displease / vexe / trouble / and greue the pareÌ„t The curse of god is contrarie vnto al the other frutes of obedience / that is to say the welth of the soule of the body and of the goodes ¶ Of the thyrde frute or profytte of obedieÌ„ce fame / good name / honoure / and worshype The .xvii. Chapitre ALthoughe the Chapitre byfore be of itselfe sufficient auctorite for all our purposed ê“fyttes yet shall we neuertheles go forthe with oure order / and shewe nowe somewhat of the thyrde frute and profytte of obedience coÌ„myng therof / whiche is fame and good name / honoure and worshype / it is a worshype in the worlde to be of hyghe blode or of a royall lynage or stocke But euery obedient person is of the stocke kynne of our sauiour Christe / by his owne wordê Matth. 12. in fine Marci 3. D. Luce. 8. C. Io. 15. B. Deut. 28. Who so euer saythe he by due obedience doth accomplyshe and fulfyll in dede or werke the wyll of my father / that ê‘sone is my father and mother / syster and brother And agayne / those ben my louers and frendes that done by due obedience what I coÌ„maunde theÌ„ Our lorde also promysed in the olde testament honoure and worshype vnto his people / if they wolde kepe due obedience Saynge if thou be obediente vnto the voyce and byddyng of thy lorde god thou shalt be promoted and exalted aboue all other nacions Our sauiour in diuerse places sayd Matth. 1â— B. Lu. 14. C. et 18. C. Qui se humiliat exaltabitur The persone that kepeth a lowe sayle and maketh hym selfe meke vyle shal be exalted and taken vp / vnto honoure and dignite / but humilite is proued best by obedience / ergo obedience is worthy laude / prayse / honoure / and worshype Euery vertue is worthy prayse For laude prayse doth folowe vertue / as the shadowe in the sonne dothe folowe the body Fame and good name is of laude prayse Prouer. 21. The wyse man sayth that victorie is worthy prayse And the obedient person saythe he may beste speke of victory / and he hathe vanquyshed gotten a great castell sute holde that hathe ouercome hym selfe / whiche is done onely by obedience For without obedience can no vertue be goteÌ„ne preserued kepte And without obedience euery vertue is sone lost For it lesteth no lenger than the persone is obedient Perfecte obedieÌ„ce doth worke miracles Marci 14. D. For by his obedience saynt Peter went vpon the water / as vpon the drye yerthe or lande And saynt Maure that was disciple vnto saynt Benedicte / caled saynt Benette Grego 2. dia. Ca. 7. by obedience ran vpoÌ„ the water to recouer the chylde Placidus / that fell into the ryuer And many other great myracles ben setforthe shewed iÌ„ vitas Patrum / in many other holy stories that were done by holy obedieÌ„ce The name and fame wherof dothe yet lest and continue shall do for euer So thaÌ„ dothe folowe / the one of the frutê ê“fyttê of due obedience is fame name ¶ Of the fourthe frute or ê“fitte of obedieÌ„ce / that is to say the welth of the soule The .xviii. Chapitre HOwe let vs se howe the welthe of the soule coÌ„meth of due obedience The fyrst welth of the soule is delyueraÌ„ce therof froÌ„ the state of daÌ„pnacioÌ„ vnto the state of grace / whiche is onely of obedience vnto the holy sacramentê Fyrste vnto the sacrament of baptisme / and also vnto the sacrament of penauÌ„ce And other great welth vnto the soule is to be preserued / kepte / continued in the same state of grace / whiche is onely by obedience Pro. 29. C. The wyse man sayth / that the ê‘sone is blessed the is obedient vnto the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god And in an other pacle Qui custodit preceptuÌ„ non experietur Eccle. 8. quicquam mali The ê‘sone that is obedient vnto the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of our lorde shall neuer haue experience of euyll / but shal be preserued kepte from all sinne And our sauiour in the gospell Io. 8. D. Si manseritis in sermone meo uere discipuli mei eritis c. If you saythe he perseuer / continue / byde in the obediece of my byddynge coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t thaÌ„ shall you be my very disciples / you shall knowe the trouth of all thingê that trouthe shall delyuer you froÌ„ all yuell And a lytell after / he made an othe sayd Ibidem F. I acerteyne you for a true trouthe / the who so euer wyl be obedient in kepynge of my coÌ„mauÌ„dement shal neuer haue experience of deth euerlastynge August And whan we saye in our pater noster Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra Let thy wyll be done vpon yerth as it is in heuen / thaÌ„ done we pray make peticion for obedieÌ„ce For that saynge is as moche to meane as thoughe we said Good lorde our holy father that arte iÌ„ heueÌ„ we beseche the grauÌ„t vs the gyfte of due obedience / that accordynge vnto our state we may worke and ê‘fourme thy wyl here vpon yerth as of thy Angels sayntê for thyr state it is ê‘fourmed wroght in heuen For althoughe obedience be the synguler gyft of god frely gyueÌ„ yet wyll he natwtstaÌ„diÌ„g that we aske it make peticioÌ„ or pray therfore Whervnto we beÌ„ of his holy spirite exhorted moued And who so euer wyll inclyne / leyne / and giue good eare and heryng vnto the exhortacion of trouthe shall surely possede and haue it / and that wyll nat can neuer haue it And if by fraylte or temptacion we fall into synne nothynge maye recouer and deleuere vs but onely obedience vnto the holy sacramente of penaunce / obedience than is a great benefytte profytte vnto the soule And yet whan the soule is by penaunce reconsyled nothynge may better apparell and garnysshe the soule with good vertues ne better kepe norysshe the same therin August than obedience For obedience is nat onely the mother and begynner of all vertues but also it is the mures or noryssher / the brynger vp and keper of all vertues And obedieÌ„ce dothe also chase / put away / and quenche / or at the leest dothe restreyne and rebate the assayles of our thre principall enemies the dyuell / the worlde / the flesshe / wherof the prophete saythe Psal 118. In quo corrigit adoscencior uiam suam That is vnder the fourme of a question howe / wherin / or wherby shal the fraile yonge persone correcte and refourme or restreyne / his wayes and fraile disposicions whervnto he answered saynge In custodiendo sermones tuos In kepynge thy byddynges / that is ta saye by due obedience vnto thy coÌ„maundementes Obedience also dothe cause in the soule and in the conscience of a ê‘sone a merueylous tranquilite and reste of mynde And in
