of dome And this dowre is cleped immortalite or vndedlynes / that body that is sowen vnworthy / shall ryse in glory and this dowry is called clerenes / that body that is sowen in infyrmyte or instablenes / shall ryse in vertue / thys dowry is called Agilite or swyftenes That body that is sowen bestiall shall ryse spirituall / and this dowry is called subtylite But there bene other foure dowryes of substanciall medes / with the which we shal be dowred in our soul The first dowry is called impossibilite / the seconde is tuicion / the .iij. perpetuall charyte / the .iiij. is fruytion Or after this maner to speke more playnly the first is knowlege without errour / the seconde is mynd without forgettynge / the thyrde is wel without coÌ„tradiccyon and the .iiij. is thus of the godhede and loue of god euerlastynge O what a woundrefull ioye is thys / where the soul shal be fedde with the syght of the godhed certes / this is ioye without wrechydnes / rest without busynes / mirthe without heuynes / surety endeles / of al discorde lotheles This is coÌ„forte in al gladnes of purueyans / careles Ysaye 64 Corinth 2. This wytnessith the prophet Ysaye seynct Paule in his epistle sayth that bodely yie hath not sene / ne eare hath herde / ne hert of man thought what thynges they be that god hathe ordeyned or prepared to them that loue him P Lorde who shall not auance his feble wyttes to thynke on that louely coÌ„pany that prayseth in heuen the goodnes of thys inscrutable godhede / father and sonne and holy goste To begynne at Mary Christes mother / quene of heuen / lady of therthe and Impresse of hell Nyne orders of Angelles in glorious wyse that dwellynge in theyr heuenly selles / to do the pleasynge wyll of god in heuen and in erthe / as theyr order asketh And patriarkes our elder fathers that streytly kept the byddinges of god there they resten of all theyr trauayle in lond of life with double mede Ther bene ê“phetes that sene in spirite the mystery of Chrystes incarnacyon they tolde the commynge of this lorde in hope abydynge mannes saluacion Euangelistes ben there hygh in blysse that walken with Christ and wryt his wordes Apostelles sent into all the worlde and Christes discyples to preche the gospell turnyng Iewes hethen me to Christes lawe / there they sitten on seetes vpon .xij. trones and shallinge with Chryste in the dome the xij tribêª of Israel Math. 19. There ben marters that shede there bloude suffered paynes to enlarge theyr ioye / and for they passed by fyre water they haue founde refresshynge to theyr soules / also ther be coÌ„fessours that opened christes lawe to thys worlde / and neyther for felony ne for shame wolde neuer deny / that blissyd lord / ther ben virgins in body and soull that kept theÌ„ in clennes from luste of fleshe And to this blisse be taken both leryd lewde that done ther vttermoste wyll to kepe goddes commaundementes no tonge may tel the sothe as it is 〈…〉 But thus we seien to amende our deuotion that we myght haue that blysse in mynde / take a parte among these saynctes But saynct Iohan when he was ledde in spirite sawe in heuen a wonderfull syght and for to chere mankynde in erthe / he left it wrytten in his boke that is to say ☞ Apocalipsis 13. Sainct Iohan sawe a woman clade in the sonne / and mone vnder her fete / and a crowne vpon her hed of the .xij. sterres / this woman betokeneth mannes soull / as we toke wytnes of Christ before / and certayne thys was a blyssedfull syght to se the church in her weddynge clothes / the sonne that thys churche is cladde in / is that moste worshypfull garnement our saluacyon / that excellent and moste commendable lyuerey our redempcyon / that holy and moste precious cloth our chrystendome / and our relygion / for thys Chryste betoke vs when we were baptized as Paule sayeth Gal. 13. QuicuÌ„que baptizati estis christuÌ„ induistis All ye that be baptyzed ye be clade Chryste / Iesu the son beryth lyghtnesse of our baptym for certayne propertyes that it hath of the sonne / other lyghtes borowe there shyniÌ„g / bothe mone sterres in theyr due course and elles they ben ouerleade with darkenes / that may not comforte to nyght ne day So all mannes warke in worde and dede borowith there lyght at Chryste Iesu for he is the sonne of ryghtwysnesse as Mardoche saythe in the spyryte of god .8 that is to saye Lyght and son is vpsprynge to vs and meke lowly men vphaunsed in hys saynctes the boke declareth what thys is to meane / Psal 113. lyght is vpsprongen to rightnesse / that wandren in darkenesse of his lyfe / and thys is our lorde Iesu Chryste that of hys owne mercy hathe shewed / the people And thys we rede of true beleue in the story of our blessed Lady / that is to say / Mary a virgyn hathe borne the souerayne sonne of richtwisnes that is godde◠〈…〉 heuen Christ Iesu bothe god man / 〈…〉 man doth that fayleth this lyght / it 〈◊〉 yndelinge and the doungiÌ„ on of hel / and whan thys sonne shyneth in hys workes he growith by hete of grace / and rypeth that shynen in thys crowne ben the .xij. artycles of the comon crede / that is to say Credo in deum c. Thus shulde that soull be arayed that is chosen to be Chrystes spouse / and worthyly is holy church lykened to a woman / for a woman bryngeth forth bothe sonnes and doughters of her wombe / but not without helpe and the worchynge of mannes sede So our mother holy churche bereth in her bely soules to be borne to the blysse of heuen / but neuer without the helpe and worchynge of the grace of our lorde Iesu Chryste / IohaÌ„ 16. Sine me noÌ„ potestis facere as the gospell wytnesshyth / sayenge without me ye may do nothynge / that is to say medefully or thankworthy Here some men obiecten and sayen / that the gospell is not of auctorytie / but inasmoche as the church hath auctorysed chanonised it for they sayen No man knowith suche wordes to be gospel / but as the church hath determyned in her determinacyon / this conclusion semeth to smacke heresy / Gene. 2. by the wytnes of saynct Austen sayeng on this wyse Heresy is false teachynge contrary to holy writ ful hardely defended most because of worshyp worldly wynnyng / sithen al these ben fouÌ„den in this forsayd obiection it is full suspect of heresye / for it is wrytten from the begynnynge that god ordeyned man to be hed and lorde ouer the woman And agaynwarde the woman to be vnderloute subiect vnto maÌ„ ♣ Ephe. 5. But Paule sayth This great sacrament of knyttyng to gether a man
