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ALso holy Scripture is bet ter knowne by lyknesses, & by derknessys it doeth a∣waye anoies. And we owē to thyncke, and bileue that the thinge that is wrytten in holy scryptur, yea though it be hyd either not knowen, is better and truer, than yt we moune vnderstōd bi vss•…•…lfe, & worship fulli & helthfuli the holi gost mesurid so ho∣ly scripturs▪ yt in opē placis he settid remedi to our hōger, & in darke pla∣cis he wipt awei anoies. For almost
nothing is seene in tho dearkenessis, which thyng is not founden seid full plainli in other placis. Therfore, by∣fore al things it is nedful y• a man be cōuertid by Gods drede, & be mylde by piti either christē religiō, & that he ayense•…•…e not holy Scripture where it be vndurstōdē, though it smyte a∣ny sinnis of ours, whether it be not vnderstondē, as if we moune vnder∣stond better, either cōmaunde, either teache better. By ye yifte of dred & of pitie▪ me comith to ye degre of •…•…uning For why, ech fruc•…•…uo use mā of holy scripturis, exercisith him selfe in this thynge, and to fynd none other thing in tho: than forto loue God for God himsilfe, & forto loue his neighbour for God. Thā thilke drede by which he thinckith on goddis dome, & thilk pitie by which he must nedis bileue, & yeue sted to autoritie of holi bokis: compellith hym to biweile himselfe, for whye, this kunnynge of good
hope makyth a man not to auaunte hymsylfe, but byweyle himsylfe.
And by thys affection either good wyll, he gettith by bysy preyars the conforte of Godis helpe, that he be not broken by dispeyre. He bigynith to be in the fourth degree of gostely strength: in whych he hungrith and thyrstith ryghtfulnes.
Than in the. v. degre, that is in the councell of merci: he purgith the soull that makith noies and vnreste∣fulnes of couetise & earthly thyngis.
And than he dyspysyth fylthys of soule, and louyth God and neygh∣bours, yea enimies.
By thys he styith to the. vi. de∣gree: where he purgyth the iygh of soule: by whych iygh God maye be seene as mych as he maye be seen, of hem that dyen to thys worlde, as mych as they moune.
For in so mych they seene God in here soul, thorow feyth & loue: howe
mych they dien to this worlde. And in as mich as thei liuē in this world they seene not God. And in thys de∣gre wherin a man dyeth to ye world he neyther preferrith nether makyth euen hym selfe neyther hys neiboure wyth the truth of holy write. Ther∣fore thys holy man shal be so simple and clenne of herte: that neyther for plesaūce of men he be drawen awey fro truth, neither bicause to eschew any harmes to hym selfe, that bē cō∣trari to this life. Such a child stieth to very wysdome, whych is the last and the seuenth: whych he vsyth in peace and in reste. Seint Austē seyth al this: in the bigining of the second boke of christen teachynge.
Heare is a blyssed entrynge by thes seuen vertues to the cuninge of holy scriptnr in this lyfe to haue here rest of soule, and afterwarde ful reste of body and soule, in heauen wythoutē ende. Alas, what done proude and
coueitouse wretchis at holy scriptur that sekenne the worlde and f•…•…eshlye •…•…ase, and wolen not conuerte hem fro these curssidnesses.
They dysceyuen heme sylfe and the Puple that gesse hemme wyse menne, whanne they ben open foles, and makenne heme felfe deper dam∣nydde, and othere menne also that suen here follye, and Blasphemen Godde.
These worldlye folys shoulen wytte: that holye lyfe is a lanterne to brynge a man to verye kunnynge as Chrysostome seith. And the dred and loue of Godde, is the begynynge and perfection and kunnyng of wys∣dome.
And whan these fylthye Apys and worldly molde warpys, han neyther the begynnyng of wysdome neyther desyren it: what done they at holye Scrypture to shenshyp of hem selfe and of other men?
As longe as Pryde and Coue∣tyse of worldli goodis and honoure is rotyde in her herte: theye maken homage to Satanas, and offerne to hym bothe bodye and soule and al her wytte and fyndynge
Suche folys shoulenne thynke, that wysdome shal not enter into an iuill wyllyd soule: neyther shall dwell in a bodye soget to synnys.
And Iesu Christe seyth that the Father of heauen hydyth the priui∣ties of holye Scripture from wyse menne and Prudent to the worlde, and in her owne syght, and she wyth tho to meke men.
