¶Of the reasons of the Heretikes agayne religion: And firste of their reason in generall. The first chapiter.

HOwe deuout reders you must ymagen that the selfe heretikes done speke / for y^e reasons that done folowe: ben their reasons / and done seme to be suerly grounded vpon scripture. And by reason therof / they ben the more ieoꝑdous: more subtylly done deceyue / and more perilously done poyson the simple and vnlerned soules.

¶Of the answers after order / vnto the reasons of the heretikes before written agayne religion / and the essenciall vowes therof / and fyrste agayne theyr fyrst rea­son generall. The seconde. Chapitre.

FIrst you muste perceyue what thynge is theyr minde and purpose to conclude and proue as a trouth / and to perswage and cause the people to byleue the same. That is: that al religions wherin these vowes ben made and professed / and consequently al maner of vowes or boūdes of promyse / shulde be cō trary vnto the lawe of Christe and vnto the liberte of the same. And to ꝓue this by / they done put forth a proposition or sentence / whiche amonge scolemen is called a maior / that is a chefe or principall propo­sition or sentence put for a grounde of trouthe / wherby with the seconde proposition the conclusion may be proued. And that maiore or chefe sentence / is here in theyr reason / this in some / that as our lorde god the father of heuen: delyuered the chyldren of Israel his chosen people (by the hande of Moyses) out of the lande of Epipte / & from the captiuite of Pharao So dyd he (by our lorde and sauiour Iesu) delyuer all christianes from the bondage and thraldome of the dyuell / and out of the lande and realme of synne wherin all mankynde was bonde and thrale by the trespasse of Adam. So that nowe by the deth of Christe and his other actes of our saluacion / we ben discharged of the cures & rigoure of the olde lawe / and restored & put vnto fredome & vnto the liberte [Page] of the gospell. This is nowe theyr fyrste propositiō whiche is all true and catholike / well grounded vp on the trouthe of scripture. But nowe take good hede vnto the minore. Theyr secōde ꝓpositiō where they say / alas alas / with many gay termes to moue the people to byleue them / but all they done saye of theyr owne brayne / and malicious mynde / without any grounde or auctorite / & without any good rea­son / alas (saye they) that we ben ouerthrowen / and haue forsaken the moste swete & pleasaunte fredome and liberte of the gospell / and ben come nowe vnto more thraldome and bondage: than euer were the chyldren of Israel in Egipte / all these wordes and those that done folowe: ben spokē by theyr rethorike whiche is a science / crafte / or connynge / to perswade theyr purpose wheder it be true or false / for in dede they ben very false / whiche shalbe euidente if you take good hede vnto these two termes liberte / and bondage / or fredome and and thraldome / for in these two termes: they done meruaylously delude / de­ceyue / and begyle theyr audience / for they done de­clare them vnto the people after the carnall letter / & cōmune vse of the carnal and vnlerned persones / for they done take bōdage & thraldome / for a let or with drawynge of the carnall appetite or sensuall wyll & desyre / as whan they ben letted to do what theyr bo­dely wyll dothe desyre / or whan they ben compelled to do what they wolde nat do / than done they saye they ben bonde or in thraldome. And contrary whan they maye without let or stoppage / without blame or rebuke / folowe theyr owne wyll and do what it please theyr sensualite / than done they iuge they ben [Page x] at liberte / whiche thynge (in very dede) is clene con­trary / for the liberte of the flesshe is moste vylayne / thraldome / and bondage. And the moste thraldome and moste streyte bonde vnto the spirite: is moste hyghe fredome and moste noble liberte / for the fre­dome and liberte of the flesshe: is whan a persone (by the offence of our lorde / and by the transgression and brekynge of his lawes) is (in folowynge his owne sensualite) at liberte and lowence from iustice and from al vertue / and is (by leude custome) bonde caytyfe vnto iniquite / wykydnes / and synne. For saynte Paule sayth:Ro. 6. that a persone is bonde caytyfe and seruaunte vnto that thynge: where vnto he doth bynde hym selfe / wether it be vnto syne / the rewarde wherof: is euerlastynge dethe / or whether it be iu­stice / that is to saye: vnto the knotte and congrega­cion of all vertues / the rewarde where of is euerla­stynge lyfe. And contrarie therfore the liberte of the spirite: is whan a persone (in forsakynge all his sen­suall appetites) of very deuocion and zele / to pleace our lorde and to perfourme and kepe his lawes / is fre lowce / and (in conscience) at liberte from all vice and synne / and is bounde as of dute vnto Iustice and so thrale seruaunte vnto vertue / for (as the holy virgine saynt Agath sayd) The moste hyghe fre­dome and the moste noble liberte is that: wherin the bondage and thraldome of Christe is proued and perfourmed in full effecte. For the auctorite of saynt Paule wyll bere vs out herein / where he sayth vnto the Romayns.Ro. 6. Whan you were the seruauntes and bonde thrales of synne / than were you fre from iu­stice / and at liberte from all vertue & goodnes. But nowe that you ben delyuered & voyd of synne / you [Page] ben made the seruauntes and bonde thrales of our lorde god and of our sauiour Iesu Christe. Thus nowe maye we boldely conclude by auctorite con­trary vnto theyr false suppositiō / that bondage and thraldome vnto the lawes of god: and vnto the lyfe of our sauiour Iesu / is the very fredome: and noble liberte of the spirite. And on the cōtrarie parte / that the fredome of sensualite and the liberte vnto the la­wes of the flesshe and vnto sinne / is very bondage & moste captyfe thraldome. And so nowe dothe folowe (both by reason and of auctorite) that the more faste and streitly any persones done wylfully bynde / and make thrale them selfe (by moste solemne vowe / and moste sure promyse (vnto any of the commaundemē tes or coūsels of Christe / so moche the more ben they in fredome and at liberte in his lawe and religion / whiche (in very dede) is (as they also done call it) a lawe of loue / and a lawe of liberte. For by that loue inspired by grace & by that liberty of Christes lawe doth euery persone bynde hymselfe. So that he is bothe the bonde thrale of Christe / and yet fre man & in moste ioyfull liberte of conscience. And contrary wyse the more any persone do folowe the fredome & liberte of the flesshe the more is he bonde caytyfe vnto synne. And for a certeynte: this liberte is the cause and occasion why these heretikes done take the way of malicious errour / and frowardenes cōtrary vnto the ordinaunces & lawes of the churche. These sure groundes nowe well considered: take good hede vnto theyr reylynge reasons / and false feyned supposi­cions. For nowe (say they) we haue mo folysshe and supersticious ceremonies than euer had the Iues. Note here: that these heretikes done call the holy ce­remonies [Page xi] of the olde testamente / folysshe and super­sticious: and yet they can not deney / but that those ceremonies were ordeyned by our lorde god: as neces­sarie figures of the newe testamēt / as after you shall here more pleynly whan we shall more specially in­treate of ceremonies / yet forther se what they saye / we ben (saye they) retourned frō Christe vnto Moyses / here done they take Christe: and therby signifie and meane theyr leude liberte / or rather vnlawfull licence of the flesshe. And by Moyses: they meane the rigoure of the olde lawe after the letter. And frō Moyses (saye they) vnto Pharao / by Pharao they done signifie the bondage of religion / all that folo­weth dothe moste directely and streight frame and fashon vnto them selfe / and nat vnto vs (as by the auctorites byfore is euidēte) that is to say: that they (the selfe heretikes) say: lothynge the Manna and moste swete spiritual meate of the gospell / done take delectacion and pleasure in the pottes of flesshe and potage of Egipte / that is to say: in the voluptuous appetites and desyres of the worlde and the flesshe / and this done they proue in effecte. And so nothyng contente with the quietude / ease / and reste of the gospell / they done wylfully gyue or rather sel and binde thē selfe vnto the seruitute and thraldome of Egipte that is (as we sayd) the worlde. And vnto the intolerable and lost laboures / of tyles and brykes / of clay / myre / and mucke / that is to say vnto the vyle volup­tuous flesshely ond beastely pleasure of the same. And despysynge the swete and confortable yoke of the lyfe and gospell of Christe and of the lyght & easy burthen of his doctrine / and ordinaunce they done stowpe / bowe downe / & (more than wylfully) charge [Page] theyr neckes vnder the roughe / harde / and rigorous yoke nat of the maners of mē (as they saye of vs) but of the maners of the dyuell / that is to saye: vnto the heuy lode and blockys burthen / nat (as they saye of vs) vnto the constitutions / statutes / and ordinaūces of men / but vnto the temptations / suggestions / and persuagions of the dyuell.This is nat sayd in any passion: but onely in re­iection and retourne of theyr owne word [...] vnto them selfe. O good lorde howe fo­lysshe / howe madde / and frantyke ben these errante heretikes / what tende / what yuell spirites / what en­chauntementes / or wychecraftes / or what myschefe of the dyuell: hathe thus bywyched them / that af­ter the firmite constauncy and confirmacion of all the lawes of the churche / by so many counsayles / of so profoūde & lerned wysdome ministred by the holy ghoste / and continued so many hoūdreth yeres that is to say. M.v. hoūdreth & mo / yet these myserable wreches done sterte / lepe / and flee therfrom / & dampnably done fall downe from the hyghe / towne & pleasaūte palayse of the fredome & liberty of Christe / vnto the depe doūgeon & pitt of ꝑdition / of the bōdage & thraldome of the dyuell / frō ryght feythe / vnto misbyleue / from hope / vnto doute / from loue vnto drede from pure religiō / vnto apostacie / from Christe / vnto machomete / frō the gospell of god / vnto the blindnes of all condempned heresies. So that nowe they muste nedely ende in the flesshe that they bygyne in the spirite. For that ꝑfection: that in theyr baptisme they entred / promysed / & vndertoke spiritually / they shal finisshe & ende carnally / that they bygane ghostly / they shall ende fendely & dampnably. Thus you may well ꝑceyue that we may cōueniently & of true [...]routh retorne & cast iustly again vnto thē / the same thīgꝭ that falsly & maliciously they leyde agaīst [...].

Of answere nowe vnto theyr false surmysed suppo­sitions. The thyrde chapitre.

THese heretikes done suppose and put vn­to the people for trouthes▪ that the lawe of Christe / is a lawe of liberte and a lawe of loue. And trouth it is after the true de­claracion that we shewed before / but nat after theyr false and subtyll mynde & meanynge. For they done affirme vnto the people: that the lawe of Chiste is a lawe of so great loue & large liberte that it maye be ꝑfourmed & fulfylled at the liberte & pleasure of the flesshe in folowynge of sensualite / and that is vtter­ly false.Nat. 7. For Christe said (as after you shal here) that the waye vnto blysse is harde & streyte / & vnto that way is euery christiane bounde by vowe & ꝓmise in his baptisme. And an other of theyr false suppositi­ons is: that the lawe of religion monasticall is a lawe of thraldome & bondage bycause of theyr vowe & ꝓmyse. And therfore (say they) that vowe & ꝓmise is ꝑfourmed & done for fere & drede & nat for loue. Vnto the fyrst we haue answered that the vowe and bondage of religion: is moste hyghe & moste noble liberte & fredome. And so muste nedely folowe that to ꝑfourme that vowe & ꝓmyse for fere & drede of the offense of our lorde is a reuerende & holy drede & the true and very loue of his goodnes.Psal. 18. Yet done these heretikes put forthe an other false supposition for theyr purpose / and vpon that supposion / done they brīge ī an other that dothe passe the fyrste. The fyrst is (as you haue herde in theyr argumentꝭ) that ī the begīnynge of Christes churche: all christianes that is to saye all maner of persones that dyd receyue the feythe of Christe: were equall (w^tout distinction or [Page] difference) in lyke maner and state christianes none aboue an other but all as brothers and systers / whe­ther they were hyghe or lowe / bounde or fre / al were of one calynge the electe and chosen people of god / holy preesthode / all sacred persones / for to offre spi­rituall hostes and sacrefice acceptable (by the meane and merites of our lorde and sauiour Iesu) vnto al­mighty god. Than was no difference of popes / and preestes / freres / nōnes / and suche other as ben nowe but all maner of christianes / men women / and chyl­dren / were preestes all in lyke / but onely that womē were prohibite and forboden to preache. All in lyke degre were the chyldren of god / al his heyres and coheneritoures vnto Christe. This is the fyrste suppositiō of these heretikes whiche hath deceyued moche people. For thus wolde they make the people to by­leue / there shulde be no pope / no bysshopes / no prees­tes / no religious persones / ne any other degres / by­cause (as they say) all were of one and lyke calynge. And certeynly that is trouthe as vnto the state of christianite and feyth of Christe / but nat as vnto the degres orders & state of the ꝑfection of the same christianite.Example. Take here of exāple of the naturall body of mā. Euery mēbre of the body is a very mēbre as wel one as an other. The fote is a mēbre of the body as well as the hed / yet natwithstandynge the hed is the more excellent / the more noble / & the more necessarie membre / in the fote ben cōmonly .v. tose & in the hed the instrumētꝭ of the .v. senses of wyttꝭ / as the eares for herynge / the eyes for seynge / the nose tor smel­lyng / the tonge and palate for tastinge / and in euery of them. the sens and touchynge. All in lyke ben mē ­bres but nat all ī lyke degre / of necessite of noblenes [Page xiii] and of excellency / for euery persone had leuer lacke or lose all those .v. membres of the fote / than any one of the other .v. in the hed (for they ben more necessary and pleasaunte vnto the hole body.Applicatiō of the example. Ro. 12. .1. Co. 12. Ephe. 4. In lyke maner the misticall body of Christe: is a hole body / & hathe dyuerse and many membres / as appereth ī bode the testamentes. For in the olde testamente vnder the lawe of Moyses / all the chyldrē of Israell / the electe and chosen people of god: were all of one election / of one calynge / vnto that lawe of theyr saluation. But yet were they nat of one degre of state and noblenes of perfection in that lawe / but moche dyuerse in the election / and calynge of that perfection. For some of them were clere and holy / spirituall persones: by very election and calinge of god / as the tribe of leuy and some were mere and clene temporall persones: as all the other tribes. And yet amōge the spirituall parte were diuerse degres and states / as prophetes / preestꝭ / diacones & other ministres of the saīctuary. Moyses was the chefe and principal ꝓphete. Aaron the prīcipal preest / & vnder thē other dyuerse. Lyke­wyse in the temporall parte were princes and capi­taynes of dyuerse degres. In heuen ben diuerse de­gres and orders of Angelles. And howe than maye it frame or be lyke vnto trouthe / that these false he­retikes done afferme that al was one / and all shulde be one / and none aboue an other / in the people of the newe testamente: it muste nede be false. The very selfe gospell wyll proue them false / for there doth ap­pere that oure sauiour Iesu Christe the auctoure of the newe testamente / in chosynge and gadrynge of his people and vnto the foundacion and continu­aunce of his churche / dyd vse the same maner and [Page] put lyke fourme in degrees and orders in his newe testamente / as byfore was in the olde / or rather as was and is in heuen. For at his fyrste election & chosynge of his disciples as a foūdacion & begynnynge of his churche: he ordeined some spirituall persones and some seculer / & so dyd continue with them vnto his dethe and yet after his resurrexion: vnto his as­cencion. In the spirituall parte: were the apostles in nombre onely .xii. and amonge them Petre was prince and chefe persone. In the seconde order: were onely .lxxii. And two disciples of the thyrde parte: that was the seculer parte / was Nicodeme and Io­sephe Abaramathie / and many other men & women. And yet all were of one election / of one calynge / as vnto the state of christianite and vnto the liberte of the gospell but nat vnto the perfection therof. For in that were many differēt degres as we haue shewed. And saynt Paule doth so declare vnto the Corīthes and in other places where he saythe that as ī the na­turall body ben many mēbres that haue nat all one vse or office / but eueryche after his kynde doth occupie his one rowme / and eueriche (at nede) redy with al diligence to serue and helpe other..2. Cor. 12. Ro. 12. Ephe. 4. So is it in the misticall body of Christe / wherin he hathe ordeyned some persones to be as Prophetes / some Apostles / some Euangelistes / and so forthe of other degres and orders of the churche of Christe / wherby dothe opēly appere that theyr supposition is a false heresy where they saye that in the begynnynge of the chur­che of Christe / all persones were of one degre and so forthe as you haue herde. For amonge all maner of nacions and feythes the preestes haue alway ben deuided from the ley people / and amonge al the questions [Page xiiii] and disputacions that euer were made of the feythe / that mater was neuer moued ne yet any heretikes that euer were byfore these had euer any suche opinion / but alwaye kepte the difference betwene preestes and ley folke / so than is theyr supposition false. And yet vpon this suppositiō nowe done they brynge in an other as false / wherby they wolde con­clude theyr purpose / Where they saye: all is tourned clene contrary (they meane vnto theyr supposition) For some persones ben the chyldren of saynt Augu­styne some the sones and doughters of saynt Bene­dicte caled saynt Benete / some of saynt Franciske / some of saint Bernard some of saint Dominike / and so forthe of many other patrons that nowe in stede of the chylder [...] of god ben chaūged vnto the chyldrē of men. And that in stede or the lawes of Christe: done kepe the lawes of men. And so haue forsaken the gospell of god / whiche (as we sayd byfore) is a lawe of loue and of liberte. And haue bounde them selfe and that by solempne vowe / vnto the rules and lawes of these men / whiche ben lawes of fere & drede lawes of thraldome and bondage. Here done these heretikes suppose a great erroure and moche peri­lous / whiche is: that the lawes constitutions and ordinaunce of man bene contrarie vnto the lawes of god / and so done they nat onely destroye the rules of religion: but also the lawes of the churche / and of all temporall princes as thoughe they myght nat stande with the lawe of god / but that euery persone byndynge hym selfe vnto any lawe of man / shulde fyrste forsake the lawe of god. Howe false and erro­nious that is: your owne reason maye determyne [...] (and yet somewhat shall we aunswere there [Page] vnto for our parte. And where after in theyr sayd supposition / they saye: that where all religious persones / byfore the makynge of theyr vowe and pro­fession / were louse at liberte and in theyr owne po­wer and so myght haue kepte the lawe of the gospell all by loue in fredome / liberte / and gladnes of herte and mynde / and nowe (after theyr profession) done nat so but rather done they kepe nowe theyr rules for fere and drede in thraldome and bondage / by­cause of theyr vowe / and with moche murmure and grouge / and with an yuell wyll / ergo all theyr vo­wes and ꝓmyses ben nought vnto this I saye: that I haue byfore declared vnto you by auctorite of scripture / howe falsely and deceytfully they done a­buse and mysuse the termes of liberte and fredome / and of thraldome and bondage / and therfore I saye that to kepe those rules or to any good dede with the murmure and grouge and with the yuell wyll of the flesshhe / is the noble triumphe and ioyfull glad­nes of the spirite.Ma. 11. Quia regnum celorum vim patitur. The religion of christe dothe require violence pu­nisshemente / and constreynte of the flesshe. Saynt Paule sayth:1. Cor. 9. Castigo corpus meum, et in seruitutem redigo. I do (sayth he) chastice my body / and brynge it vnto bondage and thraldome. And ther­fore as the bondage and thraldome of the flesshe: is moste highe liberte and fredome (as we haue ꝓued) so to parfourme the sayd rules in the fere and reue­rende drede of the offēce of our sauiour is (as I said byfore) very loue & high charite. And where they say that the religious ꝑsones by reasō they done ꝓmyse & vndertake to kepe the holy rules of saīt Augustyn saynt Benet / saynt Franciske. &c. they done therby [Page xv] leue and forsake the lawe of the gospell / & that they shulde nat be the chyldrē of god bycause they ben the chyldren of these holy patrons. This saynge of the heretikes hathe nother trouthe ne any semynge rea­son of trouthe / for so shulde folowe that no persone myght bothe be the chylde of man and the chylde of god / whiche doth directly cōclude that Christe was nat the chylde of mā and of god bothe / and that (as I sayd) no ꝑsone myght kepe bothe the lawe of god and the lawe of man. Howe false nowe and howe folysshe theyr reason is herein you may lyghtely per­ceyue / we saye therfore moche contrary vnto them that euery persone that moste verely and truely is the childe of saynt Augustine / saint Benet / or of any suche other holy patron / is therby the more perfectly and more derely byloued chylde of our lorde god / and sauiour Iesu. And all those persones that done precisely kepe the rules and ordinaūces of those holy patrons and sayntes / done therby more perfectely & more very christianely kepe the lawes of the gos­pell / and the commaundementes and counsayles of Christe / for in all the rules or constitutions of those holy patrons / is no sentence nor yet one worde that dothe sowne contrary vnto the sayd ordinaunce of Christe. But that rather doth meruaylously moche conduce / helpe / and auayle / vnto the precise and per­fecte obseruaunce and perfourmynge of the same. Yet forther to moue the people agayn religion / they saye the religious ꝑsones done nat kepe theyr sayd rules vnto this we shall answere forther here after but nowe I saye that if they do meane that all reli­gious ꝑsones done nat kepe theyr rules / that muste nede be true / specially of suche as they ben apostates [Page] and to say trouthe no lawe is kepte of all persones ne euer was if they wolde meane that no religious done kepe theyr rules / that saynge hathe none eui­dente profe ne reason of trouthe / for the contrarie dothe seme trouth by euident tokens / and that nowe in our tyme / for in the newe founde lande that is called newe spayne / ben many and diuers miracles done by religious persones. The reuerende fathers obseruauntes of saynt Franciskes order done dayly preache there / and done wynne moche people vnto the feythe of Christe / so that one of those holy mino­res dyd cōuerte and baptise in one day .M. and .ix. houndreth persones. And eueryche of them done take vnto theyr cure and laboure chyldren to teache and specially the chyldren of the great states and rulers whiche chyldren (whan they haue lerned the feythe of Christe) done (with merueylous feruour) preache ī maner and shewe vnto the people the same feythe as they lerned of theyr teachers / the sayd fre­res minores. And the people diligentely done here and gyue credence vnto the chyldren / bycause they ben inspired / inflamed / and kindled with the spirite of god the holy ghoste / amonge whiche chyldren the swete and louely chylde Iesus: was sene and perceyued in a garmente of whyte coloure / and amonge them taught the people. And whan many dayes he had so done / the people perceyued and knewe well it was Iesus / and came vnto hym to do due honour and reuerence vnto hym. And therwith sodeynly he vanesshed and was no more sene. An other tyme two women were takynge to gether of the newe feythe of Christe (for vnto them it was newe) and one of them coulde by no meanes lerne her Pater [Page xvi] noster ne any parte therof nat so moche as these two wordes pater noster / and yet she laboured moche & was sore troubled therwith / vnto whome our bles­sed lady saynt Mary sodeynly appered and taught her / nat onely the Pater noster: but also all maner of thynges that were necessary vnto Christes feyth / These miracles coulde nat haue ben done by those religious fathers excepte they had kepte theyr rules and pleased god .vi. of them were theyr broyled or rosted for the feyth of Christe / dyd none of thē (think you) kepe thyr rules? I byleue they dyd. Than can it nat be true that no religious persones done kepe theyr rules. If they wolde saye that some religious ꝑsones done kepe the rules / but the most parte done nat I can nat aunswere there vnto / for I am nat sure howe many done & how many done nat my mater here is nother to accuse any persones / nor yet to excuse the mysdoers what so euer they be / my mater is to approue the state of religious ꝑsones as after you shall here / natwithstandynge these heretikes vpon these false and suche other suppositions: done conclude vnto the people that al religion is nought / and vnlawfull wyll you here theyr argumente a­gayne in a shorte and conpendious maner. This is it: As the people of Israel were delyuered by Moyses out of the bondage of Pharao. So the people of the newe lawe of the gospell were delyue­red by Christe from the bondage of the dyuell and put vnto moste hyghe fredome and liberte. But who so euer dothe make any solemne vowe / dothe make hymselfe bonde agayne and so dothe forsake and lose that liberte / and do contrary vnto the (lawe of the gospell / the lawe of liberte [Page] ergo religious persones done contrarie vnto the gospell wherfore all religion is vnlaufull. And to approue this conclusion / they done brynge in foure assercions and reasons / whiche they done inforce & .1. take vpon them to proue as trouthes. The fyrste reason is this / that to make these vowes / and to promyse and professe them: is a thinge of great foly and folysshenes. And contrary here vnto we shall proue it is a thynge of moste excellent wysdome / prudence .2. and policie. Theyr seconde assercion or reason is that to make them is a thynge of hyghe presumpciō & malapert boldnes / agayne whiche we shall proue that it is a thynge of moste reuerende humilite and .3. mekenes. Theyr thyrde assercion and reason is that to make suche vowe is a thinge of certeyne dampnation. vnto the whiche we shall answere and proue it is a thynge of moste sure and certeyne saluation. .4. Theyr fourthe assercion and reason is / that suche ꝓmyse is a thinge (at the leste) of great peryl and ieo­pardy / and we contrary shall proue it a thynge of moste infallyble surety / without any maner of peryl and out of all ieopardy.

¶Of answere vnto the cōclusions of the heretikes and vnto theyr assercions and reasons there vpon. The fourthe Chapitre.

THeyr fyrste assercion and affirmacion is / that to make these vowes is a thynge of great folysshenes. They proue it thus: what can be more foly and madnes than to seke / obteyne / gete / or wynne a thinge with peyne [Page xvii] wo / and labour / in great fere and drede / and vnder thraldome and bondage / that may be had lyghtly & with pleasure and ease / ī loue and surety / vnder fredome and liberte. But the lawe of the gospell: the religion of Christe / is (as we haue sayd) a lawe of loue and liberte / a lawe of fredome and sufficiente meane of it selfe / wherby euery christiane maye ob­teyne and haue sure saluacion / ergo to make any mo vowes / to folowe any other rules / to make any promyse vnto any mo religions / is a great foly / & mere madnes. Specially sythe more merite & more rewarde and thanke: shalbe vnto them that done a good dede with good and of the fre election and li­berte of theyr owne herte and mynde / than to be cō ­pelled there vnto / by thraldome & bondage / agayne theyr herte and mynde / & contrarie vnto theyr wyl. As by example / let in case a persone be presente thatExample. were in necessite and nede / and shulde fal ī to great daunger excepte he had helpe / if than a persone of his owne good wyll / & of his owne propre goodꝭ & laboures / wolde helpe that nede ꝑsone / & releue his nede / were nat he (in reason) more worthy thanke / than an other persone that were dettoure vnto that nede persone / and were compelled by reason of his obligacion and bonde of the sayd dette agayne his mynde & wyll to helpe this sayd nede? yes douteles no man can deney it / but so is it of them that done ꝓmyse these religions / ergo (as we said) it is a thing of great foly and mere madnes.Answere vnto this fyrst reason. Nowe I pray you here one answere there vnto / and fyrste that you re­membre what we proued by scripture to be very / & true fredome & liberte / that is to saye / the bondage and thraldome of Christ or vnto Christꝭ lawe / and [Page] contrarie that the fredome and liberte of the flesshe whiche they speke of: is the very bondage and thraldome of synne / or vnto the dyuell. Nowe whā they say in theyr sayd argumente: it is a foly to gette w^t peyne / that may be had with pleasure. Here done they presuppose a false heresie / and put it forthe as a trouthe / that is: that the lawe of the gospell the lyfe of Christe: may be perfourmed lyghtely with ease / reste / and pleasure of the body / and in the fredome and liberte of the flesshe / whiche is playnly false / as dothe appere in the gospell. Arcta est via quae ducit ad vitam. Math. 7. B. Io. 14. A. zc. The way that ledethe vnto lyfe (sayth the gospell) is harde and strayte. And Christe sayd also. Ego sum via. I am (sayth he) the selfe waye. And he wolde nat entre into blysse him selfe: but by the waye of peyne and penaunce / and nat of ioye & pleasure / by the waye of laboure and trauayle / and nat of ease and reste. And so he ordered his holy A­postles and all that wolde be his disciples saynge.Mar. 8. Luce. 9. Luce. 14. Qui non tollit crucem suam, et se quitur me, nō potest meus esse discipulus. &c. Who wyll nat take theyr owne crosse and folowe me: can nat or may nat be my disciples. Euery persone hathe his owne crosse that is to saye: suche peyne / penaūce / and laboures / as the nature of the ꝑsone may conuenientely bere / accordynge vnto the condicion & state of the same ꝑsone. The newe lawe therfore is a lawe of liberte & pleasure / bycause it dothe rendre man fre and louse from all synne / and from the peyne therof & gyueth grace the moste hyghe pleasure of the spirite / but nat as they meane and suppose. For in very dede as vnto the ꝑfourmaunce of the ꝑfection therof the lawe of y^e gospell is more harde & streyte / thā y^e olde lawe was. For in the olde lawe (by the testimonie [Page xviii] of Christ) our lorde bade & cōmaūded his people to loue theyr freudes.Leuit. .19. C. And to haue theyr enymyes in hatered. But Christe sayd: I cōmaunde you y^t you loue your enemyes. The olde lawe sayth.Luce. 6. Exo. 20. C. Non me­chaberis. Thou shalt nat abuse or mysuse the acte of thy flesshe. But I tell you (sayth our sauiour) who so loketh vpon any frayle ꝑsone that is to say a man vpon the woman or contrarie w^t the full con­sente of concupisence / hathe therby yuen than offended in herte and soule / w^t the same persone ī lyke de­gre & maner of the acte. In the olde lawe is sayd.Mat. 5. D. Non occides. Thou shalt kyl or slee no ꝑsone.Exo. 20. C. Deu. 5. B. Mat. 5. But the gospell doth forbede vs to be wrothe or angrye in our hertꝭ / agayne our euen christianes or to call any ꝑsone fole or dawe / or yet to reuēge our selfe by any roughe or vncourteise wordꝭ / or wysshe / or wyl any hurte to any ꝑsone / or to haue any stomake of hatered vnto any ꝑsone. Qui odit fratrē suū, 1. Io. 3. C. homici da est. Who so euer (saith saīt Iohan) dothe hate his brother is an homicide or mālleer. Nowe let thē reken & you good deuoute reders be yuen iugꝭ / whe­ther of these two lawes is more harde to kepe. The olde lawe (say they) was a lawe of dred & of sorowe & care / & we ben (say they) delyuered therfrom / by y^e lawe of loue / whiche we may fulfyll say they w^tout care / & w^t gladnes of herte & mynde. And I say: the olde lawe was a lawe of carnall drede / & punisshe­mēte of the body / & y^e newe lawe: is a lawe of spiri­tual drede / & fere of y^e punisshemēt of y^e soule & body And it is a lawe of loue / & moste depe loue bycause it muste be accomplesshed nat by the carnall loue y^t they done meane: but by very charite that is spiri­tuall loue / that is neuer with out fere & holy drede [Page] and dothe moste care & take depe thought to please our lorde by the workynge of his wyl and kepynge his preceptes.Gregorius For the profe and euidence of loue: is the shewynge and settynge forthe of the workes or dedes: wherof our sauiour sayth in the gospell: Who so dothe here or herken / and bere awaye my wordes / and dothe perfourme and worke them indede / that same is the persone that loueth me.Lu. 6. G. Io. 14. B. And agayne:Io. 14. D. That persone: that loueth me / wyll kepe my byddynges and cōmaundementes. Than (by good reason) he that loueth god / muste nedely care and gyue diligence by good workꝭ to approue that loue. [...]nd howe maye they affirme that the lawe of the gospell can be perfourmed without drede. Whā they here our sauiour say that of euery worde that is nat fruytfull:Mat. 12. C. shal we rendre and make accompte and rekeninge at the day of iugemēte. And agayne That a Camell a great beast may passe more lyghtly throughe the eye or hole of a nedell:Mat. 10. C. than a ryche couetouse man may entre into heuen. And the wyfe man also saythe that the grounde and begynnynge of wysdome:Ecl. 1. B. is the dred of our lorde. And the holy drede of hym (saythe the Psalter) doth remayne / byde / and laste for euermore.Psal. 18. Thus appereth that the lawe of the gospell muste be kepte aswell with drede as loue / and with care / thought / & diligence / vnto the which thyngꝭ doth religion moste auaile. They say the religion of Christe receyued in bap­tisme: is sufficient vnto all christianes for theyr sal­uacion w^tout any other / ergo these other religions ben voyde The very gospell wyll reproue and condempne this argumente. For all thoughe that the religion of Christe be sufficiente / yet dyd Christe [Page xix] hym selfe beyonde and aboue that sufficiency / per­swade / moue / and counsayle / more hyghe perfectiō as in the gospell of Mathewe:Mat. 19. C whan a yonge man axed of hym what he myght do to be sure of his sal­uacion / he answered that to kepe the cōmaundemē ­tes of the lawe precisely: shulde be sufficient there vnto but if thou wylt (sayd he) attayne / or approche vnto forther ꝑfection: thou muste do more / as there is conteyned. So than foloweth by the conclusion of Christe / that in the lawe and religion of the gos­pell ben degrees of perfection. Some of necessite as cōmaundementes. And some of speciall merites at liberte as counsayles. Hereof dothe folowe that the religion of Christe (as they say) is sufficient vnto all christianes generally. But (I saye) that is excepte they haue no forther mocion vnto forther ꝑ­fection. But if any be specially called: by the spirite of god vnto any of the counsayles of perfection / thā (say I) if that persone wyll forsake that calynge: the generall religion of Christe is nat sufficient for that persone so caled / whiche thynge we shall more playnly declare here after / natwithstandynge this place of the gospell dothe sufficiently approue the same by the wordes of Christe. Nowe deuoute christianes / be you yuen iugꝭ whether it be a thynge of foly and folysshenes / or rather a thyng of wysdome and prudence / to folowe / applie / and consente vnto the speciall counsayles / and spirituall calynges of our lorde and sauiour Iesu / whiche thynge (for a surety) he dothe of speciall grace / for the singuler charite / & loue that he hath vnto them that he wolde shulde deserue singuler merite & rewarde / I trowe no feythfull christiane wyll say / it were a foly to fo­lowe [Page] the counsell of any wyse man / moche more of Christe hym selfe the selfe essēcial wysdome of god. But they say it is a foly to take any mo or any other religiōs: thā y^e religion of Christe. Here done they craftely p̄suppose vnto the people / that our religiō monasticall: is an other religion differente from y^e religion of Christe. And we done nat saye so / but y^t rather all is one. For there is no religion properly but one the selfe religiō of Christ. And al our religions monasticall: ben degrees or states of ꝑfectiō in the same religion. For in religion monasticall: is y^e religion of Christe moste surely & moste precisely kepte / & y^t I meane for the states & degrees of persones / & nat for y^e singuler ꝑsones. For some one ꝑson or ꝑsones out of religion monasticall: may kepe y^e religion of Christe as ꝑfectely & p̄cisely: as any ꝑ­sone within the same / but cōmunely to speke of the state or fourme of leuynge / as of sauldiours / courtiours / marchaūtes / men of lawe / artificers / housbondes / labourers / with suche other maried persones / or sole & synguler ꝑsones. And in y^e spirituall parte parsons / vicares / preestꝭ / colleges / & cathedral churches / w^t suche other cōgregaciōs or fraternites / cō ­parynge these statꝭ of lyues / vnto the religious monasticall / I dare well saye y^e religion of Christe (after the fourme & maner of his lyfe & of his apostles) is better & more ꝑfectly & p̄cisely kepte in religion monastical: than in any of the other states. And yet (I say) all ben of one religion / all breders & systers al disciples of the rule & religion of Christe / and al membres of the misticall body of Christe. Monasticall religion: is any of those religions and orders that done professe the essēsiall vowes after any rule [Page xx] autentyke or of auctorite and by the confirmacion of the pope is incorporate in the lawe yet say they forther that to do a good dede of fre wyll and liber­ty of mynde: is more merite & more worthy thanke or rewarde: than to do it of bonde and duety. Here vnto we shall vse theyr owne example / and so take them in theyr owne snare / and slee them with theyr owne swerde / or hange them in theyr owne halter. Let in case two nede / persones be presented byfore you. And other two pituous persones / wyllyng of very charite to releue and helpe theyr penury & nede. The one persone dothe (of fre wyll with­out any bonde or duety (gyue vnto the one nede persone / euery daye two pens. The other doth wyl­fully (all thoughe of deuocion and charite) bynde him selfe: by writynge and seale to gyue vnto the o­ther nede persone a yerely rente / fee / or annuite of two pens a daye durynge his lyfe. Nowe iuge you whiche of this tweyne is worthy more rewarde or thanke. Howe be it the case wolde be more di­recte and frame better vnto purpose if it were put in two persones to do seruice: the one to do seruice of free wyll and liberality: and the other to bynde him selfe wylfully there vnto. And yet euery where the bynder is more worthy thanke / nat so moche (peraduenture) for the seruice: as for the wylfull bonde there vnto natwithstandinge they done here presuppose a thynge cōtrary vnto the gospell / that is that a persone maye do a good dede in his lyfe / where vnto he were nat boūde. Syth our sauiour sayth. Whā you haue done all that you can:Lu. 17. C. yet may you say you ben but boūde seruaūtes vnprofitable [Page] bycause you haue done that was your duety and bonde and no more. Thus nowe done we conclude cōtrarie vnto theyr false asserciō that to make these vowes in monasticall religion is nat (as they say) a thynge of foly and folyshnes / but rather a thynge of great wysdome / prudence / and policie.

¶Answere vnto the seconde assercion and affirmacion.

¶ [...] heretikes and the profe therof. The fyfte Chapitre.

THeyr seconde assercion & reason / is that to make and promyse these sayd vowes is a thynge of great boldenes and mer­uaylous presumpcion. And this done they inforse to proue agayne al .iii. vowes by order and fyrste of obedience.Agayne o­bedience. They say it is a presump­cion and a temptacion or prouocation against god rather than a truste in hym / that a persone hauyng wytte and reason shulde (at venture) put hym selfe soule and body subiecte vnto an other persone that he knoweth nat Vnto this: let the Apostles & disciples of Christe answere. For here done they con­dempne them of presumpcion / temptacion / and prouocacion of god / bycause they forthwith at the fyrst calynge dyd put them subiecte vnto hym / whome byfore they neuer knewe ne sawe / vnto this wyll they answere / saynge: that byfore they continued in that subiection / they dyd se euidēte of his miracles that myght reasonably moue them ther vnto. So dyd Pharao (say I) se as great miracles by Moy­ses / and gaue (for all that) no credence there vnto. [Page xxi] But yet wyll they saye agayne there was in the A­postles and disciples an inwarde workynge of the spirite of god bysyde that outwarde calinge (so say I) there is ī euery persone ryghtly caled vnto reli­gion.1. Io. 4. A. And therfore saynt Iohan wolde that euery persone shulde proue that calynge whether it were of the spirite of god or nat / for that spirite dothe serche and proue all thynges.1. Cor. 2. And therfore the churche hathe ordeyned by the cōmune lawe: that euery persone that wolde make profession ī any of the for­sayd rules: shulde byfore theyr entre and full profession / haue a yere of probacion. Wherby that appe­reth playnly false / that they done presuppose that is: that religious persones done put them selfe sub­iecte without any knowelege of the souereynes. For that yere is appoynted indifferente for bothe the parties eche to knowe other yet say they: it is a foly to be subiecte vnto a fole / and no wysdome to be at the rule and ordinaunce of a vicious persone.1. Pe. 2. C. Phi. 6. Hebre. 13. Here vnto the Apostles Peter and Paule done an­swere wyllynge and commaūdynge that theyr dis­ciples shulde be obediente vnto theyr souereynes / nat onely those that were good and vertuous: but also vnto them that were visious. And Christe him selfe in the gospell cōmaunded we shulde do what the prelates done byd or cōmaunde all thoughe we shulde nat do alway as they done.Math. 23. .A. And he him selfe (I saye our sauiour) was wylfully subdued ī body vnto the membres of the dyuel: Pilate and Herode Annas and Cayphas / and suche other / and yet I may say forther vnto the dyuell hym selfe.Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Thus nowe dothe theyr sainge appere openly false. Wher they say it is a presūpcion / temptacion / and prouo­cacion [Page] of god to make obedience vnto man. And our saynge is true / it is a profounde & meruaylous mekenes / that very moche moueth our lorde to mercy.Of wylfull pouerte. The same falshede done they inforce agayne wylfull pouerte. Saynge it is a presumpcion for any persone to forsake the goodes of the worlde so clerely & vtterly y^e nothynge they may reteine vnto theyr owne nede what case so euer happe or fall. &c. Vnto this we shall more largely answere in the en­tretynge of that vowe. Nowe for this tyme we shal let our sauiour Christe answere for hym selfe. For he was of this presumpcion as he sayd. Filius hominis non habet vbi caput suum reclinet. Math. 8. C The sone of the virgine (sayd he) hathe nat (as they say) an hole to hyd his hed in. Here vnto they wyll saye he was god / he myght sone prouyde for hym selfe at wyll / yet say I: he spake these wordꝭ vnto a persone that wolde haue folowed him for suerty of lyuyng. And also his Apostles were no goddes / & yet folowynge his example: they were of the same presumpcion / if this may be caled presūpcion: & so dyd they teache theyr disciples to lyue all in cōmune without pro­prietie or suretie of lyuynge. And the fyrst persones that (by theyr proprietie) brake that ordinaūce:Act. 5. A. dyd peryshe. As dothe appere in the actes of the same Apostles. And thus you maye well perceyue theyr sayng cōtrarie vnto scripture is false / it is therfore no presumpcion to do as Christe dyd and his Apostles / but rather is it an euident profe of the mekenes whiche he expressed and bade vs folowe the same lesson saynge.Math. 11. D. Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde. Lerne you of me (saythe he) for I am mylde and meke of herte / yet done they laboure to proue [Page xxii] the same of chastite. Saynge it is presumpcion aboue all presumpcions that a mortall persone ly­uynge here in the frayle flesshe shulde entreprise promyse / and vndertake / to lyue without the flesshe whiche is rather the lyfe of Angell than of man. For the acte of generacion:Philoso­phus. is a naturall acte and the moste naturall acte without whiche the worlde myght nat be continued. The prouerbe also muste be true. Harde it is to remoue out of the flesshe that is bredde in the bone. And saynt Paule saythe:1. Cor. 7. B better is for any persone to be maried than to brēne by the flame of the flesshe. Vnto this reason (as we sayd of the other) shall we answere at large in the processe of chastite / but somewhat to saye breue­ly: they done herein as they dyd of the other that is condempne Christe hymselfe / our blessed lady his mother and all his Apostles of that presumpcion. Blessed Mary his mother dyd bynde her selfe by vowe and promyse vnto chastite. Saynge vnto the Angell: as is in the gospell.Luce. 2. Quoniam vitum non cognosco. I haue (sayd she) fully determined neuer to haue the carnall knowelege of man. And Christe dyd kepe chastite in moste excellent maner and bothe caled & counsayled other persones there vnto.Ieronimꝰ ī prologo super Io­annem. Saynt Iohan he caled whan he was in wyll and purpose to be maried and bothe he & the other Apostles (by the mocion of Christe) dyd bynde thē selfe vnto chastite / as here after we shall proue / yet done they here after theyr custome: p̄suppose a false groūde / that is: y^t a ꝑsone may nat brynge y^e flesshe in bondage & thrale vnto the spirite bycause of the naturall disposicion & rebelliō of sensualite whiche saynt Paule doth contrarie & proue false. Saynge [Page] I do (saythe he) chastice and correcte my body and brynge my flesshe / thrale and subiecte vnto the spi­rite.1. Cor. 9. D And so he wylled and desyred that al persones shulde be virgins as he was. Here also done they presuppose an other falshede y^e religious persones done promyse and make the vowe of chastite with­out due probacion of them selfe. And if a persone ꝑ­ceyue (by due profe) that he dothe so brenne and is continually so inflamed: that he maye nat conueni­ently kepe chastite: he shulde nat take it vpon hym / but rather (after the saynge af saint Paule:1. Cor. 7. B whiche they spake of) shulde they marie than brenne. To promyse therfore chastite after the due fourme of religion: is no presumpcion / but rather a perfection and folowynge or fulfyllynge of Christes coūsayll and example.