in hys Moralles These wordes of great sorow to them that ben gylty who that is fedde with plesures or lustes of this present lyfe without any doute that man is departed from the vnderstandynge of euerlastynge wysedome And sithen these prestes be geuen to this flesshely lustes they faylen gostely syght and wysedome / to ransake any gostely syckenes or to serche aboute the perell of a wounde / and yet they ben presumpteous to profer false medecyne / vndertake great cures for to make men hole / but they hurten them moche sorer than they were before / as the lorde moueth by his ê“phete Ieremy Ieremy These prestes helydden the contrycyon of my people with shenshyp or with shame / that is with foule symony as we rehersed aforne And they sayen Peace / peace / whan theyr was no peace / they ben worthy to be spent that haue done abhominacyon moch rather in thys cofasyon they ben not confunded / for they haue not ben ashamed of theyr owne felony Thus sayth the lorde god / and efte he sayth from the preachours that commeth defoulynge vpon all the erthe These thynges sayth the lorde wyll ye here the wordes of these preachours that prechen desceyuen you They speken the visyon of theyr herte / but not of the lordes mouth / they sayen to tho that blasphemen me The lord spekyth that peace shal be to you / and they haue sayde to eche man that walkethe in shrewdnes of his herte theyr shal come none yll vpon hym And Gregorye saythe Gregory Yuyll prestes ben cause of ruyne decaye of the people / no wounder for whaÌ„ the lyght is quenched that shulde shyne in prestes / thaÌ„ is theyr moche stynke with wickked fauour / and blyndnes that cumbrith the leder the folower into the derkenes of hell as the gospell wytnessyth whan the blynde ledith the blynde / fall they not thaÌ„ both into the dyke or lake yes playnly The former blynde is the prest that wantith vnderstandyng / for you haue the lettryne fayle in good lyuyng / than he is a blynd prest of whome Christ spekith / as the commen glose sayth / aboute nought he bostith the knowyng of godes law that distroyeth the lore with his wycked workes The other blynde is man woman that trusten in such prestes to lede them in the way of lyfe / bryng them to saluacion But Christ hath iuged both these partyes to fal into the dungyon Of such prestes coÌ„meth debate in all the world that distrobleth very peace cryeth open vengeaunce And these prechours ben no prechours but only in name / as a luschborne is clepid apeny is nought worth Knyghtes Knyghtes also ben to blame that mysusen theyr power wyl not rede is goddes lawe neyther lerne theyr office And therfore the wysemaÌ„ blameth theÌ„ sayeng Here ye knyghtes vnderstande ye knyghtes for power is only of the lorde and strength cometh of them that is hyest that shall aske rekennynge of all your workes / and shal serche fully the inwarde of your thoughtes For whan ye were mynysters of godes realme neyther ye demed ryghtfully / neyther kepte ye his lawe / neyther ye walked in the way after goddes wyll / but ye strayed all away as yf it were wylde lyons / in oftyn takyng of moch meate that styryth you to moch drynkynge / than ye lyggen longe in cowchis that draweth you to Lechery / sometyme to spousebreche and other foule vnclennes / and of this commethe stryuynge and fyghtyng euer anon that bryngeth you to enmyte and hate of eche othere Howe shulde ye knyghtes maynteyne peace whan ye forsake it in your selfe / for with your greuous tirannye oppression extorcyon your awe is lawe who dare say nay / but as ye woll your selfe But wete you well thys is the voyce of them that shal be dampned as the wyse man sayth Our strength / our power / be it to vs the lawe of ryghtwysnes Here ye therfore howe dredfully it folowith the sentence sayd afore if that ye wyl not amende you Ferefully and sone it shall shewe to you that most harde iugemente shal be to them that lorden or that holden lordeshype ouer poore bretherne / mercy is graunted to them that ben lowe in herte mighty men myghty shullen suffre turmentry / forsothe the Lorde shal not withdrawe the person of any man neyther he shal be ashamed of any mannes greatnesse / for he hathe made bothe small and great / and chargith ne one ne other / forsothe to the stronger is made stronger crucyacyon in payne Thhese forsayde prestes and knyghtes throughe such vicious dedes leden the commennes on theyr rynge / and bolden them in synne / so that all this worlde is set in errour in batayle and in warre But nowe be coÌ„men to the preste the wordes that god hath sayde by the prophete Ieremy to teache his chosen seruauÌ„tes Ieremy Al these ben aduolterers and a company that breken the lawe / they haue stretched forth theyr tonge as a bent bowe to shutte lesynge no trouth / eche man at other / they ben comforted in the erthe / for they gone from yuell to yuel / and they haue not knowen me sayth the Lorde god / eche man from his neybour kepe them selfe full wysely / and in his owne brother he may haue no truste / for eche brother in dysseyte shal begyle othere / and the man shall scorne hys brother and they shall not speke truth / forsothe they haue taught theyr tonge to speke lesyng / and for they wolde done wyckedly they haue sore traueled / they haue forsaken in trechery to knowe me / saythe the lorde god / wherfore these thynges sayth the lorde of hostes Lo I shall wele them to geder / and I shall proue them / what shall I elles do / from the face of my people an arrowe wouÌ„deng is theyr tonge / for it spekyth gyle / and he spekyth with his frendes / peace with his mouth / but pryuely he layeth for hym spyes to disceue them Nowe whether shal they not vysyte vpon these thynges saythe the lorde god or shall not my wyll be venged vpon suche a folke as yf he wolde faâ—e I shal be venged / for as theyr wyl is to go from me so my wil is to be venged vpon theÌ„ when I se my tyme / but happely here some woll saye god woll not take vengeans on hys christen people / god woll not lese that he dere bought with his precyous blode To the fyrste we answeren by the mouthe of god Iere. 16. Ieremy 16 your fathers sayth he haue forsaken me / and gone after goddes for to do them seruyce / and worshyp them also / but they haue forsaken me and not kepte my lawe But ye also done moche werse than euer wrought your faders Lo eche of you walketh after the shrewydnes of his euyl herte / that he here not
