the fauoure of god / and of his pÌ„sence than for the peynes of hell the continuauÌ„ce than of that obedience shulde obteyne grace / so that the fere and drede shulde tourne vnto loue So at the least that the persones shulde wyl and wysshe they kepte that obedience onely for the loue of god / whiche semethe vnto theyr myndes they done kepe onely for drede And I dare well say that wyll shall nat be with out rewarde of grace / specially if it be caled fore insued It is therfore a good surety for euery ê‘sone to kepe duely obedieÌ„ce / whether it be kepte ryghtly wylfully for loue / or caytyuely byforce / for drede ¶ Howe to knowe or to coniecture whan obedieÌ„ce is wylfully done for due loue / and whan nat so consequentely to coniecture whan disobedience or any other sinne is dedly or veniall The .iii. Chapitre HEre althoughe in maner by a digression we thynke it profitable for suche symple persones as be scrupulouse in conscience to knowe or at the leest to coniecture whan theyr obedience is done ryghtely of good wyll / and whaÌ„ nat For the knowlege wherof we must fyrste consider nat onely after the doctrine of philosophie Ro. 7. D. 2. Cor. 4. D but also of holy scripture / that euery persone is a double man / that is to saye compouÌ„de and made of two men / that is of the outwarde man that is caled the body or the flesshe / and of the inwarde man that is caled the soule or the spirite / betwene whiche two men is euer warre and batayle continual / without any truce accordynde vnto the whiche two men euery ê‘son hathe two wylles One is the wyll of the flesshe / that continually is moued ruled by seÌ„sualite by corrupte blynded reasoÌ„ or fantasy The other is the wyll of the spirite / whiche euer is moued by grace ruled by ryght reason Nowe for the exaÌ„ple of obedieÌ„ce accordyng vnto these two wylles / let vs put the priÌ„cipal pÌ„ceptes or coÌ„mauÌ„dementê of god / the loue of hym aboue all thyngê / the neghbour as our selfe The wyll of the spirite moued by grace ordred by ryght reasoÌ„ wyll forthw t wtout stoppage assent redely be obedieÌ„t there vnto But whaÌ„ the tyme and place done requyre moue the ê‘sone iÌ„ coÌ„scieÌ„ce to put these coÌ„mauÌ„dementes in effecte to worke fulfyll theÌ„ in dede thaÌ„ dothe that wyll of the flesshe moued by seÌ„sualite / ê‘suaded by corrupte reasoÌ„ / blynded affection stycke stoppe therat rebell there agaynst so here beginneth the batayle If thaÌ„ the ê‘sone incline leine vnto the mocion of grace coÌ„trarie vnto the wyll of the flesshe so ê‘fourme the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes bringe it vnto effecte thaÌ„ hathe the spirite the victory the obedience is wylfull the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t duely obserued with the good wyll of the ê‘sone / althoughe it seme vnto the selfe ê‘sone bycause of the resisteÌ„ce of the sensuall wyll to be agayne his wyll But if the persone do incline and leyne vnto the mocion of sensualite corrupted reason so render the wyll of the spirite feynt and feble than dothe the flesshe vanquysshe and preueyle / and so dothe cause the ê‘sone to be disobedient / and to breke the coÌ„maundement / whiche the persone may do in diuerse maners / that is by obstinacie / by ignorauÌ„ce / or by fraylte The pÌ„cepte is brokeÌ„ by obstinacy whaÌ„ it is done by the due knowlege of the ê‘sone full deliberacioÌ„ wyttynly as they say wyllyngly / than is the transgression or brekynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t alway dedly siÌ„ne Than is the pÌ„cepte broken by ignorauÌ„ce whan the ê‘sone hathe nat ryght due knowlege of the pÌ„cepte that may be yet iÌ„ two maners For other that ignoraÌ„ce is of that thynge that the ê‘sone was bouÌ„de to knowe by his owne defaulte is ignorauÌ„t therof / bycause he gaue nat due diligeÌ„ce to haue the knowlege therof and than is that ignoraunce hardely excused in any case of dedly synne / or els the ignoraunce is of that precepte that the persone is nat bounde to knowe / and if he had knowlege therof he wolde nat in any wyse breke it / and than is that ignoraunce veniall synne / and lyke wyse of that defaulte that is done by frailte of sodeyn passion / but nat so of that frailte that is of full knowelege and delyberacion Example here of maye we haue of othes or swerynge For if a persone were caled byfore a iuge hauynge iuste power to requyre an othe and there wolde by good deliberacioÌ„ and full knowlege wittyngly swere contrarie vnto his conscience the othe is euer dedly synne / bycause of the transgression by obstinacy and contempte of the precepte and coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god And lykewyse of them that by contempte with ful deliberacion done horribly blaspheme god or the name or membres of god / althoughe without constraynte or request But if a persone by ignoraunce dyd swere false / supposynge and byleuynge he sware true than is it veniall / and so of theÌ„ that done thynke byleue that to swere that is trouth is no synne To swere by custome without full deliberacion is coÌ„munely venial / or yet contrarie vnto custome if it by done by sodeyne passion of fraylty Thus nowe maye appere / that onely disobedience by contempte is dedly synne and howe a ê‘sone doth breke or kepe obedience wylfully / natwithstanding the veniall vnwylfull disobedience by negligeÌ„ce / ignoraunce or fraylte as is sayd doth nat excuse froÌ„ the peyne due therfore / excepte due remedy be had / whiche remedy standeth fyrst in the contricion and due displeasure for the offence of god / and thaÌ„ dothe the due and worthy receyuyng of any sacrament / or after some doctours any sacrameÌ„tales / as of halewater / or halebreade / the bysshopes blessynge / the syght of the sacrament with suche other done put a waye bothe the synne and the peyne due therfore For sythe we haue of custome suche dayly synnes with out whiche we can nat lyghtely passe this mortall lyfe as saynt Augustyne sayth It is necessarie that we haue dayly and redy remedy / without whiche our lorde god neuer left his people But here vnto some scripulouse persones haue sayd vnto me Syr al doctours done preache / that no maner of remedy can be sufficient to the purgacion and remission of synnes excepte the synner haue mynde / wyll purpose to forsake vtterly the synne and to amende the same And I am sayth this frayle persone in suche case in my conscience that I can nat saye I wyll amende and forsake some maner of sinnes / where vnto I am dayly acustomed And thoughe I saye and also thynke verely in my herte that I wyl amende yet do I proue afterwarde in effecte that I do nat amende / but fall agayne the nexte daye into the same
vnto by thraldome and bondage A case Example may proue this trouthe / let in case a persone be presente that is in necessite or nede / and an other persone that of his owne fre wyll / of his owne goodes wolde helpe the nedy persone / relyue his necessite / were nat he more worthy thanke thaÌ„ an other persone that were bounde in obligacion / and so of his det and dute shulde helpe the same nedy persone agayne his mynde wyll / onely for his bonde and obligacioÌ„ / he muste nede more merite that doth offre wyll than the persone compelled by bounde So doth appere the fyrst reason that to make suche vowes / and to haue suche religions is nothynge necessarie / but rather a thynge of great foly / and mere madnes For the seconde ê“ue of the secoÌ„de reasoÌ„ it is a great boldenes / and meruaylous presumpcion and rather a temptacion or prouocation of god than a truste in hym / that a frayle persone whome god hath indowed with discrecion / and wysdome shulde aduenture / put hym selfe Agayn obedience that is to saye his welth and strengthe / his prosperite and plesure / his quietude and reste / his lyfe / his dethe / his body and soule / his saluacion or dampnacion in the gouernauÌ„ce and gydynge / in the rule and order of an other persone that he neuer knewe / ne yet knowe And that peraduenture is a fole / or hath nat so good wyll / so good lernynge / wysdome / reason / ordinaunce / ne conueauÌ„ce as he hathe hym selfe So that where a good simple persone of feruent deuocion / wolde fele and laboure to obtayne perfection / he shall put hym selfe thrale / and bounde by vowe and profession vnder a souerayne / that nat onely doth lacke and is voide of lernynge / discrecion / good maner / vertue / but also is more vicious in lyuynge / than the publicanes / and comune ê‘sones moste noted of all lewdnes and synfull abhominacions So that many tymes the poore subiecte / that well intended and purposed / shal be fayne in maner coÌ„pelled to leue / and forsake the lawes of god / and of the gospell to folowe as they say for obedience the rules and commaundementes of a man And yet wolde to god he were a maÌ„ / and nat rather a beste or a fende / thus theyr obedience is proued a folysshe presumpcioÌ„ Hearne pouerte And lyke wyse of theyr wylful pouerte / a great presumpcion for any persone so clerely / and vterly to forsake the worlde / al the goodê and commodites therof / without whiche no persone may lyue that vnder paine of dedely synne he may nothynge haue nor kepe / nor yet make any prouisioÌ„ or shyfte for hym selfe / what nede so euer he haue / but onely hange at the wyll and pleasure of an other persone / that peraueÌ„ture were more to be prouided for / than to prouide for other persones / without fayle a great presumption for very nede and necessite / wyll many tymes coÌ„pell them to breke that vowe / whiche therfore had beÌ„ better vnmade And for theyr thyrde vowe â—â—â—yne obedience and promyse of chastite It is a presumpcion aboue all presumpcious / that a mortall persone lyuynge here in the fraile flesshe shulde enterprise promyse / and take vpon him to lyue without the flesshe / whiche is rather the lyfe of Angelles / thaÌ„ of man / for the acte of the flesshe is naturall / and the moste naturall acte without whiche mankynde might nat be coÌ„tynued and preserued 1. Co. 7. B. The olde prouerbe muste nedes also be true / it is harde to remoue froÌ„ the flesshe that is brede in the bone A great presumpcion therfore is it to promyse by solemne vowe / that is contrary / and pÌ„iudice vnto nature / for saynt Paule sayth 1. Co. 7. B. It is better for any ê‘sone to be maried thaÌ„ to brenne by the flaÌ„me of the flesshe Proue of the .iii. reasoÌ„ Thyrdly to make these vowes is sure dampnation / for it is contrary vnto the ordinaunce of god / and of nature / for god dyd make maÌ„ in that coÌ„dicion that naturally he shulde haue in his owne power the fredome and lyberte of wyl Sub te erit appetitus tuus et tu dominaberis illius Gene. 4. The wordes of our lorde vnto Caym Thyne appetite / and passion shal be vnder thy power / and in the liberte of thy wyll / thou shal be lorde maister therof it shal be vnder thy dominacion gouernauÌ„ce / for by the liberte of wyll / as well as by reasoÌ„ / vnderstaÌ„dynge and memory / man is the very ymage of god But by the ê“myse of these vowes maÌ„ maketh thrale and bounde that god made fre / and so as moche as lyeth in hym man doth forsake that similitude / and doth depriue him selfe therof / and wilfully doth leue or rather lose that liberte Ergo thus to promyse make vowe bycause it is contrarious vnto the ordinaunce of god / and nature is of sure certeyne daÌ„pnation Proue of the .iiii. reasoÌ„ Howe for the fourthe reason / it can nat be denied but at the leste it muste nedes be of moste peryll and ieoperdy of the sayd dampnation Ecclo 3. D And the wyse man sayth Who so loueth peryll shall lyghtly fall therinto But these religious ê‘sones / done wylfully vndertake and put them vnto that ieoperdy Ergo they bene moste lyke to fall therinto That suche enterprise ê“mises ben perilous ieoê‘dous theyr owne auctoure done recorde Cesarius anâ—onicione For Cesarius of them sayth / that as religion obserued and kepte is of moste hyghe merite So neglecte broken and nat kepte Agayn obedience is it of moste depe dampnation But howe religion is kepte al the worlde may openly se / ê‘ceyue and knowe For where they done promyse by theyr vowe profession obedience vnto theyr souereyne / they kepe none / excepte it be in suche thynges / as do please them selfe / let the souereyne coÌ„maunde / exhort counsayle what they wyll / the subiectes coÌ„monly in all places / wyll folowe no forther than theyr vsed terme / the custome of the place For if the souereyne wolde refourme any parte of theyr selfe professed rules / that of longe tyme hathe ben neglecte and ouerpassed / they wyll sone answere saye Syr or Madame we byseche you pardon vs therof for that was neuer sene ne herde of in this house And if the souereyne wolde saye / yet natwithstandynge it is our very rule that we haue professed They wyll againe answere here haue ben in tyme past wyse / sad / and lerned persones of good conscience and they lefte it as they fouÌ„de it / and so we byseche you to leue vs as you founde vs / for this was neuer vsed amonge vs / And we done suppose and truste / that it
selfe but yet so ferre moued / that he wolde be glad if it shuld happe / fortune hiÌ„ by any other meanes to be hurt you aske nowe iÌ„ this case whether the ê‘sone may with good coÌ„science / say masse or be coÌ„muned standyng that mocion displeasure or els whether he shuld were bouÌ„d to wtdraw hiÌ„ self / vnto such tyme the mocioÌ„ / displesure were rebated swaged I bysech our lorde / it neuer chaÌ„ce ne fortune me to apê“che vnto the holy sacrifice of peace with any suche trouble / nor with yre / or displeasure / stryft nor disceptacioÌ„ coÌ„brauÌ„ce of mynde to touche the holy sacrameÌ„t / where vndouted god him selfe is pÌ„sent / recouÌ„sâ—lyng vnto hiÌ„ al the hole worlde Certenly that oblacion or offrynge that any ê‘sone doth presente vnto our lorde Matt. 5. D. shall neuer be thankefully receyued excepte he fyrste apeace and reste his brother / whome he knoweth and remembreth well he had byfore in case greued and hurte So moch than the lesse thankfull shall his offryng or dede be if he do nat fyrst appease and rest hym selfe towarde his neghboure Forthermore yet you aske a question of the contrariete that semethe to be in these two sentences and sayng of saynt Paule The fyrste where he sayth vnto the Philippenses Nostra conuersacio in coelis est Phillip 3. Our coÌ„uersacion is iÌ„ heueÌ„ The secoÌ„de vnto the Corrinthes Quamdiu sumus in hoc corpore 2. Cor. 5. peregrinamur a domino As longe as we ben in this body we done labour in pilgrimage absent from our lorde Howe maye these tweyne saye you stande to gether howe may the soule in the same selfe tyme bothe labour in body on pilgrimage absent from our lorde and in heuines also be preseÌ„t with our lorde The selfe Apostle doth in a nother place assoyle and declare hym selfe Where he sayth Ex parte cognoscimus 1. Co. 13. et ex parte prophetamus On the th one parte sayth he we done knowe / and we haue perfecte knowlege And on the tother parte we done prophecie / that we onely byleue In that than that we knowe or haue knowelege as beholdyng thynges present we ben than with our lorde And in that we yet here bydyng done prophecy / as it were of thynges to come / byleuyng those thinges that we done nat vnderstande / and hopyng and trustynge those thynges that we knowe nat we done nowe laboure in pilgrimage here in body as abseÌ„t from our lorde But whan that thynge shall come to passe sayth he that is perfecte / that is to say / the plenitude and fulnes of glorie / whiche shal be in the resurrection to come 1. Cor. 13. than shall that thyng be voyd and vanisshe that nowe is on the th one parte / that is to say / all maner of corrupcion of the body / where of without doute coÌ„meth happeth vnto vs / this laboure on pilgrimage in the body whiche yet remaineth and bydeth on the th one parte And that is it that the Apostle in hym selfe mournyng doth miserably by wayle and say Ro. 7. O I vnhappy man / who or what persone shall delyuer me from the body of this deth he doth nat coÌ„plaine so moche agayne the body / but vpon the body he sayth of this deth / that is to saye vpon the corrupcion of the body / that yet indureth and lasteth Shewynge therby that nat the body but that the greues of the body / ben cause of our peregrinacion and pilgrimage For the body that is corrupted and wasteth is greuous vnto the soule / nat the body syngly or alone of it selfe Sapi. 9. D. but the body that is corrupted doth greue the soule / by reason of the corrupcion / so that the corrupcion of the body / is the burthen / charge / and weght of the soule and nat the nature Wherby those persones that done mourne / and wayle within them selfe Ro. S. done desyre and awayte for the redempcioÌ„ / and nat for the amission and losse of theyr bodies / we therefore well and reasonably greued by the necessite of the body / and nat by the societe and company therof done coueyte and desyre to be desolued and loused and so to be with Christe / that the exile that yet doth remayne and byde on the th one parte shulde be finisshed and ended / and the heuenly habitacion dwellyng place that on the tother parte is nowe bygoÌ„ne shulde be made perfecte and fully accomplesshed / or els this text Our conuersacion is in heuen may be expouned as the same Apostle saythe vnto the Romaynes We ben sayth he made safe and put in the state of saluacion by hope So than that nowe we done dwel amonge the heuenly dweilers in heuen by our hope And yet natwithstandynge / we done in very dede labour here in pilgrimage for the tyme vpon yerth in our bodies Or yet may this sayd text our conuersacion is in heuen be expouned thus / we haue a cause / reason and meane howe we may both cleue leyne and be ioyned vnto oure bodies / and howe also we may clyue / stycfast / be ioyned vnto our lorde / that is whan we giue vnto the body / fode to kepe the lyfe and the sences / and vnto oure lorde true feyth and loue For surely our spirite and soule is no more present where it dothe gyue lyfe that is in the body than it is where it dothe loue in god Excepte peraduenture the soule were supposed thought to be and dwell rather where it is holden tyed by force vnwyllyngly by necessite than there whether it wolde with most glad minde and desyre be wylfully caried and conueyed / our sauioure also sayth Where so euer thy tresour is there is also thy herte Matth. 6. Also syth the soule that loueth god doth lyue of hym onely / and by hym as the body dothe by the soule by what reason I pray you may the soule be more present where it doth gyue lyfe than where from whens it taketh lyfe For certeynly charite is the founteyne of lyfe And I wolde nat say that the soule doth lyue that doth not drawe drynke of the fouÌ„teyne For it may by no meane drawe thens excepte it be present at the fonte and wel / whiche is charite / whiche is Christ god hiÌ„ selfe Who so therfore do loue god is pÌ„sent with god / in so moche as he loueth / in that he lesse loueth he is absent And the soule is conuinced opeÌ„ly ê“ued to loue god in that the lesse or so moche lesse that yet for the tyme it is occupied iÌ„ the necessites and nedes of the flesshe And that occupacion of the body is nothyng els but a maner of absence from god / and that absence is nothing els but a peregrinacion pilgrimage / so done we labour here in pilgrimage from our lorde / and
