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
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
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
that were visious And Christe him selfe in the gospell coÌ„maunded we shulde do what the prelates done byd or coÌ„maunde all thoughe we shulde nat do alway as they done Math. 23. A. And he him selfe I saye our sauiour was wylfully subdued iÌ„ body vnto the membres of the dyuel Pilate and Herode Annas and Cayphas / and suche other / and yet I may say forther vnto the dyuell hym selfe Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Thus nowe dothe theyr sainge appere openly false Wher they say it is a presuÌ„pcion / temptacion / and prouocacion of god to make obedience vnto man And our saynge is true / it is a profounde meruaylous mekenes / that very moche moueth our lorde to mercy Of wylfull pouerte The same falshede done they inforce agayne wylfull pouerte Saynge it is a presumpcion for any persone to forsake the goodes of the worlde so clerely vtterly the nothynge they may reteine vnto theyr owne nede what case so euer happe or fall c. Vnto this we shall more largely answere in the entretynge of that vowe Nowe for this tyme we shal let our sauiour Christe answere for hym selfe For he was of this presumpcion as he sayd Filius hominis non habet vbi caput suum reclinet Math. 8. C The sone of the virgine sayd he hathe nat as they say an hole to hyd his hed in Here vnto they wyll saye he was god / he myght sone prouyde for hym selfe at wyll / yet say I he spake these wordê vnto a persone that wolde haue folowed him for suerty of lyuyng And also his Apostles were no goddes / yet folowynge his example they were of the same presumpcion / if this may be caled presuÌ„pcion so dyd they teache theyr disciples to lyue all in coÌ„mune without proprietie or suretie of lyuynge And the fyrst persones that by theyr proprietie brake that ordinauÌ„ce Act. 5. A. dyd peryshe As dothe appere in the actes of the same Apostles And thus you maye well perceyue theyr sayng coÌ„trarie vnto scripture is false / it is therfore no presumpcion to do as Christe dyd and his Apostles / but rather is it an euident profe of the mekenes whiche he expressed and bade vs folowe the same lesson saynge Math. 11. D. Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde Lerne you of me saythe he for I am mylde and meke of herte / yet done they laboure to proue the same of chastite Saynge it is presumpcion aboue all presumpcions that a mortall persone lyuynge here in the frayle flesshe shulde entreprise promyse / and vndertake / to lyue without the flesshe whiche is rather the lyfe of Angell than of man For the acte of generacion Philosophus is a naturall acte and the moste naturall acte without whiche the worlde myght nat be continued The prouerbe also muste be true Harde it is to remoue out of the flesshe that is bredde in the bone And saynt Paule saythe 1. Cor. 7. B better is for any persone to be maried than to breÌ„ne by the flame of the flesshe Vnto this reason as we sayd of the other shall we answere at large in the processe of chastite / but somewhat to saye breuely they done herein as they dyd of the other that is condempne Christe hymselfe / our blessed lady his mother and all his Apostles of that presumpcion Blessed Mary his mother dyd bynde her selfe by vowe and promyse vnto chastite Saynge vnto the Angell as is in the gospell Luce. 2. Quoniam vitum non cognosco I haue sayd she fully determined neuer to haue the carnall knowelege of man And Christe dyd kepe chastite in moste excellent maner and bothe caled counsayled other persones there vnto Ieronimê° iÌ„ prologo super Ioannem Saynt Iohan he caled whan he was in wyll and purpose to be maried and bothe he the other Apostles by the mocion of Christe dyd bynde theÌ„ selfe vnto chastite / as here after we shall proue / yet done they here after theyr custome pÌ„suppose a false grouÌ„de / that is that a ê‘sone may nat brynge the flesshe in bondage thrale vnto the spirite bycause of the naturall disposicion rebellioÌ„ of sensualite