[6-text p 596] wikkede giltes is Penitence that may be likned vn-to a tree / [¶ How penaunce may be likned to a tree.]
[113] The roote of this tree / is Contricion / that hideth hym in the herte / of hym þat is verray repentant. right as the roote of a tree hydeth hym in the erthe [114] ¶ Of the roote of Contricion spryngeth a stalke that bereth braunches and leues of Confession / and fruyt of satisfaccion [115] ¶ ffor which Crist seith in his gospel /. dooth digne fruyt of [¶ dominus in Euaungelio.] Penitence /. for by this fruyt may men knowe this tree / and nat by the roote / that is hyd / in the herte of man / ne by the braunches / ne by the leues of Confession [116] And therfore / oure Lord Ihesu Crist / seith thus /. by the fruyt of hem / ye shul knowen hem [117] ¶ Of this [¶ Of a seed þat spryngeþ of Contricioun] roote eek spryngeth a seed a grace / the which seed / is mooder of sikernesse / and this seed / is egre and hoot [118] the grace of this seed / spryngeth of god thurgh re|membrance of the day of doome / and on the peynes of helle [119] ¶ Of this matere seith Salomon That in the [¶ Salomoun] drede of god / man forleteth his synne [120] ¶ The heete [¶ Of the heete of this seede] of this seed / is the loue of god / and the desiryng of the ioye perdurable [121] This heete / draweth the herte of a man to god / and dooth hym haten his synne / [122] for soothly / ther is no thyng that sauoureth so wel to a child / as the Milk of his Norice / ne no thyng moore abhom|ynable than thilke Milk whan it is medled with oother mete [123] Right so the synful man that loueth [¶ Nota exemplum.] his synne / hym semeth / that it is to him moost sweete of any thyng. [124] but fro that tyme / that he loueth sadly oure lord Ihesu crist. and desireth the lif perdurable / ther nys to him no thyng moore abhomynable / [125] for soothly / the lawe of god / is the loue of god / for which / Dauid the prophete seith ¶ I. haue loued thy lawe & hated [¶ dauid propheta] wikkednesse and hate / he that loued god / kepeth his lawe and his word [126] ¶ This tree saugh the prophete Daniel / in the Auysion of the kyng / Nabugodonosor / whan he con|seiled hym to do penitence [127] ¶ Penaunce / is the tree of lyf / to hem that it receyuen / and he þat holdeth hym