The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

ix. CHAPITER.

FOR answere to the ij^e. semyng skile, the first pre|mysse is to be denied, which is this: "If riche en|dewing had be profitable to the clergie and to al the hool chirche of God, Crist him silf bi his owne persoon hadde endewid richeli the clergie of the chirche in hise daies," et cætera. Forwhi if this premysse now denyed were trewe, certis, bi lijk skile

Crist in his owne persoon hadde ordeyned dekenes to be in his clergie; sithen it was profitable dekenes to be in the clergie of his chirche, as it is open, Acts vj^e. capitulum. at the bigynnyng. And ȝit Crist bi him silf not so ordeyned, but the Apostlis and the peple to gidere hem chosen and ordeyneden, as it is open there, Acts vj^e. capitulum. And therfore the now rehercid firste premysse of the ij^e. semyng skile is to be denyed.

Also into this same purpos thus: The rehercid firste premisse myȝte not be trewe, but if he schulde meene and vndirstonde that Crist ouȝte and wolde haue ordeyned bi him silf and in his owne persoon al that is nedeful to his clergie of his chirche, as is open ynow. But this meenyng is vntrewe. Forwhi breed and wijn and ale and housing and clothing and manie othere thingis maad bi mennys craftis ben necessarie to be had in persoones of his clergie, and ȝit Crist in his owne persoon and bi him silf ordeyned not and ȝeueth not to eny man breed or wyin or gowne or hood or hous; but he ȝeueth bi him silf and in his persoon maters of which breed and wijn and housis and clothis ben to be mad, and therwith he ȝeueth to men hondis and feet and membris of the bodi and inward and outward sensityue wittis and resoun and wil and moving powers, bi whiche alle applied to gidere men mowen make breed, wijn, housis, and clothis. And in lijk maner Crist ȝaf to the Apostlis witt of resoun for to knowe that dekenhode was pro|fitable to his clergie, and Crist ȝaf to hise Apostlis wil for to chese tho dekenes; and so in that Crist ȝaue to hem dekenes mediatli, that is to seie, bi meenis bifore ȝouun to the Apostlis. And if this be trewe, whi not in lijk maner, for lijk skile, it is to be seid, that Crist ȝaf mediatli, (that is to seie, bi meene ȝiftis to his clergie,) the endewing of immouable godis, which the clergie now hath: for as miche as Crist ȝaue to the clergie witt and wisdom forto knowe

thilk endewing be profitable to the clergie, and also wil forto aske and receyue the same endewing; thouȝ Crist ȝaue not to his clergie thilk same endewing bi him silf immediatli, (that is to seie, withoute eny bi|fore ȝouun meenys,) riȝt euen as he ȝaue dekenhode to his clergie mediatli, thouȝ he ȝaue not the same dekenhode to his clergie immediatli? And so open it is herbi, that the firste premisse of the ij^e. semyng skile is to be denied.

And whanne it is argued ferther, that thilk first premisse muste be trewe, for ellis God loued not so miche his clergie as men endewing his clergie loueden his clergie, certis this folewith not. Forwhi at sum while it mai so be, that the ȝeuer or benefeter forto ȝeue mediatli, (that is to seie bi a meene to the re|ceyuer,) schal be more profitable to the receyuer than schulde be, if the ȝeuer schulde ȝeue the same ȝifte or benefet immediatli bi him silf to the same receyuer. Also at sumwhile it mai be so, that more good and more honeste or more preising and worschip schal come, (alle thingis considerid and biholdun,) to the ȝeuer, if the ȝeuer ȝeue mediatly his ȝifte or benefete, than schulde come if he ȝaf the same ȝifte or benefet immediatli bi him silf. And so it mai be ful weel, that not for defaut of loue had to the receyuer, neither for the lasse loue as in that and for that born anentis the receyuer, the ȝeuer ȝeueth his ȝifte or benefet to the receyuer, but for the more loue had and born bi the ȝeuer anentis the receyuer.

Also it mai be ful ofte, that for the more good to be doon al abouȝte, (thouȝ not al to the receyuer,) it bisemeth and it is sitting, and therfore it is to be doon, that the ȝeuer ȝeue his ȝifte and benefet medi|atli and not immediatli: and ȝit this doing is not so

maad for the lasse loue to the receyuer, than schulde be if he ȝaf it immediatli. Wherfore sithen we ben sure that God loueth his chirche as his spouse, and dooth no thing to it for defaut of [of is interlineated by a later hand.] loue, (and name|lich not for that he loueth his chirche lasse than eny man loueth it, as it is open Isaie xlix^e. capitulum., where God seide to his oolde chirche thus; Whethir a womman mai forȝete her ȝong child, that sche haue not merci on the sone of hir wombe? Thouȝ sche forȝetith, y schal not forȝete thee:) it is to be feelid therof folew|ingli, that this doing of God bi which he dooth to his chirche hise ȝiftis, puruiauncis, and benefetis medi|atli is so maad of him for oon of the [these, MS. (first hand).] ij. causis now rehercid, or for sum other lijk resonabili to be allowid cause, and therfore not for that he loueth his chirche lasse than eny creaturris louen or loueden or schulen loue it. And herbi it is to be feelid and seid, that in this wirching of Crist, bi which he wrouȝt medi|atli into the endewing of his clergie, was as greet or gretter schewyng of his loue toward his clergie, thanne was the schewing of loue which peple mad to his clergie bi that that thei wrouȝten immediatli into the same endewing. And this is answere good ynouȝ at this tyme to the secunde semyng skile.