worlde hath custome to swere by one saint or by another Certes these forsaid enemyes ben cause of this blasphemus sweryng / what with theyr sclaūdres somtyme with their sore punysshing freyl people cannot stande / but yelde them to this fēdes temptynges The thirde cōmaūdemēt of god is this Exo. xx Haue mynde to halowe thyn holyday In six dayes thou shalt wyrche do all thyne owne werkes / forsoth the seuenth day is the saboth of the lorde Thou shal not do any seruyle worke These syx shal kepe this holyday Thy son thy doughter / thy seruaūt / thyn hande mayden thy beest / thy straūger / that is wtin thy gates In six dayes god made heuē erthe / the see / al thynges that ben in thē / he in the .vij. day Therfore god blyssed the day of the saboth / and made it holy Agayne this commaundemente the fende in his members gyueth leue to chapeman to bye and sell Ye within the sentuary / on the holy sounday And vytellers of the countre holden commen marketes / yet se thou more what synnes a gaynste this hefte of god / great fayres of the yere for the most parte ben sette on the saboth day by the fendes councell God toke full hydeous wreche vpon the chyldren of Israell when they wrought seruyle worke vpon the saboth daye as it is wryten Eccle. xxxj Halowe ye my holyday / forsothe it is holy to you who that hath defouled it / he shal be deed / he that doth any seruyle werke therin / hys lyfe shall perysshe from the myddes of his people And so for gatherynge of styckes on the saboth day / a man at goddes byddynge was stoned to the deth Therfore Nemias a mā that dreade god wyl suffre none to bye ne sell on the saboth day within the gates of Ierusalem / ney ther aboute the walles / and charged all vytellers that they shulde ceasse / and yf they wolde not take hede they shulde fele his handes / for he thought for to warre on them as on goddes enemyes / but yf they wolde obey to god in halowyng of his saboth day This processe is wryten in the boke of Neemias in the laste chaptre Lo howe streytly the Iewes kepten goddes byddynge / and god smote them with bodely payne whā they dyd forgete But chrysten men maken theyr bost howe they be more parfyte in seruyce of theyr god / then euer were the Iewes who that euer mekely proueth his worde in dede thā may he say boldely that this tyme of grace is of more parfeccyon / by vertue of the sacrementes and fredome of the gospell than was Moyses lawe / and thou a more parfyte man in kepynge this perfeccyon / but thou be in apostatate in brekyng goddes heftes than is thy payne moch the more / as paule sayd to the Romaynes Ro. 11. Forsothe thou standest in the fayth / nyl thou be proude / ne bere the neuer the hyer / but abyde thou mekely in the holy drede of the lorde Forsoth syth that the lord sparyd not the kyndely or naturall braunches / that is to say / the Iewes that he chose to be his kyndely heyres / beware leste be hap he spare not the that camest out of the hethen stocke / and arte planted in by grace of Christ and of his gospell Se now thyne apostasy thou vnkynde wretche and the falsenesse that thou vsyst agaynst Christes gospel Math. 21 Mar. 9. Luce. 19. Io. 2. Iesu entred in to the tempell of god / and he cast out all sellers and byers in the tempell / and the bordes of money makers / and he tourned vpsydowne the chayres of them that solden doues / and sayd vnto them as it is wryten Isaye 6. Myne house is cleped an house of prayer Forsothe ye haue made it a denne for theues Christe forbedyth the layte the vsynge of theyr marchandyse eyther in towne or in churche on the holydaye / and he dampneth more streytly among these vicious prestes byenge of theyr benefyces / and sellynge of theyr sacramētes as the doctour O do sayth / vpon the same gospell / they ben sellers of doues / that sellen spūall thynges / though they crye not with there mouthes neuerthelesse they sayen with Iudas what wyl ye geue / and I wyll betraye hym to you Thus cryen our Monkes other bastarde religyon that sellen / as they may take therfore their habyte / theyr suffrages / and other prestes done also wyckedly that treten deuyne seruyce / and suche ben nowe multiplyed in the church of god / therfore where as thou wenest that the house of prayer is / ther shalt thou redely fynde a denne of many theues Forsothe al that entren not by the dore / that is Christ / but by money or by seculer fauour they ben nyght theues day theues that entre in by a broken wall vnwetynge Iesu Chryste / for he proueth not theyr dedes / and that is vnknowynge For that is the churche nowe all to broken downe / whan the vnable is auaunced to the churche benefyce / eyther for prayer / eyther for pryce / eyther for vndewe seruyce / sythen our lorde Iesu Chryste sayde to his dyscyples that one of them was a deuyll / and mente it by Iudas / be not these apostates that done as yuel as he / worthy to be clepyd deuylles / by the same reason they be great questyoners askers of the lawe / but they wolde not do so moche as put therto theyr fynger / and they bepen charge on othere more than they may bere They bene prayfers of sayntes / and nothynge theyr folowers / they bene herers of the lawe / but nothyng the doers / they bene alwaye lernyng / and neuer wylbe parfyte Thus they bosten in the lawe with worshyp and with wynnynge / but by brekynge of the lawe they done dyspyse theyr god The fourthe commaundemente of god is thys Exod. 20. worshyp thou thy fader and thy mother that thou mayste be longe lyuynge on the erthe the whiche the lorde god shal gyue to the / and it sueth of thys commaundement that they that worshyppen not there parentes shullen haue shorte lyfe here in erthe / and after the londe of myschyefe And therfore Thobye taught hys sonne a lytle afore hys dyenge Thobye 4. Sonne bery thou my bodye / and thou shalt haue worshype to thy moder all the dayes of her lyfe Thou owest for to haue in mynde what parell and howe many she hathe suffred in her wombe for the. Some counten it no synne to take from theyr parentes suche thynges as they haue bycause they bene theyr chyldren But certes thys synne passeth thefte / and more it greuyth god / as the wyseman saith Prouerb xxviij who that withdrawyth any thyng from his fader and moder / and sayth it is no synne / he is pertener of man slaughter / for worshyp of our parētes / standeth in worde