whiche saynt Paule doth contrarie proue false Saynge I do saythe he chastice and correcte my body and brynge my flesshe / thrale and subiecte vnto the spirite 1. Cor. 9. D And so he wylled and desyred that al persones shulde be virgins as he was Here also done they presuppose an other falshede the religious persones done promyse and make the vowe of chastite without due probacion of them selfe And if a persone ê‘ceyue by due profe that he dothe so brenne and is continually so inflamed that he maye nat conueniently kepe chastite he shulde nat take it vpon hym / but rather after the saynge af saint Paule 1. Cor. 7. B whiche they spake of shulde they marie than brenne To promyse therfore chastite after the due fourme of religion is no presumpcion / but rather a perfection and folowynge or fulfyllynge of Christes couÌ„sayll and example ¶ Of the answere vnto theyr thyrde assercion and reason The .vi. Chapitre THeyr thyrde reason is that to ê“myse these vowes is sure dampnacion They inforce to proue the same thus / it is contrarie vnto the ordinaunce of god and nature saye they bycause the god made man so that naturally he shulde haue in his owne power the fredome and liberty of wyll For our lorde sayd vnto Caym Gene. 4. Thyne appetite and passion shal be vnder thy selfe / and in the fre liberte of thy wyll / and thou shalte be lorde and haue the gouernaunce therof For by the liberty of wyll as well as by reason vnderstaÌ„dynge and memorie / man is the very ymage of god / but by the promyse of this man dothe make thrale and bonde / that god made fre ad liberte And so dothe he in as moche as liethe in hym forsake that similitude and lykenes of god / and dothe depriue hymselfe therof / and wylfully dothe leue / or rather lose that / Ergo thus to promyse and make vowes is a thynge or sure certeyne dampnation This is theyr argumente reason Vnto the whiche I saye that they make a fallax and a deceytfull argumente in the mysuse of these termes as byfore is said fredome or libertie / and thraldome or bondage For by these vowes promyses dothe no ê‘sone make hiÌ„ selfe bonde / but rather dothe put hym selfe in more libertie and fredome For as we proued byfore the bondage of Christe is the moste fre and moste noble liberte that can be / whiche is proued by our lorde god hym selfe For where he is nat onely of the moste hyghâ— and moste noble libertie and fredome of wyll but also the selfe essenciall libertie and fredome of wyll / yet natwithstandinge wolde he of his gracious goodnes make hymselfe bonde by promyse and othe vnto man / as
shulde be be cause of theyr entre into religion / but onely the loue and desyre of our lorde / and for the more surety of theyr saluacion And specially whan they fele theyr mocion vnto religion doth growe increace vnto a contempte and despisynge of al worldly and carnall pleasures / and dothe drawe theyr hertes / mynde vnto suche a coÌ„stancy therin that nother ê“sperite / nor aduersite of the worlde / ne any fere or drede of peynes / or laboures in the religion ne any persuacion of frendes dothe moue them to leue and forsake theyr entrepryse and holy purpose / but that the mynde be in maner obstinate in the same / all thoughe the selfe persone knoweth no cause nor reason why his mynde is so set but onely that he feleth as I sayd a desyre to serue our lorde Than saye I we may well coniecture that this calynge is of our lorde / natwithstandynge yet do nat I saye that for all these mocions any persone shulde forthwith sodeynly entre religion ne yet receyue the habite wtout a forther deliberacion with lerned counsayle For the holy Apostle saynt Iohan sayth 1. Io. 4. A. Probate spiritus c. examine you sayth he and ê“ue the spirite and mocion of your calynge whether they be of god or no. And yet done nat I approue ouer longe deliberacion For althoughe the Apostles of Christe came nat all at the fyrst call or calynge yet dyd they come shortely at the seconde or thyrde calynge / and some at the fyrst as saynt Mathewe Matth. 4. Matth. 9. A. Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Matth. 