¶Of the answere vnto theyr thyrde assercion and reason. The .vi. Chapitre.

THeyr thyrde reason is: that to ꝓmyse these vowes is sure dampnacion.

They inforce to proue the same thus / it is contrarie vnto the ordinaunce of god and nature saye they: bycause y^e god made man so that naturally he shulde haue in his owne power the fredome and liberty of wyll. For our lorde sayd vnto Caym.Gene. 4. Thyne appetite and passion shalbe vnder thy selfe / and in the fre li­berte of thy wyll / and thou shalte be lorde and haue the gouernaunce therof. For by the liberty of wyll as well as by reason vnderstādynge and memorie / man is the very ymage of god / but by the promyse [Page xxiii] of this: man dothe make thrale and bonde / that god made fre & ad liberte. And so dothe he (in as moche as liethe in hym) forsake that similitude and lyke­nes of god / and dothe depriue hymselfe therof / and wylfully dothe leue / or rather lose that / Ergo thus to promyse and make vowes is a thynge or sure & certeyne dampnation. This is theyr argumente & reason. Vnto the whiche I saye: that they make a fallax and a deceytfull argumente in the mysuse of these termes (as byfore is said) fredome or libertie / and thraldome or bondage. For by these vowes & promyses: dothe no ꝑsone make hī selfe bonde / but rather dothe put hym selfe in more libertie and fre­dome. For (as we proued byfore) the bondage of Christe: is the moste fre and moste noble liberte y^t can be / whiche is proued by our lorde god hym selfe For where he is nat onely of the moste hygh [...] and moste noble libertie and fredome of wyll: but also the selfe essenciall libertie and fredome of wyll / yet natwithstandinge wolde he (of his gracious goodnes) make hymselfe bonde by promyse and othe vnto man / as is euidente in many places of bothe the testamentes. And yet dyd that bonde nothynge let his libertie of wyll. So in vs all thoughe the wyll of the flesshe be (sometyme) contrarious vnto our holy promyse / yet is the wyll of the spirite at more libertie therby: as oftymes we haue shewed byfore Wherfore to make these vowes: is nat as they saye a sure dampnation but rather a great and moste sure suretie of our salua­cion. And this vnto theyr theyrde proue.

¶Answere vnto theyr fourthe assercion and rea­son. The .vii. Chapitre

THeyr fourthe reason is: that to make these vowes muste nedes be a great ieopardy and peryll of dampnacion And scripture saythe.Eccle. [...]. D who so loueth peryll: shall lyghtly fall therinto / but all religious persones done wylfully vndertake / & put themselfe vnto that peryll or ieopardy / Ergo they be moste lyke to fall therin. That suche enter­pryse and vowe is of suche peryll & ieopardy:Anmonitione. 15. theyr owne auctours done testifie. Cesarius one of them saythe / that as religion obserued and kepte: is of moste hygh merite / so neglecte brokē and nat kepte is it of moste depe dampnation. But all the worlde may se and perceyue (say they) that religion is nat kepte / Ergo is it (as is sayd) of sure or (at the least) great peryll and ieopardy of dampnacion. To ꝓue that religion is nat kepte: they done make processe agayne all .iii. vowes by order. Nowe to make full aunswere / fyrste we graunte and done assente vnto theyr auctorities aswell of the wyse man as of the holy father Cesarie / that is: that religion kepte is moste hyghe merite / and contrarie / nat kepte of moste depe dampnacion. But yet dothe nat folowe that they done suppose / that is: that the religious ꝑsones ben in more ieopardy or peryll of dampnaciō than the other persones that neuer made suche pro­myse / all thoughe in dede they bene worthy more peyne and punisshement if they breke theyr ꝓmyse / wyll you se a pleyne example hereof.Example. Euery kynge [Page xxiiii] and prynce hathe subiectes / some cōmune people / and some more nere aboute hym that bene more streytely sworne and boūde to mo secretes & great­ter charges / and therfore ben they more in fauoure and haue more large fees and rewardes than haue the cōmune people / if than these persones so speci­ally fauoured: wolde breke theyr promyse and othe and be traytoures or otherwyse false vnto theyr so­uerayne: good reason wolde they shulde haue more sharpe iugemente and more greuous paynes or correction / thā the cōmune people shulde haue: for lyke defaulte or trespase. And yet natwithstandynge they ben nat in more ieopardy and peryll of that punisshemente ne of the cause therof: than bene the cō: mune people that made nat so depe promyse. But rather ben they in moche lesse ieopardy and peryll / bycause they haue lesse occasiō to be false and more cause to be true and faythfull. So do I conclude for religion contrarie vnto them / that religious ꝑ­sones bene in lesse ieopardy and more out of peryll than any other persones / whiche thynge shall ap­pere more euidentely here after. But where they lay vnto our charge that we done nat kepe the ru­les and the promyse of our profession / if they meane vniuersaly that all done nat kepe them it is true / if they say none do kepe them: that is false. I can nat deney but that monasticall religion is sore dekeyde and dothe dayly so continue / I am sory therfore. Shewe vs (saye they) one monasterie where the ꝓmyse of theyr professiō is perfourmed. I can shewe diuerse of the reuerend father of the obseruauntes / the charterhouses / with other. And I myghte saye in true conscience: I haue knowen manye [Page] monasteries that haue ben noted of great negligēce in kepynge of theyr rules / and yet ī the same places were some that alway kepte ryght well bothe theyr rule and constitutions. But myne institucion and purpose here: is nat to excuse the misdoers and bre­kers of of religion. For theyr yuell dedes done ꝓue no defaulte in the state and maner of lyuynge of re­ligion.

¶Of answere vnto theyr finall conclusion The .viii. Chapitre.

YEt saye they we se so many of those bre­kers and so fewe of the kepers / that we thinke: better were to haue no suche sectes but al one rule & religion of Christe Oh Iesu bone. Oh good lorde / howe wyse done these persones thynke them selfe? I shall nowe make vnto them a like reason. In the worlde be many nacions of people / and all of the creacion of god and yet ben they of diuerse sectes / of diuerse religiōs / of diuerse feithtꝭ / & byleues / as Iues sarasynes / turkes / & christianes / we ben ī certeinte none shalbe saued: but onely christianes / and thoughe in case some of them myght be saued / yet maye we be sure: none shall haue so great / and hyghe rewarde ne any of them ben so sure of saluacion as the chri­stiane people if they kepe the lawes of Christe / & y^e promyse and profession made in baptisme. But if (contrarie) they done nat kepe the same: they shall (without doute) more depely be dāpned than other [Page xxv] the Iues / sarasynes / turkes / or any other infideles ergo after these heretikes the christianes ben more in peryll and ieopardy than ben the infideles. And also trouthe it is (no man can deney) that fewe fewe and verey fewe christianes done kepe the religion of Christe and the turkes and infideles done better kepe theyr lawes than we ours / ergo (after theyr reason) better were for vs to leue and forsake our christianitie / and be turkes and infideles. But vn­to this (I byleue) good deuout reders you wyl nat graūt / Ergo theyr lyke reasō of our religiō is right nought. Sythe thā ī very trouth al thoughe nat to be sayd w^tout great sorowe) christianitie is greatly dekeyde / and religiō moche dekeyde it were (in my mynde) more myte and more conuenient for them and for all feythfull christianes: to pray for bothe / & to gyue studie and diligence (eueryche after theyr power) rather to refourme and amende bothe / than thus to blaspheme / detracte / depraue / and to speke yuell of any of them / where they saye it is agayne reason and contrarie vnto the cōmune welthe / that suche persones shulde be suffred to gyue awaye / de­parte / and forsake theyr owne goodes / and landes / and than to lyue in slouthe and mere ydelnes vpon other folkes goodes here done they presuppose (as theyr custome is) a great falshede / that is: that al re­ligious persones done lyue in slouthe and ydelnes where (in true trouthe) no persones of this worlde bene more continually occupied in holy and moste profytable occupacions for the cōmune welthe as in the legendes of the Apostles and other holy sayntes dothe openly appere. And also here done they presūptuously blaspheme and reproue our sauiour Christe [Page] his blessed mother and his holy Apostles and disci­ples. For Christe dyd forsake nat only what he had but also what so euer he myght haue had ī ꝓprietie. And liued vpō suche goodꝭ as were brought ī & put in cōmune wherof Iudas bare the purse / and had the custody and ministracion.Matth. 18. C. Io. 12. A. et. 13. C. Ibidem. Luce. 8. A. And also certeyne women (sayth the gospell) dyd folowe hym and ministre vnto hym of theyr goodes and substaunce. And (as I sayd byfore) Christe gaue counsayle vnto a yonge man that was very ryche: to sell all his substaunce / and to departe and gyue all his goodes vnto the poore / and so all naked bare and voyde of worldly goodes to folowe hym / and to lyue vpon the goodꝭ of other ꝑsones.Act. 4. & 5. Our blessed lady also & and his holy Apostles after they had the holy ghost dyd all lyue after the same maner al ī cōmune w^tout any thynge ꝓpre / & vnto this tyme some ꝑsones (af­ter theyr exāple) haue alway so cōtinued. What reasonable christiane wyl byleue y^t our sauiour Christ wolde do any thynge or coūsayle any thynge to be done y^t were againe reasō (or as these blasphemers done say) contrarie vnto the cōmune welth? I dare well say: none wyll so thynke or suspecte / but onely these heretikes. For it shulde be also contrarie vnto y^e ꝓmyse of Christe that y^e holy ghoste shulde suffre thē to do any thynge cōtrarie vnto y^e cōmune welth sith they were illumined w^t his grace / & so sent forth for the edificacion & increace of the cōmune welthe. Thus nowe maye you se / & clerely ꝑceyue theyr reasons ben of no valure ne strengthe / but y^t in all thynges: they done delude & deceyue the good sīple chri­stianes. And yet done they adde one ꝓposicion vn­to theyr conclusions / whiche is this.

¶Of answere vnto theyr laste conclusion: and to opproue these sayd vowes / fyrst by the auc­torite of the auctours. The ix. Chapitre.

TO fortifie and make stronge theyr conclusions: they say that no grounde or aucto­rite can be founde in scripture / nor in all the lawe of god / olde or newe / y^t any suche vowes were made / or shulde be made. Here maye you perceyue fyrst that none other auctorite wyll serue them / ne any other wyl they admitte / but only scripture / whiche is an open peruersitie & a sygne or token of an heresie. For a good feythfull christi­ane: wyll byleue the auctorite and vse of the catho­lyke churche and the determinacions therof w^tout any forther auctorite. It were sufficient for them to byleue the legende that is redde in the churche of y^e holy Apostle saynt Matthewe / that dyd consecrate holy vigins whiche were obediente vnto him.Legenda. Matth. And lyued all in cōmune as he dyd. This auctorite is no smale thyng. The auctorite also of saynt Denisenise the holy martyre that was disciple vnto saynt Paule / shulde be had in reuerence and of due & cer­teyne crevence / that in his boke of the Hierarsie ec­clesiastike:Dionisius. doth shewe of diuerse orders & degrees of religious persones that were in the tyme of the Apostles / and that toke theyr orders & religion of them. The cōstitutions / decrees / & ordinaūces of y^e church shulde vnto euery christiane: be auctorite of infallible & vndeceyuable trouthe by this article of our feith. Credo ecclesiā catholicā. I byleue y^e catholyke churche / & gyue feyth & credēce thervnto. But [Page] these persones bene so precise / and peruerse / and obstinate in theyr opinions: that none auctorite wyll content them / but onely the selfe texte of holy scrip­ture / we shal therfore inforce / take in hande and ieoparde wage batayle with them to contre and mete with them ī theyr owne felde & to fyght with them with theyr owne wepen. I byseche you deuout re­ders: be equall and yuen iuges.

¶The proue and surety of the vowes by holy scripture / and fyrste of obedience and wylfull pouerte. The x. Chapitre.

THat obedience hath grounde and bygyn­nynge of the ordinaunce and cōmaunde­mente of god / holy scripture dothe testifie in the fyrste boke of al scripture caled Ge­nesis. where euidently dothe appere: that the fyrste and principall cōmaundement that euer god gaue was of obedience. Saynge vnto Adam and Eue. De omni ligno paradisi comede. &c. Fede you or eate of the fruytes of all the trees in paradyse / excepte onely this tree that standethe in the mydle of para­dyse / for what so euer daye you do eate therof:Gene. 2. you shall dye / that is to saye: you shalbe subdued vnto the peyne of dethe / where nowe you be in power to lyue for euermore without peyne & neuer to suffre dethe ne disease. So that obedience onely was the way & meane of euerlastynge lyfe / & inobedience or disobediēce the cause of synne & dethe. And therfore after his disobedience nothynge myght restore mā vnto y^e state he was in byfore: but onely obedience. [Page xxvii] Saynt Paule vnto auctorite.Ro. 5. Sicut per inobedien­ciam vnius hominis. &c. As by the inobedience or disobediēce of one mā: many mē were made sīners / so by the obediēce of one man agayn: many mē shal be made iuste persones / and apte vnto saluacion: that is to meane by the obedience of our lorde and sauiour Iesu / that was rendred obedient vnto deth and that deith moste shameful the deth of the crosse.Phil. 2. B. But this obedience wherof we shall entreate / is a very braunche of that obediēce (as we haue shewed and shall more largely proue) Ergo obedience is grounded and founded in scripture in bothe the te­stamentes. Yet forther after the fall of man / in the lawe of nature: man was conserued from euerlas­tynge dampnacion onely by obedience / and put vnto euerlastynge dethe by disobedience / as is euidēt of Caym and Abell / and ī many other places of the scripture.Gene. 4. In the lawe writen that was the lawe of Moyses caled the olde lawe / obedience was chefe maystres and ruler. And in the lawe of the gospell: obediēce is expressed & set forthe as the very trouth byfore figured. Thus appereth that obedience is statuted by the auctorite of scripture.Of wylfull pouerte. Nowe for wylfull pouerte. In paradyse was no proprietie. And in the lawe of nature: all thyngꝭ were cōmune. The lawe writen dyd commaunde that no persone shulde be nedy amonge the people of god / but that eueriche shulde ministre / and do conforte and helpe vnto other accordynge vnto theyr nede.Deu. 15. And in the newe lawe our sauiour hym selfe: is chefe example of wylfull pouerte. For he sayd of hym selfe.Math. 8. C The sone of man hathe nat where to hyd his hed / & take reste in. That is to saye: he had nothynge in this [Page] worlde in proprietie / but dyd shewe openly and set forthe the very precise and true perfectiō of wylfull pouerte. And his holy Apostles (after his example) dyd folowe the same and so gaue order vnto theyr disciples / whiche was of longe tyme obserued and kepte in the primitiue & fyrste begynnīge of y^e chur­che of Christe / whiche nowe all religious persones done insue and folowe / Ergo wylful pouerte is foū ded vpon holy scripture.

¶Howe the vowe of chastite: is statuted and foū ­ded by holy scripture / and of the approba­cion of all .iii. vowes by reason. The .xi. Chapitre.

CHastite in the lawe of innocencie: was excellent and honorable whiche thinge the abasshement of Adam & Eue: dothe euidently proue. For byfore they had synned (all thoughe they were naked) they were nothyng abasshed / but forthwith after theyr fal: they were feyne (for shame) to make them couerynges of leyues to hyde and couer themselfe eche from other So that chastite in man was neuer / ne euer shulde haue ben defaded or blemyshed / but onely by synne. And therfore all suche persones as in the olde lawe were sanctified and bourne without synne: were alwaye virgins and continued all theyr lyfe in pure and clene chastite / as Hieremie the ꝓphete / our blessed lady the virgine Mary / and saynt Iohan bap­tiste. So that in the lawe writen: virginite was more excellente and more worthy than fecondite all thoughe that for the multiplicacion of the chosen [Page xxviii] people of god / generacion was necessarie: and so fecondite that is pleyntie of chyldren or fruite was in affection. And in the lawe of nature: that persone that was the fyrst named Iuste persone and begin­ner of Christꝭ churche deyed and departed this lyfe a virgine that was Abell. And that Christe our sa­uiour was euer a virgine: the selfe heretikes wyll nat deney / it nedethe therfore no probacion. Nowe than let vs bygyne at Christe hym selfe to approue and statute all these vowes. For he is the founda­cion and founteyne of all perfection / and in hym he had the plenitude fulnes and aboundaunce of all maner vertues of whose plenitude:Io. 1. all christianes done take and receyue what they haue. And therefore he shewed and set forthe that perfection as ex­amplare vnto all christianes / eueryche to folowe accordinge vnto theyr vocacion / calyng and grace / whiche perfection standethe hooly amonge christi­anes in secludynge or eschewynge and auoydynge of vice (for one parte) and the insuynge / folowyng gadrynge / and kepynge of vertues. The moste redy meane where vnto is the receyuinge the obseruaunce and kepynge of these .iii. vertues / obediēce / wylfull pouerte / and chastite / whiche ben receyued and promysed generally of euery christiane in bap­tisme by the precepte of Christe / and more specially bene they counsayled by our sauiour (as we haue / and muste diuerse tymes shewe) as the very and moste redy meane & way (as is sayd) vnto ꝑfection. For by obedience / pryde / enuy / & wrathe / ben seclu­ded & vtterly distroyed.Obedience. And y^e contrarie vertues y^t is to saye: mekenes / charite / or louynge kyndnes / & paciēce / ben edified & bylded ī theyr place & roume. [Page] And by wylful pouerte: is auarice or couetise with the accasions, of the flatering worlde: auoyded / dispised / and set at nought. And contrarie there vnto ben all thynges made cōmune / in moste perfecte li­beralite. And chastite can neuer precisely be kepte: but where gloutony / slouthe / and lechery / ben clene put out of place / & due abstinence discrete laboures and exercises with bashfull by hauiour: ben put in theyr rowmes / & so y^e body be mortified & brought vnto due obedience of soule and the spirite. Ergo these .iii. vertues ben vnto all feythfull christianes ꝓfitable and necessarie. For (as we sayd) these .iii. were expressed and set forthe for the same ende / and intent by our sauiour Christe in the moste hygh de­gre of perfection. For in eueryche of them ben di­uerse degrees of perfection / vnto the whiche: our sauiour dyd electe / chose / and call diuerse persones vnto the moste hyghe degree moste lyke and moste nere vnto hymselfe / dyd he call the .xii. Apostles vnto an other degre the .lxxii. disciples. And of the thirde degre / were many of both the sexes men and women. But the Apostles were in the moste excel­le [...]t and hyghest degre possible for man in this lyfe of all and euery che of these .iii. after they had receyued the holy ghoste. For than were they all moste ꝑfectly obedient moste wylfully and moste perfectly poore / and moste perfectly chaste. For they were moste specially electe & in more speciall maner cho­sen and caled there vnto than any other.Math. 4. C. Mar. 1. B. Luce. 5. B. Math. 10. D. Whan he sayd vnto them. Venite post me. Come you (sayd he) after me / folowe you me / what the affecte was of y^e folowynge is after declared in the gospell of Matthewe / and also in Luke. Where he sayd in playne [Page xxix] termes that who so euer wolde folowe hym in that degre of ꝑfection:Luce. 14. muste forsake father and mother / syster and brother / wyfe and childe / & also his owne proper wyll. And yet after in more large termes. Who wyll nat forsake vtterly all maner of thynges that he hathe in proper possession / and vnto proper vse (saythe he) can nat be my disciple in this degree of perfection. Thus than we done conclude con­trarie vnto these aduersaries / that vowes of mona­sticall religion: haue begynnynge / grounde / & foundacion of holy scripture / and of the gospell of god.

¶Howe these sayd vowes ben cōteyned euidently in the wordes of the gospell. The .xii. Chapitre.

HOwe the wordes of y^e gospell done expresse these sayd vowes / and in effecte: call / and moue / or rather byd and appoynte the sayd Apostles / & all other of lyke / calynge vnto the same vowes. Thus dothe appere. Fyrst where he sayth Venite / come you / folowe me whiche is the imperatyfe mode / includinge a p̄cept or cōmaundemente / and they makynge graunt thervnto.For Obedience. Obedience is set forthe / vnto the declaracion wherof dothe folowe nat onely the renounsynge & forsakynge of all outwarde thyngꝭ: but also of selfe proper wyll whiche properly apperteyneth vnto o­bedience / and to hange / hooly / and to be ordered af­ter his wyll and nat theyr owne. So thā were they caled vnto this monasticall obedience / as after shal be more largely shewed.Of Chastite And whereis sayd they- [Page] muste forsake father and mother / wyfe and chylde / and so forthe is the vowe of chastite expressed.Luce. 14. For after theyr calynge and conformacion / all the Apo­stles kepte chastite in moste hyghe purite & clennes So is the vowe of chastie stablysshed by y^e gospel. Nowe for wylfull pouerte:Pouerte. Luce. 14. is a playne texte in the ende of the same chapitre of Luke / where is sayd. Sic ergo, omnis ex uobis qui non renunciat omnibus que possidet: non potest meus esse discipulus. That is euery ꝑsone of you that doth nat renounce & forsake all thynges that he hathe in possession: vnto proper vse / may nat or can nat (in any wise) be my disciple / in this degre of perfection. But here peraduenture they wyll say y^t these wordes of Christe were spokē indifferently vnto all christianes / where vnto saye I: the wordes of the selfe texte wyll answere. Sic ergo. &c. these ben wordes of a sure cōclusion as very trouthe / as moche to say in englysshe. As so thā / or so therfore / whiche ben wordes of a sure conclusion natwithstādynge this worde Ergo is vsed cōmunely in englysshe vnto the same purpose and in the same significacion. So than concludynge the wordes y^t he sayd byfore in the same chapitre / he sayth Ergo e­ueryche / or euery one / or euery persone / Omnis / and there folowith / ex uobis / of you / nat alone euery persone (as they saye) For euery persone is nat of this electiō or calinge / but euery persone / euery one of you / that ben syngulerly / caled and of synguler e­lection vnto this perfection / and lykewyse of all o­ther that shall succede you of lyke calynge. Euery one (I say) of you that doth nat renounce / and for­sake all that he hath in possession / can nat be my disciple. This sentence dothe conclude that who so [Page xxx] wyl be of this perfection: muste presently nat onely in purpose / or minde for tyme cōmynge / but also for that presente tyme byfore he be a disciple / byfore he entre in religion he muste forsake all / howe all? all (I say) that he hathe / or may haue / in possession vnto proper vse. And yet nat vtterly all thynges. For thoughe he maye haue nothynge in possession / yet may he haue all thynges in cōmune vnto vncerteyn vse at the appoyntemente of the souereygne. Thus nowe bene all these vowes statuted and approued by the lawe of the gospell / as founded / and groūded vpon the same.

¶Howe the Apostles dyd receyue the counsayle of these .iii. vowes / and bynde them selfe and theyr successours of lyke calynge & consente: vnto the same. The .xiii. Chapitre.

HEre peraduenture the said aduersaries wyll say y^t all thoughe y^e Apostles were of suche synguler election as is sayd & all thoughe they dyd al kepe the sayd .iii. vertues w^t other and amonge other vertues / yet (say they) dothe nat folowe that they made any vowe ꝓfession [...] promyse thervnto / nor that they kepte thē for any bonde or duety / but onely of theyr owne fre libertie and good wyll / and so dyd many other ho­ly sayntes many yeres after them. For directe aunswere here vnto: we muste se fyrste and vnder­stande what is a vowe / that is: what is mente by this terme Vot [...]m in englysshe a vowe.

¶Howe and vnder what fourme and ma [...] a vowe maye be made. The .xiiii. Chapitre.

NOwe must folowe of the fourme and maner howe a vowe maye be made. For a vowe may be made openly or secretely. The vowe secrete [Page] is made inwardly in the herte or mynde / and in the conscience of the selfe persone / alone that other by secrete wordes vnto hym selfe or els by thought and consente of soule / doth make the vowe and promyse vnto god alone / as dyd Iacob whan he wente vnto his vncle / and as Anne the mother of Samuell dyd byfore Heli the preest / and as many other per­sones done dayly make of pilgrimages / or fastes to be done for them selfe or theyr frendes. The open vowe: is whan the persone doth make it outwarde in the hearynge and presence of other ꝑsones. And this may be ī two maners / one caled a symple vowe or syngle vowe / and y^e other a solempne vowe. The symple open vowe: is made without solemnite of y^e churche / & yet ī the presence of ꝑsones as dyd Saul & Iepte / and many other in holy scripture.1. Reg. 14. D. Iudic. 11. G The so­lemne vowe is / that vowe that is made ī the p̄sence of god and man / & in the face of the churche / & by the auctorite & ordinaunce of the same / as in the holy sacramēt of baptisme / of matrimonie / and suche other by the auctorite of bothe the lawes / natw^tstandynge these solemne vowes maye be made secretely. And where y^e circūstaūces of the open solemnizaciō & she wynge of y^e same can nat be had / they ben as good & valeante & done stande in as great strengthe and effecte as the other / & all one vnto god / & byfore him all of lyke bonde. Whan the outwarde solēnitie (as I s [...]) can nat by had / as by case if a persone wold make his vowe in full feythe to be baptized that by­fore was a hethen persone / & yet were takē sodeynly by any chaūce vnto dethe: y^e vowe and ꝓmyse were in that case sufficient / & as good as thoughe in dede he had ben baptized / & so of all other vowes whiche [Page xxxii] (I say) byfore god ben of lyke effecte & all one. But so ben they nat byfore mā and byfore y^e worlde. For the vowe that is made openly in the face of y^e chur­che: muste be kepte accordynge vnto the condicion / and after the maner of the promyse made ī the same vowe / vnder suche peynes and ieopardy as y^e chur­che dothe assigne and appoynt there vnto. But the vowes priuely made: maye be broken without any suche open punisshement of man / all thoughe they nothynge auoyde therby the peyne and punis­shement of god. The reason here of is / bycause that man dothe onely se / perceiue / and knowe these thynges that openly done appere withoutforth / but god dothe beholde and knoweth the herte of mā & al the secretꝭ therof / for nothynge may be hyd nor couered from hym. And therfore dothe he priuely punisshe / that is priuely offended and mysdone. For byfore god the consent of the soule dothe make y^e vowe ra­ther than y^e wordes. Thus haue we shewed what thynge a vowe is / & of the diuersities of laufull vo­wes. (For w^t vnlaufull or vndiscrete vowes: we no thynge here medle) & also we haue of the maner and due fourme of the same / whiche thynge considered nowe remayneth to shewe & proue for our purpose / howe the Apostles dyd make these vowes & kepe y^e same whiche thynge y^e very letter of y^e gospell doth testifie / nat onely that they vndertoke thē by y^e coū ­sayle of Christe in cōsent alone / but also in outward worde / as doth appere in the gospell of Matthewe & also of Luke.Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Where īmediately after our sauiour had gyuen the coūsayle & shewed the ieoꝑdy of thē that caled there vnto / dyd forsake the same and also of the meruaylouse difficultie and hardnes to come [Page] vnto saluacion with abūdaūce of ryches: they forth with answered in outwarde wordes / saynge. Syr beholde / se / perceyue / & knowe / that we (by thy counsayle and commaundemente) haue lefte and forsakē all maner of thynges that we had or myght haue / and also we haue folowed the / y^t is after saynt Hie­rome vpon the same letter / we haue lefte and forsa­ken our owne wyll / to folowe the / and to be at thy wyll in suche due obedience as thou haddest vnto god the father.Ieronimꝰ Syth thā (sayd they) we haue thus forsaken all: what shall it auayle vs / what profyte shal we haue therby / and what shalbe our rewarde Our sauiour Christe answered here to by a maner of othe & depe affirmaciō. Saynge. Amen dico uo­bis &c. I do a certein you or ꝓmise for a surety (said he) that you that haue folowed me: shalbe with me iuges of all the hole worlde. And all maner of per­sones y^t (for my sake) wyll leue & forsake his kynne / father and mother / sister and brother / wyfe & chyld / landes and pocessions / shall haue therfore moche more than they done forsake / and yet ouer that / shal they haue lyfe and blysse euerlastynge. Note and marke well the wordes of the gospell / whan our sa­uiour had shewed the Apostles what shulde be the rewarde of theyr obedience in folowynge hym / he shewed forthwith what shulde be the perfection of that obedience / that is to say nat onely to lyue selfe wyll by obedience / but also to forsake the flesshe / y^t is Domum. The house and auncestours wherof we come by kynred / that is father and mother and also those with whome we ben familier / and ioyned in carnall affection all thoughe naturall / as brother & syster / wyfe and chylde / and this apperteineth vnto [Page xxxiii] chastite / and that foloweth landes / fyldes / and possions / dothe apperteyne vnto wylfull pouerte. What nowe can be more pleyne than that the Apostles of Christe dyd (nat onely in consent of herte & mynde but also in expresse wordes) receyue the counsayle of Christe / and folowe his calynge vnto the hyghe perfection / and these .iii. essenciall vowes. And so dyd they perseuer / and kepe thē constantly all theyr lyfe tyme / without violence or spotte. Thus appe­reth bryghtely (contrarie vnto these blasphemers) that al these .iii. vowes / haue foundacion & groūde vpon holy scripture in bothe the testamentes olde & newe / natw^tstādynge they ben (as we sayd byfore) perfections of counsayle and nat of cōmaundemēt. And therfore no persones ben bounde to enterpryse and to take these perfections: but only at selfe liber­tie and fre wyll / excepte they ben caled / by speciall e­lection there vnto / as the Apostles were. For than (I thynke verely) that ī suche case they were boūde to receyue them after due profe of the sayd calynge and election. So that if they shulde forsake that ca­lynge they shulde be in ieopardy to be refused and forsaken of god: moche more than shulde they be in peryll and ieopardy that haue receyued the calyng and made vowe and profession vpon the same ar­gument.Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Here of I take of the wordꝭ of our sauiour as in the places byfore rehersed / where he sayd that no persone puttynge his hande vnto the ploughe / & lokynge becke: is apte for the kyngdome of heuen / that is ment of suche persones as bene caled by the inwarde mocion of the spirite / and done gyue con­sent there vnto / and yet wyll nat (for bycause of the pleasure they haue ī the worlde or y^e flesshe) folowe [Page] the same mocion in effecte and dede / of whiche ma­ner of persones: our sauiour sayd forthwith in the same letter / that it is of more difficulte & more hard for suche persones to come or to entre in to heuen / than for a camel to entre throughe the eye or hole of a nedle / that is to saye: that suche persones as done rather forsake god than his creatures / can nat lyghtely be saued / moche more than be those persones in peryll and ieopardy of theyr saluacion / y^t after they haue made vowe and promyse by solempne profes­sion:Io. 13. done forsake the same / as Iudas dyd. But here peraduenture some persones wolde axe of me / howe they myght knowe or perceyue what ꝑsones / and whan they ben chosen and calyd / vnto this per­fection or religion.

¶Howe a persone (by large coniecture) maye per­ceyue / or byleue and truste theyr calynge vn­to religion is of the election & spirite of god. The .xv. Chapitre.

TO determyne precisely and to make assercion and surety what persone is chosen and / caled by our lorde / or whā any persone is so caled vnto religion is very harde and aboue myne enter prise and lernynge / natwithstādyng I thynke large coniecture maye be had therof I shall therfore shewe therin my poore minde euer by due protestacion submittynge my selfe vnto correc­tion / and glad wolde I be to giue occasion vnto lerned men to speke more largely therin. For cer­teynly (in myne oppinion) one of y^e greatest causes [Page xxxiiii] or occasions of the dekey of religion: is the wronge entre therinto without any election or calynge of god / and without due examinacion of the mocion & of the intent and purpose of the entre. For the great olde enemye the dyuell: dothe many tymes transfi­gure / translate / and chaunge hymselfe into the four me and lykenes of a bryght and good Angel.2. Cor. 11. That is: that he wyl moue and stere many persones vnto a thynge that (of it selfe) is good and meritoriouse: vnto the ende / purpose / and intent / to deceyue: and moche rather therby to noy and hurte them. So dothe he (douteles) nat selden moue ꝑsones vnto religion / suche as he knoweth well ben nothyng apte ne mete therfore. To shewe all his crafty / wyly and deceytful wayse therin / can no man in this lyfe / nat withstandynge yet shall we for example set forthe some of his meanes. For he dothe vse diuerse mea­nes and instrumentes vnto diuerse persones. Vnto some persones: dothe he vse his owne proper in­strument / that is to say: pryde / ambicion / and selfe trust. For some persones doth he fynde and percyue that done stande well in theyr owne fauoure and cō seyte / and moche done trust and haue confidence in theyr owne vertues / & so done suppose or iuge theyr owne lyfe of more synguler perfection: than is the lyfe of other persones / and that theyr wyttes wys­domes / prudence / policie / and lernynge / passeth many other. Suche persones than dothe he moue and styrre (as a great dede of charite) to go vnto religion. Where they maye (saythe he vnto theyr thoughtes) do moche good / seynge the great dekey of religion. For his lyfe or hers: shulde refourme one monasterie / and do moche good (by y^t example) [Page] in all the religion in theyr spiritualites / & his wys­dome and prudence shulde repayre the pouerte and ruyme of the temporalities. And also the hole couēt wolde make suche a persone: shortely souereygne & ruler of all. But whan this persone (by suche ꝑsua­cion) is entred nat regardynge that as a litle poysō dothe infecte moche good meate: so doth pryde ma­ny vertues / than dothe he fayle of that purpose. For there dothe he fynde one of as good lyfe as he or better. An other as wyse or wyser. The thyrde of more depe vnderstandynge or lernynge / or at the least: suche persones dothe he fynde there as wyll nat fo­lowe his ymaginacion / nor the conclusion where vpon he trusted / than dothe he begynne to murmur and grudge / and to say he wyll departe thens vnto an other house / or vnto an other religiō / or retourne agayne by a capacite where he was / or els wyll he lyue where he doth at his owne pleasure / or els wyl he make moche trouble and vnrest. And all this cōmethe for y^e defaute of the fyrste entre. Vnto some other persones doth he vse the worlde as his instrument / and specially vnto suche persones / as he per­ceyuethe haue appetite and desyre to haue goodes and ryches of the worlde / and can nat brynge about theyr mynde / ne bryng theyr purpose to passe therin Than sayth the enemy: loke vpon suche an abbotte suche a priour / or suche officers / and thou mayste ꝑ­ceyue they ben ryche & haue playnte / if thou werein religion thou shuldest lacke nothynge / & sometyme he dothe couple and ioyne vnto this couetyse: his owne sayd propre instrumente of pryde / as in them that ben disposed vnto ambicion / vnto the desyre of hyghe rowme / dignite / gouernaunce / rule / and do­minacion [Page xxxv] / byfore the syght and cōsideraciō of these ꝑsones / doth he lay (as I sayd byfore) y^e cōsideraciō of theyr supposed v (er)tues & abilites after y^e maner of y^e proude pharesy. And the vylnes and insufficiēcy of all other ꝑsones as in his Iugemēt vnto whome he saythe. In suche a monasterie / ben many great offices / and goodly rowmes where suche a persone as you be may haue rule / and preminence / and pro­mote his kynne & frendꝭ. For incōparison vnto you all they ben but chyldren and ediotes and foles / and in continuaunce you may be sure to haue the mytre or to be souerayne. If suche persones (after theyr entre) fortune to obteine theyr minde and purpose / the religion ī that place goeth to wracke. And if they be deceyued and put from theyr purpose: they bene neuer in rest / but alway full of trouble / and full combrouse ꝑsones. This crafty deceytfull enemy: doth also vse the flesshe for his instrument as in suche ꝑ­sones as done entre religion: rather for y^e surety of theyr bodely lyuynge: than for the loue of god / & the increace of vertue. And suche ꝑsones cōmunely ben remysse ī theyr duety dull / ī laboures / delicate & full of dissolucion. I dare saye no more let this suffice for example. Nowe vnto our institute and purpose althoughe no man maye knowe for sure certeynte that his calinge is of god (reuelacion alway excep­ted) yet may all religious persones haue large con­iecture / and so to haue good hope and truste in the mercy of our lorde / that theyr calynge is of his holy spirite: whan (by diligent serche and aften examinacion of conscience / shewed playnly vnto wyse and spirituall lerned men) they can nat fynde ne proue: that any of the sayd occasions / or any other thynge [Page] of this worlde pleasaunt or displeasaunt / shulde be be cause of theyr entre into religion / but onely the loue and desyre of our lorde / and for the more surety of theyr saluacion. And specially whan they fele theyr mocion vnto religion doth growe & increace vnto a contempte and despisynge of al worldly and carnall pleasures / and dothe drawe theyr hertes / & mynde vnto suche a cōstancy therin: that nother ꝓ­sperite / nor aduersite of the worlde / ne any fere or drede of peynes / or laboures in the religion: ne any persuacion of frendes dothe moue them to leue and forsake theyr entrepryse and holy purpose / but that the mynde be (in maner) obstinate in the same / all thoughe the selfe persone knoweth no cause nor reason why his mynde is so set: but onely that he feleth (as I sayd) a desyre to serue our lorde. Than (saye I) we may well coniecture that this calynge is of our lorde / natwithstandynge yet do nat I saye that for all these mocions any persone shulde forthwith sodeynly entre religion ne yet receyue the habite w^t ­out a forther deliberacion with lerned counsayle. For the holy Apostle saynt Iohan sayth.1. Io. 4. A. Probate spiritus. &c. examine you (sayth he) and ꝓue the spi­rite and mocion of your calynge whether they be of god or no. And yet done nat I approue ouer longe deliberacion. For althoughe y^e Apostles of Christe came nat all at the fyrst call or calynge: yet dyd they come shortely at the seconde or thyrde calynge / and some at the fyrst as saynt Mathewe.Matth. 4. Matth. 9. A. Matth. 19. Luce. 18. Matth. 8. Some ꝑsones whan they were caled: wolde nat come / as the riche yonge man of whome we spake byfore. And some other dyd are a respecte and tyme of declaracion to prouide for theyr parentes and frendꝭ / and for theyr [Page xxxvi] worldly goodes / whiche tyme natwithstandynge our sauiour wolde nat graunt them.Ibidem. And yet other some dyd offre thē selfe to folowe our sauiour / & he wolde nat receyue them. The moste redy token to knowe the very calinge of god (I euer excepte reuelacion) is: whan a persone (voyde in cōscience of all the causes and occasions byfore sayd) hathe a secret surete ministred by the spirite of god / vnto the soule as saynt Augustynes mother had of his calynge.In libro cōfessionū. Thus haue you my poore mynde: to knowe by coniecture the calynge of god / yet doth the ghostly eni­mye: craftely and subtily assayle some other ꝑsones that ben full deuoute / but disposed to instabilite / as to seke the moste perfecte and sure way of theyr sal­uacion / and they ben full of wauerynge myndes. Nowe they wyll go vnto religion / and to morowe they shalbe in the contrarie mynde: or this daye in minde of one religion / and the nexte day of an other They wyll put many doutes / & suspecte many thynges. Some other contrarie ben of ouer large pre­sumpcion: that put no doutes / make no stoppage / but seke religion / and entre there vnto / nat able to accomplysshe and perfourme theyr duetes. And both these maner of persones ben lyghtely deluded & deceyued by the enimye. For y^e fyrste sortes of per­sones: whā they ben ꝓfessed / ben neuer cōtent w^t the cōpany where they ben / but other they wyl go vnto an other religion / or els vnto an other house of the same religiō / or peraduenture starte out and renne abrode agayne / and neuer byde the seconde chaūge of the mone in one place. The other persones / that done entre without due deliberacion done cōmon­ly for thynke theyr enterpryse / and bene ryght sory [Page] that they ben as clogges vnto theyr company. For euery good and ryght deuoute or perfecte persone is nat apte ne mete to be a good religious ꝑson / yet suche persones by very mekenes and pacience and good religious maner and byhauoure / done many tymes serue god ryght well and very wel also done content theyr company / howe be it (as we shewed vpon the rule) euery persone shulde byfore they re­ceyue the religion: knowe the rule of the same / and put them ī exercise / and surely ꝓue them howe they ben able to perfourme the same / & therafter to make true relacion vnto the couent / and that maye moche discharge conscience.

¶Of suche ꝑsones as done receyue religion / onely to auoyde and fle the occasions of synne. The .xvi. Chapitre.