Therfore worldlye foles, do ye fyrste penaunce for your synnis, and forsake Pryde and Couetyes: and be ye meke and drede ye God in all thyngs, and loue hym ouer al othere thingis, and your neiboure as your sylfe, and than you shoulen profyte in studye of holy wryte.
But alas, alas, alas. The moste abomination that euer was hearde among chrysten clerkis: is now pur∣posid in Englond, by worldli clerks and feynede relygiouse. And in the chife vniuersitye of oure rewme (as mani true men tellen wyth gret wey lyng) thys horrible and deuilys cur∣sydnes is purposid, of Christis eny∣mies and traytourys of all chrysten puple: that no man shall learne diui∣nitie neyther holy wryte, no but he that hath done hys fourme in arte, that is, that hath cōmencyd in arte, and hath be regente twoe yere after. This woulde be. ix yere or. x. before that he learne holye write, after that he can commenlye well hys gramer: though he haue a good wytte and traueile ful sore and haue good find∣yng. ix vere eyther. x. after hys gram mer. Thys semith vtterli the Diuils purpose: that fewe men eyther none shulen learne and kun Goddis law.
But God seyth by Amos on three greate trespasses of Damaske: and on the fourth I shal not cōuert him. Where Ierom seyth, the fyrst synne is to thynke euylis, the. ii. synne is to consent to wey ward thoughtis, the thyrde synne is to fyll in werke, the fourth synne is to do not penaunce after the sinne, and to please him silfe in hys sinne. But Damaske is inter∣pretyde Drynkynge either byrlyng bloude.
Lorde, where Oxenforde drin∣kyth bloude and byrlith bloude, by sleaynge of quicke men and doynge of Sodomies, in leasiug a parte of mans blude wherby a chyld might be formid: deme thei that knowen. And where Oxenford drynk bloud of synne, and styrre other men of the lond to do syn by boldnes of clarkis deme they iustly that seene it at eigh and knowen by experience. Loke nowe, where Oxenford, is in
thre orryble synnis, and in the forth, on whyche God restythe not tyll he punyshe it.
Somtyme, chyldren and younge men Artitars werenne deuoute and clene as Angeles in comparyson of other: nowe men seine they ben full of pryde and lecherye, and dyspytu∣ouse othys nedelesse and false, and dyspyseynge of Goddys hestys. Somtyme Ciuili•…•…ns & Canonistis, weren deuoute, and so bysy in here learnynge, that they token full lyttle reste on bedde: nowe men seyne, that they bene ful of pride, and nice araie, enuye and couetise, wyth lecherye, glottonnye and Idelnes. Sometyme Dyuynis werenne full holye and deuoute, and dyspisyden vtterlye the worlde and lyuyden as angellis, in mekenes, cleenesse, soue∣raynue chastytye, and charytye, and taughtē truly Godds lawe in werk and word: now men seine they bene
as delycate of her mouth & wombe and as couetyse as other worlddlye men, and flatteren & maken leasings in preachynge, to eschewe bodylye persecution, and to gette benefycys.
The fyrste greate synne is ge∣neralli in the vniuersitie (as men dre den and seene at eigh) the second ori∣ble synne is sodomys, and stronge meyntenaūce therof, as it is knowē to many persōs, of the rewme. And at the last parliamēte, a∣las diuinis, that shulden passe other men in clea nes & holines (as an gellis of heauen, passen frele mē in vertuis) bene moste slaundred of this curssed sinne ayens kynde.
The thryde horible synne is Si∣monie and for sweryng in the semble house, yt shulde be an house of right∣fulnes & holynes, where euillis shul∣len be redressyd.
This Simonie wyth purtenaū∣cis therof, is mych worse and more abominable than bodily sodomies.
Yet on these three abominations God wolde graciousely cōuert cler∣kis: if they wollen do very penaunce and yeue hem wholy to vertuis.
But on the fourthe abomination, purposid no we to letten christē men, yea priestis and curats, to learne fre ly Gods lawe, tyll they han spendyd ix. yere or. x. atarte, that comprehē∣dyth many strong errouris of Hea∣then men ayens christen byleue: it se∣myth well that God wole not cease of vengeaūce, til it and other ben pu∣nishid sore. For it semith that world∣ly clerkis and feynid religiouse done thys: that simple men of wytte and
fyndyng knowe not Godis lawe, to preache it generally ayens synnis in the rewme.
But witte ye worldly clerkis and feinid relygiouse: that God both can and maye (if it lykyth hym) spede simple men oute of the Uniuersitie, as mych to kunne holye wrytte: as maisters in the Uniuersitie.
