreye And yf they be parfytelye free in this worlde lyke as a creature may be / thenne fere they ne doubte they no thynge but god / ben in gret pees of herte For they haue then theyr herte in god and ben in heuen by desyre And this fraunchyse cometh of grace and of vertue But yet all this fraunchyse nys but seruytude vnto the regarde of the thyrde fraunchyse that they haue that been in glorye They be verayly free For they be verayly delyuerd fro all perylles and fro all tormentes / fro fere of deth and of deth / fro the grynnes and empesshements of the worlde fro myserye / fro pouerte / and fro all payne of herte of body wtout retornynge / of whiche thynge there is none fre in this worlde / how parfyte that he be ¶ Of veray noblesse Ca. .lxxii. THey that shall haue the seconde fraunchyse of whiche I haue spoken shal come to grete noblesse The veray noblesse cometh of gentyll herte Certeyne none herte is gentyll but yf he loue god There is no noblesse but to serue and loue god and to kepe hym fro all synnes and from the seruage of the deuyll Ne there is no vylanye but to angre god by synne Ther is no man by ryght gentyl / ne noble of the gentylnesse of his body For as touchynge the body we ben all sonnes of one moder That is of the erthe and of sylthe of whiche we al haue taken flesshe and blood Of this parte there is none gentyll ne free But our swete fader Ihesu Cryst whiche is kynge of heuen that fourmed the body of the erthe and created the soule to his ymage and semblaunce / and all in lyke wyse as it is of the carnall fader / that is moche glad and ioyous whan his sone resembleth hym Ryght so is it of our fader Ihesu Cryst For by the holy scrypture / and by his messagers he techeth vs / that we sholde payne our self to resemble hym And therfore he sent to vs his blessed sone Ihesu Cryst in to therthe for to brynge gyue to vs the veray exemplayre / by whiche we may be reformed to his ymage and semblaunce lyke as they that dwelle in the hye cytee of heuen That been the aungellys and the sayntes of heuen / where eueryche is of soo moche more hye and more noble As more proprely he bereth this fayre ymage therfore the holy men in this worlde payne hem self to knowe god / and to loue hym with all theyr herte / and purge theym clense and kepe them from all synnes For of soo moche as the herte of a creature is more pure and more clene without synne / of so moche he seeth more clerely more euydently the precious face of Ihesu cryst / and of so moche he loueth more ardauntly / of soo moche he resembleth more proprelye And by that he hath the more gretter glorye And this is the veray noblesse that god hath gyuen vs. ¶ And therfore sayth ryght well Saynt Iohan the appostle and euangelyst / that then̄e we shall be the sonnes of god / and we shall resemble hym proprely / whan we shall see hym euydently lyke as he is This shall be in his glorye / whan we shall be in heuen For no man seeth so dyscouerd ne so clerely the beaute of god / lyke as sayth saynt poule But thenne we shall see hym face to face proprely and clerely whan we shal be in glorye in his Ioyous companye ¶ The veray noblesse of a man thenne begynneth by grace and by vertues / that is parfyght glorye This noblesse maketh the holy ghoost in the hertes that he purgeth and enlumyneth in trouthe and in parfyte charyte These ben the grettest goodes that god hath doone to aungellys lyke as saynt Denys sayth by whiche they resēble theyr maker Thus werketh the holy ghoost by grace and by vertue in the hertes of good men / by whiche they be reformed to thymage and too the semblaunce of theyr maker Ihesu Cryst as moche as it may be in this mortall lyf For they reyse theym self soo in god / and enbrace theym self so with the loue of god And all theyr entendement / al theyr entencyon / theyr wyll / theyr memorye is all conuerted to god And this loue and this enbracement and desyre whiche encreaceth Ioyneth and vnyeth so the herte to god / that they may noo
borne of Marye That is to say that he was conceyued in the vyrgyn Mary And by the vertue of the holy goost and nothynge of man / and that the vyrgyn Marye abode alway vyrgyn tofore and after This artycle set in saynt Iames the more saynge Out conceptus est de spiritu sancto natus ex maria virgine ¶ The fourthe artycle pertayneth to the passyon of Ihesu cryst / that is to saye that he suffred vnder Pylate his passyon The whiche Pylate was prouoste and Iuge for the tyme in Iherusalem for the Romaynes And of hym was Ihesu cryst Iuged wrongfully at the request of the ryght felon Iewes and crucyfyed and deed and layde in the sepulcre dyscended in to hell This artycle made saynt Iohan theuāgelyst saynge Passus sub poncio pylato crucifixus mortuus et sepultus / descendit ad inferna ¶ The fyfth artycle is of the resurreccyon of Ihesu cryst That is to saye The thyrde daye he arose fro dethe This artycle made saynt Thomas saynge Tercia die resurrexit a mortuis ¶ The .vi. artycle is of the ascencyon of Ihesu cryst / That is to say He ascended vnto heuen and sytteth vpon the ryght syde of god the fader almyghty This artycle made saynt Iames the lasse sayng Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dextram dei patris omnipotentis ✿ ¶ The seuenth artycle is of the comynge of our sauyoure Ihesu cryst vnto the dome or Iugement That is to say From thens he is come for to Iuge the lyuynge and the deed This artycle made saynt Phelyp sayenge Inde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos The .viii. artycle is to byleue in the persone of the holy goost This artycle made saynt bartylmewe sayenge Credo in spiritum sanctū ¶ The .ix. article is to byleue in the holy chirche of rome and in thordynaunces of holy chirche This artycle made saynt mathewe sayenge Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam ¶ The .x. is to byleue in the holy sacrament and by the same holy sacrament is made remyssyon of sȳnes to all them that receyue hym worthely Thys artycle made Saynt Symon sayenge Sanctorum cōmuniouem remissionem