SOme ꝑsones yet there ben that bene voyde of all the occasiōs byfore sayd that is: that done nothynge presume vpon any abilite or vertue of them selfe / ne set or care any thynge for honoure or preeminence: and haue suf­ficiēt substance without drede to lacke or want any thynge necessarie. And that ben full wel mynded to serue god / and yet natwithstande they done ꝑceyue (by dayly experience) that of very fraylte they done fall into synne and offence of god / contrarie vnto y^e good mynde and purpose / where vpon they haue fixed them selfe / and made promyse there vnto. As by example of them that haue determined to auoide [Page xxxvii] pryde / enuye / and wrathe / and yet in company they wyl (by fraylte) receyue theyr owne prayse / & some tyme set forthe the same beionde good measure / and whan they here detraction: done nat rebuke it / but sometyme adde there vnto / and by a lyght occasion fal out of pacience into Ire and discorde. And of thē that wyll dispyse the worlde yet by a frayle disposi­cion of nature: they shall stele a thynge they fynde at libertie. And of the frayltie of the flesshe: many persones haue had ouer moche experience. Nowe vnto our purpose. If a persone wolde onely to fle and auoyde suche occasions: entre into religion. I thynke the cause may be well allowed / and the per­sones profyte ryght well therby.Psal. The Prophete sayth. Cum sancto: sanctus eris. &c. with good com­pany a persone shalbe good. And with the mysordered persones shall he be mysgyded.Matth. 14. Saynt Petre had good hope and truste in hym selfe: whan he by­ganne to go vpon the water of the see. And yet our lorde dyd nat forsake hym / whan he faynted and byganne to drowne in the see / whiche dothe sygnifie the worlde / nor yet dyd nat our lorde continue forth his iourney vpon the see: but toke him by the hande & brought hym into the surety of the shyppe / where by religiō is signified. And for the furie of y^e flesshe our sauiour gaue a notable lesson in the gospell of Mathewe shewynge y^e meritorious degrees of chastite: by a parable of .iii.Matth. 19. maner of Eunuks / that is to say: suche persones as ben depriued of theyr naturall membres of generacion. The Eunuks that were so of nature done signifie suche persones as of nature ben melancoly that is colde and drye / by reason wherof they bene very lytle or nothynge vexed [Page] with the fleshe and so haue they chastite w^tout great merite. And by them that were made Eunuckes by force: ben suche ꝑsones signified / as ben restrey­ned of theyr owne wyll and concupiscence / as yong persones that ben vnder tuicion and gouernaunce / and many other that wolde do amys if they were at libertie and power / whiche haue chastite by force / & yet althoughe this chastitie be nat meritorious / yet maye it be profitable vnto the persones. For it doth restreyne them from synne vnto theyr lesse payne / & also by custome: they shalbe the lesse vexed and the furie of the flesshe / the rather quenched. For the cu­stome and vse dothe alter and chaunge nature / and dothe make in a persone (in maner) a newe or an o­ther nature / and so that thinge that was vnto theyr disposicion greuouse / and paynfull shall (by vse) be vnto them comforte / pleasure / and ioy in conscience for it shal ministre vnto the soule: vertue / and good maners. And vnto the name or fame / honoure / and prayse. And vnto the body: puritie / clennes / and honeste. That is than a fortunate and happy force: that doth cause so great profyte and goodnes. The thyrde sorte of Eunukes that (as our sauiour sayd) dyd wylfully depriue them selfe of al possibilite vnto the acte of generacion: doth signifie suche persōs as done wylfully bynde them selfe vnto chastite by vowe and promyse / and specially ī religion: where they do nat onely auoyde occasions / but also vtter­ly depriue them selfe of all possibilitie vnto the con­trarie / if they kepe theyr rules and ordinaunces. Here some persones wyll say that by this sentence: all religious persones shulde be inclosed or els be they nat depriued of all possibilite: as the Eunukes bene [...] [Page xxxviii] Vnto this I saye: they muste remembre what were my laste wordes byfore. If they kepe (sayd I) theyr rules and ordinaunces. For by the rule and ordi­naunce of euery religion: euery religious persone shulde be close / and sure kepte from all possibilitie vnto that myschefe. For (as we haue shewed in our exposition vpon saynt Augustynes rule: and also as we shall more playnly shewe in the thyrde parte of this werke) no religious persone may any tyme be alone ī any place / with the contrarie sexe / that is to saye: male and female / sole or alone. For (as we there done proue) no religious persone maye law­fully go out of theyr clausure vnto any other place or cōpany: but onely for a cause reasonable and ne­cessarie / and yet nat so alone: but alwaye accompa­nied with suche persones / as the souereyne doth as­signe. Nor yet shulde no seculer persone entre or come within the clausure of any monasterie: but vnder y^e same fourme / and neuer to be alone with any of the couent. Thus therfore done we cōclude: that euery religious persone: is an Eunuke Euangeli­call. And so dothe folowe that to entre religion / to flee & auoyde the occasions of the synnes of y^e flesshe the worlde / and the dyuyll / is nat vnlawfull but ra­ther good and meritorious.

¶Of suche persones as done entre religion: nat of theyr owne mynde / or desyre there vnto / but onely put or aplied there vnto by the auctorite / or mocion of theyr pa­rentes or frendes. The .xvii. Chapitre.

DIuerse ꝑsones haue diuerse tymes axed my mynde and iugemente of suche persones as bone entre into religion / in youthe vnder the yeres of discrecion applied / and put there vnto by theyr parentes or frendes / and lykewyse of ydeotes that haue nat the full vse of reason. Vnto this thynge the auctorite and the actes of holy fathers done gyue aunswere. For many holy sayntes / and religious fathers haue receyued chyldren into theyr habyte / and theyr rules. And I suppose they dyd nat so without auctorite. For that the parentes may promyse / and appoynt theyr chyldren vnto religion within age:1. Reg. 1. and also byfore they ben bourne: or yet gotten: doth appere ī scripture / as of Samuel / our blessed lady / and other. And our lorde hathe also shewed vnto the parentes by his holy Angelles / byfore the byrthe of theyr chyldren / that they shulde be religious / as of Sampson.Iudic. 13. Luce. i. And of saint Iohā baptiste. And our sauiour dyd nat dysdaine the cōpany of chyldren / but rather he semed to be well content with them and cōmaunded that his disciples shuld nat prohibite or let / ne forbede the chyldren to come vnto his presence / he also cured many chyldren / and receyued thankfully the laude & prayse of infaūtes. And he sayd that no persone shulde entre into the kyngdome of heuen: but suche as were lyke vnto smale chyldren. And trouthe it is that in chyldhode a persone maye be more lyghtely framed vnto ver­tue / and broken in good maners: than in forther age. For the potte or vessell (saythe the Poete / dothe continually sauoure or smell of that thyngeOratius. [Page xxxix] thynge wherwith it was seasoned in y^e begynnyng And certeynly the beste and moste ꝑfecte educacion or bryngynge vp of youthe vnto vertue & good ma­ners is in religion. Sythe than (after an other ler­ned man) Educacio et doctrina efficiunt mores. The educacion and bryngynge vp of a persone / and the doctrine / teachynge / and lerninge of the same: doth fourme and make the maners and condicions there after. And syth therw^t as is sayd the best bryngynge vp is in the monasteries amonge religious ꝑsones it semeth vnto me that chyldren may conuenientely be receyued into religion. And specially sythe that by the lawe and ordynaunce of y^e churche / they must be of age sufficient and of discrecion / byfore they be bounde and make profession vnto any religion. But yet haue I herde of some persone that haue entred in to religion in youthe / and yet after theyr ꝓ­fession made in the due and lawfull tyme haue (nat withstandinge) for thought theyr enterprise / & haue cursed theyr parentes and frendes that brought thē there vnto. Here vnto muste I say: that so done we knowe of them that in sad yeres and with great lernynge and semynge vertue and perfection / haue entred religion and lyued therin full vertuously / and haue done moche good in the churche of Christe and ryght well haue edefied y^e people and yet nowe ben apostatas and open heretikes. Syr wyll some persones say: these persones haue good knowelege of them selfe / and had byfore theyr entre but y^e other had nat so / it semeth therfore they may rather be ex­cused than the other. Certeynly nother may be excused / but whan the profession and promyse is made / it muste nede and without remedy be kepte. For the [Page] scripture saythe.Deut. 23. Si nolueris polliceri, abs (que) peccato eris. &c. If thou wylt make no promyse: thou mayst so do without synne / but that promyse that hath passed thy lyppes / y^t thou hast spoken with thy mouthe muste thou nedely obserue / perfourme and kepe indede / after suche maner as thou hast promised vnto thy lorde god. For of thine owne ꝓper wyll w^t thyn owne mouthe hast thou spokē y^e worde whiche can nat be caled backe. And our sauiour in the gospell (as byfore is rehersed) sayd.Luce. 9. Nemo mittens manum ad aratrum. &c. No maner of persone y^t hath boūde hym selfe: by full consent of soule: vnto any diuine or godly werke / & after doth loke backe / & forsake y^t enterprise: can be apte / or mete for the kyngdome of heuen.Act. 5. A. And ī the actes of the Apostles: saynt Petre sayd vnto Ananie (a ꝑsone that of his owne mynde offred hī selfe to liue ī cōmune as y^e other christianes dyd / & after brake y^e ꝓmyse) whan thy house & lande (sayd he) was in thy possession: was it nat thyne owne? & likwise y^e money therof at thyn owne ꝓper wyl & in thy lybertie byfore thy ꝓmyse / as thoughe he sayd it was so / and why than (sayd he) woldest thou after that promyse made deceyue and falsely make a lye or leasinge vnto the holy ghoste. For (as there is shewed in the letter) he made a lye and his wyfe Saphira confirmed the same / for the whiche bothe were stryken sodeynly vnto deth by the ven­geaunce of god / for brekynge of theyr vowe and ꝓ­myse. So dothe folowe as a playne cōclusion that syth the parentes haue lawfull power to put theyr chyldren to religion / and if they ī lawfull age done after make profession: they muste nede perseuer in the same. Syr say they if they so continue it shalbe [Page xl] vnto theyr great peyne and affliction / let them (saye I) take pacience. For our lorde may ryghtwysely: punisshe the synnes of the parentes / by the tempo­rall paynes of the chyldren. For the parentes done many tymes put theyr chyldren vnto religion with out due consideracion / as some to be so discharged of theyr bodely fyndynge. Some to the ende & pur­pose so to prouyde for the tēporall lyuynge of theyr chyldren. And some in hope and truste to be succou­red and holpen be thyr chyldren. And some to haue them in honoure / dignitie / and degree / with many other lyke causes / nothīge spirituall / whiche thyng well considered: shulde in suche persones be a rea­sonable occasion of more depe and perfecte paciēce / and in lyke maner do I saye of them that in sodeyn passion / or that by dissimulacion haue entred in re­ligion. For of suche haue we herde. Some ꝑsones bycause they were disappoynted of suche makes as they desired to haue had in mariage: haue ī y^e passiō forsakē the worlde. Some other sodeynly after the dethe of theyr maried makes / or of theyr souereyg­nes / or of theyr dere frendes / haue done in lyke ma­ner / that after hath repented them / and wolde haue ben glad to be at libertie agayne. I haue herde also of some persones that haue dissimuled theyr entre / that were neuer mynded to take the religiō for any perfection / ne euer gaue consent there vnto / but by a maner of curiosite / wolde do as theyr felowes dyd. And some haue entred of ignoraūce / that ne­uer knewe / ne herde speke of any rule / ne of any such statutes / and ceremonies / as after they ꝓued were theyr bonde and duety / whiche if they had knowen byfore: they wolde neuer haue taken the religion. [Page] Surely all these do I put in one case with thē that haue nat well and ryghtly receyued religion. And yet natwithstandynge: they may nat after theyr so­lempne profession loke backe / ne forsake the same. For no creature can tell by what dispensacion our lorde god suffred them so to do. For I thynke very­ly it was for to auoyde theyr more yuell at the least or els of more depe mercie vnto theyr helth and sal­uacion. A similitude y^t was a true story. A certeyne man was vnryghtwisely committed and put in prison / and within a lytle space after (whyle he there remayned) certeyne persones that were his enimies came vnto his house with full purpose and mynde to haue slayne hym / and whan they had broken vp the house / and herde that he was in prison they re­tourned voyde of theyr purpose / whiche thing whā the man knewe: he thanked our lorde of his wrong full prisonement / and had great pacience therwith So shulde these persones haue byleuynge verely that almyghty god workethe all vnto theyr best. For that is an happy pryson or punishemente / that dothe restreyne the persone from his hurte / and specially from dethe / and also that dothe put hym vnto surety of lyfe and saluacion. But yet syr saye they these persones be nat sure of saluaciō / bycause they ben there agayne theyr mynde and wyll and ther­fore the religion shall nothynge profyte ne auayle them. Here vnto I saye they may tourne that wyll: as a man may tourne a horse with a brydell. For y^e thynge that is to may and haue power there vnto. Almyghty god (by speciall grace) hathe put in the libertie of the selfe persone. Sub te (sayth our lorde) erit appetitus tuus, Gene. 4. et tu domina beris illius. The ap­petite [Page xli] of thy sensualitie: shalbe vnder the and in thy power. And thou shalte haue dominaciō lordshyp / and gouernaunce therof. If the ꝑsones than of mis entre wolde be sory and discōtent with that maner of intent or mysbyhauiour: or of any default ī theyr entre and wolde wysshe and wyl in theyr herte and mynde that theyr entre had bene good and lawfull / and that (for the tyme to come) they wolde applie theyr mynde / and dispose them selfe in the religion accordynge vnto y^e same: our lorde god wyll accept theyr good wyll / and nombre them as the other cō ­pany / yet here they done go forther: saynge. Syr some of these persones (in case) can nat bringe theyr herte mynde / and wyll / in any wyse to be contente with the state and religion that they haue takē / but euer they thinke / and wishe vnto god / that they had neuer ben professed / and if they were at liberte / they wolde neuer come into any religion / and ouer that if they myght lawfully they wolde departe and for­sake theyr religion. They knowe in concience they entred nat lawfully they remayne and byde in re­ligion (as persones in prison) agayne theyr minde and wyll. And yet forther they can nat refourme y^e wyll / what remedy nowe? Surely they ben ī harde case / natwithstandynge yet is there remedy. For as man hathe two principall partes: a soule and a body / so hathe he two wylles the wyl of the spirite / and the wyll of the flesshe. The one is reasonable & the other is sensuall.Gal. 5. C. And these tweyne be euer con­trarious / euer at warre / and continuall batayle / & neuer wyll they be accorded in the chylde of god (I call those ꝑsones y^e chyldren of god: that althoughe they be ryghtsore laded / & tangled w^t suche clogges [Page] yet haue they studie and care for theyr saluaciō) In suche chyldren of god I saye these two wyll bene e­uer contrarious. And therfore althoughe the sensu­all wyll of the flesshe can nat or rather wyll nat be content: yet may the reasonable wyll of the spirite: be ryght well content / if the persone wyll gyue dili­gence there vnto. For all maner of persones maye by that grace that our lorde hathe indifferently gyuen vnto the vertuous / and synfull persones / as he dothe cause the sonne to shyne vpon the yuell persones as well as vpon the good persones / by y^e grace I saye: all persones may wyshe or wyl y^t they were sory for theyr synne / and carnall wyll / and that they had a ryght ordred spirituall wyll. And this wyll: dothe the mercyfull louynge kyndenes of our lorde alowe and admitte as sufficient vnto saluacion. And if the ꝑsones (as I sayd) wolde gyue diligēce and cure vnto this wyll / our lorde is so gentyll and liberall: that he wyl multeplie that grace / and adde and frely gyue more grace there vnto.Psal. The pro­phete saythe. Spera in deo: et ipse faciet. Put your hope and truste in our lorde: and he wyl perfourme the same therafter.Ro. 5. A. For hope in hym: can neuer con­founde ne deceyue any persone. In all spirituall batayle:Matth. 11. B. force and violence is required and so sayth the gospell. Regnum celorum vim patitur et violenti rapiunt illud. The state and perfection of Christes religion / dothe requyre violence and stryfe. And the violent and herty wyllynge persones shall ra­uysshe and wynne y^e same.2. Timo. .2. A. Non coronabitur (sayth saynt Paule) Nisi qui legittime certauerit. No per­sone shall haue the croune of euerlastynge rewarde but he that hathe foghten / wrastled / stryuen & duely [Page xlii] laboured therfore. And euery persone may (of good reason) haue courage and herte to fyght ī that fylde where y^e victory lyeth and restethe in his owne wyl For our louynge lorde dothe requyre no more of vs in this batayle: but that we put to our fre wyll / and leyne vnto his grace frely gyuen. If the persones than that we spake of: wolde be of good wyll / and praye for grace it shulde dayly be multiplied and increase in them. And that carnall wyll of the sensua­lity: y^t so do trouble them: shalbe slayne / or at y^e least so vanquyshed / taken prisoner / and so subdued and made bonde captyue for euer / vnto the reasonable wyll of the spirite / that the persones shall therby haue of theyr dulnes: quicknes of theyr sorowe / ioy of theyr doute / certeyne of theyr dyspere / full truste of theyr troubles / quietude and rest. And of al theyr peynes: pleasure and gladnes. Nowe for a conclu­sion: that this wyll is sufficient for the sayd ꝑsones to continue ryghtely theyr profession without any newe profession / maye appere by example of a con­clusion approued of lerned doctoures / thus chyldrē done receyue the sacrament of baptisme whan they knowe nothynge what they done receyue / yet whā they come vnto yeres of discrecion / and done con­sent ī wyl vnto that thynge that was done by theyr parentes / they nede nat ne shulde nat be rebaptized And also if a persone in ful yeres of discrecion / that were a turke / an infidele / or hethen persone / wolde (by simulacion) feyne for the pleasure of other per­sones: or to haue better reste / more fauoure / or more lucre / gaynes / or wynnynge amonge christianes receyue the sacrament of baptisme [Page] without any feythe there vnto / or bylyue in christe / onely intēdynge to do as they done / and to receyue the same thynge / and so to be supposed as one of thē Nowe saye I: if this persone afterwarde (by the example of other christianes / or by exhortaciōs) come vnto the grace of perfecte feythe in christe / and doth repent of that dissimulacion or feynynge in recey­uynge the sacrament and wolde feyne he had recey­ued it ryghtely: that wyll (saye I) with his feythe / and byleue dothe make vnto hym the sacramente of baptisme valeant / and to stande in full effecte. So that nother he nedeth ne yet shulde be rebaptized / or christened agayn. In lyke maner may we conclude of the persones byfore sayd / that theyr profession is valeāt and good / so they put there vnto theyr good wyll / yet hathe herein question be axed of me. Whe­ther it were nat more surety of conscience / for these persones thus troubled in mynde: to obteyne dispē sacion of the pope and so to be more quiete in conscience. As vnto the popes dispensacion: I wyll nat speke there agayne. For of surety the popes dis­pensacion duely obteyned is valeant and sure. But that y^e ꝑsones shall therby be more quiete in mynde and conscience: I am nat sure / for fewe haue I knowen or yet herde of: that by dispensacion: haue ben better ordred in theyr lyfe than byfore / but of many haue I herde y^e contrarie. And yet that terme duely obteyned: hathe a longe tayle / whiche doth nat ap­perteyne vnto this matter. Wherfore I dare well saye it were of more surety & hyghe meryte: to fyght out the felde in fourme byfore infourmed. Sith (as we sayd) the surety of the victory: remaynethe hooly in the sayd wyll of the selfe ꝑsones. And thus [Page xliii] an ende of this mater / as vnto the stablysshement of the sayd .iii. vowes monasticall agayne the here­tikes: whiche thynge we haue in maner by degresse intreated. Nowe therfore we shall retourne vnto y^e promyse of our enterprise / natwithstandynge we muste here yet somewhat say vnto them. For they done nat onely speke agayne the sayd vowes / but also moche more done they mocke the holy ceremo­nies of religion. Saynge that in all the newe testament is no cōmaundement ne mencion of ceremo­nies / but that saynt Paule vnto the Romayns / and Gallatas / and other places dothe rebuke all cere­monies and all is false. For in the newe testamente from the incarnaciō of Christe: vnto his resurrexiō ascencion / and sendynge of the holy ghoste: is no place voyde of ceremonies / and saynt Paule dyd onely condempne the chefe truste that the Iues had in the ceremonies of y^e olde lawe. We shall therfore go forthe with ceremonies of the whiche we haue ꝓmysed to speke in the begynnyng of this fyrst parte of our boke.

¶Of the holy ceremonies of religion / and fyrste of the definicion or determinacion of the selfe terme. The .xviii. Chapitre.

FIrst you shal knowe what is ment by this terme ceremonie. A ceremo­nie is as moche to saye: as a rite / a custome / an vsage / an outwarde fourme / or byhauoure that is done in the seruice of god / and vnto his honoure. And this is the ꝓper significacion of this [Page] worde / or terme ceremonie / natwithstandynge the same terme is vsurped / vsed / and taken ofte tymes for any obseruaunce / or seruice / reuerentely done of man vnto man / specially of the subiecte vnto the so­uereyne. And after both these maners or diuersites ceremonies were vsed ī the olde lawe / and ben also vsed yet in the churche of Christe. For althoughe y^e ceremonies of the olde lawe done nowe sease / & ben vtterly paste / & put awaye / as vnto the superficiall thynges that than appered / and that (by them) was wroght or done outwardly: yet (bycause they were figures) the signification of them / and also the fourme maner and byhauoure: dothe remayne wherby the churche of Christe hathe infourmacion. For many of the ceremonies of the churche ben taken out of the ceremonies of the olde lawe. And yet although all the preceptes and commaundementes of god be in lyke maner to be kepte of all persones: vnto his honoure / yet the maner and doynge of that honour is nat all one / nor after one fourme. For the ceremo­nies of diuerse countres and places ben variāt and determined or appoynted eueryche after theyr pro­per rites / customes and maner / bothe in place / tyme dayes / and houres / and in syngynge / readynge / sensynge / processions / stacions / inclinacions / sessi­ons / prostracions / genuflections / with all suche o­ther obseruances / whiche ben / caled ceremonies / bycause (as we sayd) they done apperteyne vnto the worshype and honoure of god / whiche honour may be done vnto him in diuerse maners / that is to say: in soule / herte / or mynde alone / and this maner is al inwarde / and therfore it nedeth no ceremonies / nat withstandynge the holy father saynt Hughe. De [Page xliiii] sancto Victore. Dothe counsayle all religious per­sones ī al suche seruice as they done vnto god onely in herte and mynde / and whan they be also alone w^t out any company to vse suche maners / byhauiours and ceremonies / than in priuite / as they shulde vse abrode amonge company / bycause that custome is lyght to be kepte / and lothe to be broken & chaūged yet (as I sayd) that in warde honoure vnto god ne­deth none outwarde ceremonies. But vnto the o­ther outwarde honoures of god done for example / and vnto y^e edificacion of al christianes ceremonies ben necessarie. And this honoure may be in two maners / that is to saye onely ī the body and nothynge in the herte or mynde / wherof the Prophete saythe. Populꝰ hic labiis me honorat. &c. Esa. 29. Marci. 7. This people doth honoure vnto me with theyr mouthe: but theyr her­tes ben farre from me. The other maner of honour is both with herte and tōge / and this is very good. And yet vnto bothe this maners ceremonies (as I sayd) ben necessarie. For althoughe the honoure y^t is done vnto god without herte or mynde / onely in mouthe / or outwarde in worke: be nat of it selfe me­ritorious / ne moche dothe auayle or profyte the persones of it selfe: yet may it auayle and profyte by accidens or chaunce bothe vnto the mynysshynge of synne / and vnto the obteynynge of grace / as by the example and occasion of vertue / and edificacion gyuen vnto other ꝑsones by that outwarde honour & therfore vnto this houre or tyme ceremonies ben necessarie & cōueniēt. Obiection. But here some ꝑsones wyl say y^t to gyue suche honoure vnto god with ceremonies accordynge onely outwarde and nothynge inward is ypocrisy / and those ꝑsones may be caled ypocri­tes. Answere. Vnto this shall I shortely answere my mynde [Page] That to shewe or do suche honoure with suche ceremonies in suche fourme & maner: aboue or beyonde the duety / state / and degre of the persones: semethe alway to be ypochrisy or supersticion yet can no persone iuge the herte of the persones / for the mocions of grace and compunctions: may come sodeinly. But if the persones do no forther thā bonde & duety in suche honoure doynge: than ben they nat ypocri­tes althoughe they do but lytell merite therby. Ex­ample of both if a tapster / or an hosteler / a caichpol / or baily errant with suche lyke persones: wolde (byfore and in the presence of people) vse y^e ceremonies of religious persones in protestacions / inclinaciōs knockynge vpon the breste / lyftynge vp of handes / and eyes or syght vnto heuē / with suche other: they myght be suspecte of ypocricy / but nat (as I sayde) condempned. For the other parte / if religious per­sones done outwarde the holy ceremonies of reli­gion suche as byfore we spake of in moste deuoute / and holy maner: and yet inwarde had no deuocion in herte or mynde / they were nat for all that ypocri­tes: bycause they do but theyr duety / and as bycommethe theyr state and degre. For if they dyd nat the same thinges: they shulde slaunder and gyue occasion. And in so doynge they done edifie by theyr example / and may the rather be disposed vnto com­punction / and (as we sayd) to obteyne grace. For those alone ben very ypocrites that done shewe outwarde that is nat withinforthe / to the intent to be supposed and iuged better than they ben / & thereby to be the more preysed / and to be more in fauoure or to haue wynnynge or auauntage therby / natwith­standynge the ceremonies maye euer do good / and [Page xlv] neuer hurte excepte they moche excede due maner. The other honoure of god done outwarde in reue­rente maner. And inwarde also with herte / minde / and deuocion: is euer good and profitable. And yet ben ceremonies necessarie there vnto / without whiche: the honoure shulde be deminisshed and made lesse / and is by them the more increased. And ther­fore were ceremonies ordeyned / and so ben vsed. And bycause that in a cōmunalty / and amonge people: some persones ben apte and (of naturall dispo­sicion / or of grace / or of educacion / bryngynge vp / & of teachynge) ben disposed to do honoure & seruice vnto our lorde wylfully of them selfe / with all reue­rence / due maner / and diligence. Some other con­trarie: ben very dull / slouthfull / negligente / rude / & careles / in doynge of theyr duety / wherfore it was necessary and profitable to put the holy ceremonies apperteinynge vnto the honoure of god / vnder precepte and cōmaundement.Exod. Leuit. Numer. Deut. &c. pass. ꝑoīa. Matth. 14. B. Mar. 6. E. Io. 6. A. Luce. 4. Marc. 7. And so were they put in the olde lawe in many places. And In y^e newe lawe our sauiour hym selfe vsed many holy ceremonies / as in the gospell of Mathewe / whan he multiplied y^e breade and fysshe / wherwith y^e people were fedde he toke the breade fyrst in his holy handꝭ and loked vp vnto the ayre / or vnto heuen / and sayd grace. And in Luke / whan he shulde preache: he toke fyrst a boke in his hande and red therin / and after closed the boke / and than byganne to preache. In Marke whan he shulde cure a mā that was deffe & dowme he fyrste toke hym on syde from the people / and thā put his fyngers in his eares / and spitte out / & ther­with he touched his tonge / & than he loked toward the heuen / and mourned or made great mone. And [Page] in the gospell of Iohan / whan he tourned water in to wyne / he caused the waterpottꝭ to be fylled w^t water wher he might haue made a pype of new wyne.Io. 2. A. And whan he cured a blynde man:Io. 9. E. he made cleye / & oynted his eyes therwith. In the wayshynge of the fete of his Apostles / and in the consecracion of his body:Io. 13. A. B. he vsed many ceremonies / & so dyd he ī many other places of the gospell. And we knowe well none of them were made ne vsed in vayne Our mother holy churche hathe also ordeyned many holy ceremonies / as in all the .vii. sacramentes. In all sa­cramentales and sanctificacion / or halowynges / & diuine seruice that ben put forthe to be obserued vnder p̄cepte. And so dyd our sauiour byd & cōmaūde his Apostles to vse y^e same ceremonies that he dyd wherfore ceremonies ben of good auctorite.Io. 13. And therfore religious fathers haue ordeyned many di­uerse holy ceremonies ī religion. The rule of euery religion: is as cōmaundementes whiche cōmaun­demētes euery persone that is professed after / or ac­cordynde vnto that rule: is boūde to obserue & kepe with al the ceremonies conteyned in the same. And yet aboue and beyōde these ceremonies of the rules holy fathers (For the more precise obseruaunce and kepynge of y^e same rules) haue ordeined & made many other holy ceremonies / & put them also vnder cō maundement in theyr constitucions or statutes.

¶Of constitucions / or statutes of religion / bothe generall and speciall. The .xix. Chapitre-

IN euery religiō: there ben (besyde the rules) statutes or constitucions / bothe general / and [Page xlvi] speciall / accordynge vnto the whiche: y^e ceremonies of religion ben variant in diuerse places. For by y^e generall statutes or cōstitucions of y^e orders: one order of the same & selfe rule is diuided from an other in habite / in araye / and in ceremonies. For euery order hathe constitucions or statutes general for e­uery monasterie of that order. As by example of the rule of saynt Augustyn / of the whiche rule bene di­uerse and many orders / and euery order hathe con­stitutions by it selfe. As our order here of Syon: is of y^e rule of saynt Augustyn & after / & accordynge vnto the same rule ben we professed. Natwitstan­dynge our constitucions generall vnto euery mo­nasterie of the same religion bene caled the rule of saynt sauioure / or y^e constitucions of saint Brigitte (So caled) bycause y^t by y^e reuelaciō of our sauiour they were shewed & ordred by our holy mother saīt Brigitte / by y^e whiche cōstitucions: we ben differēt from other orders of y^e same rule. For y^e reguler chanons / y^e bonehoms y^e order of saynt Iohans y^e crosse or crouched freres / y^e dominikꝭ caled freres p̄chers y^e carmelites caled whyte freres / w^t diuerse other orders: ben all of the same rule of saynt Augustyn / all of one rule but yet ben they of diuerse constitucions & therby different eueryche frō other in habite & in other ceremonies. There ben also other cōstituciōs speciall vnto euery monasterie of eueryche of these orders caled statutꝭ / or cōstitucions locall / wherby euery singuler monasterie doth differ frō other ī certeyn ceremonies & priuate. For euery sīguler monasterie doth make statutꝭ / or cōstituciōs local priuate and ꝑticuler or speciall for y^e same monastery / alone made by y^e cōsent of y^e couent in theyr chapitre or els [Page] receyued by the iniunction of the ordinarie or visi­tours. Syth therfore all the ceremonies of religiō ben conteyned in the constitutions / other generall or speciall / and euery singuler monasterie / hathe y^e proper ceremonies there vnto particuler wryten in theyr owne bokes / our laboure herein is moche the lesse natwithstandynge somewhat to answere the enemies and blasphemers of religiō / we shall speke of a fewe ceremonies suche as we herde of late they done mocke and rayle vpon. And so the louers of good religion may coniecture what maye iustly be sayd vnto the residue.

¶Of the habite or araye of religious per­sones. The .xx. Chapitre.

FIrste these heretikꝭ done reyle agayne the habite of religious persones / whi­che habite / clothynge / or araye / accor­dynge vnto the generall constitucions of euery order is diuerse and in fasshō coloure and maner of werynge: moche different / whiche these heretikes wolde haue to be all of one maner in fashon and coloure. This therfore shalbe y^e order and maner of our answeres vnto theyr rea­sons or rather mockes. Fyrste we shal reherse theyr opinions and saynges / and than shall we make an­sweres there vnto by suche maner of reasōs as they done make onely of wytte and brayne without auctorite lyke vnto lyke. And than shal we afterwarde put some reason (for our parte) grounded vpon auctorite.

¶Of the conueniency of habite accordynge vnto reason founded vpon auctorite. The .xxi. Chapitre.

NOwe for our parte: we shall put a reason for a foundacion or grounde / whiche (I thynke) none of them wyll deney / that is: the more nere that the araye / habite / or byhauoure of any ꝑ­sone be vnto y^e institute & ordinaunce of god: the more is it of perfection / and the more of all godly persones to be alowed / effected / and desy­red. And contrarie: the more it be contrarious and agayne the prohibicion and ordinaunce of god and holy scripture / the more is it of imperfection and y^e more to be dissalowed / dispraysed / and abhorred. Nowe let vs se than what habite / or araye is foūde in holy scripture to be of the ordinaunce of god / and what of the mysorder of man. The fyrste hole gar­ment that euer was made for the hole body of man [Page xlviii] god hym selfe dyd make. For whan man was in the state of innocēcie byfore he had done synne: he nede no clothes / and thoughe he were naked: yet was he nothynge ashamed nor abashed therof. For innocē ­cy myght neuer suffer noyante ne displeasure. But after synne committed and done: Adam was sore a­bashed and ashamed of his wyfe / and she lykewyse of hym. In so moche they hyd themselfe in a busshe / and made them selfe priue clothes of fyggetre leues And sone after that tyme:Gene. 3. D. our lorde (as y^e scripture sayth) made for Adam & for his wyfe / skynny cotes or cotes of skynnes / and clothed or couered them w^t the same / whiche garmentes shulde seme nat very ryche / natwithstandynge if the same garmentes were nowe present to be shewed they myght peraduenture be more worthe than a kynges roobe / they myght be so fyne furres and so do I suppose they were / natwithstandynge they were nat thā of hygh pryce / nor of any curiouse fasshone / and what the coloure was: we maye well suppose no dyed coloure at all.

¶Of the reason or cause of garmentes / and of the varians or diuersites of the same. The .xxii. Chapitre.

HEre nowe semethe vnto me conue­niēt to serche out / & to shewe y^e rea­son / cause / or occasiō of garmētꝭ or clothyng / whervnto or vnto what ende what purpose or effect / clothīg & garmētes were ordened & made. [Page] For byfore man had done synne: he was (as we said byfore) all naked / and yet without any shame or ba­shement / but sone after his synne: he made a garmēt for very shame. So than may we proue: that y^e fyrst occasion of garmente was shame and abashement. And the effecte where vnto y^e garment dyd inseruer was to couer and to hyde the mēbres of mā / which (by synne onely) were shamefull / or bashfull in so moche: that the man and wyfe lawfully maried by god hym selfe: and bothe yet virgyns / and alone without company (for no reasonable creature was than in the worlde that with bodely syght / or loke: myght beholde or se them / but onely them selfe) and yet were they eyther a shamed of other / and moche abashed to be sene naked. Here let all christianes note wel / howe shameles / howe beastely / and howe vnnaturall some persones ben / that without shame or abashement (by more than beastly boldnes) wyll take delectacion / & pleasure in abhominable syght / and byholdynge of nakednes. Shame than or aba­shement: 1 is one cause or occasion of garment or clo­thynge to couer or hyde the bashefull partes of the synfull man. And this cause is alowable in reason / thoughe none other cause were founde. For it hathe 2 grounde and auctorite of holy scripture. An other reasonable cause of garment is y^e necessite or nede of our miserable nature. For as man may nat longe lyue without fode: so (in some contres) bene clothes more necessarie / where colde is so intens / & so sharp tha [...] man shulde soner dye and be distroyed by cold than by honger or thurste / and where a man myght lenger lyue without fode: than without clothes. And therfore dyd our lorde god couer / and clothe [...] Gene. 3. [Page xlix] the hole body of man / for defense agayne all maner of weders. A thyrde cause yet maye be of garmente 3 or clothyng / and that is: cōmodite / wherby we done meane: profyte or ease / whiche beyonde or bysyde y^e other two causes of abashement and necessite: was (by the promission and suffraunce of god) founde out by mans inuencion / and ordeyned by wyll and reason / for ease and profyte / and so bygane some variete / diuersitie / and exchaunge of garmentes / as some for rydynge / some for goynge / some for somer / some for wynter / some for the daye tyme / and some for the nyght tyme / yet can no man deney / but those persones that can be content to folowe in clothynge moste nere vnto the ordinaunce of god & of nature / is of the moste hyghe perfection that bylongeth vn­to habite / clothynge or araye. Syr saye some per­sones here:Obiection. there is no perfection in any habite or a­raye. Habitus non facit monachum. The habite or garmente dothe nat make a ꝑsone religious. I say this is trouthe. For els a freres habite:Answere. shulde make an Asse a frere. But I saye yet this is the cōmune excuse of dissolate persones. For I may say to them agayne. Habitus facit non monachum. That is that the habite maye rendre and make a religious per­sone a very Asse / and no religious persone. For if a persone that is professed in religion: wolde (with­out cause to be alowed in the lawe) put awaie y^e ha­bite of his professiō: and were a seculer habite / that persone (I saye) were excommunicate or accursed / and so worse than an Asse. But nowe let vs reason herein. They saye there is no perfection in the clo­thynge. And I saye there is no perfection in meate nor drynke / yet saye I a ꝑsone by due fedynge maye [Page] in the qualite & quantite of meate & drynke: moche meryte / & obteyne ꝑfection / & contrarie: lose meryte / and be more inperfecte. So is it of the vse of y^e gar­ment or clothynge. For the clothynge or araye may sklaunder and gyue occasion vnto the negheboure / 4 and also maye edefie. Wherof doth folowe y^e fourth cause or occasion of clothynge or garmentes / and of the variete or difference of the same / that is to say cō ueniency. Wherby we meane that thynge that doth bycome all persones accordynge vnto theyr estate / and after theyr degre / dignite / office / rowme / order / or condicion. And this conueniency or comlynes in garmentes or clothyng / is partely of the ordinaūce of god / and partely of nature / and partely of the in­uencion and of custome or vsage of man. As by ex­ample / it is not cōuenient nor comely or accordyng / that men and women shulde be of lyke habyte or a­raye. Obiection. Yet here some done saye / that Adam and Eue (by the ordinaunce of god) were both of one habyte or araye. And surely so they were / as vnto the mat­ter wherof theyr garmentes were made. Answere. For bothe were ledder or furre. And so may yet a man and his wyfe / haue theyr garmentes of one pece of clothe / bothe lyke / for the clothe and coloure / but nat of one fourme or fashon. For so were the garmentes of A­dam and Eue / moche different and vnlike of fashon Howe can you proue that saye they?Obiection. By an other place of scripture say I. Answere. For the same selfe god that clothed Adam and Eue / dyd afterwarde gyue in cō ­maūdement vnto his chosen people / that no womā shulde be clothed with mans araye.Deu. 22. A. Ne any man shulde vse y^e clothyng of women. For that is (sayth the scripture) abhominacion vnto almyghty god. [Page l] you may (than) surely conclude that god wolde or­deyne nothinge: that after shulde be abhominacion or displeasure vnto hym selfe. Than is it trouthe y^t a man to were a womans garment and aray / or the contrarie: a woman to were mans aray is nat co­mely / conuenient / nor accordynge. And thus dothe folowe that I sayd / the garmentes of Adam & Eue were in fasshon (accordynge vnto the sexe) notably different. And so oughte it to be amōge wel ordred christianes accordynge vnto the ordinaunce of the church / it becōmeth nat also a prynce to were a beg­gers cote / nor a wyse man a foles cote.30. disti. Si qua muli. The natu­rall disposiciō of mā wyll prayse a good & a goodly maner of vesture / thoughe it were ryght course and poore / and contrarie: wyll abhorre or disprayse / an vncomely / or inconuenient vesture. Put this case y^e a man or woman / wolde (for vesture or in stede of a garment) were y^e skinne or hyde of a bull / or a cowe / and set the hornes vpon his hed / & let the tayle come after vpon the groūde: were that a comely syght / or accordynge vnto mans nature? I am sure you wyll saye nay. A shepe is knowen by the vesture / from a dogge or a wolfe / and so of other beastes. And some tyme here in Englande / the marchaūtes where knowen by theyr vestures from men of the lawe / & both they from courtiours / & so forthe of other lyke / whi­che diuersites were founde by mans deuyse. But nowe let vs se of some diuersites of araye foūded in scripture.

¶Of diuersites of araye / and of the reasons or causes therof by the auctorite of scripture. The .xxiii. Chapitre.

