[6-text p 594]
[84] ¶ Seint Ambrose seith ‖ that penitence / is the pleynynge of man / for the gilt þat he hath doon / and na|moore to doon any thyng for which hym oghte to pleyne [85] ¶ And som doctour seith ‖ Penitence / is þe wayment|ynge of man / þat sorweth for his synne / and pyneth hym self / for he hath mysdoon ‖ [86] Penitence / with certeyne circumstances / is verray repentance of a man / þat halt hym self in sorwe / & oother peyne for hise giltes / [87] and for he shal be verray penitent he shal first biwailen / the synnes / þat he hath doon / and stedefastly purposen in his herte / to haue shrift of mouthe / and to doon satisfaccion / [88] and neuere to doon thyng for which hym oghte moore to biwaile / or to compleyne / and to con|tinue in goode werkes / or ellis / his repentance may nat auayle [89] [folio 236b] ffor as seith Seint Isydre ‖ He is a Iapere / and a gabbere / and no verray repentant þat eft soone dooth thyng for which hym oghte repente ‖ [90] Wepynge / and nat for to stynte to do synne / may nat auaile ‖ [91] But nathelees men shal hope / þat at euery tyme þat man falleth / be it neuer so ofte / þat he may arise þurgh peni|tence / if he haue grace / but certeynly / it is greet dowte / [92] for as seith Seint Gregorie ‖ Vnnethe [vix] ariseth he out of his synne / that is charged / with the charge of yuel vsage / [93] and ther fore / repentant folk/ þat stynte for to synne / & forlete synne / er þat synne forlete hem / holy chirche / halt hem siker of hire sauacion / [94] and he þat synneth / & verraily repenteth hym in his laste / holy chirche / yet hopeth his sauacion by the grete mercy of oure lord Ihu crist for his repentance / but taak the siker [tene] wey [certum] /
[95] And now / sith þat I haue declared yow / what thyng is penitence / now shul ye vnderstonde / þat ther been .iij. acciouns of penitence / [96] ¶ The firste [[iij. A]cciouns of penitence:] is / þat if a man be baptised / after þat he hath synned ‖ [97] Seint Augustyn seith / but he be penitent / for his olde synful lyf / he may nat bigynne / the newe