mynde diuersely Sometyme of aboundaunce of blode / that is caused by superfluite of fedynge For the whiche the olde fathers / wolde say / it were nat possible to be without vnclene cogitacions without due temperauÌ„ce In so moche as they wolde forbed theyr disciples / that were troubled with vnclene thoughtes to fede vpon breade onely water / at wyll and appetite Default also of due custody and garde of the outwarde seÌ„ses is also a cause of vnclene thoughtê / as of hearing / seyng / touching c. Wherof we haue spoken byfore An other occasion of vnclene thoughtes is the malice of the great enymy the dyuell But his malice althoughe it be subtyle and busye yet may it lyghtly / sone be vanquysshed / he put vnto flyght / with one worde alone / as Iesus / or with one lytell sygne of the crosse / or one good thought / if he be dispised set at nought But if vnclene cogitacioÌ„s do remayne in the mynde as ymages / steppes / or printê / of any vnclene actes or byhauiours / or of any vnlawfull consentes / and haue by vayne pleasure accustomed and vsed takeÌ„ theyr habitacion / theyr lodgyng / dwellyng place in the mynde they wyll nat than be so lyghtly remoued and put away For than wyll they in maner pÌ„cribe saye whan laboure is made agayne theÌ„ we haue nowe ben here abydyng so longe that this place is vnto vs as naturall For custome doth alter nature And therfore we wyll nat hens / be nat aboute to dryue vs awaye / it boteth nat / all is last loboure / ye had power at fyrste begynnynge of our entre to shyt vs out and with smale diligence and lytell laboure myght you haue chased vs away But now that we be admitted by custome it is nat as saynt Isodoure sayth possible to remoue vs. Impossible or nat possible is many tymes taken / for harde to bryng to passe And so doth sait Isodour meane ¶ Of the remedy agayne yuell thoughtes The vxiii Chapitre REmedy therfore may be had For the goodnes of our lorde neuer lefte man without helpe / redy meane to recouer all default / if man wyl take the remedy / and folowe the doctrine and counsayle of scripture In the fyrste boke wherof Ca. 15. called Genesis is a notable doctrine to auoyde vayne thoughtes Our lorde god made promyse vnto Abram / that afterwarde was named Abraham / that he shulde haue in heneritauÌ„ce / that that lande / wherin he dwelled that tyme / and Abraham asked our lorde how he myght haue sure knowlege that he shulde haue peasable and restfull possession therof And our lorde than coÌ„maunded hym to take certeyne bestes and diuide them in sondre and certeyne byrdes / and all them he caste forthe vpon the playne felde / and forthwithe crowes and byrdê dyd lyght vpon the deed carkes And AbrahaÌ„ euer dyd chase them away / tyll they lefte and came no more By these byrdes saythe the glose interlinial there ben vnderstande veyne cogitacions / that as rauenous fowle / done assayle the carnall mynde And the laboure of Abraham doth signifie the continual diligence that man shulde gyue to chase and remoue them The gleyde or the crowe wyll couet / and assay to bylde byfore the gate But the good housbond wyll destroy and caste downe the neste And moste so doyng he shall let them to bryng forth byrdes So may the diligent persone / so often put away despise vayne cogitacions that they neuer shall come vnto effecte / ne moche noy the soule / althoughe they moche trouble / if they be in custome A horse or beest vsed vnto one waye wyll couet to kepe his course wyl nat lyghtly out therof Yet may a diligent persone with a brydle / a rod / or whyppe lede bryng the beest where he wyll But if the ê‘sone be negligent careles wyll slepe vpon the beest thaÌ„ wyll the beest retourne vnto his vsed course So is it in lyke maner / of our beest sensualite / that wyl folowe custome / excepte good diligeÌ„ce by gyuen / that feyth may rule reasoÌ„ / and that the dred of god do punishe and correcte the frayle appetite The body may be corrected more lightly soner broght from custome than may the mynde / and yet shall the mynde neuer he refourmed tyll the body be brought vnder / be obedient vnto the soule / and than wyl the mynde coÌ„formable to reasoÌ„ folowe feyth / and seke wayse nat onely to chase away those thoughtê but also vtterly to exile or destroy them for euer And that muste be with a contrarie custome For as they say in prouerbe one nayle or pynne doth dryue out an other and so doth occupie the same place rowme where the other pynne was So in lyke maner / one cogitacion / dryuen wel by force / may dryue out an other cogitacioÌ„ I say by force For it can nat be without force / without great laboure and diligence / insued and folowed by continuall vse Whiche vse must in gendre and make an other habituall custome / coÌ„trarious vnto that was in the mynde byfore ¶ Wherwith the mynde and thoughtes shulde be occupied The .xix. Chapitre HEre ye wyl aske whervpon ye shal grounde your mynde what shall be the mater of those thoughtê that shulde be brought iÌ„ suche habituall custome / to dryue away / destroye the other vanites I shal shewe my pore mynde Fyrste and priÌ„cipall mater to be remeÌ„bred is our lorde god / and the coÌ„templacion of him whiche to wryt here were ouer long The lyfe also passioÌ„ deth of our sauiour Iesu And next hervnto is the study of holy scripture / to such ê‘sons as ben entred iÌ„ gramer / though they haue none eÌ„tre yet if they be vnder the age of .xliiii. or .xlvi. yerê I wolde coÌ„sayle theÌ„ / be men / or be they women if they be of substance / and maye applie the tyme to gyue theÌ„ selfe vnto the lernynge of theyr gramer For they may in two or thre yeres haue suche knowlege / that may be sufficient to vnderstande the texte and sentence of the gospell / whiche I wolde euery christiane shulde vnderstande And as vnto the spendynge of the tyme in lernynge that gramer I thinke verely they can nat spende the tyme better / specially vnto that ende and purpose / that is to say / to exclude vayne thoughtê and to put the lyfe of our lorde in theyr rowmes For by that study applied with courage the mynde is fully occupied Those ê‘sones that can rede englysshe / and haue nat the meane to lerne latyne let them be occupied moche with redynge or hearynge of good and approued workes And vnto them that can nat rede let them heare reders / and vse prayer and bodely laboures Vnto suche persones as can nothynge vnderstande latyne englysshe prayer well ordred in the coÌ„mune laÌ„gage is
¶ Here begynneth the boke called the Pype / or Tonne / of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe ¶ Vnto the deuoute readers THis worke was wrytten yeres ago And nowe thought necessarye to be sende forth bycause of these newe tangle persones / whiche in dede ben heretykes / all though they wyll nat so be called / that done write newe oppinions / and do nat onely depraue all religions that commenly ben called by that name religion But also done corrupt the high religion of all religions The newe testament of Christe / agayne whome they fare Here is somwhat spoken in our commune tonge / that all you may knowe all their false and subtyll deceites / and the rather beware of them I beseche you applie all vnto the best / and I most mekely do submitte my selfe vnto charitable correction And that is the veray and only cause as oft we haue shewed that we done sette forth our name The olde wreched brother of Syon / Richarde Whytforde ¶ A worke of the thre vowes of religion / contrary vnto the great Heretikes Lutheranes / moche profitable vnto religious persones gathered by a brother of Syon / Rycharde Whytforde ¶ The preface ¶ In our lorde god / and most swete sauiour Iesu salutacion GOod deuout religious doughter you haue often and instantly required me / to write vnto you / vnto your systers / some good lesson of religion And yet you knowe well / I am but as a nouisse in religyon my selfe more mete to lerne / then to teche religion And to saye trothe moche vnworthy to speke of good religion Nat withstandynge / trustynge in the grace / helpe of our lorde by your holy prayers I shall accordinge vnto my poore abilite inforce / gyue diligence somwhat to satisfie your deuoute mynde / religious desyre Wherfore call vnto your remembraunce the similitude / lykenes / or example / that I haue made vnto you / diuers of your systers nat without the authorite of holy doctours of the lyfe of parfection That is to say / that the lyfe or maner of lyuing / of perfection as in this state of our mortalitie is moche lyke vnto a pleasaunt / precious / holsome wyne / contayned / preserued / and kept in a pype or tonne Whiche vessell ben communely made of planed bordes And those bordes coÌ„passed about / and bounde fast with hopes And yet those hopes bounde and made fast with small wykers So that if the wykers by any chaunce be losed or broken the hopes forthwith / done flye or starte of The bordes than done lose / and ben deuided or departed in sondre And so dothe the wyne flowe out perisshe In lyke maner is it of the lyfe of perfection whiche is closed and kept moost surely in religion And religyon is made and standeth principally / in the .iii. euenciall vowes / obedience / wilfull pouertie / and chastitie For these thre as in maner the bordes of the sayd vessell ben the substanciall partes of religyon Whiche vowes nat withstanding ben compassed bounde to gether as the sayd vessell with the hopes with the preceptes / counsell of the holy rules other of saint Augustine / saynt Benedicte / or saynt Franciske Vel in graecis Basilij or in greke of Basilius And yet those rules ben knytte made fast to gether as the sayd hopes with the wykers with the holy seremonies of religion whiche ben contayned in the statutes / and constitucions / addicions / iniunctions And in the laudable customes of euery singuler monasterie or of the generall ordinaunces of the same religion Note well nowe the example / or similitude For as in the sayd pype whanne the small wykers ben broken or losed all the residue doth folowe fayle decaye / vnto the distruction of the wyne So in lyke maner / whan the holy cerimonies of religion ben neglected / forgoten / lost / put a waye / broken / despised / littell or nought set by Than done the rulers decaye and the vowes losed ben litle regarded or of no strength Rreligion is gone and the life of perfection clene distroyed and loste The decaye of religion in this present tyme of our age pytie to say is euident And surely the great cause / and occasion therof is the contempt / and negligeÌ„ce of the wykers the small cerimonies For you may take this for a sure trothe That person in religion that doth dispise or sette litle by the least or smallest cerimonie / shall neuer be good ne perfyte religious ê‘sone Hit doth therfore seme vnto me moost conuenient that we speke fyrste of the holy cerimonies of the religion As of the wykers / than of the rules / as of the hopes And in the thyrde place of the essencials of religion That is the .iii. vowes / obedience / wilfull pouertie / and chastitie / as of the bordes In the .iiii. place of the selfe religion As of the vessell / pype / or tonne And last in the fyfte place / of the lyfe of perfection as of the pleasaunt / precious / moost holesome wyne This shal be the ordre of our institucion and purpose in this your deuour and religyous request Nat withstandynge we haue of late / sene diuers werkes in latyn / sende out openly in prynte agayne all maner of religion For the great heretyke Luther with all his discyples done depraue / and vtterly condempne all maner of religyons / except onely as they call hit the religyon of Christe And specially to make any vowe / or promise vnto any of the sayd essencials / that is to saye / obedience / pouertie / or chastitie / accordynge vnto any of the sayd rules Wherfore I thought necessarye vnto the comfort of all suche persones as haue or done purpose or intende to entre religion somewhat after my poore vnderstanding / to speke therof And so to aunswere / that the reders may haue some reasons and trouthes redy to auoyde the perylous poyson of suche blaterers / and to gyue the lesse credence vnto their wordes 1. Cor. 15. D. For trouthe it is that the holy Apostle sayth Corrumpunt bonos more 's colloquia mala Yuell communicacion / yuell talkyng / and yuell wordes done corrupt and distroy good maners and vertues Fyrste than we shall reherce their reasons and sayenges agayne religion And than shall we make aunswere as it may please our lorde vnto the same ¶ Here endeth the preface ¶ Of the reasons of the Heretikes agayne religion And firste of their reason in generall The first chapiter HOwe deuout reders you must ymagen that the selfe heretikes done speke / for the reasons that done folowe ben their reasons / and done seme to be suerly grounded vpon scripture And by reason therof / they ben the more ieoê‘dous more subtylly done deceyue / and more perilously done poyson the simple and vnlerned soules ¶ The fyrste reason generall