IF we loke well vpō holy scripture: we shal fynde that from the begynnyng of y^e world sythe that tyme that there was diuersite of people: there was also diuersite of garmē ­tes / clothynge / or araye. For as sone as Cayn / and some of his systers with hym: were departed frome Adam and Eue / and frome the doughters that re­mained with them / than byganne a diuersite of people that is to say: a people of god that was feythful and a people of men that was synful and infideles. So the scripture after dothe name thē / as you shall here forthwith. And these people were diuerse in theyr maner of lyuynge / & lykewyse diuerse of aray So that y^e mysordred araye or clothynge / byganne fyrste in y^e children of Cayn / that were misordred in theyr lyuynge as infideles departed frō god. And euer sythe y^e tyme hederto: hathe ben notable diffe­rence of habite / garmentes / & araye / bytwene y^e well ordred people of god / & the mysordred people caled the chyldren of men / as apperethe ī y^e .vi. Chapitre of Genesis.Gene. 6. Where is sayd. Videntes filij dei: filias hominum. &c. That is to saye: whan the chyldren of god / his well ordred people: dyd se & beholde the doughters of men / y^t was the mysordred chyldrē of cursed Cayn: whiche (to set forthe & to shewe out y^e beaute of theyr bodies) dyd vse & fynde out by newe inuēcions inordinate & wantō aray. They: that is to saye the chosen people of god / fell in affection of them / & by carnall concupiscence (contrarie vnto y^e wyll of god) dyd marie w^t them / and company with them where they shulde haue maried of theyr owne people onely / and none of them as maye appere [Page li] by that cōmaundemente that god afterwarde gaue in the lawe:Deu. 7. A. where he vtterly dyd prohibite and for bede the chyldren of Israel to mary with infideles Thus apperethe the difference of arye / and what hurte came therof. For all fel vnto mysorder / so that god drowned all the hole worlde excepte .viii. per­sones / and al byganne by the occasion of mysordred araye. Difference of araye was betwene Esau as mysordred / and Iacob as well ordered.Gene. 27. And so (as I sayd) that alwaye difference was bytwene y^e wel ordred and mysordred persones: scripture dothe shewe in many places. In the .xxxiiii. Chapitre of Genesis:Genesis. 34. A. is shewed howe Dina the doughter of Iacob / went forthe from her father / and her owne company to se and byholde the women and the va­riant araye of that contre / and therby she laste her virginite / and caused great murther and myschefe. And after in the same boke / Thamare a wedowe y^t was doughter in lawe vnto Iudas one of the .xii.Ibidē. 38. Patriarkꝭ (by exchaūge of her araie vnto y^e fourme & fashō of y^e cōmune vnclene womē) dyd deceiue her sayd father in lawe / & so caused hym to mysuse her body. Sampson also / and Salamon were snared by y^e beaute of infideles: whiche beauty was set out in shewe by wantone and mysordred araye. Argu­ment wherof: was shewed in Oliferne / that by the beaute of Iudyth: was lymed / caught / & taken fast / whiche beaute althoughe it wer increaced & eched by god / yet was it (as scripture shewethe) set forthe in shewe / by the exchaunge of her araye / from y^e sad araye of wedowehode:Iudi. 10. A. vnto the lyght araye of wanton persones. So is euident that as lyght and mysordred persones / had lyght and mysordred araye. [Page] So had the sad and honeste persones theyr garmē tes / and aray accordynge. And that nat onely in wedowes: but also in persones maried or to be maried as appereth by Rebecka the mother of Iacob / that in rydynge towarde her mariage: ware clothes for her cōmodite and ease / but as sone as she sawe the honorable persone of Isaacke and knewe (by informacion) that he was her spouse vnto whome she shulde be maried / she lyght downe and couered her selfe (saythe the scripture) with a pall / or mantell / a garment of honoure and honesty.Gene. 24. Our lorde god hymselfe / put difference of clothynge and araye: bytwene the spirituall parte of his people of Israel / whiche was the tribe of Leui.Exod. 28. And the temporall parte of the same people: all the other tribes. And yet whan Aaron / or any of those spiritual persones shulde do sacrifice / or ministre vnto god: they dyd chaunge those cōmune garmentes vnto other / or­deyned for the same ministerie. Here the heretikes make obiection / saynge that the ceremonies of the olde lawe ben ceassed and ended / and of all other:Obiection. y^e ceremony specially ended by the acte of our sauiour Christ in the consecracion of his holy sacred body / whiche acte he dyd in his cōmune clothes or garmē tes. Answere. Yet (saye I) therof dothe nat folowe the vniformite / of clothynge or / oraye as they requyre in vs / but rather maye we take of the gospell that the ha­bite or garmente of the Christe was notably diffe­rent from the Apostles.Marci. 14. E. For whan Christe was ta­ken: saynt Iohan fled (saythe the gospell) naked y^t was in his cote / and left his pall or mantel behynde hym.Matth. 1 [...]. D. And the garment of Christe was / de super con­texta. knytte or wouen all ouer and ouer. So was [Page lii] it notable and yet religious and honorable. So y^t it was nat deuided / but lot se caste therfore / & moche set by. And where they saye that Christe dyd conse­crate in his cōmune / and dayly clothes: that was so (for that tyme) conuenient. For he dyd than conse­crate in a priuate and secrete maner amōge his dis­ciples alone / where he made his Apostles preestes / and gaue thē the same auctorite to consecrate w^tout any appoyntemēt of aparell / or clothynge there vn­to. And so dyd they after many daies / & of lōge time consecrate after the same maner priuely & secretely / bycause y^e tyme were but fewe ꝑsones of y^e feythe & byleue / & yet had they many enemies. But after­warde whā they had goten / & gadred moche people thā dyd they cōsecrate in open maner / & dyd ordeyn & make preestꝭ / diacons / & other ministres / w^t vesti­mentes & clothynge therto accordynge. And yet no man dothe say y^t any clothynge is so necessary vnto y^e cōsecraciō: y^t no preestꝭ may cōsecrate w^tout suche clothes. For if a p̄ste duely ordred / wolde p̄sume or els by ignorance: dyd say masse / & consecrate in any maner of clothes / yet shulde he verely cōsecrate the very sacramēte of y^e aulter / natwithstādyng that he shulde therin (by disobedience vnto y^e churche) gre­uously offende. Furthermore also / y^e sacramēt that Christe hym selfe dyd than cōsecrate: was nat y^e full sacrifice & final oblacion for the redempcion of mā / but a memoriall for euer to endure of that sacrifice / and oblacion / that was that tyme to come / & that af­terwarde was ꝑfourmed fully accompleshed fulfylled & offred vp vpon y^e aulter of y^e crosse by y^e deth & resurrexion of our sauioure for the redēpcion of all mankynde / whiche complete and hole sacrifice: is [Page] nowe dayly represented ī the masse / by the consecra­cion and oblacion of the holy sacrament / wherfore: if they wolde (as they do) contende and holde that we shulde folowe our sauiour as well in all his maner of sacrifice / as in vesture & araye / we muste thā be all naked vpon a crosse / whan so euer we shulde consecrate. You may se therfore what wyse reasons these men done make / and of what strengthe. yet here done they saye. Obiection. Syr althoughe there be moche variety and difference in the clothynge or araye of the seculer persones: yet thynke we it were moche conuenient that all religious persones that done ꝓfesse the same vowes: shulde (accordynge vnto the sexe or kynde) be of one and lyke habite.

¶Of reason why in religion / diuerse orders haue diuerse habites. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

Answere. THese heretikes done take for inconuenience that religious persones (accordynge vnto theyr orders) ben diuerse in habite and yet shewe they no reasō therof / but that bycause they done ꝓ­fesse the same thynges / that is: the vowes caled / essē cials. It were conueniēt (they saye) they shulde be of one and lyke habite. And I saye that by that rea­son: it were conueniēt that all christianes shulde be of one and lyke habite. For they ben all of one essen­ciall profession / and that se they well is nat so / and yet accounte they none inconuenience therin / we shall (natwithstandynge) shewe it is none inconuenience: but rather of good and conuenient reason / y^t the habite be accordynge vnto the order: different. [Page liii] where vnto moche maye auayle to remembre that byfore we haue shewed of the effectes and causes of garmentes / that is to saye: necessite / cōmodite / and conueniency. For as vnto curiosite: we leue out of this treaty or draught. Some holy fathers of reli­gion than dyd thynke and ymagyne bycause our fyrste parentes / Adam and Eue / had but one maner of habite / one garment alone / whiche dyd serue thē for all the sayd effectes / that is to say to couer the nakednes of body / to garde and defende them frome the noyance of weders: were content to deuise and ordeyne an habite of the same maner / that shulde be also cōmodious and profitable / comely and honest / and of smale price without curious coloures / as nature brought forthe. So done the reuerente fathers of the obseruauntes after the institucion of theyr patrone saynt Franciske. And so done diuerse other orders. Some other fathers / consideryng they had red in scripture of certeyne persones / that for great sorowe and for penaūce to be done for theyr synnes: dyd (for the tyme) vse and were garmētes therafter harde / rough / and sharpe. And some for the deth of theyr frendes and other chaunces: dyd were garmē tes of mournyng as yet ben vsed in these dayes / ca­led mournynge clothes.2. Re. 12. Ionas. 3. As of kynge Dauid for the sekenes of his chylde. And of the Niniuites that ware sackes and heere / and dyd caste asshes & dust vpon theyr hedes and bodes. For these or lyke occasions: some holy fathers accountynge them selfe as perpetual mourners and persones of perpetuall penaunce: dyd deuise theyr garmentꝭ and habite there after / as the fathers of saynt Benettes order and o­ther. Some other holy fathers: consyderynge that [Page] maner of habite or garment (by the example of holy scripture was conueniēt (by significacion) for some degrees of ꝑsones dyd ordeyne for theyr disciples habite after that consederacion / as (by exāple) some thought that a whyte habyte was moste conueniēt for virgins / bycause that colour dothe signifie and bytoken purite and clēnes / whiche minde they toke of y^e habyte of Angelles / vnto whome virginite (as saynt Ierome sayth) is familier / well knowen / and of good acquayntance.Marci. 16. Io. 20. Act. 1. Apoca. 3.4.6. For scripture sheweth ī di­uerse places: that Angelles dyd appere in whyte. Some fathers dyd make habites of simplicite and mekenes without any curiosite. And some habites of wysdome and sadnes. For (as we sayd byfore) it bycōmeth nat a wyse man to were a foles cote / nor a sad ꝑsone: a gygges garment / natwithstādyng we se in this miserable tyme y^e mater moche misordred For certeynly (in my mynde) if al the wyse counsell of Englande shulde deuyse a garment for a gygge / or an vnclene cōmune woman / to be represented & shewed in a comedy / or interlude / or cōmune play / they coulde nat all deuyse a better nor more apte gramente: than suche as the ladies / great estates / & suche as shulde be / and so seme sad persones: done dayly were / and the men (in dede) ben nat behynde for theyr partes. But this (mea culpa) bysede our matter. Some holy fathers also had great deuociō to marke theyr habytes with holy and deuoute me­morialles / some of the crosse of Christe / some of his woundes / some of the blessed sacramente / & fo forthe of other lyke / as you dayly may se. Thus than haue we shewed howe the variete or diuersite of habite dothe bycōme or byseme diuerse orders of religion: [Page liiii] accordinge vnto the institucion & ordinaūce of holy fathers / that nat without reasonable cause or occasion grounded in scripture & vertue: dyd deuyse & or­deyne the same / for the edificacion of all christianes and for to auoyde the occasions & temptacions of y^e worlde / that ben gyuen & takē / by inordinate aray / whiche (as we byfore haue shewed) was fyrst foūde & bygynne & so hathe alwaye ben continued: by misordred ꝑsones. And howe moche misordred araye dothe displease god:Esa. 3. C. D is shewed by the ꝓphete Esay and the punyshemēt or peyne that shal come therof / specially vnto women / moche more than vnto reli­gious women if cause were.1. Ti. 2. C. 1. Co. 11. A. Saynt Petre dothe speke also agayne the same / & saynt Paule both and many holy doctours. This haue we sayd for an­swere vnto thē that detracte without cause or good reason: the holy habite of religion.

¶Of the fourme or maner of weryng of religious habite. The .xxv. Chapitre.

HEre nowe doughter may I giue you some monicion / for y^e fourme & maner of the vse & werynge of your habyte. For though I haue spokē somewhat therof vpon your rule: yet wolde I y^t you shulde ponder / wey / & well note the very wordꝭ of y^e texte in the .iiii. Chapitre.Regn. Ca. 4. Let nat your habite (sayth the letter) be notable / thā is y^e habite notable whan it is in matter fourme or shape / or coloure / or yet in maner of werynge / that is: bowynge / dres­synge / and orderynge of the araye vpon the places of the body: different / variaunt / or diuerse nat ac­cordynge or lyke vnto the company of the same co­uent / or vnto the moste laudable couent of the same [Page] same order. The mater shulde be all of one clothe / as ferre as conuenientely maye be / and that clothe / be it wollen or lynen / nother to be ouer fyne or ouer precious / nor yet ouer cours or ouer vyle. For the tone is a signe of pryde / and the tother of ypocrysie or superstision. A meane is euer beste accordyng vnto good honeste and profytte. And all (I saye) to be one throughe out the couent without notable diffe­rence / seniorite euer (accordynge vnto due maner) obserued. And the fourme or fashon al one / and that nother to shorte / nor to syde / nor yet to narowe / nor to wyde. The lengthe ī moste due cōuenient meane is that no parte of y^e legge appere to be sene: aboue the backe of the fote / and yet no parte of the habite: trayle and folowe vpon the grounde. For that doth the holy father saynt Hughe de fācto Victore moch reproue.Hugo De institut. nouicio. The wydnes accordynge without super­fluite and vnto profytte / and all vnto the quantyte of the persones in lyke. The coloure also to be all one / and that can nat be to sad / the generall constitucions of the order al waye obserued. For surely sta­rynge and lyght coloures be nothynge conuenient for religious persones. Blacke for your religiō me semethe best to accorde with your voels. In any wyse let all be one. For it is surely an vncomely syght / & nothynge accordinge to se ī one quere some with theyr manrelles of violette / and yet those bene dyuerse of the same coloure. Some blacke / some tawney / and so forthe all out of good frame / let all (I saye) be one excludynge euer all maner of curio­site and vanites in all other thynges also / as in rynges / brouches / gyrdels / bedes / knyues / purses / pyn­cases / gloues / with all suche other / one rynge is suf­ficient [Page lv] / and of the other as of all thynges to haue y^t is necessarie in due religious maner with honeste & profytte. The vse & maner of y^e werynge of your habyte / that is the dressynge or bowynge shulde euer be one. I haue sene some religious women were rolles / and pastes / as worldly people / some other frounted / or flyrted vp so hyghe y^t theyr heere maye be sene / whiche thynge saynt Augustine vtterly forbedeth in the original of your rule / as I haue there set forthe vpon the margyne. And some done were theyr rochettꝭ or brestclothes so lawe / and the wymples so narowe: that theyr skynne may appere and be sene / whiche thynge: nothynge becōmeth relegi­on / nor yet (in my mynde) any christiane. By ware I praye you of all superfluite in araye / for that shal be euer a clogge of conscience / loke nat what other persones haue. For al be nat of lyke nede / your rule is playne therin.Ca. 1. Be you content to haue that is ne­defull for you. And euer thynke / that (as your rule sayth) better is somewhat to want:Ca. 3. in fi. thā to haue any thynge ouer moche / y^t is: wherof you haue no nede / let this suffice for the habyte of religion.

¶Of silence vsed in religion the seconde example. The .xxvi. Chapitre.

WHere we promysed to shewe by y^e exam­ple of a fewe ceremonies: whiche the he­retikes done mocke / that all the residue ben foūded vpō scripture & good reason we nowe shal shewe thē an other exāple of silence / whiche they saye is a mere and playne su­persticion. Obiection. What reason (say they) is it y^e you shuld [Page] so mocke / and becke with your handes and fyngers one vnto an other / and so shewe your felowes what you meane or what you wolde / where you myght speke and with playne wordes shewe better your mynde / as all other people done. And sometyme of the day you wyll speke / and a nother tyme neuer a worde but vse suche tockꝭ & toyse / as thoughe some tyme were more lucky to speke in thā a nother. And yet whan your tyme is cōmune: than wyll you nat speke in certeyne places / but call your felowes out of that place / as the churche / or claustre / as though that place were nat fortunat: or shulde let you to speke. All is very folysshe in good soth. This is the obiection of the heretikes. Answere. Nowe here vs answere I pray you / and good deuout christianes take hede vnto the very trouthe / rather than vnto theyr skof­fynge checkes / we wyll fyrste answere after our promysed maner / that is: with suche balde reasons as they done make without auctorite / and afterwarde shewe reason founded vpon auctorite of scripture. This question wyll I fyrst aske of them: why done the kynges seruauntes / or the wayters vpon lordes or states kepe silence: whyle a peticion is made vn­to theyr mayster or souereyne?The hereti. why syr saye they? For it is agayne nurture and good maner for to in­terrupte or breke any mannes tale / moche more for the seruaunt vnto the mayster.The auctor So saye I: is it a­gayne good perfection to let any persone to pray / & so to tel his tale / and to make his peticion vnto our lorde for y^e tyme assigned or appoynted there vnto.The hereti. But why syr (say they) done you make suche signes than and nat speke?The auctor Why done you (say I) somtyme make a sygne or a becke vnto one of your felowes [...] [Page lvi] that standethe byfore your mayster to here his tale whan you haue nede of hym / and done nat thane speake and call hym vnto you / nor yet go rowne in his eare nother?The hereti. Syr (saye they) it is agayne good maner / to rowne in the souereynes presence / or to call any man frō hym / or without any speache to let his tale / but to make a becke or signe dothe lytel let / if it be made priuely and with good maner Take the same answere for my parte (saye I) that a priue signe made with reuerēce and good maner for a thynge necessarie dothe lesse let or hynder de­deuocion: than dothe outwarde speache.The auctor The hereti. But yet (say they) why done you let to speake in the churche specially whan you be nat at diuine seruice? or yet in the claustre: more than in a nother place?The auctor Why (saye I agayne) may nat euery persone speke at li­berte in the kynges priue chambre: though y^e kynge were (vnto theyr knowelege) absente? or why is it prohibite and forboden / that people shulde there rowne or wysper to geder priuely? And why maye nat a man fede his horse in y^e kyngꝭ hale / or wayshe dysshes in his chambre whan he is absent?The hereti. Ah syr (saye they) The kynges chambre is a place of dig­nite and prerogatyue / and many thynges therfore that may be done in other places: may nat (by good nurture) be done there nor sayd. And also places rowmes / and offices / bene ordeyned in the kynges house / for all thynges accordynge and as conueni­ente is. The stables: for the horses. The hall: for the men. The counsell house: for the kynges coū ­sayle. The priue chābre: for the kynges priuate pleasure / and so forthe of other lyke. I praye you than (saye I)The auctor let it be as conuenient [Page] and accordyng: that y^e churche be a place of dignite and prerogatyfe / onely appoynted for prayer & con­templacion / and suche diuine seruice due vnto god alone. And that the claustre may be a place of study and of reguler obseruaunce / and so of other places and tymes of silence accordynge vnto the instituciō and ordinaūces of holy fathers. And let this suffice as for lyke answere vnto theyr reasons.

¶Of silence by auctorite of scripture. The .xxvii. Chapitre.

SIth y^t we haue (accordyng vnto our ꝓmyse) answered these menye some what after theyr maner / y^t is like vnto like / nowe must we for our owne parte: shewe some what howe religious silence hathe foundacion / and grounde / vpon y^e auctorite of holy scripture in both the testamentes. And fyrste for the tyme of silēce: we maye take auctorite in the olde testament of y^e wyse man saynge.Eccle. 3. Tempus tacendi & tempus loquendi. There is a tyme of silence: and a tyme of speache / where y^e holy fathers: done nat forgete to note here In silencio et in spe: erit fortitudo uestra. Esa. 3 [...]. In holy scripture: the tyme of silence is preferred and set in order byfore the tyme of speache.Matth. 15. C. Matth. 6. And in the newe lawe: we haue for auctorite that our sauiour kepte silence hym selfe whansometyme he was prouoked and requyred to speake. And also he cōmaunded his Apostles / y^e whan they wolde praye:1. Reg. 1. they shuld nat speke moche. And the holy saynt Anne y^e mother of Samuel / whan she praied saith the scripture she [Page lvii] spake nat / but only that here lippes were sene scant to moue. And for the place of silence: our lorde sayth by his prophete Amos that with other suche punis­shement as he there shewed shulde come vnto y^e people for synne / the Temple shulde be desolate / and in euery place:Amos. 8. B silence (sayth he) shalbe cast out and no thynge shalbe regarded ne set by.Matth. 12. Our sauiour in the gospell sayth: my house is a place of prayer / and nat of geanglynge / or claterynge.Apoc. 8. A. Saynt Iohan in the Apocalips sayth that silence was made / com­maūded / and kepte in heuen for a tyme.Esa. 32. D. And y^e pro­phete Esai / the tyme shal come (sayth he) whā peace shalbe the worke of Iustice / and silēce shalbe the re­uerente worshype of the same iustice. The holy A­postell saynt Iames.Iaco. 1. D. Who so euer done thynke or iuge them selfe to be religious / & done nat refreyne theyr tonges (by due silence) theyr religion (saythe he) is vayne and voyde / and nothinge worthe.5. q. 4. In loco. Psal. The cōmune lawe dothe also assent there vnto. And the Psalmiste saythe. Humiliatus sum, et silui a bonis. I was made meke and brought lowe and than dyd I kepe silence from all speache thoughe it were very good / moche more than shulde we kepe silence frō those thynges that were vayne or yuell.Psal. 106. And in an other place he sayth: they were glad and ioyfull / by­cause they had kepte silence.Matth. 12. C. The sayng also of our souiour in the gospell of Matthewe / shulde vnto e­uery feythfull christiane be sufficiēt occasion / to vse and to loue silence. Sythe he y^e is essensiall trouthe and might nat erre / nor lye: sayd that of euery vayne and ydell worde: shall we render and make accounte in the generall Iugemente.

¶Of signes to be made in tyme or place of silence The .xxviii. Chapitre.

AS vnto theyr mockes and checkes of our sygnes made and vsed in tyme or place of silence / we haue answered thē in theyr lyke maner. And yet many we take for auctorite / that saint Peter and his felowes when they had taken a multitude of fisshe & had nede of helpe they wolde nat (for reuerence of our sauiour there present) call vnto theyr felowes for theyr helpe:Luce. 5. but rather made them signe and tokē there vnto / and Martha caled her syster Marie Magdalen vnto our sauiour by silence / sayth the gospell.Ioan. 11. Act. 13. C. And in the actes of the A­postles we rede that saynt Peter whan he was (by the Angell) delyuered out of prison: he came vnto his acquayntaūce / & fyrst he made (with his hande) a signe of silence byfore that he wolde speke.Act. 19. F. And so dyd saynt Paule a nother tyme ī lyke maner / as ap­pereth in y^e same actes. The wyse man sayth / if thou haue nat redy what to speke: put thy fynger vpon thy mouthe / in token of silence. Catho also saith / It neuer hurte ne noyed any persone to kepe silēce / but moche hathe noyed and hurte / to haue spoken. The cōmune ꝓuerbe is: that a worde ones spokē: can nat be caled becke agayne. Wherfore I wolde aduise al religious persones (what so euer the heretikꝭ done saye) to gyue good hede and deligence vnto theyr silence precisely to be kepte bothe for tyme and place of silence. The tyme of silence / after saint Hughe de sancto Victore (as we haue shewed vpon the rule) is from the ende of colacion byfore compline: vnto [Page lviii] y^e houre of terre be fully ended / after our lady masse where ordinare masse ben kepte. And agayne from the fyrste grace be sayd byfore dyner in the fraitour vnto y^e later grace be ended after dyner ī y^e churche / or els on fastynge dayes: vnto benedicite be sayde of the president after y^e cōmune beare or drinkynge. And these tymes (be you sure) were nat appoynted of y^e olde fathers: w^tout reasō & good or cōsideraciō / accordynge vnto the places / that the seruauntes of god in y^e forenone (whā the mynde is moste fresshe) shulde haunt and vse the churche or secret places to serue hym ī prayer / meditacion / and contemplaciō / and in the fraytour: the worde of god that there is red in the lesson: duely and diligentely to be herde. The residue of y^e tyme: to be spēde in holy laboures study / & profitable / or necessarie occupacions / wherin moderate speache maye be vsed / so it be euer of good vertue and spirituall edificacion / or at y^e least synles. For wordes of detraction / or of any synfull yuell. And all maner of vayne and ydell cōmunica­cion contrarie vnto good religious maner: shulde euery where / in euery tyme / and in euery place: be excluded / esche wed / and auoyded / as a pe­rilous pestilence amonge religious persones. And thus let this be as sufficient for this holy cere­monie of silence.

¶Of the reason why religious persones done drynke with bothe the handes. The .xxix. Chapitre.

YEt shall we set forthe a thyrde example of ceremonies whiche I haue often ty­mes herde reproued / and mocked / as a mere and playne supersticion / whiche is this: Religious persones done cōmely (whan they drynke) holde the cuppe in bothe the handes.The hereti. Here vpon they done (after theyr maner) rayle / and gest / saynge: that monkes (so done they call all religious persones) done loue well drynke / & bycause they wolde be sure to haue a full draught they ordeyne theyr boles so great and large: y^t they can nat lyfte a bole with the tone hand / and therfore they take bothe the handes. Answere. Here you maye se good christianes: howe these heretikes done ascribe y^e largenes of the boles vnto glotony. And me thynke (if they had bene charitable ꝑsones) they myght (by as good reason (haue ascribed it vnto good liberalite / that whan they shulde gyue drynke vnto straūgers or vnto poore folkes: they wolde gyue it thankfully liberally / and charitably. Obiection. Why than (saye they) what nede you to take bothe y^e handes vnto a lytell smale cuppe or measer / whan it maye easely be lyfte vp with one hande. We shall fyrst answere (accor­dynge vnto our ꝓmyse) lyke vnto lyke / and so wyll I aske this question of them. Answere. Why some of thē done (whan theyr lordꝭ or souereynes done drynke) hold the couer of the cuppe vnder theyr chynne? If they saye it apperteynethe vnto honoure: I wyll saye a­gayne / that so in lyke maner this ceremonie dothe apperteyne vnto religion. And yet wyll I aske thē an other question. Why done they (whan they serue theyr souereynes of meate or sauce in a smale dysshe or saucer) bere the seruice in bothe the hādes / where [Page lix] the tone hande were sufficient there vnto? If they say it is the custome and good maner of nurture▪ I wyll answere in lyke wyse / and saye the other cere­monie [...] is the custome and good maner of religion but some persones haue aunswered me / that bothe those obseruaunces ben done: lest any lycour shuld fal vpon theyr souereines clothes / or vpon the table and be loste. This aunswere dothe somewhat incline and leyne to reason. For in dede the olde fa­thers / had conscience to lose or spyl any thynge that might come vnto the conforte of the poore / and they wolde say that the crome of bread in the baskette: or the droppe of drynke in the tobbe:Cassianus. shal accuse the negligēt persones / if they be lost. We rede in the cola­cion of the olde fathers / of great punisshemēte done for losynge onely by negligence / of .iii. graynes of Otemele / and we haue sene some persones ī beryng of a cuppe curiously: haue caste all byfore theyr so­uereynes / & so playde byfore you be it layde / where if bothe the handꝭ had ben diligētely put there vnto al myght haue ben safe / but let this be for lyke vnto lyke. For we done take a better foūdacion & groūde of the gospell / and of the actes & examples of our sa­uiour. For whan he brake bread:Matth. 16. C. Marci. 6. F. 8. A. 14, E. Luce. 9. B. 22. B. 24. E Io. 6. Matth. 26. C. he toke it euer in bothe the handꝭ & wolde lose nat one croume / as we haue ī the gospel of Matthewe / in Marke / ī Luke / & in Iohan ī diuerse places. In so moche he cōmaū ­ded his disciples (whan they had fed the people) to gather the offalles & leyuinge in baskettes that no­thynge shulde perysshe or be loste. And also in his maundy at the laste souper / in the cōsecracion of his holy sacred body / and blode / he toke the breade / and after the cuppe / in sacras ac uenerabiles manus suas. [Page] in his holy sacred and worshypfull handes.Marci. 14. C. Luce. 27. B. 24. E. Io. 6. C. In perpetuall remembraunce wherof we done alway take the cuppe in both the handes / wherfore let all good deuoute christianes: and specially all religious persones take and applie all vnto the best / and what so euer these blasphemous and blaterynge heretikes done say / let them thynke alwaye the ceremonies of holy religion were nat ordened by the reuerente fa­thers & holy saintꝭ w^tout good reasō & sure groūde.

¶Why religious persones (after a defaulte cōmit­ted) done touche the grounde. The .iiii. example. The .xxx. Chapitre.

YEt one ceremonie mo shal we set forth / where at (as I haue bothe herde & sene my selfe byfore I entred religion) they done laghe and mocke. That is to say whan any religious ꝑsone in syngyng or readynge doth make defaulte in the quere: than the custome is and the ordinaunce also: that y^e same persone forthwithe after the defaulte:The hereti. shall stoupe downe / and to touche the grounde with a fynger / wherat they done laughe and done ascribe it vnto a folysshe supersticion / saynge: that the persone dyd thā fetche good lucke at the groūde: to spede better y^e nexte tyme / & some haue I sene spitte therat & say / fye on y^e folyshe maner / done (as they saye) without ryme or reason. Answere. Where vnto some what to answere thē after our custome & ꝓmyse: we wyll aske of thē: If (by chaūce) a seruing mā at his souereines borde or table: fortune to cast downe a dysshe of potage or a messe of sauce: why dothe he forthw^t knele downe vpon the groūde. Syr say they: we done y^t to aske [Page lx] ꝑdon or forgiuenes for y^e default. For we haue herd in youthe of our teachers / y^t the wyse Seneke sayd. Qui sponte fatetur facinus: accipitur tan (quam) non reus. The ꝑsone y^t wylfully doth knowelege his default is accoūted as giltles. And contrarie: he y^t is about to excuse or coloure his defaulte is (amōge vs) takē & iuged as a double trespasser. For ones he dyd the offence: whiche natwithstandynge was byfore the excuse were made: ascribed vnto chaunce or negli­gencie. But the excuse is euer takē for worse thā the offence / & ascribed vnto very pryde. Nowe let thē in the name of god: thynke & iuge the same ī religious ꝑsones. For trouthe it is / y^t theyr stoupynge downe & touchynge the groūde: dothe (amonge thē) openly cōfesse y^e default. And y^e styfe contēpt of y^e ceremonie dothe argue (amonge thē) a stouburne stomake & a proude herte. Natwithstandynge yet done we take this ceremonie of a more hyghe auctorite / as groū ­ded in scripture.Genesis. 3. For we done rede y^t our lorde said vnto our fyrste father Adā / after y^t he had offended. Terra es, et in terrā ibis. Thou arte yerth & īto yerth shalt thou passe. In remēbraūce wherof religious ꝑsones done forthw^t after theyr default / in knowle­gynge y^e same stoupe (as we sayd before) & touche y^e groūde. For the wyse mā sayth.Eccl. 7. D. Memento finis: et in eternum non peccabis. Remēbre thy laste ende (mā) & thou shalte neuer do amysse. And yet forthermore we haue of y^e gospell / y^e whan a certeyn womā was faūde ī adultry / & presēted vnto our sauiour & vnto hym accused / & his iugemēt requyred by the cruell Iues there vpon moste extremely:Io. 8. B. he fyrste stouped downe and touched the grounde and wrote therin w^t his fynger / & after reysyng hym selfe / he cōfoūded pardons [...] [Page] the malicious accusers / and rendred the woman as gylteles / wherby religious persones done take mo­nicion nat onely to knowlege there owne defaultes mekely: but also to byware howe they done accuse any other ꝑsones for any defaulte / thoughe it seme very euident.Prouer. 18. For the wyse man sayth. Iustus in principio, accusator est sui. The Iuste and ryghtuous ꝑ­sone: dothe in the begynnynge byfore he procede in any iugemente: fyrste accuse hym selfe. For it apperteyneth vnto a perfecte persone: to ascribe euery de­faulte vnto hym selfe / let this nowe content you as for answere vnto the heretikes for our ceremonies.

¶Of the conclusion of this fyrste parte / that is of y^e ceremonies of religion. The .xxxi. Chapitre.

THus may you (good deuoute reders) perceyue by these fewe examples: that no maner of ceremonie is in religion / nat so moche as the leest: but that is foūded vpon good & sufficient aucto­rite / wherfore I hertely byseche you (good deuoute religious persones: In uisteribus Iesu Christi. That is: ī the tender loue of our lorde and sauiour Iesu) that in no wyse you gyue credence vnto this mali­cious people / whiche done meruelously delude and deceyue theyr audience. For they done put the com­mune vnlerned people in credence and byleue: that religious persones done put theyr confidence and truste all in ceremonies / as thoughe by kepynge of them onely: they shulde be saued. And by breakyng of them: they shulde vtterly be dampned / whiche thyng is the cōueniēt & ymaginacion of theyr owne [Page lxi] vngracious mynde. For religious persones: neuer thought any suche. But this they thinke that by the reuerent obseruaūce & kepyng of thē vnto y^e hon [...]re of god / they may haue more grace: the better to kepe theyr rules & other ordinaūces & bondes of religion & so cōsequently the lawe of the gospel & y^e preceptes therof. For religious persones done knowe well ynough: that they ben nat boūde vnto theyr ceremonies / nor yet vnto euery poynt of theyr rules: vnder peyne of dedly synne / but vnder suche peynes as in theyr bokes ben assigned & appoynted after the dis­crecion of y^e souereynes / natwithstāding: contēpt is euer to be fled & fered or dred. For by contēpt a per­sone myght synne dedly in doynge y^e thynge / y^t els were but veniall / or (ꝑaduēture) no synne at all / let neuer therfore any religious ꝑsones despise y^e holy ceremonies / ne any other ordināce or good custome of religion. For w^tout doute they were ordened by suche reuerent fathers & holy sayntes as were indo­wed w^t ryght great & synguler graces / as well doth appere in vitas Patrū. And in y^e colacions of saynt Iohā cassiane. The ceremonies therfore of religiō must nedely be kepte / of all they y^t wyll be very & vnfeined religious ꝑsones / & also kepte in due maner / that is to say: w^t reuerēce / deuocion / diligēce / & dred of god. For it is ī maner as a mocke vnto our lorde / to kepe thē w^t disdeyne / rude maner / hasty / & careles boldnes / onely of custome w^tout deuocion / as they were done onely for det / duety / & for y^e bondage of y^e religion rather thā for y^e increace of grace & vertue. For y^e pleasure or praise of outwarde ꝑsones: rather than for any inwarde affection of herte and mynde. And rather sometyme for the seruile drede of peyne / [Page] rebuke & correction thā for y^e honoure & loue of god For very & vnfeyned loue: doth worke all thynges with care & diligence / glad mynde & good wyll if religious ꝑsones wolde take hede & well remēbre w^t howe great honoure & reuerēce / w^t howe great care & drede / w^t howe great thought & diligence / & howe great laboure & peyne: y^t people of the worlde done kepe theyr obseruaūces & ceremonies vnto y^e prīces & great states y^t ben theyr souereynes & maisters / in curtesy / knelynge / waytynge / & standynge vp right w^tout sittynge or leinynge bare heded & bare hāded in hete & colde / with many other ceremonies y^t ben labourious & peynfull: they shulde oftymes be sore abasshed & ryght sore ashamed of thē selfe / in doyng theyr duety & obseruaūces vnto our lorde god & vn­to theyr souerynes / y^t done beare & vse his rowme & place: so dully & so negligētly / as oftymes it is done Our lorde god & most swete sauiour Iesu: gyue vs al grace to note these thingꝭ wel / & ī effect to folowe the best Amen. And thus an ende of this fyrst parte of our similitude / that is to say: y^e wykers that done bynde & kepe fast the hopes of our vessell: by y^e whi­che wykers: the sayd ceremonies of religion cōtey­ned in the constitucions or statutes ben signified.

¶The thyrde parte of this worke of the thre essen­cialles of religion / obedience / wylfull po­uerte / and chastite. And fyrste of obe­dience / and the definicion therof The fyrste Chapitre.

A Pype cōmunely is made of bor­dꝭ / as y^e great substaūce of y^e vessel / whi­che bordes duely framed and compassed with hopes / and the same hopꝭ fastened with wykers: done accōplysshe the ves­sell redy to holde wyne. Of the whiche wykers and hopes / werby the ceremonies / constitucions / and y^e rules of religion ben signified / whiche we haue in­treated. Here nowe muste folowe of the bordes / whiche we done appoint .iii. in nombre wherby the .iii. partes of religion caled essensialles: ben signi­fied / and therfore this parte must be diuided in .iii. principall membres / obedience / wylfull pouerte / & chastite / as the substanciall partes of religion mo­nasticall wherof we do nowe intreate. The fyrste membre than shalbe obedience / as the fyrste borde of our vessell / and so forthe of the other twayne by order. Fyrste we shall begynne with the definicion of obedience / that is to say: to shewe vnto you what thynge obedience is / and what is ment by the selfe terme or worde obedience / bothe as it doth apper­teyne vnto all christianes generally / and also vnto religious ꝑsones specially.Difinitio [...]enerall. Fyrste than / Obedience generall: is an applicaciō / or graūt of herte / minde / and wyll / vnto the due and the lawfull preceptes / or cōmaundementes of the ryght and ordinarie supe­riours / accordynge vnto the ordinaunce of god and [Page lxiiii] of his churche catholike / after the rules of holy scripture. And this obedience: dothe apperteyne vnto al christianes. But as it dothe apperteyne vnto reli­gious persones as one of theyr essenciales:Alia defi. wherof we done here nowe intreate. Obedience is a wylful and vtter abnegacion and forsakyng of ꝓper wyll / and an obligacion or bounde vnto the wyl of the souereyne / in all thynges that ben lawfull and reaso­nable / accordynge vnto the rules / constitucions / & ordinaūces / of that order or of that religion: where the profession and promyse is made. Here note well and marke: that ī these definisiōs or determinaciōs of obedience / ben these termes or wordes put into y^e same / that is to saye:12. q̄. terti. Quid ergo Ambrosiꝰ de paradi­so. Ca. 6. Thomas scde. scde. q̄. 104. & 11. q̄. tertia Quid ergo due and lawfull / and also law­full and reasonable. For that thynge that is nat lawfull and reasonable / that is to say: synne / or yuel may neuer be done by any maner of obedience. Natwithstandyng: that thynge that is good and honest may be omitted or left vndone by good and merito­rious obedience / so the persone obediencer: be nat boūde by y^e lawe of god or y^e ordinaūce of y^e churche vnto good dede. For y^e lawe of god & y^e decrees of y^e churche: must nedely be kepte / rather thā y^e cōtrarie cōmaūdement of any souereyne / thus haue you the definicion or determinacion / & declaracion of this terme obedience / what thynge is ment therby.

¶Of the diuersites of obedience. The seconde Chapitre.

NOwe may cōueniētly folowe of y^e deuision & diuersites of obidēce / that is say howe many maners ben of obediēce. For one obedience caled an obediēce of pleasure or ꝓfyt / an other is obediēce of [Page] necessite or nede / y^t .iii. an obediēce of fere & drede / y^t .iiii. 1 of liberall loue. The fyrste obedience is of pleasure or profyte. And this bothe vnto man / and best is na­tural / as by example / a dogge that is chastized / and by crafte made obedient vnto his mayster to go or byde at his wyll / whan he byddeth hym go or renue to take a beaste / as an Hare / a Cony / or a dyre / he is than sone and redely obediēt there vnto / partely of natural disposicion for his pleasure and partely for profytte / bycause cōmunely he is fed with parte of that he taketh. And certeynly of this obedience ben many religious persones that lyghtely wyll be re­dy and obedient in all thynges that ben vnto theyr owne pleasure or ꝓfyte / wherof we shal speake here 2 after. An other obedience is for nede / as the dogge dothe daunce for meate / and the syke persone is obediente 3 vnto the phisiciō for very nede / & so be many vnto labour. The thyrde obedience: is for drede of peyne or punisshement / as whan y^e mayster dothe compell the dogge to daunce vpon two / fete / or to swymme in the water: to fetche his bolte or shafte / for that thynge dothe he agayne kynde by compul­sion / and agayne his naturall disposicion / and wyl onely for drede and fere of peyne. All these .iii. ma­ners of obedience ben often tymes in religious per­sones w^tout any great thanke and with lytel merite yet saye nat I without any thanke or any merite. For (without doute) thanke there is & merite both. For the dogge we spake of: that dothe his maysters byddynge / for his owne pleasure / or by compulsion yet bycause he is obediēt vnto y^e wyl of his maister / he dothe bothe cheryshe hym and also gyue hym re­warde. So is it of y^e obediēce of religious ꝑsones / [Page lxv] done for pleasure / profyte / nede / or drede / yet if it be done but onely for the bonde and duety of the vowe and promyse made byfore in profession: that obedi­ence shall nat be without meryte and rewarde / by­cause the bonde there vnto was wylfully made for the loue of god and his lawes / and so is it of any o­bediēce done by any christiane for y^e duety & bonde of his baptysme. For though a christiane wolde fulfyl the obedience of y^e lawes of god and his churche onely for the fere and drede of dampnacion & of the peynes due there vnto: & so shulde haue no meryte therfore / yet is it nat that obedience without ꝓfyte. For (at the least) the persone shulde haue the lesse peyne / and if that fere of dampnacion: were rather for the losse of the fauoure of god / and of his p̄sence than for the peynes of hell: the continuaūce than of that obedience shulde obteyne grace / so that y^e fere and drede shulde tourne vnto loue. So (at y^e least) that the persones shulde wyl and wysshe they kepte that obedience onely for the loue of god / whiche se­methe vnto theyr myndes: they done kepe onely for drede. And I dare well say: that wyll shall nat be w^t out rewarde of grace / specially if it be caled fore & insued. It is therfore a good surety for euery ꝑsone to kepe duely obediēce / whether it be kepte ryghtly & wylfully for loue / or caytyuely byforce / for drede.

¶Howe to knowe or to coniecture whan obediēce is wylfully done for due loue / and whan nat & so consequentely to coniecture whan disobedience or any other sinne: is dedly or veniall. The .iii. Chapitre.

HEre (althoughe in maner by a digres­sion) we thynke it profitable for suche symple persones as be scrupulouse in conscience to knowe or (at the leest) to coniecture: whan theyr obedience is done ryghtely of good wyll / and whā nat. For the knowlege wherof: we must fyrste consider nat onely after the doctrine of philosophie:Ro. 7. D. 2. Cor. 4. D but also of holy scripture / that euery persone is a dou­ble man / that is to saye: compoūde and made of two men / that is: of the outwarde man that is caled the body or the flesshe / and of the inwarde man: that is caled the soule or the spirite / betwene whiche two men: is euer warre and batayle continual / without any truce accordynde vnto the whiche two men: e­uery ꝑson hathe two wylles. One is the wyll of the flesshe / y^t continually is moued & ruled by sēsualite & by corrupte & blynded reasō or fantasy. The other is the wyll of the spirite / whiche euer is moued by grace & ruled by ryght reason. Nowe for y^e exāple of obediēce accordyng vnto these two wylles / let vs put y^e prīcipal p̄ceptes or cōmaūdementꝭ of god / the loue of hym aboue all thyngꝭ / & y^e neghbour as our selfe. The wyll of y^e spirite moued by grace & ordred by ryght reasō: wyll forthw^t w^tout stoppage assent & redely be obediēt there vnto. But whā y^e tyme and place done requyre & moue y^e ꝑsone ī cōsciēce to put these cōmaūdementes in effecte: & to worke & fulfyll thē in dede: thā dothe y^t wyll of y^e flesshe: moued by sēsualite / & ꝑsuaded by corrupte reasō / & blynded af­fection: stycke & stoppe therat & rebell there agaynst & so here beginneth y^e batayle. If thā y^e ꝑsone incline & leine vnto the mocion of grace & cōtrarie vnto the [Page lxvi] wyll of the flesshe & so ꝑfourme y^e cōmaūdemētes & bringe it vnto effecte: thā hathe the spirite y^e victory & the obedience is wylfull & the cōmaūdemēt duely obserued with the good wyll of y^e ꝑsone / althoughe it seme vnto the selfe ꝑsone (bycause of the resistēce of the sensuall wyll) to be agayne his wyll. But if y^e persone do incline and leyne vnto the mocion of sensualite & corrupted reason & so render the wyll of y^e spirite feynt and feble: than dothe the flesshe van­quysshe and preueyle / and so dothe cause the ꝑsone to be disobedient / and to breke the cōmaundement / whiche the persone may do in diuerse maners / that is: by obstinacie / by ignoraūce / or by fraylte. The p̄cepte is brokē by obstinacy: whā it is done by the due knowlege of y^e ꝑsone & full deliberaciō wyttyn­ly (as they say) & wyllyngly / & than is y^e transgression or brekynge of y^e cōmaūdemēt: alway dedly sīne. Than is the p̄cepte broken by ignoraūce: whan the ꝑsone hathe nat ryght & due knowlege of the p̄cepte & y^t may be yet ī two maners. For other y^t ignorāce is of that thynge that y^e ꝑsone was boūde to knowe & by his owne defaulte is ignoraūt therof / bycause he gaue nat due diligēce to haue y^e knowlege therof and than is that ignoraunce hardely excused in any case: of dedly synne / or els the ignoraunce is of that precepte that the persone is nat bounde to knowe / and if he had knowlege therof: he wolde nat in any wyse breke it / and than is that ignoraunce veniall synne / and lyke wyse of that defaulte that is done by frailte of sodeyn passion / but nat so of that frailte that is of full knowelege and delyberacion.