8. Some ê‘sones whan they were caled wolde nat come / as the riche yonge man of whome we spake byfore And some other dyd are a respecte and tyme of declaracion to prouide for theyr parentes and frendê / and for theyr worldly goodes / whiche tyme natwithstandynge our sauiour wolde nat graunt them Ibidem And yet other some dyd offre theÌ„ selfe to folowe our sauiour / he wolde nat receyue them The moste redy token to knowe the very calinge of god I euer excepte reuelacion is whan a persone voyde in coÌ„science of all the causes and occasions byfore sayd hathe a secret surete ministred by the spirite of god / vnto the soule as saynt Augustynes mother had of his calynge In libro coÌ„fessionuÌ„ Thus haue you my poore mynde to knowe by coniecture the calynge of god / yet doth the ghostly enimye craftely and subtily assayle some other ê‘sones that ben full deuoute / but disposed to instabilite / as to seke the moste perfecte and sure way of theyr saluacion / and they ben full of wauerynge myndes Nowe they wyll go vnto religion / and to morowe they shal be in the contrarie mynde or this daye in minde of one religion / and the nexte day of an other They wyll put many doutes / suspecte many thynges Some other contrarie ben of ouer large presumpcion that put no doutes / make no stoppage / but seke religion / and entre there vnto / nat able to accomplysshe and perfourme theyr duetes And both these maner of persones ben lyghtely deluded deceyued by the enimye For the fyrste sortes of persones whaÌ„ they ben ê“fessed / ben neuer coÌ„tent with the coÌ„pany where they ben / but other they wyl go vnto an other religion / or els vnto an other house of the same religioÌ„ / or peraduenture starte out and renne abrode agayne / and neuer byde the seconde chauÌ„ge of the mone in one place The other persones / that done entre without due deliberacion done coÌ„monly for thynke theyr enterpryse / and bene ryght sory that they ben as clogges vnto theyr company For euery good and ryght deuoute or perfecte persone is nat apte ne mete to be a good religious ê‘son / yet suche persones by very mekenes and pacience and good religious maner and byhauoure / done many tymes serue god ryght well and very wel also done content theyr company / howe be it as we shewed vpon the rule euery persone shulde byfore they receyue the religion knowe the rule of the same / and put them iÌ„ exercise / and surely ê“ue them howe they ben able to perfourme the same / therafter to make true relacion vnto the couent / and that maye moche discharge conscience ¶ Of suche ê‘sones as done receyue religion / onely to auoyde and fle the occasions of synne The .xvi. Chapitre SOme ê‘sones yet there ben that bene voyde of all the occasioÌ„s byfore sayd that is that done nothynge presume vpon any abilite or vertue of them selfe / ne set or care any thynge for honoure or preeminence and haue sufficieÌ„t substance without drede to lacke or want any thynge necessarie And that ben full wel mynded to serue god / and yet natwithstande they done ê‘ceyue by dayly experience that of very fraylte they done fall into synne and offence of god / contrarie vnto the good mynde and purpose / where vpon they haue fixed them selfe / and made promyse there vnto As by example of them that haue determined to auoide pryde / enuye / and wrathe / and yet in company they wyl by fraylte receyue theyr owne prayse / some tyme set forthe the same beionde good measure / and whan they here detraction done nat rebuke it / but sometyme adde there vnto / and by a lyght occasion fal out of pacience into Ire and discorde And of theÌ„ that wyll dispyse the worlde yet by a frayle disposicion of nature they shall stele a thynge they fynde at libertie And of the frayltie of the flesshe many persones haue had ouer moche experience Nowe vnto our purpose If a persone wolde onely to fle and auoyde suche occasions entre into religion I thynke the cause may be well allowed / and the persones profyte ryght well therby Psal The Prophete sayth Cum sancto sanctus eris c. with good company a persone shal be good And with the mysordered persones shall he be mysgyded Matth. 