The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

xiiij. CHAPITER.

FOR answere to the vij^e. argument y schal sette forth iij. open reulis, of whiche the firste is this: Whanne euere it is so, that ij. dyuerse werkis of Goddis lawe and seruicis ben euen like present in oon and the same while after her alle dewe circumstauncis to a man forto be doon and wrouȝt of him in the same while, and oon of hem is myche better than the other; certis thanne if the man, to whom these werkis in lijk wise so profren hem silf to be doon, chese not to do the better werk bifore the lasse good werk, he is not to be ther yn preisid, as y haue schewid bi ensaumple of Holi Writt and bi ensaumple out of Holi Writt in The Crier and in othere placis of my writingis.

The ij^e. reule is this: Whanne ij. werkis of Goddis lawe and seruice thoruȝ out alle her dewe to hem circumstauncis ben not lijk present to the doer, but the lasse good werk is so present to the doer and the better good werk is not so present; certis than, if the man to whom this lasse good work is so present chese not and take not the lasse good werk for the while, he is not to be preisid. Forwhi ellis, as for thilk while, he schal lese the bothe seid godis, that is to seie, the bettir and the lasse good.

The iij^e. reule is this: It is not in eny mannys power forto haue for ech while the better werkis of Goddis lawe to him present, whilis lasse good werkis of Goddis lawe ben present to him and profren hem silf to be doon of him.

The iiij^e. reule folewing of these iij. bifore going reulis is this: That if a man, whanne he is to wirche

a good werk, schulde bithenke him whethir he in thilk tyme mai do a better werk, and schulde studie ther aboute; certis he schulde haue so manye thouȝtis and studies, that he schulde leue the good werk vn|doon which for the while profrith him silf to be doon, and he schulde lese the other werke aboute which he studieth whether it mai as for thanne be doon or no. And therfore, riȝt as a good huswijf in an hous now doith oon werk now an othir werk, as thei comen to hond; and now sche brewith, now sche bakith, now sche sethith, now sche rostith, now sche weischith disschis, now sche berith aischis out, now sche straw|ith rischis in the halle; and thouȝ these werkis ben not like gode and like worthi into the seruice of hir husbonde, ȝit sche ouȝte do the oon with the other as thei comen forth to be doon in dyuerse whilis, and ellis if sche schulde seie to hir silf: "Y wole not do this, perauenture y schal fynde a better werk," sche schulde make badde husewijfschip, and in thilk studie sche schulde ofte be troublid, ȝhe, and be idil fro al good werk, and ofte be bigilid in chesing the lasse good in stide of the better good to be doon:— so a seruaunt of God in the goostli hous of the Vni|uersal Chirche muste bere him, now occupiyng him in smale werkis whiche for the while ben present, and now occupiyng him with gretter, whanne thei profren hem at good leiser to be doon; and ellis he schal ful ofte bi masing studie be ful idil, whanne he myȝte be weel and fruytfulli occupied. And thus myche is ynouȝ for answere to the vij^e. argument: not with|stonding that herto y haue answerid sufficientli othir wise in The book of worschiping, the partie, the chapiter, bi a likenes that a man is not sufficientli clothid in bodili maner, but if he haue on

him his scho, his slyue, his coot; as he hath on him better and costioser and precioser garnementis, as ben his gowne, his cloke, his hood, his cappe: and, in like maner, a man is not sufficientli araied with ver|tues of Goddis lawe, but if he be araied with smale and lowe vertues in meryt, as with grace and hiȝe vertues in meryt. And therefore no more for answere to this vij^e. argument here.