Example here of maye we haue of othes or swe­rynge. For if a persone were caled byfore a iuge [Page] hauynge iuste power to requyre an othe and there wolde by good deliberaciō and full knowlege wit­tyngly swere contrarie vnto his conscience: y^e othe is euer dedly synne / bycause of the transgression by obstinacy and contempte of the precepte and cōmaū dement of god. And lykewyse of them that by con­tempte with ful deliberacion done horribly blaspheme god or the name or membres of god / althoughe without constraynte or request. But if a persone by ignoraunce dyd swere false / supposynge and byle­uynge he sware true: than is it veniall / and so of thē that done thynke & byleue that to swere y^t is trouth is no synne. To swere by custome without full deliberacion: is cōmunely venial / or yet contrarie vnto custome: if it by done by sodeyne passion of fraylty. Thus nowe maye appere / that onely disobedience by contempte is dedly synne and howe a ꝑsone doth breke or kepe obedience wylfully / natwithstanding the veniall & vnwylfull disobedience by negligēce / ignoraunce or fraylte as is sayd: doth nat excuse frō the peyne due therfore / excepte due remedy be had / whiche remedy standeth fyrst in the contricion and due displeasure for the offence of god / and thā dothe the due and worthy receyuyng of any sacrament / or (after some doctours) any sacramētales / as of hale­water / or halebreade / the bysshopes blessynge / the syght of the sacrament with suche other: done put a waye bothe the synne and the peyne due therfore. For sythe we haue of custome suche dayly synnes: w^t out whiche we can nat lyghtely passe this mortall lyfe (as saynt Augustyne sayth) It is necessarie y^t we haue dayly and redy remedy / without whiche: our lorde god neuer left his people. But here vnto [Page lxvii] some scripulouse persones haue sayd vnto me. Syr al doctours done preache / that no maner of remedy can be sufficient to the purgacion and remission of synnes: excepte the synner haue mynde / wyll & pur­pose to forsake vtterly the synne and to amende the same. And I am (sayth this frayle persone) in suche case in my conscience: that I can nat saye I wyll a­mende and forsake some maner of sinnes / where vnto I am dayly acustomed. And thoughe I saye and also thynke verely in my herte that I wyl amende: yet do I proue afterwarde in effecte: that I do nat amende / but fall agayne the nexte daye into y^e same custome. Howe can I saye than or promyse that I wyl amende? as in case / I do fede / eate / or drynke / so that I passe due temperaūce therin vnto y^e grudge of my conscience / whiche (whan the mater is paste) doth shewe me that I exceded & moche lesse wolde haue contented nature / and that I toke some thyn­ges: more for pleasure than for nede / vnto the grefe rather thā vnto the cōforte of nature. And ī lyke maner / whan I fall in cōmunicacion or talke: I excede in wordes that bene vayne and myspende the tyme therin wherwith afterwarde I grudge ī consciēce. And yet althoughe I be moche discontēted and dis­pleased with my selfe for these frayltes and suche o­ther / and thoughe also I thinke verely and purpose to amende: yet can I nat promyse to amēde / nor yet can I nat thynke nor byleue that I shall amende / y^e experience so often doth proue the contrarie. For y^e custome is so grounded of so longe tyme: that (I thynke) I can nat amende it. Answere. For our answere here vnto / you muste remembre that we said before / eue­ry synne is done other by contempt / that is to saye: [Page] despysynge the lawe of god / as settyng nought therby or carynge lyttell therfore / & than is that (as we sayd) alway dedly synne if it be done by deliberaciō & knowlede / & the custome therof is euer more dedly synne / whiche maner of sine can neuer be so accusto­med but that the ꝑsone caling for grace: may amēde lyghtely if he wyll. Other synnes there ben (as we sayd byfore) w^tout whiche (after saynt Augustyne) we can nat lyghtely passe this mortall lyfe / that ben done by fraylte / ignoraunce / or negligence / that ben veniall. Syr saythe the frayse persone: I meane no thynge of dedly sinne done by contempte. For I am ryghte sory for my defaulte / but yet my frayltie is suche:Answere. that I haue no truste to amende. Here nowe good soule saye I: you muste consyder the differēce betwene truste to amende / and wyll to amende. For thoughe you be in doute and in dispere of your fraylte / so that by many experiēces and ꝓues there of: you done distruste your selfe to amende / yet done nat you / nother say ne thynke / that you haue no wyl to amende / but rather you wolde be glad and ioy­full that god wolde sende you that grace to amende and that you shulde neuer fall againe therin. That is trouthe (sayth the frayle persone) And I do pray dayly and beseche our lorde that I maye (by his grace) be delyuered therof / so that I neuer fall a­gayne into that / nor into any other disposiciō / that shulde displease his goodnes. Nowe saye I: that (by your owne wordes) you done graūt with saynt Paule that the lawe is good / and that to kepe due temperaunce is good / and that to kepe discrete si­lence is good / so done you conclude that all the de­faulte is hooly in your selfe. Where vpon than do I [Page lxviii] conclude / y^e (after myne opinion) you can nat haue a more sure and redy meane to obteyne grace and forgyuenes of your dayly synnes: than to mistruste your selfe / and so to dispayre of your selfe. And thā to put all your hole hope and truste in the mercy & goodnes of our lorde god / that dothe knowe the wyll of your sperite / althoughe the wyll and lawe of the flesshe: dothe (of fraylte) vanquysshe for the tyme / & yet I wolde aduyse you to offer your selfe vnto our lorde saynge or thynkynge / good lorde: althoughe I dyspayre of myne owne infirmite feble­nes and fraylte: yet do I nothynge dispayre of thy great power and myght / where I maye nat lorde / thou mayste / where I can nat: thou canste. And where my carnall wyll is inconstante: thy bountie grace and goodnes is euer one / whervnto: I hooly committe my selfe. And therin do put all my hope and truste. And this maner and consideracion (I thynke) shalbe a good and sufficient meane that the sacramentes / sacramentales with the cōmune me­rites of Christes churche & the prayers of holy sayntes may haue effecte in your soule / vnto remission of your synnes. This haue we sayd by disgression nat without instant requeste / vpon the occasion of well wyllynge obedience.

¶Of the forther diuision or diuersites of obediēce The fourthe Chapitre.

NOwe let vs retourne againe vnto our mater of obedience. For we left in shewynge the diuersites of obedience / whiche (as we sayd) bene in many maners / as the obedience of pleasure [Page] or profyte / of nede or necessite / and of fere and drede whiche maner of obediences: ben bothe vnto man & beaste cōmune / other by the disposicion of nature / or els by force and compulsion / and therfore bene they as we sayd of lytell meryte / but nat clene and vtter­ly without meryte as before we haue declared / we must nowe therfore seke and serche forther for an o­ther obedience that may be of more meryte / and that is caled the obedience of loue / whiche is whan a ꝑ­sone (for the loue of god / & for y^e more ryght / streght and more sure meane to worke his wyll & pleasure and to folowe the pathe and very waye of lyfe / that is to say: the steppes and exambles / the cōmaunde­mentes and coūsayles of our lorde & sauiour Iesu) dothe put hymselfe (by promyse & vowe) wylfully subiecte in all due obedience vnto a souereyne / that (by y^e auctorite of y^e churche) doth bere the rowme & vse the persone of our sayd sauiour. The diffiniciō of whiche obedience: we haue set forthe byfore. Of this maner of obedience: is our mynde to speke and intreate and afterwarde of the other two vowes / wylfull pouerte / and chastite.

¶Of the laude / prayse / and excellency / of this obe­dience. The .v. Chapitre.

IN the order of these vowes: we done be­gynne with this vertue of obedience / by­cause of the excellency therof oboue other vertues. For obedience is next in order of dignite: vnto the .iii. diuine vertues / caled theolo­gicall / that is to say: seythe / hope / and charite. For thoughe obediēce do seme & is ī dede: the doughter [Page lxix] of humilite and mekenes. yet is it of more perfec­tion than is her mother mekenes / a lyke example of charite. For thoughe Charite be the moste hyghe & excellēt vertue in dignite: yet is operacion and eui­dent worke of a good dede in effecte the probacion profe and perfection of charite. So that if it be true and vnfeyned charite: it must nedly worke & bryng forth good dedes / and if it dothe nat worke and do good dedes: it is nat true / but rather a similitude or a shadowe of charite. So is it in lyke maner of hu­milite or mekenes / the very profe wherof in effecte: is obedience. For obedience dothe make humilite ꝑfecte / as euidentely was proued in the fyrste & most excellent reasonable creatures / Angelles and man / whiche: were bothe create in the moste hyghe ꝑfec­tion possible vnto theyr nature and kynde: in al vertues / but whan the profe of mekenes shulde in effect (by the liberte and fredome of wyl) come to passe in the werke and be shewed and set forth in dede by o­bience: therin dyd they bothe feyle and offēde vnto there owne great fall and greuous hurte of all vs / wherin dothe openly appere y^t this lady obedience is the mother and maystres and nurse of all other vertues.Gregoriꝰ ultimo moralium. For obedience dothe nat onely ingender / bygette and bryng forthe other vertues in the soule of man: but also dothe noryshe and fede them therin and (as a fure garde and keper) doth gyde and pre­serue them continually / obedience muste than nede­ly be a noble and excellent vertue. Compare it vnto martyrdome / whiche in very dede is an excellent sacrifice:8. q̄. 1. Sci. yet (as saynt Gregory sayth vpon this texte Melior est obediencia (quam) uictima) The body onely is in martyrdome slayne and offred / but in obedience [Page] is the proper wyll slayne & the soule offred in swete sacrifice vnto our lorde / and so is obedience: a precious kynde and maner of martyrdome. yet forther­more / obedience is a lady souereyne and a maystres imperious / hauynge auctorite of precepte & cōmaū demēt ouer all creatures / vnto whome also (as scripture sayth) god hym selfe was inclyned / as obediēt vnto the voyce & desyre of man.Iosue. 10. And also almyghty god in all the promyses and actes of our saluacion: dyd wylfully bynde hym selfe to be obedient vnto y^e perfourmaūce of the same. Obedience is also natu­rall vnto all creatures. For all creatures ben natu­rally obediēt / nat onely vnto god theyr maker: but also euery creature vnto other accordynge vnto the degrye & order of theyr nature / as in Angelles: the lower / in order [...]: ben obediēt vnto the hygher. And the bodies bynethe: vnto the bodies aboue. And all the worlde vnto mākynde duely ordered / so that all creaturꝭ by y^e cōdiciō of theyr creaciō: ben ordened of god naturally obedient. Obedience is also so neces­sary vnto man: that without obedience none other vertue may profytte or auayle vnto our saluacion. For the vertue of feythe: without whiche no ꝑsone may please god / thoughe it were as strōge that (as saynt Pale sayth) it myght remoue mountes:1. Cor. 13. A yet w^t out obedience: it shulde moche noye and hynder the persone: rather thā promote or profytte vnto grace For the ꝑsone that hathe moste stronge and constāt true feithe & wolde (for the same) rather suffer dethe than forsake it / shulde without due obedience be in worse case & degre of saluaciō thā the Turke / Iue / Sarasyne / or any other infideles and feythles per­sones / as ben in dede all maner of heretykes. And [Page lxx] hope without obedience: is dampnable presūpcion And Charite without obedience: is fals feynynge flaterye. Go forther nowe vnto the actes of meryte / as fastynge / waytche / prayer / & pilgrimage / almes / and all penitenciall actes: bene without obedience: clerely lost after saynt Augustyne.De obedi­encia et humilita. Ca. 1. 8. q̄. 1. Sci­endū in fi. Obedience ther­fore is the vertue that dothe obteine and gete y^e me­ryte of all vertues. And (as we sayd) without obedience: the christiane is in lyke state and condicion w^t the infidele and hethen man. Althoughe he seme to haue good feythe. And (to conclude) no vertue mo­rall: dothe so moche please god as dothe obedience. And therfore is obedience better and more excellent than all other vertues morall whiche thynge shuld be a great occasion vnto all persones that wolde be vertuous:Aug. ubi supra. to laude and loue this noble vertue of o­bedience.

¶Vnto whome obedience is due. The .vi. Chapitre.

SIthe nowe we haue shewed what obedience is by definicion and also y^e diuersite and excellency therof it se­methe conueniēt to shewe who may and shulde of ryght take and haue obedience / vnto whome it is due you knowe wel by reason and also by that we haue sayd that obedience is due of all creatures vnto almigh­ty god / & of all christianes also is obedience due vn­to them that done vse / this persone as the Pope / the bysshopes / curates / and suche other. And also vnto the parentes of the chyldren. For by the lawe / chyl­dren bene bounde to be obediente vnto the fathers [Page] and mothers. And the subiectes of euery realme: vnto theyr kynges and prynces / and the seruaūtes: vnto the lordes / and wyues vnto theyr housbandes. But our mater is nat of these obediences / but of the obedience of religious persones that bene solemly professed: due vnto theyr souereynes whiche soue­reynes also as well as theyr subiectes: ben bounde vnto the due obedience of theyr rules and ordinaū ­ces. Natwithstādynge: bycause y^e souereynes done beare the rowme and vse the place and persone of our lorde and sauiour Iesu: and muste (as is sayde in the rule) render and yelde accounte for the subiectes: therfore (I saye) the subiectes (byonde the obe­dience of the rule and ordinaunces) muste also be o­bedient vnto the souereynes. So that contrarie vnto theyr preceptes and commaundementes: they no thynge do / nat so moche as the leaste thynge. If the naturall chylde be bounde to be obedient vnto the naturall parentes: moche more bene the spirituall chyldren vnto the spirituall parentes bounde. So moche more I saye: as the soule is aboue the body / or the spirite aboue the flesshe.Ephesi. 6. Colo. 3. And the seculer sub­iectes bene boūde (by scripture) to be obedient vnto theyr seculer princes and souereynes as they shulde be obedient (sayth saynt Paule) vnto our lorde god And Peter doth commaunde his disciples to be o­bedient vnto theyr souereines althoughe they were vicious.Ebre. 13. 1. Petri. 2. Moche more than ben religious persones bounde to be obedient vnto theyr souereynes that ben good and vertuouse / specially sythe (by solēpne vowe and profession) they haue made promyse ther vnto. But here done these great heretykes: moche delude and deceyue the people. For thy done saye & [Page lxxi] wryte also / that (by the very same auctoritꝭ of saynt Peter and Paule that we spake of) all maner of ꝑ­sones as well spirituall as temporall shulde be obedient vnto the prophane and seculer princes / and y^e none obedience is due vnto any persones of the spi­ritualte or clergie. For (they say) that none suche o­bedience was cōmaunded of the Apostles / but only (as I sayd) vnto the temporall princes. And ouer that they say / that Christe hym selfe was obediēt in his body and goodes vnto the Emperours deputꝭ Pylate / Herode / and suche other that bothe recey­ued trybute of Christ / and also in theyr court iuged hym. And Paule (say they) also appealed vnto the Emperour that was a temporall persone / and nat vnto any spirituall iuge of y^e clergie / wherfore they conclude / there shulde be no suche obedience vnto any spirituall persones. For (they saye) there bene no spirituall persones but onely the seruaūtes of y^e dyuell. Answere. For the dyuell (say they) is a spirite & suche as done call thē selfe spirituall persones: ben of his flocke and housholde. Nowe muste we answere vnto these thynges althoughe by digression. I praye you of pacience / whiche surely I can nat well take towarde them. For without feile / I haue great merueyle of theyr madnes and of theyr presumptuous falshede. And specially the merueylous malice they haue agayne the churche catholyke / and also of the crafty labourꝭ / and wyly wayes they take w^t feruēt study to deceyue the symple and vnlerned people. They done flater the seculer prynces & exalte theyr power: bycause they shulde defende them and theyr heresy. And yet in the meane tyme they make them no better than hethen houndes. For they done com­pare [Page] the Christiane princes / vnto hethen prynces / y^t by moste cruell tyranny dyd persecute and destroye the ryght feythe / yet (saye they) saynt Paule dyd cō ­maunde his disciples to be vnto these prynces obe­diente / trouthe saye I in all theyr lawes that were nat contrarie vnto the feythe of Christe / whyle they were vnder theyr tyranny and lordshippe / so bene nowe many good christianes vnder y^e Turke / vnto whose lawes: they may & shulde be obedient (whyle they lyue vnder hym) in all (as I sayd) that ben nat contrarie vnto the feythe of Christe. And so dyd Christe hym selfe pay y^e tribute vnto the Emperour nat of any duete as ryght: but as vnder theyr rule & dominacion. Syr: say they: So may euery christi­ane prynce more reasonably take of his subiectes o­bedience. This saye I: is the laude they gyue vnto theyr prynces / they wolde (I say) make them tyrannes as the hethen houndes ben. And bycause Christ wolde wylfully suffer tyranny and wronge both in his goodes and body for the loue of man / & bycause that his Apostles and many other holy men dyd in lyke maner suffer for his loue: therfore wolde they it shulde be lawfull for christiane prynces to do as y^e hethen houndes dyd. Saynt Paule made appella­cion vnto the Emperoure whan he was vniustly vexed vnder the power of them that were subiectes vnto the Emperour and hethen as he was. But where done they rede that saynt Paule or any of y^e Apostles dyd appele from any christiane power vnto a nother?1. Cor. 6. A. Saynt Paule was discōtent with his disciples bycause that in theyr seculer causes they wolde sue and pleade byfore the hethen iuges / and [Page lxxii] that rather they wolde nat amonge them selfe chose certeyne persones to be iudges in suche causes / and those iuges shulde be of the moste vyle presones a­monge them. For those he thought good ynoughe to meddell with seculer causes / let all the heretikes shewe: if euer any of the Apostles or any of theyr disciples in the fyrst begynnynge of the churche: were subiecte and vnder the obedience of any christiane prynces. But contrarie they shal fynde that kynges as sone as they were conuerted to Christes feythe and baptized and so christianes: they forthwith left and put away theyr Dyademes and crownes:Vt in legē ad Matt. Apostoli. and were subiectes vnto the clergie and vnder theyr o­bedience. And shortely to conclude: they shall fynde by the order of all scripture as well in the olde testament as in the newe: that euermore the spirituall parte of the people of god: had the gouernaūce and rule of the temporall parte / and the temporall parte in all thynges obedient vnto the spirituall. Christe (as we sayd in the fyrste parte of this werke) was lorde of all his flocke / as well in temporalte as spi­ritualte / yet these heretikes say that Christe wolde gyue no iugement betwene two bretherne y^e stroue for temporaltes / but asked who made hym iuge be­twene them: And I saye agayne / they were none of his flocke but whan his owne flocke byganne to stryue for temporall power: he toke than quyckely the Iugement in hande and satisfied the parties. The Apostles after Christes Ascēcion: were the so­uereynes of al christianes and toke & also requyred of them due obedience / as well in temporaltes as spiritualtes / whiche thynge dothe playnly appere [Page] in Ananie and his wyfe Saphira / that for the de­fraudynge and deceyt of theyr temporall goodes: were iuged (by saynt Peter) and suffred dethe.Act. 5. A. Dyd nat saint Paule committe the charge and go­uernaunce of all the christianes that he had conuer­ted: vnto Timothe / Tite / Appollo / and suche other spirituall fathers / whome he had made bysshopes / prestes / and deacons / amonge them? Saynt Ignacius also / that was disciple vnto the Apostles ī his epistoles vnto the christiane people wrytteth / that they shulde nothynge do without the commaunde­ment condicte and counsayle of the prestes / or els of the diacons that were ordened theyr gouernoures and gyders. Forther than to conclude. All maner of christiane prynces / Emperoures / Kynges / and suche other temporall rulers of the people: done yet vnto this daye in theyr consecracions and corona­cions: receiue the auctorite of theyr power of the spirituall parte of Christes churche / and done make solempne othe of theyr obedience thervnto. So that euermore amonge the wel ordred people of god: the temporall or seculer persones: haue ben bounde vn­to the obedience of the spirituall persones. And nat contrarie as these fals heretikes: done flater the se­culer prynces. For the great heretyke Tyndall / wrytethe in his Englysshe boke of obedience: that there is no spirituall parte in Christes churche / but the dyuels lymmes. For he sayth the dyuell is a spi­rite / and all the spirituall parte is the flocke (saythe he) of the dyuell. And I say thervnto that where he sayth the dyuell is a spirite: he sayth trouthe / and I graunt thervnto. But I saye agayne / that god is also a spirite. The dyuell is any yeuell spirite / and [Page lxxiii] god is the good spirite / and maker and gouernour lorde and maister of al good spirites. And he create and made the dyuell: a good and glorious spirite / but he (as a fals apostata) made hym selfe an yuell spirite / and dothe continue the lorde and maister of all apostatas / of Tyndall (I saye) and of his mays­ter Luther with all theyr disciples. And our lorde god is also a spirite and a good spirite / and the go­uernour and gyder of his flocke as well spirituall as temporall. For our sauiour hathe made and or­dered his churche lyke vnto hym selfe in the ende of the worlde as in the begynnynge he made fyrste the hole worlde of two partes / one spirituall and heuē ­ly. And the other bodely and yerthly.Gene. 1. A. In principio (sayth the scripture) creauit deus celum et terram. God in the begynnynge / hathe made heuen & yerthe Heuen is the spirituall parte / and the yerthe is the bodely and seculer parte. And yet bothe one and the same selfe worlde. The spirituall parte: was or­dened of god to haue gouernaunce and dominaciō of the temporall parte / and the temporall parte: to be duely obedient vnto the spirituall parte / and nat contrary. Afterwarde he made an other lesse world that is to say his moste louynge creature man / and this lesse worlde he made also of two partes / a spirituall and temporall / a soule and a body and bothe one man / the soule to rule the body. And the body to be obedient vnto the soule and nat contrarie. Than made he the kynde of man also in two partes or persones / that was male and female and those to be one kynde and by lawfull coniunction to be one flesshe / the male neuertheles: to haue gouernaunce of the female / and the female to be obediēt vnto the [Page] male / that is the woman vnto the man and nat con­trarye. yet forther / after the fall of man by synne / he made (for the redempcion and byenge agayne of man) a wonderfull creature vpon yerthe / an other newe Adā / and hym also of two partes / of god and man / and yet one Christe / that is to saye: one and y^e selfe same persone. The godhed euer to haue domi­nacion of the manhed. And the manhed to be euer o­bedient vnto the godhed / and nat contrarie. After the same maner than / hathe our lorde founded and ordened his churche / that is to saye: to be one and y^e selfe same churche as he was and is one Christe / & yet the same churche to be of two partes / as Christe was of god and man / that is of the spiritualte / and of the temporalte. And so was the churche in y^e olde testamēt as we haue shewed and in the newe lawe of Christes ordinaunce also / as of the Apostles and disciples as of the spiritualte: and of the other mul­titude of the people of all degres / prynces / meane folkes / and poore folkes / men / women / and chyldrē. And after the same order: hathe the people ben deuided also amonge all the infideles and hethen houn­des / that is to saye: of suche ꝑsones as dyd minister vnto theyr goddes as spirituall persones / that dyd alway sacrifice for the other parte of temporall and so ben yet amonge the turkes and al other infideles and hethen people / excepte onely that the order of o­bedience is transuersed and tourned / vpsetdowne / that is contrarie vnto the very christianite. For a­monge them the temporall persones haue the dominacion and rule / and theyr spirituall parte is holdē vnder and (by violence) kepte obedient vnto the tē ­porall parte. And vnto this order of gentilite: done [Page lxxiiii] these heretikes (by fals flatery) persuade the seculer prynces and theyr people / that is to say: to make thē infideles and hethen folkes rather than very christianes: in peruertynge the order of our lorde god and of our sauiour Christe / and so despisynge & settyng hym at nought.Luce. 10. For he sayd vnto his Apostles and nat vnto any seculer persones: Qui uos audit: me audit, et qui uos spernit: me spernit. Who so euer (sayth he) dothe obey / or is obedient vnto you: is obedient vnto me / and who so dothe despise you: doth despise and set me at nought / it foloweth nat therfore: that althoughe the hethen prynces done requyre obedi­ence of theyr spiritualte: y^t christiane prynces shuld or maye lawfully do in lyke maner of the clergie of Christe / yet done these heretikes say: that the spiri­tualte as well as the temporalte: muste in euery re­alme be obedient vnto the lawes of the same / & than may the kynge or prynce requyre obediēce of al thē. Vnto this I say / that (after the perfection of Chris­tes order) no temporall lawe maye bynde any spirituall persone / excepte it be graunted or ratified by a decre of the Pope and his Cardinalles or by a ge­nerall counsell. And therfore these heretikes done delude and deceyue vtterly all them that doth gyue any credence vnto them. This haue we sayd as be degressiō: vnto Tyndalles englysshe boke / y^t arche heretike. Nowe than to retourne agayne vnto our mater: I saye the subiectes of religion: bene more streytely bounde vnto the obedience of theyr soue­reygne: than other bene / bycause of theyr vowe. And yet nat onely bounde obedient vnto the selfe souereynes: but also vnto the seniores and officers appoīted by y^e souereynes accordīge vnto y^e ordināce & [Page] custome of the religion. For (as we sayd byfore) the souereines done bere the rowme and vse the persone of our sauiour Christe / that sayd vnto his dis­ciples:Luce. 10. Qui nos audit: me audit, et qui nos spernit: me spernit. Who so herethe and obeyth you: dothe here and obey me. And who so dothe despise you: dothe despise me. All one than is it for the subiectꝭ: to obey or disobey the souereyne / and to be obedient or in o­bedient vnto the officers and seniores appoīted by the souereynes (in theyr absence) to be obeyde. But here haue I herde of some frowarde subiectes that wolde say / that somtyme: as well y^e selfe souereynes as theyr officers / done many tymes byd & cōmaūde prohibitte or forbed without ryme or reason / & be­yonde or aboue the power of the pore subiectꝭ. And also suche thynges as they wolde neuer do thē selfe byfore they were in rowme. And often tymes done they make as moche a do of a tryfle or a smale thing as thoughe it were a great mater y^t shulde destroye the hole religion. Vnto suche maner of persones: saynt Paule dothe answere.Answere. Ro. 14, A. Who arte thou (saythe he) that doest presume to iuge and condempne an o­ther mans seruaunte? Of what perfection than is that religious subiecte / that dothe nat onely iuge an other mannes seruaunt: but also the seruaunt of god / vsyng (as we sayd byfore) his rowme and per­sone / and yet forthermore his owne souereine vnto whome (by solempne vowe and promyse) he is sub­iecte?Ad rusti. monachū. to. 1. B. De prece. er dispens. Saynt Ierome saythe we shulde iuge & sup­pose euer y^e best of our souereynes. And he wyll nat ī any wyse & so saīt Bernarde sayth also: y^e we shuld iuge our souereynes / nor in any thyng murmure or grudge agayne them / ne gladly suffer any other [Page lxxiiii] so to do / but (in as moche as we maye) we shulde let all suche grudges / and do what we can to appease the parties. For if we murmure or grudge (saythe saynt Bernarde) with that thynge that is cōmaun­ded vs / and thā begynne to iuge the souereyne therin:Ibidem. than done we lose all the meryte althoughe we do accomplysshe and fulfyll the cōmaundement. Hilarem datorem diligit deus. 2. Co. 9. B. Our lorde god saythe saynt Paule) loueth that persone: that dothe with good wyll and glad mynde his duete. For in the dede done with murmure: is no paciēce but rather a cloke & coloure of malice. Moche therfore shulde the murmurynge persones drede and feare the sen­tence and iugemēt of god gyuen vpon Marie sys­ter vnto Moyses for her murmurynge and grud­gynge agayne hym that was her souereyne and spirituall father. And sythe in holy scripture:Numeri. 12. C. many great cōminacions and thretes bene gyuen & made vnto them that ben contrarious vnto theyr natural parentes:Deutro. 21. D. moche more than shulde all ꝑsones feare and drede to be contrarious and disobedient vnto theyr spirituall parentes and specially religious ꝑsones vnto theyr hedꝭ and souereynes / what so euer they be / good or bad. For in nothynge it appertey­neth vnto the subiecte: to be a iuge and to controll: but rather to be iuged and to be controlled. The souereines haue great laboures and done byde many daungers and ieopartyes for theyr subiectes. For they ben often troubled and haue to do with many thynges / and therfore maye they the rather be ouer sene and be negligent and forgetfull / it is a thynge moche daungerous & of great difficulte: to inserue and contente the myndes of many persones. And [Page] neuer man: hathe alwaye contented the mynde of al persones / no: nat christe hym selfe. The subiectes therfore shuld ī no wyse iuge / murmure / ne grudge agayne theyr souereynes / but rather (as the rule sayth) haue compassion and pitie vpon them and receyue bothe theyr commaundementes and prohibi­cions:Ca. 7. Bernardꝰ de precep. et dispens. as they wolde receyue the byddynge or for­byddynge of our lorde god & sauiour Iesu Christe / whose rowme and place (as ofte is sayd) they done bere and vse. But many religious persones: ben of suche condicions as we rede of in vitas Patrum. A disciple came vnto an aged father / to aske counsaile saynge. Father (sayd he) I haue soght many places to fynde ones an abbotte or a souereyne after myn owne herte and mynde. For if I coulde fynde (sayd he) suche a father: I wolde be as obediente as any disciple / whervnto the good father sayd / that thyng that you speke: is as moche to say in effecte: as that you wolde be a souereyne your selfe and nat a disci­ple. For if the souereyne were alway af your mynde thā shulde you rule and gouerne the souereyne and nat the souereyne you. The chefe merite of obediēce is to perfourme the p̄cepte of the souereyne in those thynges that bene contrarie to the mynde and wyll of the subiecte. And for that ende & cause of meryte the subiecte in the obedience of ꝓfession dothe gyue frely from hym selfe all selfe and proper wyll / so vt­terly: y^e he maye neuer laufully call it backe agayne vnto hym selfe / and if he do: than dothe he breke the promyse of his solempne profession / and also dothe become a these or a robber of suche good as is nat his. For that thynge that any persone hath frely gyuen from hym selfe and hathe delyuered possession [Page lxxvi] therof: is nat his ne any thynge dothe more apper­teyne vnto hym than if it had neuer ben his. But e­uery professed persone hathe so gyuen from hym ꝓ­per wyll: ergo it may neuer be his agayne / excepte you wolde thynke that the souereyne myght gyue it vnto hym agayne as a temporall gyfte maye be gy­uen: And that can nat ben in any wyse. For the pope hym selfe can nat dispens with obediēce as he sayth in a decretall. li. 3.De statu monacorū Cū admo. De statu monacorum. Ca. Cum ad monasterium. The more therfore the obediēce be cō ­trarie vnto the proper wyll of the subiectꝭ: the more thankfull is it and the more meritorious. Thus nowe haue we shewed: vnto whome obedience is due / that is to saye: nat onely vnto the souereynes: but also vnto the seniores and officers vsynge theyr rowmes / and by them thervnto appoynted / yet here was I asked what maner of persones myght law­fully take obedience. And thervnto I sayd / that we do here intreate onely of that obedience y^e is vowed and promysed by solempne profession after or accordynge vnto some of the rules incorporate in y^e lawe and that obedience: maye no persone take as soue­reyne: but suche as ben electe and chosen by canoni­call election to be a hede and souereyne of a couente company or congregacion / as bysshopes abbottes / or priores with suche other of bothe the sexes / if any other persones done take suche obedience: I thynk it be taken by dispēsacion / as I haue herde of some maisters of / hospitales or almes houses. There ben degrees of other particuler obediences made vnto sole synguler persones for theyr tyme or for euer / wherof: is nat our institute or purpose here to in­treate.

¶Wherin / or in what maner of thynges: obediēce is due. The .vii. Chapitre.

HEre maye conuenientely folowe / wherin and in what maner of thynges the subiectes ben bounde vnto the sayd obedience. For (as we said byfore) in suche thynges as ben contrarie vnto the lawes of god or the the ordinaunce of the churche: no subiectes may be obedient vnto any souereyne. For scripture sayth.Act. 5. C. Magis est obediendum deo, (quam) homini­bus. We muste rather obey god than man / or after y^e more streyte letter / obedience is more due vnto god than vnto man. And also in suche thyngꝭ as the subiectes done knowe well: ben directely agayne the rule of theyr profession / shulde they nat lyghtly and gladly obey. Lyghtely I meane: w^tout deliberaciō / and gladly: for selfe pleasure or cōmodite. For in suche poyntes: the subiectes may stoppe and stycke somewhat there at / but nat vtterly deney / ne euer shulde a subiecte saye I wyll nat. But rather lycēce (after religious discipline) asked to speke: than (w^t sobre wordes and meke reuerente byhauioure) to shewe the souereyne saynge. This thynge is con­trarie vnto our rule or ordinaūce / and yet nat with standynge: if the souereyne wyll nedely so continue in his cōmaundement natwithstandyng the knowlege and remembraunce of the rule: than muste the subiecte be obedient. Excepte alwaye those thinges that in the rule ben of suche weght and substance: y^e wyttyngly to breake them were mortall and deedly synne / for there is than no place of due obedience. [Page lxxvi] In the other (as I sayd) the subiecte shulde be obe­dient / althoughe he knewe well by good lernynge / the souereine dyd passe the power of the rule in that precepte. For many thynges bene conteyned in the rule: contrarie whervnto: the souereyne maye nat (without the veniall offence of god) commaunde. And yet neuertheles if the souereyne (as I sayde) wyll nedely go forthe with all and kepe styl his auctorite of cōmaundement: than the subiecte is boūde to obey and folowe the precepte. For than is the charge in the souereyne & nothynge in the subiecte after suche knowlege had as we spake of. But in suche thynges as (after the mynde of the auctour & father of the rule) done seme to be sayd and cōmaū ­ded vnder peyne of deedly synne: the subiecte maye in no wyse be obedient vnto the contrarie / without the ieopardy of that peyne. Let vs put example of bothe / in the rule of saynt Augustyne.Aug. Ca. 1. Regu. In the fyrste Chapitre wherof (whan he had moued and appointed the disciples of y^e same rule vnto the loue of god & of the neghboure. Whervnto all christianes bene bounde) than dothe he forthwith inioyne them by speciall precepte to be of one wyll and one mynde / for that was the cause (saythe he) why they were gadred together in one house and one couent / and for the effecte therof to be folowed & proued: they shuld lyue all in cōmune / and no persones to haue ne yet to name or call any thynge properly theyr owne / w^t this p̄cept of the rule: may no souereines ī any wyse dispence / ne commaunde the subiectes vnto the con­trarie. And if they dyd gyue any suche commaundementes: the subiectes bene nat bounde to folowe ne to be obediente thervnto / but rather to withstande [Page] in all they can with good religious maner & christiane byhauioure / as they wolde withstande deedly damnable synne. And this I say nat without large & euident occasion. For many souereines done con­trarie & many subiectes done more than wyllyngly folowe the same / whiche is done in all monasteries where the subiectes done receyue certeyne cellar [...] or wages by yere. For (as semethe vnto me) that is directely nat onely agayne the rule: but also contrarie vnto the determinacion of the churche. In the said chapitre. Cum ad monasteriū. as after shal more playnly be shewed in the seconde mēbre of this ꝑte / were we shall intreate of wylfull pouerte.4. Ca. Re. Augusti. An other exāple maye we take for the other parte of the .iiii. Chapitre of the same rule / where is cōmaūded that whan the disciples of the same rule: shulde (for any cause necessarie) go forthe of theyr monasterie: they shulde go no lesse in company than two or thre at y^e leest in nombre. Contrarie vnto the whiche precept y^e souereynes may nat cōmaūde w^tout some offence of the rule (excepte it were in causes of necessite) yet if the souereyne do so cōmaūde: the subiectes muste be obedient / bycause they ben nat bounde to knowe the causes of the p̄cepte. I knowe well the opinion of diuerse auctores is / that in suche thynges as ben directely knowen to be contrarie vnto the rule / be they great or smale: the subiectꝭ shulde nat be boūde in conscience to be obedient / bycause the souereynes (say they) may nat or shuld nat cōmaūde any suche. I graūt well they shulde nat & also that they maye nat / without (as I sayd) some offence / but y^e offence is nat alwaye mortall / but veniall / wherfore it is of more surety say I / in conscience for the subiectes: to [Page lxxvii] be obedient and to folowe the precepte / althoughe they knewe well: it be contrarie vnto the rule. For (as I sayd) they knowe nat y^e cause of the precepte. And therfore may they (with religious byhauiour) put the charge & ieopardy of conscience vnto the so­uereyne.Bernardꝰ de precept et dispens. Antoniꝰ ꝑte. 3. ti. 6. Ca. 12. For in all suche thynges as ben vnto y^e subiectes doutfull: the souereynes may discharge theyr cōsciēce / wherfore (in myne opinion) they done best to be obediēt. For generally the subiectꝭ ben boūde vnto the obedience of the souereynes: in all thinges lawfull and honeste. That is to say: in all thynges that the souereynes may lawfully cōmaunde / and y^t ben honeste for bothe parties to be done. So that euer the subiectes: haue a respecte vnto the order & degre of them that haue power to cōmaunde them / as if the priour or seniores do gyue a cōmaūdemēt / and the abbot afterwarde gyue or byfore had gyuē a contrarie cōmaundement / thā is the subiecte more bounde to the cōmaundement of the abbot / and lyke wyse of the Pope / bysshope / ordinary / the visitourꝭ of the orders and suche other. So that euer y^e moste hyghe precepte: be moste chefly obserued.Antonius 2. ꝑt. ti. 4. Ca. 2.55.3. And let this also be noted / y^t the subiecte is nat onely boūde vnto the expresse cōmaūdemet of the souereyne / spoken vnto the selfe subiecte: but also vnto the same p̄ ­cepte knowen or perceyued by message or by wry­tinge / by signe or token / I speke this for some / suche persones that wyll saye: I herde nat my souereyne speke nor cōmaūde any suche a precepte. For y^e wyll mynde / and meanynge of y^e souereyne: is more to be poūdred and weyde: than the selfe wordes. And yet hathe the souereyne no power of precepte ouer or vpon the priuate thoughtes of the subiecte nor of [Page] the inwarde mocions of the soule or mynde.Idem. 3. ꝑt. t [...]. 9. ca. 12. And therfore if the souereyne wolde gyue any precepte vpon them: the subiecte is nat in ieopardy of conscience in the omission. But ī all that done apperteine vnto the outwarde actes: the commaundement of y^e souereyne is valeant and hathe good strength and place. But here nowe some religions persones done put cases. Obiection. What and if the souereynes wolde commaunde suche thynges as were aboue our po­wer / or that passed our lernynge and knowlege?Answere. Narracio. we rede in vitas Patrum / that an auncient father (for the profe onely of obedience) commaunded his disciple to remoue a stone that was ouermoche for .xx. or xxx. men to haue stered. And the disciple mekely & without grudge: dyd what he coulde / labored sore and longe tyme therat and yet sped nothinge but semed to be all without frute and all ī vayne / yet was nat his laboure last / but rather moche frutfull and effectuous / bycause he had the meryte of obedience which is no smale rewarde as after shall be shewed And as vnto lernynge or knowlege: saīt Bernarde sayd he preached better by the vertue of obedience: than euer he dyd by the study of lernynge. The cō ­mune prouerbe is. Nihil difficile uolenti. Nothyng is ouer harde for the persone that is well wyllyng. A good remedy in suche case for the subiecte is to shewe vnto the souereyne (with meke and lowely byhauiour) the infirmite and y^e very pleynes of his inhabilite / and so truste vnto the discrecion of the souereyne. Obiection. yet an other question. Syr (sayth some persone) what shulde I do: if the commaundement of my souereyne were vnto the ieopardy of my lyf? Be nat affrayde man / Answere. haue a good feythe and sure [Page lxxviii] truste in our lorde: And I dare promyse nothynge shall hurte you. For our sauioure sayde hym selfe / y^t the feythfull persone: shulde (in his name) caste out and auoyde yuell spirites / destroye serpentes / and drynke poyson without noyaunce or grefe / we rede in vitas Patrū / that a holy father sent forth a chyld to fetche water at a well / and the chylde had herde tell of a Lyones that dyd moche hurte in those par­ties / and asked his father what he shulde do if the Lyones came vpon hym.Mat. 16 D. Narracio. And he bad hym put his gyrdell about her necke / and brynge her home with hym. And so he dyd in dede / by the vertue of obedi­ence.Greg. li. 2. diolog. Ca. Saynt Maure (by the vertue of obedience) ranne vpon the water at the commaundemente of saynt Benet his souereyne. God dothe euer helpe y^e good wyllynge persone / I byleue there is no soue­reyne vnreasonable / by ware therfore of feyned excuses. For the wyse man sayth / that the slouthfull and yuell wyllynge persone:Prouer. 13. et 26. Obiection. dothe cast many perylles & put many doutes. yet haue I herde some aske a nother question. What syr (sayth he) if the cōmaunde­mente of the souereyne: were folysshe or els frutles and vnto the losse of my tyme?Answere. I saye / that amonge the olde fathers: some disciples (at the precepte of theyr souereines) dyd knytte and vnknitte the same sowe & ryppe againe / some dyd water a drye stycke / obedience can neuer be fruteles / ne mispens of tyme or laboure / it bycometh nat a subiecte (as I sayd byfore) to iuge the mynde of the souereyne. Obiection. yet some ꝑsones ben nat so content / but done say. We thynke yet syr: that it is best for the souereynes to consider the state of theyr subiectes / what euery persone may do / what they can do / and whervnto euery persone [Page] is apte / disposed / and well wyllynge / and therafter to appoynt theyr cōmaundementes. That (saye I) is as moche to meane:Answere. as that the souereynes shuld study and ymagyne: what the subiectes wolde do / nat what they shulde do. And the subiectes shulde spye out and chose wherin they wolde be obediente or rather wherin they wolde appoynt y^e souereynes to be obedient vnto theyr wyll & appetites. The mynde of them that entre religion: shulde nat be to gyue order / to rule or to teache & counsayle / but ra­ther to be ordred / to be ruled / to be taught & counsayled.Bernardꝰ de precpt. et dispens. Take this therfore as a good rule of obedience that is to be obediēt in those thynges that ben vnto your owne pleasure: is lyttell meritorious / but to be obedient in these thynges that ben harde labori­ous and peynfull and contrarious vnto your owne appetytte and desyre: is of hyghe meryte / and wor­thy great thanke and rewarde.Psal. 16. The prophete sayth Propter uerba labiorum tuorum: ego custodiui uias duras. That is: for the rewarde lorde of thy worde and promyse: I haue kepte the harde wayes and narowe pathes of penaunce. And the Apostle sayth. Per multas tribulationes: Act, 14. D. oportet nos intrare in reg­num celorum. We muste (sayth he) entre into y^e kyngdome of heuen: by many troubles and peynes. In the harde and greuous thynges / than to be obediēt is (as we sayd) moste laudable and moste worthy loue and fauoure. And yet the trāsgression and brekynge of them: is of leest peyne and punisshemente. And contrarie: in those thinges that ben lyght / easy and pleasaūt to be done: y^e obedience is (as we said) of lesse rewarde. And the contempte of thē: of moche more peyne and punysshemente. Let therfore al subiectes [Page lxxix] byware of contempte and despysynge of any precepte or cōmaundemente of the souereyne be it it neuer so lyttell or seme neuer so lyght. For con­tempte: is euer ieopardy. And thus an ende of this article / that is to say: wherin or in what thynges: y^e subiectes shuld be obedient vnto theyr souereynes.

