¶ Declaracio.
Frendes, this Emperour is the Fadir of heven̛. The Empresse is blissed̛ marie; the child̛ is Iesus. the messanger, that was sent, is Seint Ioℏn Baptist, that he shuld̛ shew his comyng; wherfore the wise men, that were the patriarkes and the prophetes, desired̛ gretly to norissℏ hym; and se hym; and thei sawe hym not, for fire and watir was in hem extyncte. ¶ By fire is vndirstond̛ the holy gost, that appered̛ not yit to hem as it did̛ to the appostels, ne thei were not wasshen̛ witℏ the watir of baptyme, as cristen men are now. ¶ Or els by fire thou may vndirstond̛ parfite charite, and by watir trew contriccion̛. this ij. fallen in many, and therfore thei mow not have the child̛ Iesu in her hertes. ¶ Ionathas, that waked̛, is a good̛ cristen man, þat aƚƚ way in good̛ werkes studietℏ to wake, and aƚƚ way to offre to god for his synnes the fire of charitee, and the water of contriccion̛. ¶ But ofte sithe the tyraunt, that is, the devel, puttetℏ out the fire of charitee and the watir of contriccion̛, and castetℏ it ferre a-way fro the hertes of many; therfore thei that are thus defamed̛, may not norissℏ the child̛ Iesu. Therfore do thou as Ionathas did̛; wake, and pray, that þou entre not into temptacion̛; and calle to the trew expositours, that is, discrete confessours or prelates, that may rise vp in thyn̛ herte a stonen̛ chambre, and seker feitℏ and hope for the wyndowes. than calle to the payntours, that mowe peynt in thyn hert x. ymages, that is, the x. comaundementes; and than yf thou kepe wele his preceptis, witℏ out doute in tyme to come thou shalt be crowned̛, and not be dampned to ever lastyng dethe. ¶ And the golden̛ chaire must be in the dore of thyn hert, that is to sey, yf thou norissℏ wele the child̛ Iesu, thou shalt have a chaire in heven̛. and have mynd̛, yf thou norissℏ hym eveƚƚ, thou shalt be hanged̛ in the gibbette of Helle, but thou amende the. [leaf 38, back] Therfore studie we so to norissℏ the