the worlde so to be at more quietude / rest / liberty of minde to study in the lernynge / and exercise of all sciences / morall vertues Wherin they dyd meruelously increase / and were moche excellent And yet although this maner of pouerte be good / honeste / and laudable / yet bycause as I sayd infideles may be of this pouerte it is nat meritorious But whan a ê‘sone / without any forse / coÌ„pulsion / or nede doth of selfe election wylfully chose pouerte / and clerely forsake the worlde / dispisyng vtterly all the ryches / goodes coÌ„moditê / pleasures of the worlde / the wyl / mynde apptite / desyre therof vnto the ende / purpose / iÌ„teÌ„t nat only to be voyde / discharged / ê‘celes of al carê / busynes / coÌ„brauÌ„ce / turmoyles of the world / but also to be at qÌ„etude / rest / liberte of hert miÌ„de / to serue god / so doth firmly appoiÌ„t determin / also doth applie / dedicate / binde hiÌ„selfe holly vnto the seruice of god iÌ„ the same iÌ„ coÌ„tinual prayer / coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ / meditacioÌ„ / spiritual / or holy exercises thaÌ„ is wylful pouerte nat only / good / honest / laudable but also moche meritorious And yet may pouerte thus taken be diuerse in maner perfection For some ê‘sones haue enterprysed / takeÌ„ this pouerte in so pÌ„cise maner / that nothyng they wolde haue of the worlde but onely a skarce lyuyng / that gotteÌ„ by theyr owne loboures alone / as we haue of saiÌ„t Paule / of many other iÌ„vitas patruÌ„ iÌ„ that colacioÌ„s of holy fathers Some other yet lyued more streytly / by onely herbes / rotê / such as they foÌ„de wtout labourê / as saiÌ„t Io. baptiste And some / personeâ— haue solde theyr goodes and laÌ„des / and made all commune / and so dyd they lyue with other persones / as in the begynnynge of the churche the people dyd lyue vnder the Apostles Some other dyd lyue / and yet done lyue / iÌ„ coÌ„mune in two maners Some without landes / possessioÌ„s / or bodely laboures / or yet any certeyne prouision onely vpon almes / as the freres of all orders / specially the obseruauntes of saynt Franciskes reule And some other done lyue in coÌ„mune vpon the goodes of a monasterie / other gotten / by coÌ„mune laboures / or els vpon landes and possessions / wherwith the monasterie / is indowed Of this pouerte / so to lyue in coÌ„mune is our mater at this tyme. For of suche persones / that iÌ„ tyme paste haue lyued by the onely prouision of god As the chyldren of Israel in deserte Helyas fed by the Rauyn / and by the Angell / and Mary Magdalene with many other we wyll nat speke / nor yet of the other pouertes byfore rehersed ¶ Of monasticall pouerte / as it is the seconde essenciall vowe The seconde Chapitre BVt here done we intreate of that pouerte onely / that standeth in forsakyng the worlde as we sayde to be at liberte to serue our lorde / after the exaÌ„ple of oure sauiour Iesu / and to be of the nombre of them that he called blessed / sayng in the gospell Beati pauperes spiritu Matth. 5. A. Lu. 6. C. QuoniaÌ„ ipsorum est regnuÌ„ celoruÌ„ That is Blessed ben those ê‘sones that ben pore in spirite / in the holy ghoste / pore for the loue of our lorde for the kyngdome of heueÌ„ is theyrs / and doth apperteyne vnto them as theyr proper heneritauÌ„ce And yet althoughe the ê‘sones of this pouerte done as is sayd for god forsake the worlde / yet maye they lyue in coÌ„mune by the goodes of the worlde Whether they take theÌ„ of gyfte or in almes / or whether they gete theÌ„ by laboures / or whether they bene prouided for by landes / rentes / or possessions For the frute of this pouerte as is sayd is to be voyd of worldly cares And to be at liberte to folowe Christ and so done the couent in euery religion And althoughe the souereine / and the officers done seme to be occupied somtyme with worldly busines yet bycause / it is for the prouision / and nedes of the coueÌ„t it is a spirituall busynes / and charite with obedieÌ„ce in them doth supplie the quietude of mynde / and the duete of religion / whiche the couent dothe execute fulfyll / and so ben they all of lyke merite ê‘fection ¶ Of the profitte of this pouerte The thyrde Chapitre THis maner of pouerte to lyue thus in coÌ„mune is moche coÌ„mendable and greatly conducible / profitable and helpynge / vnto the increace of vertue / good maners perfection For our sauiour Iesu him selfe was of this pouerte / and his disciples / as doth appere iÌ„ the gospell / in that he had a coÌ„mune purse Io. 12. A. 13. C. Wherof the traytour Iudas was berer And bycause he was nat coÌ„tent with that maner of lyuyng iÌ„ coÌ„mune / but wold haue ê“priete he lost grace / and finally fel into euerlastyng dampnacion Where the other Apostles coÌ„tent to folowe theyr mayster dyd all lyue iÌ„ coÌ„mune / taght al theyr disciples christianes so lykewyse to do / as