the comoun lawe of Crist ȝouun to Cristen men. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: If eny text or processe of Holi Scripture schulde lette and weerne the now seid vje. principal gouernaunce, thilk text or proces schulde be oon of these whiche schulen be spoken in the iiij. argumentis now next aftir to be mad. But so it is that noon of tho lettith and weerneth the seid vje. principal gouernaunce, as it schal be open bi the answeris to thilk same iiij. argumentis. Wherfore folewith that Holi Scripture weerneth not and lettith not the seid vje. principal gouernaunce.
The firste of these iiij. argumentis is this: It is writun, Iames the ie. capitulum., thus: A cleene religioun and an vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir is this; to visite fadirles and modirlees children and widowis in her tribulacioun, and to kepe him silf vndefilid fro this world. Out of this text a man may argue in twei maners. In oon maner thus: Iames assigneth this gouernaunce now rehercid in his text to be a cleene religioun and an vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir; wherfore noon other gouernaunce saue this same, as bi the entent and meenyng of Iames in his now rehercid text, is a cleene religioun and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir; and so the religiouns now had [had is added in a later hand.] and vsid in the chirche ben not cleene and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir. In an other maner thus: What euer religion lettith and biforbarrith, ȝhe, and forbedith the religioun to be doon and vsid, which is a clene and an vnwemmed religioun anentis God and the Fadir, is an vnleeful religioun, and not worthi be [to be, MS. (first hand).] had and vsid. But so it is, that alle the religiouns now had and vsid in the chirche, in which is vow of wilful and expropriat