peccatorum The .xi artycle is of the generall resurreccyon in propre bodyes This artycle made saynt Iude broder of saynt Symon saynge Carnis resurreccionē The .xii. the last artycle is to byleue heuen to be lyfe pardurable This artycle composed and made saynt mathye saynge vitam eternam Amen ¶ Thus endeth the twelue artycles of the fayth ¶ Of the beest that saynt Iohan the euangelist sawe in thappocalyps capitulo xii THe holy appostle saynt Iohan the euangelist in the book of his reuelacions the whiche is callyd apocalips sayth that he sawe a beest whiche yssued oute of the see merueyllously desgysed and moche dredefull For the body of the beest was of a leoparde / the feet of a beex the throte of lyon / and he had .vii. heedes / and .x. hornes aboue and aboue the .x. hornes .x. crownes / and saynt Iohan sawe that this cruell beest hath power and myght too fyght ayenst saȳtes and to ouercome them / to conquere them this beest so cruell / so coūterfayted / so dyuers so dredefull / sygnyfyeth the deuyl that is full of sorow of bytternes The body of this beest was as sayeth saynt Iohan lyke to a liopard For in lyke wyse as the lyoparde hath dyuers coloures / In lyke wyse hath the deuyll dyuers maners of engyns for to deceyue and to drawe the people to synne The fete of the beest were of a beere For in lyke wyse as the bere hath the myght and strength in his fete and in his armes and holdeth ryght strongly / and byclyppeth faste that whiche he hath vnder his fete and embraceth with his armes In semblable wyse dooth the deuyll them that he embraceth and hath beten doune by synne The throte of the lyon was in hym for his grete cruelte The .vii. heedes of the sayd beest / ben the seuen chyef and pryncypall synnes / by the whiche synnes the deuyll draweth vnto hym as it were all the vnyuersall worlde For oftymes it happeneth that many persones fall in some throte of these seuen heedes That is for to vnderstande of the seuen deedly synnes And therfore sayth saynt Iohan the euangelyst that the sayd beest had power ayenst the sayntes / for in the erthe is none so holy a man that parfytelye may eschewe all the maners of synnes / that of these .vii. heedes / and of the .vii. deedly synnes descende / withoute specyall pryuylege and grace of god / lyke as it was in the virgyn mary / whiche neuer dyd synne / or in another saynt after the specyall grace that he had of god / lyke as the gloryous vyrgyn marye had specyall synguler grace of god aboue all other creatures The .x. hornes of the beest sygnefye the brekynge of the .x. commaundementes of the lawe of our lorde / whiche the deuyll pourchaceth as moche as he may that the creature breke theym / in lyke wyse as he purchaceth that the creature falle in the .vii. deedly synnes toforesayd / or in sōme of the braunches of theym The .x. crownes of the sayd beest sygnefyen the vyctoryes that the deuyll hath vpon the synners / by cause that he hath made theym for too breke the ten commaundements of the lawe of our lorde Herafter foloweth the deuysyon of the .vii. deedly synnes ca. xlii THe fyrst heed of the beest is pryde The seconde enuy The .iii. yre The .iiii. slouthe The .v. auaryce The .vi. glotonye The .vii. lecherye Oute of the .vii. synnes deedly descendeth all maner of synnes and therfore be they called chefe of vyces / for they ben chefe of all vyces and of all synnes be they deedly or venyall Eueryche of these seuē deedly synnes is departed in many partyes / and fyrste we shall speke of the synne of pryde This was the fyrste synne the begynnynge of all euyll whan the angell Lucyfer for his grete beaute and his grete vnderstondȳge he wolde haue ben aboue all other aungelles and wolde compare to god that so good and fayre had made hym / bycause he toke suche pryde in hym he fell from heuen in to helle and became a deuyll / and all his company with hȳ All proude men resemble this Lucyfer / whiche wyll be aboue the other / and be more praysed / more alowed / more enhaunced than the other / whiche ben better and of more value than they be This synne of pryde is ouer peryllous / for it blyndeth man and woman / so that they knowe not ne se not the peryll wherin they be by synne This is the ryght stronge wyne of the deuyll / the most especyall of the whiche he enyureth or maketh dronke the grete lordes and ladyes / the bourgeyses / the ryche / the noble and valyaunt persones / and generally all maner of people But in especyal the grete lordes and
wyselye / yf thou saye how shall it bee lerned I shall now telle to the. Thou oughtest to knowe that this lyf nys but deth For deth is a departynge / this knoweth euery man And therfore it is sayd of a man whan he deyeth that he departeth / whan he is deed he is departed This lyfnys no thynge but a departynge / ye truely a moche shorte departynge For all the lyf of a man yf he lyued a thousande yere / it is not onely a moment to the regarde of that other lyfe / whiche alway dureth In tourment or in Ioy pardurable This witnesseth to vs the kynges / the dukes / the erles / the prynces / and the emperoures whiche had somtyme the glorye of this worlde Now wepe they in hell / crye and howle / cratche and sayth alas / what auayleth vs our power / honour / noblesse / Ioye / beautees and all rychesses Soone is all this departed and fayled as a shadowe or smoke and moche faster fledde from vs than byrdes fleynge / or quarelles oute of a crosse bowe Thus departeth away our lyfe Now we were / and anone we ben deed / and all our lyfe was not a lytel moment Now be we in pardurable tormentes Our Ioye in wepynge Our carolles and feestes in sorowe Roobes / hoodes / feestes / dygnytees / games / rychesses / and all welthes ben fayled vs. Suche ben the songes of hell lyke as holy wryte recounteth For to shewe to vs that this lyfe is nothynge but a departynge / and this dethe is nothynge but a departynge / and to lyue is nothynge but to departe Thenne the lyuynge in this worlde is noo thynge but for to deye / and this is true as the pater noster For