the / and thou woldest not be asshamed But as Paule sayth Ryght as Iambnes MeÌ„bres agaynste standen Moses in the syght of Pharao so these agayne standen treuthe as men corrupte in theyr owne concyens And yf thou wyll knowe what these meÌ„ be / aske of Seynct Peter and he wyll tell the / for he clepethe them by theyr names / in hys epystle where he sayeth / that they bene mayster lyers that shall brynge in amonge the people sectes of perdicyon / that is of losse and deth / though ye rysen with Lucyfer / and maken your nestes amonge the sterres Thense ye shall / fall and dyssende with the same Lucifer into hell there to be eternally tormented in payne that shall laste / and endure for euermore ☞ Zacharie 11. Sume tibi vasa pastoris stulti c ☞ The Lord sayeth by the prophete zacharie Take to the the vesselles of a folysshe sheparde for lo I shall suffre Antechriste to be reysed by in erthe / the whiche shall not visite them that be forsaken / nor seke them that be scatred nor hele them that be seke ☞ Romanos 8. Qui noÌ„ hebet spiritu christi / nec est cuinâ— O thou folysshe pastor / Antechryste Antechryste god saythe thou arte an ydoll hauynge a bysshops habyte But neyther vertue / spirite / lyfe ne dede that longyth to a bysshop For Paule sayth / that he whiche hathe not the spirite of Chryste he is not his seruaunte / al be it that he haue the outwarde tokens And therfore sayth seynct IohnÌ„ the .v. Apo. 16. Quintê° angelus effudit angell powred his crwette vpon the sete of the beste / and his realme is made darke / and they byten theyr tonges to gether for sorowe / and they blasphemyd god of heuen / for ther sorowes and theyr woundes / and they dyd no penaunce for theyr dedes / that is to meane Archebysshopes and Bysshopes bene the sete of the beste Antechrist for in them he sytteth reygneth ouer other people in the darkenes of his heresye / and in thys they delyten them magnifyenge with theyr tonges ther false ordenauÌ„ces the which is sorowe to them that bene of true vnderstandyng and thus they put abake godes lawe / for prechyng of Christes gospell that which bene sorowes to them gendrynge synnes in theyr soules / that wounden him to the deth And beyng thus wounded shall neuer do medefull penaunce of dedes / for the whiche they shal be dampned LyncolnÌ„ sayth I dred I quake hugely I am aferde but I dare not be styl / left peraduenture the sentens fal on me that the ê“phete sayeth wo to me Ysaye 6. De in quia tacui that I haue bene styll The well / the begynnynge / and the cause of all ruine and myschyefe is the courte of Rome Rome Nowe by thauctoryte of god / one accorde of holy saynctes shewyth an open conclusion sadly grouÌ„ded in true beleue / that in the courte of Rome / is the heed of Antechryst / and in archebysshopes and bysshopes / is the body of Antechrist / but in these patched / and clouted sectes as Monkes Chanons and Freers / is the venemous tayle of Antechriste / these .iij. partyes be verefyed of thapostle Iude sayng wo to theÌ„ that walketh in the way of Cayne these bene false possessioners And wo to them that bene shade out for mede in the errour of Balam these bene myghty nedlesse beggers / and wo to them that haue perysshed in the contradiccyon of Chore. These ben proude and stourdy maynteners Howe this Antechrist shal be distroyed god hym self teacheth by the prophete Danyel Danyel 8. Sine manu conteretur sayenge that thys Antechrist shal be dystroyed without hande / that is without the power of man For Paule sayeth Christ shall sle Antechryst with the spiryte of hys mouthe that is with the holy worde of his lawe and the lorde shall dystroye hym with the shynynge of his comyng / that is with tournyng of mennes hertes by grace to his lawe a litle before his danie â–ª But god taught more playnly this lord to Iob. 40 Lo sayeth god the hope that Antechryst hathe in riches / and in worldly fauour / shall brynge hym to nought / and all men saynge he shal be throwen downe hedlyng So that all the people shall make waylynges vpon him with greate lamentacyon / cursynge waryenge dampnyng him with al his false ordenaunces c. ¶ What is Antechryst in specyall with .v. condicions Capi. v. BVt nowe at the laste / we shall brynge to mynde holy Dauid the kynge that had geueÌ„ to him the full spirit of prophecye / and he seynge the coÌ„mynge of Antechrist / his lyuynge and his fall / marketh .v. hydeous assaultes that he shall haunte agaynst the seruauntes of god Psal 9. Constitue dnÌ„e legeslatorem super eos The first assaulte of Antechrist / is his constitucions / as the prophete sayth Lord suffre thou to ordeyne a law maker vpon the people in payne of theyr synnes for that they consent not to the trought / that is thus to meane / Antechryste vsith falce lucratyfe or wynnyge lawes / as ben absolucions / indulgenses / pardones / priuileges all other heuenly treasure that is brought into safe / to spoyle / the people of their wordly goodes and pryncipally these newe constitucions / by whose auctorytie Antechryste interditeth churches / someneth prechers / suspendith receyuers priueth them theyr benefice / cursyth herers / and taketh away the goodes of them / that furtheren the prechynge of the trought ye thoughe it were an angell of heuen But yf the prest shew the marke of the beste / that they haue properly tourned into a newe name callynge hit a speciall lettre of lycence / for the more blyndynge of the people The seconde Assaulte of Antechryst / Despicis oportunita tibêª iÌ„ tribulacione c. is tribulacion / as the prophete sayth Antechryste vexeth the people ouermyghtely / in huntynge the people on mawmetry / and doynge of Idolatry / but euer Antechryst maketh theÌ„ to wene that they gone on pylgremage And therfore he is warned of god by the prophete sayenge Ysaye 5. wo to you that sayen / good is yll / and yll is good puttynge lyght into darkenesse and darkenesse into lyght Tornynge swete into bytternes / and bytter into swetnesse And thus dothe Antechryste whan he translateth vertues into vices / and vices into vertues / as pylgremage into outrage / and outrage into pylgremage / and for this wawarde intent god despyseth Antechrist with all blyndefelde people / and lateth al theyr myspended goodes in theyr most tribulacion The .iij. assaulte of Antechrist is inquificioÌ„ as the prophete sayth / that Antechrist enquyreth secheth and harkeneth / where he maye fynde any man or woman that wryteth lerneth redith or studyeth goddes lawe in theyr mother tonge to leade theyr lyues after the pleasynge wyll of