14. Saynt Petre had good hope and truste in hym selfe whan he byganne to go vpon the water of the see And yet our lorde dyd nat forsake hym / whan he faynted and byganne to drowne in the see / whiche dothe sygnifie the worlde / nor yet dyd nat our lorde continue forth his iourney vpon the see but toke him by the hande brought hym into the surety of the shyppe / where by religioÌ„ is signified And for the furie of the flesshe our sauiour gaue a notable lesson in the gospell of Mathewe shewynge the meritorious degrees of chastite by a parable of .iii. Matth. 19. maner of Eunuks / that is to say suche persones as ben depriued of theyr naturall membres of generacion The Eunuks that were so of nature done signifie suche persones as of nature ben melancoly that is colde and drye / by reason wherof they bene very lytle or nothynge vexed with the fleshe and so haue they
/ perfourme and kepe indede / after suche maner as thou hast promised vnto thy lorde god For of thine owne ê“per wyll with thyn owne mouthe hast thou spokeÌ„ the worde whiche can nat be caled backe And our sauiour in the gospell as byfore is rehersed sayd Luce. 9. Nemo mittens manum ad aratrum c. No maner of persone that hath bouÌ„de hym selfe by full consent of soule vnto any diuine or godly werke / after doth loke backe / forsake that enterprise can be apte / or mete for the kyngdome of heuen Act. 5. A. And iÌ„ the actes of the Apostles saynt Petre sayd vnto Ananie a ê‘sone that of his owne mynde offred hiÌ„ selfe to liue iÌ„ coÌ„mune as the other christianes dyd / after brake the ê“myse whan thy house lande sayd he was in thy possession was it nat thyne owne likwise the money therof at thyn owne ê“per wyl in thy lybertie byfore thy ê“myse / as thoughe he sayd it was so / and why than sayd he woldest thou after that promyse made deceyue and falsely make a lye or leasinge vnto the holy ghoste For as there is shewed in the letter he made a lye and his wyfe Saphira confirmed the same / for the whiche bothe were stryken sodeynly vnto deth by the vengeaunce of god / for brekynge of theyr vowe and ê“myse So dothe folowe as a playne coÌ„clusion that syth the parentes haue lawfull power to put theyr chyldren to religion / and if they iÌ„ lawfull age done after make profession they muste nede perseuer in the same Syr say they if they so continue it shal be vnto theyr great peyne and affliction / let them saye I take pacience For our lorde may ryghtwysely punisshe the synnes of the parentes / by the temporall paynes of the chyldren For the parentes done many tymes put theyr chyldren vnto religion with out due consideracion / as some to be so discharged of theyr bodely fyndynge Some to the ende purpose so to prouyde for the teÌ„porall lyuynge of theyr chyldren And some in hope and truste to be succoured and holpen be thyr chyldren And some to haue them in honoure / dignitie / and degree / with many other lyke causes / nothiÌ„ge spirituall / whiche thyng well considered shulde in suche persones be a reasonable occasion of more depe and perfecte pacieÌ„ce / and in lyke maner do I saye of them that in sodeyn passion / or that by dissimulacion haue entred in religion For of suche haue we herde Some ê‘sones bycause they were disappoynted of suche makes as they desired to haue had in mariage haue iÌ„ the passioÌ„ forsakeÌ„ the worlde Some other sodeynly after the dethe of theyr maried makes / or of theyr souereygnes / or of theyr dere frendes / haue done in lyke maner / that after hath repented them / and wolde haue ben glad to be at libertie agayne I haue herde also of some persones that haue dissimuled theyr entre / that were neuer mynded to take the religioÌ„ for any perfection / ne euer gaue consent there vnto / but by a maner of curiosite / wolde do as theyr felowes dyd And some haue entred of ignorauÌ„ce / that neuer knewe / ne herde speke of any rule / ne of any such statutes / and ceremonies / as after they ê“ued were theyr bonde and duety / whiche if they had knowen byfore they wolde neuer haue taken the religion