The mirroure of golde for the synfull soule

¶Howe we ought with all diligence do penaunce.

[illustration]

SAint Mathewe in his .xiiii. Cha∣pitour saithe that oure lorde wyllinge and ad∣moneshinge the creatu∣re to doo penaunce: spe∣kith in this maner / He that takes not his cros∣se & folowe me? is not worthy to haue me / by this crosse we be taugh¦te and geuen to vnder∣stond penaūce / the whi¦che all synners ought to take and bere {per}seueraunt∣ly / yf he desyre in the beatitude eternalle to reigne with Ihesu criste For as saithe saint Ierome in a¦pistole that he wrote to Susanne saynge thus / pe∣naunce is to the synner necessarie / and ought to be so moche / that it be sufficient for the cryme done a∣gainst god / or for the more meryte that the penaun¦ce excede the synne / And as saint Augustyne saythe who that wyll be saued / it behoueth hym and is to

hym necessarie: ofte to purge and wasshe his con∣ciens / with tearis / frome al the filthes / & vnclennes where with he hathe poluted & defilyde hym selfe frome the tyme of his baptisme: But perauenture thou that hast geuen and hadde all thy pleasure of the worlde: wyll say in this maner. Thy sermond and the wordes that thou sayste to me in aduising me to do penaunce: me semeth verie harde / For I maye not dysprayse the worlde / nother correcte / ne chastyse my flesshe / Alas poore synner herkyn the / Doctrine not of me / but of holy saint Ierome / that saith in this maner. It is inpossible that a mā may vse and Ioye the goodes of this present worlde he¦re: in fyllynge his Belly and accompliss hynge his wyll and thought: And after this worlde thinkith to haue the delitis in the heuenly world / for he can not haue his Ioye in this erthe here: and haue the greate glory in heuen. The whiche sentence con∣fermeth sancte Gregory saiyng thus: many there be that couite and desyre to flee frome the presente exile of this wolde / in to the glory and Ioye of {per}a∣dise: but yet wolde they not leue their worldly de∣litis / the grace of our lorde Ihū calleth theim / But the cursed concupiscence of this worlde reuoketh and with draweth theym / ¶They wolde gladly dye as right wyse people doth: but they wold not lye as they do. And therfore they shall euerlasting∣ly perysshe / and folowe theyr werkes in to holl{is} / & there to be in {per}durable dampnacion. To this pur∣pose speketh saint Barnarde to the synners that re¦fuse

penaūce / O miserable syn̄ers know cōsyder in your hart{is} the lyfe & strayte cōuersaciō of glorious saint Iohn̄ Baptiste / whiche strayte lyfe & conuer¦sacion: is to all delicious synners not wyllynge to doo penaunce: the verie messenger of eternall deth Alas we pore miserable and vnresonable best{is} and wormes of therth: wherfore be we proude / dispy¦teous and displesaūt to do penaunce / sith that we see that he that amonge al men was borne the mo¦ste greate: hath wylled his holy body pure / clene / & Innocent / to chastice by penaunce / And we desyre to clothe and anourne our synfull bodies with pre¦cious clothinge / And the good holy saint: had none other clothinge to his boody but the harde sharpe skynne of a Camyl we couete and desire to drinke delicious wynes: & sainte Iohn̄ the Baptiste that glorious frende of god dranke in the deserte noon other thinge but clene & pure water / beholde than miserable synner: Oughtest thou then flee doynge of penaunce & folowe worldely pleasures: I wys nay / for certainly it is not the way to paradise / and more to moue thyne herte to penaunce and to flee the delitis of this worlde: remembre the of the euil Riche man / that was lord and maister of so great Riches / and was dayly clothed with precious ha∣bitis / of purpyll / the whiche / not withstandyng all the delitys that he hadde in this worlde: after his mortall lyf was passed: might not atteyne to haue in the necessyte of his brennynge & heate one oonly drope of water / for to refresshe and coole his tunge