your grace But prechers in the fendes churche prechen vnder colour for to take gyftes But Gregory reproueth them sayenge who so euer preche for goodes of this worlde or to make a gatheryng for such an heuenly office vndowtedly they pryuen them selfe from the mede that is to come of euerlastynge rewarde / and they prechen cronycles with poyses and dremynges and many other helpeles tales / that ryght nought auaylen They clouten falshed to truthe / with moche vngrounded mater tarynge the people from true beleue that they may nat knowe it / and these preachers waueren aboute in many flesshely lustes as Iude saith ☞ Iude. These ben spottes in theyr meates / feastynge / and fedynge them selfe withouten drede / worshyppynge the persones of men / for they wolde haue wynnynge / reders in Christes churche reden holy lessons / and tenden to theyr redynge with medefull deuotyon as Iierom saythe So rede thou holye wryt that euer thou haue in mynde that tho wordes that thou redyst ben goddes law / that coÌ„mauÌ„ded it not only to be rede / but also that the readers shuld kepe it in theyr workes what ê“fiteth it to rede thynges to be done / not to fulfyll them in dede as a clene myrrour of life the lesson of holy wryt is to be reade had / that all that is good / may be made better / that this yuel may be amended / these reders reden dystynctly / that is treatable openly in scripture withouten interrupcyon / or any faynyd intermission / without corruptynge or ouerhippyng of letter / worde / or sillable they shal accorde in charyte do all thynges in ordre But reders in the fendes church Iangle theyr lessons as iayes chatteren in the cage / and wote not what they meane / stryuing with them for nought eche agaynst other / for rules of ther ordynall and many vayne questions / and if they vnderstanden the lesson whan it is reade or any parte of godes lawe / whan it is declared sone they treden it vnder the fote / and haten it in theyr workes / as Ieremy the prophete sayth in wytnessynge agaynst all suche / howe may ye saye saythe Ieremy we bene wyse and the lawe / and the lawe of the lorde is amonge vs. Certes the false style of the scrybes hathe wrought opyn lesynge / and your wyse men / bene confounded and aferde / and caste in theyr owne snare / they haue throwen abacke the worde of the lorde / there is no wysdome leaste amonge them / and efte god saythe by Ieremy to the veyne reders Cursyd be he that dothe the worke of god fraudulently / that is to say-falsely or disceyuable And here sayth Gregory Onely in goddes seruyce that man do no fraude that wakyth full busyly in study of good dede and neyther boweth to medes of bodylye thyng / nor seketh the wordes of mannes lewde praysynge / nor loketh after the fauour of a foules iugement Syngers ben in Christes church that syngen heuenly songes with theyr swete melody pleasen god at the full / ☞ Paule as Paule sayth in his pystle to the Colo. Suffre ye the worde of god to dwell plenteously amonge you in all maner heuenly wysdome / encresynge you in vertue / techynge and monestynge your selfe / in psalmes and ympnes gostely songes syngynge in grace with feruent deuotion in your hertes to your god / and what euer ye shal do in worde or worke do ye that thyng perfytly in the name of our lorde Iesu Chryst / yeldynge thankynges to the fader by the same Iesu Christe And sythen he is bothe god and lorde and kynge of all the worlde The prophete Dauyd counseyleth vs that we shulde synge wysely For he that is occupyed in heuenly desyres / though his tonge be styll make no noyse He syngeth a songe / sayth / sayncte Austyne / that lyketh god best Austyn Ananye / Azarye / Mizael also soÌ„gen blessed songe to the lorde in suche maner song when they weren in Babylon in the bournynge surneys But syngers in the fendes church broken curyous notes / that is but a puffe of wynde / As sayth sayncte Bernarde wysely / to please the people with lykerous voyce / and fyll theyr eares with veyne deÌ„ne But se what sainct Gregory saith which accordith with saynct Barnard whan fayre glosyng voyce is sought / parfyte lyfe is forsaken / and the people is ledde into synne / Ezechi 33. as god sayth by his ê“phete / Ezechiel 33. My people sytten afore the and heren thy wordes / but they do not after them / whan there backe is tourned / for the prestes turnen them in songe of theyr mouth / and the hertes of the people folowe theyr prestes auarice / and is to them as a songe of musyke / that is songen busyly / and meryly with a lusty sounde / and they heren the sermons / but they kepen them not / sayth the lorde god / and efte god sayth by hys ê“phete Amos. ☞ Amos. Do away from me the pryde of thy chauntynge / and I shall not here the songe of thyne harpe Lord what may this meane that prestes in theyr churche gyue them selfe thys moche to songe / and so lytle to prechynge / and in fewe places or none of the newe testamente shullen we grounde thys maner of songes / neyther among our doctours / but efte they ben charged to preache / ye vnder great payne / and all gates that they haue good wyll to do that they may that the people were truly taught to lede a sober lyfe Therfore Gregory in hys decree smyteth them with a curse that busyen them in the courte of Rome aboute suche syngyng where shuld be vsed the office of prechynge / mynisters of sacramentes that ben in Christes churche be thynken them full besyly of the great worthynes Howe these sacrameÌ„tes coÌ„mmen of Christ / and of his holy passyon taken of his blessed body for treasour of his churche / and they ben salue and medycyne for all the sycke members thaâ— wol shewe theyr great sores / to goddes prestes of wyse discrecyon / and vse these sacramentes in theyr kynde As saynct Paule techeth Christ sayth he is offered our paske that noryssheth vs with his sacrameÌ„tes / and therfore make we vs mery in this gostely foode / not in angre and tene of malyce and wyckednes But in the fayre pured past of clennes and of trouthe These two vertues techen vs to clense body soule / whether that we shulde geue or receyue the seuen sacramentes / baptysme / confermyng / penaunce / ordre / Christes body / Matrymony / and the last anoyntynge These helpen vs in this fightynge churche agayne the seuen dedly sinnes / that ben vij cruell deuylles The fyrst is Lucyfer / that raignyth in his malyce / ruleth ouer the chyldren of pryde The secoÌ„de is called Belzabub / that lordeth ouer enuyous The thyrde