whan thou beganest for to lyue / anone thou begannest / for to deye / and for too approche vnto the dethe / and all thy yonge aege and thyn olde aege and all thy tyme the whiche is passed / the deth hath conquered and retayned Thou sayst that thou hast .xl. yere whiche is not trouthe the dethe hath theym And neuer shall he yelde them to the agayne Therfore the wytte of the worlde is but all folye And certayne the clerkys seynge / seen noo thynge at all / daye and nyght they done one thynge / the more they do the lasse they knowe / alwaye they deyen and can not deye / for nyght and daye thou deyest as I haue sayd to the. Yet in another maner I shall teche the this clergye / to th ende that thou knowe well to lyue and well to dye Now take hede vnderstonde the deth is no thynge but the deceuerynge of body soule / this knoweth well euery man vnderstondeth Now techeth vs Cathon the wyse man / lerne sayth he to deye To departe and deceuere oft thy soule and thy spyryte fro they body / lyke as dyd many of the grete phylosophres that soo moche hated this lyf despysed the worlde soo moche desyred to deye that they slewe them lelf by theyr owne agrement but it auaylled thym no thynge For they had not the grace ne the faythe of our lorde Ihesu Cryst But the holy men whiche loue god drede hym / of thre dethes haue they passed the tweyne For they ben deed as touchynge synnes / and deed as touchynge that worlde Now abyde they the last deth that is the thyrde / that is the deceuerauÌ„ce of soule and body Bytwene them heuen is but a lytel walle / for they passe it by thought and by desyre And thoughe the body is in this worlde on this syde / the herte and the spyryte is on that other syde in that other worlde / there where theyr conuersacion is in heuen / lyke as sayth saynt poule Theyr solace theyr Ioye / theyr consolacion is by thought on the ferther syde in heuen / where theyr conuersacion is lyke as sayth saynt Poule And therfore they hate theyr lyf whiche is but deth desyre the bodely deth For this damoysell bereth Ioye that is the deth that crowneth al the sayntes set them in Ioye infynyte Deth is to a good man ende of all his euyls / gate and entre of all goodes Dethe is the ryuer that departeth dethe and lyfe Dethe is on this syde lyfe / and on the other syde also But the wyse men of this worlde whiche ben on this syde of the ryuer of this worlde seen so clere And on that other syde they se nothynge And therfore ben they called in scrypture fooles and blynde For this dethe they call departynge And the dethe that is comune to good they call the ende And therfore they hate soo moche the dethe For they knowe not what it is / ne on that other syde of the ryuer they haue not conuersed / ne knowe nothynge what gooth therout Thenne yf thou wyll knowe what is good and what is euyll / yssue out of thy selfe / yssue out of the worlde / lerne to dye Dysseuer thy soule fro thy body by thought Sende thyn herte in to the other worlde That is in heuen / in hell / and in purgatory There shalte thou se what is good and what is euyll In hell thou shalte se mo sorowes and dyuers tourmentes than ony man may or can deuyse / or ony herte thynke / In purgatory also thou shalte se moo tourmentes than ony may endure In heuen thou shalt se more Ioye and glory than ony may desyre In hell shall be shewed and ensygned to the how god vengeth deedly synne Purgatory shall shewe and ensygne the how god purgeth deedly syÌ„ne In heuen thou shalt se clerely vertues good werkes how hyely they ben gouerned and rewarded And in the se thre thynges vnderstande how all that / that the behoueth to knowe to lyue well and deye well ¶ How men lyue dyenge in this worlde Ca. lxi Remembre frendes grete and small For to be redy whan dethe dothe call NOw beholde and take hede a lytell / and ennoye ne greue the not at these thre thynges Therfore to knowe and wyll to hate synne Forgete thy body one tyme in the daye go to hell lyuynge / to th ende that thou go not thyder at thy dethe Thus doone ofte the good men the wyse There thou shalte se all that the herte hateth / colde / hete / honger / thyrst / and dyuers tourmentes / as wepynges syghes / and waylynges / that the herte may not thynke ne â—onge deuyse / alway shall endure without ende / therfore is this payne by right called perdurable / which is alwaye dethe in lyuynge / and lyfe in dyenge / whan thou shalte se thenne that this one deedly synne muste nedes be so dere bought / thou haddest leuer be flayne al quycke tofore thou sholdest consente for to doo one onely synne After go to purgatorye / there shalt thou see the paynes of soules / whiche haue had very repentauÌ„ce of theyr synnes in this
worlde but they were not parfytely purged Now make they the remenaūte of theyr penaunce vnto they be clere and nette / lyke as they were at the tyme houre whan they were baptised / but this penaunce is moche horryble and harde / for all the payne that women euer suffred in trauayllynge delyuerynge of theyr thyldren / and also saynt bartylmewe suffryd to beflayne all quycke saynt stephen to be stoned with stones / saynt laurente saynt vyncent to be brente rosted vpon brennynge cooles All these martyrdoms and tormentes ne ben not but as a bayne in colde water after the wytnesse of scrypture to the regarde of tormentes of purgatorye where as the sowles brenne vntyll they be purged of all theyr synnes / lyke as golde syluer be purged fyned in the fyre / tyll no more be founde to be purged For this fyre of purgatorye is of suche nature / that all that they fynde in the soule is it of dede of worde and of thought that hath torned to ony synne lytell or grete / all is there brente and purged And also there ben punysshed and purged al the synnes venyal / whiche we calle lytel synnes whiche we ofte do Lyke as foule thoughtes / ydle wordes Iapes trufes lyes and all other vanytees so longe tyll the soule haue no more to be purged of / and that she be so clene so pure so nette and so worthy that she be sayntefyed for to entre in to heuen / where as none may entre but yf he be ryght fyne ryght clene ryght cleer This fyre dreden all they that to theyr power kepe theym fro deedly sȳne / and the kepe holyly theyr body theyrmouth theyr eerys theyr eyen / and all theyr fyue naturell wyttes fro all synnes And also lyuenas they sholde euery daye dye and come tofore the Iugement And by cause that none may lyue all withoute synne / lyke as sayth Salamon For seuen tymes in the daye falleth the ryght wysman And therfore by holy confessyon / by teerys by orysons by almesses other good dedes ought euery man to be relyeued / and putte a way fro synne and a mende his lyfe And to Iuge hym selfe of his sȳnes to the ende that he a byde more suerly the last Iugemente ¶ Also to lerne to knowe euyll / and to fle it and all synne grete and lytell And that he be thenne in the grete drede of god whiche is the begynnynge of all good and of good lyfe ¶ How we ought to lyue holyly lerne to do wel ca lxii NOw it suffyseth not to leue al sinnes and all euylles But that it be lerned too do good / and yf we lerne to gete the vertues / by the whiche we may cast and put a waye the vyces and all sȳnes with out whiche vertues no man may lyue well ne ryghtfully Then yf thou wylte lerne to lyue well after vertu lerne also to dye as I haue a fore sayd to the / deseuer thy spyryte fro thy body by thought and by desyere And go out of this worlde deynge / and go into the londe of lyuȳge where none shal dye ne wexe olde that is in heuen There is lerned to lyue well / and al wysedome and all curtesye For there may entre no vylayne There is the gloryous companye of god and of the gloryous virgyne his moder saynt marye of Angelles and of sayntes There surhabounde all goodes beautees Rychesses honoures strengthe lyghtnes scyence fraunchyse vertues wytte glorye and ioye perdurable There is no poynte of ypocresye ne of trycherye / ne of losengerye / ne of dyscorde / ne of enuye ne hungre ne thryst ne hete ne colde ne euyll ne sorowe ne drede of enemyes But alwaye feestes and ryall espousaylles songe and ioye withoute ende This ioye is so grete / that who that shall haue tasted one onely drop of the moost leste ioye that is there / he sholde be fyred soo entalented in the loue of god that all the ioye of this worlde sholde be vnto hym stenche and tormentes and rychesses dunge / honoures but fylthe vyletees And the desyre for too come thyder shall make hym an hondred thousand tyme more ardauntly to hate synne / and to loue vertues and to do well For loue is more stronge than drede / and then is the lyf fayre and honeste / whan a persone fleeth all euyls synnes And enforceth hym to do al the good that he may / not onely for fere to be dampned but for the desyre of the glorye perdurable and for the loue of god And for the grete clennesse that vertues haue and good lyf / and theym whome the loue of god ledeth / moche hastelyer soner and more ardauntly comen therto / and lasse costeth / than they that serue god for drede The hare renneth and soo doth the greyhounde That one for drede that other by desyre That one fleeth the other chaceth The holy man renneth to god lyke a greyhounde For he hath alwaye his eyen and his desyre too heuen where he seeth the pray that he chaceth / for that he forgeteth the goddes of this worlde / lyke as the gentyll hounde whā he seeth his pray This is the way and the lyfe to the fyue good and true louers of god / to gentyll hertes that so moche loueth vertues and hateth sȳnes / that yf they were certayne / that they ne sholde ne myght knowe the sȳnes / ne that god sholde not auenge them / yet they wolde not deygne to do ne to consent to synne / but al theyr thought and payne of theyr herte is to kepe theym clene from all synnes And to apparayle them that be worthy to se and haue pardurably the glory of heuen / where as herte velanous entached with synne shall neuer entre / ne foole ne felonous ne proude man ¶ Of .iii. maner of spyrytuell goodes Ca. lxiii NOw haue I well shewed to that how one shol lerne to dye lede and vse good and holy lyfe / for to gete vertues so that a man knowe well euedently clennes / and what is synnes / what is almesse what is vertue Also that one knowe well and certaynely / and to Iuge what is euyl / and what is good / what is synne / and to can deuyse the veray good the grete good fro the lytell For a thynge not knowen is neyther hated ne desyred / therfore oughtest thou to knowe that the scryptures sayth that there ben some small thynges that be called the lytell good / and some the myddle good And some the grete good / and some veray good that is ryghtful to al the worlde is somtyme deceyued For they gyue the grete godes for the lytel / or the grete for the myddle For this worlde is as a fayre / where as be many folysshe marchaūtes / and fooles / that bye glasse for saphyres / and brasse for golde / bladders for lanternes
that / the soule is deed For lyke as the body is deed withoute the soule So is the soule deed without the grace of god It is called vertue by cause it adourneth the soule with good werkes with good maners / it is called charyte bycause it Ioyneth the soule to god / also dooth all thynge as it were with god For charyte is nothynge elys but a dere vnyte / That is the perfeccyon and the beneurte to whiche we ought to entende Moche were deceyued the auncyente phylosophers that so curyously dysputeden enquyreden who was the souerayne good in this lyfe / and neuer coude they fynde ne knowe it / For some sette theyr stuyde and theyr wytin delytes of the body The other in rychessys the other in honeste but the grete phylosopher saynte Poule whiche was rauysshed vnto the thyrde heuen / and passed all the other phylosophers techeth vs by many reasons that the souerayne good in this lyfe and that the quene of vertues is for to loue god and to haue veray charyte in hym selfe For with out this good ne aualen all the other goodes ryght nought And who that hath this good of charyte he hathe all other goodes / and whan all other goodes