¶Therfore remembre these thyng{is} dere frende & do penaunce whyle thou hast tyme & space / & trust not to moche of length of dayes / For thoughe almi¦ghty god haue {pro}miside {per}done and mercy to them that wyll do penaunce / he hath not promisyd them certayne tyme to leue / nor yet a daye houre ne my∣nute. And if thou wylte knowe what is penaunce I say vnto the it is wepyng teares of cōtricion for thy synnes passed / with fyrme purpose neuer to cō¦mytte them more / For as saith saint Augustine the penaunce is vayne: whiche synne folowynge defi¦lith. And the wepyng no thinge profetith whenne they retourne agayne to syn̄e. Nor to aske {per}don of god: & wyll to falle agayne to synne. And for more declaracion thou ought to knowe & note that ther be thre maners of penaūce / that is contricion with harte / confession with mouthe / and Satisfaccion with wark{is} / For that thre maners we offend god that is to knowe. The delectacion of thought by inprudence of wordes / and by wark{is} of pride / and for that / that by the contrare it muste be curide: we muste make satisfaccion to god in thre other ma∣ners / puttinge contricion againste the delectacion of synne / confession againste inprudēce of wordes / Satisfaccion against the warkis of pride. Nowe see thou firste what is contricion / Contricion is a sorowe wilfully taken for syn̄es cōmytted and do∣ne / with full purpose to abstaine to make true con∣fession & dewe satisfacciō / & as saith saint Barnard the sorowe ought to be in iii. maners / that is to say

sharpe / more sharpe / and sharpest / Right sharpe: for cause we haue offended oure souerayne lorde god creator of all thing{is}. And more sharp: for we haue inpungued our celestiall fader that so swetly hath norisshed & fedde vs / And in that we so haue offen¦ded him: we may be reputed wors then dogg{is} / for the dogg{is} of their nature: louyth & folowes them that norissheth & fedith them. Thirdly contricion ought to be moost harde and sharpe: For so moche that in cōmytting synne we offende god. And cru∣cifie & tourment our redemer / that hath bought vs with his propre blode: and delyuered vs from the bondes of synne / & hath deliuered vs frome the cru¦elte of deuyll{is} / and the paynes of hell / wherfore we ought to haue sorowe and displeasūce of thre thin∣gis. ¶That is to witte of syn̄e cōmytted by good dedes lefte and tyme loste as spekith saint Augu∣styne saiynge contricion of harte is more worth: then all the pylgrimag{is} of the worlde / & in a clau∣se made vpon the psalme Ad dūm cum tribularar. It is saide god can not despyse ne withstande the repentaunce of a contrite harte: that with verie cō¦tricion besechith his mercy / And in lyke wyse saith saynt Iohn̄ Crisistome / Contricion is that oonly thinge that makith a soule to hate the fresshe habi∣tis / and maketh hym redy to loue sharpe clothinge of hear / to loue tearis / to hate and flee plesauntis and laughingis / for there is noo thinge that so con¦ioyneth and vnityth the soule to god: as the tearis of a penytente. ¶And to the contrarie saythe

saint Augustyne we maye not yeue the deuyll mor¦re sharpe sorowis: then to heale oure woundes of synne by confession and penaunce. But alas howe be it that by penaunce and contricion we may gett so moche weale: And yet fewe folkis be that wol∣de do penaunce / ¶wherfore thus oure lorde com∣plaineth him / spekinge by Ieremye / there is no mā spekyth that good is: nor that wolde do penaunce for synne cōmytted and done. The secounde that is to saye confession is laufull and sufficient occasion and declaracion of synners trespace / byfore the pre∣est: For this worde confession is as moche to saye / as an hole shewinge or shewinge of alle to geder. For he truely confessithe hym hoilly: that saithe all / Confession also as saith Isodore in the boke of his ethimologies / is that thinge by whiche the secreat sekenes of the soule vnder hope of pardone & mer∣cye is made open to the praysinge of god / of the ver¦tu of whiche saint Ambrose vpon the psalme beati inmaculati saith: the vengaunce of god seassith: yf mannys confession make hym selfe clene. And Cas¦sidore vpon the psalme of. Confiteantur tibi popu∣li deus saithe / that god is not as Iuge / But as an aduocate for them that by true confession condem∣neth and yeldith them selfe gilte: And pore leo saith that the synne abidith not to condempne man in iu¦gement whiche by confession hathe bene purged. And saint Augustyne in the boke of penaunce saith confession is the helthe of soule / the mynyshere and consumer of synne / restorer of vertues / ¶And the

