there and frothens forth into the eende of the argu|ment, and thou schalt se ful open proof for this now purposed and spoken entent; bi cause that al what Scripture theryn dooth is not but forto witnesse or remembre, what doom of resoun iugith, allowith, and approueth; and so thilk processe serueth for bothe the iiije. and the ve. principal conclusiouns, and therfore it is no nede forto write the same proof of resoun eftsoone here.
Also in to proof of this present ve. principal con|clusioun y mai argue bi resoun and experience to gidere thus: Thilk gouernance is worthi be allowid and approued of resoun, which gouernaunce makith manye mo men in Cristendom to be morali vertuose and gode, or forto be myche lasse morali viciose and yuel, than thei schulden be, if thilk gouernaunce were not. But so it is, that religioun is thilk gouernaunce, bi which many hundrid thousind of soulis han lyued ful vertuoseli, which ellis wolden have lyued ful vicioseli; and also bi religioun manye hundrid thousindis han lyued miche lasse vicioseli in religioun, than thei schulden haue lyued, if religion hadde not be. Wher|fore that such religioun be, is alloweable and ap|prouable of ech cleerli in kinde disposid resoun.
The ije. premysse of this argument mai be proued thus: Take thou into mynde alle tho men, whiche han be in religioun sithen religioun biganne, and marke thou weel thanne how these men schulden haue lyued, if thei hadden not lyued in religioun; and certis thou schalt not fynde, as weel nyȝ for hem alle, that thei schulden haue lyued other wise than as now or than lyuen or lyueden gileful crafti men, or iurouris and questmongers, or pleders for mony, (thouȝ the causis of plee be wrong,) or as sowdiers forto fiȝte and slee for spoile and money; ȝhe, schortli to seie, or forto lyue as we now seen weel nyȝ alle worldli peple lyue bothe fleischli and coueitosli and
