The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

ix. CHAPITER.

THE viij^e. principal conclusioun is this: No man mai leerne and kunne the hool lawe of God to which Cristen men ben bounde, but if he can of moral phil|sophi; and the more that he can in moral philsophie, bi so miche the more he can of Goddis lawe and seruice. This conclusioun folewith out of the vij^e. conclusion openly ynouȝ. Forwhi lawe of kinde and moral philsophie ben oon, and the more parti of Goddis lawe bi which man is bounde for to serue to [to is interlineated, apparently by the same hand.] God is moral lawe of kinde, as it is proued bifore in the vij^e. conclusioun.

The ix^e. conclusioun is this: No man schal perfitli, sureli, and sufficienti vndirstonde Holi Scripture in alle tho placis where yn he rehercith moral vertues not being positijf lawe of feith, but being such as mannys resoun may fynde, leerne, and knowe, but if he be bifore weel and perfitli, suerli, and sufficiently leerned in moral philsophie; and the more perfitli, sureli, and sufficientli he is leerned in moral philso|phie the more able as bi that he schal be forto per|fitli, sureli, and sufficientli vndirstonde Holi Scripture in alle tho placis wheryn he spekith of eny moral lawe of God being not positijf lawe of feith. This conclusioun folewith out of the vij^e. and the viij^e. con|clusions: wherfore he is to be holde trewe.

The x^e. principal conclusioun is this: The leernyng and kunnyng of the seid lawe of kinde and of the seid moral philsophie is so necessarie to Cristen men, that it mai not he lackid of hem if thei schulen thriftili serue to God and kepe his lawe bitake to hem in erthe. This conclusioun mai be proued thus. Thilk leernyng and kunnyng is so necessarie that it

mai not be lackid of Cristen men which leernyng and kunnyng is the leernyng and kunnyng of the more deel of Goddis law bitake to hem in erthe; but so it is that the leernyng and kunnyng of the seid lawe of kinde and of the seid moral philsophie is the leernyng and kunnyng of the more parti and deel of Goddis lawe, bi which man ouȝte serue to God in erthe, as it is proued bi the vij^e. and viij^e. principal conclusiouns to gidere. Wherfore nedis folewith that the leernyng and kunnyng of the bifore seid lawe of kinde and of the seid moral philsophie is so necessarie to Cristen men, that thei mowe not lacke it forto serue God bi eny thrift. The firste premisse of this argument is open ynouȝ that ech man wole him graunte. The ij^e. premisse is proued bi the vij^e. bifore sett principal conclusioun: and this present argument is formal and gode. Wherfore his conclusioun in him now proued is trewe, which is not ellis than the x. principal conclusioun.

Also thus: Thilk leernyng and kunnyng is neces|sarie and vnlackeable to Cristen men without which thei mowe not sufficientli and sureli vnderstonde Holi Scripture in alle placis where he spekith of Goddis lawis to man not being positijf lawis of feith. For|whi tho placis ben manye, as open assay in reding Scripture wole suerly schewe; but so it is that, with|out the leernyng and kunnyng of the seid lawe of kinde and of doom of resoun, Holi Scripture mai not be sufficientli and dewli vndirstonde and expowned in no place where he spekith of lawe of God not being positijf lawe of feith, as it is bifore schewid bi the ix^e. principal conclusioun. Wherfore this present x^e. conclusioun is trewe.

Also thus: The leernyng and kunnyng of it is ne|cessarie and vnlackeable to mankinde, in which alle the gouernauncis, treuthis, and vertues of Goddis lawe being the lasse deel and beyng the remanent to the

other more deel and parti bifore seid in the vij^e. conclusioun of Goddis lawe ben more foundid and groundid than in Holi Scripture, that is to sey positijf lawis of Crist whiche ben the makingis and the vsingis of Cristis sacramentis longing to the Newe Testament: but so it is, that in the seid lawe of kinde and doom of resoun or moral philsophie, alle the gouernauncis, treuthis, and vertues of Goddis lawe whiche ben the lasse deel and ben the remanent to the more deel bifore seid of Goddis lawe in the vij^e. conclusioun ben more groundid and foundid than in Holi Scripture; and that alle thei and ech of hem whiche biholden the making and the vsing of the seid newe sacramentis ben more groundid bi doom of re|soun than bi Holi Scripture, for as miche as ech of hem into his grounding nedith euydencis of bothe to gidere, that is to seie of resoun and of Holi Scripture to gidere, and ellis he mai not be sufficientli groundid. And here with it is trewe that in this grounding doon to hem bi doom of resoun and by Holi Scrip|ture to gidere, [It is not quite clear whether to gidere is intended to be written con|junctim or disjunctim: it is usually written disjunctim in the MS.] the euidencis which doom of reson ȝeueth into the seid grounding of hem alle and of ech of hem ben more in strengthe and in substance and in noumbre into the seid grounding of hem, than ben the euidencis whiche Holi Scripture ȝeueth into the grounding of eny of hem which ben the makingis and vsingis of the newe sacramentis and tho whiche fo|lewen of hem bi formal argument, as n The fo lewer to the donet and in The book of feith ioyned therto, othire of my writingis, it is sufficiently tauȝt; whiche processe were ouer long and sumwhat ouer hard to be eftsoone sett here.