doth appere in the actê of the Apostles Ca. 4. Wherby we may coÌ„clude for a trouth that after the ê‘fectioÌ„ of very christianite this maner of pouerte is moste nere vnto the pouerte of Christe so to be singuler merite / among other pouertes Antoninê° 4. parte For the most nyde paynful pouerte althoughe wylfully takeÌ„ is nat the best meritorioê° pouerte / as to lyue with out any worldly ê“uision / except it were enterprised vndertaken by reuelacioÌ„ For it were rather ê‘suÌ„pcion / thaÌ„ ê‘fection for any ê‘sone to wtdrawe wilfully froÌ„ hiÌ„selfe the necessary susteÌ„tacion of his natural lyfe / except euer as I sayd reuelacion ¶ Howe Christe our sauiour dyd begynne this pouerte The fourthe Chapitre THis wylfull pouerte dyd our Sauioure Christ expresse set forth / in his owne lyf For he beyng lorde of all the worlde / was borne pore / brought vp nourysshed porely / and in all the ê“ces of of his lyfe he was pore For as he sayd him selfe he had nat as they say an hole to hyde in his hed / ne any thynge proper as his owne Matth. 8. C. And at the laste he deyed / al naked and bare Wherby doth appere that he wel approued loued pouerte / as the very path most ryght way vnto ê‘fectioÌ„ And so he sayd hiÌ„selfe iÌ„ the gospel / whaÌ„ a yong maÌ„ came vnto hiÌ„ / asked hiÌ„ / what he myght best do or what way he myght take / most surely to be saued he answered / that to obserue kepe the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tê / of the lawe shuld be sufficieÌ„t for his saluacioÌ„ Matth. 19. C. But if thou wyl be ê‘fect go thy way /
all scrupulosites / feres or doutes obedience dothe put the conscience in moste hyghe surete / which is no lytell conforte ne yet smale profytte vnto the soule Esay 48. Wherof the prophete Esay saythe in the persone of our lorde / vnto the people If thou sayd he haddest ben obedient vnto my coÌ„maundement and byddinge thy peace / thy tranquilite / thyne ease and reste shulde haue ben habouÌ„daÌ„t as a flode or ryuer In figure wherof is sayd in the Machabees / that for the time of Symon Macha 14. whiche by interpretacion is as moche to say as due obedience / all the laude nacion of the Iues was in great tranquilite / reste and peace / thus is euidente / that obedieÌ„ce is moche profytable vnto the soule ¶ That by due obedience large coniecture may be had of the state of the soule The .xix. Chapitre A Great singuler conforte / profytte and pleasure vnto al deuoute christianes / is to knowe at the leest by coniecture in what case or state of saluacion the soule doth stande / whiche is best knowen by loue For who so is in charite dwellethe in god / and god in hym / but no persone can loue god excepte he fyrste loue his neghboure For saynt Iohan sayth / he yâ— loueth nat his neghboure 1. Io. 4. D. whome he may se ê‘ceyue with his bodely syght howe can he loue god whome he can neuer so se ne ê‘ceyue as though he meÌ„t / that he myght nat loue god iÌ„ any wyse / wtout the loue of his neghboure 1 Io. 3. C. In this one thyng sayth he we knowe wel / that we ben traÌ„slate chauÌ„ged froÌ„ deth vnto lyfe bycause we done loue our brother For who so euer dothe nat loue dwelleth and is drowned in dethe / by loue than muste the state of the soule be knowen Who so euer dothe perceiue in conscience that he is in charite with all persones / and louethe all as hym selfe and hateth none he may hope and truste well that he louethe god But nexte vnto god our selfe we ben moste bounde to loue our pareÌ„tes / specially the spirituall parentes / our souereynes of religion Due louynge obedience vnto whome is a testimonie of our loue and obedience vnto our lorde whose rowme they beare For he sayd vnto his disciples If you byde and continue in due obedience eche loue other Io. 8. than shall you be in dede my disciples so knowe for my disciples / so is obedience than ê‘fytable vnto the soule ¶ Of the finall meryte and hyghe rewarde of obedience The .xx. Chapitre THe finall meryte and hyghe rewarde of obedience is grace in this lyfe presente / and glorie in the lyfe to come For surely obedieÌ„ce doth obteine here moche grace and dothe also multiplie the same Super quem saythe our lorde requiescet spiritus meus c. Vpon whome sayth he shall my spirite reste / dwel / byde and continue but vpon the persone that is meke in spirite and obedient therafter God is euer redy and present by his grace to helpe and conforte the persones obedient / as dyd appere in saynt Petre whan he at the byddyng of our lorde went vpon the water For althoughe for his feynt feythe he byganne to synke and drowne Matth. 14. D. yet for his obedience our lorde was redy to helpe him The same was also signified in the ladder that Iacob sawe whervnto our lorde was ioyned / Gene. 18. in token that he wolde euer be redy to helpe and conforte theÌ„ by his grace that done take the way and enterpryse the iourney of obedience / whiche thynge Iacob felt and perceyued in the workynge of his soule byfore he sawe the outwarde token And therfore he sayd with great affection / our lorde is in this place and I knewe nothynge therof Wherby dothe appere the god is euer present with the obedient persones all thoughe he be nat perceyued Iacob also dyd se and perceyue that Angelles dyd ascende and discende by that ladder / whiche thynge doth signifie the manyfolde graces that our lorde dothe dayly minister by his holy Angelles vnto the persones obedient Our lorde sayd also of hym selfe Io. 14. C. Who so doth loue me sayth he wyll be obedient vnto my byddynge / the rewarde wherof doth folowe And my father of heuen wyll loue hym / and we both wyll come vnto hym or vnto his house / that is to say / into