withstander and ouercomer of the deuyll / & what more / confession shett{is} the gates of hel / And openith the gates of paradise / And for theis forsaide causis right dere frende truste the coūsaile of Isaye. Tell thyn iniquite so as thou maist be Iustified For the begynnynge of Iustice is cōfession of synne: wher¦fore it behouith to confes the of all thy synnes holy of the whiche thou canste knowe any remēbraūce to one preest whiche hath power to assoyle the / so that thou telle not {per}te of thy synnes to one preest: & {per}te to an other. For if thou shuldest cōfesse the after suche maner / nother the oon preest ne the other my¦ghte assoyle the / for as saith saint Barnard / he that deuidethe his confession to diuers cōfessours: hath no {per}done / For it is detestable faynyng of hym / that deuideth & withholdeth his synne frome shewing the verray {pro}foundenes of his synne enteerly. And they that makith suche cōfession / receiueth excōmu∣nicacion for absolucion / & malidiccion for blessynge Sushe diuisions & cōfessions is made by ypocrisie For they shewe their greate greuous synne to the prest{is} which they know not. And to thyem that be of their familier knowlege: they shewe their most light synnes / wherof saith saint Augustine as it is written in the decree / He that deuideth his confessi¦on is not to be praysed in noo condicion / For he ke∣pith counsaill frome the on / that he sheweth to the other / the whiche thinge he dooth by maner of ypocrisie / to thentent to be praysed. Nowe lette vs speke thenne of satisfaccion the whiche Saint Au∣gustyne

Diffynyth in this maner / Satisfaccon is to withstande and leue the causis of synne: and not to fauoure his suggestions ne admonicions: saynt Gregorye saithe we make not satisfaccion by seas∣synge of synne: yf we leue not the voluptuous by∣longeing therto. And shewe wepinge and lamen∣tacion vnfayned / for oure synne to the whiche pur¦pose saithe Crisostome suche as the offence afore ha¦the been comysed: suche wyse ought agayne to fo∣lowe the reconsiliacion and satisfaccion. And asmo¦che to be inclyned to wepyngis and lamentacion as thou haste been inclyned to synne. ¶And to ta∣ke as greate / deuocion to penaunce: as thou haste hadde greate intente to commytte synne. ¶For thy greate and mighty synnes desyreth the greate lamentacions wherof saithe Eusebeus bys∣shoppe / by lyghte contricion maye not be payde the deibte the whiche is due to the dethe eternall: For synne / ne with lytell satisfaccion the fyre eter∣nall that is made redde for the euyll may be quen∣ched / but many be soone wery in this mortall lyfe to doo penaunce and retourne frome the waye of satisfaccion / lokynge bakwarde as dyde the wyfe of lothe: agaynste the whiche spekythe saynt Bar∣narde in a sermonde: and saithe / he that perfectely felythe and perceuyth the peysaunt dedes of synne and the lesyon and sekenes of the soule: can not ly∣ghtely fele & perceyue the paynes of the body / nor repute the laboures any thinge: by the whiche he may do a waye synnes passed & withstand theym

that be to cōme / And as saint Augustine saith vpon the .xv. psalme / many be that haue noo shame to cō∣mytte synne / but they haue greate shame to doo pe∣naunce / O vnbelefull creature and far oute of thy reason / canste thou not haue shame and horrour of the great woūdes of synne: Seest thou not what foule stinke & Rotennes is therin renne to the me∣dicyne and do penaunce and saye my lord god my creature I knowe myne Iniquite / and soo clerly: that my synne is alwaye againste me / to the oonly I haue cōmytted synne whiche is oonly withou∣ten synne / Farthermore it is to be knowen that sa∣tisfaccion is in thre thinges / that is to wytte in pray¦er / almes and in fasting. To thende that the noum¦bre of thre be opposite againste thre falce and deue∣ly synnes / prayer againste pryde / Fastinge against concupiscence of the flesshe / and almes against Co¦uetous / And for all thinge that is cōmytted again∣ste god is ordened prayer / And for the synne again¦ste his neyghboure is ordeyned almes: and for the synne against hym selfe / is ordeyned fastinge / And for more declaracion of satisfaccion he fpekyth som¦what of almes Almes is as moche to saye after the maner of spekinge: as cōmaundemente of mercy. And in this maner ought this worde to be written Elemosina by E and some tyme they write Elimo¦sina by I then is it asmoche to saye as the cōmaun∣demente of god / For he hym selfe cōmaunded it to be done with his owne propre mouthe: wherof saithe Ieremye / yeue almes: and all thing{is} shalbe