shall fayle / this good shall not fayle and aboue all the grete goodes that ben this charyte is lady And thenne the gretest good the whiche is vnder heuen Is charyte And also after by cause that thou wylte and desyerest this good the whiche by ryght is called vertue / and that thou desyerest to loue it moost / and to seche it aboue all other goodes And I wyll yet shewe vnto the his valure it is acustomed for to deuyle thre maner of goodes in the worlde / that is to wyte goodes honourable godes delectable goodes prouffytable There be no mo goodes ne veray ne good ne fayre but these thre maners / and this seest thou openly of the worlde that none desyreth ne loueth ony thynge but that he wene that it be honourable or delectable or prouffytable The proude secheth thȳge honourable The couetous man seketh thynges prouffytable The delycious secheth thynges delectable And whan they sechen this thynge vaynlye Euery man ought to knowe that vertues haue these thre propretees For vertue is moche honourable and delectable and prouffytable ¶ What vertues been goodes honourable Ca. .lxvii. ALl vertues ben goodes honourable / this mayst thou see in this manere Syxe thynges been in this worlde moche desyred by cause that they seme moche honourable / that is to wyte beaulte wytte prowesse power fraunchyse and noblesse These ben .vi. fountaynes of vanyte Of vayne glorye cometh and sourdeth a plante Beaute is a thynge moche loued For it is a thȳge moche honourable / and neuerthelesse beaute that the eyen and the body se and loue / is a thynge fals couerte and vayne It is fals for he or she is noo thynge fayre But our eyen ben vayne and feble that see noo thynge but the skȳne wtoutforth Thenne who myght see as clere as a beest that is called a lynx whiche seth thorughe oute a walle he sholde clerely see that a fayre body nys but a whyte sacke ful of stynkynge dunge / lyke a dunghylle couerd with snowe or with grene grasse ¶ Also I saye to that the this beaulte is moche shorte not abydynge For it is sone faylled and anone passed as a fume or a smoke and as the flour of the felde or of the medowe Anone as the soule departeth fro the body / fayre well all the beaulte is faylled and gone Thenne the beaute that the body hath / the soule hath gyuen it too hym And therfore moche fooles ben they that for the beaute of the body gloryfye themselfe But the beaute of the soule is the ryght beaute / whiche alwaye encreaceth and neuer shall fayle This is the veray beaute by whiche the soule pleaseth god to the aungelles that seeth the herte This beaute rendreth gyueth to the soule graces vertues and loue of god For she reformeth reparaylleth and rendreth her ryght enprynte That is the ymage of her maker / which is beaute without cōparyson / and who best resembleth in getynge the vertues / in pluckynge vp and caste from hym all synnes / kepe his cōmaundemētes entyerly he is moost fayre Then the moost fayre thynge that is vnder god / is the soule whiche hath parfytly his ryght four me and his ryght clerete / coloure of floure / clerenes of the sonne / fygure of man / and pleasaūce of precyous stones And all that the eye of the body seeth of beaute is fylthe foule to the regarde of the soule / all that may be thoughte of beaulte may not be cōpared to the soule ¶ Of veray sapyence Ca. lxviii CLere wytte and clergye is a thynge moche honourable / and moche to be praysed But and thou wylte be wyse a ryght and lerne verey clergye / do so that thou haue veray good / that is grace and vertues That is the veray sapyence that enlumyneth the herte of a man / lyke as the sonne enlumyneth all the worlde This wytte passeth sourmounteth all the wytte of the worlde / lyke as the sonne passeth the clerenes of the mone / For the wyt of the worlde is but foly / lyke as the scrypture sayth / and chyldehode wodenes Foly is in them that so moche loueth the worlde and his beaute / and that can not knowe the day fro the nyght Ne Iuge betwene grete and lytell / and bytwene precyous and vyle They wene the mone to be the sonne For they wene that the honoure of the worlde be veraye glorye / and a lytell apple to be a grete mountayne / for they wene that the worlde be a grete thynge But to the regarde of heuen it ne is but pouerte They wene that a glasse be a saphyr And they wene that theyr strengthe theyr power be moche grete / whiche is more feble more frayle than is glasse ¶ Also I saye that this chyldehode of the wytte of the worlde is in them that so moche make them wyse for to kepe and ease the body and to be in delyces whiche lyuen as a chylde / that seche nothynge ellys but to do theyr propre wyll In suche people reason is deed and therfore they lyuen as beestys / for theyr wytte is al torned and corrupt / lyke as is the taste and sauour of a seeke man or of a woman grete with chylde / whiche fyndeth more sauour and appetyte in a soure apple than in brede made of whete / and more sauoure in a cool than in good metes Also these people may not byleue that there is more Ioye delyte in louynge god and to serue and to honoure hym / than in doynge the wyll of the caroyne of theyr body For they can not ryght fully Iuge betwene swete and bytter Also I saye that the wytte of