¶Howe or vnder what fourme or maner the sub­iectes shulde be obedient vnto theyr so­uereynes. The .viii. Chapitre.

HEre nowe may folowe of y^e fourme maner & byhauiour of obedience / & of the degrees of y^e same. Fyrst than we say / that the obedience due vnto the souereyne muste in the subiecte be true / feythfull / playne / simple / & vnfeyned / nat coloured in any wyse ne cloked. That obedience do I call true / playne / & vnfeyned / that is perfourmed and done: nat for fere or flaterie: but after suche fourme outwarde ī effect as it is inwarde in the herte & mynde. For many ꝑ­sones ben very obedient in goodly wordes / fayre & fast promyses / & in Gentell & lowly byhauiour / but whan it shulde come to passe in effecte & dede: theyr obedience dothe ꝓue to be all in y^e mouthe & lippes / & neuer to haue sonke ne setled downe ī the herte or mynde. For nothynge is done at all. Of this maner of obediēce: our sauiour doth shewe example in the gospel of Matheu. A mā (saith he) had .ii.Matth 21. C. sones his owne childrē / he bad & cōmaūded one of thē to go in to his vynyarde & labour there y^e daye. And he sayd plainly and platly: he wolde nat go / ne laboure any [Page] thynge / and yet afterwarde (whan he remembred hī selfe) he was sory that he had so answered his father and thervpon he went into the vynyarde and fulfylled the cōmaundemēt of his father. The father thā came vnto the seconde sone / and sayd vnto hym / in lyke maner that he shulde go into his vinyarde and he (with good and gentel byhauiour) said syr I am redy at your pleasure and nowe go forth with good wyll / and yet he went nat at all. The fyrste pleyne rebellion: semed inobedience / & yet (in dede) it was full good obedience. And the other that semeth ꝑ­fecte obedience onely in the mouthe & in outwarde byhauiour: was fals feyned flaterie / and in dede: disobedience. That obedience than is playne / sim­ple / feythfull / and vnfeyned obedience: that is done after and accordynge vnto the very minde and meanynge of the souereyne / rather than after the tenure of the wordes. For many persones wyll seme to be truely obedient / and yet vnder coloure therof: wyll folowe theyr owne mynde and pleasure / and after (for excuse) wyl other make interpretacion of theyr souereynes wordes: or els saye they vnderstode thē after that fourme / and all they do to seme to be obe­dient / or (at the leest) nat to seme inobedient. But semynge or feyned obedience: shall a nother day: appere openly byfore god / and there be proued none obedience / but rather worse than rebellious inobedience / we sayde byfore: be as thou semest / or els seme as thou arte. That obediēce also is playne and sim­ple obedience: that is done blountely with a herte well meanynge mynde without discusse of reason and (in maner) without discrecion / so that the obe­dience / do seme an ydiote or a fole therin. Let the [Page lxxx] true obedient subiecte (sayth saynt Bernarde) be a fole in obedience / that he therby may be wyse ī dede Let all his discrecion in obedience be suche:Bernardꝰ de precept et dispens. that he therin haue no maner of discrecion. And let his wyt and wysdome be suche: that in obediēce: he haue no ther wytte nor wysdome. This nowe haue we sayd for the true / feythfull / playne / and symple maner of obedience.

¶That obedience shulde be liberall and louynge. The .ix. Chapitre.

AN other good maner of obedience: is that it be done liberally & louyngly / with herty maner & affectiō of minde. For that liberall affection of that simple and blent obedience we spake of: dothe shewe / expresse / and declare / the discrete indiscrecion and the wyse foly or folyshnes of the same. For the subiecte that dothe his obediēce with liberall herte and affection: dothe make no discusse ne reasonynge of the mater / as other wyll that done say / what reason is here in? Who founde out this fonde or folysshe counsayll? who brought vp this goodly gyfe? Howe came vp this comely custome? with suche other checkes or tawnts. Why shuld I do this thyng: rather thā any other of the couēt? Here ben myne elders / here ben my yongers. And yet am I dryuen forthe & none els / with many suche other murmures and grudges whiche nothynge done bycome religious persones. In these maner of persones: loue lacketh / and liberall affecte is ab­sente / and charite (as they say) is out of towne. And that causeth them thus to discusse and reason with [Page] them selfe so ferre: that in dede they bene without or beyonde all reason / and done ꝓue them selfe very starke foles / For vnto louyng & simple obediēce: nothynge apperteyneth to iuge or discusse / the qualite or quantike of the cōmaūdemēt / that is to say: whe­ther it be vyle or honeste / lyght or harde to be done / but w^tout any suche triall or rekenyng / without dis­crecion or deliberacion / without wytte / wysdome / or cōsideracion: to be cōtent & only to ponder & wey that y^e thynge is cōmaunded & therwith to inforce & gyue diligence: with good fidelite & w^t liberall lo­uyng herte to ꝑfourme & fulfyll y^e same. The ꝓphet sayth. Volnutarie sacrificabo tibi. I wyll good lorde sayd he) do vnto the sacrifice of obediēce / with a fre & redy wyll & with a glad herte & mynde / & in an o­ther place.psal. 53. Psal. 118. Paratus sum et non sū turbatus, ut custodi­am mandata tua. I am redy (lorde) & nothyng trou­bled ne greued in that I am bounde to kepe thy cō ­maundemētes. And Samuel the ꝓphete / vnto our lorde.1. Reg. 3. Speke / syr (sayth he) gyue thou lorde y^e cōmā dement. For I am here thy seruaūt / present and re­dy / to herken and to be obedient thervnto. I do nat desyre to appoynt the (good lorde) what thou shalte cōmaunde: but what so euer thou wylte cōmaunde & byd me do: that wyll I (with all liberall loue and moste herty affectiō) be redy to folowe and to fulfyl In the olde testament our lorde sayd vnto his peo­ple.Deut. 12. in fine. What I cōmaūde you to do: that thyng do you alone / and nother adde you any thyng thervnto: ne yet minisshe any thynge therof. What feythfull per­sone: wyll aske or seke reason: why our lorde god wold gyue this cōmaundement or that? it nothyng apperteyneth vnto any creature: to discusse the wyl [Page lxxxi] and pleasure of god. Nor yet vnto the subiecte: the wyll of the souereyne. But well dothe it bycome thē to fulfyll (with liberall effecte and loue of herte) whatso euer is cōmaunded as theyr wyll & mynde / and to go no forther. But this point of obedience is harde to be truely done and fulfylled of any ꝑsones excepte onely suche: as haue (by force and teruente study) made the souereynes wyll to be theyr owne wyll. And theyr proper wyll: to be the souereynes wyll. For all maner of persones: done (gladly and with affection) folowe and fulfyll theyr owne wyll And therfore saynt Bernarde sayth.Bernardꝰ de precept et dispens. That poynt of obedience call I the beste: whan the thynge that is cōmaūded is done with the same wyll & in suche maner & fourme: as it was cōmaunded. For vnto suche subiectes: the cōmaundemēt of the souereyne: is (as they say) meate and drynke / that is to meane: a syn­guler pleasure. So sayd our sauiour hym selfe.Io. 4. D.

Meus cibus est: ut faciam uoluntatē eius qui misit me. My meate and fode (sayd he) is to perfourme y^e wyl of hym that hathe sende me into this worlde. And saynt Bernarde againe.Vt sup. Those subiectes that done seke meanes / that the souereyne shulde commaunde that thyng / that were theyr wyl and pleasure: done vtterly deceyue them selfe / altohughe in theyr owne opinion: they seme to kepe good obediēce. For they ben nat in that thynge obediēt vnto the p̄late / but rather the p̄late vnto thē.Ls. confes. Saynt Augustyne therfore sayth. That minister seruaūt / or subiecte: do I call y^e best: y^t doth nat desyre ne wyll / to here cōmaūded of y^e souerein what he wold or hath pleasure ī: but y^e rather hath good wyl & pleasure to do / what so euer y^e souereyne doth speke or cōmaūde. This obediēce [Page] therfore that here is / caled liberall / whan it is done and perfourmed with due affectiō of herte & mynde is of great and hyghe ꝑfection and of synguler me­ryte. For (as the cōmune prouerbe sayth) loue hathe no lacke / that is to meane: that true loue fyndeth no defautes / puttethe no doutes / casteth no perilles / ne maketh any excuses.

¶That obedience shulde be stronge / myghty / and bolde. The .x. Chapitre.

VPon these premisses: dothe folowe an other good ꝓpriete of obedience. That is to say: that very obedience shulde be stronge / myghty and māly / and so clene without cowardnes: that with a bolde spirite and without feere or drede: it shulde dare & presume: to interpryse and take in hande: thynges of great peryle and ieopardy / thynges of great dif­ficulty and hardenes / thynges laborious and peyn­full / and thynges vnto nature horrible and abhominable. And yet thynges sometyme for the state or strengthe of the persones impossible. So dyd we shewe byfore / of a disciple that (for obedience) dyd sore laboure to remoue a stone that was impossible to be moued or styrred: by a great multitude / and of the yonge disciple that brought the Lyonesse vnto his souereyne / and of hym also that entred into the pytte of kokadrylles. Saynt Bernarde saythe that our sauioure Iesu loste his lyfe:Bernarde. bycause he wolde nat lose his obedience. And saynt Paule sayth: that Christe was made continually obedient vnto deth And yet vnto the moste peynfull / Phillip. 2, A. and moste shame­full [Page lxxxii] dethe of the crosse. This maner of obedience: dothe nother stoppe ne stycke ne stumple at any let­tynges / ne yet make any delay.Canti. 8 B. For loue is as strōg as dethe. Wherof saynt Bernarde agayne sayth vnto all religious persones.Bernardꝰ. you haue (sayth he) put your hande vnto strong & mighty thyngꝭ / that is to say: you haue enterprysed & taken great thynges on hande / or charged your selfe w^t great thynges: you may nat therfore nowe playe y^e cowardes / you may nat faynt in your way / but nowe muste you playe y^e man / take good hertes & lusty corrage.Psal. 36. Et spcrate in deo, et ipse faciet. And haue you good hope & truste in our lorde / & he wyl helpe you / cōforte you / strēgth you / and perfourme your desyre & peticion.

¶Of the ornacie and garnysshe and of profe of o­bedience. The .xi. Chapitre.

THis sayd liberall and louyng obediēce: is adourned / garnyshed / setforth / openly shewed & proued: by certeyne euidences / one is / whan it is perfourmed and done with a glad & cherefull countenaūce / with a mery and ioyfull by­hauiour. Wherof saynt Bernarde sayth.Bernardꝰ. A sobre cō tenaūce & cherefull / gentell and swete wordes / with goodely religious byhauioure: dothe meruelously well garnyshe good obediēce. The wyse man doth affirme the same. In omni dato: Eccl. 35. hijllatem fac uultum tuum. In euery gyfte & good dede: let thy coūtenāce be glad & cherefull whatso euer thou wylt do: let it seme to be done & so let it be w^t a good wyll and gl [...] minde. For (as saynt Ambrose sayth) The outw [...] byhauiour: is (in maner) an euident shewe [...] of the inwarde herte & mynde. Whan a t [Page] is don with a lowringe coūtenaūce / a soure chere / & with a lompyshe loke: it semethe to be done with an yuell wyll. And so is it worthy lytel thanke or none at al / but rather worthy blame & rebuke. So that I may conclude that suche obediēce: is worse thā lost. For it dothe nothynge pleace / but rather doth moch greue & discontente the souereynes. Saynt Paule saythe / that our lorde god dothe loue well the glad & chyreful gyuer / that is to say:2. Co. 9. B. that god doth acceptably and louyngly receyue the seruice of those per­sones that done theyr duete with glad and cherefull byhauiour. To do well with yuell wyll: is a thank les laboure.Matth. 27. D. Marci. 15. B. Lu. 23. D. For so Symon in the passion of our sauiour: bare his crosse / constreined and compelled thervnto / and (for that tyme therfore) deserued no thanke. Saynt Paule therfore: dyd nat onely com­maunde his disciples to be obedient: but also he shewed vnto them the fourme & maner howe to be obe­dient and y^e reason therof / sayng.Heb. 13. C. Obedite prepositis uestris, et subiacete eis. Ipsi enim peruigilant quasi racionem pro animabis nostris reddituri, ut cum gaudio hoc faciatis, et non gementes, hoc enim nobis non ex­pedit. Be you obedient (sayth he) vnto your soue­reynes / and be you subdued as vnderlyng / vnto thē. For they done waytche and care take peyne and di­ligence for you as to render and gyue accounte for your soules. And therfore do you that obedience w^t gladnes and ioyfull maner / and nat murmuryng & grudgynge with an yuell wyll. For that maner o­bedience: is nothynge expedient ne profytable vnto you / but rather bothe your meryte and your labour loste. This hyllarite and chereful maner dothe therfore nat onely florysshe, and gayly garnisshe obedi­ence: [Page lxxxiii] but also dothe proue in euident effecte: the liberall loue of the same obedience.

¶That obedience shulde also be done quikly / redely and without stoppage. The .xii. Chapitre.

YEt is there an other byhauiour / that dothe moche declare and shewe very o­bedience to be liberall / louynge & herty and that is: whan obedience is perfourmed and done / anone and forthwith af­ter the cōmaundemēt / quikly / hastely / redely / & with out study or stoppage. The prophete saythe.Psal. 17. In au­ditu auris obediuit mihi. He was obedient vnto me at the fyrste hearinge / that is to meane: that as sone as he herde me speke: he was forthwith redy to ful­fyll my cōmaundemēt and byddynge. And the wyse man saythe. Vidisti uirū uelocem in opere suo. &c. Pro. 22. D. Whan so euer thou seest or doest perceyue a persone quicke / redy / and deligēt in his workes: that ꝑsone is worthy to wayte and to do seruice in the presence of kinges / princes / or great estates.Psal. 118. And the ꝓphete agayne. Paratus sum, et non sum turbatus, ut custodi am mandata tua. I am alway redy (good lord sayth he) and nothynge troubled to kepe thy cōmaunde­mentes. That quiknes (than) and that redynes: is a sygne and token of good wyll / and of a louynge herte. And therfore is that seruice & obedience: thākfull & worthy fauour & rewarde. We rede in vitas Patrum / of an holy father caled / abotte Syluane / which had .xii. disciples or subiectꝭ / of y^e which .xii. one y^t was named / brother Marke: was more fauored [Page] and beloued of his abbot: thā any of the other / wherwith they were all discontent & murmured & grud­ged moche therwith / whiche thyng whan the good father knewe and perceyued: he studied howe to satisfie thē & sayd openly amonge his other lessons: y^t the subiecte that is moste redy vnto obedience: is e­uer moste worthy the fauour & loue of the souereine And on the morowe (to ꝓue y^e redynes of obediēce) he knocked at theyr selles by order & caled eueryche by his ꝓper name / but none of thē came forth ne yet gaue any answere. Than came he vnto the sell of y^e sayd Marke / and knocked at his dore and / caled hī by his name / and he forthwith answered saynge fa­ther? and therwith he starte forthe in all haste. And the sayd father / went into his sell to se howe he was occupied / and there he founde that he was wrytyng & at the call of his souereyne: had lefte the one halfe of a letter vnmade / whiche wrytyng he broght forth vnto all the other bretherne: and shewed vnto them the redynes of his obediēce: wherwith they were al confounded / and mekely confessyng theyr owne de­faute were so satisfied / and graunted that (by good reason) he was moste worthy to be fauoured. An o­ther story shall we shewe you of our tyme. Of a bys­shope of England that vsed to call his seruauntꝭ by these termes / one of you / as thoughe he cared nat whiche of them he had. And euer one ꝑsone of smale reputacion (in comparison of other) was redy at hande / and answered vnto that call. So in shorte tyme a profyttable office or fye fell into the gyfte of the bysshope / & his counsell asked hym. Who shulde haue that good office / and he sayd / one of you / and they named a ꝑsone. Naye sayd the bysshope: what [Page lxxxiiii] shulde one of you haue than? Why syr sayd they he is one of vs / well sayd he: one of you shall haue it / & than he declared vnto them what he ment / that was that the same yonge man: that euer was moste redy at his sayd calyng: shulde haue it. So doth appere that quicke and redy obedience: doth moche please & contēt all maner of souereynes. And many ꝑsones haue we (knowen for our tyme) that haue: for theyr redy obedience & due attendaūce ben ꝓmoted & fa­uoured aboue & byfore many other: that els had ben more worthy & more lyke to haue ben ꝓmoted. And the obediēce or seruyce y^t is duely or slothfully done (althoughe it be well done) yet doth lose moche fa­uoure & thanke / bycause it maketh the souereynes wery / to se the subiectes go so slowly vnto worke. For it semethe than to be done with yuell wyll. And it is a greue vnto a louynge souereine / & a great disconforte also: to se the subiectes (after the cōmaūde­mēt gyuen) to stoppe & study therat / although they wolde be aduysed / & so to stand & syt styl & eche loke vpon other / as though they knewe nat vnto whome he spake / or as thoughe one wolde that his felowe shulde go forth byfore or rather thā he / or as though they were afrayde to go forthe / as dere done in an herde whan hunters ben aboute thē. For than done they stande in an hepe to gether / & one doth put an other / to haue hym out byfore. This maner and by­hauiour in obediēce dothe (as I sayd) moche greue the souereynes. For it causeth them to thynke / that they haue but lytell loue amonge suche subiectes. And contrarie / the quiknes and redynes of the obe­dience: is vnto the souereynes / as an euident profe of the loue of the subiectes / and dothe goodly and [Page] gayly well garnysshe the sayd liberall obedience.

¶That obedience shulde be done with due reue­rence. The .xiii. Chapitre.

IT bycōmeth also this louynge lady obe­dience: to be done with due reuerēce. For loue without reuerence: is chyldyshe or folyshe. Chyldren / lytell babes / and innocē ­tes: done loue theyr mothers or nurses / w^tout any reuerence vnto them / and so done ydiotes and innocēt foles theyr gouernoures or kepers. And reuerence without loue: is mockery. For so done lordes or gē ­telmen reuerence vnto theyr seruaūtes in mockery or scorne / and so dyd the Iues: vnto our sauioure Christe. Shrewde boyse and laddes: wyll also do reuerence in mockery vnto theyr maysters. But suche reuerence bycōmeth nat religious persones / all theyr reuerence shulde come frome the loue of y^e herte / and so shulde theyr due reuerence in euery o­bedience: shewe the mekenes of theyr myndes. For whan obedience is done boldely / rudely / and with­out due reuerence: it is a signe of a proude and pre­sumptuous herte / that shulde disdeyne to do that o­bediēce / and that it is done of course or custome / for the duete and bonde of religion: rather than for the loue of reuerent deuocion. And therfore suche ma­ner of subiectes: done thinke theyr obedience moche and of great pryce / and that they ben worthy: moch prayse and thanke / and also rewarde therfore / but ī very dede they ben worthy none at all / for that reuerence is rather to be accounted as a flaterie than as due reuerence / and therfore if they haue any thanke [Page lxxxv] or rewarde for the same: that temporal thynge: shal onely be theyr meryte. Where the very louynge re­uerence: that is ioyned vnto obedience as iustice & duete / and to auoyde the offence / peyne and punis­shemente / that els they shulde shulde haue: is moch rewarded of god. For suche persones done nother aske ne couete any rewarde in this lyfe but rather done say after the counsayle and doctrine of our sa­uiour in the gospell. Where he sayth vnto his disciples. Cum feceritis omnia que precepta sunt nobis. Luce. 17. Dicite, Serui inutiles sumus. Quod debuimus facere: fecimus. Ve enim nobis: si non fecerimus. That is: whan you haue done all maner of thyngꝭ that were cōmaunded you: say you (vnto your selfe) we bene vnprofytable seruauntes. For we haue done no­thynge: but that was our duete. And wo & venge­aūce shulde haue come vnto vs: if we had nat done it. Here is nowe thanke desyred / here is nowe re­warde loked fore / onely these persones ben glad to eskape peyne and displeasure. And yet shall they to dede haue moste hyghe thanke and rewarde nat onely of theyr souereynes here: but also of our lorde in blysse.

¶That obedience muste be perseueraunt. The .xiiii. Chapitre.

YEt one poīt or propriete apperteininge vnto obediēce doth remayne / nat onely as an ornament or garnysshe: but also as a full sōme and ꝑfection of this holy vertue obedience / that is to say: perse­ueraunce / whiche is nat onely required vnto obe­dience: [Page] but also vnto all maner of vertues / that shal be rewarded of our lorde god. For saynt Gregory sayth.De paeni. distin. 3, In casum, bonum agitur: si ante uite terminum deferatur. A good dede is vayne / voyde / & fruteles if it be lefte / gyuen ouer and nat continued: vnto the lyues ende. What auayleth to ren fast for y^e glayue a whyle / and than stoppe and stande or stycke in y^t way and come nat forthe vnto the goole & place ap­poynted?1. Cor. 9 D, Sic currite (saynt Paule saythe) ut compre­hendatis. So ren you (sayth he) that you may wyn & caytche the game.Matth. 10. C. And in the gospell our sauiour saythe. Qui ꝑseuerauerit us (que) in finem: sic saluus erit. Who so euer doth continue his good dede vnto a perfecte ende: he shall surely be a saued soule. Ma­ny ꝑsones done bygyn well but yet (as the cōmune prouerbe saith) hote loue is sone colde / and therfore they brynge nat well vnto a perfecte ende: y^e thynge that they well byganne and with great feruoure of deuocion. They say therfore in an other prouerbe / that softe fyre: maketh swete malte. That is to meane: that euery thynge that is done by good deliberacion: cōmeth vnto a good and profitable ende / wherof is yet an other Englysshe prouerbe cōmune / loue me lyttell (say they) and loue me longe.Matth. 22. D. But here vnto wyll some persones say / that (after the cōmaūde­ment of the gospell) we shulde loue god nat a lytell but rather as moche as is possible / with al the herte all the soule / and all the mynde / that is to meane w^t all the powers of the soule / the memorie / vnderstan­dynge and wyll. But here muste you vnder­stande / that one thynge maye be bothe lytell and moche in respecte of diuerse other thynges. For the hole yerthe in comparisone vnto the sonne: is [Page lxxxvi] very lyttell in quantyte / skant the .viii. parte / & yet in comparison vnto the realme of Englande: it is very great. So that loue maye vnto some persone seme lyttell that vnto an other semethe very moche. So is it in y^e loue of god. For that loue that semeth vnto the very spirituall louer very lyttell: is vnto our lorde very moche / whan the selfe louer complaynethe moste vpō hym selfe bycause he dothe nat loue god / and doth sygh and mourne / and is very sory y^• he can nat (as he saythe or wenethe) loue god / than doth god exsteme and wey that loue for very great / so that the perseueraunce of that loue shal haue sure rewarde / where many other persones that done be­gynne in great feruoure and by lytell & lytell dothe dekaye: shall haue lytell thanke. So is it of obedi­ence. For some wyll be very diligent and lowely at the begynnynge / & done thynke they ben very good obediencers and done well kepe the byddynge of y^e souereine / and thervpon they waxe bolde and done byleue they ben in the fauoure of the souereyne and therof ben they ioyfull and glad / but whā ī a whyle after: they waxe more dull and than ben chalenged or rebuked: thā done they thynke and sometyme say that all theyr diligence was lost / bycause they haue no suche thāke as they loked fore / and so dothe theyr diligence dekaye. But the very true obedience / by­leuethe or (at the leest) dredethe and ferethe that he neuer dothe his duete / but that all he dothe: is to ly­tell / and he hathe no regarde in all his obediēce: vnto the souereyne as for the selfe souereyne / Prop [...]er quod unū ­quod (que) est: illud magꝰ est. nor vnto the wyll / pleasure or displeasure of the souereyne / but onely for god & so secondary vnto the souereyne as vsynge the persone and bearynge the rowme of [Page] god. And therfore / if the souereyne be ouersene and be displeased without any iuste cause or reason: yet doth nat the louynge subiecte: withdrawe any ꝑte of due obedience: lest he shulde displease god / as w^t ­drawynge from hym his due ryght. The respects therfore / the lokynge and beholdyng vnto god / and the consideracion of his euerlastyng rewarde: doth cause the deuoute and religious subiectes (as well in peyne and displeasure as in welth and pleasure) to perseuere / continue and go forth euer styll in due obedience. Perseueraunce therfore is necessarie / w^t out whiche: all laboures ben lost. Of this louynge lady perseueraunce: haue we translate a boke into Englysshe of a good auctoure and great lerned mā caled Mapheus / whiche boke you haue and may se therin more of this mater.

¶Of the benefyttes / frutes / vauntage or auayle / & profyttes of due obedience by order / and fyrst of the fyrste frute and ꝓfytte. The .xv. Chapitre.

NOwe may conueniētly folowe (as a conclusion of obedience) what is the effecte and ende of obedience / that is what profitte and good the persones shall haue or wynne by due obediēce And herevnto shall we vse the sure foundacion and groūde whiche is diuerse tymes remembred in this werke / that is to say: that all the o­bedience y^t is done vnto the soueryne: is done prin­cipally vnto our lorde god / whose rowme & place: they done beare & vse accordyng vnto his owne sa­ynge [Page lxxxvii] in the gospell of Luke the .x. Chapitre.Luce. 10. Qui uos audit: me audit. &c. Whoso euer is obedient vn­to you (sayth he vnto his Apostles) is obediēt vnto me / & who so dispiseth you: dispiseth me. There ben diuerse frutes or ꝓfyttꝭ whervnto we haue regard & done make ꝓuision & care fore in this lyfe. But 1 we shall here (for oure purpose) name foure onely / that is to say / the profytte of worldly goodes or sub­stance / w^tout whiche we can nat lyue in this worlde The secōde is: our selfe bodies / wherby we set more 2 than by any goodes. The thyrde is the profyte of fame & good name / which is of duraūce: aboue both 3 the other / & therfore more noble / more precious / and more to be regarded and setby. The fourthe is: the 4 profyte of the soule / that (without comparison) is aboue all the other / & moste to be cared & ꝓuided fore we shall nowe begynne at the lowest & so ascende. The fyrste frute or ꝓfytte (than) of obedience is the welth & ꝓsperite of this worlde / which (by our lord god) is (ī diuerse places of scripture) ꝓmysed vnto obedience / as vnto ysaacke / where our lorde sayth. Byde & dwell where I byd the:Ge. 26. A. & I wyll be with y^e & I wyll blesse the & multiplie thy goodes / & I wyl gyue the all these landes & possessions: whiche I ꝓmysed vnto thy father Abraham / bycause he was o­bedient vnto my voyce & commaundement.Deu. 28. A. And in an other place he saythe vnto the chyldren of Israel by his seruaūt Moyses. If you be obedient vnto y^e voyce & cōmaūdemēt of your lorde god / you shal be in honour / dignite / & possessions: aboue al y^e people of this worlde / and haue many other commodites which there done folowe by order. And althoughe vnto religious ꝑsones: this ꝓfytte be: but of smale [Page] weight & regarde: yet muste they nedely haue theyr naturall fode and clothynge / whiche thynges charitably ministred (accordynge vnto the necessite of y^e persones) dothe cause them to lyue more quietely / & to be the better content with theyr estate and maner of lyuynge. But (as we sayd byfore) the moste obe­dient subiectes bene moste fauoured of theyr soue­reynes: and therfore of good ryghte ben best serued of all necessaries: ergo due obedience is profytable vnto the worldly parte / whiche is the fyrst and leest frute and profytte of obedience. Obiection. But here some per­sones wolde thynke / that if y^e souereynes do fauour one more than a nother: they shulde than vse parcialite / whiche is to be auoided in religion. Answere. Vnto this we saye / they ben nat parciall but as iustice requy­rethe. For (as we cōcluded byfore) good reason wyl that the moste obediente subiectes shulde be moste in fauoure with the souereynes. The wordes of our sauiour done confirme the same. Where he sayd Vos amici mei estis: Io. 15. B. si feceritis que precipio nobis. you ben my dere & louyng frendes (saythe he) if you (by due obedience) perfourme and fulfyl what so e­uer I byd and cōmaunde you. And by the same rea­son dyd our sauioure preferre in rowme and office: saynt Peter that was caled / Symon / whiche (by interpretacion) is as moche to say as obedience. And surely naturall parentes: done cōmunely fauoure moste and preferre theyr moste obedient chyldren. And so done maysters and maystresses / lordes and ladies amonge theyr seruauntes / so folowethe that obedience is profytable vnto the increace of the worldly substance or goodes neces­sary vnto our dayly lyuynge.

¶Of the seconde profytte or frute of obedience. The .xvi. Chapitre.

THe seconde profitte whervnto mānes nature hathe regarde and care: is the prosperite / helthe and good state of y^e body to be preserued and kepte ī good helthe and lōge lyfe / whervnto moch auayleth obedience. The holy scripture sayth. Ho­nora patrem tuum: et matrem tuam, Deut. 5. C. ut longo uiuas tē pore, et bene sit tibi in terra. Do thou honoure and reuerence vnto thy father and vnto thy mother / that thou mayste be longe lyued / or lyue a longe tyme / & be in good state and helthe vpon yerthe / but byfore haue we proued: that due honoure can nat be with­out due obedience / they muste nedely go to gother: ergo the same profytte is ꝓmysed vnto both in lyke But here some persones wyll say (peraduenture) y^e this promyse is made in scripture:Obiection. vnto them that (with due obedience) done honoure vnto theyr carnall parentes / that is to saye: theyr fathers and mo­thers (For so that terme parentes / dothe signifie in one worde:Answere. bothe the father and mother) Whervnto I saye / that the promyse dothe more extende vnto y^e spiritual parentes / bycause they be so moche aboue the other carnall parentes / as the soule is aboue the body / and the spirite: aboue the flesshe. The wyse man saythe also in his prouerbes.Pro. 7. A. Honoure thou (saythe he) with due obedience thy lorde and mays­ter:Ibidem. and thou shalte (for thy rewarde) be well at ease and welthye. And in the same place. Be thou obedi­ent (saythe he) vnto my byddynge and cōmaunde­ment: and thy rewarde shalbe longe lyfe. The soue­reynes [Page] in religion: done beare the rowme and the ꝑsone of our lorde: ergo all suche promyses done ex­tende vnto them.Eccl. 3. per totum. In the boke also caled Ecclesiasti­cus / ben many commodites and profyttes set forthe and promysed vnto the same purpose / whiche we haue set forthe at lengthe in a lytell worke that we wrote vnto housholders and rulers / natwithstan­dynge we shall nat be greued to set out the same a­gayne here. For here in is good auctorite for all the commodites and profyttes that we haue byfore a­poynted / that is to say: of the goodes of the body / of the same / and of the soule. I pray you therfore good deuout reders note it wel. The Chapitre begīneth thus / as it is exponed by the churche. The chyldren of sapience or of wysdome:Quia non ī greco. bene the congregacion or company of iuste and ryghtuous persones / and the nacion: that is to say: the naturall disposicion of them:Audite .i. obedite. is obedience and loue. you louynge chyldrē therfore (saythe he) herken you well the iudgemente of your father / and be you obedient thervnto. And so perfourme and worke the same: that you may be the chyldren of saluacion. God hath ordened by the honoure of the father: to be ī the chyldrē / requiryng also & confirmyng in thē: the iugement & obedience of the mother. Those ꝑsones that done loue god & ben obediēt vnto his cōmaūdemētes: shall (for theyr rewarde) haue speciall grace to aske forgeuenes for theyr synnes paste / & to continue & kepe thē selfe frō those that ben to come / & shalbe graciously herde in theyr dayly prayers. And those persones that duely done honoure theyr parentes: ben lyke (in spiritual ꝓuision) vnto thē that (for tēporall ꝓuision) done gether ryches & tresore vpon yerthe. Those y^t done [Page lxxxix] obediently honoure theyr parentes: shall reioyce / & haue ioy and conforte: in theyr owne chyldren. And shalbe graciously herde of god in all theyr nede or trouble. The chyldren y^t done duely honoure theyr parentes: shalbe longe lyued / or of longe lyfe. And the chylde y^t is obedient vnto the father: doth moch refresshe & conforte the mother. And in lyke maner the chylde that is obedient vnto the mother: dothe well content & please the father. Those chyldrē that reuerently done feere and drede our lorde: done also duely honoure theyr parentes. And as bondmen or thrale ꝑsones done seruice vnto theyr lordes & maisters: so done they vnto thē that haue bygotten thē into this worlde / & suche chyldrē: wyl do theyr seruice so / bothe in worke & worde / & w^t good & lowly byha­uiour in all maner of paciēce. Do (chylde) vnto thy parentes due honoure & reuerēce. And thy rewarde shalbe: y^e blessynge of god & y^e multiplicacion or in­creace of worldly goodes ī this lyfe / & y^e same blessīg shall remayne & rest vpon y^e for euermore. The bles­synge of the parentꝭ: dothe make y^e heneritaūce of y^e chyldrē: stedfast & staple & y^e cures of y^e parentꝭ: doth rotewalt vnrote plucke vp & destroy y^t semeth to be moste surely foūded & roted. Chylde: take neuer plesure ne pryde ī y^e rebuke of thy parentꝭ. For y^t is nat thy worshipe ne praise / but rather thy cōfusiō shame & rebuke. For y^e glorie & worshype of y^e chylde: is of the honoure of the parēte / & great shame is it vnto y^e chylde: that the parente be w^tout honoure. Chylde: take good paciēce w^t the age of thy parentꝭ / & neuer displease them / greue them ne make them sory in all theyr lyfe. And if they feyle or faute in wytte or vnderstandynge: forgyue them and take pacience [Page] therwith / and neuer despyse them by y^e comparison of thyne owne strength / wytte / cōnynge or abilite. For the cōmiseracion / the petie or compassion that the chylde hathe vpon the parentes: shall neuer be forgotten. For thou shalte for the default of thy pa­rentes (duely borne and suffred) haue great meryte and rewarde / & in thy iustice that is to say in doyng thy duete (for euery chylde is bounden vnto the pa­rentes) thou shalte haue profytte and a place ordey­ned in heuen / and yet here in the tyme of trouble or nede shalt thou be remembred of god. And as the froste or yse in the clere sonne: so shall thy synnes be molten and wasted. All this haue we translated out of y^e said thyrd Chapitre of Ecclesiasticus / to shewe the frutes and profyttes of obedience whiche sayd Chapitre (after al doctoures) speketh and meaneth all: of the spirituall parentes / as well as of the car­nall parentes. And yet dothe folowe: in the same Chapitre vnto the contrarie parte: howe great ieopardy it is to be obedient or disobediēt vnto the pa­rentes / and what peyne and punisshemente bylon­geth thervnto / that is to say: all contrarie vnto the torsayd profyttes / & he dothe conclude them in fewe wordes / saynge thus. Quam male fame est: qui re­linquit Patrem? Howe great shame and rebuke ap­perteyneth vnto that persone that dothe forsake the father and is rebellious and disobediēt vnto the parent. This point is againe y^e fame & good name / as thoughe he sayd: moche shame and yuell name and fame: dothe folowe suche persones. Than foloweth for the residue. And that chylde is cursed of god: y^• dothe displease / vexe / trouble / and greue the parēt. The curse of god is contrarie vnto al the other fru­tes [Page xc] of obedience / that is to say: the welth of the soule of the body and of the goodes.

¶Of the thyrde frute or profytte of obediēce: fame / good name / honoure / and worshype. The .xvii. Chapitre.

ALthoughe y^e Chapitre byfore: be of itselfe sufficient auctorite for all our purposed ꝓfyttes: yet shall we neuertheles go forthe with oure order / and shewe nowe some­what of the thyrde frute and profytte of obedience cōmyng therof / whiche is fame and good name / ho­noure and worshype / it is a worshype in the worlde to be of hyghe blode or of a royall lynage or stocke. But euery obedient person is of the stocke & kynne of our sauiour Christe / by his owne wordꝭ.Matth. 12. in fine. Marci. 3. D. Luce. 8. C. Io. 15. B. Deut. 28. Who so euer (saythe he) by due obedience doth accomplyshe and fulfyll in dede or werke: the wyll of my father / that ꝑsone is my father and mother / syster and bro­ther. And agayne / those ben my louers and frendes that done (by due obedience) what I cōmaunde thē Our lorde also promysed in the olde testament: ho­noure and worshype vnto his people / if they wolde kepe due obedience. Saynge if thou be obediente vnto the voyce and byddyng of thy lorde god: thou shalt be promoted and exalted aboue all other naci­ons. Our sauiour in diuerse places sayd.Matth. 1 [...]. B. Lu. 14. C. et 18. C. Qui se hu­miliat exaltabitur. The persone that kepeth a lowe sayle and maketh hym selfe meke & vyle: shalbe exalted and taken vp / vnto honoure and dignite / but humilite is proued best by obedience / ergo obedience is worthy laude / prayse / honoure / and worshype. [Page] Euery vertue is worthy prayse. For laude & prayse doth folowe vertue / as the shadowe in the sonne: dothe folowe the body. Fame and good name: is of laude & prayse.Prouer. 21. The wyse man sayth that victorie: is worthy prayse. And the obedient person (saythe he) may beste speke of victory / and he hathe vanquyshed & gotten a great castell & sute holde: that hathe ouercome hym selfe / whiche is done onely by obedience. For without obedience: can no vertue be gotē ne preserued & kepte. And without obedience: euery vertue is sone lost. For it lesteth no lenger than the persone is obedient, Perfecte obediēce: doth worke miracles.Marci. 14. D. For by his obedience saynt Peter went vpon the water / as vpon the drye yerthe or lande. And saynt Maure that was disciple vnto saynt Benedicte / caled saynt Benette:Grego. 2. dia. Ca. 7. by obedience ran vpō the water to recouer the chylde Placidus / that fell into the ryuer. And many other great myracles ben setforthe & shewed ī vitas Patrum / & in many other holy stories: that were done by holy obediēce. The name and fame wherof: dothe yet lest and continue & shall do for euer. So thā dothe folowe / y^e one of y^e frutꝭ & ꝓfyttꝭ of due obedience: is fame & name.

¶Of the fourthe frute or ꝓfitte of obediēce / that is to say the welth of the soule. The .xviii. Chapitre.

HOwe let vs se howe the welthe of the soule cōmeth of due obedience. The fyrst welth of the soule: is delyuerāce therof frō the state of dāpnaciō vnto the state of grace / whiche is onely of obedience vnto the holy sacramentꝭ. [Page xci] Fyrste vnto the sacrament of baptisme / and also vn­to the sacrament of penaūce. And other great welth vnto the soule: is to be preserued / kepte / & continued in the same state of grace / whiche is onely by obedi­ence.Pro. 29. C. The wyse man sayth / y^t the ꝑsone is blessed y^e is obedient vnto y^e cōmaūdemēt of god. And in an other pacle. Qui custodit preceptū: non experietur, Eccle. 8. quic (quam) mali. The ꝑsone that is obedient vnto the cō ­maūdemēt of our lorde: shall neuer haue experience of euyll / but shalbe preserued & kepte from all sinne. And our sauiour in the gospell.Io. 8. D. Si manseritis in ser­mone meo: uere discipuli mei eritis. &c. If you (saythe he) perseuer / continue / & byde in the obediece of my byddynge & cōmaūdemēt: thā shall you be my very disciples / & you shall knowe the trouth of all thingꝭ & that trouthe: shall delyuer you frō all yuell. And a lytell after / he made an othe & sayd.Ibidem. F. I acerteyne you for a true trouthe / y^e who so euer wyl be obedient in kepynge of my cōmaūdement: shal neuer haue experience of deth euerlastynge.August. And whan we saye in our pater noster. Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra. Let thy wyll be done vpon yerth as it is in heuen / thā done we pray & make peticion for obediēce For that saynge is as moche to meane: as thoughe we said. Good lorde our holy father that arte ī heuē we beseche the graūt vs the gyfte of due obedience / y^t (accordynge vnto our state) we may worke and ꝑfourme thy wyl here vpon yerth: as (of thy Angels & sayntꝭ for thyr state) it is ꝑfourmed & wroght in heuen. For althoughe obedience be y^e synguler gyft of god & frely gyuē: yet wyll he natw^tstādīg: y^t we aske it & make peticiō or pray therfore. Whervnto we bē (of his holy spirite exhorted & moued. And who so euer [Page] wyll inclyne / leyne / and giue good eare and heryng vnto the exhortacion of trouthe: shall surely possede and haue it / and that wyll nat: can neuer haue it. And if (by fraylte or temptacion) we fall into synne nothynge maye recouer and deleuere vs: but onely obedience vnto the holy sacramente of penaunce / o­bedience (than) is a great benefytte & profytte vnto the soule. And yet whan the soule is (by penaunce) reconsyled: nothynge may better apparell and garnysshe the soule with good vertues ne better kepe & norysshe the same therin:August. than obedience. For obe­dience is nat onely the mother and begynner of all vertues: but also it is the mures or noryssher / the brynger vp and keper of all vertues. And obediēce dothe also chase / put away / and quenche / or (at the leest) dothe restreyne and rebate the assayles of our thre principall enemies the dyuell / the worlde / & the flesshe / wherof the prophete saythe.Psal. 118. In quo corrigit adoscencior uiam suam? That is vnder the fourme of a question howe / wherin / or wherby shal y^e fraile yonge persone correcte and refourme or restreyne / his wayes and fraile disposicions? whervnto he answered saynge. In custodiendo sermones tuos. In kepynge thy byddynges / that is ta saye by due obedi­ence vnto thy cōmaundementes. Obedience also dothe cause in the soule and in the conscience of a ꝑ­sone: a merueylous tranquilite and reste of mynde And in all scrupulosites / feres or doutes: obedience dothe put y^e conscience in moste hyghe surete / which is no lytell conforte ne yet smale profytte vnto the soule.Esay. 48. Wherof the prophete Esay saythe in the per­sone of our lorde / vnto the people. If thou (sayd he) haddest ben obedient vnto my cōmaundement and [Page xcii] byddinge: thy peace / thy tranquilite / thyne ease and reste: shulde haue ben haboūdāt as a flode or ryuer In figure wherof: is sayd in the Machabees / that for the time of Symon:Macha 14. whiche (by interpretacion) is as moche to say: as due obedience / all the laude & nacion of the Iues was in great tranquilite / reste and peace / thus is euidente / that obediēce is moche profytable vnto the soule.