Surely all these do I put in one case with theÌ„ that haue nat well and ryghtly receyued religion And yet natwithstandynge they may nat after theyr solempne profession loke backe / ne forsake the same For no creature can tell by what dispensacion our lorde god suffred them so to do For I thynke veryly it was for to auoyde theyr more yuell at the least or els of more depe mercie vnto theyr helth and saluacion A similitude that was a true story A certeyne man was vnryghtwisely committed and put in prison / and within a lytle space after whyle he there remayned certeyne persones that were his enimies came vnto his house with full purpose and mynde to haue slayne hym / and whan they had broken vp the house / and herde that he was in prison they retourned voyde of theyr purpose / whiche thing whaÌ„ the man knewe he thanked our lorde of his wrong full prisonement / and had great pacience therwith So shulde these persones haue byleuynge verely that almyghty god workethe all vnto theyr best For that is an happy pryson or punishemente / that dothe restreyne the persone from his hurte / and specially from dethe / and also that dothe put hym vnto surety of lyfe and saluacion But yet syr saye they these persones be nat sure of saluacioÌ„ / bycause they ben there agayne theyr mynde and wyll and therfore the religion shall nothynge profyte ne auayle them Here vnto I saye they may tourne that wyll as a man may tourne a horse with a brydell For the thynge that is to may and haue power there vnto Almyghty god by speciall grace hathe put in the libertie of the selfe persone Sub te sayth our lorde erit appetitus tuus Gene. 4. et tu domina beris illius The appetite of thy sensualitie shal be vnder the and in thy power And thou shalte haue dominacioÌ„ lordshyp / and gouernaunce therof If the ê‘sones than of mis entre wolde be sory and discoÌ„tent with that maner of intent or mysbyhauiour or of any default iÌ„ theyr entre and wolde wysshe and wyl in theyr herte and mynde that theyr entre had bene good and lawfull / and that for the tyme to come they wolde applie theyr mynde / and dispose them selfe in the religion accordynge vnto the same our lorde god wyll accept theyr good wyll / and nombre them as the other coÌ„pany / yet here they done go forther saynge Syr some of these persones in case can nat bringe theyr herte mynde / and wyll / in any wyse to be contente with the state and religion that they haue takeÌ„ / but euer they thinke / and wishe vnto god / that they had neuer ben professed / and if they were at liberte / they wolde neuer come into any religion / and ouer that if they myght lawfully they wolde departe and forsake theyr religion They knowe in concience they entred nat lawfully they remayne and byde in religion as persones in prison agayne theyr minde and wyll And yet forther they can nat refourme the wyll / what remedy nowe Surely they ben iÌ„ harde case / natwithstandynge yet is there remedy For as man hathe two principall partes a soule and a body / so hathe he two wylles the wyl of the spirite / and the wyll of the flesshe The one is reasonable the other is sensuall Gal. 5. C. And these tweyne be euer contrarious / euer at warre / and continuall batayle / neuer wyll they be accorded in the chylde of god I call those ê‘sones the
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 /
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
theÌ„ / kepe theÌ„ that none ê‘ysshe none erre ne stray For you shall make for eueryche of theÌ„ a streyte account Ezeh 3. Sanguinem eius requiram de manu tua sayth our lorde I shall if any by lost require his blode of thy handê / that is to say thou shalt dey for hym And that you do do nat with murmure or grudge or as they say with an yuell but redely / quickly / corragiously / frely gladly with all herte mynde / lokynge for none orther thaÌ„ke ne gaynes but only to please our lorde / his rowme you kepe / his busines you do / of hiÌ„ loke for your wages Seke no wages in this lyfe For I tell you / it is a shame rebuke to take the cure charge of a christiane coÌ„pany for worldly