drynke Then shewed god to Moyses a staffe of tree / sayd to hym that he sholde put it in to the water that was so bytter And whan he had put it therin / it was all swete The bytter water ben the trybulacyons of the worlde The staffe of the tree that made it swete / that is the crosse on whiche the debonayre Ihesu cryste was hanged on for vs. For who that remembreth well this sorowe that he suffred on the crosse There is no payne ne aduersyte / ne tribulacion temporall / but it it is swete and lyght to suffre The fourth thynge is to thynke on the spyrytuall godes that the trybulacyons dooth to them that suffreth them pacyently For the trybulacyons proueth the knyght of god A knyght knoweth not well his strengthe / vnto the tyme that he hath ben in batayle in prees Wherof saynt Poule sayth / that the pacyence proueth a man / and an aungel of heuen sayd to Thoby / by cause that thou were pleasaunte to god It behoueth that temptacyon shall proue the. ¶ Also trybulacyon purgeth the soule as the fyre purgeth the golde in the forneys / and as the flayle the corne whan it beteth it And as the hamer the yron / as sayth saynt Gregory Also trybulacyons ben the medycynes of the maladyes of synne For lyke as sayth the holy scrypture The greuous malady maketh a man sobre whome sȳne hath made dronke oftymes Wherof saynt Gregory sayth Lete it not be harde to the that thou suffre dysease on thy body whan thou arte guarysshed of the malady of synne within forth Also by trybulacyons is won the crowne of glory / whan one hath good pacyence Wher of saynt Iames sayth / blyssed is that man that suffreth temptacions / that is aduersyte trybulacyon / lyke as a good knyght that suffreth the strokes / for whan he shall be well assayed proued / he shall haue the croune of glory These .iiii. remembraūces aforsayd comforte moche thē that ben in trybulacion The .v. spyrytuell braunche of mercy is to pardone his maltalente euyl wyll to euery body For lyke as saynt Gregory sayth / who gyueth his pens or his almesse to the poore and pardoneth not his euyll wyll / his almesse is nothynge worth For god receyueth not the gyfte as longe as the felonnye is in the herte / for god weyeth / preyseth / and taketh the gyfte after his wyll And therfore our lorde sayth in the gospel ¶ Yf that we forgyue not eche other / our fader of heuen shall not forgyue vs our synnes Thenne he that wyl not pardonne and forgyue sayth ageynst hym self / as ofte as he sayth the pater noster / for he prayeth that god pardonne hym / lyke as he pardonneth his euyll wyll to other It is sayd of themperour theodose / that he helde it for a grete shame / yf one dyd to hym vylonye or Iniurye that prayed hym to forgyue hym / and whan he was moost angry / then he forgaue moost sonnest For he had lyuer drawe to hym people by debonayrte and by loue / thenne by drede ¶ The .vi. braunche of this vertue is to haue in the herte pyte and compassyon of the synnars / and of them that be in trybulacyon or in pouerte / or in aduersyte For that one membre ought to bere the maladye of that other wherof saynt Poule sayth / who that is seke / and I am seke with hym And saynt Gregory sayth / that so moche is a man more parfayt / as he feleth more in hym self the sorowe of another ¶ The .vii. braunche of mysyry corde is to praye for the synnar / and for his enemyes / and for all trespasses For soo commaundeth our lorde Ihesu Cryste in the gospell Praye ye sayd he for theym that done to you euyll / and so shal ye ben the sones of your fader whiche is in heuen / as who sholde saye / otherwyse ye ben not the sones of god / and thenne ye haue nothynge in his herytage ¶ Now is it then̄e grete almesse and grete prouffyte for the soule to praye for the synners / for Mekenes rote Mercy and pyte atrēpaūce Iustyce Compassyon Prudēce Force Forgiuenes Faythe Hope Charyte his enmyes / and for all them whiche ben departed out of this presente lyfe These ben the seuen braunches of mercy of this tree on the ryghte syde ¶ Here after foloweth the seuen braūches of mercy vpon the lyfte syde Ca. C.xxxii LYke as this tree of mercy hath seuen braunches on the ryght syde / so ben there seuen braunches on the lyfte syde These ben the seuen werkes of mercy corporell / whiche holdeth the body / lyke as the other beholdeth the soule too foresayd ¶ The fyrst braunche is to fede the hungry the nedy and the myseased / this admonesteth vs the holy scrypture in many places Fyrst Thobye whiche sayd to his sone Ete thy brede with the nedy the poore that deye for hungre and Salamon sayth / yf thyn enemye haue hūgre gyue hym to ete / yf he haue thyrst gyue to him drynke Also our lorde sayth in the gospel / whā thou shalte make a grete dyner / calle the poore people / the blynde / the lame the Impotent and thou shalte be blessed For they may not yelde it to the ageyn But god shal yelde to the in the resurreccyon generalle / an hondred folde double This is ageynste ryche men that done grete oultrages of mete / for bobaunce / pryde / vaynglorye of the worlde haue no pyte on the poore people But they ought to haue grete drede that they falle not in meschyef / lyke as it byfell to the ryche gloton / of whome god sayth in the gospel / whiche ete euery daye delycyously / and suffred the poore Lazare deye for hungre at his yate But as to the deth of that one of that other was a grete chaunge For Lazare was borne with aūgellys in to Abrahams bosome / the ryche man auarycyous gloton had his sepulture in helle / where he desyred to haue one drope of water for to refresshe his tongue Alas yf all the water of the see had ronne ouer his tongue / it sholde not haue ben coled in that fyre perdurable of helle whiche may not be quenched Therfore it is good to fede the poore peopell For there by may one escape fro the paynes of helle / and wynne the glorye of heuen / lyke as sayth holy scrypture / wherof our lorde Ihesu Cryste shal saye at the daye of Iugement Come ye blessed of my fader in to the royame of heuen whiche is redy to you For whan I had hungre And thyrste ye gaue to me to Eete and to drynke For that whiche that ye dyd to the leste of my poore people / ye dyd it to me ¶ The seconde braunche of mercy .. Cxxxiii THe seconde braunche of mercy is to clothe the poore naked people That is