you pure & clene / Or thirdly Almes may be said af¦ter sume the water of god / for as water quencheth fyre of almes dede quencheth synne. wherfore it is to knowe that thre thing{is} principally ought to mo¦ue vs to do and accomplisshe almes / and werk{is} of mercy. ¶The fyrste is / for mercy bieth agayn the gilte of synne / for so moche as it is wirtten in the {pro}¦uerbe in the .xvi. Chapitour / by mercy vanite & ini∣quitie is bought agayn / And danyell resitith in his xiiii. chapitour speking of a woman that put in all the vessellis that she hadde a lytell quantite of oyle. And a noon the oyle grewe ī suche maner that she paide and pacified her creditours. The vessellis of the woman / betokeneth the poore people whiche we sholde call in to oure housis: For as saith Isaie in his .liii. chapitour lede and calle the poore to thy house and kepe theym: And with that thou haste: that is to saye distrybute parte of thy substaūce to this pore vessels / moche lyke to that saith Thobye yf thou haue lytell to yeue yet study to yeue and de¦partith the pore wyllingly / For then shall growe the oyle of mercye / when by gracious meritis. the synfull soule hathe made satisfaccion to god for his synnes. ¶The secounde thinge that ought to me∣ue vs to yeue almes is / for it encreases and multi∣plyes the temporall goodes / as saithe saint Grego∣ry in his dialoge / worldly substaunce be multipli∣ed. For so moche as they be destribute and yeuen to the poore. we haue example in the thirde booke of kinges in the xvi. chapitour of the widowe that

fedde healy / to whome almighty god multiplied booth brede and oyle / wherby it is vnderderstan∣de that more is to almous prouffitable to theym that fedeth the pore: then to the pore that receyueth it. ¶Thirdly wherfore we ought to doo almes and werkes of mercy is: for that / that almous ke∣peth the almes yeuer / of the houre of dethe / and le∣deth with clernes and Ioye his soule to the Real∣me of heuen. And therfore saith saint Ambrose / that mercy is the oonly helpe to theym that ben passed. ¶O what felyshyppe is it of almes to hym that dyeth / leue not then so trewe and soo goode a ser∣uaunte / nor put suche an aduocate behinde thy bac¦ke / ne doo not as they that in their lyfe withhold∣deth their goodes by suche brennynge Couetous: that neuer with theyr propre handes / departed al∣mes to the pore / For such be semblable to hym that for to see clerly his wayes berith his lyght behyn∣de his backe / but doo as is taught to the by Eccle∣siasticus / saye not to thy frende of thy soule that is to saye to Ihesu criste: or to the pore that shall aske the almes. ¶My frende goo and cōme agayne to morowe and thenne I shall yeue the / All be it that that thou mayste yeue hym. whanne he askyth it. ¶For it is to be knowen that the riche of whome the poore asketh almes: ought to consider thre thin¦ges Firste who it is that asketh / for god hym selfe loueth so moche the poore that all that is yeuen to theym in the honoure of hym: he repentis to hym selfe. ¶And for so moche as it is wrytten in the

thirde Chapitour of saynt Mathewe / alle that ye shall doo to any / oon of the leest seruauntis: ye doo it to me / god by the pore demaundeth almes of the Riche / and the riche demaundeth of god the real∣me of heuen / soo that the riche ought well to drede to refuse or deney his almous to the poore / leest that almyghty god wyll deny his prayer and as∣kynge of the Realme of heuen. For it is written in the prouerbes in the .xxi. Chapitoure / He that clo∣seth his eers whanne he hereth the poore crye: the tyme shall cōme that he shalle crye and god shalle not here hym. ¶Secoundly / the ryche shuld well consyder what thynge it is that god asketh when by his poore people he askethe almous / Certaynly he asketh noo thynge of oures / But god asketh his oonly owen / wherfore he may welle be called vn∣kynde to god: whanne he denyeth to the poore his necessarye almous: whanne he hathe metys and drynkes with other goodes aboundauntely: the whiche thynges well consydered Dauid: where he saythe in paralipomynone in his .xxix. Chapi∣tour. ¶Oo my god and my lorde alle thynge be thyne: and we haue noon other thyngis to ye∣ue the but oonly that / that we haue receyued and taken of thy hande. ¶For trewely oure lorde god asketh by the poore noo thynge: butte that is his: and apperteynethe to him: and not to haue yeuen / butte oonly to leane it / ¶And not oonly to yelde therfore the dowble or thirde parte: but as an vsu∣ret wyll encreace it a hundreth tymes more·