¶That by due obedience: large coniecture may be had of the state of the soule. The .xix. Chapitre.

A Great singuler conforte / profytte and pleasure vnto al deuoute christianes / is to knowe (at the leest by coniecture) in what case or state of saluacion: the soule doth stande / whiche is best knowen by loue. For who so is in charite: dwellethe in god / and god in hym / but no persone can loue god: excepte he fyrste loue his neghboure. For saynt Iohan sayth / he y^• loueth nat his neghboure:1. Io. 4. D. whome he may se & ꝑceyue w^t his bodely syght: howe can he loue god whome he can neuer so se ne ꝑceyue? as though he mēt / y^t he myght nat loue god ī any wyse / w^tout y^e loue of his neghboure.1, Io. 3. C. In this one thyng (sayth he) we knowe wel / y^t we ben trāslate & chaūged frō deth vnto lyfe bycause we done loue our brother. For who so euer dothe nat loue: dwelleth and is drowned in dethe / by loue than muste the state of the soule be knowen. Who so euer dothe perceiue in conscience: that he is in charite with all persones / and louethe all as hym selfe and hateth none: he may hope and truste well that he louethe god. But nexte vnto god & our selfe [Page] we ben moste bounde to loue our parētes / specially the spirituall parentes / our souereynes of religion Due louynge obedience vnto whome: is a testimo­nie of our loue and obedience vnto our lorde whose rowme they beare. For he sayd vnto his disciples. If you byde and continue in due obedience & eche loue other:Io. 8. than shall you be in dede my disciples & so knowe for my disciples / so is obedience (than) ꝑ­fytable vnto the soule.

¶Of the finall meryte and hyghe rewarde of obe­dience. The .xx. Chapitre.

THe finall meryte and hyghe rewarde of obedience: is grace in this lyfe pre­sente / and glorie in the lyfe to come. For surely obediēce doth obteine here moche grace and dothe also multiplie the same. Super quem (saythe our lorde) requiescet spiritus meus. &c. Vpon whome (sayth he) shall my spirite reste / dwel / byde and continue: but vpon the persone that is meke in spirite and obedient theraf­ter? God is euer redy and present (by his grace) to helpe and conforte the persones obedient / as dyd appere in saynt Petre whan he (at the byddyng of our lorde) went vpon the water. For althoughe (for his feynt feythe) he byganne to synke and drowne:Matth. 14. D. yet (for his obedience) our lorde was redy to helpe him The same was also signified in the ladder that Ia­cob sawe whervnto our lorde was ioyned / Gene. 18. in token that he wolde euer be redy to helpe and conforte thē (by his grace) that done take y^e way and enterpryse the iourney of obedience / whiche thynge Iacob felt [Page xciii] and perceyued in the workynge of his soule: byfore he sawe the outwarde token. And therfore he sayd with great affection / our lorde is in this place: and I knewe nothynge therof. Wherby dothe appere y^e god is euer present with the obedient persones: all thoughe he be nat perceyued. Iacob also dyd se and perceyue: that Angelles dyd ascende and discende by that ladder / whiche thynge doth signifie: the manyfolde graces that our lorde dothe dayly minister (by his holy Angelles) vnto the persones obedient. Our lorde sayd also of hym selfe.Io. 14. C. Who so doth loue me (sayth he) wyll be obedient vnto my byddynge / the rewarde wherof: doth folowe. And my father of heuen wyll loue hym / and we both wyll come vnto hym or vnto his house / that is to say / into his soule And there wyll we make our māsion and dwelling place with hym / a good gyfte / and moche cōfortable vnto the soule I assure you.Glosa suꝑ illud Qua si peccatū alielandi, est repūg. 1. Re. 15 E. Psal. 81. The merite of obediēce is so moche: that therof is sayd. Sola obedientia est: quae fidei meritum possidet. Sine qua infidelis: Quis (que) cōuincitur. Obedience is that vertue: that alone hathe the merite of feythe: without whiche euery ꝑ­sone is accoūted & condempned as an infidele / or vnfeythful ꝑsone. And y^e ꝓphet sayth. Preceptū dn̄i lu­cidū. &c. The cōmaūdemēt of our lorde / is vnto y^e ꝑsone obediente / bryght and shynynge / and dothe il­lumine and gyue lyghte vnto the eyes and syghte that is to meane: dothe teache the conscience to per­ceyue the trouth in all doutes or erroures. For the iugementes of our lorde (as folowethe there) bene (vnto the persones obediente) true in them selfe / and so bene they shewed and byleued of the sayd ꝑsones / nothynge doutynge of thē in any wyse [Page] but vnto them more desyrable and pleasaunt / than any ryches / syluer / golde / or precious stones. And more swete & delectable vnto the herte & soule of y^e odient ꝑsones: thā is hony or suger vnto the mouthe or palate. And therfore (sayth he) good lorde / thy louynge seruauntes done kepe thy cōmaundementes and in kepynge of them is moche meryte and moste hyghe rewarde. And in an other place. Ideo dilexi mandata tua super aurum et topasion. Psal. 118. I haue ther­fore (as a liberall obedienser) loued thy cōmaunde­mentes aboue and moche more than any golde or p̄ cious stones. And therfore haue I (with al due diligence) ordred my selfe vnto obedience. And therby haue I hated and auoyded the way of wyckednes / or all wyked wayes.August. Saynt Augustyne also sayth that the more obedient one persone be (in this lyfe) aboue a nother: the more large shalbe his meryte & rewarde in y^e lyfe to come.Ibidem. And mortal mē (saith he) shal by y^e meryt rewarde of obediēce: passe / atteine / and come / vnto the immortalite of Angelles. And (so to conclude) obedience doth open heuen gates / & dothe conuey and cary the obedient persones there into. For without due obedience: can neuer man be the chylde of saluacion / ne entre the gates of heuen / Our sauiour to wytnes / where he sayth.Matth. 19. B. Si uis ad ui tam ingredi: serua mandata. If thou wilte entre into the euerlastynge lyfe: kepe the commaundementes / whiche thynge is very obedience.Io. 5. And agayne. Qui uerbum meum audit et credit ei qui misit me: ha­bet uitam eternam. Who so euer is obediēt vnto my cōmaundemente / and gyuethe credence or dothe by­leue in hym that sente me into this worlde: is nowe in surete (for the tyme) of euerlastynge lyfe. And [Page xciiii] saynt Bernarde sayth that Christe hym selfe is the [...]ewarde of obedience.Suꝑ eum ecce nos reliquimꝰ omnia. Augusti. And to conclude the great cō modites / frutes / profyttes / and hyghe meryte or re­warde of obedience. Saynt Augustyne sayth / that in heuē shalbe suche a swetnes & pleasaūt felicite & lyght or easyredenes of obediēce: betwene y^e body & y^e soule: that theyr interchaūgeable obedience shall be like to y^e lyfe of that regne & of y^e realme or kyngdome. Whervnto he brynge vs that bought vs / our moste obedient lorde and moste swete sauiour Iesu Christe / & (ī y^e meane tyme) he graūt vs y^e grace here of suche obedience: as may render & make vs his fo­folowers ī y^e same hygh & most noble vertue. Amē. THus you may ꝑceyue (good deuout Christ­anes) y^t I had in mynde & purposed to haue made here with an ende of this treates / for this mē ­bre & borde or table of obedience. Natwithstādyng sodeynly came to mynde: y^e syghe I had spoken so moche of the cōmodites / frutes & ꝓfytes of this no­ble vertue of obediēce: it shulde be cōuenient some­what to shewe of the incōmodites & ieoꝑdes of y^e cō ­trarie vice / y^t is to say: inobedience or disobedience.

¶Of the incōmodites and ieopardes of inobediēce or disobedience / and fyrst of the definicion therof. The .xxi. Chapitre.

THe Philosopher sayth: that who so wyll define / determine / and declare a thynge well what it is: must shewe and appoint somwhat of the contrarie thervnto. For (as he sayth in a nother place) whan thynges cōtrarie: ben leyde or compared to gether: eueriche of thē [Page] doth appere y^e more euident and clere for the tother / as whyte coloure leyde nere vnto blacke doth seme in it selfe more whytte & also causeth the blacke to seme more blacke: than els they shulde do alone. And pryde: is the better knowen by the declaracion of mekenes. So is it of obedience & disobedience. For as obedience: is an abnegacion & forsakyng of pro­per wyll: subdued vnto the wyll of a nother persone souereine of religion (For we speke here of monasticall obedience / whiche religious persones done ꝓ­fesse) so is in obedience or disobedience / an election or choyse and folowynge (in effecte) of proper wyll: contrarie vnto the promyse and vowe made in pro­fession / let this be taken thus for the definicion / that is to say: a determinacion or declaracion of the selfe thynge / what it is / and what is ment by that terme or name of obedience or inobedience and lykewyse of all other thynges.

¶Of the diuision or diuerse maners of inobediēce The .xxii. Chapitre.

THis vice of in obedience or disobedi­ence: may be in diuerse maners / one waye inobedience may be improper / whiche may nat properly be caled dis­obedience / but after or accordynge vn­to the cōmune opinion of the vnlerned people / that is: whan a subiecte (by reason sence / and ryght vn­derstandynge 1/ and by good lernyng and auctorite) dothe perceyue that the souereyne doth cōmaunde / that is conirarie vnto the lawes of god or the ordi­naunce of the churche / thā doth he vse or rather doth seme to vse in effecte his owne proper wyll / and so [Page xcv] wyll nat fulfyll the p̄cepte of the souereyne / that he semeth nat to be obedient but rather styfly disobedient / howe be it he is nat so in dede. For (as I sayd byfore) in suche case: he is nat boūde to be obedient but rather bounde vnto the contrarie.Act. 5. E. For (as the Apostle Petre sayd) we ben more boūde to be obedient vnto god than vnto man. And therfore I sayd / that this way is nat ꝓperly disobedience. An other 2 way or maner of disobedience: is by negligence or by forgetfulnes / as whan the subiecte is negligente and doth forgette the p̄cepte of the souereine & yet is sory & discontent with hym selfe therfore. And this is a veniall synne / in the lowest or leest degre of dis­obedience. An other maner is by scrupulosite of consciēce 3 / as whan the subiecte doth fere or drede in cō ­science: that the p̄cepte is nat lawful & yet nat in certeynte / & therfore wyll nat do the cōmaundemēte / so is it a veniall synne euery way bycause of y^e errour in consciēce. For if he shulde do the p̄cepte:Nemo ꝑ­plexꝰ sim­pliciter uerū pro­pria in curia potest quis seip­sum implicare diuꝰ Thomas li. senten. he shuld do agayn his consciēce & that is euer syn / although the conscience be erronious. And if he do nat the precepte than is it inobedience & so a veniall synne / by­cause the subiecte is boūde to put away that errour and scrupulosite both / & to be obedient vnto the so­uereyne. For in all doutes: y^e subiecte is discharged in cōscience: by y^e p̄cepte of the souereyne. An other kynde or maner of disobediece: is by frailte / as whā the subiecte / doth knowe well & also doth remēbre & hathe in mynde the p̄cepte & mater wherin he shuld be obedient / and doth nat (in any wyse) despyse the 4 p̄cepte / but rather doth purpose & intende to accomplysshe & fulfyll y^e same / but yet whā y^e mater shulde cōe to passe: sōe dulnes or slothfulnes / sōe frailte or [Page] carnall affection: doth let the perfourmynge therof and so is the thynge vndone & the precept ouerpas­sed and broken. This maner of obedience: may be deedly synne or veniall / accordyng vnto the nature of the precepte. For if the nature of the p̄cept & of the obedience: be cōmaūded & ordened by the churche or by the statꝭ of y^e rule or religion / to be kept vnder peyne of deedly synne: than is y^e disobedience therof deedly synne / & els but veniall. And in lyke maner 5 is it of suche disobedience as is cōmitted & done by sodeyn passion or displeasure agayne the souereyne w^tout full deliberacion / & so (for that tyme) obediēce is set by or leyde on parte. Whiche disobedience is accordynge vnto the nature of the p̄cepte (as I sayd 6 byfore) deedly or venial offence. An other kynde yet or maner of obedience: is by ignoraunce / as whan y^e subiecte knoweth nat the nature of the p̄cepte / that he is boūde vnto suche obedience. But this igno­raūce: dothe nat hooly or fully excuse. For as the ig­noraūce of the lawes of god or of the churche dothe nat excuse them that ben boūde to knowe the same lawes: So in lyke maner / y^e ignoraūce of the rules & ordinaunces of the religion: doth nat excuse the religious persones that be bounde to knowe thē and ben professed to kepe the essensialles / accordyng vnto them. yet natwithstandyng: the ignoraūce of y^e acte or dede that is forboden by the sayd lawes or ordinaunces: maye in great parte excuse / accordynge (as is sayd) vnto the mater subiecte. Example of bothe / If a professed brother of Syon: shulde eate flesshe vpon a wannesdaye / or a monke of the Char­terhouse any tyme eate flesshe: & wolde put for theyr excuse / that they knewe nat that they were bounde [Page xcvi] vnto the contrarie: this ignoraūce shulde nothynge or very lytell excuse them of the offēce / bycause these persones bene bounde to knowe theyr statutes and ordinaunces. But nowe for the other parte. If the same ꝑsones / the same day shulde fede vpon flesshe / supposynge and byleuynge verely: it were fysshe & no flesshe (as we haue redde of diuerse ꝑsones) than (I saye) doth that ignoraunce excuse a great parte / but yet nat fully in all / excepte due serche with dili­gence: were made byfore. Thus nowe doth appere / that accordyng vnto the mater subiecte: disobediēce or inobedience procedynge of ignoraunce: maye be veniall or deedly synne. yet is there a nother kynde 7 or maner of disobedience or inobedience: whiche is worse than all the other / y^t is by obstinacie froward wyll and presumpcion / as whan a persone doth knowe well and also hathe good remembraunce of the wyll and precepte / and yet natwithstandynge wyll nat ī effecte folowe it ne do therafter. But somtyme of very hyghe pryde and presumpcion of ꝑpersence that is a folysshe truste and confidence of selfe ꝓper wytte / wysedome / knowynge / or vnderstandynge: wyll do his owne wyl and folowe his owne wayes & wyll nat here the reasons or lernyng of any other / but rather so moche p̄ferreth his owne iugement y^e doth condempne / despise / and set at nought al other reasons & iugementes / and all coūsayles / & yet for­ther the streyt cōmaūdemēt of his owne souereyne. And so obstinatly doth folowe his owne brayne. These persones bene all blynde in herte and mynde frō the whiche blyndenes: our mother holy churche doth pray for her chyldren to be delyuered / saynge. A cecitate cordis libera nos domine. That is to say: [Page] Good lorde delyuer all christianes from the blynd­nes of herte. For who is more blynde: than he that wyll nat se? And who is more folysshe: than he that wyll nat lerne ne gyue credence? And yet ben suche persones cōmunely moste presūptuous / most bolde and malaparte. For (as the prouerbe sayth) none is so bolde as blynde bayarde.Bernardꝰ. sup canti. For what can be more hyghe presūpcion & more malaparte boldnes (sayth saynt Bernarde) than that one synguler persone in a congregacion or company: shulde alowe and ob­stinately or styfly preferre his ꝓper sence / his owne proper wytte / wysdome or reason: his owne proper opinion & iugement: aboue and byfore all other persones? proper sence: is called the eye or syght of the olde man that is enemie vnto almyghty god. And also doth slaūder the selfe persone & doth cause hym to take and to gyue many occasiōs / and therfore (after the coūsayle of the holy gospell) it shulde be dig­ged out & cast away.Matth. 5. E. Marci. 9. C. Proper wyll: is whan a ꝑsone doth (as is sayd byfore) knowe well & also hath wel in remembraūce: the ꝓmyse and bonde of this ꝓfes­sion / and yet despysynge the same or careles therof: wyll (by deliberacion) do the cōtrarie which thing caused alway other of fraylte / or els of very obstina­cy and dyuelysshe frowardnes. For be negligence: is neuer cōmitted this maner of disobedience. But by fraylte many tymes is the ꝑsone drawen & in maner compelled by yuell custome: to do contrarie vnto his owne knowlege / and contrarie vnto proper conscience as by al the synnes of the flesshe / glotony slothe / and lecherie.Phillip. 3. D. For the gloton dothe so make a god of his bely: y^• he doth in effecte rather displease god wyttyngly: than his wombe or bely. Of this [Page xcvii] sorte: bene suche religious persones / as well done knowe and remēbre: but lytel done regarde or force for theyr rules and ordinaūces: to eate and drynke & feade / out of due tyme or due place / and suche mea­tes or drynkes: as be prohibite and forboden / & yet some worse than these that done so excede therin: y^• I shulde be ashamed or abashed to speake or writte therof. Slothe also dothe worke moche yuell ī this mater / in suche persones as done more loue & chose rather the ease and pleasure of the body: thā the ho­noure of god / we haue herde of religious persones: that bene moche dull and slothfull to ryse & to come to the deuine seruice and vnto the other reguler ob­seruaunces of theyr religion / & some done gyue thē selfe vnto worldly disportes and games moche vn­religious & done fle & auoyde laboures. And done delyte & take pleasure ī seculer cōpany / & there kepe daliaūce in clateryng & talkyng / hearyng & tellyng of tales in suche pastymes / whiche I call lose tymes worse than mere ydlenes. Custome in whiche thyn­ges: dothe drawe thē vnto ꝓper wyll cōtrarie vnto all cōmaūdementes / & so doth brynge thē vnto diso­bedience. The flesshe is nat behynde w^t occasion vnto this malady of ꝓper wyll / in suche persones that well done knowe & remēbre theyr bonde of chastite / and yet for lacke of due garde of the sences / ben sone electe and drawen to folowe the occasions of the cō ­trarie: so that nother counsayle ne cōmaundemente can cause them to leue theyr proper wyll and plea­sure therin / althoughe they be in right great ieoꝑty of naufrage & wracke of chastite / of the whiche ma­ter we shall speake more large hereafter in the pro­per place / and lykewyse of wylfull pouerte / whiche [Page] whiche (by ꝓper wyll) the worlde doth sore assayle. And as vnto the gostly enemie: he neuer slepeth / but moste diligentely cōpasseth about sekynge to fynde whome he may deuoure.1. Petri. 5. B. C. Some he doth assayse by sodeyne passions of inpacience / and some by subtyl enuie. But the moste depe daunger of proper wyll: is in them that ben blowen vp and bolne by pryde / and brought vnto suche obstinacie and peruers or frowarde mynde: that contrarie nat onely vnto coū sayle or cōmaundement: but also vnto theyr owne reason vnderstandynge and iugement / of very cur­sed herte / and dyuelysshe peruersite and shreudnes: wyll folowe theyr owne way and proper wyll or rather theyr frowarde fantasye & so wyllyngly & wit­tyngly done deney / refuse / and disdeyne or despise y^e cōmaundement of the souereyne. And make play & disputacion for the defense of theyr sayd fātasie and somtym reenne so ferre therin: y^t they fall nat onely vnto false erroures: but also vnto pleyne heresies / and so styfly done clyue and stycke by thē: that they wyll rather forsake the hole churche of Christe: thā to be ouercome and gyue ouer theyr proper opinion and this I call the worste kynde of disobedience.

¶Of the ieopardes and paynfull merites and re­wardes of disobedience or inobedience. The .xxiii. Chapitre.

TO shewe vnto you the ieopardes and incō modites of this great malady & myschefe of inobedience: we shall vse the same ma­ner that we vsed in shewynge the frutes & ꝓfitable [Page xcviii] cōmodites of holy obedience / begynnynge at the in cōmodites of the worldly substance. And than of the body & so forthe vnto the fame and name / and laste vnto the soule. And generally to speake of all / we may say / that if you note well the great cōmodites of obedience: you may conclude the contrarie vpon disobedience. For of the cōmodites worldly that ben shewed byfore of y^e scripture ī the boke of Deu­tronominy / where ben fyrste promysed many bene­dictions: vnto obedience.Deu. 28. A. Ibidem. B. Forthwith doth folowe of disobedience thus. If thou wylt nat be obediente vnto the preceptes and ceremonies of thy lorde and kepe them truely▪ this maledictiōs and curses shall lyght vpon the. Thou shalt be accursed in the cite / & cursed in thē felde. Thy barne and corne shalbe ac­cursed and all thyne other goodes and substaunce. The frute of thy wombe shalbe accursed & the frute of thy lande. And al the herdes of thy beastes and al the flockes of thy shepe. Thou shalt be cursed in goynge inwarde / and accursed in goynge outwarde. Thus doth appere: that disobedience doth nat only depriue religious persones of all the cōmodites ꝓ­mysed vnto obedience: but also doth bryng & bynde them vnto the contrarie incōmodites. For as the monasteries: where due obediēce is kepte: done ꝓs­pere with pleintie in all maner of commodites that done apperteyne vnto theyr worldly goodes & sub­stance: so in lyke maner vnto the contrarie parte / where is inobedience or disobedience: the monaste­ries done dekay / fall vnto ruine & pouerte / as dyd y^e chyldren of Israel for theyr disobedience as dothe appere ī diuerse places of scripture. Saul the fyrst kynge of Israel / for his inobediēce: lost his realme [Page] and regne and his heyres also for euer / wherby we maye reasonably coniecture: that the ruyne and de­kaye of suche monasteries as done fall and come frō an abbey (as they saye) vnto a graunge: is the very punisshement of obedience. For whā cōmunely the subiectes done rebelle / coniure and make parties a­gayne the souereynes / and than done seke maynte­naunce of synguler persones or hyghe powers: thā is obedience lost and the substaunce and goodes of the monasterie: done come to caytche that cayrche may / eueryche to folowe his owne proper wyl / ge [...]e what he can / and vse it as he wyll / so al cōmeth vnto nought. For as a wyse lerned man sayth. Concordia parue res crescunt. Discordia autem: maxime dilabū ­tur. That is: by concorde / vnite / agremēt and peace smale or a fewe worldly goodes: shall increace and growe vnto great ryches. And cōtrarie by discorde and debate: great substāce shalbe sparpuled & come all vnto nought. Our sauiour dothe confirme the same in the gospell saynge.Marci. 2. B. Mar. 3. D. Lu. 11. B. Omne regnum in se diui­sum desolabitur. If a hole realme be deuided and at debate in hym selfe: it shall sone be desolate & come vnto destructiō. Thus doth appere the incōmodite of disobedience as vnto the goodes of the worlde. But (as we sayd) the body is of more pryse & more to be regarded than the worlde / and yet the incōmodite of disobedience thervnto is shewed in diuerse places of scripture.Gene. 4. Numeri. 12. C. Adam and Eue were punisshed in theyr bodies for theyr inobedience. And Marie syster vnto Moyses and vnto Aaron / for her rebel­lion: was stryken sodeynly with the plage of lepre. Pestilence and other peynes were also appoynted in the olde lawe:Deu. 28. B. for disobediēce. Where is sayd. If [Page xcix] thou be disobedient: our lorde wyll sende vnto the honger / thurst / and penury in al thy workes / and he wyll also ioyne thervnto pestilence & he wyl stryke the with nedenes / with feures or axes hote and cold and with cancres and corrupte eyres and he wyl in sue and chase the with many mischeues. The heuen ouer the: shalbe as styfe as brasse / and the yerthe vnder thy fote: lyke vnto yren or stele. And in stede of shoures: god wyll reyne dust / and in stede of dewe: shall come downe asshes. And thou shalt fal and fle byfore thyne enemies / and thy carkas shalbe lefte vpon the felde for meate vnto byrdes & bestes / thou shalt be strykē with byles and boytches / with scab­bes and pockes / with vncurable yche or ake. Thou shalte be mased and madde / furiouse & blynde. And euer full of rebuke and oppression. And no mā shall helpe / conforte or succure the.Deu. 17 B. The iugement also of bodely dethe: was gyuen for disobedience. Who so euer (saith holy scripture) doth waxe so proude / that he wyll nat be obedient vnto the cōmaūdemēt of the preest that for y^e tyme doth minister and do seruice vnto our lorde: let that man (by the decre of the iu­ge) be put vnto dethe. And in an other place:Iosue. 1. D. who so wyll be contrarious vnto the byddynge (sayde our lorde vnto Iosue) and wyll nat be obedient vnto all the cōmaūdemētes: that I shall cōmaūde by thy mouthe: let hym be put to deth. Here ben nowe many great incommodites that done come vnto the body for disobedience. And yet bycause (as is sayd) fame and good name: is more precious than the bo­dy / we shall set forthe some incōmodites that done come vnto y^e fame by inobediēce.De. ci. dei li. 1. Ca. Saynt Augustyn sayth / that some peynymes & īfideles haue wylfully [Page] suffred deth / rather thā they wolde lose or yet hurte or hynder theyr good name and fame / to be founde false or vnfeythfull of theyr promyse. But euery re­ligious persone: hathe (by solempne vowe) promy­sed obedience / ergo disobedience in breakynge that promyse doth render them infamouse. For it taketh away / or (at the leest) sore hurtethe and maymeth y^e name and fame: in many diuerse maners. For it de­clareth and proueth the inobediente religious per­sones: theues / robbers / and lyers. Fyrste they bene theues / bycause they stele that thynge and take vn­to theyr owne vse: that is nat theyrs / but that dothe apperteine vnto a nother ꝑsone / that is to say: theyr proper wyll: whiche bylongeth vnto the souereyne And whan they openly done deney the precepte of y^e souereyne: than ben they robbers. And in that they breke theyr vowe and promyse: they ben lyers / false and infamouse / and so bene they chyldren vnto the dyuell. For he is a lyer and the father therof. To be a lepre: is nat onely a hurte vnto the body / but also a great blotte vnto the fame of any ꝑsone althoughe it were in a kynge or hyghe estate. But saynt Bernarde sayth / that in the soule and mynde of euery persone inobedient:In sermo. de lepra Naaman. is a double leprie / that is to say: proper wyll. And proper sence or ꝓper coū sayle. Bothe ben lepres (sayth he) and of the worste maner and moste perilous lepries. And yet is pro­per counsell or proper sens (sayth he) the more ieoꝑ­dous lepre / bycause it lyeth and lurketh priue and secrete in the soule and the more it doth haboundes is multiplied therin: the rather doth it and more depely deceyue the selfe persone. For ꝓper sence dothe cause all maner of persones to stande well in theyr [Page C] owne fauoure / and in theyr owne consceyte to be very wyse and excellent / and to approue them selfe in all thynges. And to haue (as saynt Paule saythe) a great zeale / but without ryght knowlege.Ro. 10. A. And therfore done they folowe obstinately theyr owne blyn­denes and erroures. And wyll nat leyne / folowe / ne gyue credence vnto any counsell. For they done swell and bene puffed vp with pryde in theyr owne vanite / so that they ben pleased and done reioyse in them selfe. And in theyr owne syght and estimacion or supposicion: they ben great folkes synguler excellent in all maner of vertues. And therfore done they disdeyne / and set at nought all other ꝑsones as dyd the proude Pharisey vnto the poore Publicane. And so ben they ignoraunt of the iustice of god set­tynge forthe and folowynge theyr owne iustice and folysshe fantasy.Lu. 18. B. For what can be more folisshe / and (as I sayd ī the lawe of the churche) more vnryght wyse / and contrarie vnto iustice:Ro. 10. A. Leo Papa 24. q̄. [...]. Quid aut inquius. Ibidem. than that any one persone shulde so ferre folowe his owne sence / ꝓper coūsell and mynde: that he wyll nat byleue ne gyue credence / vnto them that of auctorite ben more wyse and more depely & better lerned. But suche maner of persones (saith the same lawe) ben letted by some fantasticall blyndnes or darkenes: to haue y^e know­lege of the trouth / and therfore done they nat resort ne leyne vnto any counsell or auctorite / but only vnto thē selfe. And therfore ben they (of good iustice & ryght) made the maysters of erroures / bycause they wolde nat be the disciples of trouth. Wherfore holy saynt Bernarde dothe counsell his trendes / sayng.De precep. et bispens. Be you well ware (sayth he) that you begynne nat to haboūde ī your owne sence / ne to haue ouermoch [Page] confidence and truste in your owne wyt / lest ꝑadu [...] ture whan you done insue / folowe & seke for lyght & true knowlege: you (by the mocke & deceyt of the dyuell your enemie) do stumble and fall into derkenes and erroures. For as nothynge is more necessarie for religious persones in theyr begynnyng than is humble or meke siplicite or simplenes & also baysh­full grauite: So is nothing more perilous or more pestilenous poyson: thā is ꝓper sence / selfe truste & proper counsell. For those done vtterly destroye all good religion and done put the persones in state & in ieopardy of euerlastynge dampnacion by disobedience. For disobedience is in scripture cōpared vnto ydolatrie.1. Re. 15. Quasi peccatū ariolandi: est repugnare. et quasi scelus idololatrie: nolle acquiescere. That is: To repugne & withstande the cōmaundement of god: is lyke vnto the synne of wychecrafte. And nat to haue wyll to be obedient: is lyke vnto the great mischefe of ydolatrie / where y^e glose thervpon sayth that euery persone disobedient: is condempned and accounted as an infidele or feythles persone. So y^e here cōmeth in the fourth maner of thyncōmodite of obedience / that is vnto the soule.Ex specto spūaliū. 3. p. Ca. 9. For nothyng doth (in a religious persone) more depely displease our lorde: than dothe the disobedience of proper wyll. Ne any thynge dothe make hym more in fauoure & familier frende vnto the gostely enimy. Nor yet dothe any thynge in this lyfe: more noy and hurte the selfe religious persone. For as obedience dothe make the religious persone: the louynge seruaūt of our lorde: so dothe inobedience make hym familier frende and felowe vnto the dyuell.Eccl. 18. The wyse man therfore dothe counsayle saynge. Folowe thou nat [Page Ci] thy concupiscēces and desyres / and be nat thou glad to be tourned and counsayled vnto thy misordered proper wyll. For if thou satisfie and folowe thyne owne mynde in the concupiscences and inordinate desyres therof: it shall cause and brynge the to be vnto thyne enemies cōforte & pleasure. And also bring the out of the grace and fauour nat onely of mā:Sup. Can. but also of god. For saynt Bernarde sayth of our lorde and sauiour / he that so moche loued obedience / that he wolde rather lose his lyfe: than lacke obedience: he (sayth he) wyll nat loue ne shewe his familiarite / ne gracious fauoure vnto the persone inobedient. Proper wyll therfore (saythe he) is a great yuell / Ibidem. a greuous thyng. Syth it causeth the to lose the me­rites of all thyne owne good workes or dedꝭ. So y^t vnto the: shall they be nother good ne ꝓfitable. Se than what shall ꝓfytte or auayle vnto the inobediēt & wylfull religious persones: all theyr pouerte / all theyr penury / nedenes and lacke of pleasures / also of many thyngꝭ necessarie. What shall auayle theyr strayte custody & garde of chastite / by fastyng wat­chynge / harde weryng of garmentes & harde leyng what shall auayle theyr disciplines & corrections / theyr silence and solitary lyfe / theyr great and continuall laboures & peynes / & all the holy ceremonies & obseruaūces of religion. What (I say) shall these thynges auayle & ꝓfytte: if the ꝑsones do folowe & vse theyr ꝓper wyll? surely nothyng shall they ꝓfyt at all as vnto the meryte of euerlastyng lyfe but all worse than lost. For saynt Gregory sayth / Grego. it is full like that those ꝑsones ben parteles of y^e graces & be­nefites of our lorde: y^e ben nat obediēt vnto his wyl but rather vnto theyr owne froward minde. Which [Page] thyng our lorde doth shewe by his prophete Esaie.Esa. 28. Se (saythe he) amonge your fastes laboures & peynes: your owne proper wyll is fonde / I fynde your proper wyll amonge all your workes / whiche doth cause disobedience. Of all the creatures that euer god made: none done seme to be disobediente / but tweyne alone / that is to saye The dyuell and the synfull man. Wherfore good reason wyl / that as the dyuell is in hatred of all folkes / and cursed / banned / yuell spoken of / and abhorred of all creatures: so shulde the persones disobedient be compared & ioyned vnto hym / and taken or accoūted as his seruaū tes / felowes / and chyldren / let therfore y^e frowarde hertes that be bent vnto disobedience by ware. For the dyuell by disobedience was cast out of heuen. For where (by nature of his creacion) he was boūd to be obediente vnto the wyl of his lorde and maker he (by election of proper wyll) was inobedient / and so nat onely loste that pleasaūt place of blesse where he was: but also toke possessiō as heneritaūce euer­lastynge in the pytte of perdicion / there to remayne in wo and peyne perpetuall worlde without ende / whiche peyne of disobedience is in so moche y^e more to be dred: y^t in hym it is vnrecouerable / can neuer be forgyuen ne yet abated or eased / bycause it was done by deliberate obstinacie and frowardnes. For althoughe oure fyrste father Adam and Eue: were put out of paradys for disobediēce and so dyd taynt and wounde all theyr lynage: yet was there synne recouerable / bycause it was done of freylte & by deceyte / but yet natwithstandynge / it myght ne­uer be recouered: but onely by obedience / that was the iustice of god.Ro. 5. D. For (as saynt Paule saythe) lyke [Page Cii] as by the inobedience of one man: many were made siners: so by y^e obediēce of one mā: many were made iuste and ryghtwyse ꝑsons / that was by our lorde and sauiour Iesu. Note here well howe disobedi­ence dyd departe the creatures from theyr creatour and maker so that (as semeth) excōmunicacion and curse dothe folowed disobediēce as a due peyne there vnto. The fyrste Angel (by curse) was departed frō our lorde for disobedience. Our lorde dyd curse the hole yerthe. For the disobedience of our fyrste parē ­tes. Cayn was dampned for disobediēce / and Cam the sone of Noe / was cursed by name ī his sone Ca­naan for disobedience and lacke of due honoure and reuerence vnto his father.Ge. 9. D. The chylde that rebelled and cursed his parentes:Leui. 20 B. Deu. 27 D. was (by the lawe) for his disobedience: put to dethe / and also accursed. And in another place. Cursed be that persone that wyll nat byde and reste by due obedience: in the cōmaundement of this lawe / and that wyll nat perfourme the same in worke and dede.Deu. 28. A. And yet agayne was sayd vnto the people. If you wyll nat kepe the com­maundement of god and be obediēt / all these curses shall lyght vpon you, you shalbe cursed in y^e towne and cursed in the felde / & so forthe as is sayd byfore in this same Chapitre of the scripture whiche is the xxviii. Chapitre of Deutronomy ben setforthe ma­ny mo punisshementes shamefull / and peynfull for disobedience whiche ben horrible and dredfull for a christiane to here of. And so moche more terrible & fereful ben they vnto christianes: bycause y^e among that people they were carnall / bodely / and tēporall / but vnto christianes: they ben spirituall and perpe­tuall curses. And saynt Paule semeth to declare thē [Page] as excōmunicate and accurse that ben disobediente / saynge.2. Cor, 10. B. In promptu habentes ulcisti omnem inobedi­enciam. &c. We ben redy (sayth he) to reuenge all in­obedience whan we se your obediēce accomplesshed and fulfylled.11. q̄. 3. ab­sit. et 25. q̄. 2. Si quis. The Canon or cōmune lawe also (by playne decre and determinacion of y^e churche) doth shewe the persones inobedient to be accursed. By­ware therfore good deuout religious ꝑsones of all disobedience / and specially by contempte. For saynt Bernarde sayth / that the contempt of obedience:De precep. et bispens. is alwaye dampnable in those thynges y^t ben ordened by the rules & cōmaunded by the prelates to be kept vnder peyne of deedly sinne. For ī euery lawe: some thynges ben to be regarded as apperteynyng vnto precepte or cōmaundemēt & some thynges as vnto monicion or warnynge. In the olde lawe the .x. cō ­maundementes / were all to be regarded as p̄ceptes & so to be kepte. And likewyse in the newe lawe ben the .xii. articles of our feyth yet in y^e olde lawe were monicions / warnyngꝭ or coūsayles / as / Coram cano capite: Leui. 19. confu [...]ge, et honora personam senis. That is: byfore a hore hed: aryse or stande vp / y^t is to meane whan aged ꝑsones done come vnto presence: aryse and gyue them rowme and place. And do honoure and due reuerence vnto thyne elders and betters. That was a monicion of y^e olde lawe / and so in the newe lawe ben the coūsaylles of y^e gospelles. Amōg the decrees and lawes of the churche: many ben monitorie and as counsayles and many preceptes / and playne cōmaundementes. So in lyke maner / some thyngꝭ in religion ben ordened (by y^e holy fathers) in theyr rules & cōstitucions: to be kepte as p̄ceptes vnder peyne of deedly sinne. And some as moniciōs or coūsayles vnder peyne of veniall synne / or vnder [Page Ciii] peyne of certeyne punisshemētꝭ / assigned or appointed ī theyr sayd ordinaūces / natw^tstandyng contēpt is alway to be fered & auoyded.Distin. 25. unum. §. Criminis. For saīt Augustyne sayth (as is put in a canon or cōmune lawe) that no synne is so veniall: but (if a ꝑsone take pleasure therin / & do it by contēpt that is despysynge the lawe) it maye be made criminall / where some ꝑsones: done take this terme criminall: for deedly sine / but I am nat of y^e opinion. For a veniall synne: can neuer be deedly of it selfe w^tout variāce of ꝑsone or circūstāce yet may y^t cōtempt be deedly synne / in a thynge that were no synne at all / as to trede vpon two strawes in crosse. Howe be it saynt Augustyne in y^e forsayde texte: dothe nat say mortall or deedly / but criminal. And forthw^t ī y^e same place:Ibidem. is y^e selfe terme or worde criminal: declared nat to signifie alway dedly sine / but rather sōtyme venial. And sōtyme it doth signifie & betoken such synne as semeth vnto y^e lawe worthy opē penāce or punishemēt. And y^t ī case: myght fortune vnto a ꝑsone w^tout any synne deedly or ve­niall / yet (say I) let euery religious ꝑsone byware of cōtempt of the leest ceremonie y^t bylongethe vnto religiō nat only of disobediēce. The wyse mā sayth in his prouerbes.Pro. 28. A. Those ꝑsones y^t done forsake and [...]ate nat for the lawe: done prayse & holde w^t them y^t ben disobediēt. And those y^t done kepe y^e lawe be kēd led & inflamed agayne thē / but those y^t done kepe y^e lawe & be obediēt: those ben wyse.Ibidem. B. And who so euer done decline and put awaye theyr eares and hea­rynge from the lawe and wyll take no hede thervn­to: theyr prayer shalbe execrable / that is to say: horrible / abominable and lothsome.Augusti. And saynt Au­gustyne saythe / that who so euer is contrarious [Page] vnto the cōmaūdementes of god or of the sodemyn [...] doth nat deserue to haue that he [...]sked and desyreth in prayer.Matth. 12. D. Marci. 3. D. Luce. 8. D. But the true obediences is alwaye by lo­ued and euer herde graciously & accoūted of Christ hym selfe: nat onely as his seruaunt or frende [...] bu [...] also as his brother / syster / & mother loue [...] ther [...] fore obedience / and auoyde and fle disobedience.

