[6-text p 615] no mete but erbes / & water to his drinke / ne no bedde but the naked erthe / ffor whiche his flesshe was blak as an Ethiopen for hete & nygh distruyed for colde / [346] yit seide he that the brennynge of lecherie boiled in al his body / [347] wherfore I woote wel sekerly that thei ben disceived / that seine / that thei ne ben nought tempted in here body / [348] wittenesse of seint Iame thappostel / [¶ Iacobus.] that seith that euery wight is tempted in his owne con|cupiscence / that is to seie / that eueryche of vs hath matire & occasion to be tempted / of the norisshinge of synne that is in his body ‖ [349] And therfore seith seint Iohn [¶ Iohn Euang.] the Euangelist if that we seyne that we ben withouten synne we disceiven oure silff / & trouthe is nought in vs /
[350] Now shol ye vnderstonde in what manere synne wexeth & encreseth in man ‖ The first thing is the norisshinge of synne / of which I spak of biforne thilke flesshely concupiscence / [351] And after that cometh the suggestion of the Deuel / this is to seie the deuel-is bely / with which he blowith in man / the fire of flesshely concupiscence / [352] And after that a man bi|thinketh him / whether he wol do or noon thilke thinge / to which he is tempted ‖ [353] And than if a man with-stande / & weive the firste entisinge of his flessh / & of the fende / than is hit no synne / And if so be that he do nat so / than felith he anoon / a flamme of delite / [354] & than is hit goode to be-ware & kepe him wel / or elles he wol falle anoon / in-to consentynge of synne / & than wol he do hit / if he may haue tyme and place ‖ [355] And of this matire seith Moyses bi [¶ Moyses.] the deuel in this manere / The fende seith I wol chace & pursue man bi wikked suggestiones / & I wol hente him / bi movynge or sterynge of synne / And I wol departe my prise or my preye bi de|liberacion / & my lust shal be accomplesshed in delite / I wol drawe my swerde in consentynge / [356] ffor [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 278b] certes right as a swerde departeth a thinge in two peces ‖ Right