hyÌ„ ought not be do lecherye of maryage ne none other synne / for the reuerence of the holy place and he that hath noo regarde in suche holy place to do suche werke he synneth for reason of the place For suche thynge is synne in one place and in one tyme / that is not in another The .iiii. estate is of theym that haue be in maryage / but the deth hath deceuerd them that one fro that other And he or she that is abyden ought to kepe lyue chastly as longe as he or she is in the state of wydowhede This is an estate the whiche saynt Poule preyseth moche / and sayth to the wydowes / that he or she is good that holdeth hym in suche estate / and yf it playse not theÌ„ they may marye theym For better is to marye than to brenne them / for yf he brenÌ„e so that he consente to synne he synneth / for he put his herte therto by wyll by dysyre to the fyre of lechery and better it were and more auaylle to hym to marye / than to brenne hym self in the fyre / that is to vnderstonde of them that ben in the state of symple wydohede not them that ben in thestate bouÌ„den by vowe they may not marye without deedly synne after theyr vowe but neuertheles yf the vowe be symple and that it be pryuely made without solempnyte / how be it that they synne deedly that after theyr auowe marye them / neuertheles they may abyde in theyr maryage / yf ther be none other lettynge And is bounden to do penaunce of the vowe broken / but whan the vowe is solempne / or by the hande of a prelate / or by professyon of relygyon / or by holy ordre that he hath recyued / as subdeken / deken or preest Thenne the maryage is none / but they must deceuere departe that soo ben assembled by maryage for they may not be laufully in suche estate / to byholde the state of wydowhede / ought to moeue the example of the turtle for lyke as sayth the boke of nature of beestes Neuer after the turtle hath lost his make she shall neuer accompanye her with another / but is solytarye fleeth the companye of other Thre thynges apperteyne moche to them that ben in the state of wydowhede The fyrst is to hyde her self to be secretlye in her house / not to syewe suspecyous felawshyp / herof haue we a fayre example of Iudyth whiche was a wydowe / and was a moche fayre woman yonge of whiche it is sayd in the holy scrypture / that she helde her self in her chambre cloos with her maydens / wherfore saynt Poule repreueth the yonge womeÌ„ wydowes that were ydle and curyous for to goo and come and Iape and ouermoche speke / but closely and secretely ought they to be in theyr lodgynge and entende to do good werkes / lyke as saynt Poul enseygneth theÌ„ The .ii. thyng is to enteÌ„de to praye god gladly to yelde hym thaÌ„kynges of hys benefaytes And to be in the chyrche in grete deuocyon in grete repeÌ„taunce of theyr synnes in teres wepyng As it is sayd in scrypture by saint luke that the good wydowe which was named Anne departed not out of the temple but serued god nyght day in prayer / in fastyÌ„ges in other penauÌ„ces The .iii. thyng is sharpnesse of metes Saynt poul saith that a wydowe that ledeth hir lyf in delices is deed by synne for lyke as saith saynt bernard chastyte peryssheth in delices / in lyke wyse as he perissheth in the water that is so moche vnder in depnesse that he leseth his breeth No maÌ„ may haue his heed in the water that is to say / his herte longe in the delyces of thys world but that he lose hys lyf That is the grace of the holy god by whyche the soule lyueth in god In suche estate also apperteyneth humble habyte not proude ne curyous After the exaÌ„ple of Iudith whyche lefte hir ryche robes hir ryche parementis whaÌ„ hir lord husbond was dede took the habyte of wydowhede symple huÌ„ble whyche was more sygne of wepyng of sorowe than of Ioye ne of vayn glorye by cause she loued the vertu of chastyte that she wold kepe alle hir lyf she clad hir with heyre fasted eueryday except the festes / and yet was she fayr yonge / ryche wyse But the bounte of hir hert and loue of chastyte maad hyr to do it / thus ouÈt he or she to lyue that wyl kepe chastyte in suche estate / and thys is the fourth braunche of thys tree ¶ The fyfthe braunche of the vertue of chastyte and of vyrgynyte Capitulo C.li. THe fyfthe braunche of chastyte and of vyrgynyte is the fyfthe estate whiche is in theÌ„ that kepe and haue alwaye kepte and yet alwaye kepe purpose to kepe all theyr lyf theyr body hole without corrupcyon for the loue of god This estate is moche to be praysed for his dygnyte / for his beaute / and for his bounte For this estate hath he that kepeth hym semblable to auÌ„gellys of heuen as sayen the sayntes But moche more haue the vyrgyns of glorye and of meryte than the aungellys For the aungellys lyuen without flesshe / but the vyrgynes haue vyctorye ouer theyr flesshe that is rethy propre body And that is a grete meruaylle / that they kepe so feble a castel as is the body / ageynst so stronge an aduersarye as is the deuyll / that secheth al thengynes that he may to take the castell for to robbe the tresour of vyrgynyte This is the tresour / of whiche our lorde speketh in the gospell whan he sayth / that the royame of heuen is lyke to tresour that hyd in a felde The tresour hydde in the felde is vyrgynyte hyd in the body whiche is lyke a felde / whiche ought by penaunce to be eered / laboured sowen by labour of good werkes This tresour is semblable to the royalme of heuen For the lyf of vyrgynes is lyke the lyf of heuen / that is the lyf of auÌ„gellys wherof our lorde sayth in the gospel / that in the resurreccyon general shal be no maryages as ben in this worlde / but they shal be as auÌ„gellys in heuen Also I saye that this estate is for to be praysed for his beaulte For it is the moost fayre estate that is in erthe except vyrgynyte clenly kept wherof Salamon sayth in his boke of sapyence in meruayllynge hyÌ„self O sayth he how fayre chaste is generacyon with clerenes charyte / he sayd well / chaste with clerenes For theÌ„ne is fayr chastyte vyrginyte / whaÌ„ it is clere by good lyf honeste lyke as the clere soÌ„ne maketh the fayre day In lyke wyse the clerenes of grace of good lyf maketh the vyrgynyte fayre plesauÌ„t to good wherof Saynt Iherome saith / that moche fayr clere is vyrgynyte