And therfore no greate charge thoughe neuer man of good wyll, be poysonyde wyth Heathen mens er∣rouys nyne yere eyther tenne, but e∣uer lyue well and studye holy wryte by elde Doctouris and Newe: and preach truely and freely ayens open synnys to hys death.
See therfore what Ierome seyth on Amos.
God byfore seeth Euilys to com∣mynge: that men heare and amende hemsilf, and be delyueryd fro peryle nyghynge.
Eyther if that they dyspisen: they
ben punished iustlyer. And God that before seeth peynes: wole not punish men that synnen, but that they be a∣mendid. Ierome seyth this in ye ende of the fyrste boke of Amos. God for his greate mercie graūt that clerkis heare the greate vengeaunce manas∣syd of God, and amende hemsylfe truely, that God punishe not hem.
For if they amende not hemsilfe, they ben Heritykis, made harde in here synnis. But se what Ierome seyth ayens Heretikis: and in commēding of holy scripture. He seythe thus on Amos.
Heretikis that seruen the wombe and Glotonie, bene clepid righfully fattest kyne, or kyne ful of shenshipe. We owen to take holy scripture on three maners.
Fyrste we owen vndurstonde it by the letter: and to all thyngis that ben commaunded to vs therin.
The. ii. tyme by Allegorye, that is
gostlye vnderstonding.
And in the thryde tyme, by blysse of thyngis to comynge.
Ierome seyth thus in the seconde boke on Amos, & in the. iiii. Chap∣ter of Amos. Nethelesse for Lire came late to me: se what he seyth on the vndurstonding of holy scripture. He •…•…oriteth thus in the. ii. prolog on the Byble. Iohn seyth in the fyfth Chapter of Apocalips.
I sygh a boke writtē wythin and wythout forth, in the honde of the sytter on the trone. This boke is ho∣ly Scripture which is seyde written wythout forth, as to the literall vn∣derstondynge, and within, as to the priuie and gostly vnderstondynge.
And in the fyrste prologe, he decla∣ryth foure vnderstondyngis of holy write in this manner.
Holye wryte, hathe this specyaltye that vnder oo letter, it conteyneth manye vnderstandyngis.
For the principall autour of holy write, is God him selfe. In whose powre it is not only to vse wordes to signifie a thynge as men done: but also he vsith thyngis signified by wordis to signifie other thyngis.
Therfore by the signifiyng by wor∣dis, is taken the litterall vnderston∣dynge either historiall of holy scrip∣ture: and by the signifiynge which is made by thyngis, is takē the priuie either goftly vndurstondyng which is. iii. maneris. Allegorike, morall ei∣ther Tropologike, and Anogogike. If thyngis signified by wordis ben referrid to signifie tho thyngis that owen to be bileuid in the newe testa∣mente: so it is taken the sense of Ale∣gorike. If thyngis ben referrid to signifie tho thyngis which we owen to do: so it is moral sense either Tro∣pologike. If thyngis ben referred to signifie tho thingis yt shulē be hopid in blisse to comynge: so it is Anago∣gike
sense. The letter teachith what is done, Allegorye teachith what thou owiste to bileue, Morall tea∣chith what thou oweste to do. Ana∣gogie teachithe whyther thou owist to go. And of these. iiii. sensis either vndurstondingis: maye be set ensam ple in this worde Ierusalem. For by the litterall vnderstondynge, Ieru∣salem signifieth a Citie, yt was some∣tyme the chiefe Citie of the rewme of Iude. And Ierusalem was foun∣did fyrste of Melchisedech, and aftir∣ward it was alargid & made strong by Solomon. By morall sence, it sig nifieth a faithfull soule. By whiche sense it is seyd in the. lii. Chapter of Esaie. Rise thou, rise thou, sitte thou Ierusalem. By sense Allegorike, it signifiethe the chirche fyghtynge a∣yens synnis and fendis, by whiche sense it is seyde in the▪ one & twentye of the Apocalips.
I. sygh the holy Citie newe Ierusa∣lem
comynge downe from heauē, as a spouse ourned to hir housbōde. By sense Anagogik it signifieth ye chirch reignynge in blysse. By this sense it is seyde in the. iiii. Chapter to Galathies. Thilke Ierusa∣lem whiche is aboue, which is oure mo∣ther: is fre. And as ensam∣ple is set in oo worde, so it myght be set in oo reasone. And as in one, so and in other. Lire seyth al this in ye fyrst pro∣loge on the bible. (:)