foly to gette with peyne / that may be had with pleasure Here done they presuppose a false heresie / and put it forthe as a trouthe / that is that the lawe of the gospell the lyfe of Christe may be perfourmed lyghtely with ease / reste / and pleasure of the body / and in the fredome and liberte of the flesshe / whiche is playnly false / as dothe appere in the gospell Arcta est via quae ducit ad vitam Math. 7. B. Io. 14. A. zc The way that ledethe vnto lyfe sayth the gospell is harde and strayte And Christe sayd also Ego sum via I am sayth he the selfe waye And he wolde nat entre into blysse him selfe but by the waye of peyne and penaunce / and nat of ioye pleasure / by the waye of laboure and trauayle / and nat of ease and reste And so he ordered his holy Apostles and all that wolde be his disciples saynge Mar. 8. Luce. 9. Luce. 14. Qui non tollit crucem suam et se quitur me noÌ„ potest meus esse discipulus c. Who wyll nat take theyr owne crosse and folowe me can nat or may nat be my disciples Euery persone hathe his owne crosse that is to saye suche peyne / penauÌ„ce / and laboures / as the nature of the ê‘sone may conuenientely bere / accordynge vnto the condicion state of the same ê‘sone The newe lawe therfore is a lawe of liberte pleasure / bycause it dothe rendre man fre and louse from all synne / and from the peyne therof gyueth grace the moste hyghe pleasure of the spirite / but nat as they meane and suppose For in very dede as vnto the ê‘fourmaunce of the ê‘fection therof the lawe of the gospell is more harde streyte / thaÌ„ the olde lawe was For in the olde lawe by the testimonie of Christ our lorde bade coÌ„mauÌ„ded his people to loue theyr freudes Leuit. .19 C. And to haue theyr enymyes in hatered But Christe sayd I coÌ„maunde you that you loue your enemyes The olde lawe sayth Luce. 6. Exo. 20. C. Non mechaberis Thou shalt nat abuse or mysuse the acte of thy flesshe But I tell you sayth our sauiour who so loketh vpon any frayle ê‘sone that is to say a man vpon the woman or contrarie with the full consente of concupisence / hathe therby yuen than offended in herte and soule / with the same persone iÌ„ lyke degre maner of the acte In the olde lawe is sayd Mat. 5. D. Non occides Thou shalt kyl or slee no ê‘sone Exo. 20. C. Deu. 5. B. Mat. 5. But the gospell doth forbede vs to be wrothe or angrye in our hertê / agayne our euen christianes or to call any ê‘sone fole or dawe / or yet to reueÌ„ge our selfe by any roughe or vncourteise wordê / or wysshe / or wyl any hurte to any ê‘sone / or to haue any stomake of hatered vnto any ê‘sone Qui odit fratreÌ„ suuÌ„ 1. Io. 3. C. homici da est Who so euer saith saiÌ„t Iohan dothe hate his brother is an homicide or maÌ„lleer Nowe let theÌ„ reken you good deuoute reders be yuen iugê / whether of these two lawes is more harde to kepe The olde lawe say they was a lawe of dred of sorowe care / we ben say they delyuered therfrom / by the lawe of loue / whiche we may fulfyll say they wtout care / with gladnes of herte mynde And I say the olde lawe was a lawe of carnall drede / punisshemeÌ„te of the body / the newe lawe is a lawe of spiritual drede / fere of the punisshemeÌ„t of the soule body And it is a lawe of loue / moste depe loue bycause it muste be accomplesshed nat by the carnall loue that they done meane but by very charite that is spirituall loue / that is neuer with out fere holy drede and dothe moste care take depe thought to please our lorde by the workynge of his wyl and kepynge his preceptes Gregorius For the profe and euidence of loue is the shewynge and settynge forthe of the workes or dedes wherof our sauiour sayth in the gospell Who so dothe here or herken / and bere awaye my wordes / and dothe perfourme and worke them indede / that same is the persone that loueth me Lu. 6. G. Io. 14. B. And agayne Io. 14. D. That persone that loueth me / wyll kepe my byddynges and coÌ„maundementes Than by good reason he that loueth god / muste nedely care and gyue diligence by good workê to approue that loue â—nd howe maye they affirme that the lawe of the gospell can be perfourmed without drede WhaÌ„ they here our sauiour say that of euery worde that is nat fruytfull Mat. 12. C. shal we rendre and make accompte and rekeninge at the day of iugemeÌ„te And agayne That a Camell a great beast may passe more lyghtly throughe the eye or hole of a nedell Mat. 10. C. than a ryche couetouse man may entre into heuen And the wyfe man also saythe that the grounde and begynnynge of wysdome Ecl. 1. B. is the dred of our lorde And the holy drede of hym saythe the Psalter doth remayne / byde / and laste for euermore Psal 18. Thus appereth that the lawe of the gospell muste be kepte aswell with drede as loue / and with care / thought / diligence / vnto the which thyngê doth religion moste auaile They say the religion of Christe receyued in baptisme is sufficient vnto all christianes for theyr saluacion wtout any other / ergo these other religions ben voyde The very gospell wyll reproue and condempne this argumente For all thoughe that the religion of Christe be sufficiente / yet dyd Christe hym selfe beyonde and aboue that sufficiency / perswade / moue / and counsayle / more hyghe perfectioÌ„ as in the gospell of Mathewe Mat. 19. C whan a yonge man axed of hym what he myght do to be sure of his saluacion / he answered that to kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the lawe precisely shulde be sufficient there vnto but if thou wylt sayd he attayne / or approche vnto forther ê‘fection thou muste do more / as there is conteyned So than foloweth by the conclusion of Christe / that in the lawe and religion of the gospell ben degrees of perfection Some of necessite as coÌ„maundementes And some of speciall merites at liberte as counsayles Hereof dothe folowe that the religion of Christe as they say is sufficient vnto all christianes generally But I saye that is excepte they haue no forther mocion vnto forther ê‘fection But if any be specially called by the spirite of god vnto any of the counsayles of perfection / thaÌ„ say I if that persone wyll forsake that calynge the generall religion of Christe is nat sufficient for that persone so caled / whiche thynge we shall more playnly declare here after /
creatures / Angelles and man / whiche were bothe create in the moste hyghe ê‘fection possible vnto theyr nature and kynde in al vertues / but whan the profe of mekenes shulde in effect by the liberte and fredome of wyl come to passe in the werke and be shewed and set forth in dede by obience therin dyd they bothe feyle and offeÌ„de vnto there owne great fall and greuous hurte of all vs / wherin dothe openly appere that this lady obedience is the mother and maystres and nurse of all other vertues Gregoriê° ultimo moralium For obedience dothe nat onely ingender / bygette and bryng forthe other vertues in the soule of man but also dothe noryshe and fede them therin and as a fure garde and keper doth gyde and preserue them continually / obedience muste than nedely be a noble and excellent vertue Compare it vnto martyrdome / whiche in very dede is an excellent sacrifice 8. qÌ„ 1. Sci. yet as saynt Gregory sayth vpon this texte Melior est obediencia quam uictima The body onely is in martyrdome slayne and offred / but in obedience is the proper wyll slayne the soule offred in swete sacrifice vnto our lorde / and so is obedience a precious kynde and maner of martyrdome yet forthermore / obedience is a lady souereyne and a maystres imperious / hauynge auctorite of precepte coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t ouer all creatures / vnto whome also as scripture sayth god hym selfe was inclyned / as obedieÌ„t vnto the voyce desyre of man Iosue 10. And also almyghty god in all the promyses and actes of our saluacion dyd wylfully bynde hym selfe to be obedient vnto the perfourmauÌ„ce of the same Obedience is also naturall vnto all creatures For all creatures ben naturally obedieÌ„t / nat onely vnto god theyr maker but also euery creature vnto other accordynge vnto the degrye order of theyr nature / as in Angelles the lower / in orderâ— ben obedieÌ„t vnto the hygher And the bodies bynethe vnto the bodies aboue And all the worlde vnto maÌ„kynde duely ordered / so that all creaturê by the coÌ„dicioÌ„ of theyr creacioÌ„ ben ordened of god naturally obedient Obedience is also so necessary vnto man that without obedience none other vertue may profytte or auayle vnto our saluacion For the vertue of feythe without whiche no ê‘sone may please god / thoughe it were as stroÌ„ge that as saynt Pale sayth it myght remoue mountes 1. Cor. 13. A yet with out obedience it shulde moche noye and hynder the persone rather thaÌ„ promote or profytte vnto grace For the ê‘sone that hathe moste stronge and constaÌ„t true feithe wolde for the same rather suffer dethe than forsake it / shulde without due obedience be in worse case degre of saluacioÌ„ thaÌ„ the Turke / Iue / Sarasyne / or any other infideles and feythles persones / as ben in dede all maner of heretykes And hope without obedience is dampnable presuÌ„pcion And Charite without obedience is fals feynynge flaterye Go forther nowe vnto the actes of meryte / as fastynge / waytche / prayer / pilgrimage / almes / and all penitenciall actes bene without obedience clerely lost after saynt Augustyne De obediencia et humilita Ca. 1. 8. qÌ„ 1. ScienduÌ„ in fi Obedience therfore is the vertue that dothe obteine and gete the meryte of all vertues And as we sayd without obedience the christiane is in lyke state and condicion with the infidele and hethen man Althoughe he seme to haue good feythe And to conclude no vertue morall dothe so moche please god as dothe obedience And therfore is obedience better and more excellent than all other vertues morall whiche thynge shuld be a great occasion vnto all persones that wolde be vertuous Aug. ubi supra to laude and loue this noble vertue of obedience ¶ Vnto whome obedience is due The .vi. Chapitre SIthe nowe we haue shewed what obedience is by definicion and also the diuersite and excellency therof it semethe conuenieÌ„t to shewe who may and shulde of ryght take and haue obedience / vnto whome it is due you knowe wel by reason and also by that we haue sayd that obedience is due of all creatures vnto almighty god / of all christianes also is obedience due vnto them that done vse / this persone as the Pope / the bysshopes / curates / and suche other And also vnto the parentes of the chyldren For by the lawe / chyldren bene bounde to be obediente vnto the fathers and mothers And the subiectes of euery realme vnto theyr kynges and prynces / and the seruauÌ„tes vnto the lordes / and wyues vnto theyr housbandes But our mater is nat of these obediences / but of the obedience of religious persones that bene solemly professed due vnto theyr souereynes whiche souereynes also as well as theyr subiectes ben bounde vnto the due obedience of theyr rules and ordinauÌ„ces NatwithstaÌ„dynge bycause the souereynes done beare the rowme and vse the place and persone of our lorde and sauiour Iesu and muste as is sayde in the rule render and yelde accounte for the subiectes therfore I saye the subiectes byonde the obedience of the rule and ordinaunces muste also be obedient vnto the souereynes So that contrarie vnto theyr preceptes and commaundementes they no thynge do / nat so moche as the leaste thynge If the naturall chylde be bounde to be obedient vnto the naturall parentes moche more bene the spirituall chyldren vnto the spirituall parentes bounde So moche more I saye as the soule is aboue the body / or the spirite aboue the flesshe Ephesi 6. Colo. 3. And the seculer subiectes bene bouÌ„de by scripture to be obedient vnto theyr seculer princes and souereynes as they shulde be obedient sayth saynt Paule vnto our lorde god And Peter doth commaunde his disciples to be obedient vnto theyr souereines althoughe they were vicious Ebre 13. 1. Petri. 2. Moche more than ben religious persones bounde to be obedient vnto theyr souereynes that ben good and vertuouse / specially sythe by soleÌ„pne vowe and profession they haue made promyse ther vnto But here done these great heretykes moche delude and deceyue the people For thy done saye wryte also / that by the very same auctoritê of saynt Peter and Paule that we spake of all maner of ê‘sones as well spirituall as temporall shulde be obedient vnto the prophane and seculer princes / and the none obedience is due vnto any persones of the spiritualte or clergie For they say that none suche obedience was coÌ„maunded of the Apostles / but only as I sayd vnto the temporall princes And ouer that they say / that Christe hym selfe was obedieÌ„t in his body and goodes vnto the Emperours deputê Pylate / Herode / and suche other that bothe receyued trybute of Christ / and also in theyr court iuged hym And Paule say they also appealed vnto the Emperour that was a temporall persone / and nat vnto any spirituall iuge of the clergie /
and the yerthe is the bodely and seculer parte And yet bothe one and the same selfe worlde The spirituall parte was ordened of god to haue gouernaunce and dominacioÌ„ of the temporall parte / and the temporall parte to be duely obedient vnto the spirituall parte / and nat contrary Afterwarde he made an other lesse world that is to say his moste louynge creature man / and this lesse worlde he made also of two partes / a spirituall and temporall / a soule and a body and bothe one man / the soule to rule the body And the body to be obedient vnto the soule and nat contrarie Than made he the kynde of man also in two partes or persones / that was male and female and those to be one kynde and by lawfull coniunction to be one flesshe / the male neuertheles to haue gouernaunce of the female / and the female to be obedieÌ„t vnto the male / that is the woman vnto the man and nat contrarye yet forther / after the fall of man by synne / he made for the redempcion and byenge agayne of man a wonderfull creature vpon yerthe / an other newe AdaÌ„ / and hym also of two partes / of god and man / and yet one Christe / that is to saye one and the selfe same persone The godhed euer to haue dominacion of the manhed And the manhed to be euer obedient vnto the godhed / and nat contrarie After the same maner than / hathe our lorde founded and ordened his churche / that is to saye to be one and the selfe same churche as he was and is one Christe / yet the same churche to be of two partes / as Christe was of god and man / that is of the spiritualte / and of the temporalte And so was the churche in the olde testameÌ„t as we haue shewed and in the newe lawe of Christes ordinaunce also / as of the Apostles and disciples as of the spiritualte and of the other multitude of the people of all degres / prynces / meane folkes / and poore folkes / men / women / and chyldreÌ„ And after the same order hathe the people ben deuided also amonge all the infideles and hethen houndes / that is to saye of suche ê‘sones as dyd minister vnto theyr goddes as spirituall persones / that dyd alway sacrifice for the other parte of temporall and so ben yet amonge the turkes and al other infideles and hethen people / excepte onely that the order of obedience is transuersed and tourned / vpsetdowne / that is contrarie vnto the very christianite For amonge them the temporall persones haue the dominacion and rule / and theyr spirituall parte is holdeÌ„ vnder and by violence kepte obedient vnto the teÌ„porall parte And vnto this order of gentilite done these heretikes by fals flatery persuade the seculer prynces and theyr people / that is to say to make theÌ„ infideles and hethen folkes rather than very christianes in peruertynge the order of our lorde god and of our sauiour Christe / and so despisynge settyng hym at nought Luce. 10. For he sayd vnto his Apostles and nat vnto any seculer persones Qui uos audit me audit et qui uos spernit me spernit Who so euer sayth he dothe obey / or is obedient vnto you is obedient vnto me / and who so dothe despise you doth despise and set me at nought / it foloweth nat therfore that althoughe the hethen prynces done requyre obedience of theyr spiritualte that christiane prynces shuld or maye lawfully do in lyke maner of the clergie of Christe / yet done these heretikes say that the spiritualte as well as the temporalte muste in euery realme be obedient vnto the lawes of the same / than may the kynge or prynce requyre obedieÌ„ce of al theÌ„ Vnto this I say / that after the perfection of Christes order no temporall lawe maye bynde any spirituall persone / excepte it be graunted or ratified by a decre of the Pope and his Cardinalles or by a generall counsell And therfore these heretikes done delude and deceyue vtterly all them that doth gyue any credence vnto them This haue we sayd as be degressioÌ„ vnto Tyndalles englysshe boke / that arche heretike Nowe than to retourne agayne vnto our mater I saye the subiectes of religion bene more streytely bounde vnto the obedience of theyr souereygne than other bene / bycause of theyr vowe And yet nat onely bounde obedient vnto the selfe souereynes but also vnto the seniores and officers appoiÌ„ted by the souereynes accordiÌ„ge vnto the ordinaÌ„ce custome of the religion For as we sayd byfore the souereines done bere the rowme and vse the persone of our sauiour Christe / that sayd vnto his disciples Luce. 10. Qui nos audit me audit et qui nos spernit me spernit Who so herethe and obeyth you dothe here and obey me And who so dothe despise you dothe despise me All one than is it for the subiectê to obey or disobey the souereyne / and to be obedient or in obedient vnto the officers and seniores appoiÌ„ted by the souereynes in theyr absence to be obeyde But here haue I herde of some frowarde subiectes that wolde say / that somtyme as well the selfe souereynes as theyr officers / done many tymes byd coÌ„mauÌ„de prohibitte or forbed without ryme or reason / beyonde or aboue the power of the pore subiectê And also suche thynges as they wolde neuer do theÌ„ selfe byfore they were in rowme And often tymes done they make as moche a do of a tryfle or a smale thing as thoughe it were a great mater that shulde destroye the hole religion Vnto suche maner of persones saynt Paule dothe answere Answere Ro. 14 A. Who arte thou saythe he that doest presume to iuge and condempne an other mans seruaunte Of what perfection than is that religious subiecte / that dothe nat onely iuge an other mannes seruaunt but also the seruaunt of god / vsyng as we sayd byfore his rowme and persone / and yet forthermore his owne souereine vnto whome by solempne vowe and promyse he is subiecte Ad rusti monachuÌ„ to 1. B. De prece er dispens Saynt Ierome saythe we shulde iuge suppose euer the best of our souereynes And he wyll nat iÌ„ any wyse so saiÌ„t Bernarde sayth also the we shuld iuge our souereynes / nor in any thyng murmure or grudge agayne them / ne gladly suffer any other so to do / but in as moche as we maye we shulde let all suche grudges / and do what we can to appease the parties For if we murmure or grudge saythe saynt Bernarde with that thynge that is coÌ„maunded vs / and thaÌ„ begynne to iuge the souereyne therin Ibidem than done we lose all the meryte althoughe we do accomplysshe and fulfyll the coÌ„maundement Hilarem datorem diligit deus 2. Co. 9. B. Our lorde god saythe saynt Paule loueth that persone that dothe with good wyll and glad mynde his