his soule And there wyll we make our maÌ„sion and dwelling place with hym / a good gyfte / and moche coÌ„fortable vnto the soule I assure you Glosa suê‘ illud Qua si peccatuÌ„ alielandi est repuÌ„g 1. Re. 15 E. Psal 81. The merite of obedieÌ„ce is so moche that therof is sayd Sola obedientia est quae fidei meritum possidet Sine qua infidelis Quisque coÌ„uincitur Obedience is that vertue that alone hathe the merite of feythe without whiche euery ê‘sone is accouÌ„ted condempned as an infidele / or vnfeythful ê‘sone And the ê“phet sayth PreceptuÌ„ dnÌ„i luciduÌ„ c. The coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of our lorde / is vnto the ê‘sone obediente / bryght and shynynge / and dothe illumine and gyue lyghte vnto the eyes and syghte that is to meane dothe teache the conscience to perceyue the trouth in all doutes or erroures For the iugementes of our lorde as folowethe there bene vnto the persones obediente true in them selfe / and so bene they shewed and byleued of the sayd ê‘sones / nothynge doutynge of theÌ„ in any wyse but vnto them more desyrable and pleasaunt / than any ryches / syluer / golde / or precious stones And more swete delectable vnto the herte soule of the odient ê‘sones thaÌ„ is hony or suger vnto the mouthe or palate And therfore sayth he good lorde / thy louynge seruauntes done kepe thy coÌ„maundementes and in kepynge of them is moche meryte and moste hyghe rewarde And in an other place Ideo dilexi mandata tua super aurum et topasion Psal 118. I haue therfore as a liberall obedienser loued thy coÌ„maundementes aboue and moche more than any golde or pÌ„cious stones And therfore haue I with al due diligence ordred my selfe vnto obedience And therby haue I hated and auoyded the way of wyckednes / or all wyked wayes August Saynt Augustyne also sayth that the more obedient one persone be in this lyfe aboue a nother the more large shal be his meryte rewarde in the lyfe to come Ibidem And mortal meÌ„ saith he shal by the meryt rewarde of obedieÌ„ce passe / atteine / and come / vnto the immortalite of Angelles And so to conclude obedience doth open heuen gates / dothe conuey and cary the obedient persones there into For without due obedience can neuer man be the chylde of saluacion / ne entre the gates of heuen / Our sauiour to wytnes / where he sayth Matth. 19. B. Si uis
euer Vnto all these and vnto many mo myscheues doth his lady lechery lede hym that hathe forsaken hym selfe / and wylfully thrast his hed into her halter / bondage Let this wreche also wey / peyse / thynke howe shorte this lyfe is / thoughe he myght lyue vnto the vttermost age and howe at 〈◊〉 vanysshed / and fled more swyftly thaÌ„ smoke or wynde / and is more vayne and voyde thaÌ„ a shadowe Let hym also loke well / howe vnstable / howe vncerteyne it is / howe many grennes or snares / howe many trappê / howe many lyme roddê / and nettes deth doth lay for vs / leyng and bydyng moste craftely in awayte for vs / day and nyght / euery were / on euery syde / in euery place / and euery howre Here maye it profytte hym to remembre suche persones / as he hym selfe hathe knowen deye and passe out of this worlde by sodeÌ„ and disconfortable dethes / specially suche persones as he knewe of that maner of lyuyng And so by theyr ieoparty and peryll to be more ware of hym selfe Let hym remembre howe pleasauntely they lyued but howe bytterly and miserably they deyed How late they sawe / and perceyued theÌ„ selfe Howe they forthought theyr pleasures / and hated theyr miserable lyfe to late Let hym than remembre the extreme and moste dredfull contenaunce and byhauiour of our lorde and sauiour Iesu / at the last day of iugement And specially that sentence irreuocable / that neuer may be called backe / therfore of most hyghe discoâ—â—â—â—e◠〈◊〉 shall say you wyked and câ—â—sed 〈…〉 your way / depâ—cte hens / with â—â—â—nde râ—â—â— leyte or lyghtnyng into fyre and payne euerlastyng without ende / or yet without remission / eaâ—e or â—â—â—â—te / whome ye shal weyle / sorowe and 〈◊〉 â—oue short and â—â—omentanie pleasure without â—â—de / 〈◊〉 / or measure Here let hym than wâ—yâ—â—â—â—n bâ—lâ—â—oe and iuge what maner of bargaâ—ne and exchange it is for so fylthy / and so short a pleasure / and yâ—â— that in dede rather payne than pleasâ—â—â— as is an yche or thynges for that than to lose / in this lyfe the tranquillitâ—â— / rest / and pleasure of the soule and mynde and after this lyfe / the vnspekeable ioyes of heuen And to byâ— and receyue agayne therfore the moste horrible place / the moste vgly and lothsome company / and moste abhominable syght offend â—â—it â—eanâ—â—â— furious fyre and all the moste terrible tourmentes of hell / in payne and wo euerlastynge / worlde without ende Beholde thou lothsome fecher / weyâ— and take hede In what case thou shal be than whaÌ„ god and all the worlde hath forsaken the / and thou also by despere hast forsakeÌ„ thy selfe And thou left for euer without remedy I wolde aduise the wreche loke vpon these thynges byfore And yet if thou thynke it is a payne for the to forbere thy pleasure yet thynke agayne and reuolue well in thy mynde what paynes and laboures / what care and daungers / our lorde god thy maker / our swere sauiour Iesu thy redemer toke and suffred for the Bysyde the coÌ„mune laboures and iniuries that doâ—â—e apperteyne vnto maÌ„ remeÌ„bre / what perseâ—â—â—ion he had / what shamefull rebukes / what paynes and tourmentes in his body / howe moche blode he shed / howe bytter dothe he suffred for theÌ„ And wylt thou wreche forgette all these benefites And for thy false â—eÌ„dyshe pleasure put hym agayne vpon the crosse by â—enewyng and