winniÌ„g or gaynes No man may vse the rowme with due laude or prayse but he that doth it frely without hyre For who so lokes for wagê of this worlde doth vtterly lose the rewarde of euer lastyng blesse so is it also of theÌ„ the lytel done set by any gaynes or ryches yet wyll make meanes to haue the honour / the dignite / the hyghe rowme place / to haue pleasure to commauÌ„de / to be worshyped to haue rule / dominacion gouernauÌ„ce / therfore shall these ê‘sones haue no rewarde of god / bycause they take here theyr owne hyre and rewarde The office of a pÌ„late I tell you is ferre from the nature coÌ„dicion of a lordshyppe Principes gentium dominantur eorum c. Matth. 20. D. The princes and lordes of the worldly people done take dominacion / lordshyppe and estate ouer them done accouÌ„te theyr subiectes as bonde seruauÌ„tes saythe our sauioure vnto his disciples but among you it may nat be so / but rather contrarie the pÌ„late souereine muste be the seruaunt The office of a prelate therfore is nat a rowme of tyranny but an administracion The souereyne thaÌ„ is presideÌ„t and set in place aboue the other nat to be as a kynge / to reygne / so to haue the lucre and pleasure of the goodes possessioÌ„s / nor yet to haue more liberte and ease but rather that accordynge vnto the graces supposed in hym / whan he was elected he shulde more profytte in religion Remembre therfore the nature and condicion of your office and rowme / whose place and persone you done vse good reuerent souereynes so byhaue your selfe in al thyngê that your lyfe maye nat only vnto your subiectê but also vnto al christianes by very exaÌ„plar fourme of the lyfe euaÌ„gelical let your subiectê by your maners byhauour lerne to dispise to set at noght al worldly lucre or auaÌ„tage / let theÌ„ also lerne at you to set at noght al worldly honoures dignitê / let theÌ„ lerne by you to hope trust to haue the merite / mede / rewarde of al theyr offices obseruauÌ„ces of our lorde sauiour Christ alone / and in the meane tyme nothynge to loke fore nor to care fore but that the thinge they do be honest in it selfe and also pleasaunt and thankful vnto our lorde Do you therfore reuerent souereynes your office and duete / as good shepherders without rewarde all frely / howe be it in dede it shal nat be fre / and without rewarde that you do For whan the prince of al prelates and shepherders Iesus Christ that dyd render and gyue hym selfe all hole for his shepe parte wherof he hath coÌ„mitted vnto your gouernaunce shal come forthe and shewe hym selfe at the day appoynted than shall you for the vyle and mortall rewarde of your teÌ„poral laboures receyue the glorious crowne of your office and rowme set and garnisshed with flores that neuer shall fade Desyre you nat therfore ne wyll or haue appetitte to take that thynge here by your owne auctorite that you shulde tary ond loke fore of your prince and capitayne Byde your tyme appoynted and do neuer present you ne teken byforehande vpon that day that he wolde / shulde vnto al christianes be vncerteyne Truste for your rewarde and thankes of him onely that leueth nothynge vnrewarded our lorde god / moste swete sauiour Iesu Christe Vnto the subiectes Nowe deuoute bretherne and systers religious I byseche you consider howe that as vnto the seniores apperteyneth to be vnto you as pituous / kynde / and louyng pareÌ„tes So for your parte apperteyneth vnto you by good maner lowely byhauiour to submitte your selfe in all thynges vnto the seniores / and in due honoure and reuerent loue to take and accounte them as your very naturall parentes / and yet aboue the carnall pareÌ„tes So moche more bycause they ben spiritual as the soule is aboue the body and the spirite aboue the flesshe And lyke as the seniores done by euangelicall charite / and for the loue of Christ submitte them selfe in all ministeries vnto all persones So shulde you nat misuse the myldnes gentell intreates of the seniores / nor in any wyse shulde you take any boldnes if they for your reformacioÌ„ quietude be familier with you / and many tymes done suffre and