in comparison vnto the realme of Englande it is very great So that loue maye vnto some persone seme lyttell that vnto an other semethe very moche So is it in the loue of god For that loue that semeth vnto the very spirituall louer very lyttell is vnto our lorde very moche / whan the selfe louer complaynethe moste vpoÌ„ hym selfe bycause he dothe nat loue god / and doth sygh and mourne / and is very sory yâ— he can nat as he saythe or wenethe loue god / than doth god exsteme and wey that loue for very great / so that the perseueraunce of that loue shal haue sure rewarde / where many other persones that done begynne in great feruoure and by lytell lytell dothe dekaye shall haue lytell thanke So is it of obedience For some wyll be very diligent and lowely at the begynnynge / done thynke they ben very good obediencers and done well kepe the byddynge of the souereine / and thervpon they waxe bolde and done byleue they ben in the fauoure of the souereyne and therof ben they ioyfull and glad / but whaÌ„ iÌ„ a whyle after they waxe more dull and than ben chalenged or rebuked thaÌ„ done they thynke and sometyme say that all theyr diligence was lost / bycause they haue no suche thaÌ„ke as they loked fore / and so dothe theyr diligence dekaye But the very true obedience / byleuethe or at the leest dredethe and ferethe that he neuer dothe his duete / but that all he dothe is to lytell / and he hathe no regarde in all his obedieÌ„ce vnto the souereyne as for the selfe souereyne / Propâ—er quod unuÌ„quodque est illud magê° est nor vnto the wyll / pleasure or displeasure of the souereyne / but onely for god so secondary vnto the souereyne as vsynge the persone and bearynge the rowme of god And therfore / if the souereyne be ouersene and be displeased without any iuste cause or reason yet doth nat the louynge subiecte withdrawe any ê‘te of due obedience lest he shulde displease god / as wtdrawynge from hym his due ryght The respects therfore / the lokynge and beholdyng vnto god / and the consideracion of his euerlastyng rewarde doth cause the deuoute and religious subiectes as well in peyne and displeasure as in welth and pleasure to perseuere / continue and go forth euer styll in due obedience Perseueraunce therfore is necessarie / wtout whiche all laboures ben lost Of this louynge lady perseueraunce haue we translate a boke into Englysshe of a good auctoure and great lerned maÌ„ caled Mapheus / whiche boke you haue and may se therin more of this mater ¶ Of the benefyttes / frutes / vauntage or auayle / profyttes of due obedience by order / and fyrst of the fyrste frute and ê“fytte The .xv. Chapitre NOwe may conuenieÌ„tly folowe as a conclusion of obedience what is the effecte and ende of obedience / that is what profitte and good the persones shall haue or wynne by due obedieÌ„ce And herevnto shall we vse the sure foundacion and grouÌ„de whiche is diuerse tymes remembred in this werke / that is to say that all the obedience that is done vnto the soueryne is done principally vnto our lorde god / whose rowme place they done beare vse accordyng vnto his owne saynge in the gospell of Luke the .x. Chapitre Luce. 10. Qui uos audit me audit c. Whoso euer is obedient vnto you sayth he vnto his Apostles is obedieÌ„t vnto me / who so dispiseth you dispiseth me There ben diuerse frutes or ê“fyttê whervnto we haue regard done make ê“uision care fore in this lyfe But we shall here for oure purpose name foure onely / that is to say / the profytte of worldly goodes or substance / wtout whiche we can nat lyue in this worlde The secoÌ„de is our selfe bodies / wherby we set more than by any goodes The thyrde is the profyte of fame good name / which is of durauÌ„ce aboue both the other / therfore more noble / more precious / and more to be regarded and setby The fourthe is the profyte of the soule / that without comparison is aboue all the other / moste to be cared ê“uided fore we shall nowe begynne at the lowest so ascende The fyrste frute or ê“fytte than of obedience is the welth ê“sperite of this worlde / which by our lord god is iÌ„ diuerse places of scripture ê“mysed vnto obedience / as vnto ysaacke / where our lorde sayth Byde dwell where I byd the Ge. 26. A. I wyll be with the I wyll blesse the multiplie thy goodes / I wyl gyue the all these landes possessions whiche I ê“mysed vnto thy father Abraham / bycause he was obedient vnto my voyce commaundement Deu. 28. A. And in an other place he saythe vnto the chyldren of Israel by his seruauÌ„t Moyses If you be obedient vnto the voyce coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of your lorde god / you shal be in honour / dignite / possessions aboue al the people of this worlde / and haue many other commodites which there done folowe by order And althoughe vnto religious ê‘sones this ê“fytte be but of smale weight regarde yet muste they nedely haue theyr naturall fode and clothynge / whiche thynges charitably ministred accordynge vnto the necessite of the persones dothe cause them to lyue more quietely / to be the better content with theyr estate and maner of lyuynge But as we sayd byfore the moste obedient subiectes bene moste fauoured of theyr souereynes and therfore of good ryghte ben best serued of all necessaries ergo due obedience is profytable vnto the worldly parte / whiche is the fyrst and leest frute and profytte of obedience Obiection But here some persones wolde thynke / that if the souereynes do fauour one more than a nother they shulde than vse parcialite / whiche is to be auoided in religion Answere Vnto this we saye / they ben nat parciall but as iustice requyrethe For as we coÌ„cluded byfore good reason wyl that the moste obediente subiectes shulde be moste in fauoure with the souereynes The wordes of our sauiour done confirme the same Where he sayd Vos amici mei estis Io. 15. B. si feceritis que precipio nobis you ben my dere louyng frendes saythe he if you by due obedience perfourme and fulfyl what so euer I byd and coÌ„maunde you And by the same reason dyd our sauioure preferre in rowme and office saynt Peter that was caled / Symon / whiche by interpretacion is as moche to say as obedience And surely naturall parentes done coÌ„munely fauoure moste and preferre theyr moste obedient chyldren And so done maysters and maystresses / lordes and ladies amonge theyr seruauntes / so folowethe that obedience is profytable vnto the increace of the worldly substance or goodes necessary vnto our dayly lyuynge ¶ Of the seconde profytte or frute of obedience The .xvi.
Chapitre THe seconde profitte whervnto maÌ„nes nature hathe regarde and care is the prosperite / helthe and good state of the body to be preserued and kepte iÌ„ good helthe and loÌ„ge lyfe / whervnto moch auayleth obedience The holy scripture sayth Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Deut. 5. C. ut longo uiuas teÌ„pore et bene sit tibi in terra Do thou honoure and reuerence vnto thy father and vnto thy mother / that thou mayste be longe lyued / or lyue a longe tyme / be in good state and helthe vpon yerthe / but byfore haue we proued that due honoure can nat be without due obedience / they muste nedely go to gother ergo the same profytte is ê“mysed vnto both in lyke But here some persones wyll say peraduenture the this promyse is made in scripture Obiection vnto them that with due obedience done honoure vnto theyr carnall parentes / that is to saye theyr fathers and mothers For so that terme parentes / dothe signifie in one worde Answere bothe the father and mother Whervnto I saye / that the promyse dothe more extende vnto the spiritual parentes / bycause they be so moche aboue the other carnall parentes / as the soule is aboue the body / and the spirite aboue the flesshe The wyse man saythe also in his prouerbes Pro. 7. A. Honoure thou saythe he with due obedience thy lorde and mayster Ibidem and thou shalte for thy rewarde be well at ease and welthye And in the same place Be thou obedient saythe he vnto my byddynge and coÌ„maundement and thy rewarde shal be longe lyfe The souereynes in religion done beare the rowme and the ê‘sone of our lorde ergo all suche promyses done extende vnto them Eccl. 3. per totum In the boke also caled Ecclesiasticus / ben many commodites and profyttes set forthe and promysed vnto the same purpose / whiche we haue set forthe at lengthe in a lytell worke that we wrote vnto housholders and rulers / natwithstandynge we shall nat be greued to set out the same agayne here For here in is good auctorite for all the commodites and profyttes that we haue byfore apoynted / that is to say of the goodes of the body / of the same / and of the soule I pray you therfore good deuout reders note it wel The Chapitre begiÌ„neth thus / as it is exponed by the churche The chyldren of sapience or of wysdome Quia non iÌ„ greco bene the congregacion or company of iuste and ryghtuous persones / and the nacion that is to say the naturall disposicion of them Audite .i. obedite is obedience and loue you louynge chyldreÌ„ therfore saythe he herken you well the iudgemente of your father / and be you obedient thervnto And so perfourme and worke the same that you may be the chyldren of saluacion God hath ordened by the honoure of the father to be iÌ„ the chyldreÌ„ / requiryng also confirmyng in theÌ„ the iugement obedience of the mother Those ê‘sones that done loue god ben obedieÌ„t vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes shall for theyr rewarde haue speciall grace to aske forgeuenes for theyr synnes paste / to continue kepe theÌ„ selfe froÌ„ those that ben to come / shal be graciously herde in theyr dayly prayers And those persones that duely done honoure theyr parentes ben lyke in spiritual ê“uision vnto theÌ„ that for teÌ„porall ê“uision done gether ryches tresore vpon yerthe Those that done obediently honoure theyr parentes shall reioyce / haue ioy and conforte in theyr owne chyldren And shal be graciously herde of god in all theyr nede or trouble The chyldren that done duely honoure theyr parentes shal be longe lyued / or of longe lyfe And the chylde that is obedient vnto the father doth moch refresshe conforte the mother And in lyke maner the chylde that is obedient vnto the mother dothe well content please the father Those chyldreÌ„ that reuerently done feere and drede our lorde done also duely honoure theyr parentes And as bondmen or thrale ê‘sones done seruice vnto theyr lordes maisters so done they vnto theÌ„ that haue bygotten theÌ„ into this worlde / suche chyldreÌ„ wyl do theyr seruice so / bothe in worke worde / with good lowly byhauiour in all maner of pacieÌ„ce Do chylde vnto thy parentes due honoure reuereÌ„ce And thy rewarde shal be the blessynge of god the multiplicacion or increace of worldly goodes iÌ„ this lyfe / the same blessiÌ„g shall remayne rest vpon the for euermore The blessynge of the parentê dothe make the heneritauÌ„ce of the chyldreÌ„ stedfast staple the cures of the parentê doth rotewalt vnrote plucke vp destroy that semeth to be moste surely fouÌ„ded roted Chylde take neuer plesure ne pryde iÌ„ the rebuke of thy parentê For that is nat thy worshipe ne praise / but rather thy coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame rebuke For the glorie worshype of the chylde is of the honoure of the pareÌ„te / great shame is it vnto the chylde that the parente be wtout honoure Chylde take good pacieÌ„ce with the age of thy parentê / neuer displease them / greue them ne make them sory in all theyr lyfe And if they feyle or faute in wytte or vnderstandynge forgyue them and take pacience therwith / and neuer despyse them by the comparison of thyne owne strength / wytte / coÌ„nynge or abilite For the coÌ„miseracion / the petie or compassion that the chylde hathe vpon the parentes shall neuer be forgotten For thou shalte for the default of thy parentes duely borne and suffred haue great meryte and rewarde / in thy iustice that is to say in doyng thy duete for euery chylde is bounden vnto the parentes thou shalte haue profytte and a place ordeyned in heuen / and yet here in the tyme of trouble or nede shalt thou be remembred of god And as the froste or yse in the clere sonne so shall thy synnes be molten and wasted All this haue we translated out of the said thyrd Chapitre of Ecclesiasticus / to shewe the frutes and profyttes of obedience whiche sayd Chapitre after al doctoures speketh and meaneth all of the spirituall parentes / as well as of the carnall parentes And yet dothe folowe in the same Chapitre vnto the contrarie parte howe great ieopardy it is to be obedient or disobedieÌ„t vnto the parentes / and what peyne and punisshemente bylongeth thervnto / that is to say all contrarie vnto the torsayd profyttes / he dothe conclude them in fewe wordes / saynge thus Quam male fame est qui relinquit Patrem Howe great shame and rebuke apperteyneth vnto that persone that dothe forsake the father and is rebellious and disobedieÌ„t vnto the parent This point is againe the fame good name / as thoughe he sayd moche shame and yuell name and fame dothe folowe suche persones Than foloweth for the residue And that chylde is cursed of god yâ— dothe
ad ui tam ingredi serua mandata If thou wilte entre into the euerlastynge lyfe kepe the commaundementes / whiche thynge is very obedience Io. 5. And agayne Qui uerbum meum audit et credit ei qui misit me habet uitam eternam Who so euer is obedieÌ„t vnto my coÌ„maundemente / and gyuethe credence or dothe byleue in hym that sente me into this worlde is nowe in surete for the tyme of euerlastynge lyfe And saynt Bernarde sayth that Christe hym selfe is the â—ewarde of obedience Suê‘ eum ecce nos reliquimê° omnia Augusti And to conclude the great coÌ„modites / frutes / profyttes / and hyghe meryte or rewarde of obedience Saynt Augustyne sayth / that in heueÌ„ shal be suche a swetnes pleasauÌ„t felicite lyght or easyredenes of obedieÌ„ce betwene the body the soule that theyr interchauÌ„geable obedience shall be like to the lyfe of that regne of the realme or kyngdome Whervnto he brynge vs that bought vs / our moste obedient lorde and moste swete sauiour Iesu Christe / iÌ„ the meane tyme he grauÌ„t vs the grace here of suche obedience as may render make vs his fofolowers iÌ„ the same hygh most noble vertue AmeÌ„ THus you may ê‘ceyue good deuout Christanes that I had in mynde purposed to haue made here with an ende of this treates / for this meÌ„bre borde or table of obedience NatwithstaÌ„dyng sodeynly came to mynde the syghe I had spoken so moche of the coÌ„modites / frutes ê“fytes of this noble vertue of obedieÌ„ce it shulde be coÌ„uenient somewhat to shewe of the incoÌ„modites ieoê‘des of the coÌ„trarie vice / that is to say inobedience or disobedience ¶ Of the incoÌ„modites and ieopardes of inobedieÌ„ce or disobedience / and fyrst of the definicion therof The .xxi. Chapitre THe Philosopher sayth that who so wyll define / determine / and declare a thynge well what it is must shewe and appoint somwhat of the contrarie thervnto For as he sayth in a nother place whan thynges coÌ„trarie ben leyde or compared to gether eueriche of theÌ„ doth appere the more euident and clere for the tother / as whyte coloure leyde nere vnto blacke doth seme in it selfe more whytte also causeth the blacke to seme more blacke than els they shulde do alone And pryde is the better knowen by the declaracion of mekenes So is it of obedience disobedience For as obedience is an abnegacion forsakyng of proper wyll subdued vnto the wyll of a nother persone souereine of religion For we speke here of monasticall obedience / whiche religious persones done ê“fesse so is in obedience or disobedience / an election or choyse and folowynge in effecte of proper wyll contrarie vnto the promyse and vowe made in profession / let this be taken thus for the definicion / that is to say a determinacion or declaracion of the selfe thynge / what it is / and what is ment by that terme or name of obedience or inobedience and lykewyse of all other thynges ¶ Of the diuision or diuerse maners of inobedieÌ„ce The .xxii. Chapitre THis vice of in obedience or disobedience may be in diuerse maners / one waye inobedience may be improper / whiche may nat properly be caled disobedience / but after or accordynge vnto the coÌ„mune opinion of the vnlerned people / that is whan a subiecte by reason sence / and ryght vnderstandynge / and by good lernyng and auctorite dothe perceyue that the souereyne doth coÌ„maunde / that is conirarie vnto the lawes of god or the ordinaunce of the churche / thaÌ„ doth he vse or rather doth seme to vse in effecte his owne proper wyll / and so wyll nat fulfyll the pÌ„cepte of the souereyne / that he semeth nat to be obedient but rather styfly disobedient / howe be it he is nat so in dede For as I sayd byfore in suche case he is nat bouÌ„de to be obedient but rather bounde vnto the contrarie Act. 5. E. For as the Apostle Petre sayd we ben more bouÌ„de to be obedient vnto god than vnto man And therfore I sayd / that this way is nat ê“perly disobedience An other way or maner of disobedience is by negligence or by forgetfulnes / as whan the subiecte is negligente and doth forgette the pÌ„cepte of the souereine yet is sory discontent with hym selfe therfore And this is a veniall synne / in the lowest or leest degre of disobedience An other maner is by scrupulosite of conscieÌ„ce / as whan the subiecte doth fere or drede in coÌ„science that the pÌ„cepte is nat lawful yet nat in certeynte / therfore wyll nat do the coÌ„maundemeÌ„te / so is it a veniall synne euery way bycause of the errour in conscieÌ„ce For if he shulde do the pÌ„cepte Nemo ê‘plexê° simpliciter ueruÌ„ propria in curia potest quis seipsum implicare diuê° Thomas li. senten he shuld do agayn his conscieÌ„ce that is euer syn / although the conscience be erronious And if he do nat the precepte than is it inobedience so a veniall synne / bycause the subiecte is bouÌ„de to put away that errour and scrupulosite both / to be obedient vnto the souereyne For in all doutes the subiecte is discharged in coÌ„science by yepÌ„cepte of the souereyne An other kynde or maner of disobediece is by frailte / as whaÌ„ the subiecte / doth knowe well also doth remeÌ„bre hathe in mynde the pÌ„cepte mater wherin he shuld be obedient / and doth nat in any wyse despyse the pÌ„cepte / but rather doth purpose intende to accomplysshe fulfyll the same / but yet whaÌ„ the mater shulde coÌ„e to passe soÌ„e dulnes or slothfulnes / soÌ„e frailte or carnall affection doth let the perfourmynge therof and so is the thynge vndone the precept ouerpassed and broken This maner of obedience may be deedly synne or veniall / accordyng vnto the nature of the precepte For if the nature of the pÌ„cept of the obedience be coÌ„mauÌ„ded ordened by the churche or by the statê of the rule or religion / to be kept vnder peyne of deedly synne than is the disobedience therof deedly synne / els but veniall And in lyke maner is it of suche disobedience as is coÌ„mitted done by sodeyn passion or displeasure agayne the souereyne wtout full deliberacion / so for that tyme obedieÌ„ce is set by or leyde on parte Whiche disobedience is accordynge vnto the nature of the pÌ„cepte as I sayd byfore deedly or venial offence An other kynde yet or maner of obedience is by ignoraunce / as whan the subiecte knoweth nat the nature of the pÌ„cepte / that he is bouÌ„de vnto suche obedience But this ignorauÌ„ce dothe nat hooly or fully excuse For as the ignorauÌ„ce of the lawes of god or of the churche dothe nat excuse them that ben bouÌ„de to knowe the same lawes So in lyke maner / the ignorauÌ„ce of the rules ordinaunces of the religion doth nat
hole churche of Christe thaÌ„ to be ouercome and gyue ouer theyr proper opinion and this I call the worste kynde of disobedience ¶ Of the ieopardes and paynfull merites and rewardes of disobedience or inobedience The .xxiii. Chapitre TO shewe vnto you the ieopardes and incoÌ„modites of this great malady myschefe of inobedience we shall vse the same maner that we vsed in shewynge the frutes ê“fitable coÌ„modites of holy obedience / begynnynge at the in coÌ„modites of the worldly substance And than of the body so forthe vnto the fame and name / and laste vnto the soule And generally to speake of all / we may say / that if you note well the great coÌ„modites of obedience you may conclude the contrarie vpon disobedience For of the coÌ„modites worldly that ben shewed byfore of the scripture iÌ„ the boke of Deutronominy / where ben fyrste promysed many benedictions vnto obedience Deu. 28. A. Ibidem B. Forthwith doth folowe of disobedience thus If thou wylt nat be obediente vnto the preceptes and ceremonies of thy lorde and kepe them truely â–ª this maledictioÌ„s and curses shall lyght vpon the. Thou shalt be accursed in the cite / cursed in theÌ„ felde Thy barne and corne shal be accursed and all thyne other goodes and substaunce The frute of thy wombe shal be accursed the frute of thy lande And al the herdes of thy beastes and al the flockes of thy shepe Thou shalt be cursed in goynge inwarde / and accursed in goynge outwarde Thus doth appere that disobedience doth nat only depriue religious persones of all the coÌ„modites ê“mysed vnto obedience but also doth bryng bynde them vnto the contrarie incoÌ„modites For as the monasteries where due obedieÌ„ce is kepte done ê“spere with pleintie in all maner of commodites that done apperteyne vnto theyr worldly goodes substance so in lyke maner vnto the contrarie parte / where is inobedience or disobedience the monasteries done dekay / fall vnto ruine pouerte / as dyd the chyldren of Israel for theyr disobedience as dothe appere iÌ„ diuerse places of scripture Saul the fyrst kynge of Israel / for his inobedieÌ„ce lost his realme and regne and his heyres also for euer / wherby we maye reasonably coniecture that the ruyne and dekaye of suche monasteries as done fall and come froÌ„ an abbey as they saye vnto a graunge is the very punisshement of obedience For whaÌ„ coÌ„munely the subiectes done rebelle / coniure and make parties agayne the souereynes / and than done seke mayntenaunce of synguler persones or hyghe powers thaÌ„ is obedience lost and the substaunce and goodes of the monasterie done come to caytche that cayrche may / eueryche to folowe his owne proper wyl / geâ—e what he can / and vse it as he wyll / so al coÌ„meth vnto nought For as a wyse lerned man sayth Concordia parue res crescunt Discordia autem maxime dilabuÌ„tur That is by concorde / vnite / agremeÌ„t and peace smale or a fewe worldly goodes shall increace and growe vnto great ryches And coÌ„trarie by discorde and debate great substaÌ„ce shal be sparpuled come all vnto nought Our sauiour dothe confirme the same in the gospell saynge Marci 2. B. Mar. 3. D. Lu. 11. B. Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur If a hole realme be deuided and at debate in hym selfe it shall sone be desolate come vnto destructioÌ„ Thus doth appere the incoÌ„modite of disobedience as vnto the goodes of the worlde But as we sayd the body is of more pryse more to be regarded than the worlde / and yet the incoÌ„modite of disobedience thervnto is shewed in diuerse places of scripture Gene. 4. Numeri 12. C. Adam and Eue were punisshed in theyr bodies for theyr inobedience And Marie syster vnto Moyses and vnto Aaron / for her rebellion was stryken sodeynly with the plage of lepre Pestilence and other peynes were also appoynted in the olde lawe Deu. 28. B. for disobedieÌ„ce Where is sayd If thou be disobedient our lorde wyll sende vnto the honger / thurst / and penury in al thy workes / and he wyll also ioyne thervnto pestilence he wyl stryke the with nedenes / with feures or axes hote and cold and with cancres and corrupte eyres and he wyl in sue and chase the with many mischeues The heuen ouer the shal be as styfe as brasse / and the yerthe vnder thy fote lyke vnto yren or stele And in stede of shoures god wyll reyne dust / and in stede of dewe shall come downe asshes And thou shalt fal and fle byfore thyne enemies / and thy carkas shal be lefte vpon the felde for meate vnto byrdes bestes / thou shalt be strykeÌ„ with byles and boytches / with scabbes and pockes / with vncurable yche or ake Thou shalte be mased and madde / furiouse blynde And euer full of rebuke and oppression And no maÌ„ shall helpe / conforte or succure the. Deu. 17 B. The iugement also of bodely dethe was gyuen for disobedience Who so euer saith holy scripture doth waxe so proude / that he wyll nat be obedient vnto the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the preest that for the tyme doth minister and do seruice vnto our lorde let that man by the decre of the iuge be put vnto dethe And in an other place Iosue 1. D. who so wyll be contrarious vnto the byddynge sayde our lorde vnto Iosue and wyll nat be obedient vnto all the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes that I shall coÌ„mauÌ„de by thy mouthe let hym be put to deth Here ben nowe many great incommodites that done come vnto the body for disobedience And yet bycause as is sayd fame and good name is more precious than the body / we shall set forthe some incoÌ„modites that done come vnto the fame by inobedieÌ„ce De. ci dei li. 1. Ca. Saynt Augustyn sayth / that some peynymes iÌ„fideles haue wylfully suffred deth / rather thaÌ„ they wolde lose or yet hurte or hynder theyr good name and fame / to be founde false or vnfeythfull of theyr promyse But euery religious persone hathe by solempne vowe promysed obedience / ergo disobedience in breakynge that promyse doth render them infamouse For it taketh away / or at the leest sore hurtethe and maymeth the name and fame in many diuerse maners For it declareth and proueth the inobediente religious persones theues / robbers / and lyers Fyrste they bene theues / bycause they stele that thynge and take vnto theyr owne vse that is nat theyrs / but that dothe apperteine vnto a nother ê‘sone / that is to say theyr proper wyll whiche bylongeth vnto the souereyne And whan they openly done deney the precepte of the souereyne than ben they robbers And in that they breke theyr vowe and promyse they ben lyers / false and infamouse / and so bene they chyldren vnto the dyuell For he is a lyer and the father therof To be a lepre is nat onely a hurte vnto the body /
But the true obediences is alwaye by loued and euer herde graciously accouÌ„ted of Christ hym selfe nat onely as his seruaunt or frende â— buâ— also as his brother / syster / mother loue 〈◊〉 therâ—fore obedience / and auoyde and fle disobedience ¶ Of a breue or shorte recount or reherse of the premysses by order of scripture The .xxiiii. Chapitre THat al religious persones shulde the rather loue the excellent vertue of obedience / and the more fere ordred / hate and abhorre or loth this abominable synne of inobedience or disobedience we haue here setforthe a breue or short Epiloge / recapitulacion or recounte of the sayd incoÌ„modites or punisshement and peynfull rewardes of disobedience after the order of scripture Fyrste than we maye begynne at the example of the fyrste Angell Lucifer that hy disobedience loste the pleasaunt place of heuens blesse / and whan therby the peynfull pitte of hell / there to remayne for euer / in wo and peyne / in shame and rebuke perpetuall Gene. 3. The exaÌ„ple also / of our fyrst pareÌ„tes Adam Eueâ— that by the same vice loste the possession of paradyse / and where they were in possibilite neuer to deyene suffer disease and in moste hyghe honoure end dignite they fell into the misery of all maner of sekenes and dethe infamous vnto the daye of dome and excepte the redeÌ„ption of our sauiour Dampned Gene. 4. for euer Cayn also theyr eldest sone / lost the coÌ„tre of his natiuite and byrthe / the company and presence of his parentes / outlawed and put to flyght as a renegate / euery where in shame and rebuke / in continuall feare and drede of his lyfe / and at the last slayne in his body / and dampned in soule for euer / and all that came of hym / by whose syn al the worlde was drowned except .viii. persones Gene. 7. And yet after the distruction flode one of those .viii. persones by disobedience in dishonoure and vnreuerence of his father fell in lyke vengeaunce in hym and his Ge. 9. D. Gen 11. B. For the presumpcion of disobedience in byldyng of the toure of Babylone the people were deuided vnto diuerse tonges Ge. 12. A. And all they fell into ydolatry and forsoke our lorde god excepte AbrahaÌ„ and his wyfe and Loth and his / whome our lorde caled frome among the other people / and put them into the lande of beheste And yet of al the chyldren that Abraham had none dyd folowe our lorde by theyr fathers steppes in obedience but Isaac alone The great cites of Sodome and Gomorre with other Gene. 19. dyd synke for disobedience And Lottes wyfe was tourned in a salt stone The eldest sone of Isaac was cast out of the fauoure of god / for disobedience For whan he knewe the pleasure and wyl of his father he dyd wylfully there agaynst And the chyldren of Iacob had great trouble and sorowe for disobedieÌ„ce Gel. 28. B. Ibid. 44. Fx. 7. et aliis Exodi 21. Exo. 32. F. Leui. 8 G. The disobedience of kynge Pharao was punisshed by many plages And many punisshementes bene set forth vnto the chyldren of Israel for disobedience In one daye were slayne of them by theyr owne bretherne .xxiii. thousande men Payne of deth was assigned vnto the prestes if after theyr consecracion they went forth among the people wtin Leu. 10 A. vii dayes Nadab Abiu / the childreÌ„ of Aaron for disobedieÌ„ce were sodenly stryken vnto deth with fyre from heuen Leui. 17. The coÌ„mune people that of theyr owne auctorite / without the prestes wolde take vpon theÌ„ to do sacrifice / or to make oblacions were cursed of god for theyr inobedieÌ„ce IbideÌ„ 18. And likewyse of theÌ„ / the coÌ„trary vnto the coÌ„maundement of god wolde abuse them selfe in the synne of the flesshe with suche persones as there were prohibite forboden These ê‘sones also that misuse theyr bodies in the synne of the flesshe / coÌ„trarie vnto nature ben cursed / and so bene they that done leyne folowe wychecrafte charmes by disobedience IbideÌ„ 19. et 20. Peyne of deth was appoynted vnto them that by disobedieÌ„ce dyd approche or come nere vnto the tabernacle of testimonie in the olde lawe excepte onely the tribe of Leui. Numeri 1. G. None other persones shulde touche ne yet curiously loke vpon the vesselles ne vpon the ornamentes apparell of the sanctuarie Nu. 4. B. vnder payne of deth for theyr disobedience If any persones also by disobedience wolde nat kepe the feste of Ester / accordyng vnto the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t they shulde be excoÌ„municate and accursed Ibi. 9. B. Ibi. 11. A. And the fyre of the vengeaunce and wrathe of our lorde destroyed many of the people / that by disobedience murmured and grudged with the laboures that he had assigned appointed them And of theÌ„ that by coÌ„cupiscence and gloutonous desyre to eate flesshe dyd murmure agayne the Manna heuenly meate of goddes sendyng IbideÌ„ G. many were slayne by the plage of god And Marie the syster of Moyses for her in obedience Nu. 12 D. was stryken and made lepre and so remayned .vii. dayes as accursed out of all the other company Ibi. 14. D. All the chyldren of Israel that came out of Egipte / excepte tweyne deyed in wyldernes for theyr disobedieÌ„ce Ibi. 15. E. That soule sayth our lorde that by pryde disobedience doth breake despise his coÌ„mauÌ„dement shall perysshe and be loste Dathan and Abiron for disobedience dyd synke into hell / with all theyr housholde and substauÌ„ce and fyre froÌ„ heuen destroyed Chore all his company Ibi. 16. E. Those ê‘sones that wolde nat be obedieÌ„t Nu. 18. D. duely to pay theyr tythes were iuged by our lorde vnto deth Moyses and Aaron the great seruauntes of god for theyr in obedience Ibi. 20. B. lost the great honoure of the ledyng and bringyng of the chyldren of Israel into the lande of byheste And for inobedience Nu. 21. B. our lorde sende amoÌ„g the chyldren of Israel venemous serpentes that destroyed and slewe many of the people And in a nother place our lorde coÌ„maunded Moyses to hange vp the prynces of the people agayne the sonne Ibi. 25. B. And xxiiii thousande were slayne also for disobedience Moyses shewed vnto the people / that if they wolde be disobedient whaÌ„ they shuld come vnto the lande of byhest Deu. 4 D. et 8. D. et Ibi. 11. D they shulde be shortly destroied and come vnto nought If you kepe true obedience sayth our lorde you shall haue benediction and blessyng and if you be disobediente you shall haue contrarie malediction and curse / and throughout all the boke of Deutronomie ben meruaylous thretes or thretynges of our lorde set forthe vnto the breakers of obedience And after the dethe of Moyses all the people dyd bynde them selfe vnder peyne of dethe Iosue 1 D