deuyll is Sathanas / wrathe is his lordshyp The fourthe is clepyd Abadon / the slowe ben his retynewe The fyfte deuyll is Mammon / hath vnder hym the auarous and the couetous The syxt is called Belphagor that is the god of glotons The .vij. deuyll is Asmodeus / that ledeth with him the lecherous But tho .vij. sacrametes casten out these deuylles from the seruauntes of god that receyuen them medefully and stablen them in .vij. geftes of the holy goste But mynysters in the fendes church mynystren these sacramentes and treten them vnworthely / and al suche both lerned and lewde ben Iudas gostely chyldren / for he toke the sacrament at Christes holy souper / where Christe dealed his body in brede / as other aposteles dyden dranke with them his blode in wyne / but with a vicious conscience / wherfore the deuyll entred in them / he betrayed hys lorde Thus it is with the fendes chyldren / whan they receyue the sacramentes they gone to them vnworthyly / and so to theyr dampnacyon Some with polluted handes and with a stynkynge careyne / as Parisens sayth / and rehersyth Austyne He that is on the nyght a louer of Lechery / and on the morowe a sacrar of the vyrgyns sonne / god tourneth away hys eares from such mennes prayers Many faythfull doctours forbeden straytly to take any sacramentes of suche prestes handes / but nowe it is and euer shal be to the worldes ende Fooles fynden conuentycles that hasten them to hell / some that ben as symondes heyres / that sellen these sacramētes / and some be redy with theyr money as chapemē in afayre to bye of these marchans marchādyse / meryte / as ther wene / but both the byers the sellers deserue endeles payne Some sayen / haue here my money for christenynge of my chylde Some sayen / haue here this money and assoyle me of my synnes Some sayen / haue here this money / and synge for me a masse Some sayen / haue here thys money for thou hast made this maryage Some sayen / haue here thys money and sacra me to prestehode Some sayen / haue here thys money for thou haste ofte vysyted me Some sayen / haue thys money / and good syr pray for me Some maken letters for soteller ypocrysye / to sell all theyr suffrages where euer they fynde theyr chapemen that wol pay largely therfore Than is the bargayne made Lorde howe studyen these fendes lemes the decre Saluator or godes law / or the Actes of the aposteles where suche marchandyse is dampned For thus it is sayed of cursed Symon Forsothe when Symon Magus had seen that by touchyng of the aposteles handes the holy goste was geuen to the people / he proferyd them money saynge Geue to me also this power that who so euer I touche with my handes may receyue the holy goste Forsothe than sayde Peter vnto hym Thy money be with the for vs / take it thy selfe to thy dampnacion for thou trowest the gyfte of god to be sette to sale for money / there is no parte ne lot to the in thys sermon of god Than these that we haue marked afore in this ben the very heires of Simon / for they wene whan they haue money to graunt to the people these gostely gyftes / and Symon is dampned and all hys folowers howe moche more these cursed takers For yf saynct Peter had taken thys money he had geuen leue to vse symony But Peter forsoke and blamyd thys man / and put a rule that shall laste / and cursethe and dampneth bothe gyuers and takers for bothe partyes bene symonyake Ones Iudas made a couenaunte with the Iewes / for thryttye plates / and solde hys mayster / Iesu Chryste / betrayenge hys bodye into theyr handes whan he came chefely to dye / and hys dethe was our redempcyon / therfore hys name is cursed Iudas / and well worthy for his false trayne But his chyldren do moche more were that sellen the sacramentes / and that for lesse pryce / that ben vndedely and mowt not suffer neyther any profyt cometh of the sale / but vengeaunce here or elles wher Alas whan woll these wretches be ware Studyers in Christes church studyen day and nyght in the lawe of the lord / as the prophete sayth Blessed be that mā that hath his wyll in the lawe of the lorde / for he shal be as a tree that is wisely plantyd besyde the course of waters that shall geue frute in hys due tyme / and his lefe that is his vertue / shall not fall away / but all thynge that he shall do / in grace shullen be welthy well is them that so may studye to fynde these precyous vertues / to make fayre their owne soule with the flowre of holy wryt Than Christ wyll take his restynge place in the chambre of theyr cōsciences / for the wysemā saith My flowers ben flowers of worshyp and honestye And therfore saynct Ierom / coūseyleth in his prologe vpon the byble I pray the dere brother / Ierome sayth Ierome / that thou haue thy study / thy mynde amonge the lessons that ben in holye wryt Busy the nothynge elles to knowe Busy the nothyng elles to seke / set thyne herte in holy studye / and pursue after with all thy myght thou shalt fynde it in short whyle more sweter than the honycomb as the wysemā sayth Haue thy thought in goddes hestes / and in his cōmaundementes be thou most busy / and he shall graunte an herte to the / and a luste of wysdome shal be geuen to the. But studyers in the fendes churche / studyen in theyr maden lawes / all for ryches for pryde and for theyr worldly worshyp Yea so ferforthe that vnneth any man is foūden that abydeth in goddes law / clene without medelynge / but draweth them to mannes lawe for that smatcheth wynnyng / and theyr they studyen sad and sore But at theyr last ende this shal be theyr paymēt / as god saith by Ieremy Ieremy Cursyd mote that man be that settyth his fayth in man / and puttyth hys truste and strength in mannes maden ordynaunces and suffreth theyr herte to departe away from hys lord god Certes this mā shal be as a brome that groweth in wyldernes / and he shall not se in inwarde syght / whan that good of the soul shal come to them / but he shall dwell in drynes in the londe of wyldernes / thus sayth the lorde god Such men sclaundren Christe that is bothe god and man and hath halowed his bothe lawes with hys precyous dethe / and put in them the spyryte of lyfe by quyckenynge of his blode / to rere soules from deth / and brynge them agayne to lyfe as the gospell telleth Iohīs 11. Iohīs 11. where Christe sayth who so euer beleueth on me / yea thoughe he be deed / neuertheles he shall lyue agayne both in grace and glory But