¶O poore synner doo thenne after the saiynge of saint Augustyne / yeue to god for vserie and thou shalte take an .C. tymes more and possede the lyfe eternall To moche thou arte vnkynde if thou wil not yeue to god. For god to vsuri as thou woldest do to a Iew or a sarasyne. And therfore consider all theis thyngis / and I derely praye the assemble to gether the pore / and by theim make thy treasour in henen / in doynge the werk{is} of mercy: and make not thy tresoures here in the Erth / but the harte of a couetous man is as a pytte withoute a botho∣me. The more it receyueth the more it wolde haue And yet it is neuer full / And so saith Ecclesiasticus in the .vii. Chapitour. The couetous man shall ne∣uer be fulfylled with money / for the herte alwaye folowith the treasour / sorowe maye be saide to the¦ym that in perlyous exile of this worlde makyth their treasoure / and vppon that saith crisostome: as¦semble thy substaunce in place and countrey: whe∣re shalbe thy dwellynge / for he that makith his tre¦soure but in the erth: shal noon haue in heuē when he no thinge hath put there / And beleue suerly that the thinge thou shall fynde there: is oonly the good thou haste yeuen to the poore. The goodes be not a mannys whiche he may not guyde ne bere with hym / Now vnderstand the fayre auctorite of saint Ambrose / he saithe that noo thinge is of so great cō¦mendacion towardes god as pity and charite / the good doctor sayde I haue beholde many bookes & scriptures butte I can not remember that I haue

founde of any man: that wyllingly hath excersised the workes of mercy and pytie and viliously dyed And pope leo saithe he yeueth and sendeth to god precious and encere fruytis: that neuer lectyth the pore departe frome hym dispurneid or sorowfull. For the vertue of mercy is soo great / that without that: alle the other maye not prouffite. And howe be it that a man be true chaste / sobyre / garnisshed / and adryched with many other vertues: yf he be not mercyful and piteous neuer shal he fynde mer¦cy. And this that I haue sayde of vertues / Almes and werkes of mercy / conceruyng the pore people suffisyth / And nowe we shall retourne to the pur∣pose of the begynnynge of this Chapitour / where it is sayde: he that takes not his crosse and cōmyth after me: is not worthy to be with me. this crosse ought to be taken in the tyme of youthe / and stren∣ghte to the whiche purpose it is sayde in the secoū∣de chapitour of Ecclesiastice: remember the of thy ceator in the daies of thy youth / For thenne it pro∣fityth a man moost: and moste pleasyth god / In ly¦ke wyse he saith / son tary not to cōuerte the to god: and differre not frome daye to daye / For his Ire shall cōme on the sodeinly. And in the tyme of ven∣geaunce he shall distroye the / But agaynst the hel∣thefull counsayle of the wyse / the deuill yeueth and promiseth to man enyl & damnable hope of longe lyf saiyng thou arte yonge and shall lyue and thou mayste goo to confessyon and doo penaunce. ¶O thies poore synners howe they be deceyued

that soo lyghtly beleueth in his deceytis: and in the false hoope of longe lyfe / purposynge in their aige to currecte theym selfe / and amende / and thenne cō¦meth soden deth / and fynably rauyssheth and ta∣keth them to dampnacion. ¶And for so moche as it is sayde in Ecclesiastico in the .xxix. chapitour That by the promission and hope of longe lyfe ma¦ny be putte to perdicion. Nowe is it then to note that suche deuilishe promise of longe lyfe and thin∣kynge to doo penaunce in age: is full euylle / for it is agaynste right and reason / And yet is it worse / For it is also agaynste the synner hym selfe / ¶And more euyll it is against the souerayne boū¦tie of god / and that it is agaynste right and reason it apperith by thre ensamples / the firste example is: that who that hadde .x. asses and shulde yeue the gretest burthen of charge to bere to the most feble: he shulde do agaynste reason and good Iustice. ¶And so wyll he that oonly wyll yeue to hym sel¦fe in his aige the charge and burthen of the synnes that he hath cōmytted in his youth / and strengthe / for thenne he yeueth the burthen to the moost feble asse: that is to say to the debilitie of age / For in age man hathe no strength ne vertue to bere labour or payne. And they that so differre their penaūce: de∣serueth malediccion of god as it is written in zaca¦ria in the firste chapitour / The man full of fraude is cursed that in his bestiall lyfe hathe doon many euyllis / and makyth sacrifice to god of the worste / and the moost poore amendemente.