Ȝhe, and ȝit with al this that is now seid treuth is also that the makingis and the vsingis of the seid

newe sacramentis mowe not be groundid bi Holi Scripture to be oure gouernauncis now lyuyng in erthe withoute help of resonys doom, and withoute that lawe of kinde and moral philsophi and Holi Scripture grounde hem to gidere; and that into the grounding of hem the euydencis or premyssis which Holi Scripture bringith ben not more substancial and strenger into the grounding, than ben the euy|dencis and premissis which doom of resoun therto bringeth, as in the now alleggid bookis it is openli declarid. Wherfore folewith the treuth of this present x^e. conclusioun, that the leernyng and kunnyng of lawe of kinde and moral philsophie in doom of resoun is so necessarie to Cristen men, that it is vnlackeable to hem forto be in eny worth seruauntis to God and kepers of his lawe in erthe.

Out of these bifore sett vij^e. viij^e. ix^e. and x^e. conclu|siouns and trouthis cometh forth ful openli and sureli this xj^e. conclusioun and trouthe. Ful weel ouȝten alle persoones of the lay parti not miche leerned in moral philsophi and lawe of kinde forto make miche of clerkis weel leerned in moral philsophi, that tho clerkis schulden helpe tho lay persoones forto ariȝt vndir|stonde Holi Scripture in alle tho placis in which Holi Scripture rehercith the bifore spoken conclusiouns and treuthis of moral philsophi, that is to seie of lawe of kinde. Forwhi withoute tho clerkis so leerned in moral philsophi and with oute her direccioun the now seid lay persoones schulen not esili, liȝtli, and anoon haue the dew vndirstonding of Holi Scripture in the now seid placis, as is bifore proued in the ix^e. con|clusioun.

Also out of the same bifore sett vij^e. viij^e. ix^e. and x^e. conclusions and trouthis and out of the assay and experience which mai be had in the ouer reding and studiyng the bokis anoon aftir to be rehercid folewith this xij^e. conclusioun and trouthe. Ful weel ouȝten

alle persoones of the lay parti not leerned ouȝwhere ellis bi the now seid clerkis or bi othere bokis of moral philsophie forto make miche of bokis maad to hem in her modiris langage whiche ben clepid thus: The donet into Cristen religioun: The folwer to the donet: The book of Cristen religioun, (namelich the first parti fro the bigynnyng of the iij^e. treti forth|ward): The book filling the iiij. tablis: The book of worschiping: The book clepid The iust apprising of Holi Scripture: The book clepid The prouoker of Cristen men: The book of Counceilis, and othere mo pertenyng to the now seid Book of Cristen religioun. Forwhi in these now spoken bokis thei schulen leerne and kunne (in a ful notable quantite and mesure and in a fair fourme) the now bifore seid moral philsophie being so necessarie forto be vndirstonde, and being in it silf the more parti of al her moral lawe and seruice to God, as it is open bi the vij^e. conclusioun; and being so necessarie forto expowne or interprete or glose dewli and treuly Holi Scripture in alle placis where he spekith of Goddis lawe and seruice, except thilk fewe placis where yn he spekith of the making and vsing of the fewe newe sacramentis of Crist, as it is open bi the ix^e. bifore sett conclusioun. Wher|fore miche ouȝten lay persoones forto make and apprise and loue the now spoken bokis. And ferther|more ouer this now seid the now spoken bokis techen ful clereli and bihouefulli the treuthis and gouernauncis of Goddis lawe whiche ben groundid in Holi Scripture, and also othere treuthis of feith whiche ben not lawis and ben groundid in Holi Scripture; and also thei treten ful nobili the positijf lawis of Criste aboute the newe sacramentis, and therfore ful miche good (as y hope) schal come bi the reeding, leernyng, and vsing of the now spoken bokis.

Of this same mater it is quikli and smertli spoken in a litil book therto and therfore maad, which y

clepe The prouoker of Cristen peple, and ther fore no more ther of here now but this: that wolde God men wolden not be bi so miche the blinder that liȝt is to hem thus schewid, and that thei wolden not be bi so miche the frowarder and the more presumptuose that goodnes is to hem thus profrid: but wolde God that thei wolden assaie perfitli what tho now seid bokis ben and wolden weel kunne hem, and thanne if thei schulden haue euy cause forto blame or commende tho bokis that thanne first thei wolden blame or com|mende: for bi good resounys doom and bi the oolde wijs prouerbe, A man schulde blame or commende as he fyndeth, and so aftir that he hath founde cause to blame or comende he myȝte blame or comende; and not bifore eer he eny suche causis fyndeth, and eer he aftir eny suche causis sechith. And certis the con|trarie doing of this wijs prouerbe dooth miche sorow among simple lay peple, yuel lad forth bifore and wors confermed bi a wickid scole of heretikis, which is not ȝit al quenchid.