bere more thaÌ„ bycoÌ„meth them But rather shulde you be the more meke and gentell vnto them in more prompte redy obedience bycause they done nat misuse theyr auctorite ne pÌ„sume there vpon / and neuer shulde you forgette the saynge of holy saynt Augustyne in his rule / that is / that you shulde haue pitie and compassion vpon theyr laboures Ca. vlti For the more hyghe they be in rowme and auctorite the more ben they in peryll and ieoparty / let therfore charite ben euer among you For where charite is pÌ„sent the souereynes ben neuer yrke / nor wery / nor yet the subiectes / wylde or vnreuly For those persones that haue the dignite done alwaye study howe they maye profytte / and promote theyr chyldren vnto vertue And the charitable subiectes done wilfully perfourme and do more thaÌ„ they ben required / let therfore vn bothe the parties be kynde and louing gentelnes mylde and lowly byhauiour That shall cause that nother the seniores shal be wery of theyr laboure and diligence / nor the subiectes be greued with theyr auctorite and gouernaÌ„ce / our lorde I tell you hateth moch a stubburne / and selfe wylly herte and stomake And he hatethe moche delectacion and pleasure in them that ben meke and lowely For vnto those persones that haue lyttell truste and smale opinion in them selfe doth he most gladly departe his gyftes of grace And the other that set moche by hym selfe / and that done staÌ„de wel in theyr owne fauoure / doth he repel and put away as vnworthy his benefites or giftes Those ê‘sones that done dimitte and make them lowe doth he conueye on heght / and reyse vp And those that in theyr owne myndes done clymbe on heght doth he pluck downe
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
of the worlde / saye vnto the olde folysshe vnclene lyuers Nowe is tyme to make an ende Here may you perceyue / that chastite is moch coÌ„meÌ„dable / vnto all christianes of all maner of age and all maner of state / contrarie / vnclene lyuyng / is odious and abhominable Wyll ye nowe haue a shorte recount and reherse of all lest peraduenture ye wolde be wery to rede all at lengthe ¶ Epilogus / a shorte recounte The .xxv. Chapitre FIrste is / the loue desyre / purpose of chastite Whervnto / euery ê‘sone may reasonably be moued / by the beauty / the honeste / the pleasure ê“fect in both soule body / of that moste noble vertue chastite The seconde is / the vtter hatred horroure of the contrarie vyce and aduersary / vncleÌ„nes Whervnto the fylthynes / shame / and yuell ende of the same shulde moue any creature reasonable The pÌ„seruers of chastite / ben these prayers and temperate diete / of all maner of fode taken in due tyme / due place / with due circumstaunces / and lyke wyse of wayche and slepe moderate / laboure in continuaunce / and neuer ydle Habite and araye of sadnes / accordyng vnto the state degre of the ê‘sones The gesture and byhauiour of body after the same maner / with grauite Specially the continence and garde of all the .v. wittes / as of the eares / or hearyng froÌ„ al vayne / namely vnclene wordes or coÌ„munication Of the eyes or sight from all wanton or lyght cast therof The nose froÌ„ the delectacioÌ„ of all swete and meritorious smelles The tonge from al delicates of mere pleasure with out nede But specially from vayne / and vnclene / or lyght wordes The touchynge in precise maner / with moste hyghe diligence and warenes / from al naked partes / excepte iÌ„ maried persones And yet there with the dred of god / all honeste / and reuerence of the holy sacrament duely obserued and kept And aboue all other by ware of familiarite / kepynge / or desyrynge acquayntaunce / and that of any maner of ê‘sones by affection For thoughe the persones be noted and knowen holy and of synguler sanctite / be nat yet to homely / mystrust euermore your selfe And coÌ„pany that is suspecte fle you euer auoyde on all maner vtterly Sole presence is a perilous pestilence and as deth to be auoyded / specially of the contrarie sexe / as man and woman kynde to gether alone / any where / in any tyme / or any place And so in lyke