agayne doyng the same mischeuous wherfore he suffâ—red all this woâ—â— Alas vnkynde wreche dost nat thou to â—s to â—ethâ—â—e many great gyfte the hathe gyâ—â—â— vnto thâ— / that neueâ— dyddest deserue any thynge but payne And yet for all / the last wherof may neuer duely be recoÌ„pensed yet doth he desyre no more but that thou for his sake / folowyng hâ—â— exaÌ„ple â—oldest take that lytell payne to restreyne thy furious appetite and blynd affection / from those thynges / that only shulde noy hurte / destroye thy selfe / neuer may greue ne ê“fytte hym And that thou woldest somwhat dispose thy selfe to loue hym that so moche hathe loued the. Alas wylt thou euer haue a stony herteâ— or rather an herte of yren or style ¶ Howe this synne shulde be auoyded by the consideracion of two contrarie loues / and of the ende therof The .xxiii. Chapi SEt byfore thyne eyes or sight / these ii loues / and compare them bothe to gether / that is to say honest loue / and vnclene loue / holy pleasure / and voluptuous and fylthy pleasure The ioye gladnes of the spirite / the purite passion / of thy false flesshe Loke wel vpon the grounde mater of both the loues For the mater of honest loue is god and all godly thynges And the mater of other is stynckyng synne â—â—â—l Se the â—â—â—ce and disposicion of both For the nature of honest loue is to growe increaâ—e vnto the pleasure ê‘fecte of the ê‘sone And coÌ„trarie the disposicion of vnclene loue is to growe vnto hatred / vurest / displeasure and / distructeon Take hede vnto the ende and rewarde of bode For the rewarde of honest lowe is ioy and loue perpetuall And the rewarde of vnclene loue payer wo euerlastyng / Answere also herevnto Whether ye thynke in true conscience that any reasonable ê‘sone be so beastly and shameles that wolde in the tyme of that fylthy furie of the fleshe coÌ„mitte and dothe dede in the opeÌ„ market place / wolde nothyng lâ—ttene care who shulde se / beholde that abhominacionâ— I am sure ye say none Alas thaÌ„ why doth nat the brestlâ— lecher remeÌ„bre who loketh vpoÌ„ him / our lorde god / the holy Angelles / specially his owne kepes / al the blessed company of heuen For I am sure if he had the eyes and syght of a spynx / or of an Egleâ—he coulde neuer se the dede of any ê‘sone / done byfore hym so clerely and euidentely as god and al heuen done so euery thought of his hert and mynde It shulde also some what helpe and make hym to remembre at the begynnynge of this foly and madnes That he must come at the last vnto one of these two poyntes and conclusions / that is to say other that suche false pleasure ones tasted / entred shall so enchaunt by wyche / and blynde his mynde that he shall go and passe forth froÌ„ one vyle abhominacion vnto an other vnto the tyme he come as saynt Paule sayth in sensum reprobum Ro. 1. that is to weane Vnto a frowarde minde and vnderstaÌ„dyng felyng / forsakeÌ„ of god / obstinat iÌ„ yuel So â— whaÌ„ sine hath left hym / that is say / whan he hathe no power in nature to accoÌ„plysshe that synne yet shall hathe leue the synne But by thâ—fore â—â—longe vse therof as we haue knowe in many pâ—â—sones the appetite desyre / and wyll to do syne doth as quykly / and
done for them selfe or theyr frendes The open vowe is whan the persone doth make it outwarde in the hearynge and presence of other ê‘sones And this may be iÌ„ two maners / one caled a symple vowe or syngle vowe / and the other a solempne vowe The symple open vowe is made without solemnite of the churche / yet iÌ„ the presence of ê‘sones as dyd Saul Iepte / and many other in holy scripture 1. Reg. 14. D. Iudic. 11. G The solemne vowe is / that vowe that is made iÌ„ the pÌ„sence of god and man / in the face of the churche / by the auctorite ordinaunce of the same / as in the holy sacrameÌ„t of baptisme / of matrimonie / and suche other by the auctorite of bothe the lawes / natwtstandynge these solemne vowes maye be made secretely And where the circuÌ„stauÌ„ces of the open solemnizacioÌ„ she wynge of the same can nat be had / they ben as good valeante done stande in as great strengthe and effecte as the other / all one vnto god / byfore him all of lyke bonde Whan the outwarde soleÌ„nitie as I sâ—â—â— can nat by had / as by case if a persone wold make his vowe in full feythe to be baptized that byfore was a hethen persone / yet were takeÌ„ sodeynly by any chauÌ„ce vnto dethe the vowe and ê“myse were in that case sufficient / as good as thoughe in dede he had ben baptized / so of all other vowes whiche I say byfore god ben of lyke effecte all one But so ben they nat byfore maÌ„ and byfore the worlde For the vowe that is made openly in the face of the churche muste be kepte accordynge vnto the condicion / and after the maner of the promyse made iÌ„ the same vowe / vnder suche peynes and ieopardy as the churche dothe assigne and appoynt there vnto But the vowes priuely made maye be broken without any suche open punisshement of man / all thoughe they nothynge auoyde therby the peyne and punisshement of god The reason here of is / bycause that man dothe onely se / perceiue / and knowe these thynges that openly done appere withoutforth / but god dothe beholde and knoweth the herte of maÌ„ al the secretê therof / for nothynge may be hyd nor couered from hym And therfore dothe he priuely punisshe / that is priuely offended and mysdone For byfore god the consent of the soule dothe make the vowe rather than the wordes Thus haue we shewed what thynge a vowe is / of the diuersities of laufull vowes For with vnlaufull or vndiscrete vowes we no thynge here medle also we haue of the maner and due fourme of the same / whiche thynge considered