¶Of a breue or shorte recount or reherse of the pre­mysses by order of scripture. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

THat al religious persones: shulde the rather loue the excellent vertue of obedience / and the more fere ordred / hate and abhorre or loth this abominable synne of inobedience or disobedience: we haue here setforthe a breue or short Epiloge / recapitulacion or recounte of the sayd in­cōmodites or punisshement and peynfull rewardes of disobedience after the order of scripture. Fyrste than we maye begynne at the example of the fyrste Angell Lucifer that (hy disobedience) loste the pleasaunt place of heuens blesse / and whan therby the peynfull pitte of hell / there to remayne for euer / in wo and peyne / in shame and rebuke perpetuall.Gene. 3. The exāple also / of our fyrst parētes Adam & Eue [...] that (by the same vice) loste the possession of para­dyse / and where they were in possibilite neuer to deyene suffer disease: and in moste hyghe honoure end dignite: they fell into the misery of all maner of sekenes and dethe infamous vnto the daye of dome and (excepte the redēption of our sauiour) Damp­nedGene. 4. [Page Ciiii] for euer. Cayn also theyr eldest sone / lost the cō ­tre of his natiuite and byrthe / the company and presence of his parentes / outlawed and put to flyght as a renegate / euery where in shame and rebuke / in continuall feare and drede of his lyfe / and at the last slayne in his body / and dampned in soule for euer / and all that came of hym / by whose syn: al y^e worlde was drowned except .viii. persones.Gene. 7. And yet after y^e distruction & flode one of those .viii. persones (by disobedience in dishonoure and vnreuerence of his father) fell in lyke vengeaunce in hym and his.Ge. 9. D. Gen 11. B. For the presumpcion of disobedience in byldyng of the toure of Babylone: the people were deuided vnto diuerse tonges.Ge. 12. A. And all they fell into ydolatry and forsoke our lorde god: excepte Abrahā and his wyfe and Loth and his / whome our lorde caled frome a­mong the other people / and put them into the lande of beheste. And yet of al the chyldren that Abraham had: none dyd folowe our lorde (by theyr fathers steppes) in obedience: but Isaac alone. The great cites of Sodome and Gomorre w^t other:Gene. 19. dyd synke for disobedience. And Lottes wyfe was tourned in a salt stone. The eldest sone of Isaac was cast out of the fauoure of god / for disobedience. For whan he knewe the pleasure and wyl of his father: he dyd wylfully there agaynst. And the chyldren of Iacob had great trouble and sorowe for disobediēce.Gel. 28. B. Ibid. 44. Fx. 7. et aliis. Exodi. 21. Exo. 32. F. Leui. 8 G. The disobedience of kynge Pharao: was punisshed by many plages. And many punisshementes bene set forth vnto the chyldren of Israel for disobedience. In one daye were slayne of them by theyr owne bretherne .xxiii. thousande men. Payne of deth was assigned vnto the prestes: if (after theyr consecracion) [Page] they went forth among the people w^tin:Leu. 10 A. vii. dayes. Nadab & Abiu / y^e childrē of Aaron (for disobediēce) were sodenly stryken vnto deth with fyre from he­uen.Leui. 17. The cōmune people that of theyr owne aucto­rite / without the prestes: wolde take vpon thē to do sacrifice / or to make oblacions: were cursed of god for theyr inobediēce.Ibidē. 18. And likewyse of thē / y^e cōtrary vnto the cōmaundement of god wolde abuse them selfe in y^e synne of the flesshe with suche persones as there were prohibite & forboden. These ꝑsones also that misuse theyr bodies in the synne of the flesshe / cōtrarie vnto nature: ben cursed / and so bene they y^t done leyne & folowe wychecrafte & charmes by disobedience.Ibidē. 19. et 20. Peyne of deth was appoynted vnto them that (by disobediēce) dyd approche or come nere vnto the tabernacle of testimonie in the olde lawe: ex­cepte onely the tribe of Leui.Numeri. 1. G. None other persones shulde touche ne yet curiously loke vpon the vessel­les ne vpon the ornamentes & apparell of the sanctuarie:Nu. 4. B. vnder payne of deth for theyr disobedience. If any persones also (by disobedience) wolde nat kepe the feste of Ester / accordyng vnto the cōmaundemēt they shulde be excōmunicate and accursed.Ibi. 9. B. Ibi. 11. A. And the fyre of the vengeaunce and wrathe of our lorde de­stroyed many of the people / that (by disobedience) murmured and grudged with the laboures that he had assigned & appointed them. And of thē that (by cōcupiscence and gloutonous desyre to eate flesshe) dyd murmure agayne the Manna & heuenly meate of goddes sendyng:Ibidē. G. many were slayne by the plage of god. And Marie the syster of Moyses for her in obedience:Nu. 12: D. was stryken and made lepre and so re­mayned .vii. dayes as accursed out of all the other [Page Cv] company.Ibi. 14. D. All the chyldren of Israel that came out of Egipte / excepte tweyne: deyed in wyldernes for theyr disobediēce.Ibi. 15. E. That soule (sayth our lorde) that (by pryde & disobedience) doth breake & despise his cōmaūdement: shall perysshe and be loste. Dathan and Abiron (for disobedience) dyd synke into hell / with all theyr housholde and substaūce and fyre frō heuen destroyed Chore & all his company.Ibi. 16. E. Those ꝑsones that wolde nat be obediēt:Nu. 18. D. duely to pay theyr tythes: were iuged by our lorde vnto deth. Moyses and Aaron the great seruauntes of god: for theyr in obedience:Ibi. 20. B. lost the great honoure of the ledyng and bringyng of the chyldren of Israel into the lande of byheste. And for inobedience:Nu. 21. B. our lorde sende amōg the chyldren of Israel venemous serpentes that de­stroyed and slewe many of the people. And in a no­ther place our lorde cōmaunded Moyses to hange vp the prynces of the people agayne the sonne.Ibi. 25. B. And xxiiii. thousande were slayne also for disobedience. Moyses shewed vnto the people / that if they wolde be disobedient whā they shuld come vnto the lande of byhest:Deu. 4 D. et 8. D. et Ibi. 11. D, they shulde be shortly destroied and come vnto nought. If you kepe true obedience (sayth our lorde (you shall haue benediction and blessyng and if you be disobediente: you shall haue contrarie malediction and curse / and throughout all the boke of Deutronomie: ben meruaylous thretes or thre­tynges of our lorde: set forthe vnto the breakers of obedience. And after the dethe of Moyses: all the people dyd bynde them selfe vnder peyne of dethe:Iosue. 1 D, to be obediente vnto Iosue / whome our lorde had appoynted to be in the stede of Moyses: as they were vnto Moyses. And sone after for the [Page] disobedience of one mā: the chyldren of Israel were sore disconfytte of theyr enemies / put to flyght and many slayne / and that man him selfe after:Iosue. 7. ꝑ totum. stoned to dethe with his wyfe and all his housholde and goodes.Iosue. 22. B. In a nother place is shewed where the chyldrē of Israell were gadred by one assent to sle and des­troye certeyne of theyr owne bretherne for supposed disobedience / but whā they knewe the trouthe: they were appeased. And after Iosue that was nexte ca­pitayne after Moyses:Ibidē. 23. D. et 24. shewed the chyldren of Is­rael that they wolde kepe obedience: they shulde ꝓspere in all thynges / and if nat: they shulde all be de­stroyed and come to nought.Iudi. 2. D. et 3. B. et 4. A. et 6. A. After y^e deth of Iosue the people of god (for theyr inobediēce) were put into the hādes and power of theyr enemies and solde as bonde caytiues / and put vnto great miserie / and euer whan they retourned vnto obediēce: they were delyuered.Iudi. 8. B. Gedeon for disobedience destroyed the prynces of Socoth and Phanuel / and yet agayne y^e chyldren of Israel for disobedience:Ibidē. 10. B. et 13. A. Ibi. 20. G. 1. Reg. 2. et 4. C. were put into captiuite of the Philistines. All the chyldren of Is­rael went hooly againe the tribe of Beniamyn and destroied nerehande all that tribe for disobedience. Hel [...] the prest and his two sones Ophni & Phinees were slayne and dishenerite for disobedience. The children of Samuel were deposed for disobedience and dyd nat succede theyr father / but for them came in the kynges although vnto the displeasure of god natwithstandyng yet dyd he suffre it.Ibi. 8. A. et 9. et 10. The fyrste kynge was Saul / chosē by the reuelacion of god / & the people that were rebellious and disobedient vnto hym shulde haue ben slayne:1. Re. 11. D. but for the prohibi­cion of the Prophete Samuel / Ibi. 12. D. whiche Prophet [...] [Page Cvi] dyd openly declare vnto y^e people / that if they wold kepe truely obedience: they sholde prospere / & if nat they shulde peryshe and theyr kynge also. Whiche kynge natwithstādyng the sayd monicion fell forth with into disobedience:Ibi. 13. C. and lost therby the tytle of his kyngdome in hym and in his for euer.Ibi. 14. G. And yet the same kynge wolde haue put his owne sone and heyre vnto deth for disobedience cōmitted by igno­raūce. And yet forthw^t the same kynge:Ibi. 15. F. was againe disobedient & therfore put out of the fauoure of god and forsaken of the selfe prophete and than was Dauid oynted kynge in his sted and rowme & an yuell spirite entred into Saul / and he ended his lyfe in disobedience.Ibi. 16. C. Ibi. 28. C. Ibi. 31. B. And slewe hymselfe vpon his owne swarde. Byware of disobediencē.2. Re. 1. C. And the fyrst per­sone that brought worde vnto Dauid of the deth of Saule: was put to deth / bycause that by disobedi­ence: he slewe Saul a kynge oynted as he sayd hym selfe & yet was it fals in dede / for Saul (as is sayd) dyd slee hym selfe.1. Re. 31. B. And yet agayne Dauid put thē to deth: y^t by disobediēce: dyd slee his enimy.2. Re. 4 D. Oza was strykē to deth / bycause he p̄sumed by disobedi­ence: to touche y^e Arke of god.Ibid. 6. B. And Dauid him selfe was put vnto great afflictiō bycause y^t by disobedience:Ibidē. 11. et 12. he abused a nother mans wyfe & caused hī vn­iustly to be slaine. And Absalon the sone of Dauid / for disobedience was hanged by his owne herre or faxed / & thrylled through y^e herte w^t iii. laūces or iauelynes.Ibi. 18. D. Ibi. 20. F. 3. Re. 2. D. et F. et G. And Siba y^e sone of Bochri / for his rebel­lion and inobediēce was / slayue by a woman. Ado­nias the eldest sone of Dauid for his presumpcion and disobediēce was slayne / and so was Ioab / that byfore (besyde that tyme) had many tymes broken [Page] obedience / and Semei in lyke maner. And whan Salamon was in his glorie: our lorde sayd / if he wolde folowe and kepe due obedience:Ibi. 9. B. et 11. B. C. he shulde ꝓspere / if nat he and all his shulde be destroied & come to nought / and agayne after many troubles / he had the same thret and was for disobediēce in great ieoparty of dāpnacion / and his realme and kyngdome diuided and broken so that his sone Roboam by­cause he was inobedient vnto the coūsayle of the se­niores:3. Re. 12. lost all the tribes of the chyldrē of Israel / ex­cepte one tribe alone. And the kynge Hieroboā for disobedience vnto the prophete of god lost his arme that he streached forth agayne hym / but yet by his prayer:Ibi. eo. E. it was restored / & yet the same prophet was after inobedient hym selfe. And therfore was slaine of a Lion. And great vengeaūce was taken vpon y^e kynge Hieroboā & vpon all his kynne for his inobedience / and his sone after hym in lyke maner / & ma­ny of the kingꝭ were sore punisshed for disobediēce.Ibi. 14. Ibi. 15. And Ochozias y^e kynge of Samarie had tydyngꝭ of deth by Helias the ꝓphete:4. Re. 1. A. B. for disobedience. And two of his capitaynes were deuoured & brent with fyre y^t came from heuen for the p̄sūpcion of disobedience / where y^e thyrde for his meke obedience had his peticion. Certeyn chyldren by disobedience: dyd mocke the prophete Helisei / & .xlii. of them were de­stroyed and woried with wylde Beares / forthwith Naaman by obedience was cured and healed.Ibi. 2. D. And Giezi the seruaunt of the ꝓphete Helisei for disobe­dience was stryken sodeynly with the same lepre & all his posterite and linage for euer.Ibi. 5. G. 4. re. 9. E. Kynge Ioram for disobedience: was slayne of his owne seruaunt. And Iezabell his mother:Ibidē. F. eaten with dogges. And [Page Cvii] the chyldren of Achab. lxx. in nombre were al slayne for the disobedience of theyr father.Ibi. 10. C. Ibi. 11. D. Ibid. 15. C. Athalia was slayne also for her treason and disobedience. And kynge zachary the sone of Hieroboam was slayne for disobedience by the treason of his owne seruaūt caled Cellum that after hym vsurped the crowne / & for his treason and disobedience: was also slayne.Ibi. eodē. Ioacun for disobedience: and for the disobediēce of his auncestoures: was with all his people brought vnto the bondage of Egipte.Ibi. 24. A. And Sedechias his sone also / was taken prisoner by the kynge of Babilon his chyldrē were slayne byfore his face / and his eyes were put out and he made blynde & led in cheynes with all his people translate as thrale bonde ꝑ­sones into Babilon / Ibi. 25. E, and the cite of Hierusalem all destroyed & all for disobedience as after is shewed in a nother place.1. Parali. 9. A. And whan Salamon had bylded & made perfecte the temple of god: he had great thā ­kes and great promyses / but againe he had merueylous thretes:2. Parali. 7. D. Ibi. 12. A. if he or his shulde fall into disobediēce vnto the ordinaūce of god / which thyng in his sone came to passe. And kynge Ozias was stryken le­pre / for his inobedience vnto Azarias the preste.2. Parali. 26. D. The chyldren of Israel in theyr captiuite: dyd of­fende our lorde by disobedience in mariage with the infideles / and for theyr peyne:1. Es. 10 B. were departed from them. And the people that were left in the countre: were for theyr inobedience in great afflic­tion and vpbrayde or rebuke.2. Es. 1. A. And the prophete Esdras with the prestes: dyd curse solemply all them that wolde be disobediente vnto his procla­macion / and all the people sayde Amen.Ibi. 5. C. The people of Ammon caled Ammonites and the Mo- [Page] and the Moabites / for theyr inobediēce: were excluded from the temple of god for euermore.Ibi. 13. A. And kyng Iosias (bycause he was inobedient vnto the ꝓphet of god) was in batayle woūded vnto deth. Esdre y^e prophete in the captiuite of mede:3. Esdre. 1. D. 4. Es. 1 A. was sent vnto the people of Israel / to shewe vnto them theyr defaultꝭ and the punisshement that shulde light vpon for disobedience / they shulde fall into confusion and theyr name be sparpoyled and lost among the gentiles & so come all vnto nought.Ibi. 2. A. And the tyme shulde come whan frendes shulde fyght and kepe warre with theyr frendes / 4. Es. 6 B. in lyke maner as with theyr enemies and all the yerth shulde quake with them shake for fere and drede.Ibi. 13. B. And great murther to come: was shewed vnto the prophete by a blast of fyre that consumed moche people and all for disobedience. And vengeaunce and wo was thretened vnto them that wolde remayne and byde in disobedience.Ibidē. ulti mo ī fine. Holy Toby / that was ī the synguler fauoure of our lorde confessed that all the trouble / rebuke / and murther / that he and his people suffred ī theyr captiuite was onely for disobedience.Tobi. 3. A. And in lyke maner of holy Iudith & that people:Iud. 7. D. et 8. B. byseged and streyted of Oli­ferne. The proude quene Vasthi was deposed for disobedience and the meke Hester: put in her place. Iob praysed of our lorde aboue all men vpon yerth was (natw^tstādyng) in all his actes:Hester. 1. D. et 2. D. Iob. 9. D. ferefull & dredfull of disobediēce / knowyng y^e god wolde do punishemēt thervpon. The holy prophete Dauid in the fyrste psalme of the Psalter doth cōmende obediēce and blesse the obedient persones.P. al. 1. Wherof doth fo­lowe that the cōtrarie ben cursed. And the punisshe­mente doth folowe in y^e same psalme. Where is said [Page Cviii] Non sic impij, non sic. and so forth that is: The wy­ked persones shall nat be so blessed but rather punisshed for disobedience as there doth folowe forthw^t / and in the seconde psalme also and through out the hole psalter in many places.Psal. 2. The wyse man saith in the begynnyng of his paraboles or prouerbes:Pro. 2. A. doth shewe that he ordened that boke to teache obediēce / and dothe in the fyrste chapitre shewe the rewarde therof / and forthwith the punisshemente and ieoꝑ­ty of disobedience. And fewe chapitres in the hole boke: that done nat make some mencion of both obedience and disobedience.Ecclesias. 1. et 2. &c. And in his boke caled Ec­clesiastes. At the fyrste begynnyng: he declareth the foly or folyshnes and many incōmodites of disobe­dience / and in many places of the same: he sheweth the ieoparty and paynes therof. In the boke of the Canticles:Canti. 1. is shewed the synguler loue and fauour that our lorde hath vnto the persones obedient / and that they againe haue vnto him / wherby must nede folowe that he hath great displeasure vnto the per­sones inobediēt / and that is there shewed where he sayth:Ibid. 2. D. Take vs these lytell foxes that done destroye our vynyardes. For nowe they done bygynne to floure / by the yonge lytell foxes: ben the persones in obediente vnderstande and ment: whiche ben here­tikes / sismatykes / and rebelles in religion / whiche in the begynnyng whan they bene yonge shulde be testreyned. In the boke of sapience:Sapi. 1. A. the wyseman teacheth in the begynnyng therof: to loue Iustice / and that is to be obedient / and sone after he sayth y^e peruers cogitacions / frowarde in obedient thoughtes: done departe a persone from god.Ibi. 2. A. B The obediēt persones ben wery of good lyfe / and therfore done [Page] counsayle to rebell. The hertes and soules of the iuste persones ben in the handes of god as obedient euer vnto hym.Ibi. 3. A. C And the wyked persones shall haue after theyr thoughtes corrupcion and dampnacion bycause they were negligēt and recedent and ranne away from our lorde by disobedience. In all that hole boke: obedience is moche praysed / and disobe­dience euer rebuked.Ecclesi. 1. A. B. Ibidē. D. And in the boke that foloweth caled Ecclesiasticus / is shewed that ther is but one god / vnto whome all creatures shulde be obedient / and the cōmodites ben there shewed therof / and cō ­maundemente gyuen / that no persone shulde be re­bellious or disobedient / and there ben shewed forth with the great ieopardies of disobedience.Ecclc. 3. E The thyrde Chapitre of this boke: haue we trāslate and setforth byfore in the treatese for housholders wherin is shewed that chylde inobedient is alway infa­mous and accursed of god.Ibi. i8. D. And therfore (sayth he afterwarde) folowe nat thyne owne desyre / for if thou do and so be disobedient: it shall make the to be vn­to thyne enemies:Ibi. 41. B. conforte and pleasure. And yet a­gayne / woo and vengeaūce (sayth he) be vnto you disobediēt persones / where foloweth that they bene accursed both in lyfe and deth.Esai. 1. A. Esaias the prophete in the fyrst begynnyng of his prophecy: dothe com­playne (in the persone of god) vpon the disobedient persones / and asketh vengeaunce vpon them and w^t merueylous many great rebukes:Esai. 58. ecce ī die. doth shewe y^e ieopartes and periles of disobedience / & howe al good dedes ben lost by the proper wyll of disobedience. And in lyke maner the prophete Hieremie was sent forthe by out lorde / Hiere. 1. et 2. to shewe vnto the people theyr disobedience and the ieopartes and punisshemen­tes [Page Cix] therof / and howe all theyr captiuite into Babi­lon: was for disobedience.Ibi. ulti. And in his trenes or la­mentacions all ouer the boke:Treno. 1. he by wepeth and by­wayleth the disobedience of the people / and the mi­serie whervnto they fell for the same.Baruche 1. A. D. And in the ꝓ­phete Baruche is shewed / that whan the people that were in captiuite herde the prophet rede of the disobedience of theyr parentes:Ibi. 2. C. et 3. A. &c. they fell into depe contricion and vnto prayer / and sent forth vnto thē that were in iurie for prayers and confessed that all theyr trouble was for inobedience.Ezechi. 1. Our lorde god dyd sende the prophete Ezechiel (after he had sene a merueylous vision) vnto the people of the of the Iues / whome he caled apostatas:Ibi. 2. B. Ibi. 3. [...] Ibi. 21. A. bycause that by disobedience they had departed from hym. Wherfore there done folowe many great rebukes / and many thretes. In the begynnyng also of the ꝓ­phete Daniell:Dani. 1. A. is shewed howe the people of god were brought in captiuite for disobedience / whiche disobedience the sayde Daniel and his felowes be­yng in the fournes of fyre: dyd openly confesse.Ibi. 3. C. D

Nabuchodonosor was put downe from his kyng­dome and tourned into the lykenes of a beaste / for his inobedience. And his sone for disobedience:Ibi. 4. F. Ibi. 5. G. was slayne and his realme gyuen vnto straungers In the prophete Osee:Osee. 1. B. C. et 2. A. Ibi. 13. et 14. Ioel. 1. D. Amo. 1. C. Abdi. 1. C. ben shewed meruelous thre­tes vnto the people for inobediēce and rebukes and vtter distruction. After the same maner doth the ꝓ­phete Ioel moue y^e people to byweyle and mourne theyr transgression & disobediēce. And y^e ꝓphete A­mos hath a lyke ꝓcesse through / & al for inobediēce. And Abdias was sent to shewe y^e punishemēt of in­obedience. [Page] Ionas for disobediēce was cast into the see / bycause he wolde nat preache vnto the Niniuites the punisshement of theyr inobediēce.Ionas. 1. et 2. Miches. 1. A. Micheas the prophete caleth our lorde god vnto wytnes of disobediēce of the people & sheweth the punishement that shulde come therof.Naum. 1. A. et 3. A. Haba. 1 A. The Prophete Naū sheweth that god wyll take vengeaunce vpon disobedience as a per­sone that were in furie or an angre. Habacuc sayth that by disobedience: the lawe of god was torne or rent / and iugement came nat vnto any perfecte con­clusion or ende / bycause the wyked persones: dyd preuayle agayne the iust and ryghtwyse persones The prophete Sophonias sayth that god wyll punisshe man and beste for disobedience / and sheweth the terrible and dredfull vengeaūce that shall come therfore.Soph. 1 A. Aggeus sheweth the great penury that fell for disobediēce:Aggei. 1. B. et 2. C. zadha. 1 A. in the yerth / honger / thurst / and colde with other many incommodites. The pro­phete zachary / sheweth the great displeasure angre and wrath: that our lorde had for disobedience. And the remedy euer in all these prophetes / was o­nely the retourne vnto obedience, In the begyn­nyng of the boke of the Machabies is shewed the disobedience of certein rennegates:1. Macha. 1. B. that were cause of moche sore and mischefe. Iosephus and Azarias capitaines of the people:Ibid. 5. F. for theyr inobedience vn­to theyr souereyne were put vnto rebuke and many of the people slayne. The people of god that were in Iurie:2. Macha. 1. A. sende vnto them that (by disobedi­ence) fled into Egipte / to be reuoked. / The great tyranny and persecucion that the people of god suf­fred / was for the inobedience of theyr parentes. Thus all the olde lawe throughe out dothe sheweIbid. 7. F. [Page Cx] doth shewe the many folde incōmodites of inobedi­ence. And the newe lawe is nat voyde of the same. For saynt Iohan baptiste that was sent byfore our sauiour to prepare & make redy his way:Matth. 3. A. B. Matth. 4. C. 5. D. 6. A. 7. A. Ibi. 11. A. Lu. 10. B. Ibi. 18. B. Mar. 14 C. Matth. 23. B. et Luce 11. F. dyd moue the people to do penaūce for theyr disobedience / shewynge vnto them: that the yre and vengeaunce of god was nere and at hande. So dyd our sauiour also preache vnto the people penaūce. In the .v.vi. and .vii. Chapitre of the gospell of Mattheu ben diuerse incōmodites shewed of disobediēce. Our lord also cursed the cites of Corrosaim and Bethsaida for theyr disobedience. And vnto those ꝑsones that shulde gyue accasion and shewe example of yuel: he sayd vengeaunce and wo shulde come on thē in like maner. And vnto the scribes and pharises he sayd. wo and vengeaūce shulde come to them for theyr in obedience / and he shewed vnto Iudas that wo and vengeaūce shulde come vnto hym:Matt. 26. B. et Luc. 22. C. Matth. 21. B. et Mar. 11. B. Io. 2. C. Act. 5. A. Ro. 1. C. 1. Cor. 5. B. if he wolde continue his purpose of disobedience. He dyd also dryue and beate out the byers and sellers ī the temple and rebuked them sore: for theyr inobedience. An any & Sapphiry his wyfe: were sodenly stryken to dethe for disobedience. Saynt Paule sayth: the yre and wrath of our lorde god: is shewed from heuen / vpō the persones inobedient / & there he shewed the hor­rible punisshementes that folowed vpon them that knewe god and were nat obedient therafter. And in another place he cursed a man for disobediēce / vnto his father. He cursed also the Galathese:Gala. 1. B. if they wolde be disobedient vnto his doctrine / althoughe an Angell of heuen shulde preache the contrarie / & after he asked who had bewyched them vnto disobedience.Ibi. 3. A. Ephe. 6 A. And after he sayth that euery persone shalbe [Page] rewarded accordyng vnto his obedience. Some persones rebellious and disobediente:Phi. 1. C. dyd preache agayne saynt Paule for very enuie and malice and yet he cared nat therfore so Christe might be knowē & shewed therby.Ibi. 2. E. Colo. 2. B. Some were disobedient for theyr owne lucre nat for Christe. Byware (sayth he) that you be nat deceyued by false Philosophers and fall into disobedience.1. Thessa. 4. A. 2. Thessa. 1. C. For who so euer doth despice and wyll be disobedient vnto that we say: doth nat despise man: but god. And the vengeaunce of god from heuen: shall (with flamyng fyre) lyght vpon them that ben disobedient vnto the worde and gos­pell of god.1. Timo. 1. A. Saynt Paule left his disciple Timo­they where he had preached: to kepe the people from disobedience. And after he dyd openly curse certein persones that were disobedient.Ibidē. D. Ibi. 6. A. Those bonde ser­uauntes (sayth he) that haue maysters amonge the feythfull people: let them nat be disobedient vnto them.2. Ti. 1. D. Ibidē. 3 A. And in a nother place he doth complayne that certeyn persones were vnto hym disobedient. And yet after that / howe persones wolde be disobedient and what shulde be theyr peyne and punisshemente therfore.Titū. 1. C. And he cōmaūded his disciple saynt Titel that he shulde sharpely correcte the inobedient per­sones.Heb. 1. A. And vnto the Ebreuse he sayth y^t inobediēce hath ben euer iustely punisshed / and therfore let nat vs byleue or truste to escape if we be disobediente Saynt Iames in his epistle doth perswade his disciples vnto due obedience:Iaco. 1. C. & reuoke thē frō inobedience. For our lorde god (sayth he) doth resiste the proude & disobedient persones / & vnto the meke and obedient ꝑsones:Iaco. 4. B. 1. Pe. 1. C. he gyueth grace. And saynt Petre [Page Cxi] sayth / go forth in grace as chyldrē of obediēce & leue vtterly your fore vsed disobedience and all the ma­lice / gyle / dissimulacion / enuy / & all detractions by­longyng thervnto.Ibi. 2. A. And agayne he warned the peo­ple to by ware of the ꝑsones of inobediēce / shewyng the ieoꝑtes therof.2. Pe. 2. A. ibi. B. C. D And yet agayne he sayd that euer there haue ben some false ꝓphetes of disobedience / & suche shuld come amōg thē / & there he shewed what vengeaūce our lorde wolde take vpon thē for theyr disobedience.1. Io. 2. A. And saynt Iohan sayth / that who so euer saith he knowith god & is inobediēt vnto his cōmaundemētes: is a false lyer and trouth is nat in that persone. And agayne / Who so euer is inobedi­ent vnto the doctrine of Christe:2. Io. B. hath no god / but is feythles. And in a nother place:3. Io. C. Iude. B. he rebuketh a certen ꝑsone by name: for disobedience. And the holy Apostle Iude / sayth that the ꝑsones of disobedience en­tryng amōg the good people dyd moche hurte / and after he sheweth what vēgeaūce our lorde wyl take vpon the ꝑsones of disobedience.Ibidē. E. The Appocalips ouer all:Appoca. doth chalenge and rebuke the persones disobedient & doth shewe the peyne and punisshement therof. The doctoures of the churche in lyke maner Saynt Hierome ī his epistles:Iero. ti. 1. sheweth of a monke caled Malchus / that for his inobedience vnto his abbote: suffred great trouble and ieopardy bothe of soule and body.Augustinꝰ de ci. dei. And saynt Augustyne doth allowe the iustice of a pagan or paynem caled Marcus torquatus a capitayne of the Romaynes / that put his owne sone vnto deth for disobedience / bycause that (contrarie vnto his commaundemente) he made batayle agayne his enemies / natwithstandyng also y^t he had a noble victorie / as wryteth Valerius maxi­mus [Page] And he sayth in a certeyn place that the principall & moste great yuell and mischefe of all thynges:Valerius maximus. suꝑ Gene. ad litterā li. 8. Ca. 6. C. is to folowe selfe wyll / whiche is caled (sayth he) inobedience. A certeyn persone that by saynt Benet was delyuered of a wyked spirite: was by inobedience: ac­cepte and taken agayne of the same spirite. And in vitas Patrum: bene many exāples of many sondry and diuerse peynes and punisshementes that haue folowed this great abominable synne of disobedi­ence / and shewed vnto the monicion and warnyng of all christianes / specially religious persones. I byseche our lorde we maye all take hede thervnto & euer for the reuerent drede of hym: we may auoyde and flee all occasions therof. Amen. And thus an ende of this fyrste membre of this thyrde parte whiche is the fyrste borde of our vessell / Toune / or Pype / the other (with the helpe and grace of our lorde) shall shortly folowe.

The fyrst Cha.

IN all-thynges diuisible: that is to say: y^t may be diuided in sondry partes: the partes ben fyrste p̄supposed / whiche duely ioyned to gether: done make y^e hoole thyng / I sayd in thynges diuisible. For al thingꝭ ben nat diuisible into sondry ꝑtes / as a spirite / god / Angell & mānes soule. For althoughe y^e soule haue ꝑtes spirituall: yet can they nat be deꝑted in sondre / ne any of the frō y^e selfe soule. For all were create & made at ones. In all other bodely thyngꝭ: the hole is made of y^e partes ioyned (as we sayd) ryghtly to gether & framed into a certeyn fourme. The partes therfore of our vessell Pype / or Tunne / we haue some what set our byfore you yet here wyll you ꝑaduēture say vnto me. Syr these partꝭ y^t you haue set forth: wyll nat make your vessell ꝑfecte. For here done lacke two ꝑtes moste necessarie / that is to say a botome / & a hed. The botome is fyrst requyred as foundemēt and begynnyng of al the vessell. For thervnto must the bordes be fyrst framed / & thā cōpassed aboute w^t your hoppes / & they bounde with the wykers. And than muste you nedely haue an hed to couer your vessell: if you shall well preserue your wyne: al this (I graunt) is very trouthe / natw^tstandyng: I dyd verely thynke / and yet I do byleue: that al you dyd of your selfe p̄suppose: these two partes as nat ne­dyng our intreates. For all that we do in religion hath but one foūdement & begynnyng that is feyth [Page] without whiche: it is (as saint Paule sayth) impos­sible or vnpossible to please god.Heb. 11. B. 1. Cor. 3. C. And other foūda­ment or botome / thā is put all redy: no mā may put (sayth he) whiche is Christ Iesus / & his feythe / & al our workes muste nedely ende and be concluded in charite / or els all ben lost. Nowe you knowe wel / y^t for vs to haue enterprised any thynge to intreate of these tweyne: had bene suꝑfluous & a great presūp­cion / seyng & perceyuyng: howe largely they be in­treated / of so many / so auncient auctores / wherfore we humbly byseche you: to be cōtente: w^t your owne necessary partꝭ p̄supposed: and with our partes so / so porely set forthe for the perfourmaūce of our said vessell / Pype or Tunne / wherby is signified (after our enterpryse) religion monasticall / wherof to in­treate: we shall begynne with religion in generall.

¶The definicion / determinacion / or declaracion of this terme religion. The seconde Chapitre.

TO speke of religion ī general: it semeth cō uenient to shewe fyrste what is ment by y^e selfe terme religion. For that thyng y^t is called religion: hath alway ben vsed in al maner of nacions / in so moche that the paganes or paynyms / sayd that religion is that thyng wherby the ceremonies of diuine worshyppe / or of goddes worshyppe:Cicero de natura de orū. li. 1. Ibidem. ben exercised & done w^t reuerēd seruice. And those ꝑsones (sayth he) ben called religious y^e diligently and reuerently done intreate and mini­stre all thynges that done apperteyne vnto the ho­noure / and worshyppe of the goddes.Plutarce. And the olde philosophers dyd cal religion: a science or cōnynge [Page CCxxxi] of thynges diuine / of suche thynges as done apper­t [...]yne and bylong vnto god. But you wyl say here: Syr we care nat what infideles and miscreantes haue sayd or done say / let vs heare what christiane auctores done saye of religion / yet say I: we maye take herby that religion hath ben euer amonge all maner of people. And that those persones were cal­led specially religious persones: that could best do seruice and honoure vnto god with speciall ceremonies: and were in the same moste reuerent & deuout And those maner of persones / in all maner of naci­ons / we [...]e [...]e [...] of moste hyghe dignite and degre / and so had [...]n honoure and reuerence of al maner of people. But let vs leue them / and se what our catholike and christiane [...]ortoures done say therof.De ci. dei li. 10. Holy saynt Augustyne / saythe that religion is a due ho­noure / or worshyppe vnto god / wherby the soule by reconciliacion and agrement agayne:De quan­titate anime et de ciuita. dei li. 2. Isidorus li. 18. ethi. Deffinicion dothe bynde it selfe vnto almyghty god / from whome it dyd w^t ­drawe it selfe by synne. And the same ī sentēce hathe saynt Isidor: So that by the mynde of al doctorꝭ: we may say / that religion is a due reuerence and honoure vnto god / done / shewed / & declared by certen remonies & outwarde signes or tokens / accordyng vnto a rite / or certeyne custome of auctorite / that is to say of the lawe of Christe and the ordinaunce of his churche. And of this religion ben al christianes For althoughe all christianes done nat alway she­we outwarde (by cerimonies and outward signes the due honoure of god) yet bene we all bounde to shewe it so outwarde: if tyme and place dyd so re­quyre. And therfore the grekes haue two diuerse termes for this worde religion / y^e tone doth signifie [Page] the inwarde and priue honoure of god / done in the soule or mynde alone / & the tother: y^e outwarde ho­noure after the maner byfore sayd / yet done nat we say y^t all ꝑsones y^t done reuerēce / & honour vnto our lord w^t al cerimonies & outward signes (as is said) ben religious. For a lytel default of y^e d [...]speasur [...] of god remaynynge in the soule: dothe make religion vayne & voyde / as appeteth by y^e sentēce of saint Iames the Apostle.Iacobi. 1. If any ꝑsones (sayth he) done sup­pose & truste thēselfe to be religious / & done nat re­freyne theyr tonges frō yuel but done deceyue theyr soule: theyr religion is vayn [...] & voyde. [...]o y^t the honoure of god (to be therby religiō) [...]ste he done w^t a clene soule & mynde / so doth folowe ī y^e same place This is a clene & spotles religiō (faith sait Iames) anenst god & y^e father of heuē: for al christianes. To visite / conforte / helpe / & succoure pupilles / fatherles & moder [...]es chyldrē / wedowes & nedy ꝑsones ī theyr trouble / & thā doth folowe forthw^t / & also to kepe thē selfe īmaculate / pure / clene / & spotles frō this world that is to say: frō synne / & frō all y^e occasions therof. So thā is required / y^t all ꝑsones of this religiō: be synles. And so is this religiō y^t we haue described: cōmune vnto all ꝑsones / & a very apte vessell to preserue y^e wyne of the lyfe of ꝓtection. But this vessell is cōparable vnto y^t great fatte wherin wyne is put at the fyrst begynnyng & frō thense diriued / & diui­ded into the other ꝑticular vesselles. And although wine may be p̄serued in many vesselles: yet none is more apte ne more vsed: than the Tunne or Pype / whervnto (at our fyrst begynnynge) we compared this maner of religiō: wherof we haue and yet here done intreate.

¶Of religion as the terme is cōmunely vsed / that is to say of m [...]nasticall / or monastike religion. The thyrde Chapitre.

THis religion thā here intreated is more speciall than the other byfore discribed. And is called monasticall or monastical or monastike religion / of this latyne ter­me / Monachus / or rather this greke worde / Monachs [...] / whiche is to meane a persone segregate / sepe­rate / or departed from the cōmune sorte / and company of other worldly persones / & that in our cōmune englys she is called a solitarie persone. [...]. And this maner of religion in the latyne tonge is called mona­ch [...]tus / that is to meane / a state apperteynynge vnto monkes and solitarie persones / whiche state is nowe called onely religion. And suche persones as ben bounden vnto that state / and done lyue in reli­gion / bene alone called religious ꝑsones / and none other ꝑsones ben so named cōmunly but onely they And this maner of religiō is diuersly described / or declared & shewed what it is / or what is ment by y^e terme.The deffinicion of religion monastical or monastike. Lodouicꝰ caruaialꝰ minorita contra E­rasmum. This maner of religion (sayth one) Est vita euāgelica: quae Christꝰ et cōsoluit et precepit obseruās hijs obuiācia deuitās. That is to say / religiō is the lyfe euāgelicall / or euāgelike / y^t is to say the lyfe of y^e gospel / which lyfe doth obserue & kepe: both what Christe coūsayled & what he cōmaunded / or [...]is ke­pyng: as wel those thingꝭ y^t Christ dyd coūsayle: as those y^t he dyd cōmaūde / & eschewyng / auoydyng & steyng al thingꝭ cōtrarie. But this definiciō or de­claraciō is nat sufficiēt / for it doth nat alway frame w^t y^e thīg declared. For thā shuld folowe: y^t euery ꝑ­sone of [Page] any degre / wedded or syngle: y^e (of deuo [...]n) wolde and dyd kepe bothe the cōmaundementes / and the counsayles of the gospel and [...]e the contrarie / were forth with a religious ꝑsone of this maner / that is monastike / whiche is nat true. And also it semethe vnto me: that the sentence in the ende: set forthe by these wordes. Hijs obuiancia deuita [...]. That is to say / eschewyng or auoydyng the contrarie: this sentence (I say) is superfluous and voyde. For whose euer kepeth the cōmaūdementes and counsayles of the gospelles: doth auoyde the contrarie. And who doth nat auoyde the contrarie:Definicio authoris. doth nat ke [...] them / nat withstandyng I thynke verely the same defini­cion or declaracion without those last wordes: and with a fewe other wordes: shulde be sufficient and good. Thus Religion monast [...] is that lyfe euan­gelyke, that (by the liberal ꝓmyse and wylful bond of so [...]empne vowe accordynge vnto any auctorised reule) obserue and kepe those thynges that Christe caunsayled / and also that he cōmaunded.Iudocus Clichto. de lande monastice religionis ca. 1. And here vnto agreeth well the diffinicion and declaracion of a great clerke / saynge. Religio monastica, est inte­gra discipline monasterialis obseruacio: humana tra­dicione constitute, at (que) ad euangelica complenda confilia, suos cultores astringentis certis statutis et regulis determinata. That is to say: Religiō monastike / is an obseruacion or kepynge of discipline monas­teriall / that is to say / suche maner and byhauioure as is vsed in monasteries: constitute and ordeyned by humayne tradicion / that is / by ordinaūce of mā. And constreynyng and bynding the reuerent vsers and kepers of the same discipline and maner: by certeyne statutes and reules determined / vnto the coū sayles [Page CCxxxiii] of the gospell to be accōpleshed and fulfylled The same agayne in more playne termes. Religiō is an obseruacion / perfourmaunce / or kepynge: of suche religious maner as is vsed in monasteries / which maner: was ordened by holy fathers / & doth constreyne and bynde y^e disciples of the same: to ac­compy she and fulfyll the counsayles of the gospell / whiche sayd obseruacion and kepynge of this ma­ner: is determined and appoynted by certeyn statutes and reules. And this is the religion: wherof we done here intreate as the moste apte vessell / & moste conuenient way: to preserue & to continue as moste precious wyne / the / wyne / of perfection. Al the partꝭ wherof: ben described byfore and determined. But here now I do ymagyne what many persones (specially in this troublous & moste lamentable tyme) wyll say herevnto. Obiection. Syr (say they) what nedethe all this declaraciō of so many religious: we done sup­pose and thynke one religion sufficiēt for al christi­ane people. The religion of Christe is ynoughe for vs all. So that all christianes: kepe (as due bonde) all the preceptes or cōmaundementes of Christe. And euery man (at liberte) to kepe the counsayles that wyll / without any bonde at all. Answere. Herevnto we shal shortely answere. There haue ben euer among all maner of nacions (as we sayd byfore) some ma­ner of persones: that more precisely / and more reue­rently / and with more deuout cerimonies dyd ho­noure vnto theyr god or goddes: than dyd the com­mune sorte of the people / and those were called reli­gious ꝑsones. So y^t as wel amōg the infideles: as among the people of god: were euer some persones after this maner of religion.Nu. 6. A. In the olde testament [Page] were certeyne persones of this maner called [...]za­reis / that by vowe were consecrate / and moch were different in fourme and maner of lyuyng from the other people of Israell / whiche natwithstandynge were the chosen people of god / and had a religion & lawe cōmune vnto them all / whiche was sufficient for theyr saluacion. Yet wolde our lorde god haue suche speciall diuisions / and differences of ꝑfectiōs amonge his chosen people. Some were cōmune people / some prynces / some prestes / some leuites / & deakens.Nume. 18. Deut. 18.3. Reg. 17. & 19. & 4. Reg. 1.4. Reg. 4. Some religious / of hyghe perfection as Helias that both in aray and fedynge was ferre frō other / and after hym [...]is disciple Heliseus in lyke maner. And a lytell byfore the cōmyng of Christe were certeyne religious persones called Esseis / or Essenies / whiche were of singuler ꝑfection aboue other / as Iosephus writethe.Iosephus de auti. li. 18. ca. 5. But nowe let all this passe and let vs loke vpon the newe testament / was nat saynt Iohan baptiste (after the incarnacion of our sauiour in the fyrste begynnyng of Christ) a re­ligious persone:Matth. 11. Marci. 1. and of more harde lyfe / both ī diete and aray: thā ben nowe in these dayes? Saynt Io­han chrisostomus dothe call hym a prynce and doc­toure of monasticall religious persones. For he by ganne religion tymely in youthe / and therin dyd cō tinue / and byde y^e cōming of our lorde and sauioure Iesu Christe. But here (me semeth) I herde some ꝑsones speke and say vnto me. Obiection. Syr we take no hede ne care any thynge / what was done in this byhalfe in any lawe / or in any nacion or people: byfore the cōmyng of Christe. For Christ is our lawe / Christ is our examplar. Bygynne at hym selfe: and if you can shewe that he kepte in hym selfe any suche mo­nasticall [Page CCxxxiiii] religiō: or that he instituted and ordeyned any suche to be kepte: thā may you ꝑswade vs vnto your purpose. And to graunt / that aboue the lawe & religion of Christe cōmune vnto al ꝑsones / as suffient vnto theyr saluacion: yet this monasticall reli­gion / may be good and necessarie vnto perfection. For answere herevnto:Answere. I muste pray you to take y^e laboure to tourne backe vnto the fyrst parte of this pore worke / where in y^e answere that we made vnto these newe heretikes: I was compelled to speke of that mater / whiche els myght conueniētly haue ben reserued vnto this place. I pray you loke there frō the fourthe Chapitre vnto the .xv. & I truste verely you shalbe satisfied / & ꝑceyue that doth our sauiour Christe in him selfe / kepte this maner of religion / y^t we done call monasticall / or monastike / and ordey­ned the same to be kept by his Apostles / and howe they receyued the same / and were bounde thervnto & dyd ꝑfourme the same. And also howe they dyd consecrate other diuerse persones of bothe the sexes y^t is to say / of the male kynde / & of the female kynde of man: vnto the same maner of religiō / as doth ap­pere in the legende of saynt. Macheu / & other of the Apostles / & of saynt Clement that was disciple vn­to saynt Petre & after hym pope. So than we may thus make an ende of this fourth ꝑte / as of our ves­sell / Pype / or Tunne / wherby this maner of religi­on is signified / as the moste sure vessell to p̄serue / & continue the p̄cious wyne of the lyfe of perfection. Wherof nowe shall folowe in breue & shorte maner as vnto the selfe thynge / bycause many treates and bokes ben therof wrytē both in englysshe & latyne.