maner is the liberty and power of sole presence / that is / that the persones of coÌ„trarie sexe / myght be together alone / if they wolde The appetite of clene / swete / and fayre / or fyne clothes and ofte waysshyng / and curious pykyng of the body is an enemy of chastite The great chefe custody / garde and nucyshynge of chastite standethe in the disposicion / and feruente applicacion of the mynde vnto our lorde god / and moste swete sauiour Iesu / by coÌ„tamplacion / prayer / meditacion / and by continuall appointed and determinate good and holy exercise bothe of soule and body This Epiloge and breue recount haue we made / for them that bene lothe to rede longe workes The figures in the margeÌ„t ben set forthe / that if the reder wolde se at length any of the maters or pointê here touched they may tourne vnto the same figures within forth byfore and there at one of those figures whaâ— two bene here to gether fynde there desyre I beseâ—â—e oure lorde god / moste swere sauiour Iesu / that bothe the wrytynge and readynge maye be vnto the honoure / laude / and prayse of hym / and vnto the intended profecte of the parties Amen ¶ The olde Wreche of Syon Rycharde Whitforde ¶ And thus an ende of the thyrde borde of our vessell and of the thyrde membre of this thyrde parte of our worke ¶ The fourthe parte of this worke of the hole vessell that is to say religion The fyrst Cha. IN all-thynges diuisible that is to say that may be diuided in sondry partes the partes ben fyrste pÌ„supposed / whiche duely ioyned to gether done make the hoole thyng / I sayd in thynges diuisible For al thingê ben nat diuisible into sondry ê‘tes / as a spirite / god / Angell maÌ„nes soule For althoughe the soule haue ê‘tes spirituall yet can they nat be deê‘ted in sondre / ne any of the froÌ„ the selfe soule For all were create made at ones In all other bodely thyngê the hole is made of the partes ioyned as we sayd ryghtly to gether framed into a certeyn fourme The partes therfore of our vessell Pype / or Tunne / we haue some what set our byfore you yet here wyll you ê‘adueÌ„ture say vnto me Syr these partê that you haue set forth wyll nat make your vessell ê‘fecte For here done lacke two ê‘tes moste necessarie / that is to say a botome / a hed The botome is fyrst requyred as foundemeÌ„t and begynnyng of al the vessell For thervnto must the bordes be fyrst framed / thaÌ„ coÌ„passed aboute with your hoppes / they bounde with the wykers And than muste you nedely haue an hed to couer your vessell if you shall well preserue your wyne al this I graunt is very trouthe / natwtstandyng I dyd verely thynke / and yet I do byleue that al you dyd of your selfe pÌ„suppose these two partes as nat nedyng our intreates For all that we do in religion hath but one fouÌ„dement begynnyng that is feyth without whiche it is as saint Paule sayth impossible or vnpossible to please god Heb. 11. B. 1. Cor. 3. C. And other fouÌ„dament or botome / thaÌ„ is put all redy no maÌ„ may put sayth he whiche is Christ Iesus / his feythe / al our workes muste nedely ende and be concluded in charite / or els all ben lost Nowe you knowe wel / that for vs to haue enterprised any thynge to intreate of these tweyne had bene suê‘fluous a great presuÌ„pcion / seyng perceyuyng howe largely they be intreated / of so many / so auncient auctores / wherfore we humbly byseche you to be coÌ„tente with your owne necessary partê pÌ„supposed and with our partes so / so porely set forthe for the perfourmauÌ„ce of our said vessell / Pype or Tunne / wherby is signified after our enterpryse religion monasticall / wherof to intreate we shall begynne with religion in generall ¶ The definicion / determinacion / or declaracion of this terme religion The seconde Chapitre TO speke of religion iÌ„ general it semeth coÌ„uenient to shewe fyrste what is ment by the selfe terme religion For that thyng that is called religion hath alway ben vsed in al maner of nacions / in so moche that the paganes or paynyms / sayd that religion is that thyng wherby the ceremonies of diuine worshyppe / or of goddes worshyppe