we done so labour on pilgrimage in the body / by the troubles wherof bothe our intent is letted / and also by the cares and busines of the same body our charite loue is fatigate / and dwelled In the ende of your secoÌ„de epistle you aske me / howe I wolde iuge or thynke of the vnderstandyng of this text of the gospel Ecce enim merces vestra multa est in celis Lu. 6. D. Lo / take hede se For your wages rewarde is great or moche in heuen And you meruell very moche that saynt Augustyne wolde say vpoÌ„ the same texte that it shulde nat be nedefull to vnderstaÌ„de here these visible corporall or bodely heueÌ„s / lest so our wages rewarde shuld seme to be set appoynted in thinges mouable / and slepery vncerteine And therfore you thinke here shulde some spirituall firmameÌ„tes be vnderstaÌ„de ment / of the whiche as you say you can nat tell nor yet suspecte what shulde be supposed or thought But if you attende hede well what you haue red The realme kingdome of god Luce. 17. Ephe. 3. is within you / and saynt Paule sayth / that Christ by feyth doth dwel in your hertes / as a kyng in his owne realme rule And in a nother place he sayth Ro. 8. The passions and paynes of this tyme ben nothyng of dignite / degre or worthynes ne any thyng coÌ„parable vnto the glorie to come / whiche shal be reueled shewed in vs / he sayth nat / that shal be shewed vnto vs / as an outwarde thynge / but in vs / as nowe bydynge dwellyng within vs / but nat yet apperyng And the prophete sayth also Psal 44. Psal 63. All the glorie of the kyngê doghter is within forth / or froÌ„ within And in a nother place man hath assended vnto an hygh herte / and mynde of contemplacion Psal 83. Sapien. 7 And yet agayne man hath disposed ascencions in his herte And the wysemaÌ„ The soule of the iuste persone is the seete / or stall / or syttyng place of sapience / the voyce of the whiche sapience is this / heuen is my sittyng place If you now take hede I say note well these thynges many other like in holy scripture Esai 66. A you wyl in very dede study gyue diligence to seke labour that the kyngdome of god his iustice may rather entre come vnto you than that other you shulde go forth outwarde / or els ascende clymbe vpwarde or aboue But I cal here this termes / aboue / or without forth accordyng vnto the posicion order of the place / as the heuen doth froÌ„ the yerth holde or kepe an exteriour outwarde place And the soÌ„ne / the mone the sterres done kepe a superiour hygher place For those same selfe thynges that ben within vs by the very subtyle sleÌ„der inuisibilite vnê‘ceyuablenes of theyr nature ben also aboue vs by the very hygh dignite and degre of theyr excellency And also they ben without vs by the immensite vnmesurable excesse of theyr mageste But these thynges ben very hyghe moste hyghe harde to be intreated And therfore had they nede of a more diligeÌ„t disputacioÌ„ and also of a more wyse better lerned disputer / yet thervnto of a more large worke and intreaty I had went supposed / I shulde nat in the intreating of these maters haue exceded the maner of a pistle But as I nowe se ê‘ceyue the coÌ„municacion and tale hath ê“ceded vnto more length than I trusted or thoght Name you therfore the worke if it so please you a boke / or if it please you an epistle / as you wyl For whether it shulbe be / in fewe wordes or in many I was bouÌ„de whiche thynge I haue studied desyred to satisfie your wyll and desyre ¶ Thus endeth the boke of saynt Bernarde of precepte and dispensacion / translated and tourned out of latyne into englysshe by the sayd brother of Syon / applie all vnto the best I byseche you / and pray for the olde wreche / Rycharde Whytforde ¶ The sayd wreche vnto bothe the parties that is to say the souereynes the subiectes I Byseche you mekely / bothe reuerent souereines / deuout subiectes ê‘done my rudenes in all / be coÌ„tent I coÌ„clude vnto you 1. Pet. vlti Seniores ergo qui in vobis suut with the senteÌ„ce of saynt Petre / that is / that you both / eueryche by theÌ„ selfe all in coÌ„mune do so laboure inforse your selfe that folowing the steppê of Christ you may attayne / ê‘fectly come vnto his coÌ„pany / that is / to be both together membres of hin misticall body Howe be it coÌ„uenieÌ„t it is and good ryght reasoÌ„ that suche ê‘sones as by the auctorite of theyr age / yeres of profession / office or dignite bene seniores in religioÌ„ / and so in rowme or place aboue other that also in lyke maner in the diligent study and precise obseruaunce of the religion they be the effectuous workers / laudable teachers so very examplars of the ê‘fection of the same For all the residue of the couent or coÌ„pany done take fourme and done coÌ„munely folowe the examples / the doctrines and teachynges / the maners and byhauiours / and the auctorite of them And therfore it is nat sufficient and ynough for them / to kepe them selfe frome defaulte and offence of the religion but that they also study labour with diligence to bryng al the multitude vnto the same For the age of the seniores doth put them in auctorite And the vse and experience of many thynges doth rendre them prudent and wyse And theyr integrite ê‘fection of lyuyng / ê“ued and openly knowen vnto the coÌ„pany doth put theÌ„ in credence trust Vnto you therfore fyrst I speke reuerent souereynes seniores of religion that ben the kepers gyders of the multitude And I humely byseche you in visceribê° Christi / that is / for the teÌ„derloue of our lorde sauiour Iesu Christe for the bytter paynes passion that he suffred for you al maÌ„kinde that you reÌ„dre frame your selfe vnto suche multitude coÌ„pany as by the ordinauÌ„ce of god bene put vnder your gouernaÌ„ce very pastores / pitious vnfeyned fathers / wache wake / gyue dililigeÌ„ce take good hede / loke wel on euery parte / take care thought that your flocke for whome Christ suffred dethe nother lacke ne want any thyng necessary for the body ne yet for the soule / nother holy coÌ„solacino ne holsome doctrine couÌ„sayle / ne in any wyse the very exaÌ„ple of the lyfe euauÌ„gelical / that is to say the life of our lorde 〈…〉 Iesu you be vnto theÌ„ theyr bysshope / ê“uider / perfourme theÌ„ the effecte of the same / fede theÌ„ / cure theÌ„ / gouerne
releue / helpe / and conforte them And to multiplie the ryches and vertues of them selfe Put away than all excuses / good deuout religious persones and applie your herte / minde with study diligence precisely to kepe your vowe promysed / of wylfull pouerte And vtterly on al maner to exclude / and exile the mortall enemie therof / that is propriete ¶ Of the remedies agayne this propriete The .xvi. Chapitre OF the remedies and meanes whervnto somwhat shall folowe One good tiÌ„guler remedy / or meane thervnto is so call oftymes vnto mynde / and remeÌ„braunce / the extreme and continual pouerte of our lord god and sauiour Iesu / his blessed mother / and his holy Apostles And also to recouÌ„te the institucions / and ordinauÌ„ces of olde fathers / specially of the vniuersall churche And here to haue pÌ„sent iÌ„ mynde our promyse and soleÌ„pne vowe / made by open profession in the face of the churche vnto our holy rules To remembre also the great and vnspekeable rewarde to be had for the obseruaunce / kepynge of our sayd promyse And the terrible / and moste paynfull rewarde vnto the breakers therof / as by the examples byfore rehersed may appere / of Ananie / and Saphira his wyfe / that were sodenly stryken vnto deth / by the sodeyn vengeauÌ„ce of god Of Iudas the traytour / that haÌ„ged hym selfe And of Giezi / that sodeynly fell lepre / and all for propriete Many examples ben hereof in vitas Patrum / and in the reuelacions of our holy mother saynt Brigitte / and of many other holy sayntes The senteÌ„ce also of holy churche is nat lytel to be regarded here in / that doth iuge all proprietaries to be without christiane buriall / and to be buried vpon the donghyll / and so nombred and accounted as miserable soules dampned in peyne euerlastyng These thinges well considred shulde in my reason moue any herte / thoughe it were as they say stony / and made of yren And so be a good remedy agayne this sayd pestilence of propriete Another singuler remedy / meane to auoyde this dauÌ„ger is to consider the benifites / abouÌ„dauÌ„t bounty goodnes of our lorde god / nat onely in creacion / but also in redeÌ„pcion / dayly coÌ„seruacion / kepyng / defendyng / fedyng nurishynge of vs with no course meates / or drynkes but with his blessed body / holy sacred blode / and thus to fall vnto a disposicion of herty / reuerente thankes And to thynke than say with a lowely hert Quid retribuaÌ„ dnÌ„o Pro oibus que retribuit mihi What thynge shall I rendre vnto my lorde god Psal 115. for all that he hath gyueÌ„ vnto me good lorde I can nat fynde what I may giue the / for thou art lorde of al / thou nedest nothynge Yet there thaÌ„ to remembre what thynge he hath desyred of euery ê‘sone sayng Da mihi cor tuuÌ„ et sufficit mihi Giue vnto me saith he thyne herte / and that wyll suffice / content me / as though I were in extreme nede Pro. 23. Than say with all thy hole herte Psal 115. CaliceÌ„ salutaris accipiam et nomeÌ„ domini inuocabo That is / I wyl take vpon me the chalisse and payne of helthe saluacion / and I wyl continually cal vpon the name of god This seneÌ„ce hathe two partes / whiche euery christiane shulde applie vnto The fyrste parte is / to do / to dispose hym selfe vnto the lyfe of penauÌ„ce The seconde to call vpon our lorde / by continuall prayer laude / prayse of his name In the fyrste he doth make promyse with hym selfe / sayng I wyll vndertake / I wyll dispose my selfe / with all my herte / mynde to folowe my lorde Iesu / to walke with diligeÌ„ce in the waye of his lyfe / and take vpon me the crosse of penaunce / that is to saye / I wyll do violence vnto myne owne selfe WhaÌ„ so euer any mocion of fraylte or of myne enemye dothe lay byfore me any coÌ„modite / or excuse of ê“priete I wyl nothyng / obey / leyne / naepplie thervnto / but forwith I wyl cast it froÌ„ me as a venemous serpent / that contrarie vnto myne owne apppetite and desyre / and coÌ„trarie vnto myne owne reason I wyl nat say or thynke why shulde I nat / or why may I nat haue this or that / it is but a tryfle / a thynge of lytell valure No more was the apple / that Adam was dampned fore / but a thynge of smale price I wyll nat say you reason ne dispute with the dyuell / but I wyll vse violence vnto my selfe For I knowe well what our lorde sayth Matth. 11. Regnum celorum vim patitur et violenti rapiuÌ„t illud That is The perfection of Christes lawe religion dothe require violence force / and those ê‘sones that ben violent / and quicke done rauishe cayche it The very pathe of Christe therfore is violent No ê‘sone may walke therin but by selfe violence Matth. 16. Marci 8. Luce. 9. Who so euer sayth Christ wil saue his owne soule shall lose it / that is if he folowe his owne wyll he shall forgo lose it / his soule also Let hiÌ„ therfore leue slee his owne wyl No vertue may be had with out selfe violeÌ„ce So that the ê‘son be euer coÌ„trarious violent vnto his owne wyll / appetite / and desyre Whan I spek here / of wyll I meane nat the ordred wyll of the soule / nor the wyll appetite of the spirit / but the wyll of sensualite / the appetite / and desyre of the flesshe / whiche is euer aduersaunt and coÌ„trarious Galla. 5. vnto the ordred wyll of the soule / and of the spirite For that wyll of the soule is euer naturally inclined vnto vertue / and hathe a disposicion naturall desire thervnto / as you may perceyue by good reason For no reasonable persone / is so synfull / so vngracious / or so full of misordreâ— that wolde nat wyshe / wyll / and desyre to be without synne / and with out appetite of synne / but rather he wolde wyshe that he were synles and had neuer ne euer shulde do any maner of synne But alas / the wyll of the flesshe / the sensualite doth / oftymes by freylte / and somtymes by negligence of the selfe persones vanquylshe and ouercome that wyll of the soule And al is bycause they wyl nat put violence vnto them selfe / specially in the fyrst mocion For at the fyrst temptacioÌ„ they shulde by violent stomacke / and obstinate cruelte kytte / and cast away the sensuall wyl and carnal appetite / nat otherwyse than they wolde kytte / caste away a pece af theyr owne flesshe / that were poysoned / and venemed / and so shulde els in effecte / destroye the hole body Obserue therfore take
the disciples of this rule shuld kepe due teÌ„peraunce / euery day euery tyme. For he knewe wel the one tyme to fede at pleasure / an other tyme to fast shulde rather inflame than rebate or correcte the body And therfore wolde he theyr fast shulde be continuall / with as moche lacke and scarcety as nature myght beare So that the body be some what punished in euery mele / and neuer to be fully saciate and contented / after sensuall desyre of appetite Cassianus in secuÌ„da collaci abbatis Theo. Ca. 3. For the olde fathers wolde say it were nat possible for any persone to kepe the very purite and cleÌ„nes of chastite / the wolde fede coÌ„tent the appetite of the body with onely bread water / moche more thaÌ„ if it be fed with delicates Wherfore saynt Augustine coÌ„maunded the disciples of this reule Ca. 3. to take refection at due tyme. So that bysyde meletyme they shulde take no maner of fode for any cause excepte infirmite / or very and vnfeyned necessite / whiche hathe no lawe For those persones that done nat kepe certeyne houres in fedynge done selden / or neuer kepe due temperauÌ„ce without superfluite / but as bruyte bestes done rather fede / and pompre thaÌ„ rebate or correcte the body And yet may those persones that done kepe theyr due tymes moche offeÌ„d in quantite For the superfluite or surfet of one mele may distempre / and vndispose the body many daies after And where saynt Augustyne sayth Quando sederitis ad mensam c. Whan ye do sit at the table c. There doth he coÌ„maunde all the disciples of his reule to take theyr meles in one due place And that for two causes / one that iÌ„ the fedyng of theyr bodies they shulde also / by the same lesson of the worde of god be all in lyke maner / fed iÌ„ soule And other cause is to auoyde the coÌ„pany and familiarite / of seculer persones / wherby they ben oftymes prouoked to excede due temperaunce / bysyde other occasioÌ„s / wherof we shall speke hereafter And in this poynt of the rule done the suffreynes / and officers most offeÌ„de / which done many tymes more delite / and take pleasure to sit at mele tymes iÌ„ theyr parloures / chaÌ„bres / or priuate lodgynges / with seculers / or with theyr familiares than amonge the couent in the fraytour Whiche natwithstandynge is theyr moste due / and moste conuenient place of fedyng / where they shuld haue the conforte and perfecte / of that holy lesson / moche also / bothe editie / and be edified And contrary where they ben they done oftyme here many voyde and vayne wordes / and both gyue take occasion Here me semeth I do here theyr excuse The busines of the monasterie / syr saye they is in cause / we can nat kepe the houres and tyme of the couent / and do all our duete for necessarie ordinauÌ„ce of the monasterie yet say I they can nat fynde / ne yet make reason / that they may excepte in iourney beyng lawfully forth company with any lay persones For saynt Augustyne sayth in this rule / that the disciples therof ben nat prohibite / ne letted or forbodeÌ„ / to loke vpon the contrarie sexe whan they for any cause reasonable done go forth / as though bydyng within the monasterie / so to loke were vnlawfull For it were voyde and playne foly to gyue theÌ„ licence to loke vpon that thynge without the monasterie that they myght at liberte se / and loke vpon within And holy saynt Benedicte wolde nat suffre his owne natural syster and she natwithstandyng a holy religious woman to come wtin the monastery but euer whan she came he went forth vnto her I thinke therfore / it were more coÌ„uenient for any such officers / whaÌ„ they myght nat kepe the due houres tyme than to sit in silence at a later mele / in the same place where the couent was / or as the leest in some parloure or place / appoynted for suche chaunces / neuer in any wyse to be serued / ne yet to haue the coÌ„pany of any lay persones For els can they nat precisely kepe the mynde of the rule / whiche iÌ„ this thyrde chapitre doth ordre the disciples therof vnto abstinence / as a necessary keper and sure garde of chastite For who so doth excede due temperauÌ„ce shal neuer precisely kepe due chastite So thaÌ„ after saynt Augustyne abstinence is necessarie vnto the religious persone that hath vowed chastite But bycause there ben diuerse degrees of abstinence ye wolde ê‘adueÌ„ture / I shulde here appoynt you some fourme and maner of abstineÌ„ce Whervnto I must answere that we do nat here intreate of abstinence iÌ„ especial / but generally as it doth apperteyne vnto the custody of chastite And also it is very harde to put any certeyne fourme therin / bycause of the diuerse disposicions of persones For vnto some persones a lytel quaÌ„tite is ouermoch And vnto some other a large quantite is to lytell To moderate therfore / and to kepe therin due measure is lerned by experience discrecion For the very hyghe poynt of abstinence and of all vertues doth stande euer in a due meane That is after the lernynge of saynt Augustyne in this place to take fode euer with the moste scarcite But yet so that nature therby do nat suffre any hurte or notable decaye But to be serued with aboundauÌ„ce of diuerse and delicate meates and drynkes And there to kepe coÌ„stauÌ„tly that due measure with out excesse I thynke verely is an hygh poynt of ê‘fectioÌ„ / in maner of the merite of virginite / or rather of martyrdome But if we do nat atteyne vnto this hyghe poynt yet may we with diligence grace come vnto that degre of abstinence / whervnto al religious persones ben bouÌ„de after my conscieÌ„ce / that is to say So to kepe abstinence that except a very vnfeined nede they neuer take fode out of due time ne out of due place And that they neuer surfet lo ne ouercharge the body that they be therby vnable to do to ê‘fourme the duete of religion ¶ Of the thyrde keper of chastite laboure The .vi. Chapitre NOwe than let vs go forthe Next vnto abstinence saynt Augustyne in the same chapitre dothe for an other / custos / keper / garde / of chastite oppoynt / and set forth labour / in auoydynge of ydlenes / the great enemye of chastite / whiche ydlenes saynt Augustyne dothe there call an abhominacion / and the moste hatefull pouerte / and misorder of any monastery Where as he saythe nat onely the persones of pore and lowe byrthe but also the persones that were of great ryches / honoure and noble byrthe shulde accordyng vnto theyr strength and power be laborious that is to say / continually occupied in laboures For after all doctoures / no pestilence is more