and dede / bothe to teche and to rule them yf they be lewde or poore / and it longeth to these pareÌ„tes to gouerne wel theyr children ordeyne not only for theÌ„ the goodes of this world but moch rather dyspose theyr lyfe towarde the blisse of heuen / as the wysemaÌ„ sayth / prouerb xxiij wyll thou withdrawe techynge from the chylde for though thou bete him with a yerde / he shal not dye theron Thou betyst them with a belesse / and thou shalt delyuer hys soule from hel / he that sparyth the yerde / hatyth his chylde / forsoth he that loueth them woll teche them besyly / for a wyse chylde gladdeth the fader / and afeltyd childe is the sorow of his mother / against this coÌ„maundemet the fende with his meÌ„bers / what with ypocrytes / that is fayned holynes / what with blynde pyte / that regnyth in the seclers he hath encombred Christes churche with moch worldly mucke / and euer lad our mother with temporal possessions that she may not ryse to heuenly coÌ„templacyon / therfore theyr owne chyldren waxen wylde wanten / and wyl neyther take awe ne lawe / alas this is a greate sorowe but our father that is in heuen to whome nothynge is hyd seynge his sonnes so frowarde is steryd all to wrathe though that he abyde longe and differ his vengeaunce / sufferynge from day to day yf that they wold amende for he forbade to prestes of the olde lawe to take such possession amonge other trybes / but holde them payde of his parte / for he wolde be theyr herytage / for they shulde prynt thys lore / and neuer go therfro Thre times it is rehersed / though ones myght haue suffysed Fyrst in the boke of Numery .xviij. The seconde in deuteromij .xviij. The thyrde in ezechiell .xliiij. And Christ in his gospell twyse forbedyth his prestes to haue thys temporall lordeshyp / reygne euen as worldly kynges Ones in his wyrchynge he forsoke it hym selfe Io. 6. Io. 6. And also in hys techynge that enemyes shulde not say who may lyue as Christ dyde And neuertheles Gregory sayth Gregor Omeli vij Our lorde IhuÌ„ Christ somtyme with wordes somtyme with dedes techyth vs. Forsothe his dedes ben coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes for when he doth any thynge styl in that he maketh knowen to vs what we shall do / and notwithstandynge that Christ forbedyth suche possessyons by worde to his prestes Math. xx Mar. x. Luce. xxij And if enemyes wil not accept god in his both lawes neyther obey to theyr father / for his worde ne for his dede / to whome heuen erth hell knelen on theyr knees / but standen styll obstynate as yuel wyly traytours to clense theyr mother holy church owyth not to take of this foule corrupcyoÌ„ Then shullen we ley forth holy sayntes / that speken of this matter / and saye whether they wolde accorde to wordes that they haue sayde / and so ryse vp to goddes worde / by these sayntes Saynt Austen sayth The churche owyth not to take tho thynges that ben profered to her of hym that hathe none heyre Therfore who that euer wyll make the church his eyre / seke he another that may take it / but on no wise sayth Austen but by the mercy of god he shall fynde no man And Ierome sayth From the tyme that the church grewe in possessions / she hathe lessed or dwyned in vertues / but Bernarde forbedyth these possessyons to be in prestes handes and spekyth vnto Eugeny the Pope in these wytty wordes Li. 1. Chalenge thou these possessions by a nother reason / but thou may not chalenge them by the aposteles ryght Howe myght the apostele gyue that he had not that he had he gaue / besynes vpon churches no whether secler lordshyp here what he saith / neyther lordyng in the clergy but made in fourme to the profyte of the flocke / and not only in mekenes trowe thou this to be sayd / but also in trouth of dede As Christ sayth in his gospell Kynges of the erthe lorden ouer them / forsothe ye not so It is playne to the aposteles that this lordshype is enterdyted / howe darist thou than take thys lordshyp vpon that / eyther lordynge apostle hede / eyther apostle hede to lordshyp Playnly thou arte forbodden the one for yf thou wylt haue both / thou shalt lese both that is to say the presthode thy lordshyp / or elles thou shalt ben except of this nuÌ„bre / of the which god pleyneth him They haue reygned / but not by me They haue bene prynces / but I haue not knowen theÌ„ / nowe yf auayle to raygne without god / than hast thou ioye but anemptyst god / when prestes holden this enterdityng / hear they then the lordes crye / he that is more among you be ye made as the youngers / he that is the forgoare / be he made as the master This is the fourme of the aposteles lyuinge Seculer lordshyp is forboden / but ministryng seruyng is boden wel we weten of beleue that god his law bene euyn accordyng to gedre / these with them / than lay besides your poysons / and your hethen tales with al other maÌ„geled lawes confirme you to god to clense the church bryng it agayn to the former estate / lyue ye on christes parte / the lordes might haue ther lordship agayn But yet ye maken pursute with money greate showres / sayen that saint Siluester toke this possession / saynt Swithune / saynt william with many other saintes To this we seyne that Siluester with such other folowers weren saintes To this we seyne / in this talkynge of temporall possessyons / as was Peter for sakynge Christ / Paul pursuyng the church of god Peter Paule dyd very penaunce suffreden deth for Christes sake / yf these men dyd the same / thus ben they very sayntes The first coÌ„maundement of god is this Exo. xx Thou shalt not kyll or slee / neyther in malice with pursuynge / neyther in worde with backbytynge / neyther with dede in vnlefull shedyng of bloude Of the fyrst spekyth 1. IohnÌ„ 3. He that hatith his brother / 1. IohnÌ„ 3. is a mansleer / some haten synne in man and this is a parfyte hate Psalmus 118. Psal 118. I hated them with a parfyte hate c. Some haten vertue in man and they be mansleers / for who that saythe he loueth his god and hatith thus his brother / he is a lyer ther is no truth in him Of the secoÌ„de spekith the ê“phete sayth Psal 13. Psal 13. The mouth of a backbyter is ful of cursidnes bytternes / his fete ben swyfte to shed out blode For saynt Bernard sayth The backbyter the wylful herer either of theÌ„ berith the deuyl in ther tong this backbyter sleeth thre at ones / that is to say his owne soule / the wylfull herer
