297
To stande by at nede, yef ye woll hit holde
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And walke by the way of Vertu hys loore.
But alwey beware, be ye yong or olde,
That your frewyll ay to Vertu moore
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Apply than to Vyce, the eysyer may be boore
The burdyn of the fylde, that ye dayly fyght
Agayn your iii enemyes, for all her gret myght.
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298
That ys to sey, the Deuyll & the Flesshe
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And also the Worlde, with hys glosyng chere,
Whyche on yow looketh euer newe & fresshe—
But he ys nat as he doth apere.
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Lok ye kepe yow ay out of hys daungere.
And so the vyctory shall ye obteyne,
Vyce fro yow exylyd & Vertew in yow reyne.
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299
And then shall ye haue the triumphall guerdoun
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That God reserueth to euery creature
Aboue in hys celestiall mansioun,
Joy and blys infinite, eternally to endure.
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Wherof we say we wold fayn be sure.
But the wey thedyrward to holde be we lothe,
That oft sythe causeth the good Lorde to be wrothe.
300
And by oure desert oure habitacion chaungeth
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Fro ioy to peyne & woo perpetuelly,
From hys gloryous syght thus he vs estraungeth,
For our vycyous lyuyng, thorough owre owne foly.
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Wherfore let vs pray to that Lord of Glory,
Whyle we in erthe bee, that he wyll yeue vs grace,
So vs here to guyde that we may haue a place,
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301
Accordyng to oure regeneracion,
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With heuynly spyrytes, hys name to magnyfy
Whyche downe descendyd for our redempcion,
Offryng hym sylf on the crosse to hys fadyr on hy.
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Now benygne Ihesu, that born was of Mary,
All that to thys vysion haue yovyn her audyence,
Graunt eternall ioy aftyr thy last sentence.
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Amen.