was deed Than shewed he vnto them his handes / and howe he was temted with her / and than fel vnto prayer / and so reysed the deed corse / and forthwith were all his fyngers restored vnto hym agayne / and the woman and all the men conuerted vnto the state of perfecte lyuyng Al this haue we shewed / that ye shulde perceyue the ieoê‘ty of sole preseÌ„ce / and of the occasion and liberte of sole presence Syth specially it was so ê“ued in ê‘sones of so hyghe perfection howe than shulde any persones in this tyme of corrupcion / where in all vertue exiled synne raygneth haue truste in them selfe And why shulde nat al religious persones be glad to be inclosed / for the more surety of theyr vowe and promyse Let no good religious persone thynke lytell or gyue lytell force of sole presence / or of the liberte and power of sole preseÌ„ce The coÌ„mune canon lawe dothe also forbede sole presence / vnto ê‘sones religious / specially women So that no religious woman shulde any tyme / speke with any man / althoughe he were also religious 18. qÌ„ 2. Diffiniuimus et ca. sequenti without the company of sufficient and honest wytnes For sole presence in the lawe is a great presumpcion / and argument or euidence of suspicion The lawe therfore doth prohibite and forbede / that religious ê‘sones / or yet seculer prestes shulde be alone De statu monacorum ca. Mona Et dist 81. In oibus Eccle. 4. Libro 3. ca. Monasteri And the wyse man sayth Vesoli Wo and ieoparty be vnto the ê‘sone alone For if by case he fall he hathe no ê‘sone to helpe hym vp And in the lawe also De vita et honestate clericorum If any man of custome do vse to entre any monasterie of religious women to accoÌ„pany / and be familiar with theÌ„ And after due warnyng doth nat withdrawe and leue that resorte let hym sayth the lawe if he be of the clergy be deposed And if he be a lay maÌ„ let hym be excoÌ„municate and cursed And in an other place 18. qÌ„ 2. ê‘uenit ad nos The lawe sayth / that women shulde nat come with in the monasterie of men Many other monicions and counsayles bene gyuen / in the coÌ„mune canon lawe and by holy fathers for the prohibicion / condempnacion and reproue of sole presence / as a perilous enemy of chastite ¶ Of the .xi. keper of Chastite / that is / cure of the body The .xv. Chapitre YEt after saynt Augustyne doth folowe an other enemy of chastite moche subtyle / and as nat moche greuous / so moche more ieopardous That is to saye delectacion and pleasure in clene clothynge / and in the pykyng curyng of the body For the prohivicion and letting wherof he sayth in the begynnyng of the .vi. Chapitre of the rule Let your clothyng saythe he be laundred or wasshen / at the appoiÌ„temeÌ„t / and after the wyll of the souereyne And yet agayne Baynes also for the body c. Where saynt Augustyne wyl that the disciples of this rule shulde haue shyft of clene clothes / and purgacion of the body accordyng vnto discrecion / and as nede the honestie of religion doth require / but nat after the appetite or desyre of the persones / lest sayth he the superfluous pleasure / of fayre and clene clothes shulde defoule and make the soule vnclene fylthy And in very dede / I haue knowen diuerse religious persones / that after theyr shyftynge into clene clothes haue bene more troubled with vnclene mocions than they were at other tymes And so lyke wyse of the waysshyng / and pykyng of the body Wherin to be ouercurious is contrarie vnto the purite of chastite And nothyng to care therfore is coÌ„trarie vnto the honeste of religion / specially iÌ„ them that done lyue in congregacion And therfore saint Augustyne wyll / the seke persones / althoughe they deney shulde natwithstandynge take by the commaundement of the souereyne that were necessarie and honeste / and if any shulde desyre that were nat expedient they shulde be denyed All these thynges haue we set forth here for the garde and custody of chastite / accordyng vnto the order and very mynde of the selfe rule of saynt Augustyne That the disciples therof hauynge zele vnto the obseruaunce of theyr rule shulde the more diligentely applie them selfe and gyue study / to perfourme the solempne ê“fession / and promyse of theyr vowe ¶ Of the .xii. keper of Chastite / whiche is disposicion in the selfe persones c. The .xvi. Chapitre NOwe shal I shewe a litel of my pore mynde / of the most sure excelleÌ„t garde and custody of chastite Fyrste vnto all vertues to be obteyned and kepte and all vices and synnes to be remoued and secluded muste be a disposicion and good wyll in the selfe ê‘sones For althoughe man by sinne was brought into suche bondage that of hym selfe he myght neuer helpe him selfe / ne yet dispose hym selfe yet hath our lorde god / of his bounte and gracious goodnes / so prynted in man his owne ymage / and therwith the fredome and liberte of wyll the after his ordinate iustice god maye no more take from man fre wyll than he maye take from hym his ymage And this is euident in scripture / in Cayn / the eldest sone of Adam / after his consent vnto synne Vnto whome our lorde sayd Gene. 4. Why arte thou wrothe why dothe thy chere fall / and thy countenaunce feyle the If thou well do I wyll so accepte it / and if thou do nat well the defaulte is open redy to be knowen / yet is thy passion in thyne owne power and thou mayste by lorde and gyther therof / as hauynge thy wyll disposicion in thyne owne fre power and liberte This haue I sayd to confounde the false opinion of this great heretyke Luther / and his folowers The fyrst than is to dispose your selfe / and for the dred loue of god / for the merite of the excelleÌ„t vertue chastite to make a statute and a coÌ„nauÌ„t with your selfe / by tired purpose to forsake vtterly / nat onely the vice / or acte of the fleshe but also all maner of occasions / that by any meane may apperteyne thervnto Than next after this / to serche well your owne astate / and to ê‘ceyue howe ferre ye haue therin bene in tyme past ouersene / and be it lytell / be it moche rase and scrape all clene out of the boke of your conscience / by contricion / confession / and specially by purpose neuer to coÌ„mitte or consent any more vnto any suche ¶ Of awayte of cogitacions or thoughtes The .xvii. Chapitre THan gyue good hede / and awayte vnto your cogitacions and thoughtes For those wyll best teche you of what desyre your fraylte is For by the cogitacions done aryse the troubles assayles of the fesshe And those cogitacioÌ„s ben caused in the
more ê“fitable iÌ„ my mynde thaÌ„ is latyne prayers Some occupacion of mynde must they nedely haue of custome that shal exclude vayne and vnclene thoughtê For ydlenes and welfare done ingendre and brede yuel cogitacions as caren in eyre / doth brede wormes I speke all this / vnto them / that haue tyme to spende / and nat principally vnto them that done lyue by theyr dayly laboures Nowe one worde for the conforte of them / that by no meanes can by deliuered of these carnall passions / and vnclene and vayne thoughtes / but euer they hange vpon them / and moche done vexe / trouble the sely soule Let theÌ„ after my pore minde nothynge despere But let them considre / that maÌ„nes mynde is as a rote / or a whele in a wynde that neuer doth rest / but alway tourneth and doth renewe cogitacions and thoughtes / both slepyng and wakyng So that a persone wakynge is somtyme rauisshed vnto suche maters in cogitacions and thoughtes as he neuer knewe by fore / and so ferre dothe passe somtyme therin that he knoweth nat what he doth / but as thoughe he were in a dreme And in all that tyme he doth nothyng offende our lorde / for that was the synne and sensualite that coÌ„munely dothe reygne and hath dominacion iÌ„ our mortal bodies / and therfore / was there no batayle for that tyme seÌ„sualite / peasely reygned Ro. 5. 6. But whaÌ„ the persone doth wel perceyue wherwith the mynde is occupied thaÌ„ doth begynne the batayle / bâ—twene the persone / and his thoughtes / or rather bytwyxe hym and the auctores or mouers of those thoughtes / that is / the dyuell / the worlde / and the flesshe / that done worke in the sensualite accordyng vnto theyr ê“prietes For than if the mynde at home with hym selfe be negligent / and for the pleasure moued in the sensualite be both to departe from those thoughtes / and so do play with them / and suffre them to hang vpon hym than althoughe they were nat deedly yet dothe the persone wylfully put hym selfe in ieoparty / and as we oftymes haue said byfore Who loueth ê‘yl iÌ„ ê‘yl shal fal Ecclesi But whaÌ„ the ê‘sone hauyng the full aduisement / and deliberacion byfore sayd doth frowne fuast / that is to saye / rere or rayse vp the stomake herte agayne those cogitacions / with indignacion and despite / as nothyng content / but moche displeased with them than doth that persone bygynne to fyght strongly And if he thaÌ„ with a good stomake and trust in our lorde wyl thrast theÌ„ vnto the stone and knocke theyr hedes thervnto he shall without any ieoparty or doute haue the victory The stone is Christ / the hedes of his thoughtes ben theyr mocions fyrste as I sayd perceyued The prophete sayth Psal 136. Beatus qui tenebit allidet paruulos suos ad petram That is Blessed be that persone that doth holde and restreyne his chyldren / or babes / that is to say / his fyrste mocions and that doth thraste and crushe theyr hed vnto the stone / that is vnto Christ / and his passion and dethe yet may it be that many of these maner of ê‘sones may be sore vexed troubled with theyr cogitacions but they be nat vnto theyr hurte / but rather vnto theyr meryte For surely I beleue that no penaunce ne peynes of this lyfe / may purge a synfull soule / more clene than suche assayles of thoughtê so resisted and with horrour despised And therfore many holy persones wolde nat praye ne desyre our lorde / to be deliuered of theÌ„ / but rather to haue of hym spirituall strengthe / to vanquishe them All this haue we sayd hederto for the â—uicioÌ„ and custody or garde of chastite Specially wryten vnto them that haue made solempne vowe by profession thervnto ¶ Of the remedy for them that haue brokeÌ„ chastite / and ben combred with vnclennes / and fyrste by the hurte of the goodes and body The .xx. Chapitre NOwe wolde I wryt a lytell lesson / taken out of a lerned auctoure vnto suche ê‘sones as ben spotten and done continue theyr beestly appetite / whether they be seculer / or as god forbede persones religious Enchirid Erasmi Fyrst euery persone must remeÌ„bre that the beestly synne of the body called coÌ„munely lichery contrarie vnto chastite is the fyrst synne that doth moue man growing out of chyldhed / whether they be wyse / wytty / or innocentes / ydiotes or foles This pestilence doth folowe euery ê‘sone cleueth or stycketh fast vnto the flesshe / so that no ê‘sone dothe passe vnassayled vexed therw t / it is therfore moste vsed / moste of all other synnes dothe brynge man vnto mischefe destruccion So that this synne is moste ieopardous perilous / therfore had nede of more study diligence Wherfore / let the persone prycked with the fyry poysoned dart of deth Thynk fyrste althoughe there were no god / ne any ioye or payne how vnclene / howe fylthy / howe stynkyng / howe beestly the synne is / howe moch contrarie vnto the honeste / specially vnto the dignite of mannes soule made vnto the ymage of god redemed and bought by the passion deth of our sauiour Iesu / washed / clensed / made bryght beautious in his most precious blode nowe agayne for so false a flaterous pleasure to be rendred and made like vnto bestes / vnto swyne / vnto gotes / vnto dogges cattes / and if there by any beest more brute And yet to say trouth to be made vnder the state / and worsâ— and more lowe in degre than any beest / subiecte to fendes / that were ordened and made to be accompanied as felowes vnto Angelles / partakers of the hyghe diuinite of god Let him thaÌ„ remeÌ„bre howe short tyme this pleasure indureth / yet for the tyme howe vyle / how lothely / howe basheful / shameful it is So that the self doers wold be ashamed to be sene to be herde / or to be knowen And yet where it semeth pleasure it is in it selfe a payne and passion And that can the selfe persones experte iuge / and approue for trouth / wormouth / and nat hony / aloes and nat licoriee or sugre And on the contrarie part let hym remeÌ„bre howe noble a thynge his soule is / howe holy his body shulde be / the membres wherof the holy / ghost hath oftymes vsed What a myschefe and cowardnes of herte / lacke of grace / and al goodnes / is it than for so lytell / so short / and so vyle / a tyclynge / mouyng of fraylyte to defoule that beautious soule / and to make the body / that Christ hym selfe dyd consecrate by his precious blode suspende and cursed Let hym also recount what a felyshype of fendly synnes that swete poysoÌ„ of vncleÌ„nes doth gether and brynge to gether into his soule Fyrst to