disciplynes and by other penauÌ„ces Ellys the fyre of lecherye may not wel be quenched / who that wyll take a cyte or a castel he ought as moche as he may to take a waye and wythdrawe fro it al the vytaylles / al metes / and the water for to enfamysshe theÌ„ For after that the castel is infamyned and all vytaylle is take fro it It may not longe be holdem ne kept ayenst his aduersarye Ryght so the castel of the bely / which is the fortresse of the flesshe / may not holde ayenst the spyryte whan it is enfamyned by fastynges / by abstynences by other penaunces ¶ Also the estate of relygyon ought too be withdrawen fro the worlde that they that ben in suche estate ne fele ne retche no thynge of worldly thynges / for they ought to be deed to the worlde and lyue with god as sayth saynt Poule For lyke as he that is deed bodyly hath loste all his wyttes bodyly / as seeynge / spekynge / tastynge herynge and smellynge Ryght so owen the relygyouse to be deed as to the worlde that they fele nothynge that apperteyneth to synne / soo that they may veryly saye the worde that saynt Poule thappostle sayth of hym self For worlde sayd he is crucyfyed to me / and I to the worlde Thappostle wolde saye that lyke as the worlde helde hym for foule and for abhomynable lyke as one were hanged Ryght so had he the worlde for foule and for abhomynable / as to hym that is hanged or crucyfyed for his trespace In lyke wyse doth he that is in suche estate dooth â—lee the worlde and hate it That is to say the couetyse and shrewdnesse of the worlde / that he fele noo thynge by loue ne by desyre / soo that his conuersacyon be in heuen / as saynt Poule sayth of hym self / of theym that ben in the state of perfeccyon Our conuersacyon is in heuen For yf the body is in erthe the herte is in heuen by loue and by desyre ¶ A good relygyouse persone ought to haue no propre in erthe / but he ought to make his tresour in heuen / lyke as sayth our lorde in the gospel Yf thou sayth he wylt be perfyght / go and selle all that thou hast and gyue it to poore And thou shalt haue thy tresour in heuen whiche neuer shal faylle The tresoure of a relygyouse man is veray wylfull pouerte For the veray pouerte of the spyryte and of wylle is the money of whyche the royalme of heuen is bought / wherof our lorde Ihesu Cryste sayth in the gospell Blessed be the poore of spyryte / for the realme of heuen is theyrs Certayne who that is poore of spyryte / that is of the wyll of god / he secheth not in this worlde only delyces / ne rychesses / ne honoures / but put all in forgetynge In suche wyse ought to do good relygyous people / that wyll mouÌ„te vp into the mountayne of perfeccyon Wherof the auÌ„gelles sayd to Loth whan he was gone out of the cyte of Sodome / reste ne tary not thou nyghe the place that thou hast lefte / but saue thy selfe in the mountayne For he that is gone out of the conuersacyon of the worlde ought not to holde hym nyghe the worlde by his wyll ne by his desyre But ought to withdrawe hym as nyghe as he may And to entende to his helth wtout lokynge backewarde or behynde hym That is to say / that he sette not agayne his herte to the worlde The wyfe of Loth ageynst the coÌ„maundement of the aungell behelde the cyte fro whens she came out whiche brenned / and therfore she was torned to an ymage of salte The wyfe of Loth sygnyfyeth them that after they haue left the worlde / and be entred into relygyon / retorne agayne backewarde by wyl and by desyre / whiche haue the body in the cloyster / but the herte in the worlde They ben lyke thymage of salte / whiche hath but the lykenes and semblaunce of a man / and is harde and colde as a stone Ryght so ben suche people colde of the loue of god / harde without humoure of pyte and of deuocyon / and they retche nothynge but of the habyte of theyr relygyon / and nothynge of the obseruauÌ„ces and werkes The ymage the whiche was of salte sygnyfyeth in scrypture wytte and descrecyon For in lyke wyse and semblably as salte gyueth sauour vnto the mete Ryght so ought euery relygyous persone to haue wyt and dyscrecyon in his dedes / and in his wordes This ymage thenne of salte ought to gyue wytte and vnderstandynge and example to them that ben in relygyon / after retorne to that whiche they haue left And therfore sayth our lorde in the gospel to his dyscyples Remembre you of the wyfe of Loth. That is to saye Beholde ye not that whiche ye haue left for the loue of me / leest ye lese the lyfe of grace / lyke as the wyfe of Loth loste the lyfe of the body bycause she loked to the place whiche she had left / wherof our lorde sayth in the gospell / who that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh behyÌ„de hym / is not worthy to the kyngdome of heuen For lyke as he that ledeth the ploughe seeth alwaye tofore hyÌ„ to lede streyght and to conduyte ryght his plough Ryght soo ought he to do that putteth his hande to the ploughe of penaunce or of relygyon alway he ought to haue the eyen of his hert tofore That is to say his vnderstandynge and his wyll to that whiche is tofore hym / and not behynde That is the goodes perdurable whiche ought to be tofore the hert and not to the goodes temporell / whiche ought to be behynde ¶ Thus dyde saynt Poule whiche sayd that he had forgoten that whiche was behynde hym That is the worlde and all the couetyse of the worlde whiche he praysed at nought And went alway tofore hym For he had alway his entencyon and his desyres to god But many men of relygyon setteth the ploughe tofore the eyen For many folke there ben and that is theyr domage / that more secheth and frequenteth the thyÌ„ges bodely and worldly than the thynges spyrytuell or goostly They put that tofore whiche sholde be behynde / that ben the goodes temporall tofore the goodes perdurable / spyrytuell Such relygyous ê‘sones ben in moche grete peryl of theyr daÌ„pnacyon For they haue nought but the habyte of theyr relygyon By the example of Saynt Poule / the good relygyouse persones forgete the worlde / and leue it byhynde them / the goodes perdurable they haue tofore theyr eyen / and gone tofore alwaye fro vertue to vertue / tyll they come to the montayne of Ioye perdurable / where they shall see god clerely / and shall loue hym perfyghtly and shall adoure hym perdurably This is the beneurte or the gyfte of vnderstondynge / whiche ledeth theym that kepen clennesse of herte and