¶And in lyke wyse is he cursed that in the delitis of this worlde passeth the tyme of his youthe and strength / and differreth to make true sacrifice vnto almyghty god: tyll the tyme of feble and olde aige cōme vppon hym / ¶And therfore sayth Isodore / he that lyueth the conuenable tyme of penaūce / It shalbe to hym but as voyde thinge to cōme to the yate of god to praye. ¶The secounde example is / that he that in hys strength and power is not hable to lyfte a ferdell in his youth: and whanne he commeth to feblenes of aige thenne wolde take vppon hym the charge: myght welbe reputed a verye foole. ¶So in lyke wyse is he that in his youthe why∣les strength is in hym: woll not take vppon hym the dedes of penaunce whiche thenne maye be to him light. And hopeth better to do them in his age whanne there shall be augmented in hym: greate debilite and feblenes / he well maye be resembled to a fole. ¶wherof as it is sayde in the lyfe of fa∣ders that one went and kutte a fagotte of woode and thenne assayed to lyfte it / and founde it to he∣uye. ¶And yet he wente to an other woode and putte in more / and wolde haue lyfted it / and founde it so moche more heuy to bere / ¶In this manere doth the synners whan they take the char¦ge of synnes and leueth to do penaunce / from daye to day puttynge & adioynynge synne vpon synne. For as saith saynt Gregory / the synnes that by pe∣naunce is not purged & taken away: of his nature

desyrith and drawyth to hym other synnes. ¶The thyrde example is / he that all his lyfe hathe hadde greate study and cure with worke men to prepayre and make an howse in the whiche he ne∣uer hathe purpose ne hoope to inhabite ne dwelle / ¶And the house whiche he desyreth to dwelle in wolde vtterly distroye to his power: It were a iuste cause to repute hym a defamed foole. Nowe ought men then to knowe and vnderstande that so is it of the syn̄er y^t vnto the deth desireth to tour¦ne hym to god and alwaye desireth and coueteth to lyue in the delytis and voluptuysnes of this so∣rowfull and myserable worlde: folowynge euyll companyes / by the whiche he hathe greate occasi∣ons to commytte many deedly synnes / by the mea¦ne wherof: He all the tyme of his lyfe is makynge redy and prepayreth his house in helle / where noo man shulde wyll to dwelle. ¶And therfore ought they to dred and doubte the sentence of sancte Paule / who saithe / he that gooth and dooth agaynste his consciens: he edifieth hym selfe an house and lodgynge in helle. ¶And for to shewe and proue that the promyse and hoope of longe lyfe is yet more euyll agayn∣ste the synner. ¶It apperethe and is to vs clerly shewed by two examples. ¶wherof the firste is he that shulde desyre rather to be seke thenne hole and in seruitude rather then in lybertye: and to haue no thing leuer then to pos∣sesse his {per}te of al the good{is} of the world: he shuld be

agaynste hym selfe In lyke condicion is the synner when he tarieth to do penaūce For he loueth better to be in synne whiche is the spiritualle sekenes of soule. And not oonly sykenes but eternall deth. De¦sireth rather his dedly sykenes then his eternall ly¦fe / wherby it clerely apperith that of the obstinate syn̄er it ought wel to be sayd that he is euyll again¦ste hym selfe so that he loueth sekenes better thenne helthe and deth then lyfe / seruitude / then fredome / euyll then gode / As saithe saint Iohn̄ in his cano∣nique / He that doth synne is in the seruitude of syn¦ne / And saint Augustyne saith that a man good iu∣ste / and trewe. Not withstanding that he be in ser¦uitude is in his bounte kepe alway free and in his fraunchies / But the euyll synfull man not withstā¦dynge he reigne and be dred and honoured in this worlde he shall alwaye dwell in cursed seruitude / and that worse thynge is to saye: as longe as he shall endure in the boundage of vices and synnes He shalbe in the boundage of euyll lordes and reu¦lers. The secounde example is this / he that shulde owe a greate somme of money to a vsurer whiche shuld growe and be augmented from daye to day So that he shulde not be in power to paye it but wolde euer tary as longe as he might. He shulde greatly doo agaynst hym selfe / so to purpose asmo∣che more as the synfull man shall dwel in synne: so moche more shalle he be bounde to payne wherof it is written in the booke of apocalips in the .xvi. chapitour asmoche as the synner glorifieth hym in

