¶ The .xiiii. chaptre howe an hūble subiect ought to be obedient after the example of criste.
SOnne he that laboureth to withdrawe hym fro obedience he withdrawe hym fro grace & who seketh to attayne pryuate thynges leseth co∣mon graces & giftes & he yt doeth nat obey to his su¦peryor: it is a tokē that his flesshe or body is nat sub¦dued yet perfitly to his soule: but it ofte grutcheth & rebelleth ageynste it. Therfore yf thou wylte that thy body be no rebel: but subdued to thy soule lerne Page [unnumbered] thou to obeye gladly to thy superior. Soner ys thy outwarde enemy ouertome if thy inwarde man be nat distroyed or ouercome. There is no worse nor more greuous enemie to man than his body if it be nat accordynge or consentynge to his soule yu must vtterly dispise thy selfe. yf thou wylt preuaile ageist thy body. But thou louest thy selfe yet inordinatly & therfore thou dredest to leue thy selfe & to subdewe the fully to other mennes wyl. What great thynge is it to the that arte but erthe and nought to subdue the to man for godessake. Whan I god almyghty that made al thynge of nought did subdue and sub¦mitte me humbly to man for thy sake. I was made hūble that thou shuldest lerne to ouercome thy prid by my mekenes. Lerne thou asches to obey. Lerne thou erth & slyme to humble the & to {pro}strate the vn∣der euery mānesfete by true humylite nothing ep̄∣sumynge of thy selfe. Lerne to brake thyn own will & to applye to other mēnes wyll. Ryse ageynste thy selfe & suffre nat pride to rayne in the / but she we the so meke that al men may walke vpon the and trede vpon the as vpon clay in the way. What haste thou vayne man & vyle synner to complayne or to gaine say them that myssayethe the or vexeth the: whiche haste so ofte offended thy lorde god and hast so ofte deserued helle by thy synfull lyuynge: but my mer∣ciful iye & sight hath spared the for loue that I haue to thy soule: that thou myghtest knowe howe well I loue the: & that thou shuld ist be kynde & gyue the to true humylyte & subiecciō for my sake paciēty suf¦ferynge Page [unnumbered] thy propre contempt & despytes.