nowe remayneth to shewe proue for our purpose / howe the Apostles dyd make these vowes kepe the same whiche thynge the very letter of the gospell doth testifie / nat onely that they vndertoke theÌ„ by the couÌ„sayle of Christe in coÌ„sent alone / but also in outward worde / as doth appere in the gospell of Matthewe also of Luke Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Where iÌ„mediately after our sauiour had gyuen the couÌ„sayle shewed the ieoê‘dy of theÌ„ that caled there vnto / dyd forsake the same and also of the meruaylouse difficultie and hardnes to come vnto saluacion with abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of ryches they forth with answered in outwarde wordes / saynge Syr beholde / se / perceyue / knowe / that we by thy counsayle and commaundemente haue lefte and forsakeÌ„ all maner of thynges that we had or myght haue / and also we haue folowed the / that is after saynt Hierome vpon the same letter / we haue lefte and forsaken our owne wyll / to folowe the / and to be at thy wyll in suche due obedience as thou haddest vnto god the father Ieronimê° Syth thaÌ„ sayd they we haue thus forsaken all what shall it auayle vs / what profyte shal we haue therby / and what shal be our rewarde Our sauiour Christe answered here to by a maner of othe depe affirmacioÌ„ Saynge Amen dico uobis c. I do a certein you or ê“mise for a surety said he that you that haue folowed me shal be with me iuges of all the hole worlde And all maner of persones that for my sake wyll leue forsake his kynne / father and mother / sister and brother / wyfe chyld / landes and pocessions / shall haue therfore moche more than they done forsake / and yet ouer that / shal they haue lyfe and blysse euerlastynge Note and marke well the wordes of the gospell / whan our sauiour had shewed the Apostles what shulde be the rewarde of theyr obedience in folowynge hym / he shewed forthwith what shulde be the perfection of that obedience / that is to say nat onely to lyue selfe wyll by obedience / but also to forsake the flesshe / that is Domum The house and auncestours wherof we come by kynred / that is father and mother and also those with whome we ben familier / and ioyned in carnall affection all thoughe naturall / as brother syster / wyfe and chylde / and this apperteineth vnto chastite / and that foloweth landes / fyldes / and possions / dothe apperteyne vnto wylfull pouerte What nowe can be more pleyne than that the Apostles of Christe dyd nat onely in consent of herte mynde but also in expresse wordes receyue the counsayle of Christe / and folowe his calynge vnto the hyghe perfection / and these .iii. essenciall vowes And so dyd they perseuer / and kepe theÌ„ constantly all theyr lyfe tyme / without violence or spotte Thus appereth bryghtely contrarie vnto these blasphemers that al these .iii. vowes / haue foundacion grouÌ„de vpon holy scripture in bothe the testamentes olde newe / natwtstaÌ„dynge they ben as we sayd byfore perfections of counsayle and nat of coÌ„maundemeÌ„t And therfore no persones ben bounde to enterpryse and to take these perfections but only at selfe libertie and fre wyll / excepte they ben caled / by speciall election there vnto / as the Apostles were For than I thynke verely that iÌ„ suche case they were bouÌ„de to receyue them after due profe of the sayd calynge and election So that if they shulde forsake that calynge they shulde be in ieopardy to be refused and forsaken of god moche more than shulde they be in peryll and ieopardy that haue receyued the calyng and made vowe and profession vpon the same argument Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Here of I take of the wordê of our sauiour as in the places byfore rehersed / where he sayd that no persone puttynge his hande vnto the ploughe / lokynge becke is apte for the kyngdome of heuen / that is ment of suche persones as bene caled by the inwarde mocion of the spirite / and done gyue consent there vnto / and yet wyll nat for bycause of the pleasure they haue iÌ„ the worlde or
natwithstandynge the same terme is vsurped / vsed / and taken ofte tymes for any obseruaunce / or seruice / reuerentely done of man vnto man / specially of the subiecte vnto the souereyne And after both these maners or diuersites ceremonies were vsed iÌ„ the olde lawe / and ben also vsed yet in the churche of Christe For althoughe the ceremonies of the olde lawe done nowe sease / ben vtterly paste / put awaye / as vnto the superficiall thynges that than appered / and that by them was wroght or done outwardly yet bycause they were figures the signification of them / and also the fourme maner and byhauoure dothe remayne wherby the churche of Christe hathe infourmacion For many of the ceremonies of the churche ben taken out of the ceremonies of the olde lawe And yet although all the preceptes and commaundementes of god be in lyke maner to be kepte of all persones vnto his honoure / yet the maner and doynge of that honour is nat all one / nor after one fourme For the ceremonies of diuerse countres and places ben variaÌ„t and determined or appoynted eueryche after theyr proper rites / customes and maner / bothe in place / tyme dayes / and houres / and in syngynge / readynge / sensynge / processions / stacions / inclinacions / sessions / prostracions / genuflections / with all suche other obseruances / whiche ben / caled ceremonies / bycause as we sayd they done apperteyne vnto the worshype and honoure of god / whiche honour may be done vnto him in diuerse maners / that is to say in soule / herte / or mynde alone / and this maner is al inwarde / and therfore it nedeth no ceremonies / nat withstandynge