his delitis soo moche more he yeueth hym selfe to tourmente wepynge and payne. ¶Thyrdely the promyse of longe lyfe is ryght e∣uylle and daūgerous / in so moche as it is agaynst the wyl of god / as it the apperyth by .iii. examples / the fyrste is yf it were that a yonge man were im¦pungnynge and contrarye to his mayster: of the whiche he sholde haue alle his weall by the space of his lyfe. ¶And that he thenne lefte his pro∣pre lorde and mayster / for to serue the Enmye of the same durynge the tyme of his strengthe and youthe. ¶And whanne he shulde comme at impotencie and be atteynted wyth aige and feblenes: thanne wolde retourne to his fyrste maister in offerynge hym his seruyce for the remmenaunte of his lyfe: suche a seruaunte myght well be reputed of euyll and vntrewe cōdicion / and noo thynge to be thou∣ghte agreable to the seruice of suche a man In this maner is it of the synner / he offendeth god and ser∣uyth his enmye the deuyll / endurynge his strength and youthe and purposith / to serue god in his feble aige. ¶The secounde example is / yf there were any that hadde receyued of his lorde gerate gyftis and goodes wherby he myghte haue greate wyn¦nynge and aduauntage: and yf he wolde dispen∣de and waste theym for noughte: he myghte well be called a foole / and vnkynde to his mayster / the whyche thynge dooth the synner indirectely do∣ynge agaynste the goodnes of god.

¶And in commyttynge synne dispendeth foleous∣ly and wastethe vnkyndely the goodes that hys creatoure hathe yeuen hym / that is to knowe / the soule / the body / the wytte by the whyche hys soule is enoblisshed / the strenght and vertue of his body / hys worldely goodis temporall / the space of his lyfe / and manye other fayre and greate yeftys and benyfictis that of god he hathe receyued / saint Gregory spekynge of the soule: whiche god hathe gyuen vs as a precious tressoure / to vse reasona∣bly in doynge meritorious workes: by the why∣che we maye gette the Realme of paradyse saythe in this manere / Curses and sorowes be to me yf I by my neclygence fayle to kepe the Treasoure and Iowell that the precious lambe vndefyled Cri¦ste Ihesu hathe wylled full derely to bye agayne. And for the tyme that god hathe geuen vs in this mortall lyfe as saith the saide saint Gregory: thou haste not in this worlde daye / houre / ne mynett / ne space of tyme. wherof thou ne shalte yelde accōmp¦tis byfore god / Howe & in what operacions thou haste inployed thy tyme. ¶The thirde example is yf the seruauntis whiche haue the dispendinge of their lord{is} good{is} yeue to strangers and his Enmy¦es the best brede and wynes and yeue and myny∣stre to his lorde the vitaylly that be corrupte rotten and stynkynge: He shulde doo vniustly and false∣ly agaynste the wyll of his master / and ryght soo dooth the synner that alle the beste tyme of hys ye∣res that is to saye in his youthe geuyth hym self

to the worlde and to the deuyll: whiche be the en∣myes of Ihesu criste and purposeth to yeue to god the worste whiche is the olde ende of theyr lyfe: Alas dyde not thus whiche sayd / my god my crea¦toure my strength my beaute and my youthe: will I oonly to thy seruice kepe and to this purpose it is sayde in ecclesiatic{is} geue not to god the rotten∣nes and dregges of thyne aige butte presente vnto hym the free wyne pure and clene of thy florisshin¦ge youthe / Item saint Gregory spekythe of theym / Also that deferre to doo penaunce / and saythe the synner is to ferre straunge frome the faithe and lo¦ue of god that for doynge of penaunce abideth the tyme of his age / For he then hath not in his powre any tyme or houre of his lyfe wherfore and throu∣ghe the counsayle of Isodore euery power synner ought diligently with alle his myght whenne he maye retourne hym to god for who that doth not penaunce. when he maye: when he wolde he shall not do it. Doo then penaunce and tary not to then∣de that thou be not enclosed withoute heuen with the folisshe virginys.