begynne at the lowest it sharpulethe / and waste the his temporall goodes and landes / and hathe made many ryche / and great men of landes and honour / worse than beggers / caused many to stele / robbe / sle And seconde as vnto the body hathe therby ben put vnto laboures otherwise intollerable as waychynge / wakynge / fastynge / rydynge / goynge / by nyght and by daye / in hete and colde / frost snowe / hayle and rayne And many tymes in ieoparty of lyfe / and all for the fylthy and swynishe synne of the body And therby also hathe the body bene wasted / brought out of all fashon vnto great deformite and feblenes And vnto diseases and sekenes vncurable as the frenche pockes / and diuerse maners of leprenes / and variauÌ„t pestilences / defaded / and wasted the floure of yonge age / made the persones longe byfore theyr tyme olde / and so made the lusty youthe sekefull and odious / and theyr age miserable and slouthsome ¶ Howe this fylthy lechery / is nat onely noyous vnto the goodes / and vnto the body / but also vnto the name or same / and vnto the soule The .xxi. Chapitre YEt go forther / vnto the name and fame of man / the moste goodly and precious possession of this lyfe / ferre passyng all the goodes / ryches / and worldly substance / whiche natwithstandyng by the moste abhominable synne is lost and gonne For the name and uoyse or fame of that synne dothe more largely sprede and flye abrode / and more styncke in the eares and hearynge of all persones than of any other synne Yet doth the minde / the soule of man excell all these / that is / al the temporal goodes of this worlde / all the helthe and state of the body / and also the state of that noble iuell / name or fame yet doth this fury of fylthy vnclennes rauysshe the mynde / take away the wytte / and also that vnto maÌ„ is most proper natural reason / and so maketh a maÌ„ as we sayd worse than a beest / taketh hym away from all lernynge / and honest study / and from all good maner And causeth hym to forgette / nat only god and the dyuell / heuen and hell but also his naturall parentes / kynne and frendes / hym selfe also / so ferre that as a sowe in the canell / wrapped all iÌ„ stynkyng myre and fluche he can nothynge speke ne thynke but vnclennes / fylthe and shamefull abhominacion And thus doth he rendre and make him selfe / in his youth infamous and lyke a madde furious ê‘sone And in age odious hateful / miserable / wreched / fylthy / and abhominable / so that no man wyll haue hiÌ„ in coÌ„pany Let hym therfore remeÌ„bre howe he hathe sped / what chauÌ„ces hath happed vnto hym in the vsyng of the beestly lyfe / what laboures he hath takeÌ„ / howe longe he hathe wayched / and howe yrke and werye he was / what sekenes and diseases he hathe caught and taken therby many tymes in ieoparty of lyfe / to sle / or be slayne / many tymes in ieoparty to be openly shamed / and somtyme hathe ben diffamed therby And mispent al his goodes / in begge red hym selfe / wasted weked his body that he is able nothynge to gette So he muste nede other begge or stele / these suche other lyke let hym remeÌ„bre And say vnto hiÌ„selfe / wylt thou mad furious beest swalowe agayne that hoke that so often hath taken the / brought the into so depe mischefe Shall I wylfully do the thynge agayne that shall brynge me vnto newe sorowe payne I haue cause I trowe to be ware And thaÌ„ let hym call vnto our lorde for grace Let hym also remeÌ„bre / the exaÌ„ples chauÌ„ces of other ê‘sones / what ende they came vnto / that so misused theÌ„ selfe And on the coÌ„trarie ê‘te let hiÌ„ corrage hym selfe with the good exaÌ„ples of many yong ê‘sones men women / that haue restreyned theÌ„ froÌ„ that foly / by theyr honeste purite of lyuyng haue coÌ„men vnto honoure / worshyppe / good state / condicion Rebuke thy selfe saye / thou beest why can nat thou kepe chastite as well as he / or she / so / or so brought vp Thynke than / howe goodly / howe beautious / how louely vnto all ê‘sones / howe worshipful / how ê“fitable / howe pleasauÌ„t a thynge is the honeste cleÌ„nes of the soule body / whiche maketh maÌ„ familiar coÌ„panions with Angelles / for the clene body soule is the teÌ„ple lodging place of our lorde god And the holy ghost / the singlerly doth loue purite cleÌ„nes is neuer more greuously auoyded dryueÌ„ away froÌ„ the soule than by vncleÌ„nes And coÌ„trarie neuer dothe he rest more quietly thaÌ„ in virginal soules chaste bodies / ymagen maÌ„ thynke howe it / bynoÌ„meth a christiane / a meÌ„bre of Christ to mourne / waxe pale / lene / to drouse / syghe / wepe / to flater speake fayre / to gyue diligeÌ„ce / do pleasure as a bonde captiue vnto a stynkynge scorte / an vnclene ê‘sone And all this they do / many thynges more incoÌ„uenient for theyr sakes whome they folowe in the folysshe affection Where is than the name of a christiane The seruice of god / the realme regne of Christe is chauÌ„ged vnto the seruice coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the fylthy scort Nowe they chyde / brale somtyme fyght to gether And anone agayne they done retourne into grace / fauoure flaterie And in a whyle agayne They bacbyte / slaunder / diffame eche other / an other tyme eche praise other as they say beyond the mone what a lyfe is this that reasonable creature shuld thus wylfully / put hiÌ„selfe to be so mocked / scorned / tossed / turmoyled / torne / reÌ„t / maymed slayne / both in soule body Let hiÌ„ also considre what maner of pudel / what muchepe of mischeues this synne doth hepe gether to gether For with other synnes some vertues done byde dwell / but with this beestly vice no vertue can agre For all other vices ben coupled and ioyned thervnto ¶ Howe this lechery althoughe it were no great sine yet shuld it be auoided abhorred ye. xxii cha PVt a case that to misuse the body / as a scort were but a smal sine as they done say / that ben drouned tehrin yet is it a greuous thiÌ„g to be obstinat again the fader moder / to set nothiÌ„g by theyr coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t to despise al honest freÌ„dê / to wast hê patrimony / laÌ„dê and goodes / to brybe / stele / and robbe other folkes goodes / to kyll / slee / and murther / to lye / forswere / and bere false wytnes / to vse wichcraft / charmes / to blaspheme and forsake god / and wylfully to sel him selfe vnto the duuell / to by bonde caytyue for
freshely remayne and continue whan the body to wydred / the beauty and foutme faded and defounned / whan the blode is colde / the symmes â—eble the strength gone / the hearynge dull or deffe / the eyes holowe / dyme / or blynde / the smell / sauoure / and tast / mothe varied / the handes shake / whan the mynde is oblâ—uious and forgetfull / and to conclude whan bothe the soule and body is clene out of sâ—amâ— yet I saye doth that voluptuous wyll / and desyre remayne / is as quicke busy as in moste story thyng youthâ— And as ferre as nature wyll serue doth euer ê“cede and passe forthe vnto more and more myschefe / for thoughe the body wyll nat serue vnto the 〈◊〉 yet is the minde with vnclene thoughtes occupied and fed with that fylthy ssynâ—kynge poyson The eyes or syght / the handes with bâ—efâ—ly touchynge ben exercised / and specially the mouthe and tonge with fylthy wordes and speche in more abhominable more shamefull maneâ—â— thaÌ„ any tyme byfore in most vse of that synne And dothe more hurte and harme vnto the corrupcion of good maners in yonge persones thaÌ„ euer dyd the dede And therfore nothyng in any man may be / more monstrous / more vncoÌ„mely / more beestly / more mischeâ—dus than the olde lecher Other nowe / all this shall come to passe / that is sayd and more or els / if by the synguler grace of our lorde the conscience take remors to leue that lechery / than muste that lytâ—â— shorte and sâ—â—ynge pleasure be redemed by great payne and sorowe / by many teres / wepyng / weylyng / and mournyng / by fastyng / prayng / and other due penaunce / were it nat thaÌ„ moche better / and more wysdome / to leue that carnal / fallyâ— and poysoned pleasure at the fyrst thaÌ„ other to be brought vnto so great misery or by so great and greuous trouble and heuynes to redeme so smale and yet that also so false and painted pleasure ¶ That this synne shulde also be left by the circumstaunces of the selfe persone well considred The .xxiiii. Chapitre MAny circumstauÌ„ces also of the selfe persone / shulde reasonably withdrawe the beestly lyfe Fyrste if he were a preest / or yet a religious persone / man or woman / vnto whome we done here principally wâ—yte they shulde remembre / howe they bene holly consecrate vnto oure lorde god / and vnto his diuine seruice / and therfore done more often approche vnto the holy sacramentes / than done other prophane and lay persones Let them than considre / howe vnaccordynge / howe vncoÌ„mely / howe vnbysemynge / or rather / howe abhominable a presumpcion it is / with the same selfe mouthe to receyue the the blessed body and holy sacred blode of our lorde / to kysse lycke that lothely stynckyng scort vnclene persone Or yet to handle or touche in like maner Howe moche different it is / to be one body and one spirite with god / one body with the stynckyng scorte struÌ„pet If the ê‘sone were lerned the soule iÌ„ so moche is more lyke vnto our lorde god / and so moche is it more contumely rebuke vnto hiÌ„ If the ê‘sone be noble of byrthe or estate So moche is the offeÌ„ce more open and â—launderous / and so the synne more great and greuous If the persones were maried let theÌ„ considre howe honeste / howe honorable the state is of matrimonie / truely kepte / without violacion or defouiyng And howe it doth signifie and betoken the coniuction / and mariage of our sauiour Christ Iesu and holy churche The purite clennes wherof all christianes shulde as moche as were possible folowe and indeuoyre to kepe That is to saye to be without vnclennes as ferre as mannes diligence maye auoyde vsed euer with reuerence and dred of god / and yet to be in fruâ—e and chyldren / plentuous For it is alway lothsome / and inconuenient that any christiane in any state of this lyfe shuld be gyuen or applied purposely vnto any fylthy voluptuous pleasure Considre nowe and loke farther / if this vnclene lyuer / be a yonge ê‘sone Howe moche damage it is to lose destroye the floure of youthe that neuer can be recouered ne restored agayne And in so stynckynge and beestly lyuyng to spende and destroye his best yeres / his very golden / ryche and noble yeres / that sone done passe / neuer maye retourne And yet ouer that to coÌ„mitte and do by wanton ignoraunce of age that thyng that shall euer more in his lyfe grudge the conscieÌ„ce And that shall cause in his soule and mynde most bytter prickes / and poysoned stynges of remors Whiche that short steyng pleasure by that wyked and vnhappy fylthynes left behynde If the persone be female / a woman nothyng dothe more bycoÌ„me that sexe and kynde than clennes and chastite / ne any thyng in a woman can be more shamefull than that abhominable misuse of the body If he were a man of full age and ê‘fection So moche the more it bycoÌ„meth hym to playe the very man of grauite and sadnes / nat the chylde of wanton lyghtnes And if this pestilence were in aged persones men or women Let them wyshe for better eyes or more clere syght / that they myght se and perceyue howe yuell that foly be coÌ„meth that age / whiche foly in yonge persones is to be weyled of all persones / and to be restreined by counsayle / or correction But in aged persones to be wondred and abhorred / whome also the selfe vnclene lyuers done mocke laghe to scorne For amonge all the monsters of the worlde none is more wonderfull more mocked / ne more abhorred and lothed thaÌ„ the olde lecher O saye the people se this olde cryple / this aged sole / this wydred trotte / how clene they haue forgotten themselfe / howe they bâ—gyne to play the fole agayne Se howe made they be / euen at the pyttes brynke yet wolde they wylfully quenche that lytell sparke of nature the remayneth in that wydred carkas / gete them a glasse that they may at the leest se / and perceyue theyr hore here 's as whyâ— as snowe / the wryncled forhed / the rugged lene chekes / the holowe blered eyes / the sharpe droppynge nose / and all the defourmed face more lyke vnto a stincking caren thaÌ„ vnto a coÌ„mely courtiour / byd them cure and take hede vnto other thynges / the better may bycome theyr age For they bene past these maters Tell theÌ„ it is beyonde reason for theyr age to attempt suche foly The selfe fylthy pleasure dothe forsake and lothe you And saythe Nother thou arte mete for me Nor I for the Vale. Gette the hense into an other company For in a surete euery body is here wery of thy pÌ„sence A peyre of bedes were more mete for the olde wreche These thynges and many worse rebukes done the coÌ„mune people
but also a great blotte vnto the fame of any ê‘sone althoughe it were in a kynge or hyghe estate But saynt Bernarde sayth / that in the soule and mynde of euery persone inobedient In sermo de lepra Naaman is a double leprie / that is to say proper wyll And proper sence or ê“per couÌ„sayle Bothe ben lepres sayth he and of the worste maner and moste perilous lepries And yet is proper counsell or proper sens sayth he the more ieoê‘dous lepre / bycause it lyeth and lurketh priue and secrete in the soule and the more it doth haboundes is multiplied therin the rather doth it and more depely deceyue the selfe persone For ê“per sence dothe cause all maner of persones to stande well in theyr owne fauoure / and in theyr owne consceyte to be very wyse and excellent / and to approue them selfe in all thynges And to haue as saynt Paule saythe a great zeale / but without ryght knowlege Ro. 10. A. And therfore done they folowe obstinately theyr owne blyndenes and erroures And wyll nat leyne / folowe / ne gyue credence vnto any counsell For they done swell and bene puffed vp with pryde in theyr owne vanite / so that they ben pleased and done reioyse in them selfe And in theyr owne syght and estimacion or supposicion they ben great folkes synguler excellent in all maner of vertues And therfore done they disdeyne / and set at nought all other ê‘sones as dyd the proude Pharisey vnto the poore Publicane And so ben they ignoraunt of the iustice of god settynge forthe and folowynge theyr owne iustice and folysshe fantasy Lu. 18. B. For what can be more folisshe / and as I sayd iÌ„ the lawe of the churche more vnryght wyse / and contrarie vnto iustice Ro. 10. A. Leo Papa 24. qÌ„ â— Quid aut inquius Ibidem than that any one persone shulde so ferre folowe his owne sence / ê“per couÌ„sell and mynde that he wyll nat byleue ne gyue credence / vnto them that of auctorite ben more wyse and more depely better lerned But suche maner of persones saith the same lawe ben letted by some fantasticall blyndnes or darkenes to haue the knowlege of the trouth / and therfore done they nat resort ne leyne vnto any counsell or auctorite / but only vnto theÌ„ selfe And therfore ben they of good iustice ryght made the maysters of erroures / bycause they wolde nat be the disciples of trouth Wherfore holy saynt Bernarde dothe counsell his trendes / sayng De precep et bispens Be you well ware sayth he that you begynne nat to habouÌ„de iÌ„ your owne sence / ne to haue ouermoch confidence and truste in your owne wyt / lest ê‘aduâ—ture whan you done insue / folowe seke for lyght true knowlege you by the mocke deceyt of the dyuell your enemie do stumble and fall into derkenes and erroures For as nothynge is more necessarie for religious persones in theyr begynnyng than is humble or meke siplicite or simplenes also bayshfull grauite So is nothing more perilous or more pestilenous poyson thaÌ„ is ê“per sence / selfe truste proper counsell For those done vtterly destroye all good religion and done put the persones in state in ieopardy of euerlastynge dampnacion by disobedience For disobedience is in scripture coÌ„pared vnto ydolatrie 1. Re. 15. Quasi peccatuÌ„ ariolandi est repugnare et quasi scelus idololatrie nolle acquiescere That is To repugne withstande the coÌ„maundement of god is lyke vnto the synne of wychecrafte And nat to haue wyll to be obedient is lyke vnto the great mischefe of ydolatrie / where the glose thervpon sayth that euery persone disobedient is condempned and accounted as an infidele or feythles persone So the here coÌ„meth in the fourth maner of thyncoÌ„modite of obedience / that is vnto the soule Ex specto spuÌ„aliuÌ„ 3. p. Ca. 9. For nothyng doth in a religious persone more depely displease our lorde than dothe the disobedience of proper wyll Ne any thynge dothe make hym more in fauoure familier frende vnto the gostely enimy Nor yet dothe any thynge in this lyfe more noy and hurte the selfe religious persone For as obedience dothe make the religious persone the louynge seruauÌ„t of our lorde so dothe inobedience make hym familier frende and felowe vnto the dyuell Eccl. 18. The wyse man therfore dothe counsayle saynge Folowe thou nat thy concupisceÌ„ces and desyres / and be nat thou glad to be tourned and counsayled vnto thy misordered proper wyll For if thou satisfie and folowe thyne owne mynde in the concupiscences and inordinate desyres therof it shall cause and brynge the to be vnto thyne enemies coÌ„forte pleasure And also bring the out of the grace and fauour nat onely of maÌ„ Sup. Can. but also of god For saynt Bernarde sayth of our lorde and sauiour / he that so moche loued obedience / that he wolde rather lose his lyfe than lacke obedience he sayth he wyll nat loue ne shewe his familiarite / ne gracious fauoure vnto the persone inobedient Proper wyll therfore saythe he is a great yuell / Ibidem a greuous thyng Syth it causeth the to lose the merites of all thyne owne good workes or dedê So that vnto the shall they be nother good ne ê“fitable Se than what shall ê“fytte or auayle vnto the inobedieÌ„t wylfull religious persones all theyr pouerte / all theyr penury / nedenes and lacke of pleasures / also of many thyngê necessarie What shall auayle theyr strayte custody garde of chastite / by fastyng watchynge / harde weryng of garmentes harde leyng what shall auayle theyr disciplines corrections / theyr silence and solitary lyfe / theyr great and continuall laboures peynes / all the holy ceremonies obseruauÌ„ces of religion What I say shall these thynges auayle ê“fytte if the ê‘sones do folowe vse theyr ê“per wyll surely nothyng shall they ê“fyt at all as vnto the meryte of euerlastyng lyfe but all worse than lost For saynt Gregory sayth / Grego it is full like that those ê‘sones ben parteles of the graces benefites of our lorde the ben nat obedieÌ„t vnto his wyl but rather vnto theyr owne froward minde Which thyng our lorde doth shewe by his prophete Esaie Esa 28. Se saythe he amonge your fastes laboures peynes your owne proper wyll is fonde / I fynde your proper wyll amonge all your workes / whiche doth cause disobedience Of all the creatures that euer god made none done seme to be disobediente / but tweyne alone / that is to saye The dyuell and the synfull man Wherfore good reason wyl / that as the dyuell is in hatred of all folkes / and cursed / banned / yuell spoken of / and abhorred of all creatures so shulde the persones disobedient be compared ioyned vnto hym / and taken or accouÌ„ted as his seruauÌ„tes / felowes / and chyldren / let therfore the frowarde hertes that