For answere to the viij^e. argument, the firste pre|mysse, upon whiche hangith the strengthe of the viij^e. argument, is to be denied for vntrewe. Forwhi bifore in the [vj^e.] chapiter of this ij^e. partie it is seid, (ȝhe, and bifore in the first partie of this book fro the bigynnyng bi xiij. conclusiouns it is proued, and the same is proued in the firste partie of the book clepid The iust apprising of Holi Scripture,) that more than xx^ti. partie of Cristis moral lawe and seruice stondith in deedis and gouernauncis knoweable and groundable in doom of resoun, and whiche ben not groundid in Holi Scripture; thouȝ summe of hem or alle perauenture ben witnessid afer and in general bi Holi Scripture. And therfore, needis the seid firste premysse is vntrewe. And trewe it is, that what euere resoun deemeth, coun|seilith, allowith, or approueth to be doon is moral lawe of God and his plesaunt seruice, thouȝ in caas it can not be founde speciali witnessid bi Holi Scrip|ture. And therfore, sithen the vce of ymagis and the doing of pilgrimagis ben sufficientli groundid in doom of weel disposid resoun, thei ben to be take as deedis of Goddis moral lawe and of his plesaunt ser|uice, thouȝ thei weren neither in general neither in special touchid bi Holi Scripture. Neuertheles in the

firste partie of this present book, the [xix^e.] chapiter it is proued that priuely and impliedli thei ben witnessid bi Holi Scripture, and also bifore in the [ij^e.] chapiter of this present ij^e. partie it is opened that thei ben expresseli witnessid bi Holi Scripture; and therfore needis the viij^e. argument in no wise proueth his entent.

And as for the text of which is alleggid Coloc. ij^e. capitulum., as thouȝ he schulde helpe, thouȝ that he in no thing helpith, it is to be seid thus: That in thilk text Poul wole that men leene not to eny philsophie which is aȝens feith, namelich aȝens the feith which is of Christis persoon and of his incarnacioun. And thouȝ men ouȝten not forto attende, trust, lene, and bileue to philsophie in mater of feith; hereof folewith not that thei ouȝten not truste and lene to phil|sophie in mater being not of feith. And that Poul so vnderstondith as now is seid of philsophie strecching him aȝens feith of the incarnacioun of Crist, it is open bi this: that the text and processe going next bifore this alleggid text spekith of feith to be had into Iesus Crist for his incarnacioun. Forwhi it is seid there thus: Thouȝ y be absent in bodi, ȝit bi spirit y am with ȝou, ioiyng and seyng ȝoure ordre and the sadnes of ȝoure bileeue which is in Crist. Therfore as ȝe han take Iesus Crist oure Lord, walke ȝe in him; and be ȝe rootid and bildid aboue in him, and confermed in the bileeue as ȝe han leerned, abounding in him in doinge of thankingis. Thus miche there. And thanne next after Poul settith herto the text alleggid bifore in the viij^e. argument thus: Se ȝe that no man deceyue ȝou bi philsophie and vein fallace,

after the tradicioun of men, after the elementis of the world, and not after Crist. Whiche ij. textis, if thei ben considered as thei liggen to gidere in rewe, it schal be seen that if the ij^e. text be knyt to the former text, as it is likeli that he so is, it must nedis be that the ij^e. text spekith of philsophie which is aȝens the feith of the incarnacioun of Crist, of which feith spekith the former of tho ij. textis. And herto is ful good confirmacioun bi these wordis in the ij^e. text, whanne it is seid thus, and not aftir Crist. So that not ech philsophie neithir ech doc|trine which is aftir elementis of this world is to be fled, but the philsophie and doctryne after elementis "which is not aftir Crist," that is to seie, which is contrarie to feith of his persoon and of his incarna|cioun. For certis more or other than this vndirstond|ing can not be had bi maistrie of Poules processe there. And this is ynouȝ for answere to the viij^e. argument.

Notes

• This is no doubt the same work as The Before-crier mentioned above, p. 218.
• Spaces left in the MS. for the numbers.
• Spaces left in the MS. for the numbers.
• So the MS., but the sense requires grete.
• A space left in the MS. for the number. See p. 172.
• Spaces left in the MS. for the numbers. See pp. 115, 137.
• Spaces left in the MS. for the numbers. See pp. 115, 137.
• Either of should be cancelled or Poul added.
• oute, MS. (first hand).
• ȝe is interlineated by a later hand.
• vein philsophie, MS. (first hand).
• the elementis, MS. (first hand).