parte is ther of a faithful maÌ„ with an vnfaythful maÌ„ or what coÌ„sent of the temple of idoles with the church of god Certes none / for eche of these agayne sayen other after there owne wyrchyng Nowe shall we tell what they ben that dwellen with the fende for to serue him in hys church that is the temple of idoles waryours / cursers / chyders / sclaunders / and blasphemers / ther bene vylayne spekers / lyars / glosers / backbyters / mottrars / swerars / and forswerars / there ben also mychers / robbers / extorcyoners / tyrantes / and oppressers / there ben vntrwe tyllers / vnfaythfull seruauntes / rechelesse hyred men / rebell dyscyples / and vnprofytable labourerâ— / there bene lecherours / fornycatours / aduoulterers / incestours / that is / defoulers of theyr owne kynne / and vnclene men and women that ben within the ordre of perfeccion there ben ypocrites / sodomytes / sacrylegers / sellers of the holy sacramentes / there ben al the prayen seruen or geuen gyftes for churche or spuÌ„all offyce / or benyfyce / all false possessyoners / all myghty wylful mendynners and al stourdy maynteners There ben all tho men that bosen ther brestes / pynchen theyr belyes partyn ther hosys crakowyn there shoys al disguysers of theyr garnamentes There ben tho that sterchen or poppen theyr faces / that brydelen ther hedes with gyg halters that setten aboue honykombes with moche other atyrynge / to make them selfe sale kene to synne / and setten abrode there pappes to catche men with theyr lymes yardes There ben false lawe makers / goddes lawe haters / offynders of customes / distroyers of vertue / and auctours of syn / in this churche also bene mawmotres / heretykes / idolatrers / sortylegers enchauÌ„tours arriolers / charmours rerers of the deuyl / al tho that trowen that helpe may come of vsynge godes worde / that we clepyn writtes only hangyd or borne on maÌ„ or that they ben medycynable to body or soule so honged or so borne / there ben marchauÌ„des / chapmen / vytellers vynteners tauerners chauÌ„gers / byers sellers / that vsen dysceyte in weyght / nombre / or measure / there bene in this church vsurers / okerers iuryours / quest mongers / and all false wytnes berers there ben pleters / lawyers / sequesters / commyssaryes / offycyalles / dens / sumners / and all that sellen trouth or synne to make money / theyr ben also audytours / receyuours / treasurers and proctours / iudges / and all that excepten parson for a cause impartynent Thys churche whan it is beten / it waxeth harder / whan it is blamyd / it waxeth the duller / whan it is taught / it is the lewder / whan it is done well to / it is the shrewder / and than it fallyth downe / and cometh to nought / whan it semeth in mannes eye moste stronge to stande saynt Austen saythe Chrystes church pursueth yuell lyuers in charyte by way of amendement But the fendes churche pursueth the church of Chryste in malyce / by way of sclaunder and sleynge / and thys cayme that false enuyous man slewe his brother Abell that blyssed and symple innocent man as the fyfty expositours sayen in a prologe on this Psalme Quid gloriaris in malicia That Cayme was the begynnynge of Babylon and Antechryste shal be the ende / and Abell was the begynnynge of Ierusalem / and Chryste shal be the ender Forsoth Ismael pursued Isaac but not so Isaac Ismaell / Esau pursued Iacob / but not so blyssed Iacob cursed Esau / for by counsell of hys moder he fled in to Mesopony from the wrathe of hys brother / tyll that it was swaged Thus our moder holye churche counseyleth her chyldren to fle from the malyce of the fendes church tyll that it be slaked Math. 10. Forsoth yf the fendes churche shall pursue you in thys cytee / flee ye tyll another / but thys must be done by dyscrecyon for hurtynge of our brothers conscyens Chryste pursued not the Iewes but the Iewes Iesu Chryste / hethen men slewe the apostelles but not the apostelles hethen men / se nowe frowardnes of thys worlde that hathe bene from the begynnynge whan Isaye the holy prophete prophecyed and preched vnto the people / they wolde not here is wordes ne suffren hym on lyue / but the people that rysen after hys dethe radde hys bokes and sayden / yf we hadden lyued in hys dayes / he shulde not haue bene dede / and yet they slewen Ieremye that with the spyryte of god tolde thynges to come / and taught them very trouth / his successours token hys bokes and radde them in there temples / and â—eyled hym for an holye man / but they slewen Ezechyel and other mo / than the Iewes maden fayre the tombes of these prophetes / as were scrybes and pharyses and sayd in ypocrysy / yf they had ben in their dayes they shulde not haue ben slayne / but they gaue the counsell that Christ shulde be deed / the hed of all sayntes with most dyspytyous deth The fendes churche in these dayes / praysen aboue the clowdes Chryste and his holy sayntes with wordes and with sygnes / but they pursuen to the deth the louers of hys lawe And thus sayth Chryste in his gospell Ryght as ye done nowe / so dyd your fathers to the prophetes in theyr dayes And therfore wo to you hell houndes for Chryste sayth / in thys worlde ye ben ryche fatte fed laughynge in pursuynge of eche other / wepe ye and make ye sorowe for your payne is moche in hell O these shall haue a dredefull day whan they be arrayned at the barre of iudgemente whan Chryste shall rere vp hys crosse the baner of hys passyon Of thys day spekyth the prophete Sophonias The great day of the lorde is nygh / and fast besyde / and hyeth towarde wounders faste / it shall not longe tary / in that day shal be troubled he that is strong and myghty / for the voyce of the lorde is bytterful to the dampned That day is a day of wrath / a day of trybulacion That day is a day of hungre and ire / of extremyte and wretchydnes That day is a daye of darkenes and of thycke smoke That is the day of the trumpe / and of hydeous noyse / for than they shall se theyr iudge aboue them styrred to wrathe / than shall they se hell open bynethe them / and aungelles on the ryghtsyde hastynge them to hell / sayntes approuynge goddes dome / and all the worlde accusynge / and theyr owne conscyens as opyn as a boke / in the whiche they shall rede theyr owne dampnacyon These wretches beholdynge the greate glory of them that they dyspysed in thys worlde / than shall they saye these wordes These bene they whome we some tyme had in scorne / and in hate and derisyon / we wytles dampned hell houndes beleuyd that theyr lyfe had bene woodnes /