[6-text p 683] thynken / þat they ne myghte nat longe perseuere in good|nesse [1071] ¶ The firste wanhope comth / of that he [¶ Of the firste wanhope] demeth that he hath synned so greetly and so ofte / and so longe leyn in synne / that he shal nat be saued [1072] ¶ Certes agayns that cursed wanhope sholde he [¶ Remedium] thynke that the passion of Ihesu crist/ is moore strong for to vnbynde / than synne is strong / for to bynde [1073] ¶ Agayns the seconde wanhope / he shal thynke / [¶ Remedie / agayn the .ijde. wanhope] that as ofte as he falleth. he may arise agayn by penitence / And though he neuer so longe haue leyn in synne / the mercy of crist is alwey redy to receiuen hym to mercy [1074] ¶ Agayns the wanhope / þat he demeth / that he [¶ Remedie agayn the thridde wanhope] sholde nat longe perseuere in goodnesse. he shal thynke / þat the feblesse of the deuel may no thyng doon / but if men wol suffren hym [1075] and eek/ he shal han strengthe of the helpe of god / and of al hooly chirche / and of the proteccion of Aungels / if hym list
[1076] ¶ Thanne shal men vnder [folio 236b] stonde / what is the [¶ What the fruyt of penance is.] fruyt of penance And after the word of Ihesu crist it is the endelees blisse of heuene. [1077] ther ioye hath no contrarioustee of wo ne greuance. ther alle harmes been passed of this present lyf / ther as is the sikernesse / fro the peyne of helle. ther as is the blisful compaignye that reioysen hem eueremo euerich of otheres ioye. [1078] ther as the body of man / that whilom was foul and derk/. is moore cleer than the sonne. ther/ as the body that whilom was syk/ freele / & fieble / and mortal / is inmortal and so strong/ and so hool / that ther may no thyng apeyren it. [1079] ther as ne is / neither hunger / thurst ne coold but euery soule replenyssed with the sighte of the parfit knowynge of god [1080] ¶ This blisful regne may men purchace by pouerte espiritueel. and the glorie by lowe|nesse. the plentee of Ioye by hunger and thurst and the reste by trauaille /. and the lyf/ by mortificacion of synne?