the holy father saynt Hughe De sancto Victore Dothe counsayle all religious persones iÌ„ al suche seruice as they done vnto god onely in herte and mynde / and whan they be also alone with out any company to vse suche maners / byhauiours and ceremonies / than in priuite / as they shulde vse abrode amonge company / bycause that custome is lyght to be kepte / and lothe to be broken chauÌ„ged yet as I sayd that in warde honoure vnto god nedeth none outwarde ceremonies But vnto the other outwarde honoures of god done for example / and vnto the edificacion of al christianes ceremonies ben necessarie And this honoure may be in two maners / that is to saye onely iÌ„ the body and nothynge in the herte or mynde / wherof the Prophete saythe Populê° hic labiis me honorat c. Esa 29. Marci 7. This people doth honoure vnto me with theyr mouthe but theyr hertes ben farre from me The other maner of honour is both with herte and toÌ„ge / and this is very good And yet vnto bothe this maners ceremonies as I sayd ben necessarie For althoughe the honoure that is done vnto god without herte or mynde / onely in mouthe / or outwarde in worke be nat of it selfe meritorious / ne moche dothe auayle or profyte the persones of it selfe yet may it auayle and profyte by accidens or chaunce bothe vnto the mynysshynge of synne / and vnto the obteynynge of grace / as by the example and occasion of vertue / and edificacion gyuen vnto other ê‘sones by that outwarde honour therfore vnto this houre or tyme ceremonies ben necessarie coÌ„uenieÌ„t Obiection But here some ê‘sones wyl say that to gyue suche honoure vnto god with ceremonies accordynge onely outwarde and nothynge inward is ypocrisy / and those ê‘sones may be caled ypocrites Answere Vnto this shall I shortely answere my mynde That to shewe or do suche honoure with suche ceremonies in suche fourme maner aboue or beyonde the duety / state / and degre of the persones semethe alway to be ypochrisy or supersticion yet can no persone iuge the herte of the persones / for the mocions of grace and compunctions may come sodeinly But if the persones do no forther thaÌ„ bonde duety in suche honoure doynge than ben they nat ypocrites althoughe they do but lytell merite therby Example of both if a tapster / or an hosteler / a caichpol / or baily errant with suche lyke persones wolde byfore and in the presence of people vse the ceremonies of religious persones in protestacions / inclinacioÌ„s knockynge vpon the breste / lyftynge vp of handes / and eyes or syght vnto heueÌ„ / with suche other they myght be suspecte of ypocricy / but nat as I sayde condempned For the other parte / if religious persones done outwarde the holy ceremonies of religion suche as byfore we spake of in moste deuoute / and holy maner and yet inwarde had no deuocion in herte or mynde / they were nat for all that ypocrites bycause they do but theyr duety / and as bycommethe theyr state and degre For if they dyd nat the same thinges they shulde slaunder and gyue occasion And in so doynge they done edifie by theyr example / and may the rather be disposed vnto compunction / and as we sayd to obteyne grace For those alone ben very ypocrites that done shewe outwarde that is nat withinforthe / to the intent to be supposed and iuged better than they ben / thereby to be the more preysed / and to be more in fauoure or to haue wynnynge or auauntage therby / natwithstandynge the ceremonies maye euer do good / and neuer hurte excepte they moche excede due maner The other honoure of god done outwarde in reuerente maner And inwarde also with herte / minde / and deuocion is euer good and profitable And yet ben ceremonies necessarie there vnto / without whiche the honoure shulde be deminisshed and made lesse / and is by them the more increased And therfore were ceremonies ordeyned / and so ben vsed And bycause that in a coÌ„munalty / and amonge people some persones ben apte and of naturall disposicion / or of grace / or of educacion / bryngynge vp / of teachynge ben disposed to do honoure seruice vnto our lorde wylfully of them selfe / with all reuerence / due maner / and diligence Some other contrarie ben very dull / slouthfull / negligente / rude / careles / in doynge of theyr duety / wherfore it was necessary and profitable to put the holy ceremonies apperteinynge vnto the honoure of god / vnder precepte and coÌ„maundement Exod. Leuit. Numer Deut. c. pass ê‘oiÌ„a Matth. 14. B. Mar. 6. E. Io. 6. A. Luce. 4. Marc. 7. And so were they put in the olde lawe in many places And In the newe lawe our sauiour hym selfe vsed many holy ceremonies / as in the gospell of Mathewe / whan he multiplied the breade and fysshe / wherwith the people were fedde he toke the breade fyrst in his holy handê and loked vp vnto the ayre / or vnto heuen / and sayd grace And in Luke / whan he shulde preache he toke fyrst a boke in his hande and red therin / and after closed the boke / and than byganne to
vsed many thyngê and locke them fast / or hyde for theÌ„ selfe alone And if by chaunce any of theyr felowes happe to fynde / for a nede do vse that thynge / that so they haue appoynted for theÌ„ selfe / thaÌ„ wyll they anone be moued disconteÌ„t / angry therw t / sometyme take it froÌ„ theÌ„ by violence / or wtout any charitable or good religious maner And yet forther ê‘adueÌ„ture chyde / brale / speake suche wordes as shulde neuer passe a religious mouth I fere moche surely dred lest many ê“fessed ê‘sones / done by suche meanes fall into the dauÌ„ger of the moste perilous pestilence / moste depe daÌ„pnable synne of ê“priete For in that tyme they toke and dyd account the goodes of the monasterie Ibidem Ca. 20. as consecrate goodes vnto our lorde And therfore to be vsed with all due reuereÌ„ce To be vsed nat at pleasure selfe wyll but for very vnfeyned nede And alway by the knowlege / licence of the souereyne For that thynge that were nat nedeful shulde no ê‘son vse by any licence And yet euer as I sayd they shulde vse all thynges with reuereÌ„ce For in that tyme they dyd vse intreate the goodê of the monasterie with suche reuereÌ„ce that if any ê‘sone dyd breake / lose / or yet misintreate / any goodes of the monasterie / they shulde haue meruelous great rebuke / streyt punisshement Ibidem And that for a thynge of lytell price or small value For there is shewed / what rebuke an officer / religious ê‘soÌ„ of a monasterie had / for losiÌ„g of thre graynes of otemele / that by negligeÌ„ce dyd ouerfall hiÌ„ as he broght otemele vnto the potte Suche rebuke penauÌ„ce had he as we nowe wolde think rygorous to be gyuen / for the losyng of an oxe / or certen noÌ„bre of bestes Hereby may we take that nothyng in any monasterie shulde be reserued vnto the proper vse of priuate persone For no persone in the monastery professed / may haue any maner thynge in any wyse / or fourme in ê“priete Yet maye the selfe monasterie all holly to gether haue ê“priete Antoninê° 4. pte ti 12. Ca. 4. For all the landes possessioÌ„s and other goodes of the monasterie done apperteyne vnto the hole monasterie as proper / to be natwithstandyng diuided and ministred by the souereynes / or officers vnto the ê“fessed ê‘sones / and vnto eueryche of them / nat vnto any proper or certeyne vse but vnto the very / and vnfeyned nede of the persones So natwithstandynge that nat onely the selfe thyng but also the vse of euery thyng be euer vnto euery persone as moche as is possible at vncerteynte / alwaye at the wyll and discrecion of the souereyne / euer to be vsed in the moste commune conuenient maner And this maner maner of vse and fourme of priuite is affirmed for the moste holy and moste hyghe perfection of pouerty / bycause it is moste lyke vnto the lyfe of heuen Beda suê‘ act 4. Where all thynges bene and shal be moste hyghly generally coÌ„mune For god t s and euer shal be al / in all And also bycause that our sauioure / and all his Apostles were of that fourme and maner of lyuing And therfore many persones and nerehande al christianes in the fyrste begynnyng of the churche dyd vse kepe the same maner / in so moche that in some one monasterie were M. ê‘sones or mo And this was generall throughe all christiane landes in euery region and countre And euery where dyd they obserue and kepe the statutes / and ordinaunces of this perfection in moste precise and streyte maner / vtterly excludyng al maner of spices / kyndes coÌ„tenaunces of propriete And yet as we sayd byfore they were nat bounden thervnto / but only folowed that maner of deuocion and fre wyll / without profession or promyse ¶ Howe this pouerte came vnto bonde and vowe The .vi. Chapitre BVt after whan perfection beganne to decay some persones wyllynge the same maner to continue dyd precribe and ordeyne certeyne rules / and firme statutes / which many dyd receyue / and wylfully dyd bynde them selfe perpetually to kepe / and fourme the same / of the which rules 18. q. 2. ê‘ni ciosam thre were fyrst receiued and approued by the churche / and so incorporate in the lawe That is to say the rules of saynt Bastle / saynt Augustyne / and saynt Benedicte / and after them was also the rule of saynt Franciske receyued / approued of the churche iÌ„ like maner So that nowe all persones that done wylfully professe the esseÌ„cialles after any of the sayd rules ben vnder payne of deedly synne bouÌ„de to obserue / kepe the same / at the leest as vnto the said esseÌ„cialles / that is to say / these thre vowes obedience / wylful pouerte / chastite Syth than for the garde / sure kepynge of this secoÌ„de vowe of wylfull pouerte al this sayd rules haue ordened the disciples of the same to liue all in coÌ„mune / excludynge vtterly al maner of propriete / singuler / priuate / certen vse of any thynge temporal the same disciples thaÌ„ ê“fessyng the same rules muste nedes / as theyr duete kepe theyr boÌ„de and promyse vnder the sayd paine of deedly sinne And that the sayd fathers haue so ordened doth appere iÌ„ theyr rules Basilius Saynt Basyle sayth in the fourth Chapitre of his rule In multis vtile esse video uitaÌ„ coÌ„munem ducere c. That is I do perceyue sayth he that to lyue all in coÌ„mune amonge suche ê‘sones as haue taken that way of lyuing is for many thynges ê“fitable And iÌ„ the nexte chapitre after he doth exclude propriete Augu. ca. 1. regule And saynt Augustyne in the first chapitre of his rule sayth Hec â—gitur sunt c. We therfore saythe he done coÌ„maunde and charge all you that ben constituted / set / ordred in the monasterie that ye obserue / kepe these thyngê that done folowe Fyrst that ye abyde / dwell in your house qietely / restfully / agreable to gether in all thynges Basili ca. regule 2. For thervnto ben you gadred to gether iÌ„ one coueÌ„t And that you haue in our lorde one herte / one wyll / one mynde And that ye nother name ne call any thing properly your owne / but that all thynges be vnto you coÌ„mune Ibidem Ca. 5. And that all thynges that ye haue / as meate drynke / and clothynge be distributed / diuided / assigned / or appoynted vnto eueryche of you / by your souereyne And the same thynge in senteÌ„ce haue both the other rules For saynt Benedicte in the .xxxiii. Chapitre of his rule sayth Precipue hoc vicium radicitus amputetur c. Benedictê° in regula ca. 13. Let this vice of propriete sayth he be kytte awaye / plucked vp clene by the